Mike Johnson

Mike Johnson has sustained a long-running presence across the indie rock landscape, whether issuing his own recordings, supporting Mark Lanegan, anchoring the bass chair in Dinosaur Jr., or mixing tracks for other artists. He launched his career in 1985 as singer and guitarist in the Eugene, Oregon melodic-punk band Snakepit, remaining with the group for six years and issuing several locally distributed releases before growing disillusioned and watching the lineup dissolve around 1990. During that period he crossed paths with J Mascis and was invited to join Dinosaur Jr. on bass for the 1990/1991 tour; he stayed on to perform on the 1993 album Where You Been and, after original drummer Murph departed, became the sole remaining member alongside Mascis. Parallel to those commitments, Johnson began an enduring association with Mark Lanegan, supplying the core instrumental support on Lanegan’s solo releases and joining him for select live appearances. In quieter intervals he also contributed to projects by Juned, and in 1994 he issued his first solo album, Where Am I?, whose stark acoustic tone recalled his work with Lanegan while highlighting his own folk-leaning songwriting. The same year saw the arrival of Dinosaur Jr.’s Without a Sound, an undertaking that occupied most of Johnson’s schedule. The following two years proved equally demanding: he delivered Year of Mondays in 1995, toured in its support, and completed another Juned album. By the time Dinosaur Jr. reconvened for what proved to be its final record, Johnson’s role had diminished sharply, and the band’s 1998 dissolution came as little surprise. He next focused on the solo set I Feel Alright and further sessions with Lanegan, yet accepted an invitation to collaborate with Caustic Resin on the 1999 release Trick Question, though his participation remained limited. Subsequent years found him balancing additional Lanegan projects with live dates alongside various associates while preparing his 2002 album What Would You Do, a collection shaped by the death of Up Records founder Chris Takino. After a four-year hiatus, Johnson resurfaced in 2006 with Gone Out of Your Mind, his most guitar-centric and unvarnished recording to that point.