In Greek myth, staring at the monster Medusa would turn mortals to stone; one needed a mirror to take the edge off. Surfer, filmmaker and musician Jack Johnson reckons music and art can play a similar role in reflecting more digestible, less paralysing iterations of the ills and obstacles facing us all.
Jack studied film at UCSB, and went on to make culture shaping movies like Thicker Than Water and A Broke down Melody. More recently, he’s a Grammy nominated artist, and founder of two charitable foundations with his wife and business partner Kim, including the Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation, which supports and funds environmental, art, and music education, and the Kokua Hawaii Foundation, which provides experiential environmental education in the schools and communities of Hawaiʻi.
We caught up with Jack as he prepped to release his eighth studio album Meet the Moonlight in June 2022 about Greek mythology, watching dragonflies, balancing family and work, the function of the artist today and where style comes from — in both music and surfing.
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Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich
Sound Engineer: Ben Alexander
Soundtrack By: Shannon Sol Carroll
Additional music by Wave Brain - Dave, Neal Purchase Jr. and Christian Barker
Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast
Waterpeoplepodcast.com
Photo Credit: Protect Our Rivers
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Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich
Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander
Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll
Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray + Ben J Alexander
Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast
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Thanks to our generous sponsors this season:
Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planet
Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat: nestled in the cliffs of Sumba, offering immersive cultural experiences, open-air bamboo bungalows and a beautiful right-hander outfront.
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