As with any journalisim, nothing is complete, nor it it accurate in everyone's eyes.
Perspective changes and views are personal and often filtered through one's own emotions.
This is a good account never-the-less, and gives a good overview to the way things happened.
Quote from Natural Born Man: The Life of Jack Johnson - Marc Shapiro
http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Born-Man-Lif...4345&sr=8-1
Page 34 & 35
"...Their respective competitive, free spirited natures soon brought Johnson and Slater together in a friendship that continues to this day. The year Johnson met Slater was also the year when Donavon Frankenreiter, a surfing phenomenon at the ripe old age of 13, came to Hawaii to get his surf legs at Oahu. Frankenreiter rented a tiny room above the Johnson family garage during that initial visit and formed a similar bond with the young boy. In Jack Johnson's world, friendship was as simple as riding a wave."
Page 36 & 37
"....However it the ease and spontaneity of the informal beach jams that fascinated and finally inspired Johnson, at the age of 14, to pick up a guitar and learn how to play.
Borrowing an old, beat up acoustic guitar from a friend, the teenager would spend his nights patiently picking out chords in an attempt to master the basics. As friends often do, Frankenreiter was quick to emulate Johnson's musical aspirations and the pair would often get together for informal practice sessions."
Page 116 & 117
Donavon Frankenreiter recalled taking the initiative in his quest for a deal with Brushfire. He had known about Johnson's label for quite some time and, when we felt the moment was right, he sent his friend a demo. Given their friendship and touring history, it was no surprise when Frankenreiter heard back from Johnson saying, in essence, 'Come to Hawaii and let's make a record.'
Johnson co-produced Frankenreiter's album with Marion Caldato Jr. Johnson contributed vocals, guitar, bass and ukulele to several tracks. Feeding the session were G. Love and the member's of Ben Harpers band who would drift in and out of sessions, offering instrumental and vocal support. And like previous Johnson albums, Frankenreiter's album, recorded at Johnson's Mango Tree Studios, was seemingly more fun and games than real work.
'There was no pressure,' recalled Frankenreiter in a South Florida.com interview. 'No one was yelling, "Hey C'mon I don't hear a hit!" We just surfed, hung out on the beach and jammed. When we ere done, there was a record.'"
Page 141 & 142
"... Around the time of the Grammy announcement, the first defection from the idyllic world of Jack Johnson came when long time friend Donavon Frankenreiter announced that he would be leaving Brushfire Records and would be releasing his latest album, Move By Yourself, on the Lost Highway Label. Rumors were immediately rampant that Frankenreiter and Johnson had had an unpleasant falling out and that Johnson's reportedly quiet, dictatorial ways had driven Frankenreiter to leave.
The more tabloid elements of the press were suddenly chomping at the bit. They apparently loved the notion that the nicest guy in the world actually had an ego-driven dark side. As it turned out, the feeding frenzy was over before it started.
Frankenreiter, during a recent Australian tour, was quick to point out that the two musicians remained close friends. He further revealed, not too surprisingly, that his departure was due to creative differences; due in large part to the fact that despite having a slightly funkier, soulful sound than Johnson's, he was constantly being lumped in with Johnson's softer, island sound.
'It was kind of hard for me to break away and be myself, be my own artist, my own musician,' declared Frankenreiter in a Sunday Mail interview. 'Everything I did always got entwined and combined with me trying to be another Jack Johnson. I never wanted to be that and it was one of those things I thought I would never be able to break away from. Jack totally understood. He wants the best for me and he said this will never get in the way of our friendship.'"
Page 157
"And Johnson's arm did not have to be twisted to go into the studio as a guest artist o n G. Love's latest album Lemonade. It was a typical, hang-loose session with the likes of Ben Harper, David Hidalgo from Los Lobos, and Steven Molitz of Particle drifting in and out of the studio to add bits and pieces to what many consider Love's most accessible and commercially viable album in ages. The ease with which Johnson interacted with former label mate Donavon Frankenreiter, who also helped out on Lemonade, forever put an end to speculation that Frankenreiter's departure from Brushfire had caused a rift with Johnson."
Full Version: Donavon Frankenreiter & Jack Johnson
QUOTE (localcanada @ Aug 29 2009, 12:52 PM) 
As with any journalisim, nothing is complete, nor it it accurate in everyone's eyes.
Perspective changes and views are personal and often filtered through one's own emotions.
This is a good account never-the-less, and gives a good overview to the way things happened.
Quote from Natural Born Man: The Life of Jack Johnson - Marc Shapiro
http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Born-Man-Lif...4345&sr=8-1
Page 34 & 35
"...Their respective competitive, free spirited natures soon brought Johnson and Slater together in a friendship that continues to this day. The year Johnson met Slater was also the year when Donavon Frankenreiter, a surfing phenomenon at the ripe old age of 13, came to Hawaii to get his surf legs at Oahu. Frankenreiter rented a tiny room above the Johnson family garage during that initial visit and formed a similar bond with the young boy. In Jack Johnson's world, friendship was as simple as riding a wave."
Page 36 & 37
"....However it the ease and spontaneity of the informal beach jams that fascinated and finally inspired Johnson, at the age of 14, to pick up a guitar and learn how to play.
Borrowing an old, beat up acoustic guitar from a friend, the teenager would spend his nights patiently picking out chords in an attempt to master the basics. As friends often do, Frankenreiter was quick to emulate Johnson's musical aspirations and the pair would often get together for informal practice sessions."
Page 116 & 117
Donavon Frankenreiter recalled taking the initiative in his quest for a deal with Brushfire. He had known about Johnson's label for quite some time and, when we felt the moment was right, he sent his friend a demo. Given their friendship and touring history, it was no surprise when Frankenreiter heard back from Johnson saying, in essence, 'Come to Hawaii and let's make a record.'
Johnson co-produced Frankenreiter's album with Marion Caldato Jr. Johnson contributed vocals, guitar, bass and ukulele to several tracks. Feeding the session were G. Love and the member's of Ben Harpers band who would drift in and out of sessions, offering instrumental and vocal support. And like previous Johnson albums, Frankenreiter's album, recorded at Johnson's Mango Tree Studios, was seemingly more fun and games than real work.
'There was no pressure,' recalled Frankenreiter in a South Florida.com interview. 'No one was yelling, "Hey C'mon I don't hear a hit!" We just surfed, hung out on the beach and jammed. When we ere done, there was a record.'"
Page 141 & 142
"... Around the time of the Grammy announcement, the first defection from the idyllic world of Jack Johnson came when long time friend Donavon Frankenreiter announced that he would be leaving Brushfire Records and would be releasing his latest album, Move By Yourself, on the Lost Highway Label. Rumors were immediately rampant that Frankenreiter and Johnson had had an unpleasant falling out and that Johnson's reportedly quiet, dictatorial ways had driven Frankenreiter to leave.
The more tabloid elements of the press were suddenly chomping at the bit. They apparently loved the notion that the nicest guy in the world actually had an ego-driven dark side. As it turned out, the feeding frenzy was over before it started.
Frankenreiter, during a recent Australian tour, was quick to point out that the two musicians remained close friends. He further revealed, not too surprisingly, that his departure was due to creative differences; due in large part to the fact that despite having a slightly funkier, soulful sound than Johnson's, he was constantly being lumped in with Johnson's softer, island sound.
'It was kind of hard for me to break away and be myself, be my own artist, my own musician,' declared Frankenreiter in a Sunday Mail interview. 'Everything I did always got entwined and combined with me trying to be another Jack Johnson. I never wanted to be that and it was one of those things I thought I would never be able to break away from. Jack totally understood. He wants the best for me and he said this will never get in the way of our friendship.'"
Page 157
"And Johnson's arm did not have to be twisted to go into the studio as a guest artist o n G. Love's latest album Lemonade. It was a typical, hang-loose session with the likes of Ben Harper, David Hidalgo from Los Lobos, and Steven Molitz of Particle drifting in and out of the studio to add bits and pieces to what many consider Love's most accessible and commercially viable album in ages. The ease with which Johnson interacted with former label mate Donavon Frankenreiter, who also helped out on Lemonade, forever put an end to speculation that Frankenreiter's departure from Brushfire had caused a rift with Johnson."
Perspective changes and views are personal and often filtered through one's own emotions.
This is a good account never-the-less, and gives a good overview to the way things happened.
Quote from Natural Born Man: The Life of Jack Johnson - Marc Shapiro
http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Born-Man-Lif...4345&sr=8-1
Page 34 & 35
"...Their respective competitive, free spirited natures soon brought Johnson and Slater together in a friendship that continues to this day. The year Johnson met Slater was also the year when Donavon Frankenreiter, a surfing phenomenon at the ripe old age of 13, came to Hawaii to get his surf legs at Oahu. Frankenreiter rented a tiny room above the Johnson family garage during that initial visit and formed a similar bond with the young boy. In Jack Johnson's world, friendship was as simple as riding a wave."
Page 36 & 37
"....However it the ease and spontaneity of the informal beach jams that fascinated and finally inspired Johnson, at the age of 14, to pick up a guitar and learn how to play.
Borrowing an old, beat up acoustic guitar from a friend, the teenager would spend his nights patiently picking out chords in an attempt to master the basics. As friends often do, Frankenreiter was quick to emulate Johnson's musical aspirations and the pair would often get together for informal practice sessions."
Page 116 & 117
Donavon Frankenreiter recalled taking the initiative in his quest for a deal with Brushfire. He had known about Johnson's label for quite some time and, when we felt the moment was right, he sent his friend a demo. Given their friendship and touring history, it was no surprise when Frankenreiter heard back from Johnson saying, in essence, 'Come to Hawaii and let's make a record.'
Johnson co-produced Frankenreiter's album with Marion Caldato Jr. Johnson contributed vocals, guitar, bass and ukulele to several tracks. Feeding the session were G. Love and the member's of Ben Harpers band who would drift in and out of sessions, offering instrumental and vocal support. And like previous Johnson albums, Frankenreiter's album, recorded at Johnson's Mango Tree Studios, was seemingly more fun and games than real work.
'There was no pressure,' recalled Frankenreiter in a South Florida.com interview. 'No one was yelling, "Hey C'mon I don't hear a hit!" We just surfed, hung out on the beach and jammed. When we ere done, there was a record.'"
Page 141 & 142
"... Around the time of the Grammy announcement, the first defection from the idyllic world of Jack Johnson came when long time friend Donavon Frankenreiter announced that he would be leaving Brushfire Records and would be releasing his latest album, Move By Yourself, on the Lost Highway Label. Rumors were immediately rampant that Frankenreiter and Johnson had had an unpleasant falling out and that Johnson's reportedly quiet, dictatorial ways had driven Frankenreiter to leave.
The more tabloid elements of the press were suddenly chomping at the bit. They apparently loved the notion that the nicest guy in the world actually had an ego-driven dark side. As it turned out, the feeding frenzy was over before it started.
Frankenreiter, during a recent Australian tour, was quick to point out that the two musicians remained close friends. He further revealed, not too surprisingly, that his departure was due to creative differences; due in large part to the fact that despite having a slightly funkier, soulful sound than Johnson's, he was constantly being lumped in with Johnson's softer, island sound.
'It was kind of hard for me to break away and be myself, be my own artist, my own musician,' declared Frankenreiter in a Sunday Mail interview. 'Everything I did always got entwined and combined with me trying to be another Jack Johnson. I never wanted to be that and it was one of those things I thought I would never be able to break away from. Jack totally understood. He wants the best for me and he said this will never get in the way of our friendship.'"
Page 157
"And Johnson's arm did not have to be twisted to go into the studio as a guest artist o n G. Love's latest album Lemonade. It was a typical, hang-loose session with the likes of Ben Harper, David Hidalgo from Los Lobos, and Steven Molitz of Particle drifting in and out of the studio to add bits and pieces to what many consider Love's most accessible and commercially viable album in ages. The ease with which Johnson interacted with former label mate Donavon Frankenreiter, who also helped out on Lemonade, forever put an end to speculation that Frankenreiter's departure from Brushfire had caused a rift with Johnson."
Wow...I wish I could be a fly on the wall in one of those jam sessions. Nice. I do like the island beat, but I do LOVE me some funk and soul!
I like how everyone helps out with each other's albums. It seems like a really old school idea, bands don't seem to do that as much anymore.
Thanks for the info, was wondering what was behind that label switch.
Bit of a shame how people presume that there was disharmony between the two, but its cool how they all still help eachother out.
Thanks for posting this man, good read!!
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