Matt Johnson on The The's 'Infected' Album & Creative Control

The The's Evolution & Profile

• 💡 Matt Johnson, the sole constant member of The The, describes a deliberate strategy behind his career.
• 📌 After the debut album 'Soul Mining' (1983), which sold purely on its musical merit with no promotion, he took a break to rethink everything.
• 🚀 The campaign for the follow-up album, 'Infected' (1986), was a conscious effort to significantly raise his public profile.

Strategic Planning for 'Infected'

• ✅ Johnson meticulously planned the 'Infected' campaign, including the innovative concept of creating a video for each track.
• 🎥 He had long envisioned a "video album", a concept he discussed years prior that finally came to fruition with 'Infected'.
• 🧠 This time, he felt better prepared and more in control to handle the increased attention and potential success.

Major Label Backing

• 💰 Matt Johnson signed with CBS Records primarily for financial backing, specifically to fund the ambitious 'Infected' project.
• 🤝 Securing the necessary funds for the films and numerous musicians involved required "quite a bit of bullying" from his manager.
• 💡 He emphasizes that the major label's role was to "sign checks," not provide artistic input, suggesting an independent approach despite corporate backing.

Artistic Independence & Philosophy

• 🎯 Johnson's ultimate goal is to "work to please myself," not to cater to his audience or critics.
• 🚫 He believes artists should not worry about external opinions, as this can influence and compromise their creative thinking.
• ✨ His philosophy is to follow his instincts and maintain a positive, philosophical outlook on both success and failure.