SnowGhost Music

Jack Johnson is probably a really nice guy. He's a good surfer, he makes much better than average surf movies, and I like a lot of his songs. He seems to have learned a lot from his hero Ben Harper, though he hasn't expanded his virtuosity or been anywhere near as eclectic. But I am not here to talk about the catchiness of 'Bubble Toes' or the lack of evolution in his music, as much as I would love to. I'm actually here to discuss the legacy of Jack Johnson. Like I said, I am a fan, and I would love to go on a surf trip with him. I would even be totally stoked to sit around a campfire and trade Ben Harper covers with him and discuss the finer points of underwater photography. Ah, but we would definitely have to discuss the legacy...

I wish I could say that the legacy had something to do with bringing singer/songwriter accoustic music to a much bigger stage. He's certainly done that, bringing his mates Ben and G-Love with him. He's also helped make surf movie soundtracks worth listening to, but the real legacy, the one you'll actually hear all the time is that GODDAMNED PERCUSSIVE GUITAR STRING SLAP, which will henceforth be referred to as that damn fucking slap, or DFS if you will.

Before we point fingers or lament misguided influences, let's quickly explain the DFS. You'll hear it in virtually every JJ song ever recorded. What it is is a strum or a slap with either a hand or a pick to the strings with one hand while the other mutes the strings to create a percussive rapping sound. It is a useful tool in adding a sense of rhythm and percussion to guitar playing, especially if there is no backing band to help out. Even with backing percussion, the DFS can sound good because it immediately mutes unwanted guitar ring, and is a great lead-in for palming the guitar. It is also very helpful in creating a little extra 'funkiness.' But like many sassy ingredients, it must be used sparingly.

And JJ, bless his mellow heart, does not use sparingly, which has given rise to worldwide domination of the DFS. Maybe you don't notice it like I do, but if you venture out into the music scene, and you happen to catch a performance featuring a dude with an accoustic guitar, you will probably hear it. Most likely every chord will end with it, going wherever the snare drum goes. If you pay enough attention, it becomes the musical equivalent of the word 'like' in a cell phone conversation between Stacy and Allie. Perhaps you like it, but it, like, totally drives me nuts, like, you know? The noise itself isn't necesarrily annoying. I reiterate that it can be quite tasteful and welcome in many cases. But dude, maybe not in every other song?

I'm not blaming JJ, at least not in the sense that he set out to ensure that thousands of aspiring singer/songwriters would use the DFS as frequently as he does. Bill Buckner probably wasn't trying to set a standard of excellence for little leaguers when he created his legacy by letting the '86 world series dribble slowly between his legs. But nonetheless, the DFS was never so poular as it is now. It has become a nervous tic to a new generation of would-be singer/songwriters. Some do it so often that they don't even notice it. But I do. And unfortunately, now you will too.