Useful Music

Updated on Dec 07, 2023

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Released May 25, 1999 Release date 25 May 1999 Label Artemis Records		Artist Josh Joplin Group Producer Shawn Mullins Genres Folk rock, Americana

Recorded Orphan Studios and Southern Living At Its Finest, Atlanta, GA NG Studios, New York City, NY New Reflections, Nashville, TN Chicky World, Austin, TX Useful Music (2001) The Future That Was (2002) People also search for The Future That Was, Projector Head, Boxing Nostalgic

Josh joplin must be you

Useful Music is a studio album initially released in May 1999 under the SMG Records label by Josh Joplin Band, and again in January 2001 through Artemis Records after the band had renamed itself Josh Joplin Group following a change in its line-up. While the album did not enjoy widespread commercial success, it peaked at #22 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart and spawned a moderate hit with its first single, "Camera One", which quickly reached #1 on the Triple A airplay chart, the highest position ever achieved by an independent release at that point (February 2001). Featuring a more rock-edged, radio-friendly sound than most of the other material on Useful Music, the song was also featured in an episode of the comedy series Scrubs (season 1, episode 7, "My Super Ego").

Original release (1999)

All songs written by Josh Joplin.

Re-release (2001)

All credits are the same as the original release except where noted.

"Matter"
"Gravity"
"Here I Am"
"Undone"
"Camera One" - 4:33
Producer: Jerry Harrison
Engineer: Karl Derfler
Mixer: Tom Lord-Alge
Mastering: Ted Jensen
"I've Changed"
"Trailways"
"Who's Afraid of Thomas Wolfe?"
"Phil Ochs"
"Superstar"
"Human"
"Dutch Wonderland"
"I've Changed (alternate version)" - 4:21
Producer: Peter Collins
Engineer: F. Reid Shippen
Mastering: Greg Calbi

Personnel

Kenny Aronoff - drums

Allen Broyles - backing vocals, piano, trumpet, organ, accordion, harmonium, keyboards, Wurlitzer electric piano

Jason Buecker - percussion, drums, backing vocals

Ani Cordero - backing vocals

Deb Davis - electric guitar ("Trailways")

Joe Gore - electric guitar

Carl Herrgesell - electric guitar

Danny Howes - electric guitar

Clay Johnson - backing vocals

Josh Joplin - lead and backing vocals, Rhodes electric piano, harmonica, acoustic guitar

David Kostiner - drums

Diana Mangano - backing vocals

Geoff Melkonian - backing vocals, electric bass, double bass, viola

Shawn Mullins - guitar, piano, backing vocals

Pamela Sixfin - violin

Eric Taylor - drums ("Camera One")

Kris Wilkinson - string arrangement

Production

John Bentham - photography

Chris Bilheimer - art direction

Allen Broyles - producer ("Phil Ochs")

Greg Calbi - mastering (all tracks except "Matter" and "Camera One")

Matt Chiaravalle - mixer ("Here I Am", "Trailways", and "Superstar")

Peter Collins - producer ("I've Changed (alternate version)")

Karl Derfler - engineer ("Matter" and "Camera One")

Russ Fowler - engineer (all tracks except "Matter", "Camera One", and "I've Changed (alternate version)"), mixer ("Far Away", "Phil Ochs", "Who's Afraid of Thomas Wolfe?", "Human", and "Dutch Wonderland")

Daniel Glass - executive producer

Jerry Harrison - producer ("Matter" and "Camera One")

J. Reid Hunter - legal

Ted Jensen - mastering ("Matter" and "Camera One")

Josh Joplin - producer ("Phil Ochs")

Matt Lively - illustration

Tom Lord-Alge - mixer ("Matter" and "Camera One")

Alex Lowe - engineer ("Gravity")

Shawn Mullins - producer (all tracks except "Matter", "Phil Ochs", "Camera One", and "I've Changed (alternate version)")

Phil Nicolo - mixer ("Gravity," "Undone," and "I've Changed")

Charles “Chicky” Reeves - engineer ("Phil Ochs")

Anthony J. Resta - drum and keyboard programmer

F. Reid Shippen - engineer ("I've Changed (alternate version)")

Songs

1Matter4:13
2Gravity3:04
3Here I Am4:18

References

Useful Music Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA