A Minneapolis company can take credit for helping shape one of the biggest records of Jack Johnson's career -- his environmental record.
"They're one of the ones who really do all the hard work for us and take the lead in these things," Johnson said of MusicMatters, with whom he and his wife, Kim, developed his many eco-friendly tour practices.
MusicMatters was founded here in 1996 by Michael Martin, a former investment banker, as a sort of consulting firm to green up the music business. Coincidentally or not, one of its earliest employees was Mason Jennings' future wife, Amy Turany. The company first partnered with Johnson around 2004 and helped create his "eco-rider" -- contractual requirements for the concert venues he plays, such as no plastic backstage and recycling at concession stands.
"Dozens of other bands are now using Jack's eco-rider," Martin noted.
For this tour, the Johnsons invited Martin to Oahu to brainstorm new ideas, namely the All at Once Alliance (allatonce.org), an online community that unites Johnson fans for beach cleanups, car pooling, etc. They also lined up local charities to promote in each city, including Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness and the Youth Farm & Market Project at Sunday's show.
Said Johnson, "We're hoping to leave a little impact that's there after we're gone."
Martin is now working with the Police to offset the ecological impact of their reunion tour, and with the Dave Matthews Band on a new green-power utilities program.
He might well be the most influential local player in the music biz right now.
