The characters also give Johnson the power to set his music in a philosophical and even mythical context by providing archetypal characters to illuminate the development of man’s understanding of himself and nature. McAlister represents an old belief structure, Shoe a new reality but Johnson does not make judgments about them, he simply presents them along with his belief that the world has changed and new views prevail about the forces that shape our destiny.
The very identity and personal history of the musician has become a philosophical and creative tool for Johnson in his musical exploration of the world. His characters take on mythological attributes, representing not just his ideas about inspiration but the very shape of the world and the way we relate to it.
“Creating characters gives me more control,” he admits, discussing what the imaginary musicians bring to his music. “The musician becomes a sort of instrument.” A certain guitar has a certain sound, as does one of Johnson’s musician characters. “Charlie is musically distinguishable from Vernon even when they play the same songs.”
Although known for his technical virtuosity, Johnson has struggled with the difficulty of conveying complex messages without the benefit of lyrics.
The biographies of the new characters as included in the liner notes of his albums gives him a new and more complex voice to incorporate into his music. Vernon McAlister’s tragedy and Charlie Shoe’s dependence on his parents make clear, succinct statements about the meaning of the music produced by each guitarist and about the relationship of man to nature as well. The differences in characters are used by Johnson not so much to explain the music as to vastly expand the extent of its meaning.
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