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"Surfer-songwriter Jack Johnson makes a strong case for coolest man alive, surfing and recording his life-affirming lullabies (literally) in his own backyard on Oahu, when he is not trying to save the planet through his environmental concerns. But his idyllic lifestyle draws no shortage of haters, chief among them SNL's Andy Samberg (he of the greed-mongering \"I'm on a Boat\" fame), whose \"Mellow Show\" skit did not sit well with the musician. So when the comedian crashed the set of the Malloy Brothers' video for Johnson's \"At or With Me,\" the first single off his fifth album, To the Sea, the ensuing brawl spilled out into the street and left both stars worse for wear. We caught up with the bigger man in between wave sets in Hawaii as he prepares to head out on a world tour, to get the blow by blow. And true to form, even given ample opportunity, the nicest guy on Earth didn't fire a single parting shot.\n\nRead the full interview after the jump.\n\nFacebookPinterestSvsJ_Poster2.jpeg\n\n Is he? In retrospect, watching the video, he kinda did. It was one of those things, we didn't plan it out too well. We were just there and we said, now how 'bout you do this, and how 'bout you throw my head through a window. Next thing we were done and I looked at it and I'm like, wait a minute, he kinda got the better of me in this thing.\n\n I was totally kidding, I made that up.\n\n Actually we did have a conversation yesterday, it was pretty funny. I said, I should have won the fight, what happened there?\n\n Yeah, really, how'd you agree on who would win?\n\n Well it was never really thought about who won, we just kept going and it got to be enough and then we get to be friends. A week before we shot it we got on the phone and said it'd be a bar fight and we'll figure it out that day. We shot it all in one day and it was pretty fun. To be honest it wasn't really planned out all that well, we figured out a lot of it in the editing.\n\n It does pay off and the end is funny. And the brawl itself is really funny because his skit is basically making fun of you being so cooled out and having the greatest life on Earth, surfing and recording in your backyard. In fact, I'm pretty damn jealous too.\n\n The first time we talked I jokingly said, 'I can't wait to take you down in the studio.' That was the first thing I said to him and he said, 'I hope you didn't take it the wrong way, I was just trying to celebrate your mellowness. That's all. It was never a put down, it was a celebration.'\n\n I really wish you would complain more. Tell me you have to deal with jellyfish and mosquitoes and crashes in the coral reef.\n\n Well, there's no waves right now. I'm looking out the window and it's flat right now. The summer months. My kids love this time of year but I get a little stir crazy because it's like a lake in front of my house with no waves.\n\n Oh, well, I'm glad it's not all perfect in paradise.\n\n Waves aren't perfect all the time.\n\n You're about to head out on a world tour, and you will again donate 100% percent of the proceeds to environmental charities through allatonce.org (goody goody!). What's the trip like? Grueling?\n\n I love it, actually. it's really fun. I've gone through phases. In the very beginning it was a lot of fun. I got confused with it all for a while, overwhelmed at times with the touring. But now we've settled into a place where we are playing the same sized venues we've played for the last three tours. We're going back to a lot of the same spots. For me I realize the power is in the song and I'm the lucky guy who has the same voice as the guy singing the song. I feel like we're a cover band getting to play our own tunes. It makes it nice and easy. We get to bring the families on the road and things have changed over the last couple of tours where the equipment has made it so that we don't need to really sound check anymore. We have a small little sound board that travels around with us. So we don't have to kill our day. We don't have to show up before the doors open.\n\n You go to all these surfable spots. Do you guys bring you boards with you?\n\n If I'm going to Australia we bring our boards because it's almost every day we get to surf. If it's in the US we get a coast here and a coast there, but this next one I'll probably bring a board because we hug the coast for a lot of it. But a lot of times I just show up at a surf shop and try to find a board I can borrow.\n\n Yeah, I'm sure that's difficult. What is your favorite part of the process, coming up with the songs, recording them or going out and getting the response from the fans on tour?\n\n All pretty fun in different ways. I think the one that I enjoy the most is demo-ing the song before I even record the album version. I've always loved playing with a 4-track in my living room, ever since I was in high-school. That's always exciting when you start to feel the song coming together and you lay a harmony on top of yourself or put in another guitar part and feel how the song is gonna make itself out. You can still feel all the potential of it. I have certain songs where I'm really proud of how they came out and other ones, every time I hear them I wish I had gotten a better version in the studio.\n\n Kinda like a painter who keeps painting corners or a filmmaker who keeps recutting. Ben Harper sort of discovered you and brought you out. What is your relationship with him like now?\n\n Still great. He's a good friend. I sometimes feel like he's an older brother, the way he took me in with the music. The first time I ever did a real tour was with him and looking back they took such great care of us, sort of took us under their wing. I've been so inspired by him, both musically and just the way he was on tour. He was so great with all his fans, so appreciative. I would see them get together as a band before they'd go out each night and basically give thanks for everyone who showed up and for each other. It was a real family-style tour to be on and it set the standard for us.\n\n Like Ben, you seem to be in this great continuum where everything you do nourishes everything else, the candle never goes out. Do you ever wake up and dread going into the studio? Or does it all just groove?\n\n It's been a pretty good groove. I'd be lying if I didn't say there are times when I wake up and think\u2014even in the middle of making this last album I thought we should scrap it in the middle of recording, but I think all that self-doubt and questioning is part of the process. I've been lucky to always have just one-record deals. The best advice I ever got starting out was to only have one-record deals. I've never felt any kind of pressure to deliver an album. When I have a group of songs I'll basically make a phone call and start the process of putting out a new album.\n\n Freedom. You're living the dream, man, and we all appreciate it. Any parting words for Samberg to fire up the rematch?\n\n I don't think it's gonna happen. They have their own thing. I got to meet all the Lonely Island guys during the video and they're great.\n\n Damnit, Jack Johnson, you make me want to be a better man. \n\n Thanks a lot.\n\n For the complete Malloy Brothers' video of \"At or With Me\" go to JackJohnsonMusic.com Sept. 17."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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