Nick Johnston (guitarist)

Last updated

Nick Johnston
Nick Johnston (guitarist).jpg
Johnston in 2017
Background information
Born (1987-06-18) June 18, 1987 (age 36)
Rockwood, Ontario, Canada
Genres Instrumental rock
Occupation(s)
  • Guitarist
  • songwriter
Instrument(s)Guitar
Years active2011–present
Website nickjohnstonmusic.com

Nick Johnston is a Canadian guitarist and songwriter who records as a solo artist. [1] As of 2024, he has released six solo records. His albums have featured the work of notable artists such as Paul Gilbert, Marco Minnemann, Guthrie Govan, and Bryan Beller. He has also played on songs by other artists including Intervals, Scale the Summit, Periphery, Polyphia, David Maxim Micic, and Mike Dawes. He has toured extensively with artists including Plini and David Maxim Micic. In May 2019 he went on a North American tour with Between the Buried and Me and The Contortionist. [2]

Contents

Johnston has cited musical influences such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eddie Van Halen, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Jeff Beck, saying "I sound nothing like those guys, but I’m massively influenced by them". [3] Another influence was Joe Satriani. "Before listening to Joe, I don't think I understood how important a role the melodies played in building compositions", Nick stated in a Total Guitar interview. "I realised he was the guy who'd really figured it out—the balance of technique, tone, melody, and production. While players were learning blues from Hendrix and Clapton, I was learning them from Satriani". [4]

The guitarist released his own signature guitar through Schecter in 2016. [5] [6] Schecter has since released additional variants of his signature guitar, splitting them into the USA Signature Series and Traditional Series, with these being premium and affordable versions respectively. [7] He is also passionate about comics and has hired comics illustrators to create his album art. [8]

Discography

Nick Johnston discography
Studio albums6
Music videos20
Singles7
Featured artist2
Other appearances9

Albums

Solo

TitleAlbum details
Public Display of Infection
In a Locked Room on the Moon [9]
  • Released: August 13, 2013
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: CD, digital download
Atomic Mind
  • Released: October 7, 2014
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: CD, digital download
Remarkably Human [10]
  • Released: September 27, 2016
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: CD, digital download, streaming
Wide Eyes in the Dark
  • Released: April 19,. 2019
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: CD, digital download, streaming
Young Language
  • Released: November 26, 2021
  • Label: Remarkably Human
  • Format: CD, digital download, streaming
Child of Bliss [11]
  • Release: March 8, 2024
  • Label: Remarkably Human
  • Format: CD, digital download, streaming

with Archival

TitleAlbum details
Fear and Fate
  • Released: April 23, 2021
  • Label: Remarkably Human
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
Your Kingdom
  • Released: November 18, 2022
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download, streaming

Singles

As lead artist

TitleYearAlbum
"Silver Tongued Devil"
(featuring Guthrie Govan)
2014Atomic Mind
"Gemini"2019Wide Eyes in the Dark
"A Cure Promised"
"Young Language"2021Your Language
"Silver Moon Rising"
"Child of Bliss" [11] 2024Child of Bliss
"Moonflower"
TitleYearAlbum
"Slow Dancing in a Burning Room"
(Mike Dawes featuring Nick Johnston)
2017Era
"This Is Living"
(Afterwake featuring Nick Johnston)
TIL [upper-alpha 1]
"Krytonite"
(John Connearn featuring Nick Johnston)
2024Non-album singles
"Diving into the Unmapped"
(Juanpa featuring Nick Johnston)

with Osmanthus

TitleYear
"Becoming"2022
"My Heart is Slowly Burning Down"
"Diamond Tragedy"2023
"All the Things"
"Oceans Rise"

Music videos

TitleYearAlbum
"Sandmonster"2013In a Locked Room on the Moon
"In a Locked Room on the Moon"
"Even If It Takes a Lifetime"2014
"Silver Tongued Devil"
(featuring Guthrie Govan)
Atomic Mind
"Ghosts of the Robot Graveyard"
"Atomic Mind"2015
"Ultra Force"
"Remarkably Human"2016Remarkably Human
"Hypergiant"
"Impossible Things"
(featuring Gavin Harrison, Bryan Beller, and Luke Martin)
"Fear Had Him by the Throat"
"Weakened by Winter"2017
"A Sick and Injured Brain"
"Gemnini"2019Wide Eyes in the Dark
"A Cure Promised"
"Wide Eyes in the Dark"2020
"Silver Moon Rising"2021Your Language
"Strange Silent Places"2022
"Child of Bliss"2024Child of Bliss
"Moonflower"

Other appearances

TitleYearCredited artist(s)Album
"The Parade of Ashes"2014 Periphery Clear
"Champagne" Polyphia Muse
"Disorder"2015David Maxim MicicEgo
"Slight of Hand" Intervals The Shape of Colour
"Goddess Gate"2017 Scale the Summit In a World of Fear
"Sleep Walker"Technopath
(featuring Tristan Fitchat and Nick Johnston)
Ontology
"Ache"Organized ChaosDivulgence
"Ghost Town"2019Zac Tiessen
(featuring Nick Johnston)
Non-album single
"Pythoness"Keith MerrowReading the Bones

Notes

  1. TIL is the name of a three-song single.

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References

  1. "Interview: Nick Johnston". gitarrebass.de (in German). December 17, 2017. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  2. "Between the Buried and Me announce summer tour with The Contortionist and Nick Johnston". loudwire.com. May 15, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  3. "Q&A Scene: Guitarists' Special: Nick Johnston". whatsmyscene.com. June 23, 2017. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  4. Sharma, Amit (May 19, 2020). "Nick Johnston, Lari Basilio and Plini on the genius of Joe Satriani". Guitar World.com Total Guitar. Future Publishing Limited. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  5. "Nick Johnston on Instagram: "My guitar is now available on the @schecterguitarsofficial site!"". Instagram. Archived from the original on December 26, 2021.
  6. "Me and my guitar: Nick Johnston". musicradar.com. December 21, 2018. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  7. "Nick Johnston - Independent". www.schecterguitars.com.
  8. "Skulls in Space: The Atomic Rock of Nick Johnston". terrorizer.com. December 12, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  9. Maneuver, Henry (October 29, 2013). "Interview with Nick Johnston; the Guitar Wiz Talks New Solo Album 'In A Locked Room On The Moon'". Pure Grain Audio. Archived from the original on October 21, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  10. Larson, Tyler (August 30, 2016). "Guitar Wizard Nick Johnston Drops New Single, "Remarkably Human"". Guitar World . Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  11. 1 2 Vigezzi, Jacopo (February 4, 2024). "[News] Nick Johnston unveil the official video for the title-track from upcoming new album "Child of Bliss"". Prog Rock Journal. Retrieved February 10, 2024.