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]
Nick Johnston | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Johnston in 2017 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | June 18, 1987 Rockwood, Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | Instrumental rock |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instrument(s) | Guitar |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Website | nickjohnstonmusic |
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 albums | 6 |
| Music videos | 20 |
| Singles | 7 |
| Featured artist | 2 |
| Other appearances | 9 |
Albums
Solo
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Public Display of Infection |
|
| In a Locked Room on the Moon[9] |
|
| Atomic Mind |
|
| Remarkably Human[10] |
|
| Wide Eyes in the Dark |
|
| Young Language |
|
| Child of Bliss[11] |
|
with Archival
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Fear and Fate |
|
| Your Kingdom |
|
Singles
As lead artist
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Silver Tongued Devil" (featuring Guthrie Govan) | 2014 | Atomic Mind |
| "Gemini" | 2019 | Wide Eyes in the Dark |
| "A Cure Promised" | ||
| "Young Language" | 2021 | Your Language |
| "Silver Moon Rising" | ||
| "Child of Bliss"[11] | 2024 | Child of Bliss |
| "Moonflower" |
As featured artist
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" (Mike Dawes featuring Nick Johnston) | 2017 | Era |
| "This Is Living" (Afterwake featuring Nick Johnston) | TIL[A] | |
| "Krytonite" (John Connearn featuring Nick Johnston) | 2024 | Non-album singles |
| "Diving into the Unmapped" (Juanpa featuring Nick Johnston) |
with Osmanthus
| Title | Year |
|---|---|
| "Becoming" | 2022 |
| "My Heart is Slowly Burning Down" | |
| "Diamond Tragedy" | 2023 |
| "All the Things" | |
| "Oceans Rise" |
Music videos
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Sandmonster" | 2013 | In 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" | 2016 | Remarkably 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" | 2019 | Wide Eyes in the Dark |
| "A Cure Promised" | ||
| "Wide Eyes in the Dark" | 2020 | |
| "Silver Moon Rising" | 2021 | Your Language |
| "Strange Silent Places" | 2022 | |
| "Child of Bliss" | 2024 | Child of Bliss |
| "Moonflower" |
Other appearances
| Title | Year | Credited artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "The Parade of Ashes" | 2014 | Periphery | Clear |
| "Champagne" | Polyphia | Muse | |
| "Disorder" | 2015 | David Maxim Micic | Ego |
| "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 Chaos | Divulgence | |
| "Ghost Town" | 2019 | Zac Tiessen (featuring Nick Johnston) | Non-album single |
| "Pythoness" | Keith Merrow | Reading the Bones |