Nick Johnston (guitarist)

{{Short description|Canadian guitarist (born 1987)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| background = person

| name = Nick Johnston

| image = Nick Johnston (guitarist).jpg

| alt = Nick Johnston facing left of the camera, hands together holding an object, seemingly listening to someone speak

| caption = Johnston in 2017

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1987|06|18}}

| birth_place = Rockwood, Ontario, Canada

| origin =

| genre = Instrumental rock

| occupation = {{hlist|Guitarist|songwriter}}

| instrument = Guitar

| years_active = 2011–present

| label =

| website = {{URL|nickjohnstonmusic.com}}

}}

Nick Johnston is a Canadian guitarist and songwriter who records as a solo artist.{{cite web|title=Interview: Nick Johnston |url=https://www.gitarrebass.de/stories/interview-nick-johnston/ |website=gitarrebass.de |date=December 17, 2017 |accessdate=October 21, 2019 |language=de |trans-title=}} 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.{{cite web|title=Between the Buried and Me announce summer tour with The Contortionist and Nick Johnston |url=https://loudwire.com/between-the-buried-and-me-summer-2019-tour-the-contortionist-nick-johnston/ |website=loudwire.com |date=May 15, 2019 |accessdate=October 21, 2019}}

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".{{cite web|title=Q&A Scene: Guitarists' Special: Nick Johnston |url=https://whatsmyscene.com/qa-scene-guitarists-special-nick-johnston/|website=whatsmyscene.com |date=June 23, 2017 |accessdate=October 21, 2019}} 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".{{cite web |last1=Sharma |first1=Amit |title=Nick Johnston, Lari Basilio and Plini on the genius of Joe Satriani |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/nick-johnston-lari-basilio-and-plini-on-the-genius-of-joe-satriani |website=Guitar World.com Total Guitar |publisher=Future Publishing Limited |date=May 19, 2020|access-date=February 22, 2021}}

The guitarist released his own signature guitar through Schecter in 2016.{{cite web |title=Nick Johnston on Instagram: "My guitar is now available on the @schecterguitarsofficial site!" |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BAKopQRB0kp/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/BAKopQRB0kp |archive-date=December 26, 2021 |url-access=registration|website=Instagram |language=en}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web|title=Me and my guitar: Nick Johnston |url=https://www.musicradar.com/news/me-and-my-guitar-nick-johnston |website=musicradar.com |date=December 21, 2018 |accessdate=October 21, 2019}} 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.{{cite web |title=Nick Johnston - Independent |url=https://www.schecterguitars.com/artists/83-nick-johnston-independent |website=www.schecterguitars.com}} He is also passionate about comics and has hired comics illustrators to create his album art.{{cite web|title=Skulls in Space: The Atomic Rock of Nick Johnston |url=http://www.terrorizer.com/news/skulls-in-space-the-atomic-rock-of-nick-johnston/ |website=terrorizer.com |date=December 12, 2016 |accessdate=October 21, 2019}}