nicholas Johnson
Kentucky-born and based in Cincinnati, Ohio, singer-songwriter Nicholas Johnson’s story is not a typical one, including moving to Milan, Italy and then getting kicked out of the country. Bringing it all back home on his fourth release, the seven-track album spanning twenty-six minutes, Shady Pines Vol. 2 (Ninja Jam Records), Johnson follows-up 2017’s Shady Pines Vol. 1 to complete the vision he originally had for the two-part project.
Shady Pines Vol. 1 (Ninja Jam Records) was the first half of the collaboration that found Johnson teaming up with acclaimed producer and engineer Patrick Himes (Ryan Adams, Ethan Johns, Lilly Hiatt) with the goal in mind to craft a recording that matched the intensity of his live shows. The result is a fiery brand of roots and rock that manages to sound both achingly familiar and fiercely original.
“I got kicked out of Italy in the early fall of 2016. Seriously. For context, I had an opportunity to move to Milan earlier in the year. Sold the car, the house, put most of my things in storage, packed up the dogs and moved into a tiny apartment in the center of the city. I loved it,” Johnson says of the experience. “However, there were huge errors with the filing of my visa - so on my birthday I was getting ready to fly to Munich for Oktoberfest and I got the call, ‘Happy Birthday, you can't go to Germany for Oktoberfest and you need to leave the country immediately while this is being resolved.’ I was told it could take anywhere from three weeks to three months.”
Continuing, he adds, “As I mentioned, the house and car were sold. I had to rent a car and crash at my friends - I split time between couches and spare rooms in Dayton and Louisville. I had these songs I wrote that were just hanging out that I played for friends and they really dug them. They were the ones who referred me to Patrick and his studio in Dayton - Reel Love Studios. Come to find out he had worked with Ethan Johns and was the engineer on one of my favorite albums, Ryan Adams’ classic Heartbreaker. Patrick had moved out of Nashville and started his own studio dedicated to recording and producing Ohio music. It was a match made in heaven. I loved working with him, but it was brief because by the time we got to work in the studio it was nearly time for me to go back to Italy. We knocked out five songs in a couple days [which would become 2017’s Shady Pines Vol. 1]. After that, I really wanted to come back and work with him again. Volume 2 was that opportunity.”
Building upon Vol. 1, Shady Pines Vol. 2 combines his Southern and Midwest roots into a sound that is best described as Southern roots meets Midwest rust-belt rock: Heartfelt, earnest, melodic, and true to the soil he was raised on. Paying homage to the likes of Tom Petty, Jeff Tweedy, and even Bruce Springsteen, Johnson creates a rock record that has as much grit as it does polish.
“I'm big on place and setting in my writing and especially my titles. Shady Pines refers to my address when I first moved to Ohio - just outside of Dayton,” Johnson says of the album title. “Every time I visualize Ohio, or the Midwest in general, I think back to that address. The name just puts me back there mentally and gives me an anchor point to build the themes, narratives, and visuals in the songs.”
Unlike Volume 1, which was recorded quickly, Johnson and Himes took their time on Volume 2.
“The beginnings of Volume 2 started all the way back in 2018 - flying back from Italy to Dayton to work with Patrick. So we've had quite a bit of time to refine things and take our time crafting the sound and style.”
The result, as he says, is an album that “genre hops a bit but it's essentially Americana with an edge: peppered with rock and a little punk."
Propelled by the album’s first two singles - “New Vampire” and “Middle of Nowhere, Ohio” - “Middle of Nowhere” opens the album with an Tom Petty-esque rocker, while “New Vampire” closes out Volume 2 with a late-night, folk-pop sleeper rich in vocal harmonies, rustic charm, and a soothing rhythm section.
“These songs bookend the album and encapsulate the theme and tone of the album - but they achieve it in different ways musically,” Johnson says of the two singles.
One of Johnson’s favorite lines on the album come courtesy of “New Vampire.”
"Premonition and the prophet screams
Rage into the void of a restless dream.
Phone screen burns like man makes fire,
Ushers in the age of the new vampire"
“I just think it encapsulates pretty succinctly a lot of things we are experiencing in society at the moment. I think it's evident that we live in a time of angst, division, and confusion - and unfortunately there are things (and people) in our everyday lives that exacerbate and feed off that angst; ‘New Vampires.’”
When asked if the album came out the way he heard it in his head, Johnson says it did, plus a lot more, crediting Himes with pushing him and helping to fully realize the songs beyond even what he initially planned.
“The reason I love working with Patrick is he knows how to take an idea that's in my head and go down a path that surprises us both and evolves into something really cool. Sometimes we hit a dead-end but it's cool to have someone who's willing to go exploring with me. That leads to moments where it's exactly what I was hearing and we found it - or in some cases we go down a different path and leads to something cooler than what I was hearing.”
Happy and excited how the record turned out, there are a few things that even surprised him when all was said and done.
“One is the mood: there are some heavier themes I didn't really set out to explore,” he says without hesitation. “I just had these songs that I thought were complimentary to Vol. 1. When we started stringing them together, I realized there were some repeating themes and the tone was definitely a little angrier and moodier than previous songs and albums.”
These heavier themes seeping into the album subconsciously changed the underlying theme of the album, in Johnson’s eyes.
“The underlying theme of the album is American loneliness. It wasn't my original idea or intention but happened subconsciously. Each song is a narrative with different musical tones and settings - urban, suburban, rural but all share a common message of loneliness and wanting.”
Now, with the album done and set for release March 3, 2023, Johnson is excited to get the record out to the public, tour in support of it (as a full band, solo, and as a duo), and hope those that hear it take from it some experiences that he put into it.
“This record has been my primary focus since 2018 so my main goal is for it to be heard, enjoyed, and respected by as many people as possible. Hopefully, this will be a lot of people's introduction to my music and like it enough to dig deeper into my catalog. And ultimately, I hope it's successful enough to propel me to my next project.”
“A sound that is warm and full, with rich textures and absorbing musical layers. Cincinnati singer-songwriter Nicholas Johnson displays outstanding songcraft on his new single, ‘Sinner’” - Americana UK
“The record sways from sounding like Whiskeytown (“Come Around”), smooth LA sounds of the 70’s (“I’m a Ghost”) and rocking like a Midwestern Lucero (“Lonely Girl”). Standout is the shimmering, vulnerable “Sinner”. If you hear that song and don’t feel the naked emotion, then you have some work to do.” - Art Jipson, Tuesday Afternoon Alternative
“The first single “Sinner” is beautiful and soothing. “Back Upstate” has songs to make you cry, dance and sing, get in your car, take a long drive and it will be a perfect soundtrack and it will definitely be at the top of our playlist for a long time” - Feelin’ Alright Promo (UK)
“A beautiful, energetic mixture of fuzz and twang from one of the next great voices in Americana music” - Cincymusic.com
“Must listen…such an energetic sound!” - Radio 6023 (Italy)
PREVIOUS PROJECTS
"This is Home" (Ammonia Records, 2019) is a high-spirited collaboration between Nicholas and Italian singer-songwriter and Virgin Radio personality, Andrea Rock. The split-album serves as a love letter to Johnson's adopted home of Milan, Italy and also a celebration of the winding roads and friendships that led him across the pond. The sound combines Johnson's Americana-based influences with Rock's background of traditional folk and lingering notes of punk peppered throughout.
“Shady Pines Vol. 1” EP (Ninja Jam Records, 2017) is the first release of the double EP project that had Johnson teaming up with acclaimed Producer and Engineer Patrick Himes (Ryan Adams, Ethan Johns, Lilly Hiatt) with the goal in mind to craft a recording that matched the intensity of his live shows. The result is a fiery brand of roots and rock that manages to sound both achingly familiar and fiercely original.
THIS IS HOME (2019)
SHADY PINES VOL.1 (2017)
BACK UPSTATE (2021)
SHADY PINES VOL.2 (2023)
Available on all digital formats
Ammonia Records (Italy)/ Ninja Jam Records (US)
live
2023
OCT 22 Kingsmeade High Wycombe, UK
OCT 21 Spiritual Bar London, UK
OCT 20 Holmfirth Tavern Holmfirth, UK
OCT 19 Lock 91 Manchester, UK
OCT 15 American Bar Belfast, UK
OCT 13 Hole in the Wall Kilkenny, IRE
SEP 20 Americana Fest @ Dee’s Lounge Nashville, TN
AUG 20 Parlour Providence, RI
AUG 19 Sleepwalker Brooklyn, NY
AUG 18 Dogwood Beacon, NY
AUG 17 Lucy’s Garage Pleasantville, NY
AUG 13 Bar Freda Queens, NY
AUG 11 Southside Works Pittsburgh, PA
AUG 10 Woodland Tavern Columbus, OH
AUG 4 Southgate House Revival Newport, KY
JUL 13 Blind Bobs Dayton, OH
APR 22 Oddfellows - Benefit for East Palestine, Ohio -
Cincinnati, OH
MAR 25 Mecca OTR Cincinnati, OH
MAR 24 The Bridge Music Bar Pittsburgh, PA
MAR 23 Blind Bobs Dayton, OH
MAR 22 Feinstein’s Indianapolis, IN GET TICKETS
MAR 21 TBA Nashville, TN
MAR 20 Queen City Shout Festival Springfield, MO GET TICKETS
MAR 19 Thelma’s Peach Tulsa, OK
MAR 18 SXSW Austin, TX
MAR 17 SXSW Austin, TX
MAR 16 SXSW Austin, TX
MAR 15 SXSW Austin, TX
MAR 14 SXSW Austin, TX
MAR 13 Stockyards Ft. Worth, TX
MAR 11 Rino Kansas City, KS
MAR 10 Kinkaider Brewing Omaha, NE
MAR 9 Aster Cafe Minneapolis, MN GET TICKETS
MAR 8 The Bur Oak Madison, WI GET TICKETS
MAR 7 Gibson Music Hall Appleton, WI
MAR 6 Space Chicago, IL GET TICKETS
MAR 5 Tip Top Deluxe Grand Rapids, MI GET TICKETS
MAR 4 Urban Artifact ALBUM RELEASE Cincinnati, OH GET TICKETS
MAR 3 The Monarch Louisville, KY GET TICKETS
2022
NOV 19 Mag Bar Louisville, KY
NOV 12 Trolley Stop Dayton, OH
NOV 10 Oddfellows Cincinnati, OH
OCT 9 Sweet Rust Distilling Legonier, PA
OCT 8 1700 Penn Pittsburgh, PA
SEP 25 Harmony Hill Vineyards Bethel, OH
SEP 17 Southgate House Revival Cincinnati, OH
SEP 14 Americana Fest Nashville, TN
AUG 11 Black Heath Meadery Richmond, VA
JUL 28 Southgate House Revival (Artist in Residence)
Newport, KY
JUL 25 The Garage at Lucy’s Pleasantville, NY
JUL 22 Newport Folk Fest Sideshow Newport, RI
JUL 20 Rockwood Music Hall New York City, NY
JUL 16 DATV LIVE Dayton, OH
JUL 15 Baker Square Summer Series Pittsburgh, PA
JUL 14 Southgate House Revival (Artist in Residence)
Newport, KY
JUL 7 Southgate House Revival (Artist in Residence)
Newport, KY
JUN 4 Dee’s Lounge Nashville, TN
JUN 3 The Monarch Louisville, KY
MAY 14 South Park Tavern Dayton, OH
MAY 13 Paddy’s on Main Covington, KY
APR 15 WDVX Blue Plate Special Knoxville, TN
APR 7 HiFi Lounge Cincinnati, OH
MAR 27 Devil Wind Brewing Xenia, OH
MAR 25 Rambling House Columbus, OH
MAR 19 SXSW (Rainey Street) Austin, TX
MAR 18 SXSW (SHHH Party) Austin, TX
MAR 17 SXSW (CherryFest) Austin, TX
MAR 16 SXSW (Tiny Van Showcase) Austin, TX
MAR 13 SXSW (ShowX/San Jac Showcase) Austin, TX
MAR 12 SXSW (ShowX/San Jac Showcase) Austin, TX
FEB 25 Northern Row Cincinnati, OH
FEB 4 Magnolia Bar Louisville, KY
JAN 22 Southgate House Revival - Bash for the Bluegrass: Benefit Concert for Western KY Newport, KY
JAN 15 Grog Shop Cleveland, OH
JAN 14 Northern Row Cincinnati, OH
2021
DEC 19 MOTR Pub Cincinnati, OH
DEC 9 Cobblestone OTR Cincinnati, OH
DEC 4 Findlay Market (Holiday Market)
Cincinnati, OH
DEC 3 Trolley Stop Dayton, OH
NOV 27 Bircus Brewing Ludlow, KY
NOV 23 AC Hotel Cincinnati, OH
NOV 20 Northside Tavern Cincinnati, OH
NOV 19 Be Here Now Muncie, IN
NOV 14 Second Sunday on Main Cincinnati, OH
NOV 12 Northern Row Brewery Cincinnati, OH
NOV 6 Hi-Fi Cincinnati, OH
NOV 5 South Park Tavern *BACK UPSTATE ALBUM RELEASE SHOW*
Dayton, OH
OCT 14 Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati, OH
OCT 14 Findlay Market Cincinnati, OH
OCT 2 Trolley Stop Dayton, OH
SEP 11 South Park Tavern Dayton, OH
SEP 9 Yellow Cab Tavern Dayton, OH
SEP 8 Fretboard Brewing Cincinnati, OH
SEP 4 Trolley Stop Dayton, OH
AUG 28 Southgate House Newport, KY
AUG 8 Great American Ballpark Cincinnati, OH
JUN 25 Philanthropub Cincinnati, OH
JUN 21 Hyde Park Square Cincinnati, OH
JUN 21 Sawyer Point Amphitheater Cincinnati, OH
MAY 22 Yellow Cab Tavern Dayton, OH
2020
STAY SAFE AND STAY THE F*@K HOME
2019
NOV 15 Bar Diamond Lugano, Switzerland
OCT 27 Spice of Life SOHO London, UK
OCT 26 Spiritual Bar London, UK
OCT 25 Fiddlers Elbow London, UK
OCT 23 The Rose & Monkey Manchester, UK
OCT 22 Fuel Cafe Bar Manchester, UK
OCT 21 Jacaranda Club Liverpool, UK
OCT 20 Radio Radio Berwick Upon Tweed, UK
OCT 19 Wangies Eccles, UK
OCT 18 Malaga Drift Manchester, UK
OCT 17 Santiago Bar Leeds, UK
OCT 16 Strathduie Bar Glasgow, UK
OCT 14 Whelans Dublin, Ireland
OCT 12 America Bar Belfast, N. Ireland
OCT 11 Hard Rock Cafe (supporting Tim Brooks)
Dublin, Ireland
SEP 28 Politeatro (HUMAN IN PROGRESS BENEFIT SHOW)
Milan, Italy
SEP 4 Tir Na Nog Bresso, Italy
AUG 22 Bellagio Blues Fest Bellagio, Italy
JUL 26 The Belmar Binghamton, NY
JUL 24 Mercury Cafe Denver, CO
JUL 21 MOTR Pub Cincinnati, OH
JUL 20 South Park Tavern Dayton, OH
JUL 20 OMEGA Records - In Store Show Dayton, OH
JUL 17 WYSO: Kaleidoscope Show Yellow Springs, OH
JUN 29 The Peacock Milan, Italy
JUN 22 Lungo La Strada Festival Landriana, Italy
JUN 7 Chemona Milan, Italy
JUN 6 Rock N’ Roll Club + Rho, Italy
MAY 26 Spaghetti Unplugged Milan, Italy
MAY 19 Ti Aspetto Sul Tetto Milan, Italy
MAY 18 Pogue Mahones Milan, Italy
MAY 16 Maiali Con le Ali Verraze, Italy
MAY 9 Loft + Trieste, Italy
MAY 8 Freakout Club + Bologna, Italy
MAY 7 Vinoria + Chiavari, Italy
MAR 17 Spirit De Milan (with Bock and the Sailors)
Milan, Italy
MAR 17 St. Paddy’s Day at Pogue’s Milan, Italy
MAR 16 Jameson Whiskey St. Patrick’s Night - Piu Superstudio
Milan, Italy
MAR 9 Rock N’ Roll Club (AMNESTY IN ROCK - BENEFIT SHOW FOR AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL)
Milan, Italy
MAR 8 Pogue Mahones (ALBUM RELEASE SHOW)
Milan, Italy
FEB 22 The Rabbit * Milan, Italy
* SOLO/ACOUSTIC SHOW
+ Supporting Tim Vantol
2018
DEC 10 Pogue Mahones (SOLO) Milan, Italy
NOV 23 Railroad Brewing Company Seregno, Italy
NOV 10 ROCK TOWN Cordenons, Italy
OCT 27 Pogue Mahones - 25th Anniversary Party (w/Bock and the Sailors, Andrea Rock, others)
Milan, Italy
OCT 06 Ca’ San Barto Boscalto, Italy
OCT 05 Shallo Milan, Italy
SEP 28 All’ 1e35 Circa* Cantu, Italy
JUL 24 The Meadowlark Denver, CO
JUL 18 The Belmar Binghamton, NY
JUL 13 Magenta Summer Festival Magenta, Italy
JUL 07 Fabbrica Del Vapore Milan, Italy
JUN 12 Ghe Pensi Mi Milan, Italy
MAY 12 Arnolds Cincinnati, OH
MAY 10 Southgate House Revival Newport, KY
MAR 04 GhePensi Milan, Italy
MAR 03 Rock n' Roll Club -Amnesty International Event- with ANDEAD and others
Milan, Italy
FEB 09 Tambourine Seregno, Italy
FEB 08 Ostello Bello Punk - Goes Acoustic Benefit Show
Milan, Italy
** Supporting Tim Vantol
* Supporting Erika Wennerstrom (Heartless Bastards)
News & Updates
2/14/23
home team! Cincinnati magazine profiles Nick and the new album
https://www.cincinnatimagazine.com/article/nicholas-johnson-draws-from-his-roots-on-upcoming-album/
2/9/23
Shady pines vol. 2 #1 downloaded album on mmd
Independent and college radio here we come!! Thanks so much to Tinderbox and Music Directors out there who are digging the album!
1/13/23
sHady pines vol. 2 release date and Spring tour announced!
Shady Pines Vol. 2 release date set for 3/3/23! Spring tour dates are set from 3/3 to 3/25 - we’re hitting the midwest and headed back to Austin for SXSW!
6/1/22
Summer shows! We’re coming for you east coast
We’re hitting the road this summer and the tour page is updated. From Nashville, TN to Newport, RI. More to come.
2/2/22
spring dates announced - including sxsw!!
Check out the TOUR page for the new spring dates - including SXSW!! We’re coming for ya Austin. More dates to be announced soon.
1/5/22
Fundraiser for western kentucky set for 11/22
Fundraiser concert set for Saturday 11/22 at Southgate House Revival in Newport, KY. Lineup will include Nick, Beasts of Joy, Fury & Solace, Tastefull, and St Mary, St Michael. Proceeds go to Team Western Kentucky Relief Fund. To learn more and help out visit here: Team Western KY Relief Fund
11/23/21
Some Great Press and Reviews
Check out these articles, reviews, and interviews with Nick and Back Upstate!
10/31/21
new shows!
We’re back! Getting out there with some new shows and some more yet to come in 2022! Check the TOUR page for all the latest.
10/23/21
BAck upstate out now!
Wherever you get your music!
8/17/21
BACK UPSTATE RELEASE DATE OCTOBER 23rd
The upcoming album, Back Upstate, finally has release date of October 23rd. The release show will take place at South Park Tavern (Dayton, OH) - more details coming!
6/6/21
nj & the Same old strangers live at great american ballpark
August 8th Nicholas Johnson & The Same Old Strangers are playing at the hallowed grounds of the Cincinnati Reds!!
5/31/21
NEW DATES FOR 2021
Check out the LIVE page for info on new upcoming dates and dates TBA
11/23/20
Stay safe everyone
Just stopping by to say "HEY!”. I know things have been quiet for awhile while we all ride these crazy times out, but work is happening behind the scenes on a couple of new projects. You’re patience is appreciated. I hope you are all well and staying sane. And we’ll see you soon.
10/18/19
DATE CHAnge
The show at FIDDLERS ELBOW in London has been moved from Thursday 10/24 to Friday 10/25. Hopefully this better accommodates the folks traveling from Cincy for the BENGALS game! WHODEY!
9/1/19
IRELAND/UK FALL DATES ANNOUNCED!
Nick’s coming to Ireland and UK for a run of solo shows this Fall! Check out the tour page above for dates and details!
7/12/19
CRUEL DESIGN PREMIERES TODAY!!!
7/1/19
New US shows added For Ohio and New York!
5/20/19
Cruel Design video out june 12!
4/15/19
Shooting new video in varazze for “Cruel Design”
We’re shooting a video in beautiful Liguria at Varraze! We are also going to shoot the show at Maiali Con le Ali. Come join us on May 16 and lets have some fun.
3/31/19
side project “lucky” debuts in itunes top 100
“Lucky” is a song and side project with acclaimed Italian DJs WATT & JACK and ZAMA Music and debuted at #57 in the Electronic music genre.
3/25/19
Airplay in the UK!
“The Night is Ours” will be played on Across the Great Divide on SINE FM in the UK..along with Drive By Truckers, Iron and Wine, Calexico, Crooked Weather, and others. Tune in online or turn the dial if your in the UK!
3/14/19
New Shows announced!
Solo…full band…and more! Including a run of shows with our friend and amazing songwriter Tim Vantol! Check out the schedule above!
3/8/19
This is Home out now!
Available on all digital formats… CHECK IT OUT!!
2/25/19
RELEASE SHOW DETAILS ANNOUNCED!
Come join us at Pogue Mahones Milano on Friday March 8 at 9 PM. We’re going to have a short acoustic set followed by a listening party/meet and greet. We’ll have plenty of merch and copies of the new album on hand. Come join us on this very special occasion!
2/9/19
“THE NIGHT IS OURS” - “RECOMMENDED LISTENING” BY ROCKET GARAGE MAGAZINE
2/6/19
“THE NIGHT IS OURS” FEATURED IN ROCK REBEL MAGAZINE
2/5/19
this is home release date: march 8!
1/25/19
“THE NIGHT IS OURS” VIDEO OUT NOW!!
1/21/19
new video out this friday!
Finally! We’re so excited to announce the premiere for the video “The Night is Ours” (feat. Andrea Rock) will be this Friday!!! We’ll post it right here and on the socials (FB, IG, Twitter).
1/14/19
First italian date announced
Very proud to announce that on March 9th we will once again participate in the “Rock for Amnesty” event with many other very awesome bands. Once again, it’s being held at Rock ‘n Roll Club in Milan. All proceeds on the night will go to Amnesty International.
1/5/19
NEW YEAR, NEW ALBUM, NEW SHOWS
Happy New Year guys! There’s a TON of stuff coming up very soon. The new album, “This is Home” due out this winter, more tour dates, and more cool stuff right around the corner. Stay tuned.
11/25/18
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
For the holidays we have a $20 (or euro) special that includes 2 signed CDs (Upstate and Shady Pines Vol. 1) and a tour T-shirt. If you would like one please inquire at info@nicholasjohnsonmusic.com. Limited quantities and sizes available. Orders to the US do not include shipping.
10/28/18
NEW PROJECT ALERT!
Nick is teaming up with Italian singer-songwriter and Virgin Radio personality, Andrea Rock for a split album titled, “This is Home”. More details coming soon.
9/2/18
Just announced: new dates Supporting Erika Wennerstrom (Heartless Bastards)
7/30/18
New fall/winter dates and Big news coming soon! stay tuned!
5/22/18
Check Our Interview with radio 6023
http://6023.it/radio-6023-spazio-emergenti-nicholas-johnson/
4/26/18
New article from cincy music
https://cincymusic.com/blog/2018/04/nicholas-johnson-back-home-for-show-at-sghr
4/11/18
Just Announced: Cincy Homecoming Show at Southgate House Revival
DETAILS: https://southgatehouse.com/event/8301905/nicholas-johnson-the-same-old-strangers-w-old-news/
3/31/18
Nicholas on Radio we Italia April 18th
Join us on Radio We on Wednesday 4/18/18 at 8 AM EST (14:00 - 15:00 Italy) where Nicholas will be performing some songs from SHADY PINES VOL 1 on "Undercover Live".
LISTEN: www.radiowe.it
2/19/2018
NEW 2018 DATES for italy ANNOUNCED!
New solo and full band shows announced including co-headline dates with VIRGIN RADIO ITALIA's ANDREA ROCK. MORE TO COME...STAY TUNED!
11/22/2017
Check out our feature in the dayton daily news!
11/7/2017
New November dates added in support for dutch singer-songwriter tim vantol!
9/6/2017
SHADY PINES RELEASE DATE SEPTEMBER 18
SHADY PINES VOL 1 will be available for download and streaming on iTunes, Amazon, and Spotify on September 18th!
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RT @DrJYTAA: A new #YTAA begins at 3pm (e) with music from @drumsandaguitar @bottlecapmntn @randair @jessswilliamson @THEBETHS… https://t.co/uVEhqHd253
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RT @CountingCrows: Maria came from Nashville with a suitcase in her hand She said she'd like to meet a boy who looks like Elvis
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We have some leftover stock of these super nice tour posters. 11x17 - $10 Dm me if you’d like one. First come firs… https://t.co/XWjCFFC0Cj
KEEP UP WITH YOUR BOY: @NICHOLASJOHNSONMUSIC
blog
As an independent musician and an expat living abroad in Europe, I’m perpetually finding myself in the middle of a story. There’s always a new, unique experience, interesting person, or a cultural anecdote to share. So in the interest of preserving these experiences and presenting the world through a different cultural lens, I’ve decided to write about them. This is my space to share that part of my life: my crazy adventures on tour, interviews with fascinating and super-talented people, random stories, or just general music stuff.
Entry 1: “reasons and rewards”
Music is the most important gift I’ve been given. I’m not talking about talent. I simply mean the gift of music as an outlet; the ability to participate in the experience of sound and be transported. For me, it’s been my form of expression when I couldn’t speak. It’s served as a place to store my love, my fears and doubts, my rage and frustrations, or to explore my untethered thoughts - a release. It’s been my hideaway when the world was darkest and my escape from a tumultuous upbringing. It’s where I go when I’m at my happiest and what I’ve clung to when I’ve landed at the absolute bottom.
Music is a community. It’s my tribe. It’s where I’ve found my closest friends and kindred spirits. It’s without borders and language barriers; just a wave of energy passed from one human to the other. It’s where you can hand someone a ticket, pass through an entrance and forget everything else in the world for an evening.
My journey in music began at Edmonson County Middle School in sixth grade band class with a sorry-assed attempt to play trumpet. The first obstacle was that I had to rent one, much to my family’s chagrin. We were nowhere near wealthy. In fact, we were quite the opposite. In addition, we lived about an hour away from any music store. But the main objection was money. It was tight and you better believe my parents let me know about it; one more monthly expense. Thankfully for them, I fucking sucked at trumpet. It didn’t last one week.
“Play a low note,” Mr. Ulm, my band director, requested.
“BAAAAAA”. The trumpet blared uncontrollably.
“Play high”
“BAAAAAAA”. Identical to the first one.
“Play medium”
“BAAAAAAA”. Precisely like the other two.
“Go play percussion”, he said pointing to the back.
It turned out I wasn’t the next Louie Armstrong. So I handed over my trumpet and went to the back of the room with the big, booming bass drums and snare drums that stood nearly as tall as me. And that was my home for the next seven years. Playing in the rhythm section of concert bands, marching bands, and pep bands (drums sets, snares, tympanis, quads, xylophones, triangles, tambourines, etc.) consumed my young life and most formative years. And though I hated both middle and high school (and I mean absolutely fucking hated it), I loved band. It taught me structure and how to make myself better every day. It also taught me humility and how to work in harmony with others and be part of the whole. I’m lucky to have discovered these things as a young man and carry them forward through the rest of my life.
That’s partly why I forsook common sense and decided to do this for a career. It’s not for fame and damn sure not for fortune. I just love it…even when I hate it. And for those reading who may be contemplating this path…you better fucking love it. It’s filled with long nights of driving for a gig that pays maybe $25 and a bottle of beer and days filled with writing hundreds of emails and hustling to find the next opportunity to do it again. It’s a dark and noisy bar full of strangers looking up from their drunken conversations just long enough for me to give them a little piece of myself. That’s the reward sometimes; a smile and a nodding head. Every now and then, music is just an unspoken, gentle exchange of understanding and enough gas money to get to the next show. And that’s enough. That and maybe a shitty part-time job.
Management/Booking:
Danielle Mashuda
Keystone Artist Connect: keystoneartistconnect@gmail.com
Press:
Alex Steininger
In Music We Trust
alex@inmusicwetrust.com
Label:
Ninja Jam Records
www.ninjajamrecords.com
Other Inquiries:
info@nicholasjohnsonmusic.com