Johnny Christ

Johnny Christ
Background information
Birth name	Jonathan Lewis Seward
Also known as	Johnny Christ
Born	(1984-11-18) November 18, 1984 Huntington Beach, California, United States
Genres	Heavy metal, metalcore, post-hardcore
Occupations	Musician, bassist
Instruments	Bass, vocals
Years active	2003–present
Labels	Warner Bros., Hopeless
Associated acts	Avenged Sevenfold

Johnny Christ, (born Jonathan Lewis Seward ; November 18, 1984) is the bassist of the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold.^[1] Johnny was the fourth bassist to join Avenged Sevenfold in 2003, replacing former members Matt Wendt, Justin Sane, and Dameon Ash.

Biography

Johnny Seward attended Marina High School in Huntington Beach, California. He proceeded through high school and formally met M. Shadows, Zacky Vengeance, Synyster Gates and The Rev. Despite not being in the band at the time, Johnny was already friends with The Rev and Synyster Gates, then soon after M. Shadows and Zacky Vengeance. Following the departure of Dameon Ash in 2002, he was invited to fill the position as Avenged Sevenfold's bassist, as he had played the bass with the band whenever Dameon could not attend. Johnny could pick up on the pace of a song that he did not know quite quickly and proved to be a unique bass guitarist. "I don't think any one out there could pick up a bass line as quick as Johnny" were the words from the Rev. Johnny was also friends with Zacky's younger brother Matt Baker formerly from the band The Dear & Departed. In May 2009, he participated in the Gumball 3000 rally, driving coast to coast with the Fuel Girls.

Musical career

Seward initially took a few weeks off from high school during his senior year to fill in for Avenged Sevenfold's previous bassist, Dameon Ash, during one of their tours because he went on tour with Avenged Sevenfold as a roadie. These few weeks would become permanent as he dropped out of high school to become the band's current bassist.

He first recorded on their second album Waking the Fallen. He used to write only Johnny on his autographs until Zacky Vengeance came up with the name "Johnny Christ", and in All Excess he said, "That sounds... really ballsy. Everyone's gonna hate that, so... I should definitely go with that." ^[2] He resides in Huntington Beach, Orange County.^{[citation needed]}

In the time since the release of Nightmare, Seward has begun singing more backup vocals on live shows (as well as screaming) on songs like Nightmare, Seize the Day, God Hates Us and Not Ready to Die.

Stage Equipment

Bass Guitar

• Schecter Johnny Christ Signature Bass^[3]
• Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Bass^[4]
• Ernie Ball Musicman Sterling
• Ernie Ball Musicman 30th Anniversary Stingray Bass with Seymour Duncan Basslines SMB-4D, SJB-3n^[5]
• Nash Bass
• Rickenbacker bass
• Acoustic bass

Amplifiers

• Ampeg SVT 8x10 Cab
• Gallien-Krueger 412 Neo cab
• Gallien-Krueger 8x10 Neo cab
• Gallien-Krueger 1001 RB Head
• Gallien-Krueger 2001 RB Head (for dirty sound)
• Gallien-Krueger 800RB Head

Effects

• Dunlop 105Q Crybaby Bass Wah
• Tech 21 SansAmp RBI Bass Driver DI
• MXR M-80 Bass D.I (x2)
• H2O Liquid Chorus & Echo
• MXR JD-M83 Bass Deluxe Chorus
• Boss GEB-7 Bass Equalizer
• Boss SYB-5 Bass Synthesizer
• Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor
• Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner

Other Equipment

• Ernie Ball 2831 Power Slinky Bass Strings
• Dunlop black Grommet strap
• Dunlop Tortex Pitch Black picks

Discography

• Waking the Fallen (2003)
• City of Evil (2005)
• Avenged Sevenfold (2007)
• Diamonds In The Rough (2008)
• Nightmare (2010)
• Hail to the King (2013)

References