Rick Johnson (musician)

Richard Henry "Rick" Johnson (born April 18, 1980 in Muskegon, Michigan) is an American musician who is best known as the bass player of Grand Rapids, Michigan's Mustard Plug. He has also worked with Bomb The Music Industry! and released solo material as The Rick Johnson Rock And Roll Machine.

Early life

Rick Johnson grew up on the west side of the state of Michigan in the city of Muskegon. Johnson attended the Mona Shores School where he was active within their band program. During high school, he was part of the Mona Shores High School award winning marching band in which he played trombone and electric guitar. He also played bass guitar in the Jazz band, trombone in Symphonic band and upright bass in a school organized bluegrass band.

Career

Starting around 1998 Rick started a constant touring with his then band Wack Trucks. In 2003 when the Wack Trucks went on hiatus he started touring under a solo project dubbed The Rick Johnson Rock and Roll Machine. During a tour in 2004 he was asked by Mustard Plug guitarist Colin Clive to join up with Mustard Plug to the present.^[1] Rick has also been seen playing bass with the likes of Bomb The Music Industry!,^[2] The Stitch Up, Cheap Girls, and more. In 2007, Rick began producing select groups the first being Cheap Girls from Lansing, Michigan. In 2015, Rick had the privilege to serve as live sound engineer for Lee Hartney & The Smith Street Band.^[2]

Discography

Full length albums

• Wack Trucks - Crabbage in Your Mouf Biatch (1994)
• Wack Trucks - Council Records (1995)
• Temple of Doom - Pictures of the Redneck Community (1996, Cyberland Records)
• Presidents Of the USSR - Presidents Of the USSR (1996, Cyberland Records)
• Skeptics - Basement Tapes (1996, Cyberland Records)
• Skeptics - Delta 88 (1997, Skeetone Records)
• Skeptics - One For the Road (1998, Skeetone Records)
• Wack Trucks - Hows About Smash Rockin' (1998, Dr. Larry Records); (2000, Pocket Records)
• Skeptics - Live at Baker College (1998, Pocket Records)
• Wack Trucks - Shake This (2000, Offsite Records)
• Wack Trucks - I Blow Up (2002)
• Rick Johnson Rock and Roll Machine - Rick Johnson Rock and Roll Machine (2003, Rastan Records)
• Rick Johnson Rock and Roll Machine - Emotional Fascism (2004, Rastan Records)
• Wack Trucks - Original Hits (2005, Rastan Records)
• Rick Johnson Rock and Roll Machine - Remember Forever and Ever and Ever (2006, Rastan Records)
• Rick Johnson Rock and Roll Machine - Six Crappy Months Pt. 1 (October 2006, Quote Unquote Records)
• Manic Sewing Circle - Summer Spins (2007, Bouncing Betty Records)
• Bomb The Music Industry! - Get Warmer (2007, Asian Man Records/Quote Unquote Records)
• Mustard Plug - In Black and White (2007, Hopeless Records)
• Bomb The Music Industry! - Scrambles (2009, Asian Man Records/Quote Unquote Records)
• Lenin/McCarthy - ART (2011, Bermuda Mohawk Productions/Quote Unquote Records)
• Sharkanoid - Have A Great Summer (2014, Community Records)^[3]

EPs

• Rick Johnson Rock and Roll Machine/Cartridge Family ' Their Majesties Semi-Automatic Request (2005, Bermuda Mohawk Productions)
• Rick Johnson Rock and Roll Machine/Bomb The Music Industry! - Presidents Day (2006, Asbestos Records)
• Rick Johnson Rock and Roll Machine/The Emotron - Reinventing Axl Foley (2008, Asbestos Records)

Other appearances

• Rappers Guild -Solid Guild
• Apollo - Apollo
• Bomb The Music Industry! - Goodbye Cool World
• Cheap Girls - Find Me a Drink Home
• The Spectrum - The Spectrum EP

Equipment

• Basses:
  • Lakland Basses
  • Ernie Ball Stingray Basses
  • G&L Basses
• Amps:
  • Gallien-Krueger
• Strings:
  • GHS
  • Medium Gauge Super Steels

References