Nick Johnston is touring with Mastodon

[DrewJD82]

My heart sank when I saw the posts in the Mastodon FB group, but I figured I’d wait until I heard something before judging too quick.

First clip I see is mindless fucking shredding in a chill tune where Brent just hit the right notes. He’s getting eaten alive in the comments for it and rightly fucking so. I pray they change course after this tour. Nick’s a great player, but his playing does absolutely nothing for me and for him to come right out of the gate throwing that shit on the table? Does this dude even know what role he just stepped into?

There’s nothing on YT yet but there’s a bunch of clips posted in the Mastodon Mayhem FB group. Bill is fairly active in the group and will be seeing those messages, I hope they resonate.

While I’ve been stoked with Bill and Brann’s desire to push the band to higher levels, participating in the Grammy academy or whatever group it is that picks the songs/gets their own bands nominated, like Petrucci did, but if they’re aiming at a YouTuber/influencer guitarist to achieve it I’m going to be bummed. Ben was great to fill a gap, not so sure about longterm, but if this is the future of Mastodon I might not be along for the ride.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I saw this and honestly didn't know what to think. I know him as the guy who has pink and green strats made by Schecter and that's really it. I get what they're doing ("let's get someone who can be a hired gun so we can get more of that $") but a band like Mastodon NEEDS writing talent and talent that FITS what they do. Let alone COMPLIMENTS what they do.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Nick Johnston is a great player but this is a pairing that makes absolutely no sense. Like a peanutbutter and grapefruit taco

 

[TheTrueZoltan!]

[…] a peanutbutter and grapefruit taco

…

 

[DrewJD82]

Man, and looking at the socials, all the people who had no clue shred was a thing for the last 40 years are thinking it’s amazing. Seems to be a pretty hard split between “WOW HE’S SO GOOD!” and “For fucking real, dude?! GTFO with this shit!”

 

[Jarick]

I listened to Remarkably Human a ton. It's one of the very few truly musical instrumental guitar albums I've heard that's not just shredding.

But that's a really odd pairing. I guess I'd need to hear how it sounds. I'm not a big Mastodon guy though.

It's also kinda weird to have such an overwhelmingly positive response to bringing Ben Eller in for a short term / emergency replacement and then going off the map with Nick Johnston.

 

[mbenigni]

I know him as the guy who has pink and green strats made by Schecter and that's really it.

(Also, a white Strat made by Schecter that I'm always forgetting to buy on SDotD.)

 

[DrewJD82]

I listened to Remarkably Human a ton. It's one of the very few truly musical instrumental guitar albums I've heard that's not just shredding.

But that's a really odd pairing. I guess I'd need to hear how it sounds. I'm not a big Mastodon guy though.

It's also kinda weird to have such an overwhelmingly positive response to bringing Ben Eller in for a short term / emergency replacement and then going off the map with Nick Johnston.

So many “Bring Ben Back!” posts. I’d definitely rather have Ben in there as a fan, being respectful to what came before him, than any technical giant stepping in and shitting all over the place.

I haven’t listened to a ton of Nick’s music, but what I heard him do in Mastodon is the polar opposite reason of why I love Mastodon.

 

[Jarick]

So many “Bring Ben Back!” posts. I’d definitely rather have Ben in there as a fan, being respectful to what came before him, than any technical giant stepping in and shitting all over the place.

I haven’t listened to a ton of Nick’s music, but what I heard him do in Mastodon is the polar opposite reason of why I love Mastodon.

My favorite Mastodon stuff sounds like Soundgarden, so I'd be interested in that direction as much as possible. Maybe that traces back to Sabbath. Nick Johnston has a good ear for melody and obviously a hell of a player, I'm not sure if he's been in a proper band though. Maybe he needs to settle into it?

I remember 15-ish years ago I was going to see the band Emarosa who I absolutely loved, but their dumbass smack addict singer Jonny Craig got himself booted out for being a complete tool a few days before the show. They grabbed another really good singer (Tilian Pearson) who wasn't a great fit and the leaked clips from the first show were pretty bad so I skipped the show. Then watching clips after he had a couple more days to get familiar the songs were actually really cool. Then Tilian actually went on to replace Jonny AGAIN in Dance Gavin Dance for a solid 10+ year run.

So maybe he just needs to settle into the gig and find a spot. I mean there's a big difference between a massive fan and pro like Ben Eller trying to mimic someone else (not because of his lack of creativity but because that's what the gig needs), and the band taking a chance in a different direction to NOT just be a legacy play the hits group.

 

[DrewJD82]

My favorite Mastodon stuff sounds like Soundgarden, so I'd be interested in that direction as much as possible. Maybe that traces back to Sabbath. Nick Johnston has a good ear for melody and obviously a hell of a player, I'm not sure if he's been in a proper band though. Maybe he needs to settle into it?

I remember 15-ish years ago I was going to see the band Emarosa who I absolutely loved, but their dumbass smack addict singer Jonny Craig got himself booted out for being a complete tool a few days before the show. They grabbed another really good singer (Tilian Pearson) who wasn't a great fit and the leaked clips from the first show were pretty bad so I skipped the show. Then watching clips after he had a couple more days to get familiar the songs were actually really cool. Then Tilian actually went on to replace Jonny AGAIN in Dance Gavin Dance for a solid 10+ year run.

So maybe he just needs to settle into the gig and find a spot. I mean there's a big difference between a massive fan and pro like Ben Eller trying to mimic someone else (not because of his lack of creativity but because that's what the gig needs), and the band taking a chance in a different direction to NOT just be a legacy play the hits group.

Yeah, I’ll do my best to hold my reservations, but seeing him come out of the gate and just mindlessly shred over a chill section of a song, a popular one in the live set, where Brent didn’t do anything close to that tells me up front Nick has no clue what place Brent held for the fans and I’d be hard pressed to believe he did a deep dive in the music if that’s how he came out presenting himself.

It’s entirely possible the band told him to do his thing and see how it goes and maybe they’re thinking someone with some flashy shit will be an improvement but if that’s the case I’ll just cherish the albums they already put out and move on.

 

[DrewJD82]

Second solo in “Ember City”….another one of my favorite Mastodon songs fucking butchered.

https://www.reddit.com/r/mastodonband/s/HgalZ3Upve

And “More Than I Could Chew”…..he does good for the first bit, but by 2:05 it was fucking wank city. Fuck this shit.

https://www.reddit.com/r/mastodonband/s/XgN6ytuwi7

 

[JiveTurkey]

Second solo in “Ember City”….another one of my favorite Mastodon songs fucking butchered.

https://www.reddit.com/r/mastodonband/s/HgalZ3Upve

I LOVE that song (and whole album while we're on the subject). His take is terrible.

 

[AlbertA]

Second solo in “Ember City”….another one of my favorite Mastodon songs fucking butchered.

https://www.reddit.com/r/mastodonband/s/HgalZ3Upve

I've hardly heard any Mastodon, but I'm a huge Nick fan - that playing sounds exactly like Nick - so I think you are right - they probably told him - "Just be you"

 

[AlbertA]

I know him as the guy who has pink and green strats made by Schecter and that's really it.

 

[DrewJD82]

I've hardly heard any Mastodon, but I'm a huge Nick fan - that playing sounds exactly like Nick - so I think you are right - they probably told him - "Just be you"

Well, the dude he is replacing went to the same school as Gilmour, Page, Cantrell, EVH where they all majored in Feel and Note Choice, what’s being displayed in those vids is neither, IMO.

Nick may be fanfuckingtasting for his own music, I don’t mean to take anything away from that, but this is like putting a slice of salami in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

 

[Mikael Dez]

If they keep up with this direction, I doubt the next album will be anything I'm interested in which is a damn shame.

 

[TSJMajesty]

Damn!! I thought you meant he was like, an opening act. Which also would fit about as well as...., Jimi Hendrix opening for The Monkees..., or VH for Ted Nugent. (Actually, VH opening for anyone. Lol)

 

[la szum]

Holy shit! This is not a world I want to live in.

I feel like I am being trolled. I would have NEVER put this piece in the puzzle
that is Mastodon. Feels forced and "off the mark."

 

[la szum]

Second solo in “Ember City”….another one of my favorite Mastodon songs fucking butchered.

https://www.reddit.com/r/mastodonband/s/HgalZ3Upve

And “More Than I Could Chew”…..he does good for the first bit, but by 2:05 it was fucking wank city. Fuck this shit.

https://www.reddit.com/r/mastodonband/s/XgN6ytuwi7

 

[Fishbulb]

Love Nick and love Mastodon but yeah this seems like a weird fit. I would figure long-term they'd bring in someone a little closer to their orbit ie Stephen Brodsky, Phillip Cope, Laura Pleasants, Peter Adams etc...