What’s your name?
Christopher Langley Johnston
Where are you from?
Dudley, United Kingdom
Tell us how your journey has been from your beginnings until now
I was first inspired to pick up a guitar after watching a concert by Cliff and The Shadows. As a child I was also very influenced by many of the acts produced by Stock, Aitkin and Waterman as they were so often on TV and radio.
I started writing songs when I was in high school and began recording them myself at home. My first gig was at college where I performed an acoustic song I’d written myself called “Now The World”. I spent the next few years writing and recording, developing my skills and techniques.
In 2003 I performed at The Gig in Hollywood, Los Angeles and on returning home to the UK, decided to go live and started playing at venues around my local area including a gig for BBC Radio WM’s “Mad About Music” event.
Whilst working on my solo songs I also worked with other local bands and artists including my own band Delta Savannah which I began with my wife Vicky. Delta Savannah released an album called “Arcade” which we wrote together and we performed live for a couple of years. We disbanded in 2014 as we were expecting our second child.
I continued to perform solo and on bass for a local blues band, Scarbelly Blues and carried on writing and recording, releasing songs online.
Tell us about your musical style, influences…
My musical style has always been very varied with influences ranging from artists such as the Bee Gees, The Beatles, Wings, David Bowie, John Denver, music from the 1920s and from around the world. After hearing George Harrison’s Indian influenced Beatle songs and music by Ravi Shankar I started to learn the sitar and through my interest in Japan and Japanese animation I began to get into J-Pop and J-Rock/Visual Kei musicians like Miyu Nagase, GACKT and X-Japan. As I developed my slide guitar playing I began to get inspired by delta blues musicians too.
My music is also very influenced by my personal experiences and beliefs, generally being quite positive and heart-felt.
What has been your last project?
My most recent project has been my blues inspired album “Husky Dog”. I had an old 1960s Egmond acoustic guitar with such high action it was only really playable as a slide guitar. I used it to write a few blues inspired songs which became the basis for the album.
And the next thing you have planned?
The next thing I have planned is something quite different…still working on it!
Upcoming concerts, events…
As a solo artist I don’t have any planned for now but I am still working on something new and exciting!
Links of interest
My weblinks are:
Twitter: twitter.com/CLJMusic
Instagram: instagram.com/
I’d also like to share a link to the fabulous artist who did the artwork for my “Husky Dog” album cover, Lory Murariu. Her website is: http://lorymurariu.com
What else?
As well as my music I’m also an artist and writer for Lanton Entertainment, a business I set up with my wife. We are working on some new projects that we’re very excited about and hopefully they’ll be ready by Summer 2018.
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