Jonathan Lewis Seward, (born November 18, 1984), better known by his stage name Johnny Christ, is the bassist of the American heavy metal

Heavy metal music

Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...

 band Avenged Sevenfold

Avenged Sevenfold

Avenged Sevenfold is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California. Formed in 1999, the group consists of vocalist M. Shadows, lead guitarist Synyster Gates, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance, bassist Johnny Christ....

. Johnny was the fourth bassist to join Avenged Sevenfold in 2002, replacing former members Matt Wendt, Justin Sane

Justin Sane

Justin Cathal Geever , best known by his stage name Justin Sane, is the guitarist and singer/songwriter of the United States-based musical group Anti-Flag, a punk rock band formed in 1988 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania known for its outspoken left-wing views. He holds dual US and Irish citizenship and...

, and Dameon Ash. He grew up in Huntington Beach, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

.

Biography

Johnny Seward attended Marina High School

Marina High School

Marina High School is a secondary school located in the northwest corner of Huntington Beach, California which first began operating in 1963. Marina is part of the Huntington Beach Union High School District, which includes several other area high schools. The school is located on Springdale Street...

 in Huntington Beach, California. He proceeded through high school and formally met M. Shadows

M. Shadows

Matthew Charles Sanders , better known by his stage name M. Shadows, is the lead vocalist, songwriter, and founding member for the American metal band Avenged Sevenfold.-Early life and musical beginnings:...

, Zacky Vengeance

Zacky Vengeance

Zachary James Baker, better known by his stage name Zacky Vengeance, is the rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist for the American metal/rock band Avenged Sevenfold.-Biography:...

, Synyster Gates

Synyster Gates

Brian Elwin Haner, Jr. , better known by his stage name Synyster Gates or simply Syn, is an American musician, best known for being the lead guitarist of the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold.-Early life:...

, and The Rev

The Rev

James Owen Sullivan , more commonly known by his stage name The Reverend Tholomew Plague, often shortened to The Rev, was an American musician, best known as the drummer for the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold...

. Despite not being in the band at the time, Johnny was already friends with The Rev

The Rev

James Owen Sullivan , more commonly known by his stage name The Reverend Tholomew Plague, often shortened to The Rev, was an American musician, best known as the drummer for the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold...

 and Zacky Vengeance

Zacky Vengeance

Zachary James Baker, better known by his stage name Zacky Vengeance, is the rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist for the American metal/rock band Avenged Sevenfold.-Biography:...

, then soon after M. Shadows

M. Shadows

Matthew Charles Sanders , better known by his stage name M. Shadows, is the lead vocalist, songwriter, and founding member for the American metal band Avenged Sevenfold.-Early life and musical beginnings:...

 and Synyster Gates

Synyster Gates

Brian Elwin Haner, Jr. , better known by his stage name Synyster Gates or simply Syn, is an American musician, best known for being the lead guitarist of the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold.-Early life:...

. 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 very 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

The Rev

James Owen Sullivan , more commonly known by his stage name The Reverend Tholomew Plague, often shortened to The Rev, was an American musician, best known as the drummer for the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold...

. Johnny was also friends with Zacky Vengeance's younger brother Matt Baker

Matt Baker

Matthew James Baker is an English television presenter who co-hosts the Monday-Thursday editions of BBC One's The One Show and co-presents Countryfile on the same channel.-Early life:...

 formerly from the band The Dear & Departed

The Dear & Departed

The Dear & Departed is a rock band from Orange County and Los Angeles, California, founded by Dan Smith. Founded in 2006, the band went on the Vans Warped Tour and released their debut album the same year. In 2007 the band again played on the tour, and some other tours followed...

. 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

Waking the Fallen

Waking the Fallen is the second album by Avenged Sevenfold, released on August 26, 2003 through Hopeless Records. It is the last release by the band to feature their metalcore sound, although more clean vocals are featured on the album than their debut album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet. It is...

. He used to write only Johnny on his autographs until Zacky came up with the name "Johnny Christ", and in All Excess

All Excess

All Excess is Avenged Sevenfold's first DVD which was released on July 17, 2007. The DVD includes a documentary with footage dating back to 1999, four live performances, along with four music videos, and several outtakes....

 he said, "That sounds... really ballsy. Everyone's gonna hate that, so... I should definitely go with that." He resides in Huntington Beach, Orange County.

In the time since the release of Nightmare

Nightmare

A nightmare is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong negative emotional response from the mind, typically fear or horror, but also despair, anxiety and great sadness. The dream may contain situations of danger, discomfort, psychological or physical terror...

, Seward has begun singing more backup vocals on live shows (as well as screaming) on songs like Unholy Confessions, Nightmare

Nightmare

A nightmare is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong negative emotional response from the mind, typically fear or horror, but also despair, anxiety and great sadness. The dream may contain situations of danger, discomfort, psychological or physical terror...

, God Hates Us, Critical Acclaim, and Not Ready To Die

Not Ready to Die

"Not Ready to Die" is a song by the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold, featured on the soundtrack to the 2010 video game Call of Duty: Black Ops, on the Zombie map "Call of the Dead". Recorded by the band in April 2011, the song was released as the lead single from the album on 2 May...

.

Stage Equipment

• Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Bass
• Seymour Duncan Basslines SMB-4D, SJB-3n
• Ampeg SVT 8x10 Cab
• Gallien Krueger 1001 RB Head
• Ernie Ball 2831 Power Slinky Bass Strings