Johnny Christ

Jonathan Lewis Seward (born November 18, 1984), known as Johnny Christ, is the bassist of the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. Seward is the fourth bassist to join Avenged Sevenfold in 2003, replacing former member Dameon Ash.

Johnny Christ on Nova Rock 2014

Seward attended Marina High School in Huntington Beach, California. He proceeded through high school and met M. Shadows, Zacky Vengeance, Synyster Gates and Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan. Despite not being in the band at the time, Seward already knew Gates and Sullivan, then soon after met Shadows and Vengeance. Following the departure of Dameon Ash in 2002, he took the position as Avenged Sevenfold's bassist, as he had played the bass with the band whenever Dameon could not attend. Seward 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.

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. Those 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." He resides in Huntington Beach, Orange County.

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

Bass Guitar

• Schecter Johnny Christ Signature Bass
• Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Bass
• Ernie Ball Musicman 30th Anniversary Stingray Bass with Seymour Duncan Basslines SMB-4D, SJB-3n

• Retrieved on 2013-03-14.
• Johnny Christ (Avenged Sevenfold). Music-man.com. Retrieved on 2011-11-27.
• Michael Amott. seymourduncan.com

• Waking the Fallen (2003)
• City of Evil (2005)
• Avenged Sevenfold (2007)
• Live in the LBC & Diamonds in the Rough (2008)
• Nightmare (2010)
• Hail to the King (2013)
• The Stage (2016)