1. State your name, instrument, and band, for the record.
Rob Johnson, guitarist for the band Magnitude 9.
2. Who are some of your main musical influences?
Fates Warning, Queensryche, TNT, and Yngwie Malmsteen, among others.
3. Do you write music with a specific listening audience in mind, or do you just write whatever feels good at the time you're working on a project?
I try and write the type of music that I would like to listen to. So as far as that goes, I guess I write what feels good or "right."
4. What were the last three CDs (other than your own) that you listened to?
Let's see... Dream Theater's 'Train of Thought,' and the new ones from Harem Scarem and Time Requiem.
5. Do you listen to your own band's CDs on a regular basis?
Not really. By the time the CD is finished you've spent so much time working on it and playing the songs. Plus, I don't want to keep repeating ideas, when it comes to songwriting. I was to listen to other bands, and other, newer stuff.
6. What do you see (happening right now) as good things for the future of heavy metal music?
I think the metal scene in America is definitely coming back. The quality of metal in the late '80s kinda hurt the scene, and then of course there was grunge. But good metal is coming back. It seems like the older fans, who were originally fans in the '80s, now have jobs and careers and whatnot, and can afford to buy what they want. So that's helping, too.
7. Was there a defining moment that steered you towards
metal? A particular band, album, movie, concert, etc.. that was a major influence on your career (and music listening) choice?
When I was 14 or 15 I had already been playing for a couple of years, but when I saw Yngwie Malmsteen open for Triumph, I was just blown away. This would have been around 1985 or 1986. That made me want to be better than the "average" band and average guitarists who were big at the time. People like Motley Crue and Kiss were really huge, and they were certainly fabulous at what they did, but they didn't have the skill and precision of someone like Yngwie.
8. It's dinner time at the Johnson compound! You can invite any three guests (music-related), either past or present. Who will get to sit at your round table?
I'd pick Mozart, because he was a musical genius...
Eddie Van Halen, because I grew up listening to him (and I'd tell him to get the band back together!)...
and I'd pick Brittney Spears, because she's hot!
9. If you could choose only three CDs to listen to forevermore, what would they be?
Dream Theater's 'Images and Words,' Yngwie Malmsteen's 'Trilogy,' and Jason Becker's 'Perpetual Burn.'
10. What (if any) current metal bands would you pay to go see in concert?
Wow, there's a lot. Dream Theater, obviously, and Symphony X. I've also been getting into the new release from Arch Enemy, and a lot of other European bands.
11. What sort of connections have made through Magnitude 9, that have helped the band along?
Guitarist Jeff Kollman co-produced 'Reality in Focus,' and Mike Vescera let us use his studio to mix 'Decoding the Soul.' He also co-produced the album, and gave a lot of good feedback with regards to the singing. He's a cool guy, and we hang out quite a bit.
12. What does the immediate future hold for Magnitude 9? Tour plans, future albums/projects, etc?
Hopefully we'll be doing some festivals as the summer approaches. We're not really a touring band right now because of all the money that's involved with it, but hopefully things will work out in time!
Don't forget to visit the official MAGNITUDE 9 website for the latest news.
