Favorite TV Show: The Munsters Basses: I have a Gibson custom shop Thunderbird (tobacco sunburst); a Black 1976 re-issue Gibson Thunderbird; a white B.C. Rich Signature Series Thunderbird (the ThunderCrypt); a Natural B.C. Rich Mockingbird; a B.C. Rich Warlock neck through painted leopard spots; and a Carvin Fretless bass. Amps: I have 3 Carvin Redline bass stacks, they’re 600 watts each. Also I just got a classic Ampeg S.V.T. head and two 8x10 cabinets. Effects: I use a Boss BE-8 on the floor. Pets: I have a ferret named Punky, and a cat named Tabitha. Some Background: I started playing guitar at age 9 or so...just messing around, nothing serious. My mom and grandmother got me my first guitar with S&H Greenstamps. They were stamps you got every time you bought groceries. When you saved enough stamps you could exchange them for stuff. My first guitar was an electric blue Stratocaster copy. I got serious about guitar in high school after my first girlfriend of 6 years left me. The guitar was the only thing that took my mind off of the pain. That was a valuable experience for me. It taught me to play with emotion. My first band was called AXXE. I started it with a couple of my friends. It was a good learning experience. I was in and out of a few bands for some years and then started my own band again called MINX. Minx was a 3 piece glam band and I decided I wanted to be a lead singer as well as the only guitarist. We played cover songs and toured mostly Texas and Louisiana. Then I decided to go to L.A., so I sold everything I owned and came here with a couple of friends who left after the first year. I started a band called FATAL ATTRACTION. It was a dark glam vampire band. I also went to special effects make-up school in L.A., so I made our fangs and did the make-up as well. That went on for about 2 years. Next were a couple of glam bands that really didn’t have any significance. During this period I met Chris who was in a similar band called CHERRY STREET. We used to pass each other on the Sunset Strip while passing out flyers. I met Chris through an ad. I was with this drummer and we were looking for a singer. I met Chris and we immediately became best friends. It didn’t work out that we would play together in that band, but we did keep in touch. Finally after about a year, I called Chris and he told me BONEYARD was looking for another guitarist. I went over and played with them and that was it... (At the time, Johnny was going by the name Johnny Crystal.) I’ve gone through a lot of personal changes since Chris and I joined L.A. Guns, all of them have been good.”

Some of Johnny’s answers to past “Just 4 Kicks” questions...

If he could sit down and have a deep conversation with anyone about anything he would choose: “The former head of the CIA. I’d want to know who assassinated John F Kennedy, and why!”
When asked who the person is that encouraged him most to pursue his dream of becoming a musician, he replied, “Well, I think that would have to be myself. When I first started playing I got stuff like, ‘Do you know what the chances are of you making it in music?’ I’d say, ‘I don’t care,’ and keep doing what I was doing. It’s a very personal decision to do music. It has a lot of ups and downs. You really have to have a passion for it. I’ve seen great musicians become completely frustrated and give it up...not good. I had to encourage myself constantly and remain very focused at the beginning. It’s difficult at times, but with a lot of hard work and a little luck, it happens!”

Here is a little story I found on the web at: http://www.oocities.org/SunsetStrip/Palladium/1945: ”On July 3rd, 1995 Tracii Guns and Steve Riley caught a Boneyard concert at a club called FM Station and were so impressed that they invited Johnny and Roxy (who changed his name to Chris Van Dahl) to join their post L.A. Guns band with Kelly Nickels. Deciding to call the band “The L.A. Guns” they wasted no time getting to work on writing new songs. After about 6 months of rehearsal Kelly became disenchanted with the music business and decided to quit the band. While Kelly was removing his equipment from the rehearsal studio Tracii approached Johnny and asked him if he would consider taking over bass duties in order to make L.A. Guns a tighter unit. Johnny obliged and Kelly traded Johnny his bass rig in return for one of Johnny’s guitars.”

Johnny's Mom, Eleanor fills us in...

On Johnny’s musical career: Johnny was born a musician. At the young age of 6 he started a band with his friends and they practiced in his room. He played the drums at the time. He always wanted to be a drummer. At that time we could not afford a drum set. My mother and I were saving these stamps you received when you went food shopping and we traded them in for his first guitar. My feelings about Johnny playing music are I would support him in any field he choose, as long as he is happy doing it. Johnny is a very disciplined person and if he sets his mind to do something he will do it, and he will do it well. He has always wanted to be a musician, I believe he never wanted to do or be anything else.
And how does “Mom” feel about what Johnny has accomplished so far: As far as his accomplishments, I know he is very happy with what he is doing. He enjoys the guy he is playing with in LA Guns and just loves the FANS. Johnny is a pretty neat kind of guy always has been. He is easy to get along with and willing to help anybody anytime. Believe me he has paid his dues like most musicians have and he will continue on the same road he is on playing to people who want to hear him play.
On Johnny’s personality: Very outgoing as a young child, then thru his teen years some what shy. Today he is outgoing.
On Johnny’s other interests: The only other interest Johnny ever had to my knowledge was drawing. He is a very talented artist.
On Education: In school Johnny was an average student No he did not like school
On Johnny’s brother: He is an A/C & Heating Tech. He enjoys music and plays an Acoustical Guitar. He likes the Beatles and was recently married

And Johnny Answers The Questions...