Biography
Rock, Salt and Nail may rank among the most exciting acts to surface from Scotland’s Shetland Islands. Guitarist, vocalist and principal songwriter Paul Johnston steers the ensemble, which fuses the islands’ deep-rooted musical customs with the urgency of modern styles. BBC Scotland presenter Tom Morton characterized the result as “an astonishing vibrant mix of traditional tunes, contemporary songwriting, and blazing instrumental brilliance -- acoustic music rooted in Shetland but with the energy, intelligence, and fire to take on the world.” The site www.lismor.co.uk echoed that assessment, labeling the material “Shetland-bluegrass fusion, jigs, reels, and hillybilly hoedowns, which smack you right between the lungs.” Johnston has stated that the band originated simply as a pretext for celebration, yet its high-octane performances have steadily drawn fresh listeners. An appearance at the Shetland Folk Festival, not long after the group’s launch, quickly elevated it to one of Scotland’s most popular emerging acts. A seasoned performer from several Edinburgh ensembles and a trained architect, Johnston shares the stage with his wife Fiona on keyboards and vocals, John Clark on bass, Russell Gair on drums and Magnus Johnston (unrelated) on fiddle. After issuing the debut album Waves in late 1993, the quintet undertook a U.K. tour exceeding thirty dates the next year.
Albums