Jim Johnston released?

[pyrusane]

So someone in my Wrestling Facebook group the Game Runners just posted a link to a story from RingsideNews that claims Jim Johnston has been released from WWE. I'm not seeing this posted anywhere else yet, has anyone else heard this?

[SportsNation2K7]

I saw that they released him on twitter but the strange thing is the WWE didn't report it. You would think someone who has contributed as much as he has would have been a lifetime employee. He still needs to go into the gall of fame.

Here's the link.....

twitter.com/ThemersUnited/status/936319542720172038

[#hamler]

He's been with the WWE forever now and with his dwindling presence being felt on current WWE theme songs, I wouldn't be surprised if he retired and found him something else to do. While Jim Johnston will be remembered for the most iconic wrestling entrances, his shoes are being filled greatly right now. CFO$ has pretty much nailed every theme song they've produced with favorites like Nakamura's, Bálor's, Roode's and even Enzo' s. WWE is in great hands. Put Jim in the hall of fame where he belongs.

[Mr.Maikeru_Sawyer]

have read it on multiple sites but most have the same wording in the story, could be false but it most likely is true.
as for WWE website not having a story about it is not that surprising. J.J. was a Corporate Employee not a Performer and they usually do not announce it when a Corporate Employee is let go.

[@smarkmouth]

Can't wait for his diss track.

I love how revered Jim was. If you've ever watched an interview with the guy, he was always reserved, maybe a little shy. It's refreshing to see someone in the arts with such a demeanour have the success that he did.

I get it, though. The WWE moves on, and so does the music scene. Entrance tunes are going to reflect that. Jim's songs, while iconic, are from yesteryear. I wonder how Steve Austin's theme would be received if it was a new track today.

HOF worthy? Absolutely.

[shooter_mcgavin]

I am honestly shocked that he hasn't been inducted into the Hall of Fame yet. If there were non-wrestlers that should headline the HOF Johnston should be one of them. A lot of the marketing, presentation, and getting a talent over had a lot to do with the entrance themes that Johnston has composed through the years.

[Dolph Ziggler's Gimmick]

It's been reported that CFO$ actually had a hand in this, and that Johnston was keen on still working for the company.

I like CFO$ but if that's the case, dick move on their part.

[Jack-Hammer]

Originally Posted by Dolph Ziggler's Gimmick

It's been reported that CFO$ actually had a hand in this, and that Johnston was keen on still working for the company.

I like CFO$ but if that's the case, dick move on their part.

I don't know that it had as much to do with CFO$ as it did with Neil Lawi, the executive in charge of anything related to WWE's music such as entrance themes, music for ppv promotion, film scores, vignettes, tribute videos, etc. Back in 2014, when CFO$ took over, it came about because of Lawi wanted to make use of the fact that he was friends with and had prior business dealings with CFO$. As a result, Johnston's creative input was dramatically reduced, almost, at times, to the point of nonexistence. As a result, I think it was mostly just a corporate decision to slowly phase Johnston out.

Jim Johnston should be in the WWE Hall of Fame, there's no question of that in my mind. Up until the last several years, all the music we've heard in WWE, that hasn't included the use of outside groups of course, was all composed by Johnston and he played all the instruments on nearly all of it. From 1991 through 2014, virtually everything you heard in WWE regarding music was Johnston involved in either playing, composing, producing, mixing or sometimes all of the above. I've read some interviews in the past from groups like Fuel or Motorhead, Lemmy Kilmister especially, heaping praise on Johnston for his knowledge, versatility, talent and passion for all things music. Plus, several WWE albums in the past, mostly during the late 90s through early 2000s, went gold or platinum and that's really impressive when you consider the albums are just wrestling entrance themes that received no airplay on radio or music industry promotion.

To my knowledge, WWE still hasn't acknowledged that he's been released. Johnston is one of the genuine unsung heroes of WWE as he helped, in his own way, to shape the identities of a helluva lot of wrestlers.

[FromGlasgow]

I wonder what the WWE paid him if I were to guess it probably wasn't enough, Reading the list of theme songs he wrote he must have incredible talent and vision for matching the song with the character, Its not like he's just done one or two it looks like the majority of songs used in the history of the WWE was involving him in some way, Deffinently deserves a hall of fame induction or at least some recognition by the WWE for the amount he has done and has been a major contributer to their sucess.
Also quite surprised the amount of theme songs Jimmy Hart was involved in.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Well it makes sense because CFO$ does most of the songs now, but it's still sad to see him go. He wrote many great and iconic songs and should be inducted into the HOF, perhaps under the Warrior Award.