Five Questions with musician B.A. Johnston playing April 9th in Cornwall
Interview by Jason Setnyk | Screen print by Stacey Case
Cornwall, Ontario – Get ready for an Easter Sunday full of music and good vibes as B.A. Johnston (Hamilton), Painted Forest (Cornwall), and DJ Case take the stage at White Knucklerz in Cornwall, Ontario, on April 9th.
BA Johnston is a Canadian musician known for his unique style of humorous and often absurd lyrics, combined with an eclectic mix of punk, rock, and folk music. He has been a prominent figure in the Canadian music scene since the early 2000s, and his music has gained a dedicated following across the country.
Born in Hamilton, Ontario, BA Johnston started his music career playing in punk and metal bands in the 1990s. He released his debut album, “My Heart is a Blinking Nintendo,” in 2003, which gained him a cult following in Canada. Since then, he has released numerous albums, including “Stairway to Hamilton” (2008), “Hi Dudes!” (2010), and “The Skid is Hot Tonight” (2017).
One of the defining features of BA Johnston’s music is his unique sense of humor. His lyrics often feature absurd and offbeat stories and characters, such as “Gonna End Up Working in the Mine,” about a man who becomes a miner after losing his job at Pizza Pizza, or “Walmart Parking Lot,” a song about getting drunk in a Walmart parking lot. His live shows are equally as entertaining, often featuring costume changes, audience participation, and bizarre props such as a shopping cart filled with bread.
BA Johnston’s music has gained critical acclaim in Canada and has been praised for its unique blend of humor and punk rock. His live shows are always highly anticipated events, and he has toured extensively across the country. He has also been featured in several Canadian music festivals, including Sappyfest, Pop Montreal, and NXNE.
Five Questions with The Seeker
1 – What made you want to become a musician?
“I always wanted to make a million dollars, ten dollars at a time, while simultaneously being paid two beers every time I work. Plus, you can sleep in.”
2 – Describe your creative process when you write new music.
“Basically, I go down into my practice space in my mother’s basement armed only with a guitar and 4-15 bottles of OV; after consuming the OV, I try and write songs about Dr. Oetker pizza. Often I am not succesful.”
3 – Describe your favorite venue for performing
“It has no natural light. The level of dankness is high but not too high, the bathrooms work, and the stalls have doors on them. The bar sells not only Labatt 50 but pickled eggs. There are no puddles of water on the stage. The bar staff don’t actively hate you. The sound tech is not stoned or drunk beyond the ability to do their job. At some point in the night, someone at the show says, “well, you looked like you were having fun up there,” they pay you in cash slightly more than you thought, and they have parking.”
4 – Tell me about your favorite performance in your career.
“In the early nineties while opening for Doug and the Slugs, I managed to eat their entire rider when they were on stage. After They realized what I had done, instead of being angry, they were impressed by my ability to eat cheese. Later that night, myself and the Slugs fought members of the Moose Jaw Warriors Hockey Team in a Harveys over the last order of frings. We won, and a statue was put up in our honour in the parking lot.”
5 – Which skills have you gained that help you perform effectively as a musician?
“The ability to drive for 6 hours hungover in a van while listening to Thin Lizzy on repeat, then being able to unload a van, play a show fueled only by tea and chicken wings and then do it again on no sleep for months at a time.”
___
In conclusion, BA Johnston is a unique and talented musician who has carved out his own niche in the Canadian music scene. His humorous and offbeat lyrics, combined with his punk rock sound, have earned him a dedicated following and critical acclaim. BA Johnston is an artist worth checking out.
Doors will open at 8 pm for the 19+ event, and the tickets are available for $12 in advance at Bud’s Records or for $15 at the door. The show is presented by The 2 Stacey’s, Stacey Case, and Stacey Forrester. Come out and enjoy an evening of great tunes and support the local music scene!
For more information, visit the Facebook event page. https://www.facebook.com/events/926041788433469
