Thank You for being the greatest Bass player we have ever known.
Thank You for inspiring us with your infinite shades of showmanship.
Thank You for your immeasurable wisdom, courage, creativity, morality, strength, and leadership.
Thank You for giving the Brown Hornets soul power.
Thank You for calling practice when we needed practice.
Thank You for postering in snow, hail, and freezing rain.
Thank You for carrying our equipment when we were sick.
Thank You for using your social acuity to bring peace & clarity to tricky situations.
Thank You for your authentic relationships with managers, bookers, agents, publicists, club owners—and above all—the people who came to see us.
Thank You for shouting along to countless hours of old-timey gospel & bluegrass music on the road. It sounded especially amazing when you did it in a super-low voice.
Thank You for being introduced as Nikolai Volkov of the Bass guitar (followed, of course, with a kissing of your own arm muscles).
Thank You for leading our unsuccessful search for the Kenny Rogers exhibit at Cleveland’s Rock & Roll hall of fame.
Thank You for shouting at all 20 TV screens during a Red Sox vs Yankees matinee in a Boston bar.
Thank You for banging on the hood of every single cab in New York City, screaming ‘I’m walkin’ here’! It got funnier every time.
Thank You for teaming up with Ramboozler to destroy the NYU kids at their own beer pong tournament. Thank you for giggling during the ensuing riot and arrests.
Thank You, Boosey Hayes, for your unparalleled gift of Humour.
Thank You for referring to yourself as Gaston Goldendouche in Quebec City.
Thank You for racing Go-Karts in Montreal—despite being 2 hours late for a show.
Thank You for orchestrating an unforgettable second-set at a fancy charity fundraiser. We repeated (and repeated!) the same 16 Bars of ‘I Want to Take You Higher’ (with hints of ‘Dance to the Music’) by Sly & the Family Stone. Magically, you ended up singing and playing the organ.
Thank You for cheering on the old dude who caught a fish out of the Detroit River.
Thank You for taking time to play NASCAR pinball in upper state New York.
Thank You for the late night / early morning gospel harmonica freak-outs in New Hampshire.
Thank You for two separate 5 hour conversations about truck drivers and their monkey side-kicks.
Thank You for rocking the moustache every now and then.
Thank You for deciding to unload a 50 pound butterball turkey on Toronto’s Bovine Sex Club.
Thank You for never having a bad word to say about other bands.
Thank You for being outspoken about the goodness of each show.
Thank You for sharing food, even when you were still hungry.
Thank You for your powerful assemblage of Family & Friends.
Thank You for making it make sense.
Thank You, Justin Heming, for amplifying our lives with boundless waves of Love and expression.
In an interview with Pam Nichol of Toronto Indie.com, Justin reveals, in more ways than one, how music always ran through him:
What are your musical and personal influences?
I’m a huge fan of a lot of music, but, with us, it’s more or less stuff we can rip from our parents’ record collection. I don’t know why that is. I can’t explain it—maybe it’s because when we were 15, that’s just the way it was. I think a lot of music and many musicians are like that, too—they hear what they heard when they were young and that’s what they do, whether it’s classical or jazz. It doesn’t matter how old the music is, because when you’re young and you hear it, it kinda sinks in deeper than anything else.
What was the defining moment that made you realize that this is what you wanted to pursue?
It had to be really early. I did one show when I was 16 years old—my mom picked me up with my bass guitar and amplifier and I was so nervous that when I got home I threw up in the parking lot. After that I figured that this was pretty cool, so from then on I’ve been doing this.
Justin’s extraordinary imprint on the Toronto music community is undeniable. In many ways, his magic will find its way into our daily lives—probably when we least suspect it.
The support from our music scene has been overwhelmingly touching. We extend a heartfelt thank-you to the fans, bookers, promoters, and staff who have taken the time to express their sincere condolences. An extra special thank-you to Tyrone of the Horseshoe Tavern—your spirit is harmonious with the brotherhood Justin stood for.
In Justin’s honour, donations can be made to the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation in Toronto.
The Brown Hornets will always exist. We’re not sure how, and we’re not sure when—but we’re absolutely sure why.
**********
CHICAGO SUN TIMES, D. Hoekstra
Earlier, down the street at the wonderfully named Bovine Sex Club...I loved the Brown Hornets...There were at least four dudes in the Toronto-based band and they mixed hard country with feisty punk and gospel. The lead singer had pure pop vocals in the style of Canadian Bob Seagrini and he played keyboards. I loved this band as much as I loved the tiny club decked out in Christmas lights, body odor and empty Jagermeister bottles. It seems everyone in Toronto drinks Jagermeister. I wanted to stay for more...
MEG-A MUSIC TORONTO, Mary-Elizabeth, Gilbert
The Brown Hornets at the Bovine Sex Club is our spotlight band for NXNE from Toronto!...
If anyone asks which band someone should see in Toronto, The Brown Hornets is one of the bands I mention.
From the moment this band came on stage, the crowd was immediately energized, full of smiles and having such a great time enjoying themselves, all thanks to the synergy this band has playing together and Danny Walters' charismatic performance. Their music is a mix of Rock, Blues and Soul filled with melody, catchy lyrics and somehow you are almost transported back in time to the 1960's when listening to this band.
Danny engages his audience with not only his funny antics, tambourines and bananas but the smile that truly comes from his heart telling you he's having a great time and wants you to have one too, which of course everyone is. His showmanship is extraordinary.
The next time The Brown Hornets come buzzing into your neighbourhood, catch their show, you won't be disappointed and its like something you have never seen before. Originality at its best, limitless talent and despite their rock and roll persona, I can say this band is and always will be a CLASS act!
CTV NEWS
The Brown Hornets, from Newcastle, Ont., whipped the crowd into a frenzy with their wild blend of blues and rock that sounded like the Who being fronted by Jerry Lee Lewis
NOW MAGAZINE
(Now Magazine’s ‘Critic’s Pick’, NXNE), Shit Tearing Blues
BEING THERE
(Best of Festival Pick, NXNE)
It was charisma that made the Brown Hornets the most memorable performance of the festival, and one of the few that left me wanting more. Lead singer Danny Walters danced and interacted with the audience as if he had been gracing a stage his entire life. Give these guys enough exposure, and the Brown Hornets could be the saviours of rock ‘n’ roll
EXCLAIM
Drawing upon seemingly limitless amounts of energy, if you weren't moving during this show, you should have been pronounced either legally dead or supremely uncool. Featuring guitars and microphones askew on the floor and random handouts of pineapples and bananas, the music - a great old helping of dirty soul-inflected rock'n'roll - was just as fun as the proceedings. It's close to a guarantee that the temperature in the place actually went up a couple of degrees due to this performance. Scorching
POP MONTREAL
Gimmick-free old school rock with a whole lotta swagger
SPILL
Taking cues from Jerry Lee Lewis, Teenage Head and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, the energetic four-piece burned through a grease-stained set featuring equal parts keyboard-infused rockin’ and manic street preachin’… solid showmanship and an irony-free slice of classic rock and roll goulash
CHART
(A+ Show Review)
Shimmying, Shaking, Pure Rock & Roll Entertainment with a 60s Flair...The Brown Hornets are pure energy and showmanship. Lead singer Dan Walters serves as the focal point for this frantic outfit with his acrobatics and wailing vocals
VIEW
They've released four CDs, toured the U.S. and maintain a near manic love for what they do that oozes out at every show...Frenetic is an understatement in describing The Brown Hornets live performance
ROCK & ROLL REPORT
Shit kicking, rockabilly flavoured smash bang rock and roll is what I got out of Toronto’s The Brown Hornets. Coming Down Easy sounds like the Doors on a sequel to Roadhouse Blues and Rooftop Sniper locks into a tasty riff with great organ swells that will satisfy any rock and roll craving…Currently on tour all over Canada and select U.S. cities, this is mean and nasty rock and roll like it should be played
BUY IT AT A RETAIL STORE Available at HMV coming soon to Chapters, CD Plus and CD Warehouse
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Biography
If you really must know, the Brown Hornets are four kids who grew up together in the heart of 'Ontario's biggest afterthought', Durham County. It's about 1 hour east of Toronto. With nothing fun, pretty, or constructive at their disposal, the Hornets had no choice but to create a band. And no, people don't get away with tipping cows in Durham County--you fuck with a cow, and you'll wake up pinned underneath a Massey-Ferguson.
For the past decade the Hornets have been turning it loose in every club, festival, and chicken shack in Ontario and New York. And to this day, their live show murdalizes people with a fucked up repackaging of blues, soul and rock& roll. The Brown Hornet monorail is sure to make a mess of your hair--even if you're bald.
The Brown Hornets is, am, are and be:
DANNY WALTERS (Singer & Organist)
ROBIN MASON (Drummer)
JUSTIN HEMING (Bassist)
PAUL KEHAYAS (Guitarist)
Check out some footage from our show a few months ago at The Velvet Elvis that we stumbled across on youtube.
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A group of us Northener girls came to your show at the Dungeon in the summer. I put you on my friends on myspace but don't get on very often. Today wanted to rock out to your music while working and was deeply saddened by the news of your bassist. Bless you all, Vicki
Tonight the show at The Horseshoe, was to honour Justin Heming, a person that exceeded his musical ambitions, as one of the happiest and congenial souls in the TO music scene. Fame meant nothing to him. His concern for others, commmitment to his craft, and free-spirit outweighed any superficial aspects, as demonstrated by by the people he has touched. If cool lives--and it does--Justin and his joy of life are why.
thank you Justin for always making me and all fans feel like one of the cool kids .Justin always saught me out in many a crowded bar to say hey and thanks for coming out always.next time im in a packed bar its Justin giving that smile and a nod over allthose heads is what im truly going to miss .so thank you justin for being the coolest cat i have met for sure .to all that knew him my thoughts are with you all
We are shocked and saddened by the news about Justin. Take care guys. Our thoughts are with his family and you all. The greater rock and roll family has lost a member, and it affects everyone involved in music.
hey guys. very sorry to here about justin. he was an awesome bass player but we hope u guys keep playing. u guys r one of the best bands weve seen and played with and we all hope u continue. take care guys.
