Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Peter Johnston RVA

Peter Johnston RVA is primarily a recording project based in Richmond, Virginia that explores matters of human dignity and common good in society.

What is your earliest memory connected to music?

My earliest memory of connected to music goes back to when I was about 3 years old; I remember singing seasonal folk songs that my mother taught me while riding in the back seat of my parents’ car taking my older sister to school.  It is a very vague memory, but probably my earliest memory of my entire life, and I’m glad it involves music.  

How did your passion for creating music begin?

I became seriously interested in music during my senior year in high school when I first learned how to play the bass guitar.  I had a difficult time keeping a band together as a bassist, so I learned guitar and started writing original music in hopes that I would be able to keep a project together for a longer period of time if I had a better sense of the type of musicians needed to create the arrangements.  

What’s the story behind your current music project?

I started recording as Peter Johnston RVA in 2020 after two other live projects I was working on ended due to the COVID pandemic and the inability to get together to practice.  Peter Johnston RVA started as a recording project that would draw inspiration from my Catholic faith.  It started with a seven song EP called ‘Be Not Afraid’ which was sort of the rallying cry for the project.  ‘Be not afraid’ is the most repeated line in the Gospels by Christ, and so it seems like it is a pretty important message that I wanted to make the cornerstone of the music project.  Indie rock isn’t normally associated with a Christian message, but I am hoping that the Peter Johnston RVA project serves as an inspiration for other indie artists to draw on their own Christian faith and identity when making their own music in an attempt to reclaim the arts for Christ and Christendom.

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?

Peter Johnston RVA music can primarily be described as indie / alt rock with a purposefully lofi but earnest recording ethic.  

What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?

Working remotely with a drummer that adds live drum tracks after I’ve recorded the vocals and other instruments has greatly influenced the way I make music.  It is sort of backwards from the way most music is recorded, but it has worked well for the project and ultimately has allowed for the songs to take on a live feel without them ever having been performed by a full band in a live setting.  

What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?

Beyond the typical guitar, bass, drum, synth/piano instrumentation on the tracks, I rely heavily on a Universal Audio MKII tube amp to get the tones and compression used on most Peter Johnston RVA songs. 

Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?

I’m a really big fan of Saintseneca from Columbus, Ohio.  I love all of their records.

How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?

My Catholic Christian faith has most influenced my music and artistic vision.  All of the songs are inspired by Catholic teachings, art, saints, etc. set to a reverb-heavy indie / alt rock sound.  I strongly believe in all of the teachings of the Catholic Church which I belivee are all of spiritual and pragmatic and practical value in society in advancing the common good of humanity.  

What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?

I hope that the songs provide a backdrop for personal, spiritual reflection; everything in this world is passing away so quickly, and all that any one of us truly owns in this life is our soul.  It is so important that we take care of and guard our souls the same way that we do with our physical bodies.  That takes a lot of effort and continual self reflection and spiritual maturity.  The stakes couldn’t be any higher, so I hope this music aids in the listener’s spiritual journey and inspires other Christian artists to draw on their own faith in making music.

 What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?

Music has taught me the importance of making art for its own sake and for the glory of God.  

What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?

I was able to participate in the first ever Catholicpalooza music event in 2023, and that was a really great experience.  I would love to see that event continue on into the future and play at it again in the future.  

If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?

There are so many amazing artists that I would love to have had the opportunity to work with, but if I had to pick one, I would have to go with the late Brian Wilson.  He did so many amazing things in the studio and was so influential for all modern recording techniques that have come after him.  

Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)

www.PeterJohnstonRVA.bandcamp.com is the best place to start as it includes all of the PJRVA records, lyrics, etc.  

Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?

My hope is to somehow write around 365 Catholic-inspired songs, so that there is a song that honors every day of the Catholic liturgical calendar.  

What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?

I hope that listeners will discover the beauty of Christ’s teachings in the Catholic Church.

Here’s a link to the latest PJRVA single.