A Beautiful Soul, The Soundtrack Of Your Life: R.I.P. Jonny Trash

He was an innovator, a vinyl legend/lover, an audiophile, an artist, an entrepreneur, a risk-taker, a community builder, a raconteur, a shit-disturber, a funny dude, a kind, gentle and humble soul.

His name was Jonathan Hall, aka “Jonny” and “Jonny Trash”, and his impact and legacy will be felt—and heard—for generations to come in this community.

Photo by Marlon Hazelwood

Jonny died Friday night (March 22nd) at the age of 44. “Jonathan you were the DJ for the soundtrack of my life for so many years,” one woman posted to his Facebook page. “Grumpy, sarcastic but still soft on the inside and always willing to give great big hugs. You will be missed and there is a hole that can’t be filled. Peterborough has lost a leader/innovator.”

”He was an amazing man,” his friend and former co-owner of Spanky’s David Koski tells PTBOCanada. “He was full of joy, full of life. He was my best friend. I am at a loss for words right now.”

Jonny’s music CV in Peterborough is one for the history books and one you could write a book about or do a documentary on.

He ran the iconic Trasheteria at the corner of Simcoe and Water, an alternative bar that had an 18-year run in town until it closed in 2012. He played music there that no one played and brought in bands (live gigs there brought goosebumps) and DJs that no one else did. He took chances on staff when no one else would. Relationships were formed there that lead to marriage and babies.

”He took a chance on me at the Trash on bar and gave me my start bartending,” his friend Kevin Stairs tells PTBOCanada. “It changed my life forever. I respected him as a human immensely.”

When the Trash closed, Jonny wrote, “A million or so of you have been through our doors over the past 18 years and danced the night away, done some patio schmoozing, checked out a band and escaped the mundane. Thank You.”

After the Trash, Jonathan co-founded Spanky’s on Hunter Street, whose tagline is “definitely maybe the best bar on planet earth.”

Being at Spanky’s watching Jonny spin was one of the bucket list things to do in Peterborough. Jonny spinning tunes was pure magic, as was the signature little bow he’d give you. He’d put you in a trance where you’d be glued to just watching him. People would come from far and wide to see Jonny spin. It was mesmerizing. It was soul.

Photo at Spanky’s by Eric Kelso Mckibbon

Photo by Rosalea Terry, Spanky’s, Halloween 2014

Jonny was also instrumental in creating The Hootenanny on Hunter Street, a music/community festival that has become one of the summer go-to events in town.

The street would close, the bands would play, and it was this moment that you were there. And would never forget. And Jonny would be standing off to the side like he did, out of the limelight, smoking a butt, admiring and loving and hugging.

Hootenanny on Hunter

When he left Spanky’s, he wasn’t done there. He opened The Twisted Wheel on Water Street with Mike Judson, which has vinyl DJs, live music, movie nights, bazaars and more.

It is an eclectic, eccentric bar—just what Peterborough needed. Indeed, Jonny was always opening bars that this city needed, pushing things, challenging stereotypes and convention about who we are as a city. This ain’t no backward town.

His latest labour of love was Nostalgic Journey, a lovely antique, vintage and collectables store that he and his girlfriend Kayley Duggan just took ownership of in early March.

Jonny was incredibly excited about this chapter of his life—and there were so many—of running this business. He just had this passion for life, and the journey.

Jonathan Hall at Nostalgic Journey, Saturday, March 16th, 2019 (photo by Neil Morton)

There is no easy way to sum up Jonathan Hall, and the impact he has had on people. Everyone in their tears will have different memories of him, different moments they will remember and share. But music was his light, his beacon. Music inspired Jonny to no end, and the music he played brought people together and gave them hope and happiness and escape in this dance of life.

Jonny was, quite simply, a living legend. Perhaps his friend Rosalea Terry puts it best, saying “He was one of the best people I have ever met. So kind and creative. The entire city is going to feel this one.”

Or perhaps Jonny himself put it best in his poetic goodbye note he wrote to the patrons of the Trasheteria in 2012, when he finished with this:

Keep on being beautifully weird and different, funky and cool, wild and courageous… Be safe out there and perhaps we’ll see you down that winding road. Much love, Retro Rules, Bye for now.”

Bye for now Jonny. We will see you down the winding road.

—By Neil Morton

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Jonathan Hall & Kayley Duggan New Owners Of Nostalgic Journey

Nostalgic Journey, a sprawling 6,000-square-foot multi-vendor antique, vintage and collectables store established in 2003, has been taken over by couple Jonathan Hall (also co-proprietor of The Twisted Wheel lounge in downtown Peterborough) and Kayley Duggan.

Owners Kayley Duggan and Jonathan Hall

Located at 1118 Trans-Canada Highway 7, just a stone’s throw away from the end of the 115 outside of Peterborough, it is a treasure trove for antique and vintage finds.

Nostalgic Journey is located at 1118 Trans-Canada Highway 7

Hall has been going to Nostalgic Journey for years, and, in fact, many of his finds are housed in his chic Twisted Wheel bar on Water Street he operates with Mike Judson.

When he and Duggan found out this electic store was available from Gail, the former owner, they jumped at the chance to take it on. They just took ownership March 1st, and it has quickly become a labour of love.

Hall, also a talented graphic designer, tells PTBOCanada they don’t plan to reinvent the wheel, though there will be some tweaks here and there which will be reflected with his love of vinyl in a section he and Kayley are developing.

Hall in “his office”, as he calls it, at Nostalgic Journey

Nostalgic Journey has many of the same vendors—there are more than 30—that have been there for years, but Hall says new ones are coming on as well as word of mouth travels quickly about the couple’s venture.

Hall’s logo design for Nostalgic Journey

There was a constant flow of customers young and old on a Saturday we visited the location, and there is plenty of parking.

Indeed, it’s a perfect place to go on a date, with friends, or bring your folks/in-laws. The nostalgia all around you makes for great conversation points, buys and photos. You can get lost in there for hours.

Speaking of photography, the couple is utilizing social media to build awareness about Nostalgic Journey—the unique collectables and antiques there are very Instagram worthy.

You can find Nostalgic Journey on Instagram
here and Facebook here. They are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Wednesday, with the plan to eventually open then as well.

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The Trash & The Wolf 101.5 Building Awareness for Relief Efforts in Japan

This Wednesday, The Trash will be donating 100 percent of cover charge proceeds to the relief effort in Japan, which their Prime Minister Nato Kan calls "the toughest and the most difficult crisis for Japan" in the 65 years since the end of World War II.

Also, local radio station The Wolf has set up a special page on their website where you can learn about various ways to help Japan via the Red Cross, and get more information about the situation there. (Their sister station Kruz FM has done the same.)

If you know of other events/resources happening in Peterborough to raise money for Japan, please add to our comments section below or email us at tips@ptbocanada.com.

 
[The Trash "Retro Relief Rules" on Facebook; The Wolf page for relief efforts]

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