Emmita Johnson is half of the local “freak pop” duo Beverly Bomber. Throughout the past year, she and Nick Spalding have been crafting a fuzz-filled, garage-rock charm with odes to the desert (“Desert Rat” and “Pleasant Place”), and using punk energy to provide a raucous stage show. The duo recently released a pair of singles that see Johnson hop from drums to the bass guitar to elevate the proto-punk earworm “Hammer” and the fiery, crunchy anthem “Dog Bone.” For more information, see the band’s Instagram. Johnson also has a true punk-rock past, performing alongside Rikk Agnew (Christian Death, Adolescents, Social Distortion) in a number of projects.
What was the first concert you attended?
DEVO!!! I was in sixth-grade, and my dad got tickets to Tony Hawk’s Boom Boom HuckJam. Skateboarding and music at the Honda Center in Anaheim. Core memory for sure. Thanks, Dad.
What was the first album you owned?
Smashing Pumpkins, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.
What bands are you listening to right now?
Brutus, Lilly Palmer and Modest Mouse. I’m stuck on (Modest Mouse’s) The Moon & Antarctica album right now, and, of course, there’s no escaping N8NOFACE; he’s taking over.
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?
Taylor Swift, and what is happening to Beyonce? Make it stop!
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?
Lately, I’ve been feeling like going to a real, epic, live orchestra. I feel like that would be a crazy-deep, beautiful experience.
What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?
Coldplay … but only that one album. IYKYK. I don’t feel guilty, but I listen to Neil Young’s After the Gold Rush album—only when I’m alone, though, so I can sing it out loud, lol.
What’s your favorite music venue?
Nothing beats a house show.
What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?
“World problems. We all care. But has this rage got us anywhere? No! Keep a grin! Think! Think Positive!” That’s “Think Positive” by RKL.
What band or artist changed your life? How?
Brody Dalle was my first spiritual experience. That’s who kicked me off in my youth. Sing Sing Death House album was my shit growing up. But the most influential artist has been Rikk Agnew. He took me under his wing, and I got to meet so many cool people like Eva O. I got to travel around, play bass in Poop, and the Super Heroines, and run around with a bunch of OGs.
You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?
It would be Stefanie Mannaerts of Brutus: Can I come over to Belgium and hang out!?
What song would you like played at your funeral?
Le Tigre, “Keep on Livin’.”
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
Rikk Agnew’s All by Myself album, and yes, he did the album all by himself—instruments and vocals all in three days!
What song should everyone listen to right now?
Brutus, “Sugar Dragon.” Even better, watch the video on YouTube.