[2] He recalls buying the Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour and a Beach Boys greatest hits record, and having them become his first two favourite albums, which led him to an interest in performing music.

[2] He has also cited electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), and folk punk group Violent Femmes, as formative influences.

Thanks to the opportunities afforded him by his BNL gig, Hearn subsequently released his first solo album, Mothball Mint.

After extensive touring in the United States, building upon the increasing success of Rock Spectacle, the band recorded their fourth studio album, Stunt.

Hearn also contributed some lead electric guitar to the album, having a noticeably different style than Ed Robertson or Steven Page.

On August 27, 2011, Hearn played piano and sang backing vocals for Steven Page's performance of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" at Jack Layton's state funeral.

[2] Several of the band's friends filled in at different points (including Chris Brown, Andy Creegan, and Greg Kurstin).

He also released another solo album, called H-Wing (named for the hospital wing he was in when he wrote most of the songs) which centered on his illness.

For the Rheostatics' 1999 release, The Story of Harmelodia, a thematic, and somewhat psychedelic, children's album, Hearn is listed as a member of the group in the liner-notes.

In addition to Hearn's contributions to the recordings above, he performed live with the Rheostatics on many occasions throughout the latter part of the group's career.

[9] His ongoing lawsuit against a Toronto art gallery, after learning that a Norval Morrisseau painting he had purchased was an apparent forgery, was profiled in Jamie Kastner's 2019 documentary film There Are No Fakes.