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SPF Editor-In-Chief Janet Adamana
Associate Editor Ally Sigurdson Promotions Director Steff Shields
Contributors & Photography Credits Ally Sigurdson Dagmawit Dejene Debra Heather Dinorah Prevost Ivan Katzev Liv Mayes Spencer Marr Steff Shields Special Thanks Brysen Johnson Eric Janczyszyn Yvonne Lace Jason de Cordoba Andrew Dyce Dave Todd Graham Duval Grant Danyluk Hayley Smith Sean Leslie Craig Angus Richard Stratton Gavin Redford Jarrod Mikolajczyk Jorb Ngantian Jordan Voth Matt Voth James Hewitson Gage Wright John-Michael Bowes Sean Guezen Mike Melnyk Daniel Guezen
Sound, Phrase & Fury is a Canadian music magazine out to help promote musicians not usually covered in mainstream media. All music, photos and articles used are for the sole purpose of spreading the knowledge of these artists and their music. We always encourage readers to support every act through purchasing releases, merchandise and attending live shows.
may/june 2014 Eyes Fixed On The Sun Note from the Editor Josh’s Song Forever I pay their respects to a good friend
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Hearts On Fire NAYSA and their debut EP, Troubled Heart
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Succumb To The Call Siren Call talks musical inspiration
Recommends We share our artist picks
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New Kids On The Block Bleed American bust onto the scene
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Five Minutes With... Arcs & Trauma and their EP, This Place That I Love / Lost Spirit
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Cut From The Right Cloth Industry profile on Still Alive Clothing Co.
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What’s In A Name The Salvadorian Garbage Men and their self-titled EP
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In Review A closer look at some releases
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info@sound-phrase-fury.com @soundphrasefury facebook.com/soundphrasefury Sound-Phrase-Fury.com may/june 2014 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 3
Editor’s Note
eyes fixed on the sun The last few months at Sound, Phrase & Fury have been moving
incredibly fast. We have been working long and hard tackling new challenges, and throwing ourselves into new roles and adventures, as we keep growing, learning and falling in love with all the amazing things we get to do, and the people we get to meet. We recently launched our Youtube Channel, with the premiere of Bleed American’s new single, “Restaurant Jobs,” and released the SPF Digital Issues Pack, including 10 of our latest issues. We have been happily working away as we plan our upcoming SPF Get Lost In Sound Launch Party and the first edition Get Lost In Sound Compilation Album – featuring 10 unreleased singles by 10 local artists. A great man once said, “life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it,” and whilst in the midst of our biggest year yet, I’d like to take this time to really stop and relish in how far we have come, and thank all of those who have gotten us here. We are simple young guns with big hearts and even bigger dreams, so thank you for your continued support, and constant motivation to keep doing what we’re doing. We have learned that finding your passion is the greatest achievement, and finding people who believe in you and invest their time on you, is the greatest gift. A million “thank you’s” would not suffice, but we’ll give you a million and one.
Shake it up Janet Adamana Editor-In-Chief
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may/june 2014 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 5
Q&A
Words by Ally Sigurdson
Inspiration for a song can come from any- best way to let out some of those tough where, but as the boys in Forever I will tell emotions and keep the memory of Josh you, sometimes, you have to go through an alive and vivid, was to write him a song. awful lot of pain to be inspired. Lead vocalist, Brysen Johnson and percusAfter the death of their friend Joshua Bent- sionist, Eric Janczyszyn talks about their ley in January 2014, Forever I decided the inspiration and their friend. 6 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • may/june 2014
q&a
AS: So tell me, what did Josh mean to both of you? BJ: Josh was a good homie that I had met through mutual friends; he was a person I had gotten to know well over the past few years just by going to shows together, and playing them together. He was a good dude. We had a lot of really good talks. We discussed life and music and we would constantly exchange advice. He was a solid friend.
also make it a little broad so anyone who has lost someone can still connect to the song. Everyone had a different experience with him. Everyone had a different relationship with him, and I wanted everyone to be able to connect with the words.
EJ: For me, the song helped with the grieving process. Everything happened so quickly for us, from hearing the news to the blurry few days that followed, it was all so hard to process and underEJ: Josh was someone that I met when he first stand. It hadn’t really set in, and even at shows it started coming to shows, and I remember thinking still wasn’t completely real for a lot of us. It didn’t “Man, this kid can throw down.” He was a person hit me until we were in the studio recording Josh’s you could talk to about anything and everything. Song and Brysen was doing his vocals. That’s when He would tell me his life story and his struggles, I started to choke up. It still makes me extremely and how he had turned his life around because of emotional just listening to it, and I think it always music and the support he had from that. That was will. something that always stuck with me, especially when I was going through troubles of my own; he AS: For people who didn’t know Josh, what do was someone who was always caring for everyone you hope they can take away from his song? else before himself. BJ: I just hope that they realize how big of an impact he made while he was here, and that he left a AS: How did Winnipeg’s local scene react to a mark on a lot of people. He was so loved and cared young musician passing away? for, and I hope people can see how Josh inspired BJ: Josh was the type of person that even if you us as a band. Josh meant so much to so many, and didn’t know him by name, you knew him by his owl I hope when people hear his song, they remember tattoo and how hard he went in the pit. He was a him and what he left behind. huge part of the music scene and when we all realized he wouldn’t be around anymore; it was tough EJ: I just hope that people see how much he meant on all of us. The reaction of the scene was a sad to Forever I, to his family, and to his friends. He one, but a thankful one for having him around in affected us all in one way or another, whether it the first place. was through his personal experiences, music or his beliefs, we miss him every day. He taught us to apAS: Talk to me about the lyrics, the process for preciate the people around us, because you never the song, and how it helped you both? know how much time you have with the ones you BJ: Well, when I found out about Josh passing, I love. brought the idea forward to the band, and asked if we could put our other material on hold to write and record a song in his honour. I started working on the lyrics the night I found out. I rewrote Listen to “Josh’s Song” at Youtube.com/ForeveriHC. the lyrics seven to eight times just to make sure evShow your support and like Forever I at erything was perfect. It had to be. It was very imFacebook.com/ForeverIMusic portant to all of us. I wanted to focus on Josh, but
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Facebook.com/AestheticHeartPromotions may/june 2014 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 9
sound spotlight Q&A
SUCCUMB to the
Call Words by Steff Shields
DH: How did you guys come up with your name and how did you form Siren Call? JC: I have no idea where Yvonne came up with ‘Siren Call,’ but I think it’s the most awesome band name. It’s the name of a band that I’d like to see and listen to. It really fits us well I think, a name that’s really a blast from back home in Southern California. We first met in a very random way. Yvonne pretty much jumped on a stage I had just performed on and made it hers. I was very impressed; in fact, I could hardly believe she wasn’t from California as she was covering Sublime songs in a manner so similar to Gwen Stefani. YL: As for the band name, I’ve always been fascinated with the myth of sirens because they combine two of my favorite things: music and the sea. Sirens lure sailors with their enchanting voices and when it comes to art there is nothing more appealing than the dangerous, the unattainable and the enigmatic. I guess I wanted to give my band some of that flavor.
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words by Debra Heather photo by Ivan Katzev
Vienna, Austria’s Siren Call, pull inspiration from American legends, No Doubt and Nirvana, and dash the mixture with the sultry croon of vocalist/ bassist Yvonne Lace. We talk to Yvonne and guitarist Jason de Cordoba about their North American inspired style and the importance of rock that’s full of feminine flair.
DH: What are your musical influences? YL: I am definitely a huge 90s rock fan and based this band on a mixture of Nirvana, Garbage and Hole. There is something about the raw emotion and authenticity of those bands that I love and aspire to emulate. Vocally, Gwen Stefani inspires me and I look up to her not only as an artist, but as a person. JC: This band has very eclectic influences that one would not initially see any connection between. Right now as I write this I’m listening to Journey, and earlier I was playing along with Stevie Ray Vaughn on guitar. DH: What can fans expect to hear from your singles “ Just a Man” and “ Comfort Zone”? YL: “Just a Man” is a feel-good guitar-driven song. We pay homage to rock’n’roll with this song, both musically and lyrically. When I heard the opening riff, composed by Jason and Gabor, I immediately thought of my favorite movie “Almost Famous”. I
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q&a
felt compelled to write a song about the fans, espcially the girls behind the music. “Just a Man” goes out to all the Penny Lanes of the world. It’s interesting to explore this theme from a female perspective. “Comfort Zone” has a different sound; it’s not a straight-forward rock song like “Just a Man”. It reminds me of Garbage, because although it’s alternative rock, you can also dance to it. It’s a breath of fresh air between all the heavier punk and grunge we do. Lyrically, I challenge people to get outside their comfort zone and explore. Don’t be afraid to be different. You’ll never achieve anything meaningful if it doesn’t cause a little anxiety. JC: They are totally different songs, coming from totally different places and we were very lucky with the collaborations on both of them. They spread from “Just a Man” tipping the hat to many Rock themes but also the AOR radio format music from the 70s, which I grew up on. Although the whole song is guitar, bass and drums, “Comfort Zone” is
actually something that can be played by a DJ at an EDM venue. DH: What is in the works for you guys in the near future? YL: We have a lot of songs ready to record and we’re also working on filming music videos for “Just a Man” and “Comfort Zone”. I’m looking forward to reaching more and more people internationally and having the chance to play live for them. I would be thrilled to play in Canada, for example. JC: We’re going to return to North America in the second half of this year. We intend to have videos and new music to accompany this. There has been a lot of activity in the studio and preparing the setting for the reception of this effort.
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Stay up to date with Siren Call at SirenCallOfficial.com
“when it comes to art there is nothing more appealing than the dangerous, the unattainable and the enigmatic.”
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Profile
Winnipeg’s newest talent, NAYSA, has created quite the stir in the local music scene. The fivepiece alternative-rock band has been grabbing the attention of music gurus across the city, with their debut EP, Troubled Heart. With features in prominent local publications, as well as multiple online articles, it is clear that the group is finally getting the recognition they deserve. words by Dagmawit Dejene The band formed a year ago when founding member Dave Todd (guitar/vocals) was subject to an unexpected act of kindness from his two roommates Graham Duval (drums) and Grant Danyluk (bass). “The three of us lived together,” says Danyluk. “Dave was playing some songs on his acoustic guitar. Graham and I looked at him and thought, ‘Dang, Dave looks lonely, I bet he wants us to play with him.’ So we forced him to let us be in a band. Now we rock.” Hayley Smith (keyboard/vocals) was next to be invited into the group, and not long after, Sean Leslie (guitar) was adopted into their ranks, thus NAYSA was born.
names such as Little House and Palm Trees. NAYSA held a launch for their new EP Troubled Heart with special guests Little House, Animal Teeth and Ozconcious. The concert was a great success bringing in a huge crowd of supporters. “It was more than we expected.” says Duval. “The turnout was awesome, the crowd was awesome and all the bands were awesome.” The EP kicks off with title track, “Troubled Heart”, a groovy, upbeat tune with melancholic lyrics. The line “Just give me something, I’m holding to nothing” is a great example of the message the band is trying to get across with their music. Todd hopes fans recognize his sincerity. “I try to write about personal life experiences and I hope that the fans can appreciate and understand that.”
It’s no easy task to get oneself recognized within the local music scene, and it definitely wasn’t easy for NAYSA. “One time we played this show at a venue called Ozzy’s and there was literally no one there. We got paid $5” Duval shares. However, it didn’t take long for Winnipeggers to catch up, and “It’s Nice to Meet You” slows down the tempo to soon enough the fans were forming. Since then, the an eerie waltz which, accompanied by Todd and band has played multiple shows with big Winnipeg Smith’s combined vocals, creates a dark yet comfort
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profile
hearts on fire -ing atmosphere. “Friday on My Own”, the third track of the album, shakes things up with a fun and energetic look back at 90’s punk rock. The final song “Push Me Aside” brings us back to a slow piano ballad sung by Smith and accompanied by faint distortion and electric guitar. The unusual mix of instruments, along with the painful, soulsearching lyrics makes this song unlike any other. It’s clear NAYSA knows what they’re doing when it comes to making music, and they don’t plan to stop
anytime soon. The band has a short 10-show tour scheduled for May and plans to play a few summer festivals. After getting this far within the past year, there’s no telling where the band will be in another year, but the group is dreaming big. “[We] hope to tour the States and Europe and play the big festivals” says Todd.
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Like NAYSA at Facebook.com/TheBandNaysa. Get a copy of Troubled Heart at Naysa.Bandcamp.com
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profile recommends
poor Things Far removed from the mainstream ideal of the pseudo-punk trend, the threesome, made up of Craig Angus (vocals/guitar), Richard Stratton (vocals/bass guitar) and Gavin Redford (drums), has had over a decade to find their rhythm and unify their talents into one outstanding joint effort. Although Scottish by nature, Poor Things have found their home in instrumentals
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reminiscent of American shore music and the west-coast. The most note-worthy thing about the album is the sophistication that is so subtly scattered throughout the carefully planned set-list, mixing emotions and providing a well-rounded view of what the artists put into their creation that is nearly Frankenstonian. Mature lyrics shaded behind quick guitar riffs force listeners
recommends
The latest self-titled album from Perth natives, Poor Things, demonstrates the capacity for revival in the pop-punk scene. words by Steff Shields
Facebook.com/poorthings Poorthings.bandcamp.com Sarasetorecords.com
to appreciate these songs for the all-encom- relatable to early Smashing Pumpkins passing, crushing optimism that they pro- and Moneen yet uniquely their own, Poor vide. Things have found a style that transcends various genres keeping their sound fresh “1998” and “Freezing” comparatively dem- and appealing to the masses. & onstrate an impressive differential in theme while maintaining cohesiveness to the al- Poor Things’ self-titled album is available at bum that is difficult to achieve even for SarasetoRecords.com. Catch them on their the most skilled of groups. With a sound tour through the UK and France.
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recommends
Low profiles do not exist in the world of Real Mad Decent. The Burnaby-based group have just passed the two-year mark as a collective but have already managed to pump out two EPs and play shows at several prominent venues in one of Canada’s most musically competitive cities.
The band’s overall sound screams nostalgia. Their melancholy vocals and themes, leave audiences pining for a 90’s revival. With such an accomplished sound and record for live-shows, fans can’t help but wonder what’s next for Real Mad Decent.
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words by Steff Shields
real mad decent facebook.com/RealMadDecent - realmaddecent.bandcamp.com- twitter.com/RealMadDecent 16 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • may/june 2014
recommends profile q&a
Tiger Bell
Tiger Bell have managed to turn pet-peeves into a brash, rock n’ roll rant. Title track of their latest release, I Don’t Want To Hear About Your Band, lashes outward with hard guitars and lead vocalist, Lovisa Thurfjell showing off her domineering and authoritative nature and just being all-around badass.
cover of the popular French song “Ca Plane Pour Moi” (Plastic Bertrand).
Tiger Bell is a refreshing take on the all-girl band, leaving gender stereotypes behind and rocking harder than the boys. This newly-released 7” features the previously released and aforementioned song “I Don’t Want To Hear About Your Band” alongside a
An appreciated feature about the girls in Tiger Bell is the tendency to stray away from the predictable avenues of all-girl groups and stay true to their own sound and lyrical style. &
Although the use of a cover on a two-song EP is questionable, the ladies of Tiger Bell have made a statement about how they approach music: it should be short, it should be hard and it should be loud.
words by Steff Shields
tigerbell.com - facebook.com/tigerbellband may/june 2014 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 17
q&A Q&A
new kids block on the
AS: You guys came out of nowhere! We all woke up one morning and suddenly Bleed American was a band in Winnipeg and they had a song and an EP. What made you guys decide to go about things in that way? MV: We didn’t want our band to come across as half-assed. Everything came out at once, we had shows lined up, an EP made, and that’s how we decided we wanted to go about this. We didn’t want to go on Facebook and be like “HEY, like our band even though we don’t have any music to show you yet!” JM: Once people heard of us, we wanted them to pay attention to us. We wanted to impress them, and have something for people to look forward to, right from the start. JN: To get people to actually like our band for our
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music and not because they know one of the members, we actually needed to have something to show them. You have to give them something. JV: On another note, having music ready was a wise choice because promoters are usually hesitant to book bands with little or no music to listen to beforehand. When planning a certain kind of show, you really don’t want to be surprised.
AS: Who is the decision maker out of the four of you? JV: I am. MV: Oh, yeah. Sure. JV: No. I don’t actually make all of the choices. I do a lot of work, yes, but every decision this band makes, we make as a group. We’re all equal partners in this, and it works for us.
q&a
Whoever said originality was dead has clearly never taken a trip to Winnipeg, and looked at our music scene. Nowadays, we have bands forming left and right, all with their own unique style and way of working together. For pop-punk’s Bleed American, being genuine and original is something they are constantly aiming for, and we think they’re doing a pretty fantastic job. Members Jarrod Mikolajczyk (percussion), Jorb Ngantian (rhythem guitar), Jordan Voth (lead vocals/lead guitar) and Matt Voth (bass/vocals) sat down with us to talk about decisions, Rona projects and brotherly love.
PHOTO AND WORDS BY ALLY SIGURDSON JM: Jordan and Jorb find all of the opportunities for ter your own work can be really stressful, but reus, and then we all get to voice our opinions and ally rewarding at the same time. The process took a come to a conclusion as a band. lot longer than usual, but when we finally listened to the finished product, we were all super happy. It AS: Tell me about your self-titled EP, and the was awesome. highlights of it? JM: I really liked the writing process; that was a AS: What do you hope people take away from very important thing for me. When I joined this your music? band that was a primary focus for me; and just JN: If anything, I hope it kills 15 minutes of time for bringing back that feeling of writing new material someone. was amazing. We just wanted to write good music. JV: They’re personal songs and I just hope that One of the main reasons I got into music was to somebody can connect with them, and if not, I create new music, and the fact that this band puts hope it helps someone kill about 15 minutes. We a lot of their energy and focus into their material is have done everything completely on our own, from recording and mastering to booking our tour, and I awesome. JN: We’ve been building road cases for all of our hope people can respect that. gear, so having to go to Rona to pick up plywood JM: I think it’s silly to assume that everyone is going and build everything has turned into a bit of a hec- to like the album, but I do hope people understand tic time for us. We apparently do everything our- that we are proud of what we’ve done. We’re going selves… but in all seriousness, I think a highlight for to continue to move forward and I hope that we can me was playing the West End Cultural Centre for have some people enjoy our work and appreciate it. our first show. I had never played there before and MV: I hope that it inspires people to a certain exit was an awesome start to this band. It was cool to tent. We don’t have gang vocals, we’re not hipsters, we’re just a bunch of nerdy guys who love to play see the backstage area and experience everything. MV: I’d say our second or third practice was the music. We do what’s best for us and we love that. highlight for me. That was when I realized we were Nobody in this band tries to be something they’re actually working together and we are actually ca- not. pable of writing music together. It was a really exGet a copy of their self-titled EP at citing moment for us as a band. BleedAmerican.Bandcamp.com. Stream their new JV: I just really like the general business that comes single, Restaurant Jobs at Sound-Phrase-Fury.com from being in this band. Having to record and mas-
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5with... mins
q&a
Arcs + Trauma
James Hewitson, bassist for indie-rock band Arcs & Trauma, takes us through their EP, This Place That I Love/ Lost Spirit. DH: Can you tell me a bit about the history of Arcs & Trauma? JH: We met in high school. Jon Gibson’s band didn’t have a bass player, so, with previous musical knowledge from learning trumpet, I taught myself bass and was accepted into the band. Styles developed and different people came and went until we ended up as a three-piece. ‘Arcs & Trauma’ was our guitarist’s idea. The two words seemed to sound ‘nice’ together, and we’d been trying to think of band names for a while. We got tired of disagreeing on everything so ‘Arcs & Trauma’ can be viewed as a metaphor for our agreement and unity. This band has been going since 2009 and our current line-up of Jon, Jake Hopkins (drums) and I, has been together for 18 months.
words by Debra Heather
DH: I’d like to talk about your EP, This Place That I Love and Lost Spirit. What can your fans expect while listening to it? JH: This is the first studio recording with our current drummer, Jake. You can expect something that takes influence from a variety of genres but perhaps doesn’t go too far off the mark. I’m really not sure! See for yourself. DH: What steps do you guys take in the music making process, and who writes your music? JH: Normally what happens is our guitarist, Jon, will initially write guitar parts/melodies that Jake and I develop with him and we get a song.
DH: What’s next for Arcs & Trauma? JH: We are writing and refining lots of material, as DH: If you could perform with any band in the we are preparing to record again. We would like to world who would it be and why? Do you have a record our first album and work towards securing lots of great shows for the next year. favorite song as a band that you play live? JH: The Hives. They’re incredible live! Our favouCheck out Facebook.com/ArcsAndTrauma. rite song to play live, collectively, is ‘Radio Friendly’, Listen to This Place That I Love/Lost Spirit at but we haven’t been into the studio with that yet. ArcsAndTrauma.Bandcamp.com
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industry
Cut From the Right Cloth Inspired by his love for his local music scene and his undying desire to contribute to its world, Still Alive Clothing Co. designer/owner, Gage Wright, took his creativity from pen and paper and onto the chests of some of our most beloved musicians. Wright talks challenges, Danny Tanner, and burritos while taking us through the process of clothing some of the biggest names in the pop-punk industry.
Words by Janet Adamana 22 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • may/june 2014
Industry
JA: You started SA in 2011. Take me all the way back. What was it that inspired you to start a clothing line? GW: If I had to boil it down to one thing that inspired me, I would say Macbeth Footwear. Macbeth is a company that Tom DeLonge of Blink-182 started. They sell some of the highest quality clothing and also support some of the coolest bands. I always thought it was cool that the clothing company was supported and worn primarily by musicians. I’ve always been a huge music fan but I never really had any musical talent, so I thought starting a clothing company would be a good way to be a part of the scene and make a contribution even if it didn’t involve me taking the stage.
tiger lily
JA: Did you have any experience with business or design before this? GW: I had no design or business experience when I started but I’m currently at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, majoring in graphic design. The funny thing is, I only got into graphic design because of Still Alive. After I started SA I found I really enjoyed design work so I decided to pursue it as a career. A lot of people think that’s really backwards but somehow it’s worked so far.
indie-rock
JA: Still Alive is especially popular in the poppunk community. Tell me about your connection to the music industry? GW: When I first started I emailed or tweeted bands asking if they wanted to wear some of our stuff and for some reason they said yes! That’s still the craziest part for me. Still Alive has opened the door and led me to become friends with so many
bands I look up to. If you had told me three years ago that The Wonder Years would be wearing Still Alive stuff I would’ve called you crazy! JA: What were some of the challenges you had to deal with when first starting out? GW: The first challenge was mainly a financial one. I didn’t realize how much it costs to print shirts. Thankfully, as business grew, that hurdle has been easier to climb. I think the other challenge was learning to design while I was also learning how to run a business. If I could go back to the beginning, I would probably learn how to use design programs and get the basics of design down before I started a business. Although, taking things day by day worked out in the end so I can’t complain. JA: Is there anything you’ve learned along the way that you didn’t really expect to? GW: I learned to be a better people person. I’m a fairly shy guy but Still Alive has forced me out of my shell. Being personable is essential. People want to know who is behind Still Alive. Interacting with them through social media, emails, and hanging out at shows, is the best way for people to get to know me and what SA is all about.
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JA: Have you ever tried sending Bob Saget your Hugs Not Drugs shirt? GW: Ah, I wish. When we first released that tee I think I tweeted Bob Saget 10 times in a one week span telling him we would send him one along with anything else he wanted from our store. Sadly, he never responded. I don’t blame him though; he’s got his hands full with DJ, Stephanie, and Michelle.
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industry q&A
I learned to be a better people person. I’m a fairly shy guy but Still Alive has forced me out of my shell. JA: What can we expect from SA in 2014? GW: I want to push SA further than it’s ever been before. For the last two years or so, we’ve really thrived on being “that pop punk clothing company” and I think that’s really cool, but there’s a point where that just doesn’t cut it anymore. I was getting restless and wasn’t fully satisfied with some of the stuff we were releasing so I decided it was time for me to take some time off. I want people to see Still Alive as more than a pop punk company and see us as a premium-clothing brand with a good message.
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I think we’ve achieved that. We are headed in the right direction now and I’m excited to see what the rest of 2014 holds for us. JA: All right, you can only have one thing for the rest of your life: pizza or burritos? GW: This is a difficult decision but I have to go with burritos. I eat Taco Bell three or four times a week and I can’t imagine having to live without the 5-layer burrito. Pizza is awesome though and I would definitely mourn its loss if I had to part with it.
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industry
stillaliveclothingco.com may/june 2014 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 25
Q&A
what’s In a name photos and words by ally sigurdson The perfect band name is very important; it’s the first thing people hear long before you pick up your instrument. However, coming up with one is not an easy task. The Salvadorian Garbage Men have had their name for years, and they say it’s here to stay.
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q&a
John-Michael Bowes (bass), Sean Guezen (guitar), Mike Melnyk (vocals/guitar) and Daniel Guezen (percussion) explain their band name, the challenges of members leaving and their plans for 2014.
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Q&A
AS: So, I have to ask. What’s the reasoning behind the name? JMB: At the embarrassing age of 17, a friend of mine and I played a lot of Yu-gi-oh, and we needed a team name, something silly and simple. I can’t exactly tell you how or why that name came up, but it did, and it stuck with us. Eventually, Michael and I got our busking license, and, once again, we needed a name. So we carried over our Yu-gi-oh team name because we’re lazy and we thought it was hilarious at the time. It’s just really stuck with us all these years and it would feel wrong to change it now.
AS: And how did the four of you come to be the members of the band today? JMB: Once upon a time, Mike and I wanted to start a ska band and we found a bunch of musicians who told us they were interested and we thought we were good to go. Back in 2011, we had nine people in our group, but they all kind of flaked off pretty quickly. At that point it was Mike and I, our friend Ian Wilmer on trumpet and Kristian Zoppaon on drums. Shortly after that, Ian left for Panicland and we we’re kind of in a pickle because a show coming up and we were down a member.
We want to develop a bigger audience, work on attracting new people. We just need to get out there and have people open up to us as a band. 28 Sound, Phrase, & Fury • may/june 2014
q&a SG: One day we were all jamming together and I was playing along with their songs. Halfway through John-Michael asked, ‘we have a show in four days, do you want to play it with us?’ And I did. JMB: That’s exactly how Daniel joined us as well. We had a full set show coming up, like 21 songs or something ridiculous, and we just kind of asked him last minute. He learned everything in under two weeks. AS: You started off as a ska band, but what do you consider yourselves now? MM: Alternative. That pretty much sums it all up. AS: Who are your major musical influences? JMB: The first CD I ever bought was Green Day, and I remember just instantly loving it. Freddie Mercury inspired me to rock. I used to listen to his music for hours and just think ‘Yeah, I want to do this, that’s what I want.’ DG: I love Jimi Hendrix so much and his drummer, Mitch Mitchell was a phenomenal drummer. The two of them together did incredible things. I love a jazz approach to different genres. Led Zeppelin and Feist were also huge influences on me. MM: Queen, Elvis, Sublime, Less than Jake, Patrick Watson… I’m missing so many, the list goes on and on for me. SG: I listen to an unhealthy amount of The White Stripes and Jack White, and when I first started learning guitar, I was listening to a lot of Jimi Hendrix as well. I wanted to make my guitar sound like that. Eventually, you find your own style and such, but that was an awesome starting point for me. AS: Sean and Daniel, what’s it like being in a band with your brother? DG: I hate it! SG: Me too! (Laughs) Obviously that’s not true. For the longest time, Daniel was the only musical influence I had in our house. I looked up to him often, and I still do. For a long time I only jammed with him, and we’ve been playing music together for a
long time so we know what works for the other. DG: Having your brother in a band with you is fascinating. We grew up together, and a lot of the time we are on the same page with our ideas and opinions. It works well for both of us. We’re just a bunch of nerdy guys who love music, so all four of us work hard together. AS: You guys just released an EP; can you tell me the highlights of it? SG: I think, for me, it was realizing all the cool things I could do and the solos I was capable of. I never knew I could do some of the things I did on the EP, and that was a lot of fun. Plus, I had also never recorded anything before, and you definitely look at music in a new way after being in a studio. JMB: It was nice to do professional quality recording with music we were all genuinely stoked about, and this is something we will always have. It was a cool experience and it was nice to work with someone who knew what they were doing. It was hard work, but listening to the finished product and not hearing crap was the best moment for me. DG: Recording was interesting. The whole time I was thinking ‘I have to pretend that I know what I’m doing here and that I can do this.’ I lack confidence in myself and drums are not my main instrument. It was very satisfying to be able to record and successfully come out the other side. AS: What are your future plans? SG: We want to get some serious writing done, and just continue to grow and improve as a band. MM: We also just want to play as many shows as possible. One of my visions is playing outdoor shows somewhere else other than Winnipeg. JMB: Obviously, touring is a dream of ours, but we need more music behind us before we do that. DG: We want to develop a bigger audience as well, work on attracting new people and not just have it be our friends in the crowd, even though we love that. We just need to get out there and have people open up to us as a band.
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Stay connected at Facebook.com/TheSalvadorianGarbageMen. Grab a digital copy of their self-titled EP at TheSalvadorianGarbageMen.Bandcamp.com may/june 2014 • Sound, Phrase, & Fury 29
in review
Ego Ella May
Breathing Underwater Review by Dinorah Prevost
EgoEllaMay.Bandcamp.com
Britain’s next greatest soul export, Ego Ella May,
has worked her way back into the ears of the public with the release of her second EP, Breathing Underwater. Breathing Underwater sees a departure from the split influence of R&B and future soul that dominated her first release, The Tree, and a move toward the sole influence of the latter. Its sound greatly expands on past experimental songs, particularly “Frank” and “Pay My Bills” from The Tree. As a result, BU is an even more trippy record than its predecessor. Ella May once again provides an intro “Tea (Intro)”, in which she gives her “statement of intent,” saying “I may not be everybody’s cup of tea/But my aim is clear/I want to get into your system, make you say ooh ah ah ooh ooh ah.”
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Predictably, she adds to her massive catalog of love songs with lead single, “Underwater”, and “Head”. The former is one of only two R&B tracks on the EP while the latter features some remarkable guitar work. Ella May also takes on some serious and socially conscious subjects. Lyrically, “Come On,” is strikingly similar to “Pay My Bills” from The Tree. “Fire” is a slight variation of both, taking a more personal stance. On “Last Time I Checked,” she notably bashes the contradictory behaviors of whether it’s acceptable or offensive to use the words “nigga” and “bitch,” depending on race or gender. Nature (Outro), R&B track two, serves as the album closer. For fans of The Tree, the complete overhaul of her debut sound will definitely make this release an “iffy” one. However, her attempt should be applauded.
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In Review
gRAVEYARD
club
Sleepwalk Review by Janet Adamana
GraveyardClub.Bandcamp.com
Inducing
fond memories of puffy-dress sleeves, shoulder-padded blazers, football field fist pumps, and teenage redheads blowing out birthday candles, two-man synth-pop duo, Graveyard Club, ooze sweet nostalgia into of every song. Written in the basement of a 19th century Minneapolis mansion, Matthew Schufman and Michael Wojtalewicz drew inspiration from their surroundings to create a dreamy musical time capsule. Melding elements from decades as far back as the 1950s, their latest release, Sleepwalk, offers everything for the seasoned pop lover. Featuring heavily-synthesized dance tunes, the EP is injected with equal parts haunted elements, and youthful exuberance.
ers down your spine before setting into its pace of John Hughes inspired electro-pop. “Come Tomorrow” seems derivative of a retro arcade atmosphere, with its subtle beats, ticking away under Schufman and Wojtalewicz’s icy croons. Standout track, “Stay Young” sums up the entire feel of the record, seeping the absolute essence of being young, hopeful and feeling alive. With lyrics like, “We built a house in a tree where the summer ends / there is a hole in the roof where the light gets in/ it heals all the places the scars have been /don’t grow up/ don’t get old,” the duo write an advice-fueled letter to their long-gone yet beloved youth. Thankfully, title track “Sleepwalk” bring pep back into the mix, closing the six-song release on a slightly happier note.
Overall, Graveyard Club successfully capture their Opener, “Another Life,” kicks off the EP on an eerie fading memories, and fuel them back with life. note with organs and ghostly vocals, sending shiv-
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[YOUR TOUR AD HERE] SAVE THE TREES. SAVE YOUR MONEY. ADVERTISE WITH US.
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