04 2015 by The Portal

PORTAL MAGAZINE

TABLE OF

CONTENTS 6 10 16 17 20 21 22 23 26 28

HELLYEAH

Will Plummer talks to guitarist, Tom Maxwell about their latest album, social media and keeping things fresh.

Apocalyptica

With a new album out, the Finnish foursome are perfecting the marriage of orchestra and rock.

Live Original Music Today

Valuable advice from our resident indie musician and pub co-owner, Adam G.

Secret Broadcast

Billed as arriving to rescue rock, Secret Broadcast is poised for a rock resurgence.

Dean Morrison Band

Bringing new school, dirty blues to their music scene.

The Lost Lemons

This foursome is on the verge of something great.

Danny Nix

Singer/songwriter Danny Nix draws on his eclectic past and varied influences to create thoughtful lyrics with polished melodies and smooth harmonies

Jason Rempel

A young performer with a plan.

The Grounds

The striking thing about these four young men is the wisdom in their words and their demeanor, oh and they make great music too.

Barbie Canam

This little pixie has talent and a voice that defies her stature.

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Chief Managing Editor and Founder shannon@theportalmagazine.com

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Writers & Contributors:

Dave Fugett, Shawn Marie Watson, Will Plummer, Carrie Jo Ashmore, Rob Brown Chris Staniforth, Nathan Pike, Alex ClichĂŠ, Joey Stuckey, Michelle Gunderson, Angie Valente, Sandra Sigfusson, Raelyn Ross, Frankie James, Nicki Chang-Powless, Mike Forbes, Gene Schilling, Colin Everitt, Jimmy Taylor

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Did Ya Know? APOCALYPTICA Though best known for their Metallica covers, Apocalyptica has also covered works of Slayer, Faith No More, David Bowie and Rammstein. All three cellists: Eicca, Paavo, and Perttu, are graduates of the Sibelius Academy in Helsinky. Apocalyptica recorded the theme song for the Angry Birds game, “On Finn Ice,” for which they also recorded a music video. Before electing Franky Perez as the bands first full album lead vocalist, Apocalyptica joined forces with such artists as Corey Taylor (Slipknot & Stone Sour), Brent Smith (Shinedown), Sandra Nasic (Giuano Apes), Adam Gontier (Three Days Grace - former), and Gavin Rossdale on production of studio albums.

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Blood For Blood by: Will Plummer

he idea of a super-group has always made me laugh. It’s a trick, a marketing ploy and I’m a sucker for it. But, I mean, how do you live a title like that down? You don’t. So, when your editor calls and says; “Hey, do you want to talk to Tom Maxwell this month?” Trust me - the only appropriate response is “Hell Yeah!”

Some may think that’s funny, but it works. Maxwell is of course the guitarist of HELLYEAH! And whether you consider them a super-group or not, it’s as good a place to start as any. The band’s roster has some big names, Chad Gray, former Mudvayne vocalist, Vinne Paul, of Pantera and Damage Plan fame, and, Maxwell himself who first met Grey while with NothingFace. But today, HELLYEAH!’s stage is set for a new and stronger definition, a rebranding as a band without the hype of history. There have been some line-up changes, Kyle Sanders, (Bloodsimple), is now on bass. A tour is ongoing, and will last through much of the year, (see www.hellyeahband.com, for dates). And their latest album - Blood For Blood - (out June 10th,, 2014), debuted at #1 on the BILLBOARD Hard Rock Charts (Top 20 on the overall charts).

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The new album is a collection of heavy guitar driven battle cries. With the first single “Sangre Por Sangre (Blood for Blood)” - they come out with angst and unrelenting riffs. Grey’s vocals command Hellions (HELLYEAH! fans) to look at what’s going on in the world and take ownership of it. And it only gets heavier from there. “Cross to Beir (Cradle of Bones)” - another track of note - combines turbo-charged musicianship and guttural cries of frustration, in a way that is unquestionably amazing. But what makes the track unique is its call and return chorus - music steamrolls the ears, an army of fist pounding metal heads seams roar back, the emotionally driven lyric; “Free me from this cross I bare”. Blood For Blood is definitely redefining; HELLYEAH!’s sound. It is more polished and well-rounded than ever before. But, “Hush”, the song that mattered most to yours truly, demanded a question and answer from Tom: Will: I love ‘Hush’; where did it come from, and why did you include an acoustic version at the end of the album? Tom: You know, ‘Hush’ is a very close song to me. I wrote that in the studio without even the band knowing it…I didn’t even know if it would make the record - it’s so different -a dark literally desperate song. And then it’s got these elements of uplifting stuff . . . I didn’t know if the rest of the band would be into it. But, they loved it and Chad did a fantastic job vocally, he just laid some of the most sincere lyrics. And then the acoustic version…Sometimes, other countries, they want a bonus track here or there, and it’s like, we don’t

really have any more songs. Or the ones that we did write that didn’t make the record—they’re not on the record for a reason so…we stripped it down and made it something a little different. Will: After nearly 30 years of making music, what keeps it fresh? Tom: Well we approached this album, I wanna say carefully. We were going through some turmoil within the band, with a couple of the members. So…the weight of writing the riffs, and this album fell on me. And I kinda ran with it. One of the things, always irritating to me was, this whole Southern Metal [another branding] thing; I don’t have a connection with that. You know, I’m from the east coast, from Baltimore [Maryland]. I’m a metal kid. I don’t know anything about that type of life or the mentality behind it. I always wanted to be heavy. And heavy comes in different forms. It doesn’t have to be all out warfare. It can be subtle and still be heavy emotionally. That’s kinda like, where I come from…And I think that’s what made it fresh, the fact I didn’t have too many cooks in the kitchen, just did my own thing and had Vinnie there writing with me. It’s [also] the first time we’ve worked as a band with another producer, Kevn Churko, [he’s produced Ozzy Osbourne, and Five Finger Death Punch among others], and he really help open some doors that weren’t there for us before as far as production and development…It was a whole new bag of tricks for all of us. I think the best is yet to come, but for right now, this record just trumps everything we have every done.

“I tried the whole lessons thing when I was younger and didn’t grab onto it, probably largely because I didn’t enjoy being told what to do . . . “ PORTAL MAGAZINE

“This record just trumps everything we have every done” Will: What inspired first single? Tom: We wanted a song that had a good drive to it, to be a setup for what’s to come. And I think, Chad just came up with this idea of “Blood For Blood”. You know, an eye for an eye type of a thing…and we used the Spanish title of it [“Sangre Por Sangre (Blood for Blood)”] just because it’s cool. It rolls off the tounge…when he’s singin’, so it was actually a lyrical thing. And the album title came later. But, I do kinda dig the Songre…for the song and then Blood for Blood for the album. Will: How does Kyle add to the dynamic of the band? Tom: Well I mean, Bob [Zilla] he wasn’t a founding member, he was a hired gun…[who] Vinnie had a connection with…and when we lost our original bass player, Jerry [Montano] we were about two weeks out from our touring cycle and we needed to get somebody. But I think in the long run Bob really wasn’t as passionate about the band as the rest of us…So we got Kyle. He is part of the family, he goes back a long way. And on top of it he’s a bad ass [bass] player. Will: Who inspired you to pick up the axe growing up? Tom: A lot of stuff. I grew up in a musical family. So, there’s a lot of Beatles and Led Zeppelin. They were two of my primary bands and still are. And then you get older and you start going to school and meeting other kids, [you] get introduced to other bands like: Metallica and Slayer, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, all the classics you know? Will: You give guitar lessons on Band Happy, how’s that work? Tom: You know I haven’t done that in a while, just been so busy. But, when I’m doing a lesson there, it all depends on the student and what they wanna learn. I mean it’s not like they’re sitting there trying to learn scales. It’s mainly people who wanna hang out and learn some of my riffs. Will: You’re largely self-taught, how does that change the way you play? Tom: I tried the whole lessons thing when I was younger and didn’t grab onto it, probably largely because I didn’t enjoy being told what to do . . . what chords go together, or they don’t go together. I mean obviously there are things that don’t work…but I think for me personally, it just lets me have the freedom to do what I wanna do without having that book smart kind of mentality there, and to go off the cuff from what feels naturally.

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“Heavy comes in different forms. It doesn’t have to be all out warfare” Will: I’ve notice the band maintains a pretty active online presence? Tom: We’ve never been one of those bands that hide in the bus, and hides in the dressing rooms. I mean we go into towns and we just , you know go out and have fun and hang out at the local joints and meet new people. And I mean if it’s on online obviously, your official page, or your Facebook page, [FB/hellyeahband] are vehicles for people who aren’t able to see you and to still have a connection. Will: What are you listening to now? Tom: Kyleasa—they’re just raw punk rock it’s just bad ass. Will: What’s the album in your collection that might surprise people, a so called guilty pleasure? Tom: I listen to a lot of different stuff…[laughs after some thought] I mean you’d probably find a lot of things from Lily Allen to Al Green to Johnny Cash to Fleetwood Mac…to things like that. I mean I don’t even call them guilty pleasures. I think music is good. And it’s okay if it touches me. I’m okay with it. I mean most people would say, ‘awe my guilty pleasure is Britney Spears or whatever.’ But for me it doesn’t matter what it is, genre wise, if its good and it touches me then it’s all that matters. Like I said it could be…The Rolling Stones or Backstreet Boys, whatever [he laughs again.].

www.hellyeahband.com www.facebook.com/hellyeahband

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A p o c a ly p t i c a Rising A bove the Shadows by: Carrie Ashmore

rom what boldly started as a Metallica instrumental cover band over 22 years ago, classically trained cellists, Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso and drummer Mikko Sirén turned into a legend of its own right; internationally acclaimed Apocalyptica. The Finnish foursome perfected the marriage of orchestra and rock, at-

tracting a fan base that crosses genres and generations. And now, with the April 21st (US and Canada) release of the band’s 10th full-length album, Shadowmaker, The PORTAL Magazine sat down with Mikko to discuss the band’s public hiatus, sound evolution, and journey to remain committed the their core passion for music.

“The musical language is still our origin, and we believe it is quite Finnish and perfect”

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“This is the greatest album we have to date”

Carrie: What lead to the band’s decision to take a break, and then delay the upcoming tour? Mikko: We wanted to let go of everything in our hands, because you can lose yourself and perspective in the middle of it. It took a long time after our label contract ended to figure out what we wanted to do. After some much needed time away from the pressures and stress of doing what everyone was telling us, we just got together, three cellists and me, and started jamming in a single room together and the creativity was fresh and continuous. That break was worth it because, I believe, this is the greatest album we have to date. It was made from our urge and need to make music. The whole landscape came from our desire to create. Carrie: What would you define as the fresh perspective brought back from the break? Mikko: We were on tour, with one thing after another. Then you get people from outside the band giving advice, not understanding that the band is the main focus. There are so many people who have an opinion and want to be involved. To get rid of all of that and say, ‘Hey, look, F’ off. It’s our band, and it’s our thing.’ We kind of felt confident to get back to the core base and make music as a band. After that was all glued in and secure, we could then begin to bring in the other people we need. Of course, everyone knows we need those people, but it had to be done right. We wanted the people that are there to help exact our goals, and no one else’s. It’s our stubbornness that keeps those goals in focus.

Carrie: Wiser and more confident than when the band’s journey began, what did you gain most from that self-proclaimed stubbornness? Mikko: The entire journey has led us to this point. One of the things we’re well known for is our collaboration with different artists on all our albums, and we have learned so much from having the privilege of working with each one. But, we knew with this new album we needed to have one singer, and that’s when we found Franky Perez. We still had people say, ‘Yah, you should have this guy appear on this song, or that,’ but we knew that wasn’t the way we wanted to go, and we’re satisfied that we solidified our decision. Carrie: How was Franky, from [the band] Scars on Broadway, chosen to be the vocalist on this album? Mikko: We knew we didn’t want to go with public auditions, with millions of people sending in demo tapes. We would end up killing ourselves. Instead, we let trusted people in the industry know our plan and they put the word out. We got quite a few options at first, and we then cut that down to five. We asked them each to send in a sample of singing some of our unreleased music. It was obvious that Franky stood out from the rest, but at first he was just a voice. We didn’t know him as a person, and it was like playing roulette, but now we feel very blessed and fortunate to have found him. It’s funny, because we’re from very, very eastern Europe, and he’s from very southern USA, but there’s this connection through our passion for music.

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Carrie: Can you share how the international differences have influenced your albums? Mikko: Because we are just musicians, we have definitely been influenced by artists from all over. Eicca, who does most of our song writing, traveled to Sweden a few times, and London a few also, to work on collaborations for this album. And we have also worked with people in the USA; some as long as 10 years. So, with touring, we’ve gotten to know some really amazing people, and they’ve gotten to know what it is we aim for in our music. They bring skills to the project that we do not have. We’ll have a story line, for instance, but because we’re just musicians, they’re able to lyrically write it for us. And having English as their native language, it is easier to put it down, and we have trusted them to tell it the way we wish. But the musical language is still our origin, and we believe it is quite Finnish and perfect, and we don’t ever want to lose our roots in that manner. The music is dark and melancholy, which is very Finnish, and that is something we will never move away from. Carrie: Explain a few of the symbolic meanings behind the album title, “Shadowmaker”: Mikko: On a wider level, the things that tend to show themselves as light and pretty, the mouths that profess they are the ones to trust, are some of the biggest presences that throw the coldest shadow on us all. They are the ones to watch out for. One a more personal level, it can be a person in your life. I think we all have, unfortunately, had that one guy or girl that seems to be good at first, but after a while, they seem to be the one dragging us down, and being a personal shadowmaker in our life. Carrie: What distinguishes this album from its predecessors? Mikko: Having one singer and rehearsing in one room as a band are the biggest difference. With only Franky on lead vocals on the entire track, it flowed more like a story from start to finish. That was definitely a great result. As for the music, we had the whole soundscape in our heads before going in, and we stayed true to that. We wanted to represent the cello in a more upfront and dominant manner, rather the distorted sound that made us sound like a guitar band before.

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“The music is dark and melancholy, which is very Finnish, and that is something we will never move away from” Carrie: What can be expected with your combined tour with Sixx A.M.? Mikko: It’s a great combo, what we get to do, and absolutely a perfect match. Their vocal tracks and our verbal tracks have a strong connection point. Our orchestral, and their progressive tracks, bring something fresh to the audience. We’re going to play some new tracks from the forthcoming Shadowmaker album, so there is definitely excitement and nervousness as a band. I don’t know how the hell we’re going to pull it off, but it will be absolutely amazing. Then a few weeks after we finish up this tour, we’ll begin our own headline tour, starting at Ohio’s Rock on the Range festival and Rocklahoma, and possibly a few shows in between. And we’ll have Frankie on tour with us, and the few show we’ve done with him already have been absolutely amazing. Carrie: After 22 years, how have you stayed together as the original four? Mikko: It’s like a weird, multi-marriage. We spend more time together than we do with our wives and significant others. It’s like in any relationship, it’s all talk .. talk .. talk. We have had really rough times, where it hasn’t been easy and almost too difficult to be together, but we have learned respect and how to respect each other. We have very different personalities and learned to give space. If we see someone is tired, we give a hug, or give distance on separate occasions. We don’t let an argument go overnight, but instead, talk things through to get them resolved. Four different kind of guys, who are 4 best friends.

www.apocalyptica.com/en www.facebook.com/Apocalyptica

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LIVE ORIGINAL MUSIC TODAY

ive music is a revolution. In a world where you can get any song, any time, instantly, the commodity of music is consumed almost unconsciously, which leaves the live show as the last frontier of true musical expression. A bands’ live show is THE measure of their credibility that really matters. The most unique experience is always going to be the live experience, and the most important part of this is the people. There must be people at your shows, you must drive attendance and build an audience, never expect the venue to fill the room for you as it just doesn’t work that way. Even if you’re playing a stadium your “business machine” is what drives people through those doors. You need to build your music machine. Your machine needs tools, and you need to be the mechanic twisting those nuts and bolts ensuring your machine is well maintained and operating smoothly. In other words, use the resources at your disposal; if your band doesn’t have a Facebook page, Twitter account, or any form of social media available at the moment you’re performing … you’ve already lost. You need to be able to share and interact with your people, this is how we learn, engage, and get inspired these days. You must be in the drivers seat to be successful, take control of your image and connect with your fans, daily. It’s also really important to get everyone in the band involved, ask what they like to do, what they’re good at, assign different responsibilities and get everyone engaged. The music business exists within the music industry, and the main goal of any sustainable business is the bottom line. You must understand that profit is different than revenue, and just because a venue is full, it does not mean anyone is making money. What it means is that they are driving revenue and after you deduct costs,

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By: ADAM G

expenses, overhead, and capital investments, you might be left with a profit. Bands and musicians need to engage the owners of venues to understand how this works; if a bar made $3000 in sales, it does not mean they walk away with $3000; best case scenario the bar likely profits $300 (or 10%), however under normal circumstances this would likely be at the 5% or $150.00 mark. As an original band your biggest revenue generator is ticket sales and merchandise. If you plan to rely solely on door money maybe you don’t want to make money for that next album, or to fund the next tour; bottom line, you will loose out. Maximize your revenue stream by controlling it and driving it. Revolt against the corporate machine that has driven the music industry of the past, and instead, make money by being entrepreneurial. Sell your tickets to fans by delivering them. Meet them in person and strengthen that connection, be a part of community events and work on driving awareness to your music, and for God’s sake, when you do play, put on a killer show. Make sure people remember who you are and why you’re different, imprint a memory, an emotion in their brain, inspire people with your love for what you do, by how you do it. Become partners with the venue, work together with other bands, engage your community and be a leader. The most successful bands these days play because they love it. They don’t use their love of music and artistry as an excuse to be lazy, not engage the audience, flounder with their commitment to the show, or simply blame the “capitalistic and monetization” of the art. Embrace the machine; be creative with your approach to todays Original Music Industry. Be you, and be amazing!!

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SECRET BROADCAST No Secrets Here by: Count One

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“Put on the blinders and not think of what you’re trying to do and just do it”

illed as arriving to rescue rock and roll (at least in Canada), Secret Broadcast has a new album out titled Filthy Souls and is already completed a cross Canada tour. Granted, their publicist came up with the “rescue line”, Matt Livingstone, their frontman and primary source for songwriting, does believe rock is ready for resurgence. How can musicians and industry people reset the focus on pure rock? “There are a lot of trends and fads in music, and I think it’s been a while since there was a focus on genuine rock and roll, people writing songs from their heart, but have that aggression come out from their songs. There has been a focus on pop music, I have nothing against that, but we haven’t seen a lot of rock floating to the top and getting a lot of publicity.” Listening to Filthy Souls, you have to imagine that Matt is on the right path. The songs show these guys are thoughtful musicians. The music has solid hooks, intelligent lyrics, and strong harmonies. When I sat back and really listened to it I found something else as well, a man coming to terms with maturation, a man who has experienced some important transitions in life and allowed it to affect his art in a positive way. “What I’ve noticed a lot of the sounds in Canada have been homogenized. I think people have been doing what’s popular. Canadians can be in a little bit of a bubble, so they make the same music they’re hearing. So I spent a year not listening to what was going on and getting back to my roots and what inspired me to be a musician. I don’t think this sounds Canadian or what’s going on, and I think that’s a good thing. Put on the blinders and not think of what you’re trying to do and just do it.” We didn’t set out to sound like this or sound like that. It came out naturally from things that have had an impact on me. But I knew I wanted this to be focused on guitars. And I guess I had some aggression to work out.” (laughs)

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Matt sites some of the bigger bands from the 90’s as inspiration and it may be a cliché to say, but Secret Broadcast really does have their own sound and Filthy Souls captures it well. “Stardust” uses ethereal harmonies and driving beat to make its point, while “Youth” employs strong licks and smart lyrics which reflect both ambivalence and introspection. “The basic gist (of Youth) is by the time you can appreciate what’s great about you it’s gone. Some of it is tongue and cheek and making fun of the youth, some of its introspection. This is our time to not give a shit. I can worry about my future later, this is the time for me.” “Rest Of My Life” is a different kind of love song. “It’s not about me, I’ll be a little bit cryptic. It’s a story about spending the rest of your life after the other person died, about fulfilling that promise. It’s a different way of looking at loss.” “Another Like You” is a tribute to his father, who passed recently. His father was very supportive and from him he learned to be happy and pursue his dreams. You can learn a lot about a man from his relationship with his father, and listening to Matt you sense it was a positive one that helped form his art and his outlook. Matt started out in Calgary in 2008, and moved to Toronto to in 2010 mainly for the touring opportunities. “Has Toronto influenced your musical direction?” “Probably in a subconscious level. The main difference was that Calgary is a smaller scene, it was more challenging to do something completely unique. It was tough to gain a following because you stuck out. Toronto it’s easier to do your own thing because it’s such a bigger scene. But musically, No.” “How did you meet Heppler?” Chris Heppler is the drummer and co-music writer, and the two of them have been the main force behind the album.

“It’s been a while since there was a focus on genuine rock and roll”

“We met in the scene in Toronto and discovered that we both wanted to write and play pure rock. After this album we’ve got a trio with Craig on bass. So we use other guitarists for the shows. But so far it’s been great.” After listening to the album front to back, I sit back and thought about what I had just experienced. This music reflects a man in transition, going from youthful exuberance and ambivalence to a thoughtful musician and artist. So I had to ask; “How is where you are right now influencing your art, can you quantify how growing older and more mature has affected you?” “I never thought of it as a theme, but some of that is going to creep into the lyrics. Some of it is coming to grips with who you are as a person. “Stardust” talks about how historically I’ve been very shy and introspective. I find it hard to build relationships, I’m a bit of a loner and I should learn to let go of that. Mad as a Hatter is about embracing our uniqueness. It’s more of a subtle or subconscious thing, manifested itself through

the process.” Matt didn’t force this impression on me, it came about naturally from listening. Isn’t that what good art does? Does Canadian rock need rescuing? The answer to that is above my paygrade, but one thing for certain, Secret Broadcast is going to make it stronger. secretbroadcast.com facebook.com/secretbroadcast

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New School Dirty Blues by : Will Plummer

DEAN MORRISON BAND C

algary: who needs radio, when live music is readily available? Take native sons, The Dean Morrison Band, as one example as someone to go out and see. Not only have they become regulars on the Blind Beggar Pub’s stage - they’re making plans to march on the province soon. Last year, JMB showed us how it’s done during the Original Music Showcase, (placing third overall and fifth the previous year), which is where we stopped to talk with them; “The competition last year, [OMS] was sort of a launching point for us” explains Morrison; “We really hadn’t played that much as a group . . . [and] I think we just have more chemistry [this year]. We sound more like ourselves, last year we were discovering our sound and this year we know it.” So what’s next? “I think the OMS has been great for us.” Morrison continues; “[but] Calgary is like its own little tour, ‘cause, it’s so huge.” “Plus,” chimes in Keyboardist Eric Hellman “The OMS is all about community, and taking [our music] all over is helping with that same goal. [Right now], we’re trying to boot up our catalog and keep our sound locked down. [We Want] To start with a really strong 2015 and start doing festivals.” (Morrison at the time of the interview was getting married, and the band was going on hiatus to support that, and then planning to record in the studio.) So you mention your sound, how would you describe it? “New School Dirty Blues” Morrison takes over again, “That’s as con-

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“I think our style really fits in with a lot of different things”

cise as we can make it without getting really jargony about it. I think our style really fits in with a lot of different things, we’ve primarily been playing the Rock N’ Roll scene, but we fit in with blues, we’d fit in with Folkfest—with a lot of the things we do, and I think the versatility is really going to help us moving forward.” An album: when are we going to see it? “2015.” Morrison and Hellman confirm, (after some discussion of Dean’s solo album.) which he concludes is “a totally different animal. But not to worry, we’re not going anywhere anytime soon, there’s no drama in the band so . . . yeah, marching forward.” Indeed. Since 2015 is off and running, you can find your marching orders - live dates and other band related information - on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/DeanMorrison ).

www.facebook.com/DeanMorrison

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On The Verge Of Something Great by: Will Plummer

he Lost Lemons - sounds like many things doesn’t it; the title of a Caldecott Medal winner - or the next incarnation of Angry Birds, it could even be the next Roger Corman film? But as I’m sure you’ve guessed (Welcome to The PORTAL, we talk music.). The Lost Lemons are a band. And according to their Facebook Page, (www.facebook.com/The-Lost-Lemons), they are; “4 groovy dudes brought together by the forces of a thousand tapping feet. [On} a . . . mission to get booty’s shaking and your girlfriend’s number.” We first took note of the Lemon’s as surfaced from the basement - where according to the Calgary natives they have been “jammin’ and recoding since 2011”; as part of the Blind Beggar Pub’s, Original Music Showcase, an event we support, drink at, and even judge from time to time, this self-proclaimed “Jam Band”, a Reggae Rock act, (think The Dirty Heads my friends), blew us away with a laidback island vibe and smooth sound. The quartet, (Danny San-martin, Chris Sipko, Josh Marshall, and Dustin Corkran), took third place at OMS 2014, in what was maybe their “third” live show in the last year. “It’s not that we don’t want to be pushed around the bar scene”, explained front man San Martin, “We want to play shows that we feel like, [shows that] feel good.” So what’s next? “Exposure, shows . . .If we were to sit down and take all [our] material I don’t think we could pick right now, what we want to put on our first album.” Said San Martin; “Maybe we should do a two CD first album? There’s just so much that feels good right [now].” And so there it is, from the basement, to Original Music Showcase and beyond - we’ll have to hold on tight. You can check out notable track, “Hold Back For Nothing”, and the Lemon’s full OMS set via Sound Cloud, (https:// soundcloud.com/#the-lost-lemons) and join us in welcoming these up and comers that are on the verge of something great, (that is if they don’t try to steal my girl’s number). They very well could become a thing of legend not unlike the real life legend they take their name from, The Lost Lemon Mine - look it up.

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HIS TIME TO SHINE

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by: Count One Singer/songwriter, Danny Nix, draws on his eclectic past and varied influences to create thoughtful lyrics with polished melodies and smooth harmonies. Calgary based now, he’s originally from small town in Ontario farms and hockey rinks. He moved to Toronto as a young adult and pursued a career in music. There he found a wealth of talented musicians and artists to learn and grow from and played with many bands, entertaining audiences in small and large venues. A solo artist for six years, he made the trek west to Calgary four years ago and has never looked back. A songwriter since he was a small boy, his music is fresh and original with lyrics that span the breadth and depth of the human experience. As a solo artist he’s been impressing audiences in Calgary with his dynamic and confident stage presence. A multi talented musician, he self-produced his debut CD, Our Time To Shine, reflecting his positive outlook and upbeat demeanor. He is a sought after producer, mentor, and teacher to developing musicians in many genres, and has been working as a full time musician for more than a year in Calgary. Already being asked to create music for film, Danny Nix’s future presence in the Canadian music industry is certain to be powerful. Danny Nix has been writing music since the age of eight and performing live since he was 13. Growing up with Rock n’ Roll playing in the house and gifted with the natural ability to play music, it wasn’t long before Danny knew what direction he wanted to go in life. He speaks a lot about his youth and the role it played in forming the musician he is. He grew up an adopted minority in the early eighties. He escaped the isolation of being the only one of his kind through music. It has stayed with him ever since. Calgary venue, The Blind Beggar Pub, hosts an Original Music Showcase Singer/songwriter Series as a compliment to their very popular OMS competition for full bands. One person, one instrument (typically) and their original music against three judges with industry experience and audience attendance a big factor in the scoring. His third place finish is a testimony to the quality of the first two, given his performances of “Poseidon”, “Our Time To Shine”, and crowd favourite “Fortunate”.

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“[I] really wanted to wow the crowd with style and elegance.” “I wanted to provide a complete performance, so I dressed the part and brought my nicest guitar, and really wanted to wow the crowd with style and elegance.” His rose wood colored Hummingbird guitar complimented his black fedora and red shirt, and he provided a polished, entertaining, and ultimately winning show. Danny’s singing and song-writing resemble Tom Petty. His soulful voice brings thoughtful lyrics not just from the ‘love’ category, but also about the struggles of life, of a generation lost in a malaise. Those may sound dour, but he doesn’t approach it that way, he comes from a place of positivity, as if the recognition of the concerns is the first step to greatness. He also sings of his own great luck in life, with his relationship and his friends, and his extended family. Danny is a man full of love, talent, and most importantly, great music. www.facebook.com/pages/DannyNix/153695751333122

JASON REMPEL Knows What To Do by: Count One

Jason began learning the guitar at 13 years old, and has been in to music ever since. Church choirs, he performed in many, may have influenced his emotional vocals. Jason sings a uniquely strong alto filled with emotion. After his school choir sang at the opening of James Short Memorial Park in downtown Calgary and in the 1992 Grey Cup ceremonies, he caught the performance bug and now fronts local favourite, four member Thrill of Falling, who just released a new CD, titled Truth For Lies.

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Jason had no expectations with the Original Music Showcase Singer/Songwriter competition he entered. Placing second validated his approach to simply “enjoy the experience”. He displayed his skills as a performer and songwriter, brought in a strong draw of fans, and made a real impression on the judges. Granted, he’s played at the venue many times before with his band and participated regularly in Jam nights, he certainly knew the room and used that to his advantage as well. He adds; “I absolutely found the Singer/Songwriter OMS helpful! It helped my stage performance and gave me a chance to take on other solo gigs. I love being on stage and I hope for more solo dates to solidify what I love to do.” There is no doubt his energy and enthusiasm is infectious. He continues; “I would tell anyone (who) would ask me for suggestions after being part of OMS to remember that it is a showcase more than it is a competition and a great chance to test your own skills in a setting that is encouraging and constructive.” It is said the only place success comes before work is in the dictionary. Jason understands this philosophy and is one the hardest working performers in the local Calgary scene. “I have taken some good constructive criticism and feedback after performing in the showcase and the awards party. Every show is an opportunity to learn something new about yourself and with the showcase it was nice to perform for judges as well as people that came to support myself and the other musicians.” That is one of the hardest aspect of as event like The Blind Beggar’s Original Music Showcase, reading the comments from the judges. These people all represent a different aspect of the music business, so the competitors get comments on all parts of their performance. This can be nerve wracking to the singer/songwriter who is solely focused on one aspect of their show. Absorbing those comments can be very personal; those who do so will have an advantage over those who don’t, so we feel that Jason’s career in music has a good chance of success. Congratulations to Jason, and young performer who deserves the accolades and will be heard from in the future.

“I love being on stage and I hope for more solo dates to solidify what I love to do” PORTAL MAGAZINE

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The Grounds Wise Beyond Their Years by: Count One

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fter showing their talents for two years in the Calgary scene, this band hit the stage for the fourth annual “Original Music Showcase” 2014, a 30 band extravaganza of talent that takes place over 10 Sunday nights, 3 bands a night doing 45 minute judged sets. Up against bands with a lot more experience, age, and portfolios, these four young men wowed the judges and the audience and quickly took the lead and never let it go. They win studio time at a prominent Calgary recording house, management consulting, a photo shoot, and – of course – this interview. They are now working on their EP. The striking thing about these four young men is the wisdom in their words and their demeanor. It’s startling to be with people so mature at such a young age. Ask them what their influences are, that tried and true question interviewers ask musicians, and you won’t get one answer. “We all have different influences. Definitely The Beatles, but more from the genres like Grunge,” answers guitarist, Luke Willock. Other names that come up are Incubus, Weezer, Nirvana. “Also nowadays we’re trying to change our direction. Foster The People. Muse is great, some of the best music being written right now. It’s amazing.”

“We want to be a band to be known for what we’re putting out there” These guys are not shallow, thoughtless or vapid. This is what strikes you when you meet them. But they aren’t trying to be super smart. We asked them about the meaning of the lyrics to one of their songs and they answered ‘don’t really know. Nothing really.’ Right on, let the listener decide what it means. They also know they are limited by their age. “Our song writing will expand as we grow. At 20 years old we’re just putting on our writing shoes and walking down the street. We don’t have a lot to write about.” Plato said maturity is adequate reflection on your youth. These guys are very mature. What sets this band apart are their four part harmonies. They discovered they could do this when they met in high school. “We love that. Ethan began doing high harmonies behind my vocals and I think secretly inside all of us may be a lead singer. And we have done that. It doesn’t matter who is the front man to us, if it sounds better then why shouldn’t I step off and do it?” Explains vocalist, Mark Shackleton. “I like the texture. It’s not just that one person

singing, it’s got that body behind it.” “It comes down to we all write songs and we all sing. We like to take advantage of our range.” “What I love about backing vocals, I used to do acoustic sets alone and I’d think there is more to this song, there was always more to it than that, and feeling the confidence in the music with their vocals was an incredible feeling.” “Some people say it’s like having a keyboard player, something that adds an interesting texture.” I asked about producers they’d like to work with. “We like the idea of self production. It gives the artist more control. Most of the time we have solid ideas of what we want to sound like on a record. It’s good to have others who can help, but we all hear in our heads the same thing and it’s hard to communicate that to an engineer in a studio. It’s more about creative freedom? “Yeah, for sure. Time is a huge thing. Every time we’ve gone into the studio it’s rush rush rush because we don’t’ have the money. But I can go to Luke’s house and get nothing done. However the next time there is more of an idea of what it’s to sound like. We don’t have to get things done. We have a creative goal in our head and this is a way to reach it because we’re not on the clock. We can record a song and then don’t like them and want to record them differently. (Self production) gives us that freedom. It’s important not to force it either, as an artist.” “If you force it you don’t get the product you want.”

“If you force [the production] you don’t get the product you want” These guys tend to speak in one voice. What’s the one thing you hate about music? About the scene? “Youth prejudice. There are plenty of bands out there with people in their thirties that get overlooked. It works to our advantage sometimes though.” “One thing I don’t like is the lines drawn between different genres of music. I like to go to shows of all kinds of music. If it’s good music it’s good music.” Look for The Grounds in the coming years. The music is strong, and at least as important if not more so, they have their heads firmly screwed on right and know what it’s going to take to make it stronger. And – if nothing else – they can nail the multi-part harmonies and make this group of four young men sound like seasoned pros with a 12 piece band backing them up. www.facebook.com/thegroundsmusic

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BARBIE CANAM

LOOKS CAN

BE DECEIVING BY: SHANNON AMBROSE

The first time I saw Barbie Canam on stage was back in early 2011, performing an Open Mic night at one of my favourite pubs. I walked in to find this little lady, barely five feet tall, perched on a stool in the middle of the stage. I listened, as this tiny voice introduced herself, and instantly I was intrigued and enchanted by this sweet looking pixie. Boy, did that first impression change the minute she started to sing! With acoustic guitar in hand, she took command of the stage, with a confidence and strength that defies her size. And let’s not forget her voice. This girl has the pipes to back up all that stage swagger.

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“This band we have has a connection beyond this universe”

This self-taught dynamo first picked up her dad’s guitar at age 12, and by 15 had a guitar of her own, which was, according to Barbie, “glued to my back or hands everywhere I went.” It wasn’t long before she was transferring poetry into song lyrics, baring her soul through music. Explains Barbie, “Putting my teenage feelings into song was the best feeling I had ever had! I then became addicted to making music.” Upon moving to Calgary from her home town of Edson, in Northwestern Alberta, Barbie started to play the city’s Open Mic cir-

cuit, sharing her music, and meeting like-minded people. Before long, her dream of hosting her own Open Mic was realized at the age of 24 in a Calgary pub called Shooters! (coincidentally, that’s where I saw Barbie for that first time), “I hosted every Wednesday and Sunday for nearly 2 years! Again, met many other like minded awesome people and also the love of my life now, Kyle Davis!” After Shooters’ Open Jam came to an abrupt end, Barbie was devastated, sadly losing touch with her music and the scene she had worked so hard to be a part of. After taking a year away from music, Barbie’s passion returned, ten-fold. As Barbie puts it, “I put my whole self into music these days, not to be famous, but to influence at least a handful of people in a positive loving way! There are certain things the world should know and what better way to get a positive point across then music!” Barbie’s loving, positive vibe is infectious, and you can’t help but smile when you’re in her presence. Trust me, I know firsthand. When asked what her influences are, she turns to that one person who first put a guitar in her hand; her dad. Says Barbie, “He is a kind, gentle, wise man. Full of facts and the best advice in the world!” Not to forget the other important aspect of her upbringing, Barbie continues, “my mom raised me in a spiritual sense and always taught me to love, forgive and forget. She taught me to be strong and stay positive, even at the worst of times.” Taking the top spot in the inaugural edition of Original Music Showcase: Singer/Songwriter Series, gave her a boost and the need to really push her music out into the world. Along with the love of her life, Kyle Davis, her baby brother, Billy, and Luke Lightheart, she formed the group, Follow The Rabbit, frequently playing their folk infused pop/rock music at local clubs, honing their skills with plans to release their first album sometime this year. Says Barbie of this newly formed project, “This band we have has a connection beyond this universe. I have a team of

“I became addicted to making music” strong, smart awesome guys who I know will support me in what endeavors come our way!” She also gives props to her adoptive home, Calgary, Alberta, playing its roll in her growth as a artist and musician; “Calgary has always been such an open minded city. we have such a unique variety of people, so everyone is accepted. With this city being so open to every kind of person, it attracts musicians. Calgary also puts out effort into supporting music in all its forms. From open jams, coffee shops, live music venues at most bars, to providing jam spaces. Love .. love .. love this city I now call home!” Though young in years, this beautiful “old soul” has her head and heart in the right place. When asked for advice she may give to young people, hoping to follow their dream of making music, she doesn’t mix words. “The only advice I would give is, don’t over think things, go with the flow and have fun! Who gives a shit what others think as long as you’re standing up and sticken’ to what you think is right!” Don’t let her stature fool you, Barbie is a lady with personal strength and conviction, with more talent in that little body of hers than this writer could only dream of having. www.facebook.com/ftrfollow

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