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C/O ANDREW MCBRIDE
6 EDITORS
the story behind Mills Hardware
SENIOR ANDY EDITOR Tomi Milos
14-17 behind the scenes with Angus & Julia Stone
ASSISTANT ANDY EDITOR Michael Gallagher WRITERS Michelle Yeung Simon Vacca Michael Gallagher Nicole Vasarevic Tobi Abdul Alex Florescu Tomi Milos Rachel Katz
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an interview with the frontman of Harlan Pepper
Hamilton’s hot spot The 2015 Junos
LAYOUT Andrew Terefenko Amanda Watkins Michael Gallagher Tomi Milos Tobi Abdul
This magazine is a product of The Silhouette, an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the McMaster Students Union. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, the publishers, the McMaster Students Union, or the University. The Silhouette Board of Publications acts as an intermediary between the editorial board, the McMaster community and the McMaster Students Union. Grievances regarding The Silhouette may be forwarded in writing to: McMaster Students Union, McMaster University Student Centre, Room 201, L8S 4S4, Attn: The Silhouette Board of Publications. The Board will consider all submissions and make recommendations accordingly.
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behind the scenes with McMaster’s Game Development Association
12 getting couped up with The Bandicoots
hip-hop hero of the steel city Emay
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a tour of new art co-op Think|Haus
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The speed with which the school year has passed has been more than a little sobering. I think everyone romanticizes the start of the school year as a time to set idealistic goals of which only a few will be reached, and I began the year with grand plans for both the section and its annual magazine. Having played a small role in two previous ANDY magazines, I had figured myself ready to handle the load all while improving upon those previous products, but I was proved to be guilty of hubris in that respect as things quickly piled up in an extremely busy December. Continuity is something I always strive for, whether in an academic essay or a thinkpiece. Like my first editorial stated, it was always my intent to lend a voice to marginalized figures within the Hamilton arts scene and I got off to a good start by interviewing our cover star in early October. In a city so full of lacklustre rock bands, it was refreshing to sit down with Mubarik “Emay” Adams, a rapper who hasn’t lived a life fraught with privilege by any means. Emay had no heart-warming tales of meeting creative peers on a university campus and culling his performing name from the street he lived on. Instead, the firmly grounded rapper told me of a nomadic childhood fraught with poverty, and a current situation that saw him flitting between odd jobs to make rent all the while producing most of his own music himself. In light of his obvious struggles, Emay’s rise to relative fame amongst rap nerds and a niche Hamilton community is all the more inspiring and worth noting. It was fantastic to see the EP he excitedly told me about in October finally makes its way into listeners hands and to learn that it was good as I hoped. To only speak about my own article would be discredit the hard work of everyone else who made this magazine possible. I’m immensely proud of my dedicated coworkers and volunteers who took the time term to write and design all the fire content that fills these pages. The creative process of putting the magazine together was humbling. Whether through my lack of InDesign skills or time (but mostly InDesign skills), I quickly realized I couldn’t do it all on my own nor should I try when I was surrounded by people more talented than me. I hope the next ANDY team, whether I’m a part of it or not, strives to improve upon this year’s work.
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HAMILTON MUSIC
Mills Hardware A look at Hamilton’s newest hidden hotspot – a historical hardware store turned concert venue, art gallery, and culture centre. WRITTEN BY MICHELLE YEUNG
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Clockwise from top left: The Jackson Squares; details of the stage; original wood incorporated into new designs; one of the performance venues during the day. C/O MICHELLE YEUNG
If
you listen closely, there is a soundtrack set to the steel mills and smoke stacks of Hamilton – a near inaudible thud of drum beats, synth hooks, and bass lines from coffee shops and basement rehearsal rooms blankets the city streets. Rife with homegrown talent, the Hammer is becoming the nation’s capital for underground music. The music scene here is as edgy, gritty, and raw as the name of the city in which it resides. Still, Hamilton is unable to shed its reputation as an arid steel town lacking in new and exciting material. Located at 95 King East, Mills Hardware is the latest attempt to revitalize the Hamilton music scene. Although primarily a performance venue, co-owner Lane Dunlop describes it as “a place for the community to make their own.” Walking through an 850 pound door crafted from Brazilian cherry, you are welcomed by exposed brick walls and intricate steel beams. The rich, earthy tones of the space provide a rustic and industrial feel, but it also has an unusual warmth that emulates the intimacy of your best friend’s living room. Much of the venue’s charm lies in its history. In 1911, Mills Hardware was, as the name suggests, a local hardware store. By 1950, it had transformed into a live music venue, featuring early rock and rollers like Buddy Holly and Ronnie Hawkins. Another change came in the 60’s when it became a strip club and remained so until only three years ago, when the city decided the down-
“In 1911, Mills Hardware was, as the name suggests, a local hardware store. By 1950, it had transformed into a live music venue, featuring early rock and rollers like Buddy Holly and Ronnie Hawkins.” town core needed a little rebranding. After a couple of years and a couple million dollars, the current Mills Hardware emerged. Performers at Mills Hardware have included Mozart’s Sister, Elliot Brood, and The Beaches – but it isn’t solely a concert venue. Beneath the main stage and bar are offices rented out to cultural groups across the city. Members of the community can also rent rooms to use as meeting places or rehearsal space. There are also a plethora of programs for the community, from comedy nights, to theatre performances to Sunday afternoon dance parties for the entire family. New plans in January include a regular Friday night comedy series, movie screenings, as well as a film festival hosted by the Art Gallery of Hamilton. Owned by local record label Sonic Unyon, Mill’s Hardware is but one of many projects aimed towards revamping Hamilton arts and culture. Sonic Unyon has released the works of Wilco, Wintersleep, and The Pixies,
to name a few. The label is unique in that they give artists freedom to develop their music independently, free from the stringent rules and 90 degree angles of the big-label world. They also have a huge presence in Hamilton, organizing festivals like Supercrawl, Seven Sundays in Gage Park, and Because Beer. Speaking to Lane, he reaffirms that his company’s goal isn’t to book the biggest, most popular bands, but to foster undiscovered talent. This same philosophy is applied to Mills Hardware; it’s a venue that acts as a platform for local artists to realize their ambitions. Mills Hardware injects new blood into the veins of Hamilton’s arts and music scene. I’ve become enamoured by its charm just from attending one show (Katie Bulley opened for Montreal-based Kandle and the Krooks – they were all incredible). The steel beams our city is so famous for are straining under the weight of all the undiscovered talent. This new venue is an attempt to get Hamiltonians to venture past James Street to see what else is offered. Perhaps what I find most refreshing about Mills Hardware is that it manages to combine a hip, modern feel, with a cozy welcoming environment. It lacks the exclusivity that usually accompanies a “cool” art joint. It isn’t aimed for a niche audience – it’s a place for everyone, an artistic haven for the entire city to discover.
“ “I
’ve been dead a very long time,” is the opening line of Harlan Pepper’s most recent record, Take Out a Twenty and Live Life to the Fullest. In actuality, the gentlemen behind this exceptional album are, in their own words, “barely out of high school.” The group is Harlan Pepper, a Hamilton-based band that, without a doubt, is a gem for not only the local music scene, but ultimately for the rock music scene as a whole. Having formed in 2008, Harlan Pepper is comprised of Dan Edmonds, Jimmy Hayes, Marlon Nicolle, and Thompson Wilson who have rocked their way to fame in Hamilton and numerous other avenues throughout Canada. Edmonds sits down with ANDY to discuss what being a musician in Hamilton has meant to him. Q: So, Harlan Pepper, in just a few short years after officially entering the music business with the release of your album Young and Old in 2010, you have not only channeled a following of over 4,000 fans on Facebook, but you have already began to solidify your position in the music scene in Hamilton. Fans have appreciated your ability as young musicians to incorporate influences from a vast array of musical genres − including everything from 1960s/70s-inspired folk rock, to what contemporary critics often regard as modern alternative-folk. Where did this story begin? Better yet, how do you reckon this emergence happened? HP: We started playing together in high school. Our parents are musicians/big fans of music, so it was very natural for us to start a little band. From there, we became more and more immersed in this music we hadn’t heard before (i.e., The Grateful Dead, The Band) and the music that was happening around us (Jason Collett, Zeus, The Sadies). There wasn’t a real conscious decision to start a band, we loved music so we wanted to play it ourselves, I guess. Q: Why did you choose to name your band Harlan Pepper? Is there a particular story that you can tell readers about the meaning of this name? HP: One afternoon, after playing some music, the movie Best in Show was on TV at Marlon’s house. It was great, and hilarious, and we all thought the character of Christopher Guest in the movie, named Harlan Pepper, would be a cool band name. We thought nothing of it really, back then we hadn’t played a show, or written any music of our own. Q: In approximately six years since your formation in 2008, you have already shared the stage with a number of prominent artists, including Blackie and the Rodeo Kinds, Lee Harvey Osmond, and the Arkells, to name a few. What is the most important thing that you have learned from other artists? HP: The three rules of the road: Eat when you can. Sleep when you can. Get the money. Q: Tell me a bit about your musical influences. Which artists and/or genres do you tend to relate to most?
HP: We listen to a variety of music − nowadays it’s getting more obscure and we’re discovering amazing artists that not many people know about. Artists like Jonathan Richman, Blake Mills, Commander Cody, and Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks. Also, Gram Parsons has been a major inspiration for us, and continues to be. Q: A number of this article’s readers will be new to your music, which songs of yours do you recommend that these individuals listen to first, in order to grasp what you are essentially all about? HP: Our latest record will give the listener a pretty good grasp of our sound. If I were to suggest some tunes, take a listen to “Party Shows,” “Soulless Boogie,” and “Gimme Love”. Q: When I first encountered your music I was volunteering with my fellow bandmate at a concert at Hamilton’s Melrose United Church, where you opened for Blackie and the Rodeo Kings. During the concert, I was particularly amazed at your ability to not only provide such a rich and adequate sound (for a band so young), but evidently, at the originality of your music. Is there a certain process that you go through when putting together material for not only albums, but also setlists? How do you determine which songs to include on each of these mediums? HP: We pick the songs we like the most. After playing a song for a few years, sometimes it can get stale, but other times you can breathe life back into a song by jamming it again, maybe at a different tempo or in a different key or something. But generally, with records and setlists, we just play the ones we want to play; the ones that bring the most energy to the stage. Q: Your most recent album, Take Out a Twenty and Live Life to the Fullest, has already been met with critical acclaim from your growing fan base. Which songs do you reckon will be remembered as favourites from this record? HP: Two songs from the record have been picked up by CBC radio, “Gimme Love” and “TV (Let It Slide)”. Those two are pretty prominent on the record for me, but also, the songs “Soulless Boogie,” “Party Shoes,” and “I Can’t Swim” are super memorable. Q: Do you have any advice for young artists who are trying to make their mark on the local music scene? HP: Make the music as best as you can, practice as much as you can, play live as much as you can. Repeat. Q: One final question: The Beatles or The Rolling Stones? HP: The Band.
Despite videogames and mobile apps having a growing influence on our lives, game development represents a field that is still out of reach for many interested. Whether it’s learning the right skills, understanding programming, or simply making the right connections, this information is unobtainable to many. Thankfully, organizations like the McMaster Game Development Association have been created to change this, working to educate, network, and train potential game designers to allow for the seemingly endless possibilities that game development offers. I sat down with the president and founder AbdulRahman Khodr of MacGDA, to discuss its future and explore the opportunities the organization has to offer. For those with little interest in video
games, it might be hard to understand the importance of a game development organization. However, many don’t realize the diverse amount of skills game development requires, and the exciting opportunities that go with it. “Game development encompasses a lot of different skills” Khodr explained, “let’s say we are talking to an artist. First they develop art for the game, and then work with a programmer to see their art come to life.” It’s not just artists and programmers that work with MacGDA, those interested in work with audio and music, and even the marketing side of game development all play a role in contributing to MacGDA’s diverse goals. This kind of diversity is something MacGDA is trying to encourage, as game development is a unique creative process in
terms of the diversity of skill sets required. “Some think that humanities are on one side, and engineering is on the other,” says Khodr “well we want to change that, we want to get them to work on a project together.” Khodr hopes MacGDA will become a place for both parties to step outside their comfort zone, and learn new skills. While still a relatively small organization these aspirations are slowly being realized, as MacGDA has already worked on two separate games, competed in game development competitions, and organized a variety of networking and instructional events. One of their primary goals however, is still making quality games. One such game is Kleptomania, a simple 2-D top down game with a devious premise.
Players of Kleptomania work to pay off a large debt by shoplifting in a mall while facing challenges along the way. “We wanted to do something that was a little different, something that no one really has touched on,” says Khodr “we also just wanted to make something people thought was funny.” Though the game is still in development, the game already features a playable build that was demoed at DemoCamp at the end of last term, and is slated for release by the end of next semester. While games like Kleptomania are still in development, MacGDA still works within larger longstanding gaming stereotypes. These stereotypes range from gamers being labelled lazy, to accusations that games cause violent behaviour, something that makes the promotion of their gaming organization difficult. “I can remember one of the comments was like ‘do you really believe teaching people game development skills is helpful? It’s just going to make them develop violent games’ those kinds of ideas are stuff we try to work around,” says Khodr. The most notable stereotype currently affecting MacGDA game development culture however is a distinct lack of female presence within this community. Khodr believes this is definitely an issue that needs addressing. “Yeah, we’ve actually had a conversation about this kind of thing with our execs,” says Khodr. “We have three women on our exec board, and we’ve discussed this issue because during most of our events the turnout was predominately male, and when women did come out, we got the impression that they felt a bit intimidated. So I guess the only way we tried to change that, is to advertise more to different twitter groups like Women in Technology. The YWCA is also someone we tried to connect with as well. We are seeing more women at our events, but it is still our first steps, and hopefully that improves.” Despite these shortcomings the greatest barrier to MacGDA’s success is funding, as their events and projects often come with a hefty price tag. “We’re really limited by the
funding we have” says Khodr “we are hoping to connect with more sponsors, or at least trying to maintain our relationship with those that are already working with us.” Still, these sponsors can only contribute so much, and the biggest barriers actually come from a place closer to home. For example, though MacGDA has made great strides within Hamilton and the larger gaming community, it currently does not receive support from the McMaster Student Union, as it is not a recognized club. “We kind of decided that. We talked to the CEO of the MSU and discussed the possibility of funding, but there were some problems we had with the policy they offered” says Khodr. “The problem we were facing was that the MSU would own our games and art assets if we joined them” something that the execs at MacGDA felt was extremely problematic. With a growing number of highly successful apps and games that were created on a small budget, this kind of ownership issue is particularly complex. Take Flappy Bird, the small, but incredibly successful game that was released earlier this year. Had the creator chosen to sign away the rights to the game, he would have not received the immense financial benefits that came with it. To those at MacGDA, this is a risk that they aren’t willing to take. “Obviously being certified would give us resources, but they would also own everything we make…it’s been hard to find an alternative, and it seems like this kind of situation is new to the MSU” says Khodr. “For now we simply won’t be certified until we get a full answer as to whether this will be changed.” Regardless of these challenges, MacGDA remains a prominent figure in the game development scene in Hamilton, and is happy with the progress they have made thus far. “We are becoming the hub that we imagined” says Khodr, and with the variety of projects and events they have planned for the future, it seems they are just getting started.
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ne summer night I wandered into the Baltimore House, looking for some live music and a cheap beer. As I walked through the door I came to an immediate halt. A sea of people gathered around a small stage, filling the dark bar all the way to the back windows. It took me a second to recognize the song that was filling the room; a slow, provocative cover of “Why’d you only call me when your high?” by The Arctic Monkeys. Everyone was swaying back and forth and lifting their PBR’s to the wall behind the stage where front man Justin Ross was holding a plastic crow and swinging his legs above drummer Andrew Parkinson’s head while giving the blusiest rendition of the Arctic Monkeys, eyes closed. The Bandicoots sure know how to leave a lasting impression both on the stage and the Hamil-
ton music scene. Hamilton natives Nicolai Kozel, Andrew Parkison, Lorant Polya and Justin Ross released their first EP on October 31st consisting of four singles. They have come a long way from their first jam about over a year ago at a house party. Working with producer Michael Keire from Threshhold Studies who has worked a variety of artists including Young Rival, Dirty Nil, White Crowley’s, and many bands from Hamilton. The band has a busy year ahead with single releases and a possible vinyl coming out. When I asked Ross how he would explain their sound his first response was “we sound more like a busy ice cream parlour than a band” with a laugh. “We are a mix of 60s inspired with a darker tone, yeah I guess that’s it.” The Bandicoots have been expanding their fan base outside
of the city. They recently played a show at Jimmy Jazz in Guelph, “We played it and it was just, amazing” says Ross, “Its cool to do something else other than Hamilton.” Ross hopes that they will continue expanding their fan base throughout Canada and eventually into the states. “ Like the Zilis, their band started in Hamilton and they just recently played in America, that’s pretty awesome.” He adds. The Bandicoots are known for their charismatic and witty stage presence that cannot be experienced through recordings. “You keep that in mind when your writing music, what will that sound like live? Our music is energy driven for that reason.” I asked Ross what inspires them to make music “do it for the fame, the girls and the money” Justin Ross says jokingly, he also added in “and tell your mom to listen to us”.
C/O THE BANDICOOTS
The Bandicoots must be experienced in person. Their recordings don’t quite capture the electricity of their live performance.
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t’s not often you find a band with a grand capacity for improvement, especially after a long break. The third studio album, Angus & Julia Stone, is a rarity that speaks to the brilliance of the newly-reunited sibling pair. Angus and Julia Stone defied all rules and produced an album that felt like a new beginning. Although enjoyable, their past efforts always sounded as if only one person could have the spotlight at a time. The cohesiveness that was missing from previous albums is clearly evident in their latest endeavor; two people had finally became one band. I had the chance to chat with Julia Stone to find out the secret behind reuniting and the lessons she learned while solo. Does this album feel like a fresh start for you and Angus, or was it a continuation of your past selves? It’s a bit of both. There’s definitely still a very particular sound that carries through all the records that Angus and I make together, but it’s the first time that we worked like this, in terms of writing together, and just the way we recorded in the studio there was a lot more ‘togetherness’ about this record. It wouldn’t have been that way without all that stuff that came before.
brother and sister. What is harder to decide to break up or to come back together? I think it was the decision to come back together. Separating was challenging and a little bit sad for me, but I knew it was right. I had this really strong pull towards wanting to work with Thomas [Bartlett]. I had a whole bunch of songs put by the horn, and I knew they weren’t really songs for Angus and me together; Angus felt the same. It was a really natural progression into this next step. When Rick [Rubin] contacted us, it was such a shock; it wasn’t something we expected. We didn’t have plans to get back together, I mean Angus and I aren’t super big planners anyway, but there wasn’t like ‘let’s just do one solo record and then we’ll get back together.’ I know from chatting with Angus at the time that we were both having a lot of fun on our solo tours, so the call to meet Rick and start talking about a record took us a long time. It wasn’t a ‘hard’ decision to get back together, but it was a process getting to know each other again after the time apart. We discussed how it would be to work together and we both agreed we want to operate more like a band; we’d have to mix things up and make it interesting for us in a way that was different from A Book like This and
Is this ‘togetherness’ and this new rawness a result of time apart? The thing about time in general is there are so many experiences happening so you’re continuingly developing your craft; all of that comes together and hopefully, makes you a more open artist. I think for Angus and I, we felt a little bit limited by each other towards the end of touring Down the Way. We had worked together for so long that our identities were becoming melded together in this weird sort of brother-sister thing. In that year apart, we both played a lot of music on our own, and we wrote a lot. Coming back together, we have the sense that we have grown, changed, and had developed our songwriting and our performance independently of each other; that gave us a bit more respect for the other person. It made the writing and recording together a lot easier. That’s not to say that I didn’t appreciate Angus in the past, but there was definitely the hangover of being
there’s one situation that I look back on and think, ‘oh wow that really sucked’, they all end up being really beneficial. So everything is a learning experience for you? I can say that sitting here now. When I’m in a ‘learning experience’ I’m not as happy about it necessarily, but I do really believe that you’re choosing everything in some way however subtle. It comes along and you just can’t change what’s happening at all. You either accept it and learn from it all, or crumble, and sometimes, even crumbling is a lesson. I live my life like that, hoping that it’s making me a better person, and making me less attached to cheap stuff that doesn’t really matter. What’s the most important thing that you learned about yourself as an artist or just a person during the time apart?
Down the Way. Do you think that sometimes things have to break apart to be better? Absolutely. All the real, nourishing relationships in my life that have taught me a lot usually had times where they’ve broken apart. Anything that’s true is never really broken; you find your way back to it. Having perspective in a relationship, or a situation is incredibly beneficial for growth and change. At the time, you sometimes don’t like it but I don’t think
For Angus and I, Down the Way was a big bunch of time, a lot of touring. We were really in the flow of playing “Big Jet Plane”, travelling around, and doing these shows. When we decided to go solo, there was a certain amount of trepidation or fear of “I wonder what it’ll be like without him and without him on stage.” That element of fear came up for me and it was interesting. One of the biggest lessons was to not let fear define me in the decision-making, and I really learned that from Angus. He’s an incredibly courageous human and he sort of isn’t very intuitive as well. As much as I knew that we both needed to make our own records, and it was something that we both really wanted, there was this element for me of like, “oh gosh I don’t know what
singing that, and I’m singing that, but its all through our own filter, and we know each other so well that we know the way the songs are going to move and travel, so writing together felt easy to do. It’s this fluent experience of beginning somewhere and ending somewhere and we both know how the other person’s driving their own ship.
I’m like without him.’” My whole life is by Angus’ side, in terms of music especially. There was this period before I played my first show of not knowing what it was going to be like, and it riddled me with self-doubt. But I didn’t let it control me, and I eventually got up there and played my shows, started touring, and ended up having such an amazing time. I really found my footing and my self-confidence and self-worth. That experience alone was enough for me to know that fear definitely has its place, and can be an incredibly good driving force, but don’t let it dictate what you do or don’t do in your life. Is there a fear you still have? I really don’t want to die in a plane accident. It’s actually really unfortunate that I have that fear because I fly so much, so I deal with it often. It’s one of the biggest tests in my life, because I spend a lot of the time taking off and landing an airplane. It’s very palpable to me, the sense of fear that arises being in an airplane; it’s good though, it’s all a lesson. I have had some pretty intense times with turbulence, and it’s kind of amazing the fear of dying that comes up, you’re like: ‘wow, I’m really not ready to go’. A common theme on this album is love and the ups and downs that come along with relationships, so what’s the most important thing that love teaches us? I’ve learned that love is most fulfilling and nourishing when you expect the least of it. Love is kind of there; when love comes with expectation and all
What’s the funniest thing that happened while recording this album?
this other stuff, regardless of whether it’s romantic or family, it turns into something else. True love is constant and unconditional; love doesn’t have obligations or expectations, and when it does it’s not love, it becomes a sense of wanting something. That is very natural and very human, but it’s not love. A lot of the lyrics from this record talk about that oscillation between the two extremes of when you’re actually in love, like real stuff, like being in the moment without planning your future you know, and then… I’m actually trying to figure it out while answering this question, so it’s a little bit of a ramshackle. Clearly you and Angus have had different experiences about love and heartbreak, so how do you mesh those experiences and your different personalities into a song when you’re writing together? It’s just something that happens. To write with somebody you have to be really comfortable and feel safe to try things. Angus and I, we are really different people and we write differently as well, but we have so much in common. Certainly love is a really big part of our lives, as it is to everyone, and when we started writing for this record it just felt like something that happened. I would sing something and he would sing something from his heart, and of course they’re different experiences, but they are also exactly the same. There are variations of love and heartbreak and you experience it through your own body and your own eyes, but in that feeling, we’re all saying the same thing: I want to be loved and I wanna see the love in everybody. He’s
Funny happens a lot, but never really around a song; the songs are all so heartbreaking. We had recorded about 25 tracks -- Rick’s all about recording as many songs as you’ve written, and then you select the album from the strongest tracks —and there were songs that I just despised and they were my songs. I didn’t like some that Angus really liked, and then there were songs that I really liked that he didn’t so much. It was funny because we had these little clashes. Now a couple of those songs are now my favorites. I was really not into “My Word For It” and “A Heartbreak”, and Angus basically told me that I was really far off. While I really loved “Wherever You Are” and Angus was like, ‘that’s definitely like not going to be on the record,’ so we had this period where songs were up in question, because we didn’t unanimously agree. It’s funny to us now because we’ve both switched places and Angus now really loves “Wherever You Are” and playing it, and I absolutely love “My Word For It” and “A Heartbreak”, almost more than the other person. We hassle each other about how we had to fight for those songs to get on the record, and now we’re both trying to push them to get in the setlist every night and it’s the opposite way, so I guess that’s kind of funny.
the
The JUNO Awards came back to Hamilton on March 15th, 2015, and Allan Reid, the CEO of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Science (CARAS), the JUNO Awards and MusiCounts, could not be more trilled. Hamilton and the JUNO Awards have had a long-standing relationship, with this year marking the seventh time the awards are to be held in the city. The past year has been an effulgent year for Canadian artists, with Kiesza’s hit Hideaway making international rounds and MAGIC’s Rude spending six weeks at number one on Billboard Hot 100. The same goes for the JUNO Awards veterans, Hedley, and newcomer Shawn Mendes, whose success is unparalleled for his mere 16 years of age. Allan marvels at the magnitude of their success, finding it “incredible to watch these artists break out on a global level on literally their first album.” If asked if he can give a run-through of the most iconic Canadian artists to have gone through the JUNOs, Allan will probably laugh and plainly tell you that it is a extensive list. “For a small country of people, Canada punches well beyond its weight when it comes to artists that have become internationally successful.” Beginning with the likes
Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, Rush, and the Guess Who, the list barrels through the nineties with Bryan Adams and the Tragically Hip and then races into the modern era with Drake, the Weeknd and our very own Arkells. Allan is the first to praise our homegrown talent. “Canada has such a rich history of singer/songwriters that is ingrained into all aspects of our culture. Think about going to the cottage, and what would that be would be without Blue Rodeo and the Tragically Hip?” While music is universal, it is also equal parts subjective. My most played iTunes song might be the same tune that someone else skips over when channel surfing, in the same way a country fan would probably feel out of their element at a Drake concert. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with this. Differences break up what would otherwise be a monotone and insipid life. Yet it is these same disparities that make deciding JUNO winners a challenge. That is where the Academy Delegates come in. It’s the people most involved in the music industry - artists, record company honchos and radio figures – that we trust with calling the shots. With the growing momentum of the last couple of years, this has gotten harder and
harder. “It’s an incredibly exciting time to be an artist. You can hear music from any corner of the world. A song breaks out in Australia and make its way to Canada.” The problem, then, arises when there is an inundation of musicians trying to make their mark all at once. “There are great artists out there that may not have the same level of career as The Beatles, but it’s not because they don’t have the same output. The way music is consumed has changed. People listen to songs more than they do albums,” making it hard to recreate as ubiquitous a career as other iconic artists. Music isn’t dead, but the old way of consuming music is. You see this with City and Colour, who has put out album after album of pure gold, yet is still not a household name. So then longevity isn’t the issue, something else is. And that, is what the JUNOs are for. Allan sustains that “we are part of an ecosystem – music is tied in with publishing which is tied in with radio. The JUNOs are just here to help artists go out on the world stage and find new fans. It means just as much to some of the lesser known categories such as reggae or folk. It’s a stamp of recognition that their music is culturally vital and worth listening to.” The JUNO winners are the people that
surpassed everybody’s expectations. Allan’s advice to aspiring artists: “You have to believe in yourself first. It’s in no way an easy business, but it comes down to one thing: you have to write great music. If it’s fame that you want, your career will be fleeting. But if you make music because you have something to express, an emotion or feeling to document, then that’s when you
have longevity, because you have music that resonates.” In the end, that is all that it comes down to. We can judge artists based on the precision of their guitar licks, or the seamlessness of their synth hooks, but those aren’t the reasons that music outlives decades - emotion is. Music has this incredible potency to turn your entire mood around. As someone who doesn’t credit himself with musical talent, Allan doesn’t shy away from giving high praise where it is due. “I am in awe of someone who can make me feel something through a few notes on a piano or a guitar – there are songs all through my life that make me go back to a place, take me right back
C/O ANDREW MCBRIDE
to where I was in my childhood. I’ll say all the clichés about how music is the universal language, and it’s a cliché because it’s true.” For Allan, the music industry is his oldest friend. Before even coming near the JUNO’s, Allan ran his own management company and signed artists through Universal Music Canada and MapleMusic. The biggest break in his career came when he signed Jan Arden in 1993, a young A&R guy taking a timid chance on a verdant artist– an artist that went on to win Songwriter of the Year and Entertainer of the Year the following year’s JUNO Awards. It was a moment that will always be dear to Allan, and one that took place right here in Hamilton. Even after all these years, the exuberance hasn’t worn off. “There is such a rich history in Hamilton. To come into a community that embraces us, not just watches us put on a show, but actually embraces us, makes all the difference.”
C/O JON WHITE
W
hen Mubarik Adams saunters into Mulberry Cafe to meet me for our interview, he’s wearing a heavy winter coat. The weather has just begun to cool in October and you can see why he would need it. Despite his burly garb, I don’t notice the rapper more commonly known as Emay until he’s tapped me on the shoulder and introduced himself with a kind grin. He apologizes for being late — he’s not — and explains that he had just come from work. Neglecting to get anything for himself, Emay is content to dive right into the interview. I’d learn that this unselfish attitude would come to characterize the young emcee. As is the case with most Hamilton artists, I had discovered Emay through another musician. While walking to the Toronto apartment of a Silhouette alumni who we’d be crashing with, Josh of Haolin Monk had raved about Emay in a tone that compelled me to look him up the next day. I was pleasantly surprised that a city normally known for the homogenous white rock groups it harbours could foster such a compelling talent. I was even more impressed to see that Emay had handled his own production from the confines of his bedroom. The Montreal-born rapper has moved around a lot. Toronto, Mississauga, and Brampton are just some of the places he’s lived with his family before settling down in Hamilton in 2008. “It was mainly because the rent was cheap, and because my family had a lot of financial difficulties,” said Emay. The family Emay mentions includes a mother and four sisters. While Emay now lives on his own and his mother and sisters live in Stoney Creek, they had once all lived together. His mother came to Canada from Ghana in 1989 and hasn’t looked back since, supporting her five children as a single parent. On his part, Emay hasn’t been back to visit his extended family in northern Ghana since he was in grade six. Emay said his mother was the one who inspired him to develop a keen ear and try his hand in production. “She would listen to tons of different music: reggae, little bit of hip-hop, African music, disco, country music…pretty much
everything. I already had an interest in different kinds of music from a really young age and then when I was about nine or 10, that’s when I got into hip-hop through listening to Eminem and Dr. Dre or whatever was on the radio at the time. In middle school, I was listening to jazz and classical. My older sister had a MIDI keyboard...so I learned the majority of the songs that were on there.” Through messing around with his sister’s keyboard, Emay was able to hear different kinds melodies and create his own as well. When he entered grade nine, Emay then turned his attention to Fruity Loops where he would make his own self-described “shitty beats.” Rapping soon followed a few years later when Emay says he began writing his own rhymes and listening to underground artists like Nas, AZ, MF Doom, Lupe Fiasco. While he was producing beats for other rappers around 2008, Emay felt confined by the generic demands of artists who wanted to follow the sound of up and comers like Drake rather than creating their own. He then began recording his own songs in 2010. All of Emay’s projects this far have been released for free on Bandcamp, which includes three albums, a smattering of singles, and an interesting remix EP of some of the tracks from the Where The Wild Things Are score. With his career beginning around the same time as the rise of music blogs, the Internet has played a massive role in Emay’s career. Preferring to end on a lighter note when asked how the medium has effected his message, Emay said that the level of saturation that drives the internet hype machine put pressure on him to create as quickly as possible without thinking of quality. “Obviously that takes a toll on the sound itself. You go, ‘that person released that, I want some hype too’, and you keep releasing stuff instead of taking the time to perfect your music. On the positive side, you’re able to spread your music across the entire world through these sites. I’ve gotten emails from people from Russia saying ‘I really like this track you made’ and that’s intense.” Aside from the positive emails, Emay
welcomes criticism from some of the blogs that post his music, notably Confusion from Pigeons and Planes. “He’s someone that’s really liked my stuff from the beginning, posted my early stuff, and still posts my stuff when I release it. So, he’s someone that I talk to once in a while and he gives me pointers on the media aspect of music and I really appreciate that With that said, Emay can’t be accused of rushing his latest project, Sinner, Songwriter. The EP has been in the works for a few years and finds Emay deviating from his oneman show attitude, and spitting over other producers’ beats for a change. The interesting play on words that the title makes is one that the rapper says informs the thematic elements at play in the EP. “It’s pretty personal, as pretty much all my releases have been in terms of my rap stuff. Because I haven’t released a rap project since 2012, I’ve been able to craft my raps and make them better. On top of that, since it’s a collab project, you get to see different flows because I’m using other people’s beats on every single track.” While the EP is an amalgamation of a lot of different production styles, Emay says that the project retains a sense of cohesion that he prides his music on. Although brief, the EP is an impressive taste of Emay’s progression. Rhyming over other’s beats doesn’t phase the rapper, and it’s evident in his delivery; ferocious at some times, subdued at others, Emay’s cadence is always entertaining and demands listeners’ attention. The Hut-produced “Refresh” finds Emay employing a Kendrick Lemaresque stuttering flow over a wicked Grizzly Bear sample to great effect. “Who I Am” is produced by Star Slinger and easily the catchiest track on the EP. Sinner, Songwriter ends with “Solitude” a stunning conclusion that finds Emay confronting his demons. From his confession that his mother doesn’t believe in him, to his hatred for the odd jobs that he finds himself employed in, the track is heartbreaking in its honesty. As long as Emay retains that same shrewdness and capacity to observe and understand the harsh caprices of reality, he’ll be alright.
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HAMILTON ART
F
rom the outside, Think|Haus looks like many of the buildings that surround it. The workshop’s interior, however, tells a different story. Half-finished robotic arms lie prone on workbenches next to numerous homemade 3D printers, and flexible LED lights. A Lazzor sits in the adjoining room. Every square inch of table space is obscured by tools, scraps of material, and design plans. “There is no average day,” founder James Arlen explains. Think|Haus was founded five and a half years ago when the hackerspace movement took off. “This is just another facet of ‘we can do ambitious things here,’” Arlen says. Although initially located in a larger space on Niagara St, “there were problems associated with it,” Arlen admits. “There were people who would just take over large portions of the shop…and consumed about a quarter of the usable space.” The move to the shop’s current Dundurn St. location helped enhance the community feel that sets Think|Haus apart from similar but much larger groups. The shop operates on a membership basis. For $60 a month, members have 24-hour access to the shop and can use any machine they have been trained to use. The space has a variety of tools, and Arlen is proud when he says, “We can do everything here except for welding and forging.” Non-members have the opportunity to explore Think|Haus’ features on Tuesday nights during the weekly Open Haus. The key to Think|Haus’ success lies in its group dynamic.
Think|Haus is known for its unique contraptions and the freedom that Hamiltonians have in exploring and using their space.
“Everyone is supposed to contribute to keeping the space up and running,” Arlen says. “Legally we’re not a cooperative, but there’s this idea that you cooperate.” There have been many instances of members collaborating on a project that seems “insurmountable” for a single person. “Nobody knows enough about everything, but we all have our specialty.” Arlen himself has spent over 20 years in computer securities but also knows a great deal about electronics design. Members come from a wide range of areas, from engineers to locksmiths. Think|Haus was founded as a creative space for all types of makers, artists, and hackers. However, Arlen is quick to make the distinction that hackers are not “bad guys.” He explains “the media essentially screwed everyone over when they redefined hackers as bad guys… Hackers are people who take crap apart, figure out how it works, figure out how to make it better, put it back together, and teach everyone else how to do the same thing.” According to Arlen, many hackers have taken up lock picking as a sport. However, he doesn’t see this as a problem. “Are we actively trying to teach people bad things? No. We’re actively trying to teach people to be aware of bad things.” Arlen admits, “A lot of this is tied up in being a parent and teaching my kids they have their own sustainability. They can do a lot of things for themselves.” Teaching his children how to pick locks has proven to them the importance of home security. While 18 is the required age to join Think|Haus as an independent
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member, a number of parents bring their children and introduce them to the workshop long before they are able to join. “Kids do some of the more interesting things around here. They’re not constrained by the ‘right’ way to do it… Teaching kids to be afraid of stuff is stupid and helping them understand how it works means that they can make smart decisions about things in life.” There are two elements of working at Think|Haus that resonate the most within Arlen. “The most rewarding part for me, ultimately, is watching so many people find personal success,” he says. “There was a kid who came in on a Tuesday night and he was having trouble at school and he was not connecting with anything or anyone, and we sat together and we built something… and that feeling of satisfaction, that something was finally in his control, was awesome for him.” The strength of the Think|Haus community is another obvious point of pride for Arlen. He tells the story of a member who went missing and was found by fellow members in the hospital, where he was a John Doe with a substantial
tumour in his head. His friends from Think|Haus took him to say goodbye to his childhood home. “It was five people from [the workshop] who ended up sitting around his bed at St. Peter’s when he died…and that doesn’t happen unless you have a cohesive community.” While Arlen acknowledges that Think|Haus has the potential to grow, he remains undecided on whether or not a larger workspace lies in the shop’s future. “Sustainability is the most important feature,” Arlen explains, and with a member-count constantly in flux, it can be difficult to predict the future. “There are places [like Think|Haus] that have 200 or 300 members [but] they don’t function as a cohesive space anymore,” and the community aspect of the shop is clearly important to both Arlen and the members. Think|Haus is an environment where creativity flourishes. James Arlen says that Hamilton was once known as “The Ambitious City”, and with his initiative, he has succeeded in reigniting the city’s creative spark.
The
Silhouette