Music Issue 2013 by The Silhouette

the

music issue

The

Silhouette

The

Silhouette

W ANDY Editors Nolan Matthews Bahar Orang

Photo Editors Yoseif Haddad Jessie Lu

Page Design

Sam Colbert Jessie Lu Andrew Terefenko Karen Wang

Writers

Mary Ann Boateng Lucas Canzona Sam Colbert Kyle Fisher Nolan Matthews Tomi Milos Mel Napeloni Kacper Nibusrki Bahar Orang Spencer Semianiw

•

Bahar Orang, Assistant ANDY Editor

CONTRIBUTORS

hen I first moved to Hamilton, I was warned that it was unsafe and broken. People told me about crime, teen pregnancy and drug abuse. I was cautioned to stay near campus and to avoid downtown. In my first year, I remained skeptical and judgmental. Most weekends, I went home to Toronto, and during the week I occasionally wandered into Westdale to enjoy a harmless frozen yogurt. Once, I took two busses to Limeridge Mall. As I stood waiting for the second bus at Macnab Transit Terminal, I glanced around nervously and tried my best to emit unfriendly vibes. It’s likely that I was particularly paranoid and closed-minded. But either way, I was resolutely uninterested in the city itself. When I finally attended Art Crawl for the first time, I was moved, but also confused. Where did this all come from? Where had I been? How come I was told over and over again that Hamilton was “sketchy,” but nobody had told me that there was a monthly event where everybody came together to celebrate art, music and the community? In Toronto, I had regularly gone to Art Crawls and summer festivals, but the James Street experience was different. Even though I grew up near Toronto, whenever I went exploring there, I often felt like an outsider looking in. But here, I wasn’t a local artist, a Hamilton native or even a particularly empathetic tourist. I was an ignorant student who had believed everything I’d heard without having a more curious, careful and compassionate eye. The city had welcomed me anyway, and with open arms. In the months, photographs, articles and memories that have passed, I’ve come to find every old building, funky sign and graffiti-laden wall charming and gritty and expressive. Every little shop and venue has its own funny story. If my life were a novel, Hamilton would be the character who changes me, challenges me, understands me and lets me be myself. Hamilton never pretends to be something it’s not. I have never found it particularly exotic or sexy or glossy. But it’s always honest and striking and stunningly beautiful in its own peculiar ways. Hamilton’s music expresses the city’s identity far more eloquently than I ever could. It’s a never-ending cassette that serves as the city’s diary. And it’s accessible to anyone and relevant to everyone. From The Rest’s rich but subtle complexity to TV Freak’s rough poetry to New Hands’ funky music and somber voice, the sounds that come from this city tell a story that’s strange, evocative and authentic. In the pages that follow, we’ve compiled our own mixtape of musicians and artists who have helped construct the city’s cultural landscape. They’re all insightful and interesting and will make you love this place a little bit more. Our writers have shared their own stories of discovering the city beyond McMaster and how these bands have inspired them. So give us a read, and give Hamilton a listen.

THE

...are the best 5

From the Steel City to the heart of the U.K., The Rest have met their challenges and then some. See 6-7

“the rest isn’t

’m a Hamiltonian. I was born here. I was raised here. And over the years, I have seen the city change. I have seen the unsettling contradictions, from Steel City to struggling city, from impoverished grit to affluence beyond measure, from cripplingly low literary rates to a cultural Mecca of higher education. It’s a paradox – a city cradled somewhere in between a climate that is neither too hot nor too cold, neither too arid nor too moist. It is a city whose alert, jagged landscape was carved by the slow violence of a glacier and who is now pacified by the lull of nature. It is a city that has been through everything: growth, regression, arts, industry, happiness and sadness. And it is a city whose music was once the hissing of molten steel being cooled and whose symphonies were the mechanical clattering of an anvil and hammer. No longer. Hamilton has persistently

evolved, and the rest of it – the music, the culture, the community’s passion and lifeblood – has evolved with the city. Situated at the centre of this ruffled yet unrelenting core is the musical brainchild of Hamilton, The Rest. From 2003 onward, The Rest has soared in the stratosphere of indie lore, winning both national (their song “Sheep in Wolves’ Clothing” was number two on CBC Radio 3’s Top 30) and local acclaim (SEESAW won album of the year at Hamilton’s 2012 music awards). Their songs are often rich in layers, bubbling with instrumental prowess and finesse. With a super league of musicians comprising Adam Bentley, Blake Bowman, Dwayne Brydon, Matty Muzanko, Anna Jarvis, Steve Jones and Jordan Mitchell, they create a soothing sound that is unique yet entirely familiar at the same time. Unfortunately, everything hasn’t

always been so polished; even though the band has largely stayed together since its inception, The Rest has had hardware nightmares, financial woes and the inevitable difficulty of finding their footing in an ever-shifting city. Yet even with these troubles and a haphazard beginning that was anything but promising, the end of the band’s success appears nowhere in sight. Adam Bentley, lead vocalist, attributes this to their musical experimentation and the uniqueness of the Hamilton arts scene. “Once I got into music, I just loved the arts scene and how diverse everyone was,” he said. “You could kind of do your own thing and focus on it, all the while still hanging out with a metal guy, a hip hop artist and others.” He added that, “Maybe if we were smarter, we would’ve gone to London or New York. In Canada, it’s hard to work your way up. But at the same time, I’m

history...”

Kacper Niburski

STRUCTURES.

IT’S NOT SOUND.

IT’S WHAT’S

TOP.

PHOTOS C/O AMBER EDGAR

•

IT’S NOT

THE

this first hand. “Sometimes you can see something someone else can’t. It’s because the songs are sketches. You can’t say ‘here’s this awesome thing,’ but you can say ‘here’s this thing that might be awesome.’ And you have to fight through those hard moments too. Sometimes working through something more difficult will get you out of your comfort zone and into a place where you’re not just walking through the motions.” It is this persistence and deeper investigation into their personalities that has led to the band’s uncharacteristically smooth layers and melody. “I‘m always trying to find new and natural ways of singing,” said Bentley. “I don’t want to mimic anything, so I’m constantly trying to find new emotional places to sing from and to ensure that I don’t forget the old ones. I think that as long as you don’t lose sight of who you are and your personality as a musician, you’re doing the right thing. Part of the reason why people listen to music is personality. It’s not chord structures. It’s not the sound. It’s what’s on top.” And for these indie muses, it is not simply their own characters that surface in their tracks, but instead the struggle of a band in a city that has changed as much as they have, from short-verse masterminds to album recording maestros to everything in between. As for the band’s future, the rest isn’t history – despite the cliché that suggests otherwise. Bentley said that while he “can’t speak for everyone, I want to try a different approach, with a different way of recording and different sounds. I really felt that this last album was a good bookend for a ten-year period. And I think it’s time to try something else.”

glad we weren’t that smart. I think the road we have taken is interesting and unique.” This may be an understatement. Like most bands who must rise from the grit, they have had their share of experiences: their album SEESAW had a malfunction when transferring the files, they have toured across the U.K. and they have continually changed their styles to express their manifold tastes and interests cultivated here in the city. “Hamilton’s art scene actively influences me, certainly, but it’s not just musicians; it’s also the artists in the city. Just recently we were recording a song with Dan Achen, a Hamilton artist from the early ‘70s, and he still has that hunger. We all do. It seems to happen here. It’s rare that Mariah Carrie’s agent is going to hand out the million-dollar deal. You got to work for it. Not only is the town bluecollar but the arts scene is as well. You have to do it for yourself. And I think that adds to the processes – you have to experiment and do what excites you.” And with SEESAW especially the band has experimented. “I think this last one learned from the other two experiences,” said Bentley. “We did not want to shy away from something we might have not accomplished before. Everyone wanted to play around with the classic pop formula and the styles they had come up with in the last record.” “There used to be a lot of arguments all the time, but now they’re fewer and to a lesser degree,” said Bentley. “I think inherently you know how others are feeling and you know when things are right. You feel that energy. And you keep moving with it, then you refine it.” That’s not to say there aren’t disagreements, however. Bentley admitted

HAOLIN munk

“don’t take yourself too seriously, and most importantly, say something.”

remember the first time I listened to Charles Mingus, a connoisseur of jazz in the mid to late ‘50s. I was ignorant to the world of jazz, but I will never forget the way he made me feel in his tune “Moanin’.” I didn’t know music could be like this – notes so beautiful I thought my heart would stop, repeating verses that promised to get better and better, sharp bouts of emotion that I felt and struggled through. It was soul for the ears – scattered, unhinged. My funk-filled, “balled-up” journey wasn’t easy. From the Atlantic slave trade and the pure cross-rhythms of Congo Square, to John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk, jazz has seen many faces. An act of political warfare, a means of hope in desperate times, a spectacle of the spirit. Jazz was and is an escape to a world we always knew but never quite experienced. In the last few years, the jazz and hiphop scene in the downtown core has grown significantly. Its origins and relationships to Hamilton’s social and political atmosphere are complex, but one thing is true – it’s bumpin’. Thursdays and weekends bring locals over to locations like This Ain’t Hollywood, Homegrown Hamilton and The Brain for beers, laughs and tunes to get lost in. Haolin Munk, a jazz/hip-hop band of

four, has played shows and opened for big names at venues in the city for over a year and a half, and they’re all McMaster students or recent grads. Chris Ferguson and Connor Bennett play saxophone, Joshua Wiener plays bass guitar, and Aaron Hutchinson plays the drums. After a series of random jazz combos, reconnections and a cocktail birthday party, the band finally formed in August 2011. They used to be called Hysteria Siberiana. They threw some names around at a bus stop one day and came up with Haolin Munk. “The content of our chat went from the Kung-fu Shaolin Monks to Howlin’ Wolf to Thelonious Monk. We randomly combined them and messed around with the letters. It just stuck,” said Ferguson. They’ve all been playing their instruments for a long time. Bennett discussed the sax’s sound, versatility and expressive qualities. He said he loves the shape and mechanisms that bring out the sound of a saxophone. Some of them have even developed some ticks or quirks while playing. “I move my shoulders and kick my feet a bit from time to time,” Bennett said. Ferguson said he does a little jig during practice and sometimes on stage. The band’s musical and artistic influences are pretty refreshing. They obviously play lots of jazz, but their growth as artists drew on a variety of sounds. Big names like the Red Hot Chili Peppers were thrown around. Hutchinson’s biggest influence is Sufjan Stevens, Ferguson’s is Miles Davis, Wiener’s is The Roots and Bennett’s is Ken Vandermark. “Ken Vandermark is arguably one of the best modern jazz musicians out there now,” said Bennett. Their involvement with the Hamilton arts and music scene is significant. Haolin Munk has played at nearly every major venue downtown. It was of interest to me how they fit into this community. The response was positive.

YOSEIF HADDAD / SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR

Ferguson said it’s been nothing but good vibes. “The arts community is open and supportive of new and aspiring artists. It’s a great environment for growth. No one looks at it competitively; people just love collaborating and making music. That’s what it’s about.” Haolin has played shows and recorded with local hip-hop group Canadian Winter. Rapper Lee Reed and other local artists are excited to get involved and collaborate with Haolin, and other Hamilton musicians, whether they’re of the jazz variety or just plain hip-hop. What exactly would these artists be doing if the pressures of school, future careers, current jobs and more were of no concern to them? Wiener said his love for listening to and playing music is significant, but he’d pursue exactly what he’s in school for right now – health sciences. “I love music, but it’s not everything. It’s a big part of my life though and will always be,” he said. Hutchinson also agreed that he’d pursue a lot of artistic and creative forms, and stressed the importance of passion for aspiring artists. “Put your soul into it and say something.” Jazz’s evolution is rooted in cultural and historical contexts. Where it stands today isn’t easy to interpret. I believed for a long time (at least within the western hemisphere) that it’s dying or not as well received in comparison to other mainstream genres. Ferguson begged to differ. “You just have to know where to look,” he said. “Some people think we’re past the golden age, but that’s bullshit,” Wiener added. Whether it be the funky beats of Herbie Hancock or the rambunctious clashing of instruments in Jazz Against the Machine, the jazz phenomena has and will thrive. Haolin continues to play shows for the community. They integrate jazz and hip-hop into standards that are unique and exemplary of the collaborative, inclusive music scene that Hamilton is beloved for. • Mel Napeloni

DEEP ROOTS

PHOTO C/O VANESSA HEINS

The sound of Elliott BROOD has evolved from stomp-and-clap traditional acoustic music to something heavier and more electric, but lyrical depth and strong storytelling are as important as ever to the band. Their latest record, which expresses mixed feelings on themes of growing older, was inspired by a tour pit stop at a French military cemetery.

more introspective themes of getting older – hence the album’s title. The band was inspired during their first tour of Europe, not long before their 2008 release of Mountain Meadows. They had five days to drive between tour stops in Amsterdam and Barcelona. To save money, they avoided toll roads, which took them through side streets along the French coast. They came upon Étaples Military Cemetery, a plot of more than 11,500 graves of Allied soldiers of the World Wars, including some from Canada. “We stopped and spent a couple of hours walking around, really being hit by the intensity of that place. All the stones are the same – it’s a pretty remarkable thing to see,” said Laforet. Back in the car, they began to reflect on what they’d seen at Étaples during rush hour in Paris. “In the perspective of the war, that influence on the record, it was that idea of the young kids going over and thinking they’d be going over for a short time and coming back. That’s how they were sold on it – propaganda telling them that you’ll get to Europe, you’ll meet some girls and then you’ll go home and this war will be over. But four years passed by, and that’s a lifetime, seeing what they had to see.” “If I Get Old” is written from the perspective of those young soldiers. It yearns for a peaceful old age without taking it for granted, and it laments that “I’ll never be the same again without my youthful heart.” The opening track, “Lindsay,” also sets the tone for the album. It’s a story of the crumbling home in which the narrator grew up. The house is being vacated before its demolition. The

rooms have been emptied, but heights marked on doorframes and hung family photos remain. In “Northern Air,” Laforet remembers a close friend who died in a car crash. “Strangely enough, we just got back from Europe, and on our last day of tour, which was pretty much the last day on our international tour for the record, we were in Belgium and we came across another Canadian cemetery. That was odd that it happened that way… I thought that was kind of poignant.” Elliott BROOD played two shows at Hamilton’s This Aint Hollywood on March 15 and 16. The sold-out performances were particularly meaningful to the band, as Pitkin and Sasso have relocated from Toronto to Hamilton in the last couple of years. Although Laforet remains in Toronto, he thinks of Hamilton fondly. His mother grew up in the east end. The Mountain Meadows track “The Valley Town” is a reference to Dundas, Ont., where he used to visit his grandparents. With most of their Days Into Years touring behind them, the band will turn their attention to new material this summer. “I have a feeling that the upcoming album might step back a little bit towards an acoustic sound, but I’m not sure yet,” said Laforet. “We really haven’t worked out the songs yet. I mean, it’s more about the subject matter than about what instruments we’ll use. On that last record, electric guitar was what it was messaging.” •

Sam Colbert, Executive Editor

here was a time when Stephen Pitkin, percussionist for Elliott BROOD, used a suitcase in place of a bass drum on stage. In their earlier recordings, the Toronto-based, three-piece band produced a similar effect by stomping together on a wooden floor. The quick and heavy rhythm added energy to their acoustic guitars, banjos and ukuleles. Like Ambassador and Mountain Meadows before it, their 2011 release Days Into Years has been nominated for a Juno award in the Roots & Traditional Album of the Year category. Roots is not a label that Casey Laforet – who plays guitar and ukulele, sings background vocals and shares songwriting duties with front man Mark Sasso – thinks quite applies to their sound. The band once called themselves “death country” – “country” as a reaction to critics who called them bluegrass, and “death” because of their lyrical depth and alternative style. They no longer describe themselves that way. (On their website, they contend that their latest record “put a knell to the ‘death country’ tag.”) But despite the evolution in their instrumentation, Laforet still embraces the roots/traditional genre. “I don’t know if we necessarily belong in the sound category of what roots/traditional is, but if you look at folk music and the importance of folk music, it’s good story telling. And that’s sort of what we pride ourselves on,” he said. Days Into Years favours distorted electric guitars over the softer stringed instruments of their previous records. Along with the change in sound came

“I’ve never met a nicer group of people. It’s such a joy to play”

DINNER BELLES 12

Among the current sea of hipperthan-thou bands that resort to banally replacing vowels in their names with the letter “v” and corporate jokes like Mumford & Sons, the Belles are an anomaly. Their folksy take on country bears doesn’t follow any trends; they’re just damn good. A cursory glance at Scott Bell, Brandon Bliss, Greg Brisco, Jonathan Ely Cass, Brad Germain, Terra Lightfoot and Melanie Pothier will leave you wondering what they all might have in common. But Bell said that what started as a novelty – “Want to join my country band and have a laugh? Maybe learn some Hank Williams and play a show?” – turned into a mélange-like, but harmonious, family that has outlived the short lifespan they initially predicted. Since its conception four years ago, the band has acquired loyal fans in a modest, unassuming fashion. They’ve become locally renowned for their raucous live shows where they’re constantly smiling and laughing while inspiring the same reactions from the audience. “Some of it must come from the music. I’ve never met a nicer group of people. It’s such a joy to play,” said Bell on the band’s chemistry. Their first record sprang up from the roots of lighthearted jam sessions in their houses. The record’s cover-art that harks back to Southern Ontario’s tobacco belt represents the organic process through which they create music. “Original tunes started to trickle in, and before you know it, we had enough music for an album,” said Bell. Although news of the band largely traveled through word of mouth, Bell notes that recording a session for La Blogothèque was huge for the band: “Mitch Fillion of Southern Souls did a great job, and people mention it all the time. It definitely gave us tonnes of exposure.” The resulting videos were beautifully poignant and shot in stunning light, but above all they depicted everyone having the time of their lives, including Bell’s daughter, Kennedy, who was two years old at the time. Hard-pressed to put into words just how close they’ve all become, Bell contented himself by saying, “They are just fun people to be around… a family almost. We practice at my house and my kids are always there soaking it in.” With his daughter currently taking piano lessons, Bell hopes that his children, who they consider to be the band’s most dedicated fans, can eventually take on a more prominent role in their music.

The band has managed to remain close despite emotional roadblocks, like Terra moving to Toronto. Bell explained, “We take each day as it comes. No pressure.” Financially speaking, Dinner Belles is a steady ship. “It’s odd being in a band with money. We’re always getting asked to play weddings and stuff like that. So money is not a problem.” With West Simcoe County, the band literally captured the sounds of Hamilton by recording most of it in the open air of Gore Park. These days, in preparation for their sophomore effort, the band has shifted camp to Cambridge’s House of Miracles studio. As you would expect from such an affable bunch, the Belles have developed chemistry with in-house producer, Andy Magoffin. “He has a lot of input and is definitely on the same page as us. It’s been an amazing experience, which isn’t always the case,” said Bell. The songwriting process has been democratic from the get-go and a testament to the agreeable disposition of each member. “Basically, if you have a song, you bring it up at practice. There are more co-writes on this record, which can happen in a variety of ways. Each song then goes through the Belles filter with input from everyone,” quipped Bell. The untitled record is near completion. “Most of it is done. We need some backups and tambourines added,” shared Bell. The homey sound of the first album won’t be lost here, as Bell told me they’ve been recording the new tracks live off the floor before mixing and mastering the results. Bell gave me a welcome scoop and mentioned that Greg had written a song about his upbringing in the Ottawa Valley fittingly called “Back Home In The Valley.” He also hinted at playing this year’s Supercrawl. If ANDY were to judge Dinner Belle’s upcoming record by appraising the male members’ beards rather than listening to it, there would be a unanimous thumbs-up around the office. Bliss, Brisco, Bell and Germain are all amazingly hirsute guys. When asked for facial hair growing and grooming tips, Bell laughed and said, “Keep growing it no matter what your wife says.” While most students at Mac haven’t yet experienced a spouse’s passiveaggressive “advice,” they will certainly be able to appreciate Dinner Belle’s forthcoming record. •

Tomi Milos

short biography on Dinner Belles’ MySpace page will tell you that a barroom brawl sparked the formation of the band. This story is probably the only contrived gimmick behind the Southern Ontario outfit. As one of its many members, Scott Bell, told me, “That blurb is false; none of us are the fighting type.” But what follows in the rest of the bio regarding how they’ve become a family of fast friends couldn’t be more true.

HAMILTON’S FOREMOST “LOTOTECH” AUTHORITY TALKS ABOUT EVOLVING THEIR IMAGE AND FINDING A SOUND

distinctly remember one late night among many spent distracted by the offerings of an infinite Internet. Before coming to McMaster, I would convince myself that my lack of sleep was really an investment – one that would later help me get a jump-start on discovering this mystical Hamilton music scene that I had heard so much about. Hamilton was going to be my new home, and music was surely going to be a part of it. My laptop screen lit up my face as I took in everything I could about artists, venues and promoters. I jumped from blog to blog and read about bands like The Reason, The Rest, Young Rival, The Dirty Nil, Terra Lightfoot and, eventually (inevitably), New Hands. The young band was unlike the other names I had discovered, and that night I made a plan to someday see them live. Seven months later, I found myself in their collective living room, talking music, Hamilton and everything in between. I spoke to Spence Newell (vocals), Pat O’Brien (guitar, drumpad) and

Evan Bond (bass, keyboard), though New Hands isn’t complete without Ben Munoz (keys, guitar) and Gordy Bond (drums). New Hands wasn’t always the New Hands of today, as the band’s early incarnation went through what the three refer to as the quintessential “high school band” phase. They met through a collective will to craft their own music and formed the Social Workers several years ago, though a change in moniker and direction was imminent. O’Brien summed up the change of pace when they started taking things seriously. “When we entered the studio in 2011 [Hamilton’s Threshold Recording Studio with producer Michael Keire], we quickly realized that these songs we were turning out were of a higher caliber that our past material, and that’s when we agreed that the direction we wanted to take was largely electronically based,” he said. “I think a big part of it was, we realized we were putting money into it,” said Bond. “We recognized that, from that

point, we did have to pay attention to our image – one that wasn’t the Social Workers, because we didn’t want to look like that.” The name New Hands was a name that everyone “didn’t completely hate.” O’Brien added that, “I don’t think there is such a thing as an incredible band name. I think it’s the band that backs it. There are good bands that have bad names.” “It’s ambiguous,” Newell concluded. “We have hands,” offered Bond. Refocused and ready to work as New Hands, the five still occupy the daytime with education and work in Hamilton. Each attended McMaster at one point, though Evan currently studies at Mohawk College and Gordy is in a graduate program at York University. They have a lengthy practice once a week and intensify their work time together if a show is coming up. This past December, they released a 7” record featuring their new songs “Whichever Way You’ll Have It” and “Tulips,” and the two tracks are a prelude to more material in the near future.

“It’s a community versus a scene”

“I think everyone’s required for it to become a New Hands song.” PHOTOS C/O SONIA CACOILO

“I’m alive and can’t say no...” to the Strokes. “We basically get comparisons with new-wave bands because I sing in a lower register,” Newell said. “It used to bug me a little bit because I thought some of those bands didn’t have very varied vocalists, but now I get it because I’m a bass. It’s endearing because a lot of people are really into that music … at the same time we want to be very explicit that we don’t draw from that material.” Primary influences for New Hands include the Strokes, LCD Soundsystem, Caribou, James Blake and Burial, with some UK garage music influencing Munoz’s writing. (O’Brien wanted to make sure I included that New Hands’ sound is distinctly “lototech,” a genre they are pioneering.) The group agreed that the hope of touring and doing what they love on a consistent basis is what really pushes them to make things happen. “Another thing too is, keeping on going, keeps you going,” Newell said. “Our parents really want us to do our schooling, so I don’t think it’s right to throw that opportunity away when they’re also so supportive of the band,” he added. “My mom used to make us cookies when we practiced at home.” “There’s definitely the distinction to be made that it’s a community versus a scene,” Newell said of playing music in Hamilton. “No one is out to get you, and people are out to support. You’ll go to so many venues and you’ll see fellow artists.” “It’s also this community of fans that are so open to a lot of music just because they’re in the area and they want to absorb it,” Bond added. “There aren’t a lot of venues around here, but the ones we do have put on really good shows. “I think also, in comparison to Toronto, there’s more of a communal vibe here in the sense that, since it’s not as big of a city, it’s easier to be a community here.” New Hands cite help from other Hamilton musicians as being a big part of their past successes. Young Rival, The Dirty Nil, The Rest, Terra Lightfoot and Dinner Belles have all played a significant role in New Hands’ history. This pattern of connections, not surprisingly, is also how New Hands’ recent show opening for Arkells at This Ain’t Hollywood came together (a text message

from Arkells’ singer Max Kerman sealed the deal). The show was as a definite highlight of the band’s time together, along with Supercrawl and a show at the ROM, where they performed in front of dinosaurs, and which turned into a club afterwards. New Hands’ evolution has been a lengthy one, and they offered some insights to provide to others wanting to start a band of their own. “Something that’s important is both maturity as a band and maturity as people,” Newell said. “Before you get all of the professional things rolling, like shows and press and all that stuff, be critical with your music. Keep writing, too,” Bond said. “I think it’s important that you don’t rush it. It’s stressful working around school and work, but the thing to remember is the fun always outweighs the stress. And if you’re doing it for the art and the fun, you should be with your friends.” “Develop thick skin,” O’Brien suggested, “because there are going to be people who aren’t fond of your music. You’re going to be bad at some point … learn to roll with the punches.” The future of New Hands is something the five are eager to write. They apologized for their full-length release taking so long and explained that the delay stems from each of them being very particular through the process. “We’re very proud of what we’ve done so far with it,” Bond said. “It sounds super lototech.” If you’ve seen New Hands live, you’ve likely heard a good deal of the songs already. But a successful album release isn’t the only thing the band are hoping for. “We’re ambitious; we’re not trying to be a small band for a niche group of people,” O’Brien said. “There’s nothing wrong with a lot of people liking your band. I always get bothered when people say ‘sellout’ or something because that’s a choice they make.” “I would appreciate respect from a music community more than becoming famous,” he added. “I think being respected from your peers for what you do is a rewarding thing in any field.” “Meeting Ke$ha would also be a plus.” • Lucas Canzona

The decision to go vinyl was a collective one. “I think there’s something to be said about having such a tangible piece of music,” O’Brien explained. “This resurgence is definitely something that needs to be happening,” Evan added. “When you put on a record, there’s more work involved. You are going out of your way to appreciate it … It’s always been a dream of Gordy and mine to have our own vinyl someday.” A particularly powerful moment of “Whichever Way You’ll Have It” happens as gang vocals shout “I’m alive and can’t say no.” The part of the song was recorded with a group of friends during the band’s residence at Threshold Studio, and among the featured voices are Evan Bentley of The Rest and The Dirty Nil’s Luke Bentham. “We felt bad because we couldn’t invite everyone, so it came down to this really creepy process of, ‘whose voice do we like the most?’” Bond explained. “And then we had to go through weird criteria like ‘who laughs the best,’ so essentially some of our best friends got left out because of their laughs.” Laughing aside, the two-track release has garnered positive reviews and blog attention around the world. The two songs on the 7” will be on the band’s fulllength album of about 10 songs, which is currently being mixed and mastered. The release is planned for some time before the fall. As for the band’s writing process, Munoz is the primary songwriter and the person who comes up with the initial ideas for the structure of songs. “Ben has ideas, and your individual interpretation of those ideas is what makes us a band,” O’Brien said. “I think everyone’s required for it to become a New Hands song.” “If someone doesn’t feel comfortable playing something, it shouldn’t be brought to the stage,” Newell said. “If I can’t dance while playing it, that’s a pretty good indication,” O’Brien added. Newell mentioned that although New Hands’ sound hasn’t drastically changed, he still couldn’t have predicted some of the songs they’ve turned out. Although they assert they sound like themselves (as all bands do), reviewers have pinned comparisons on them ranging from New Order to Depeche Mode, Passion Pit to Joy Division and Caribou

TV FREAKS

s we sat in his tattoo studio, I asked singer Dave O’Connor of TV Freaks what it means to be punk. “The word ‘punk’ to me is a lot like the word ‘art.’ It’s really hard to put a finger on what it is, and everyone has their own interpretation of what the word means,” said O’Connor. “For me, it’s doing what you want to do unabashedly, regardless of what anyone’s opinions are.” O’Connor does just that when he performs with his band, racing across the stage like a volatile, pissed-off bull ready to charge at any given moment. It is everything you’d expect from a punk band, and the Freaks are without a doubt one of the best in the city.

The story of TV Freaks began sometime in 2010 when guitarist TJ Charlton and Nathan Burger (of Rocket Reducers) sat down in Burger’s garage to play some songs together. Eventually, the two would ask Justis Krar (of Hunters and Anglers) and David O’Connor (of Burning Love) to join the band on bass and vocals respectively. They recorded a demo tape with Jimmy Vapid later that year. The band’s only initial purpose was to play shows and write songs for fun, making the band’s first full-length album a surprising accident. As O’Connor explained to me, Rocket Reducers had broken up, Dave quit Burning Love and Burger’s other

PHOTOS C/O CHELSEA WATT

credit to Hamilton’s flourishing arts community for helping build the music scene as well. “In the last three years, Hamilton’s music scene is better than it’s ever been, at least since the mid ‘90s,” said O’Connor. He also added that some of that “definitely has to do with their being more venues for people to do things, like the Casbah, This Ain’t Hollywood, Homegrown [Hamilton], etc.” O’Connor added that “there are countless young bands in this city that are up and coming, and then there is so much other shit people don’t even know about, like bands like Crop Failure,” which O’Connor called the “most underrated band in the city.”

The singer also commented on the friendly community Hamilton offers. “In Toronto, you go to a show or you go anywhere and people eyeball you, like ‘Who’s this guy who’s into the same thing as me?’ But when I came to Hamilton people were like ‘Oh, cool, this guy is into stuff that I like so I want to know him and be his friend,’ and I never got that when I was in Toronto.” TV Freaks will be releasing a second LP, which they are extremely excited about, this summer with Schizophrenic Records. • Kyle Fisher

band (Ol’ Dirty Burger) had bailed on some studio time, so the Freaks got together and decided to throw an album together in an old barn in Welland. The album was released through Hamilton punk label Schizophrenic Records in 2011 and nominated for Punk Recording of the Year at the Hamilton Music Awards in 2012. Over the past couple of years, the band has been earning much deserved recognition for their music, especially around Hamilton, which is home to half of the band. “We love Hamilton and would love to claim Hamilton as the band’s home, but we can’t because half of us live in Welland,” laughed O’Connor. He gave

POSITIVE FADE TO GREYS

“That’s something everyone goes through in your twenties − shedding your own skin.” 20

TENSION reys isn’t an aggressive band, even though they sound like it. Well, okay, maybe they’re a bit aggressive - their music is an intense mix of dissonant guitars, slamming drums and vocals more often shouted than sung. But there’s much more to the band than the aggressive label they’re often given and the commonly written opinion that they’re part of some kind of Toronto loud rock music scene. “That’s the thing about Toronto that people aren’t really understanding: there are no two bands that really sound alike,” said Shehzaad Jiwani, Greys’ singer and guitarist. “At least among the bands that we’re friends with.” Now would probably be the time to acknowledge that Greys aren’t actually from Hamilton. But they play Hamilton shows, tour with Hamilton bands and are also really great, so it’s okay. Anyway. Back to the band’s music. Instead of aggressive, Greys sounds anxious, disaffected and tense. It’s the sound of Jiwani desperately wanting to escape the suburb he grew up in. It’s music for anyone who has ever felt frustratingly stuck. “You want to escape certain places and then there’s also headspaces you want to get out of, and that’s a really big part of the lyrics,” Jiwani said. “That’s something everyone goes through in your twenties – shedding your own skin. I hope that comes across to a lot of people, because I know people peg us as a heavy band. Maybe it’s because we only have EPs or something, but I feel that when we write a record people will understand that there’s more to it than just being loud.” Indeed, there is more to Greys’ music than just being loud. It’s also really fast. In fact, almost everything about the band is fast. Greys’ first EP, Ultra Sorta, was released only a few

months after the band formed and was recorded the day after their first show. About a year later, Greys released their second EP, Easy Listening. “I fucking hate that title, to be quite honest,” Jiwani said. “We couldn’t decide on a title, and that was the one we came up with. I wanted to call it Use Your Delusion but that didn’t stick.” At least the irony of the name Easy Listening makes it kind of hilarious. Greys’ most recent EP, Drift, was released in February and shows the band becoming even more brutal, focused and thrilling. “Within two weeks, we learned all the songs for Drift; it was insane,” Jiwani said. “We had just gotten back from a tour and we were burnt out by everything.” The band had toured for two months, been home for 10 days to work at their day jobs and finished another tour before recording the EP. When the band finally got back, Jiwani didn’t even have a home to return to – he had moved out and left all of his stuff at his parent’s house. And during that whole time the band never actually allowed themselves a break. No wonder Drift sounds so crazy. “Everyone comments on how aggressive the EP is, and I think it’s because it really captured that moment of frustration we all had,” Jiwani said. “But recording was actually a really fun time; we had a delightful couple of days.” A “couple” is actually meant literally – Greys recorded Drift in the insanely short span of two days. To even further add to the tension of recording the EP, Jiwani finished the lyrics minutes before recording them. “I was writing on the couch in the recording studio and Josh, our friend who recorded us, was like ‘you ready or what?’ and I looked at the page and thought, ‘okay, this is it.’” Finishing lyrics right before recording them seems like a situation that anyone who has

finished an essay minutes before it’s due can relate to. The tension and exhilaration of an assignment that barely makes a deadline is what it feels like to listen to Greys. Except that a less nerdy analogy would probably be better. The music video for “Carjack,” the most lethal song on Drift, features a guy in a sufficiently unsettling clown mask destroying more than a few guitars. “They were just old shitty guitars, but actually one was the first guitar I ever owned,” Jiwani said. “I felt really bad because my dad bought it for my thirteenth birthday, but at least it’s immortalized. It’s all a guitar can ask for – to be smashed in a cool video,” he said. “It’s better than ‘Crazy Train’ being played on it forever in Steve’s Music Store,” laughed Greys’ bass player Colin Gillespie. “Because it would be ‘Crazy Train’ too,” Jiwani said. “That would be guitar purgatory.” Even though they have a music video of a guy breaking stuff, it’s still worth pointing out that Greys isn’t just an aggressive band. They don’t want to see that kind of thing going down at a concert. “I fucking hate mosh pits to be quite honest,” Jiwani said. “It’s always like 10 or 20 people who want to have a good time completely ignoring every single other person around them. Like jumping around is great, of course, bang your head and throw your fists and stuff, but don’t push people for no fucking reason. People are just trying to have a good time in their own personal space. Good grief.” It’s refreshing to hear a heavy band reject the mindless masculinity and thickheaded culture of so many hardcore concerts. Greys is a vital reminder that loud music can still be smart and arty. • Nolan Matthews, Senior ANDY Editor

Sebastian Paige and the Virginia Wolves play regular gigs at the Lazy Flamingo, one of the few Hess Street venues that are showcasing Hamiltonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s musical talent for the large crowds that frequent the area

LIVE AT

PHOTO C/O SEBASTIAN PAIGE AND THE VIRGINIA WOLVES

HESS VILLAGE

ive music venues like The Lazy Flamingo, The Casbah and Slainte offer patrons a variety of sounds from underground rap to classic rock covers. From Wednesday to Saturday night, at least one of the venues showcases the capacity of local musicians; however, these bands often find themselves competing for the attention of sizeable crowds usually drawn to Hess Street. “I think what’s lacking most in the Hamilton music scene is more live bands playing in places like Hess Village,” said Adam Cannon, drummer in local band Sebastian Paige and the Virginia Wolves. He went on to say how he wishes local music venues would take advantage of the large crowds on Hess Street in order to increase artist exposure and “get people talking about the quality of talent Hamilton has to offer.” Sebastian Paige and the Virginia Wolves began playing Motown cover songs last summer at the Lazy Flamingo. Along with Cannon, Pete Moss (bass, guitar, vocals), Joshua Alvernia (lead vocals) and Mike Monson (guitar, piano, vocals) are members of this Motown/ alternative/classic rock cover band whose blend of funky backbeats and synthesis of diverse musical styles has produced truly unforgettable performances. It’s important for local bands to form strong connections with small bars to keep Hamilton’s live music scene afloat. “Whistling Walrus on Upper James in one of my favourite places to play,” said Monson. “I love the pub atmosphere, the location and the staff.” Cannon said he likes “playing at the Flamingo because [the band] has developed a good relationship with the staff,” which has “really provided [them] with the opportunity to build a base and create a following.”

The band has been able to secure weekly gigs at The Whistling Walrus and the Lazy Flamingo, and they have also enjoyed playing at Gallagher’s, The Honest Lawyer and The Firehall in Oakville. “In Hamilton, there’s a great scene for cover bands and lounge acts,” said Moss, “but there are only a couple clubs where original acts can really develop their thing on stage.” There’s a crowd of music lovers in Hamilton who would rather jam to live music than dance to top 40 at one of the many spaces in Hess Village. Navigating the Hamilton music scene can be complicated, since there are few locations that allow bands to perform their own music on stage. The success of bands like Arkells, The Reason and 40 Sons proves that there’s definitely an audience that appreciates the cultivation of local Hamiltonian music. Unfortunately, Hess Village only offers a small handful of live music venues. After touring around Canada, Alvernia also suggested that the live music scene across the world has changed, and that “what matters most today is having an online presence.” The band has capitalized on Internet promotional opportunities with the release of a digital side project spearheaded by Mike Monson called The Maker. Under the band name Iron Age Pigs, this quartet is hoping to bring more of their presence online with active Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages. But in the meantime, the Wolves will keep playing at their favourite Hamilton venues. •

Mary Ann Boateng

“In Hamilton, there’s a great scene for cover bands and lounge acts, but there are only a couple clubs where original acts can really develop their thing on stage.”

THE CASBAH

he owner of Hamilton’s most important live music venue on how it started, how it’s doing and where it’s going.

rodie Schwendiman was well on his way to becoming a full-time teacher when he started what would become one of Hamilton’s most celebrated and popular music venues, the Casbah. Schwendiman explained his experiences after graduating teachers’ college, when he started to have second thoughts. It began when he “went to the United States to follow a band around for a couple of weeks, Guided by Voices … just the experience I had doing that, gaining new friends, and seeing how passionate people could be about underground culture and music,” he said. “I had no idea if the path I was taking would make enough money. For the first five years, it wasn’t.” Schwendiman later explained he still loses money on shows quite frequently. “More often than I make money, probably, if I really dissected the numbers,” he conceded in good humor. Regardless of finances, Schwendiman said what kept him going was “just loving it. It was fun to promote. At the time, I felt there was a scene of music, mainly indie rock, that wasn’t happening in Hamilton as much as I thought it should.” Schwendiman described how he would be forced to travel to Toronto every time one of his favorite acts came to play. To his surprise, the Casbah seemed to provide the same solution for a lot of other Hamilton music fans. “One thing I didn’t consider was that people were going to really thank you for what you were doing. It made me feel good, because people were really appreciating that this stuff wasn’t happening before now, but now it is,” said Schwendiman.

For Schwendiman, the most rewarding part of his job is the level of community support he’s received. “If this place were ever to stop existing, the community would probably rally and try to do something and change my mind, or if it were a financial thing they’d try and raise money to keep it going.” In 2009, the Casbah hosted a surprise performance by legendary ‘80s alternative rock group the Pixies. Schwendiman said it was quite a different experience from the local artists that perform regularly. “When you’re booking bands that are a little bit more popular … it’s very common that there is a bit of distance that is created between the public and the band. … A local band is actually quite curious about my thoughts on the music scene and wants to talk to me about things to see if they can learn from what I know. What am I going to teach Frank Black?” Somewhat surprisingly, Schwendiman wasn’t actually a big fan of the Pixies during their heyday in the late ‘80s.“I was still smack-dab in the middle of trying to be a professional baseball player!” he said. “People are surprised to see that I’m right down there in the trenches doing everything … sometimes cleaning up puke or putting up my own posters on the poles outside,” Schwendiman said of his day-to-day work. As the conversation started to shift more towards Hamilton’s changing music scene, Schwendiman paused before concluding, “electronic music is a lot more popular than it used to be. I remember when I first got started, booking something electronic was very obscure … now, there’s music being made that can sell out my venue, which is not something I could say ten years ago.”

“As you stick it out, and work in this business, you have to keep re-inventing the wheel; you can’t stick to the exact formula of how you’re going to book your entertainment.” Despite all the acts that have come through his venue, there’s still one that Schwendiman has yet to attract. “Guided by Voices. My favorite band of all time I’ve never booked. I’ve tried almost every angle I can think of. I think they were more interested years ago than today.” So here’s a shout out to Guided by Voices: come play a show at the Casbah. It’d help fulfill a man’s career that you helped inspire all those years ago. •

Spencer Semianiw

YOSEIF HADDAD / SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR

“I TRY TO CREATE GOOD MUSIC, AND FOR ME, THAT'S INTELLIGENT AND SPEAKS TO THE WAY THE WORLD IS.”

LEE REED, HAMILTON HIP HOP ARTIST AND ACTIVIST IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PUBLIC INTELLECTUALS PROJECT

PHOTO BY JEFF JAM ANIMATION BY BAHAR ORANG / ASSISTANT ANDY EDITOR