WE ARE THE ROCK UNDERGROUND
Q&A
https://www.facebook.com/DespiteTheReverence
Q&A With Despite The Reverence
INDY-How did you meet and form the band?
Tom and I had played in a cover band called Half Hour Shower for a few years when we decided to start playing more originals. We shared a jam space with a few bands and met Jordan Poelzer, our bass player, through someone there. We then tried out a few drummers and Brad Zimmer came out, as we were referred to him from another contact. There was no question he was the right guy to complete our band. We had seen a lot of different members come and go before this. We didn't know it then but we finally had the magic formula of band members.
INDY-How did you come up with your band name?
Picking a name was one of the most difficult things for us. We finally narrowed it down to 3 names, Angeless, Alien Intrinsic and Despite The Reverence. After playing a show in Regina, SK we finally decided on Despite The Reverence in the hotel room after. I believe it was Tom's name idea. Ironically, Alien Intrinsic became our second album title and concept.
INDY-Which song does the whole band like playing the most?
I think our song preference always changes as the new and latest material is always really exciting though I would say that Becoming The Savage has been a favorite for awhile now and is a staple in our set list. We also love rocking out to Suicide Winds and Creating Ethos though we can't wait to start performing our next album!
INDY-What is your songwriting process?
Johnny usually brings the guitar riffs to the table in practice. Then, as a band, we dissect the music and different parts and fine tune the transitions. Some songs come together really quickly and others taker many changes and rewriting before we can settle on it. Powerful Men was one of those songs which probably was rewritten about 4 times before we found the perfect combination of riffs. Once the arrangement is complete then Tom starts really working on the vocals. We usually have a pre determined concept or album direction for the lyrical content.
INDY-What was the best gig you’ve played to date?
Our best gig to date is hard to nail down. Sometimes its the least expected venue and you just have a great time. We had the opportunity to open for Pop Evil in Saskatoon and that was a really fun show with a great crowd. We always have a great time playing with The Tyrants Of Chaos in Lethbridge and catching up with different bands that we've become friends with in different cities.
INDY-What has been the biggest challenge as band?
The biggest challenge as a band is usually juggling all four members busy schedules. With families and demanding jobs this can sometimes be tricky and practice always seems like a last minute decision but everyone loves it so we make it work.
INDY-What is your current projects or plans?
We are currently writing and about 4-5 songs into our new album. We were hoping to record a few songs this summer but Covid got in the way so we'll aim for the fall. The new songs are another step in our sound and maturing as a band and we are super excited to unleash this next chapter.
INDY-Has anyone been a major supporter or influence to your band?
We always appreciate the fans and friends who make an effort to come and see us and believe us every person counts, especially on those slow nights! It's always awesome seeing familiar faces. Indy Rock Network has been a great support and encouragement now for years, since it's inception. It's great to see it growing as a platform to help build the Canadian music scene.
INDY-What would be the coolest thing that could happen to your band?
Other than the obvious dreams of making the big show, we would love to take the step to the next level and build our reputation in the Canadian scene. We would like to be recognized as a premium Canadian Hard Rock/Metal band and grow our following in and beyond our home city.
INDY-What changes would you like to see in the music industry?
The live music scene has been in the low cycle for some years now with more digital music and less attendance to venues. We believe that this is a cycle and that the scene can become strong again with consistent effort and a great musical product and performance.
INDY-Any last words?
Last words was the name of the first song on our first album. We have much more to say and no intention of hanging it up. I can recall wondering how we could write another album after all the work that went into Alien Intrinsic (our second album). Now we are two albums passed that. The inspiration keeps coming and we continue to witness inspiration in the band's we have played with, new and old. Keep the faith brothers and sisters!
~DTR~
https://frailfragmentmusic.godaddysites.com/
Q&A With FrailFragment
Indy-How did the band form?
Frail Fragment formed in 2005 with singer/songwriter, Len Lamanna
Indy-How did you come up with the band’s name?
I think the name was born when I listened to Nine Inch Nails, The Fragile album.
Indy-Which song does the band like playing live the most?
Rise & Fall
Indy-What process do you use when writing and recording?
When I get inspired and hear something I’m passionate about I sing the idea into my phone. I write the music to the idea or the idea to the music. Then lyrics, and then record. Brian Gagnon is a great engineer and musician and feel so fortunate to be able to work with him.
Then Mastering for polishing.
Indy-What was the best gig you’ve ever played?
I played Edge Fest @ Molson Park in Barrie 20 years ago.
Indy-What was the worst gig you ever played?
I don’t really have one. Just many crazy shows. I’ve had people throwing shit, spitting at us, lesbians making out on stage. Many experiences but nothing tragic
Indy-What advice would you give new rock musicians forming a band?
What lasts is your love for music. Consider yourself fortunate and pay into this gift. Not many could do this.
Indy-How do you balance band life with your home life?
Try and be your best self when you are home. Be patient. Enjoy every day. For me, creating can become a obsession. I must take breaks
Indy-What has been the band’s biggest challenge to date?
Finding support
Indy-What changes would you like to see in the music industry?
More support for independent artists.
Indy-Any last words?
Check out Frail Fragment’s newest album E-Fragments and if you feel like it is deserving, please share.
Thanks so much!
INTERVIEW WAS WITH:
Len Lamanna
https://edenonfire.reverbnation.com/
Eden On Fire Q&A
Indy-How did the band form?
In 2020, I (Amy) started writing at home during the pandemic using MiDi and drum loops. I realized I needed a band. Soon I started working with Scott, our bass player. We worked with a few different people and then finally found Mike our drummer. After having transitioned through a few guitar players, we found our fit in Rick. Eden On Fire was born. By the summer of 2022 we had our first show and have been accelerating quickly with 15 original songs in the works, 3 singles, and an album on its way.
Indy-How did you come up with the band’s name?
We had been playing around with lots of different names. After being shot down by the band with the Amy Project (joking), we were throwing around different ideas. We all have warped senses of humor so at one point an online name generator was used for fun. Those were some fun names! But we liked the idea of “fire.” And a couple “Eden” names came to mind. Eventually we threw those together. I liked the idea of the connotations “Eden” gives with both being a forbidden garden and a feminine name. Also setting that shit on fire very much aligns with our band attitude.
Indy-Which song does the band like playing live the most?
This is hard question and probably depends on who you ask. We hate, and I mean hate, cutting songs from the set. But with long songs like ours and sometimes 30-40 minutes set stipulations, we are stuck doing that. And we struggle every single time to pick the songs on the chopping block. We love our songs! That said, right now, one of my personal favorites to perform is Heartless Bitch and it’s because I make Rick (our guitar player) jump continuously with me on stage after the solo.
Indy-What process do you use when writing and recording?
Before the band, it was all me. So I came to the band with already completed songs structurally. We did take them apart and rework a lot of them. But for the most part, songs like Fallen have remained very true to the original. But now, it varies more. I still write at home and come to rehearsal with a skeleton of a song. Or I will send it to Rick to work on beforehand and then he might change it up here and there. Other times, Rick comes up with a riff and sends it to me to work on lyrics, vocal lines and sometimes keys. At rehearsal we will orchestrate the song with the help of the others. It’s very much a collaborative effort now. We work very well together as a team.
Indy-What was the best gig you’ve ever played?
That’s so hard to pin down. We just came off a really great show at a small local bar. How about that? We loved it because it was in front of people who were just there to hear music. Typically, it is a lot of bands supporting bands in the scene here which is amazing. But it was nice for a change to be in front of people who were just out to hear music at their favorite watering hole. Very different feel for us.
Indy-What was the worst gig you ever played?
We played an outdoor summer “festival” in which no one but the bands who were in it, showed up. The organizer started the show 4 hours late and had no one there to run sound. It was a hot mess. But we made some good friends in other bands that day. So it wasn’t a total loss.
Indy-What advice would you give new rock musicians forming a band?
Thick.Skin. Have it. Wear it, always. This business is full of jealousy, insecurities, and competition. It’s a shame, but that is the way of it. Don’t let it bring you down. Keep your head above it all. And keep making music. That is what it is all about. Oh and this...Please do not get shit faced before your performance. So very unprofessional.
Indy-How do you balance band life with your home life?
For me, they are one in the same. I wear my band hat pretty much 24-7 these days. I manage the band as well as do all the social media, etc. So it’s a full time job on top of my paying job! Thankfully, I have no young children in my life and my family understands how important this is. I’m very lucky to have a lot of support.
Indy-What has been the band’s biggest challenge to date?
Surprisingly, maintaining support from our local music scene. It seems like it’s harder to prove yourself locally than to regional, national and even international markets. We are getting there but it’s been one of the hardest things to do.
Indy-What changes would you like to see in the music industry?
As a female in the metal world, I want more women crossing into all sorts of metal genres. And not having to fit a specific mold to get into that genre. It’s getting better but we are still not there. I feel like there are now molds that women are supposed to fit – be operatic or a growler. How about we just be ourselves and sing Metal how we see fit?
Indy-Any last words?
Thank you for including Eden On Fire in this fabulous, inclusive network of amazing artists. We are really honored to be a part. And keep it metal!
INTERVIEW WAS WITH:
Amy Gould
Vocals/Keyboards
https://feralsun.bandcamp.com/
Q&A With Feral Sun
Indy-How did the band form?
Feral Sun originally formed in Pretoria, South Africa before finding its way to London.
Over the years the band has had a few members come and go for various reasons, from Visas running out to family changes etc.
The current line-up, Mick Burns, Jay Stephenson, Andrea Murgia and Mark Hosri has been going strong since 2017, and got together after holding auditions to find a Bassist and lead guitarist at the same time.
Line-up changes are never easy and can make or break a band but, with Andrea and Mark, it felt like fate and we have just grown stronger and ready to make a whole lot of noise again!
-Indy-How did you come up with the band’s name?
When I first started a band it was an Alternative/ Rock / Grunge band called “Wild Child”!
As the music changed to a slightly heavier sound, we felt the name did not suit the band as much anymore, and after looking in the smallest dictionary in the world, found “Feral” to be an alternative name to Wild and brought in “Sun” to represent the energy we have been told we give off with our music and hence “Feral Sun” was born!
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Indy-Which song does the band like playing live the most?
That’s a tough question as we have a few but, if I had to pick one, it’s most probably
“Evacuate” or maybe “Into Pieces” …aaaarhhhh …I can’t choose Ha ha!
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Indy-What process do you use when writing and recording?
A lot of the times, we just throw some ideas to each other, whether it be a Riff for a verse or chorus or a Vocal melody line and we build from there!
Other times, I might have written a full track which does not need much changing in terms of structure and then each member just adds their parts.
We would mainly record some home demo’s and each member can then work on each part and change if need be, until we are all happy to say it is ready for Recording for a single/ EP or album.
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Indy-What was the best gig you’ve ever played?
Another tough question, as being on tour with Skindred, playing mainstage of Hard Rock hell festival and an amazing night supporting Puddle of Mudd comes to mind but, I would say that the Night we supported South African Rock Band “Prime Circle” at The O2 Academy Islington was the best for many reasons.
We had a great response from the crowd, had family and friends back stage with us, got to meet a South African celebrity and the guys in Prime Circle were just absolute legends and one of the nicest bands out there!
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Indy-What was the worst gig you ever played?
Ha Ha …had a feeling this question would follow!
I think it would have to be the night we played The Unicorn in Camden, when for some reason both My guitar Amp and lead guitarist’s amp was playing up, not sure if it was power issues or just a curse but, daammmn that was a tough gig!
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Indy-What advice would you give new rock musicians forming a band?
Follow your dreams, have fun and never give up! If becoming a professional touring band is really what you want to do with your life, then remember that it’s not always going to be fun and games and be aware of the sharks in the industry, other than that…keep writing, Rockin’ and spreading good vibes in a world that desperately needs it right now!
Indy-How do you balance band life with your home life?
Coffee …Lots of Coffee Ha ha!
Indy-What has been the band’s biggest challenge to date?
I think it has to be the moment just after playing with Puddle of Mudd, about to start two campaigns and then losing two members in the band.
To then go through the process of finding a bassist and Lead guitarist, getting the band back up to speed, back on the road playing shows and then have a pandemic hit the world!
Yeah…It’s been one hell of a ride!
Indy-What changes would you like to see in the music industry?
I think artists being paid what they deserve in terms of streaming etc.
Indy-Any last words?
Just would like to say thank you for all your support and a massive Thank you to all our fans around the world who continue to share their love for our music and what we do, we truly cannot do this without you!
INTERVIEW WAS WITH: Mick Burns
https://www.purveyorofchaos.com/
Q&A With Purveyor Of Chaos
Indy-How did the band form?
Bess (our guitarist) and I hooked up the summer of 2007. His last band (Penetrator) had just broken up and he was looking to get something new on the go. So he gave me (Tenbears) a shout. We formed a band called 'Full Give'. Eddie, our drummer, joined us in Full Give and we gigged under that name to around 2015, then sadly our singer died.(RIP).
We then changed our name to 'Purveyor Of Chaos', found a new front man and carried on. After a few years our new singer eventually didn't work out, then our present singer Maxel joined the band and we've been rockin' ever since!
Indy-How did you come up with the band's name?
I came up with the name. It seemed fitting as we all are in fact chaotic individuals.
Indy-Which song does the band like playing live the most?
That's a hard call. We have fun playing all our tunes. I don't thing I can narrow that one down.
Indy-What process do you use when writing and recording?
In writing, the process varies. Sometimes we jam and come up with a sic hook, then we all take it from there, contributing to the tune until we get a finished product. Other times individual members will come up with a working tune and bring it down to the jam space and then we all tweak it into a final version. So basically we all seem to contribute to the writing equally.
By the time we get to the recording studio, the tune is pretty much dialed in. Sometimes we do some changes on the fly, but typically it's pretty smooth sailing. It helps to have a great sound engineer. Darius Szczepaniak up at 'Phase One'. One of the best in the biz. (Shout Out!)
Indy-What was the best gig you've ever played?
I think the best gig was when we opened for 'Lynch Mob' at The Rockpile back in the summer of 2015. Great show!
Indy-What was the worst gig you ever played?
The worst one was in Tilsonburg Ontario playing as 'Full Give'. It was the worst snowfall of 2015. One person showed up. But we played to that one person as if we had a full house. He loved it and said he'd tell all his friends. A few gigs later, there he was with a bunch of his friends.
Indy-What advice would you give new rock musicians forming a band?
The best advice I can think of is try to find people that are on the same page and are as equally committed to the band. It's kinda like family. Once in a while you get into the odd dust-up, but when the dust settles, you're still there because you love the people you're sharing the stage with.
Indy-How do you balance band life with your home life?
Our friends and families support us all the way. We think about music at home and we think about music when we're not. It's a pretty easy balance.
Indy-What has been the band's biggest challenge to date?
When you first start out I think the biggest challenge is finding management. You have to achieve a fairly substantial following for management companies to look at you. I think that's a major challenge for a lot of artists.
Indy-What changes would you like to see in the music industry?
I can only speak from a ‘metal’ perspective, but I believe that in Canada people are reluctant to stick their necks out for emerging artists. It might be because of our relatively small market. It's understandable.
Indy-Any last words?
I would just like to thank you for giving us the opportunity for this interview. YOU ROCK!! Hearty Hails to you!!!
INTERVIEW WAS WITH:
Tenbears (Bass)
https://www.facebook.com/thehourhandband
Q&A with "The Hourhand"
1-How did you meet, and form the band?
Gray and Dawson attended highschool together, where they played in the school Jazz Band. Cole and Gray met in a program through our local music store, where kids were put together into bands to learn cover songs. We have all been playing together in some form or another since we were 15. It wasn't until late 2015 that we all 3 got together and decided to form the band.
2-How did you come up with your band name?
After a short stint as "The Lonely Oranges", we decided that wasnt the best fit for a Rock n' Roll band. After dozens of name ideas, someone finally came up with "The Hourhand".
3-Which song does the whole band like playing the most?
We play for a live audience. We try and write songs that get some crowd reaction, and we feed off of the energy. As our set has evolved, one song that has always seemed to get a great live reaction is "Porcelain Veins". Whatever songs get the crowd going are the ones we love to play.
4-What is your songwriting process?
We usually always try and start with a catchy hook. Whether its a memorable line or a catchy melody, we think "how can this song grab the listener's attention?" Every song needs to have memorable moments that pull the listener in, and once we have a catchy hook, we write the song around that. We take our newly written songs and test them out live, at which point sometimes we go back to the drawing board with rewrites. We write for maximum live effect, and write our songs to serve the stage.
5-What was the best gig you’ve played to date?
Our peak as a band thus far was at the end of 2019, when we were given the opportunity to open for Saskatoon's "One Bad Son". This was our first gig of this caliber, and was a surreal moment for us as a band. A moment we were lucky enough to capture on film for our live release, "Live at Coors Event Centre".
6-What has been the biggest challenge as band?
Our biggest challenge remains just always willing to push the limits of what we can accomplish as a unit. Pushing our limits creatively with our songs, pushing beyond our comfort zone on stage, and pushing to get bigger and better gigs.
7-What is your current projects or plans?
We are all currently enjoying some time in isolation with Covid-19 still looming, and are doing as much as any band can do at this time. We are writing songs, and recording demos from our home studios, with goals to record and release more new music in 2020. We also plan to hit the ground running and begin touring as soon as we can!
8-Has anyone been a major supporter or influence to your band?
Someone who has been a huge supporter of the band, is Cole's dad Steve. Steve continually helps us out backstage and has helped us out of a jam at more gigs than we can count. One night in Saskatoon we had two sets in two different venues. After our first set, Steve quickly hauled all of our gear off to the second venue and set it up for us all by himself, while we were busy selling merch and talking to crowd members at the first venue.
9-What would be the coolest thing that could happen to your band?
If we were lucky enough to earn an opening slot on a tour with a larger act, that would be an awesome experience!
10-What changes would you like to see in the music industry?
We would like to see the smaller music communities grow even further. We are lucky to be part of such great communities here in Saskatchewan, and would love to see these communities continue to grow. Live music venues are some of the only places where bands are given to opportunity to make money and grow as artists, and we love seeing thriving music scenes wherever we go.
Any last words?
Thanks for the continued support through the Indy Rock Network, you guys rock! Hope to make it out to your neck of the woods very soon! All the best!
-The Hourhand
https://www.facebook.com/dyecrestband
Q&A with Dyecrest
Why did you form? How did the idea come to be?
Niko: I think we all were music lovers already as children. Personally I had the fever to play by myself, too, and at some point it grew to be an idea to form a band. ;) Then it “just happened” that we started playing with the best of friends! It was already back in 1993, when we were just teenagers. First we played with Jukka and Pirkka, then Matti joined the band in 1996 and Henri in 2001, when you can say Dyecrest (first with the name, Dyecast, by the way!) was born.
How would you describe your sound in five words?
Niko: Uhhh… This is a tricky one, but let’s try. Powerful, melodic, (a bit) melancholic and catchy but not cheesy! 🙂 (too many words, sorry! ;D)
Your upcoming album, how do you think it will be received by fans?
Niko: Of course it’s always hard to guess how others will like your songs, but I truly believe that if you’ve enjoyed for example our previous album Are You Not Entertained?, then you’ll definitely love this one as well. There are some new “twists” in the songs, but still the trademarks of Dyecrest, meaning there are pounding and powerful anthems and strong vocal melodies with big choirs, tight band playing and flashing guitar solos!
What kind of listening experience are you trying to give fans with this album, and its singles?
Niko: Some of the things already mentioned in the previous answer. But I think overall this is by far the Dyecrest’s tightest (and the best!) album and it is a killer package. Versatile songs but still an intense and compact entirety. I believe the album is a very good mix of traditional melodic metal and more modern stuff. Actually, with our latest album, we were defined by the press as “modern power metal”! Maybe that suits us, and the album Once I Had a Heart, as well.
Singles have been chosen from the most catchy end of the songs on the album. The goal is that they’ll end up as “earworms” instantly! 🙂
How is the writing process for the band?
Niko: Normally the main idea of a song comes from one of the main writers (Matti, Henri and Pirkka), and then we start working on the song as a band. The lyrics always (well, at least in 99,8 percent of the songs…;)) come after the composition. Me and Henri have had the biggest role in writing the lyrics, but we always check them as a team as well. The arrangements are always teamwork, too. But, of course the main writer of the song always has the kinda “right of veto” to make the final decisions!
Are any of the band members known on the local scene from any other bands?
Niko: Mikael has been a singer for “Metal de Facto”, “Thy Row” and “Everfrost”. Matti, Jukka and Pirkka are also part of finnish pop/rock group “Kiowan Dynamo” (independent, not signed), who are actually on a hiatus right now, as far as I know.
How did you decide on the tracks for this album? How much more music can fans expect?
Niko: When we started the album recordings in 2020 (!), we had ended up with seven brand new songs and three songs that were a bit older but weren’t properly recorded at any point. Those were the ones that we chose to be on the album. Plus, we wanted to re-record two songs (“Hollow” and “Failed One”) from our second album “This Is My World” (2005).
Actually, if we’d have the time and the resources, we would like to re-record that whole album, because in production-wise it was nothing but a disaster at the time. Which is a shame, ‘cause we still think that the songs themselves have true potential!
Those two remakes were clear choices to be bonus tracks, and when the actual album ended up to include nine tracks, there will be a brand new song to be released later on as a bonus track, too!
What can people expect live from your band compared to other bands?
Niko: Well, at least we’ll give energetic shows every time. And, we don’t use back up tracks but there’s still a big bunch of backing vocals and choirs, ‘cause there are four good singers in the band!
Where do your lyrics come from? What inspires your writing?
Niko: I write the lyrics mostly from real life and based on my own experiences and feelings. Sometimes the inspiration can be the smallest of things, just a detail, but on the other hand it can be a life changing experience as well. Anyway, the experience has to touch me rather deeply to end up being the heart of the lyrics for a song.
Henri: My lyrics come from the world around me, from the news that move me, from personal struggles, not too often from happy thoughts ;) There is usually a very specific event that inspires the story, but I intentionally try to hide it and usually the final lyrics can have multiple interpretations. For me, the vocal arrangement is as important as the lyrics, meaning that the lyrics need to sound good when they are sung. A nice flow is always needed and sometimes it means compromises with the selected single words for example.
How does the music affect the lyrics and vice versa?
Niko: I’m always “tasting” the music before I start writing lyrics. I kinda go to the feelings the composition is giving to me. After that I can start imagining what kind of story would fit this one. As said, the lyrics (nearly) always come after the music, so in our case the lyrics don’t affect the music. BUT, the lyrics can still change the spirit of the song in whole, for example in the decision with the arrangements and the vocal harmonies, which are things that have an effect on the song’s atmosphere.
Henri: For me, the vocal melody and/or rhythm of the vocals drafted usually before the lyrics, many times start to guide the story, which sometimes is built around e.g. a single good-sounding punchline. As I stated earlier, for me the vocal arrangement is as important as the lyrics.
How would you describe the evolution of the band’s sound?
Henri: When the band started about 20 years ago with the first demo tapes, the sound was more clearly “basic” power metal. Quite soon, actually already on the debut album “The way of Pain”, we started looking, on the other hand for more modern, and on the other hand for more traditional heavy metal flavor in the mix. During the years I believe the overall sound, songs, arrangements and everything has matured as it should, with the players also maturing (or at least getting older;). Dyecrest reached the sound (production-, music- and interpretation-wise) that I think has been in our minds for years on the previous album “Are You Not Entertained?” and the vision has only got clearer on “Once I Had a Heart”!
Name the Top 5 band influences of the band/ Top 5 Bands that your band sounds like that fans like.
Niko: Oh dear lord… We all have our own favorite bands and artists, but I think it’s rather hard to pick those ones who have had the biggest influence on our music. Some of MY biggest influencers (and the reasons why I wanted to form a band in the first place) have been Helloween, Skid Row, Europe, Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray, Stratovarius, Iron Maiden… So, very traditional metal / hard rock bands that I grew up with!
Not meaning that Dyecrest would sound like those bands, even though there are similarities of course. In general, I think that if you are into melodic and powerful metal (with some modern twist), then Dyecrest definitely is worth checking out!
What metal genres influence you as a band the most?
Niko:
Quite a lot of genres, I think. From power metal to melo-death and from heavy metal to metalcore. Nevertheless, even if we’d have influences from different genres, our songs still sound like Dyecrest after they’ve gone through our “arrangement machine”! ;)
And frankly, I don’t give a f*** for the genres, the only thing that matters is whether the song is good or not. I can get the kicks out of some new metalcore track just the same as a good pop song. Actually I miss those good old times, when under the “heavy / metal” -genre were both Bon Jovi and Kreator, hahaa! It’s making me mad to have these gazzillions of genres and their sub-genres…
So, I think that the biggest influences are those ones (bands and genres) we grew up with. There will always be the heart of our music, meaning that the melodies need to be strong, and around that we build the whole song. Sometimes with a heavier touch, sometimes with a lighter, but those details are just the “decorations”, the song itself is always based on the melodies and the story. As the old truth says: the song is good if it’s good also with just an acoustic guitar!
Q&A with Jupiter Hollow
Indy-How did the band form?
- Kenny and I met at a local battle of the bands in Barrie, ON back in 2015. We were in other bands at the time but decided to collaborate with each-other on a song i was composing, which lead to be our first song, Ascending Hades Heart. Once we wrote that, we knew we were onto something.
Indy-How did you come up with the band’s name?
- We were having a fun conversation about space and looking at my tattoo, which is the greek symbol of Saturn and Jupiter combined. This lead to us talking nonsense about how Jupiter is Hollow because its a gas giant… makes no sense and is a false statement, but it created a cool name. My tattoo was then used on the album cover of AHDOMN to represent our origin.
Indy-Which song does the band like playing live the most?
- The Rosedale is a fun one, I personally love playing Odyssey and Kipling Forest. We will be playing our new song Distant Shadow live for the first time on April 23, so I have a feeling that will be our new favourite.
Indy-What process do you use when writing and recording?
- Usually either I will have a guitar idea in mind, Kenny will have a drum/piano/vocal idea in mind, or we will stumble across something together while jamming. In most cases we will take that idea into a room with drums/guitar and write the song together through jamming. In other cases such as with Hades Heart and Distant Shadow, more of the song will already be written and structured but we complete it together with this jamming process. We have gotten really efficient at writing now and can usually pump out a new sing in under 3 days.
Indy-What was the best gig you’ve ever played?
- I will assume April 23, 2023 as we get to play with Protest The Hero which will be rad.
Indy-What was the worst gig you ever played?
- We played a show in Guelph once where we got cut after 1 song as the headliner due to a scheduling issue. We love Guelph and the people/venues there but it was logistically a nightmare. We’ve also played a shows where there were endless tech problems, etc. But it is all part of the experience and allows us to learn.
Indy-What advice would you give new rock musicians forming a band?
- Learn digital social media marketing, create music that you love, network. Just do it and keep going. Everything else will fall into place if you work hard and stay consistent.
Indy-How do you balance band life with your home life?
- Music is a side job for now. We live our lives and work our jobs, but when we have a show we practice on weekends and do the gig. When we need to write and record we do so on weekends. This question will be more applicable when we get signed and go on a big tour one day.
Indy-What has been the band’s biggest challenge to date?
- Marketing budget. We’re indi so everything is self funded. Everything about music is expensive. With limited budget there’s limited reach so until we have funding we can only reach so many people per release, but we have slowly been growing and reaching more people
over the years.
Indy-Any last words?
- Checkout Distant Shadow! You can also get our record Bereavement free on our website through a unique interactive “Experience”. Go to jupiterhollow.ca and support us if you like our music.
INTERVIEW WAS WITH:
-Grant MacKenzie
Jupiter Hollow
https://www.facebook.com/archbladeofficial
Q&A with Arch Blade
Why did you form? How did the idea come to be?
-The band was formed when Al, Nigel, and Roberts met, coming off of their previous projects, and decided to create a traditional heavy metal band.
How would you describe your sound in five words?
-High energy versatile heavy metal.
Your upcoming album, how do think it will be received by fans?
-We think there’s something for everybody to enjoy.
What kind of listening experience is trying to give fans with this album, its singles?
Full speed ahead approaching tunnel vision, the album is pretty intense and fast and has many different styles of metal mixed in. We hope people will enjoy going on this journey with us.
How is the writing process for the band?
-Usually, it starts with our guitarists bringing some riffs and ideas to the rehearsal, where we all jam and come up with our melodies. Then we make a demo and work out the details. After we have the final structure, Denys writes the lyrics, and that's it. The song is born.
Are any of the band members known on the local scene from any other bands?
-Our drummer, Al, is probably the most accomplished in that sense. He played with Dark Angel, Dreams Of Damnation, and multiple other projects, playing festivals and shows alongside some of the biggest metal bands in the world. His 80's band Mad Whip Thunder played shows with bands like Warrant, Lita Ford, and many other legendary artists.
How did you decide on the tracks for this album? How much more music can fans expect?
We picked the best songs that we had and focused on them. We did pass on a couple that were not right for the narrative of this album. We are already working on the second album. We feel like it will be even more composed and catchy, so to speak. We want to get back in the studio ASAP.
What can people expect live from your band compared to other bands?
Al's catchphrase is "Power Motherf**ker." And we stand by this statement.
Where do your lyrics come from? What inspires your writing?
-This album is mostly based on Denys’s dreams and nightmares. He likes a lot of stuff like comic books, sci-fi, horror movies, sometimes even a documentary can inspire you, or even something that someone said to you.
Are the songs a collaborative effort?
100%, everyone is bringing a piece of themselves.
Does the band have a main songwriter?
Not really, everyone is involved.
How does the music affect the lyrics and vice versa?
-It's all about the mood. The lyrics are usually the last part of our process. Music inspires vocal melodies and lyrics.
How would you describe the evolution of the band’s sound?
We are differently getting more mature in terms of sound and structure.
Name the Top 5 band influences of the band/ Top 5 Bands that your band sounds like that fans like.
-That’s not easy to narrow down, we love so many bands, from classic to modern, from hard rock to death metal, but we think our common and essential would be: Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, King Diamond and Testament.
What metal genres influence you as a band the most?
Classic heavy metal, NWOBHM, NWOTHM, Thrash and Power Metal
Describe the album as a whole
-It’s your nightmare that comes to life.
https://www.facebook.com/wabashnlake
Q&A with Wabash & Lake
Indy-How did the band form?
-We started as an acoustic project based around music that my wife Krista Lundemo had written, and before long she mentioned wanting to go heavier. Tom Smalling, and I have a long background together playing music in metal bands, so it felt right. I moved from playing bass back to guitar, and then we added Jay Smalling into the bass position. From there we started writing new material and even turning a couple acoustic songs into bangers.
Indy-How did you come up with the band’s name?
- Tom is a big fan of The Matrix, and in the first movie they use the corner of Wabash & Lake as an exit point. He mentioned that he always thought it would be a cool band name. At the time we felt like it matched our acoustic vibe, and when we went electric we stuck with it.
Indy-Which song does the band like playing live the most?
-I can't speak for everyone, but our song "Ghosts" is probably my favorite to play. It's got a cool vibe and it works well for me to just jam out on. It's got a lot of cool backing tracks also which always makes it feel like a much bigger song than it is haha.
Indy-What process do you use when writing and recording?
- Writing generally starts with either an idea that Krista has vocally, or a guitar riff or even whole song that I have. We try to take a "vocals come first" approach to our writing, it's really what the general listener is there to hear. So once we feel like we've got a good foundation, we'll drop it on the other guys. Sometimes we've got a drum idea or general feel we hear and Tom and Jay bring that to life. The whole process is also demoed as we write, we use clicks live so it helps to go ahead and nail those things down.
As for recording, our good friend Dustin Ridder of Bullet Ride Productions does all of our producing/recording/mixing/mastering. He also plays a big role in all of the cool extra layers of synths and effects in our songs. He's the 5th unofficial member I'd say.
Indy-What was the best gig you’ve ever played?
- I'm going to have to say Gunsmoke Sessions 2023. It's awesome to be around and share the stage with all the incredible talent from Kansas and surrounding states.
Indy-What was the worst gig you ever played?
- You know, I don't think we've had a bad experience yet. Though we don't play out that often, we've always been surrounded by killer bands and a good community here around the Wichita Area.
Indy-What advice would you give new rock musicians forming a band?
- Stick with it. Practice on your own, practice together, practice with the metronome. Take your time and don't get ahead of yourself. If you're writing music that you enjoy then you're winning, and there's bound to be someone out there that enjoys your music too. Have fun!
Indy-How do you balance band life with your home life?
- Well every one of us has a full-time job, families, kids, etc. Krista and I have been married for over 10 years, Tom and Jay are brothers, so family Matters a lot to all of us. Just try to make the best out of it and get together as often as we can. And then really try to hit the practice outside of band practice. We don't get to play out a lot but that makes every time we do even more special.
Indy-What has been the band’s biggest challenge to date?
- Covid was probably our first Big Challenge. We had a few dates lined up, we were writing and recording music and then we had to stop. Then in 2022-2023 Krista and I had our 3rd child so we went on a hiatus. But we're back now, and ready to go!
Indy-What changes would you like to see in the music industry?
- Us in it! Lol
Actually I'd have to say the artist taking the backburner to the money. If you can't afford to sell your own merch due to venue merch cuts, and your not making money off of royalties/streaming, it's not reasonable for a lot of artists to keep going. None of us personally depend on money from our music, it's more of a life long passion and weekend warrior type situation for us. But it's a real problem that needs a solution.
Indy-Any last words?
- We are just excited about our future as a band and getting our name out there. We appreciate you taking the time to interview us!
INTERVIEW WAS WITH:
- Eliot Lundemo, guitarist @ Wabash & Lake
Q&A With XFears
Indy-How did the band form?
- The band was formed in 2002 when Gabriel met Gilmar Cazagrande and the former guitar player Marcelo at the high school. They found that the musical taste used to be very similar (Prog Metal fans) and they joined to form the band.
Indy-How did you come up with the band’s name?
- The name is related to the human mind and feelings that all of us feel constantly. X = inumerous, fears = afraid of something... So this is a kind of thought, that we all have to face our fears in a certain way. And we all have a lot of them.
Indy-Which song does the band like playing live the most?
- 'Hell is Here' is our main song until now, the most known song, also we paid a tribute to the band Nevermore, with the song 'Believe in Nothing'
Indy-What process do you use when writing and recording?
- Is comes very naturally, talking about the melodies and also about the lyrics, the compositions are totally created freely. But we compose all the songs first and then we match them with some lyrics.
Indy-What was the best gig you’ve ever played?
- By now the best gig was to open Geoff Tate's concert, in Jan, 23 in Brazil.
Indy-What was the worst gig you ever played?
- The worst was the first concert of the band live, in 2021, we were so nervous!
Indy-What advice would you give new rock musicians forming a band?
- Do it for yourself and with your heart. Don't expect anything in exchange.
Indy-How do you balance band life with your home life?
- We need to keep a very organized calendar, and be sure that the band is not taking so much personal life time.
Indy-What has been the band’s biggest challenge to date?
- We're facing it right now, we're recording the second album, and the challenge is to make it better than the first album.
Indy-What changes would you like to see in the music industry?
- I'd like to see more passion for the music. A lot of artists don't put their hearts through the music, they do it only as a matter of money. And also I'd like to have people wanting to have the physical material of the bands, to consume the content better, with more attention. It's different when you listen to an album on a vynil or on a CD instead digitally.
Indy-Any last words?
- I'd like to thank the Indy Rock Network for supporting small bands and I'd like to invite all of you to know more about XFEARS. We have a lot of good videos on Youtube (youtube.com/xfearsmetal). And thank you for reading this interview!
INTERVIEW WAS WITH:
- Gabriel Carvalho, XFEARS founder, singer and keyboard player.
Q&A with Ash And The Arsonists
Indy-How did the band form?
-Ash and the Arsonists formed after i placed 4th at the NCI JAM 2014. It was a singing contest on the Aboriginal radio station that happens every year, it gave me the confidence boost to go out and try be a front man of a band.
Indy-How did you come up with the band’s name?
-originally i wanted to go create a solo project but my band members at the time (my brother and cousin) wanted to join as well. So i decided to put my name into a band name which would recognize both entities.
Indy-Which song does the band like playing live the most?
-depends. Sometimes its our singles which were the most refined songs to play that people would know from us like “Those Days” or “I Don’t Care” or the more aggressive fun riffs of our song “Contender”
Indy-What process do you use when writing and recording?
-when we are writing its either a jam that the whole band came up with, or its from me demoing and editing a track that i bring to the band.
Indy-What was the best gig you’ve ever played?
-i think it would be the last two at the Pyramid Cabaret and at the Park Theatre.
Indy-What was the worst gig you ever played?
-i think there’s more bad gigs than good lol we did a festival last year and i started to lose my voice. So that show suffered.
Indy-What advice would you give new rock musicians forming a band?
-Learn to do everything, even the parts that no one wants to do. You kinda gotta treat it like a job, there’s fun parts to it and there’s not so fun parts. You get what you put in and be patient.
Indy-How do you balance band life with your home life?
-It can be hard because sometimes life just takes over and you have to work around that. I think trying to be patient in planning things out is the best way to keep yourself grounded.
Indy-What has been the band’s biggest challenge to date?
-keeping the band going. Again life changes, people change, everything changes, keeping the motivation up to persevere.
Indy-What changes would you like to see in the music industry?
-hmm well I guess the one thing that comes to mind is how most local rock radio only plays all the bands that have been grandfathered in. I think we need to stop focusing so much on nostalgia and give more newer bands a try.
Indy-Any last words?
-Everyday is a blessing, God bless you.
INTERVIEW WAS WITH:
-Ash from Ash and the Arsonists
Q&A With Lead Worm
Indy-How did the band form?
- I wrote and recorded an 11 track album. In 2016, I placed an ad on an Adelaide musicians facebook group. Looking for bassist, drummer and a keyboardist. Jona and Dave replied, we met up at Sunset Rehearsals for a jam and clicked.
Indy-How did you come up with the band’s name?
- Used an online band name generator, it was the first name it generated and I liked the way it sounded. There’s also controversy around how it’s pronounced “Lead” or “Led”. This has resulted in the creation of some funny memes.
Indy-Which song does the band like playing live the most?
- I’ve always wanted to write my own “Smells like teen spirit” song and came up with “I Crave You”. It has a classic grunge cleanish intro that breaks into a heavy guitar distortion vibe. Lots of fun to play and always has a great sing-a-long atmosphere with the crowd, even if you don’t know the song.
Indy-What process do you use when writing and recording?
- Mostly start with a guitar riff or keyboard sample and then see what emotions it evokes and then that dictates the lyrics and melody. We kind of had a 3 minute rule, no song should be longer than that. We don’t always stick to that rule if it’s a natural progression and the song takes a different direction. All our tracks are recorded on a very simple amateur home studio. They don’t come out perfect because of this, but it’s debatable whether to record professionally and the songs/album make no money and you lose. We’ve got a lot of songs and just want to get them out there.
Indy-What was the best gig you’ve ever played?
- We’ve played on big stages but it’s always the smaller intimate venues that stick. A particular gig at the Colonel Light hotel stands out. We had a lot of mates in the crowd singing along and then the venue switched the power off because we had gone past the curfew time. That created a small riot.
Indy-What was the worst gig you ever played?
- It was February 2020 and the Covid Pandemic had arrived in Adelaide and was all over the local news. We were playing a gig and somehow knew that this might be our last gig for a while. There was a lot of uncertainty and a weird vibe, everyone stopped shaking hands or hugging each other. It felt like the end of society was upon us.
Indy-What advice would you give new rock musicians forming a band?
- There’s no exact science on how to make a no. 1 hit or becoming a rich and successful rock band. I’ve wasted a lot of time trying to figure that equation out. So just fearlessly be yourself, do what feels natural and have fun doing it. Also, a large part of why people come to your show after you’ve managed to drag them away from Netflix, is to be entertained, and the size of your ego will never compensate for that.
Indy-How do you balance band life with your home life?
- Realising that trying to commit too much time to band and music to make quick progress is no substitute for lost time spent with family. This is something you unfortunately always only realise too late. Find ways to incorporate the two together. I drive my family nuts by involving them in recording projects and turning and sounds they make into samples for dance tracks.
Indy-What has been the band’s biggest challenge to date?
- We’ve changed band members consistently over the past 6 years. Trying to keep everyone happy and interested while life happens on the side is challenging. It’s awesome when everyone has the same vision and expectations but maintaining that illusion is tricky as reality always sobers you up.
Indy-What changes would you like to see in the music industry?
- Big Day Out is a good example. That gave local bands aspirations and an opportunity of playing at the same festival as other major acts and then it stopped and nothing has really replaced it. Here’s another idea and maybe a controversial one, but I’ve always believed in not charging your friends and family to come watch you play at a gig. These aren’t the people you should be making money from, they’re the ones that should always be coming and creating a crowded atmosphere. Looks great for gig photos and for the venues marketing vibe.
Indy-Any last words?
- All the new artificial intelligence stuff happening in the world now has opened some interesting doors and enabled a lot of people. Looking forward to seeing how the music industry evolves around them. We definitely enjoy the new concepts and got some music videos coming out that utilizes them. It’s been fun playing with them. What a time to be alive.
INTERVIEW WAS WITH:
- Michael Van (Vocals, guitar)
Cheers.
Michael Van
Q&A with Feed After Midnite
Indy-How did the band form?
Long time friends and band members Marc, Denis and Yvon decided to submit a demo they did for a local Battle of the Bands contest and were chosen to play one of the shows. Problem was the guys didn’t really have a band, the song they submitted was only the 3 of them doing all the instruments and vocals. They pulled off the show and had a blast performing, they decided to form a band again. This time Yvon was on vocals instead of drums, Denis was on guitar instead of bass and Dom and Dylan were brought in to cover drums and bass. This felt like the formation of a new band so it was decided a new name would be needed. Feed After Midnite was born March 2018.
Indy-How did you come up with the band’s name?
We had our first show booked but didn’t have a band name yet and the promoter needed a name by the next day. During a break from practice, the band was trying to come up with a name with no luck, looking for inspiration, we looked through books on Marc’s bookshelf, when we found a novel for the movie Gremlins, someone said “don’t feed them after midnight” and we all looked at each other, someone said what about the opposite, Feed after Midnight, we all agreed but decided to change it up a bit with the spelling of Midnite.
Indy-Which song does the band like playing live the most?
Our most favorite songs to play live is a split between False Awakening and Book Of The Fallen.
Indy-What process do you use when writing and recording?
Song writing for us is always a collective effort. The majority of our material comes from recordings we make of our improvisational jams. Right from the start of the song writing process we collaborate, when picking what is good material from the recordings, deciding if the part we picked sounds like a verse or a chorus or some other part, arranging the parts we picked into a structure. By the end of the process everyone involved has left their mark on the work.
Indy-What was the best gig you’ve ever played?
We are fortunate to have had the opportunities to open for some bigger more known acts like BuckCherry and Beasto Blanco. As far as best or worst gig its hard to say specifically we have fun every time we perform and face challenges that we have to over come.
Indy-What advice would you give new rock musicians forming a band?
Experience is the best teacher. Record yourself when practicing and performing. You will learn more about what sounds/looks good quicker by watching/listening after the fact. Don’t wait until you think you’re good enough to put yourself out there. You should make music with as many other people as you can.
Indy-How do you balance band life with your home life?
None of us are really full time musicians, Although we all play our instruments at a professional level we don’t make a living off of music. The band is a serious hobby none the less, with aspirations of building it in to something more, so balancing home and band life isn't too difficult at the moment.
Indy-What has been the band’s biggest challenge to date?
To date the biggest challenge has been finding and keeping a bass player. When Dylan left the band in the fall of 2022, that wasn't the first time he quit on us in fact in 2019 when not much was happening band wise he bailed, only to ask to rejoin the next year when things seemed to be picking up with Sean taking over drums. We held auditions in the fall of 2022 to find a replacement. We choose a guy that was a really good player and he was interested and we all got along great things were looking up! We did 3 shows with this guy and just like out of the blue he texts to the band chat he can't be the band anymore and then ghosts us completely!?
Indy-What changes would you like to see in the music industry?
De-centralization is a recurring theme in the last couple decades or so. With people taking the solutions to what ails them health wise more and more back to natural type remedy/foods and into their own hands. The creation and rise of cryptocurrency signals people's desires to take back control of their finances away from government corruption with “sound money” like Bitcoin. So true with the music industry I think the Internet has already revolutionized the industry with social media allowing artists to interact more directly with their audience. Now with the ease at which artists can self produce and distribute high quality content the need for a record/production company is becoming more of an option and less necessity. So the thing that I would like to see change is in fact happening.
Indy-Any last words?
Thank You so much for your interest in independent bands and your efforts to spread the word about the awesome music that's out there
INTERVIEW WAS WITH:
Interview done by Sean Bolster- Drummer
Q&A with Black Hole
Indy-How did the band form?
I founded the band with friends of mine, just for fun and pleasure to play together as it can be when you’re 22 years old and to be honest I never expected that we would be still here in 2023 !!!!
Indy-How did you come up with the band’s name?
At first we called the band "No Mercy" name that choose or first guitarist Thierry “Dess”, and unfortunately one year after we discover that there was Boys band called “No mercy” So we decided to change the name to Black Hole. For us it symbolize a very powerful energy which can destroy everything it absorb, which we find really cool and it the same way it’ sounds nice when you tell it, Blaaaack Hooole …No ?Lol
Indy-Which song does the band like playing live the most?
From the former album "Lost World" we still use to play "Better days" and "No more Hope" and on our Last Album "Whirlwind of Mad Men" it's "Chasing The Kraken", "Never Surrender","My Friend", "Dark Horizon", "Walking with the Devil" and "Whirlwind of Mad Men ". We use to play the most powerful songs, or those where the public can sing with and which are more songs made for live. But we can already adapt the set in the way of the bands we play with it depends if it's more metal or more progressive.
Indy-What process do you use when writing and recording?
Matthieu (the guitarist) and Christophe (keyboardist) are the main composers. The lyrics are written by Fabio (singer), Christophe (keyboardist) and Me. About recording Guitar Keyboard and bass have been recorded by the musicians by themselves and about drum and Voices I recorded them in my own home studio. I also make editions all together and then I send the full project to Roland Grapow who made mixing and mastering in his studio.
Indy-What was the best gig you’ve ever played?
I think for all the band it will be the release of our last album on 8 october 2022 there were lot's of people and many friends come to support us, the light show was great, good sound a nice organisation....it's also perhaps we didn't imagine that it would work so well.
Indy-What was the worst gig you ever played?
We had the opportunity to play at skull crush but it was in 2022 and we had to replace two weeks before Wizard who couldn't come. There were few person which were disappointed and our singer left his voice 3 days before the show. We didn't want to cancel too so we already made the concert but it was very difficult for Fabio. Finally it was already cool because people understand and support us. It's true that metal heads are very complaisant in such situations.
Indy-What advice would you give new rock musicians forming a band?
The most important thing for me it's human in a band. You have to play with people who like the same things and with which you feel well. Of course the members of the band has to be good musicians but it's also very important when you choose a new member that it suits with the rest of the band and also that he is able to support me (Laugh)
Indy-How do you balance band life with your home life?
To be honest we don't live from our music it's true that music takes us a lot of time and energy but it's the same for every passion in life. About me I have the chance to have a wife who supports me in my passion and who knows how important it is for me. When I met her I told her I had a mistress, my "Drum" !!!!
Indy-What has been the band’s biggest challenge to date?
A few years ago we had a lot of line up changes and for a moment we were only our singer, one guitarist and me. It was very difficult not to stop the adventure at this moment. More recently I naturally think about the pandemic and the lock down which was very difficult for all the bands I know. Fortunately it happens during the composition and recording of our new album which helps us to stay in contact and have a motivation in keeping the band active even if we didn't know at this moment what the future would be. As you noticed many bands have stopped during these difficult two years.
Indy-What changes would you like to see in the music industry?
This is not an obvious question. I will try to be as brief as possible. First of all I think that the way of consuming music has totally changed with the streaming platforms, it has good and bad sides. It allows you to discover many bands in a few clicks but as a result people don't necessarily have the need or the desire to buy physical CD's and unfortunately this is what allows bands to live today. So it pushes bands to release albums as often as possible with sometimes a decrease in the quality of the compositions as well as in the production. Anyway, many people say that the physical medium as we know it is going to disappear in the next few years. Personally I think it's a pity but the way of consumption and communication has totally changed and it's true that for small bands it's becoming more and more complicated to get known and it requires a lot of investment in terms of time and money.
Indy-Any last words?
I want to thank all the support webzines who help bands like us to make us known. Thank you very much !!! Thank you Indy and for those who didn't already listen to our new album I hope this interview will give you the interest to put an ear to it !!!!
INTRODUCING... S-I
Indy-How did the band form?
(Rick)-Started as many bands do, in a basement or some dirty garage somewhere, during the 90’s.
Early 2019, myself and high school friend, Jeff Ashlar(vocalist), decided, finally, to professionally record some material I had written over the years and ended up with the current, self titled,EP. After mixing/mastering was complete and prior to release, we went on the search for the rest of the band. We happened across Duane Keiver (Bassist) sometime in November of 2019. We had a very informal audition….I think it involved a lot of gin,….in my dining room. We connected right away with Duane, his attitude and sound was a great fit, he came prepared and left a little inebriated…..
(Rick) Sometime in December of 2019, Duane got word of Ken Paul (Drummer). Ken was reluctant at first to even try out, he had his drums in storage for a couple of months due to an unpleasant experience he had with his previous band. He was on the verge of quitting drums altogether. Lucky for us he decided to audition. Again, we connected, …..no gin this time….
We set up a few more rehearsals, got pretty tight in less than 3 months and played our first show. Well, it was only 7 songs but a great start. In 2021 due to personal conflict, Jeff, on good terms, exited the band and we were on the hunt for a new frontman. Although this took almost a year we managed to stay together, had a few sessions until June 2022 we came across Dino Vizzutti. Dino’s a great frontman, has a great attitude, a great addition to S I. Into 2023 we decided to add to our live sound and we auditioned for a 2nd guitarist, Daniel Beeson-Bergeron. We’ve only had a couple of rehearsals with Daniel…a great addition to the band
Indy-How did you come up with the band’s name?
(Rick) I had this other band name in mind for a while which had a logo ……no one else really liked the name but the logo caught everyones eye so we went with the logo and added the symbol in the middle…hindsight, it is an odd name and doesn’t translate well into the technology we use everyday….look for S I on the internet and you get Sports Illustrated….Dammit!! It is pronounced as letters….ESS (space) EYE….S I with a sideways ~. Open for interpretation.
Indy-Which song does the band like playing live the most?
(Rick) I wanna say Running Down….it’s our opening song and it has energy to it that is easily pushed to the audience. We like to play all of our songs live!!
Indy-What process do you use when writing and recording?
(Rick) Most of the time I build off a riff that I either sit down to create or just happen to come up with while practicing . Playing it over and over again, different variations. Once I have a main riff I then work from there adding verse riffs, chorus riffs. I then build the structure from the outside in I guess. Once I have a structured layout I send it to the other guys to add their pieces. Often I have a layout for the song even with vocal melodies and bass riffs for the rest of the band to work from, adding, removing, recreating.
Indy-What was the best gig you’ve ever played?
(Rick) I would say our debut show. We had less than 3 months to prepare and we nailed it. I think we had maybe 6 jam sessions under our belts at the time. But I’d like to add that every “next” gig is the best gig.
Indy-What was the worst gig you ever played?
(Rick)-We’ve only have had a handful of gigs since formation but during the COVID years (that’s a thing now), we had a show we played with a few other bands, we all just wanted to play. The shitty thing was the Plexiglas that was on stage….it really got you down but, hey, we were playing and that’s all that mattered at the time. Another show was more disappointing than awful. The show itself was great but the live feed they had as part of the festival had technical difficulties during our set. The live feed had no sound until the last few minutes of our set.This was a little disappointing as we were going to use the live footage for promo. We managed to splice the live video with a live audio recording at least for one of the tunes.
Indy-What advice would you give new rock musicians forming a band?
(Rick) Make sure the individuals involved have the same attitude and vision. It’s difficult enough to have 3 or 4 individuals put together material without having drama or divas in the mix.
Indy-How do you balance band life with your home life?
(Rick) It’s difficult, we all have different schedules, jobs, etc. We pretty much wing it for rehearsals trying to at least once every 2 weeks. We all came into this project knowing that. We all work around each others lives. As for individual balance, it’s just like anything you love to do…..you find time.
Indy-What has been the band’s biggest challenge to date?
(Rick) Jam Space for sure……we were without for a few months, it kind puts you down for scheduling any shows due to not being able to rehearse. This was during our search for Dino so it wasn’t too bad. We Found a a great place, had it for a couple of months then lost it. After that, I opened up my dining room until we found our current studio
Indy-What changes would you like to see in the music industry?
(Rick) There is sooo much music out there, good music too. I don’t know what changes I would like to see that would even make a difference.
Streaming revenue increase would be a start. Really? $0.006 per stream? We are all fighting the system!!
Indy-Any last words?
(Rick) What Indy Rock Network is doing is great! They allow another avenue for artists to present their work. All Indy bands out there, support each other, like & follow, subscribe, share each other!
INTERVIEW WAS WITH:
-Rick Blackfärn
Q&A WITH AITTALA
Indy-How did the band form?
The original incarnation of Aittala was formed in 1991 while I (Eric) was stationed in Holland with the US military. The band was starting to gain some traction on the Dutch metal scene, but, after a couple years, I had to leave Holland as my military contract ended and the band was inactive for 15 years (by my choice) In 2008 after relocating to North Carolina, I decided to resurrect the band and have been active ever since releasing 6 full length albums (including the upcoming album) along with 1 EP (released in 1993). The current line-up of AITTALA consists of Gary 'Zeus' Smith (joined in 2012) on drums and Ali Lugo (joined 2019) on bass.
Indy-How did you come up with the band’s name?
First, a lesson on how to pronounce it correctly since I know your readers are wondering. It’s pronounced 'EYE-tah-la' with emphasizes on the first syllable. It’s Finnish in origin. The band name is my last name (Eric-guitar/vocals). But ironically, I didn’t originally name the band. As mentioned, the original band was formed in 1991 when I was living in Holland while I was in the US military, I formed band with an American singer (his wife was in the military) and a couple Dutch guys. I already had quite a few songs written and we were learning those songs as we were organizing the band. When it came time to decide on a band name, we tossed around numerous names, but either the name was taken or it didn’t seem to fit the style of music (sometimes band names immediately classify a band’s genre). Then the singer said, ‘let’s just call it ‘Aittala’ since we’re playing the songs you wrote and it’s ambiguous to a specific genre’. And here we are!
Indy-Which song does the band like playing live the most?
I'd say the song 'Juliet'. It's always a crowd favorite. It was originally on the 2011 album 'Haunt Your Flesh' and that original version has a very industrial feel. When Gary (drummer) joined in 2012, we started playing the song live with a backing track (the song is mainly synths) and I added guitar. We stopped playing it for a few years, but after Ali (bass player) joined in 2019, we added it back to the set. For the 2022 released 'Live to Regret', we actually recorded an updated version of the song and will be re-releasing the original 2011 video with the new audio and other updates (coming in May!).
Indy-What process do you use when writing and recording?
When it comes to creating songs, it’s organic. As the main song writer of the band, when I’m writing music, I just put ideas down that I’m feeling. I don’t pay attention to the genre or try to force it into a genre; I just let it flow naturally. Once I have what I think are a few elements of a song that go together (like a verse riff, chorus riff and maybe some other parts), I’ll put them in a loose, basic structure. Then I’ll reference my lyric book that I’m constantly jotting down ideas or shaping lyric elements and I’ll match lyrics to the music in a way that I think sounds good. Once I have a solid base of a song, I’ll take input and suggestions from Gary and Ali and just keep working with the lyrics and song structure like clay until it’s a finished piece of work. For any final recording, we’ll go into a studio to record the drums. You need a lot of expensive microphones and a good sounding room to get a good drum sound. For everything else, I record it in my home studio. Then I’ll have someone else mix and then master it for the final product.
Indy-What was the best gig you’ve ever played?
Shows in Europe in general. The 2 times we went to Europe, even a 'bad' show, is still better than most US shows. Europe still loves metal and it shows!
Indy-What was the worst gig you ever played?
I'd say the worst in general is being the last band on a bill and getting stuck going on a 1am and then playing to a near empty room. But even with shows like that, even if you convince 1 person to become a new fan, it's worth it.
Indy-What advice would you give new rock musicians forming a band?
Don’t go into music with the goals of making money or becoming famous. Get into music because you have passion for it. Don’t trend jump and try to be part of the latest thing. By the time it’s the new thing, you’re probably too late to even try to get on the bandwagon. Write organically from your soul and people will feel it more.
Indy-How do you balance band life with your home life?
It's just planning. Being in a band at this level, doesn't bring in dependable income (well, really none). Luckily, everyone in the band has a good income and a flexible job, so, as long as we plan in advance, it's easy to have that balance.
Indy-What has been the band’s biggest challenge to date?
I'd say promotion and getting eyes on the band and music. There are so many bands vying for people's small attention span.
Indy-What changes would you like to see in the music industry?
Things being more favorable to the actual artist and musicians. You can't make any money from streaming unless you have millions of streams. Getting $.000005 (or whatever the ridiculous fraction of a cent a stream is) is a slap in the face, on top of that venues wanting merch cuts. Everyone wants to make money off music, but no one wants the artists to benefit.
Indy-Any last words?
Bands can't exist without fans. Support your local music scene as well as discovering new music from around the world!
Where do we find Aittala?
Our relevant social media links:
https://www.facebook.com/aittalamusic
https://twitter.com/aittalamusic
https://www.youtube.com/aittalamusic
https://www.instagram.com/aittalamusic
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/aittala/329425646
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7ENu5oFbtT2worUSksHjeP
INTERVIEW WAS WITH:
Eric Aittala - Guitar/vocals
Q&A with Reign Of Z
Indy-How did the band form?
The band formed in 2017. Z was in the process of moving back to California where a previous drummer said she could put a band together. She found three other members. Z and Berg are currently the original members.
Indy-How did you come up with the band’s name?
Berg (bass player) came up with the name. Z had gone to California and met with the former bass player of New Year’s Day. He encouraged her to name the band after her. She wasn’t having it. Berg caught on that Z’s former dog Reign was quite the catch online so he blurted out one day….everyone loves the dog so much why don’t we call it Reign of Z and it stuck.
Indy-Which song does the band like playing live the most?
Z’s favorite song live is probably cellophane. Berg’s favorite song is Cellophane.
Indy-What process do you use when writing and recording?
Z uses her iPhone to get ideas together and sends them off to our producers. Berg has the same process. Once we go back and forth on the ideas we head to NY to track.
Indy-What was the best gig you’ve ever played?
2018 warped tour
Indy-What was the worst gig you ever played?
Every band has bad shows but we always use them as learning curves.
Indy-What advice would you give new rock musicians forming a band?
Z- I would honestly tell the person to have realistic goals and always make sure you have a revenue stream to come home to if you’re touring. (berg) Set goals, and be realistic and don’t let anyone deter you from accomplishing those goals.
Indy-How do you balance band life with your home life?
(Z) I work constantly so the only time I get rest is when I sleep. Unfortunately in this industry it doesn’t sleep and there’s always things to be done and learn.
Indy-What has been the band’s biggest challenge to date?
(Berg) to stay up on all the platforms we have to be present and to continue to grow our fanbase digitally and tour.
Indy-What changes would you like to see in the music industry?
(Z) I would like industry people to start investing in bands. Everyone makes money but the bands. I want to see the people who hit up independent bands actually invest in them instead of always the band hemorrhaging money.
Indy-Any last words?
(Berg) Stay bearded and visit all of our links
Q&A with Eternal Now
Indy-How did the band form?
-The current lineup came together spring of 2022 after trying to lock down a new drummer after transitioning Jordan a.k.a the Gentle giant from drums to Bass, Jordan is the top bass player in Manitoba and possibly Canada, and we wanted to utilize his talents. We then added a rythm guitar player by Keith to compliment James' leads. We then came across Ryan Simon a professional studio drummer and everyone clicked, thus creating Eternal Now and it's new improved sound.
Indy-How did you come up with the band’s name?
-Singer/songwriter Chantelle Night "I came up with the name for the original lineup back in 2015, it's name holds a special meaning to always live in the moment, to be present in the now as it's our only place of power!" The name can hold a different meaning to each member and fans alike and can be interpreted in many ways.
Indy-Which song does the band like playing live the most?
- Our favorite song changes on a weekly basis and after every new song we create lol I think right now it would be Devil's on The Loose. Rockin tune. 🤘
Indy-What process do you use when writing and recording?
-We use a few different processes when it comes to writing/creating, sometimes we start with a whole riff or song concept that the very talented James Amero will pitch and we jump in and let the music take the lead, often we jam out something while noodling around and Chantelle leads with vocal melody she has in her head. It always happens very organically and we never try and make the music, we allow it to flow through us. Recording happens after we have solidified the songs and we will lay down tracks individually in studio and layer our creation.
Indy-What was the best gig you’ve ever played?
-Best gig I've ever played was at the Burton Cummings theatre, the stage and the sound and the experience was a dream, but every show where the fans are having fun and we get to rock on stage is the best!!
Indy-What was the worst gig you ever played?
-Im sure this will happen once we begin touring, but so far it's been a blast..
Indy-What advice would you give new rock musicians forming a band?
-Be a family, talk about everything, take everything with a grain of salt and never pay to play!!
Indy-How do you balance band life with your home life?
-Dedication. If you want it you make the time.
Indy-What has been the band’s biggest challenge to date?
-Just finding the time to get together with everyones schedules and home life and personal issues. But there haven't been many times.
Indy-What changes would you like to see in the music industry?
-local scene could use more supportive venues like Bulldogs Event Center where they support the artists and not vice versa. Wpg venues have created a bad scene where they ask the bands to support the venue and pay for the space rather than being hired by the venue to bring in patrons. Good bands will never support this scene and they miss out on having quality performers which would build a reputation for providing quality entertainment, rather they loose buisness by being a place where anyone can pay to get on stage and chase the crowd out the door.
Indy-Any last words?
-Dont stop Rockin, no matter what fight for what you believe in.
INTERVIEW WAS WITH:
-Chantelle Night of ETERNAL NOW
Indy- How did the band form?
Blade- It’s been a long time since I have been wanting to form a hair metal line up. During the 2020 pandemic, I was working on few songs & already had them recorded in my home studio. I posted some of those recordings along with an ad on social media and it was just couple days after when Fangs (bass) & I crossed paths. Soon after, we started writing some songs together & later on, Flash (drums) joined & then Jagur (vocals) came on board & completed the lineup.
Indy- How did you come up with the band’s name?
Blade- It was easy! We wanted something catchy and easy to remember, something Canadian you know? Lÿnx just went perfectly with our theme!
Indy- Which song does the band like playing live the most?
Blade- Honestly we love playing all our songs live! But if we gotta pick one I guess it’ll be Long Live Rock n’ Roll, we all love it & live by it!
Indy- What process do you use when writing and recording?
Blade- We work as a team! Usually I first come up with the idea/topic & compose the song accordingly. Fangs then writes most of the lyrics to match the theme. Jagur & Flash then share their ideas & feedback & eventually it somehow gets done I guess haha!
Indy- What was the best gig you’ve ever played?
Blade- We played quite a few! Most of them were great as we really enjoyed playing for some of the best crowds! It’s always great fun on stage!
But the best one for me will always be our first show which was on Halloween 2021 night- that one is always special & one to remember forever!
Indy- What was the worst gig you’ve ever played?
Blade- Well, there’s quite a few here too haha. But in my experience, there’s not any bad show that I’ve had with Lÿnx. I actually had some bad experience with my previous band. We played in a sketchy bar in front of 3 or 4 drunk people. There was no stage or anything, it was dark & the place smelled funny. That has to be my worst live playing experience till date!
Indy- What advice would you give new rock musicians forming a band?
Blade- A band is a team work, so it’s really important to involve the right people from the get go. Plan everything & set your goals before forming a band. It’s fun, exciting & hell of a ride. So be yourself, stay motivated & trust me the end result will be worth it.
Indy- How do you balance band life with your home life?
Blade- It’s definitely tough & can get challenging when you’re trying to juggle both. But it’s a matter of balancing everyday. Also, I feel I’m lucky as my wife is very supportive & tries her best to help me out in this journey as much as she can which makes things really easy for me.
Indy- What has been the band’s biggest challenge to date?
Blade- To keep each other motivated! It can some times get tricky. As I said earlier, a band is a team work & a long journey which begins with the common love of music & passion but requires a lot of commitment from each member. It’s a bumpy ride for sure! The downs can demotivate you quickly. So we always try to motivate each other by keeping ourselves busy, whether that means coming up with new stuffs or prepping for shows.
Indy- What changes would you like to see in the music industry?
Blade- Well, just like everything else music has also evolved with time. Presently technology has taken over everything. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against technology. But I feel like people should learn their craft solid and then use technology to their advantage. But nowadays people are just using technology without learning the craft first. I’d love to see that shift in the industry where learning the craft is the first priority.
Indy- Any last words?
Blade- Thanks for the interview. Long live Rock n’ Roll.
INTERVIEW WAS WITH:
Blade, Guitar player of Lÿnx
INTERVIEW WITH
TAYLER "IZZY LYXX" MORGAN
OF DEAD LEVEE
Indy-How did the band form?
- The band formed back in December of 2017. At this time I was just meeting the guys in the band, touring around the prairies playing the opening set of each show. By 2019 I joined the band as the bass player and as of May 2022, I’ve been taking on
Lead Vocals as well as Bass. With Ray Klapatiuk on Lead Guitar, Rylan “Buck” Dusyk on Slide Guitar, and Preston Laschuk on Drums.
Indy-How did you come up with the band’s name?
- From what I’ve gathered over the years, Ray and the guys were on the way to the first day of recording the first record and they needed a different name due to a singer change. The band was listening to Led Zeppelin’s “When The Levee Breaks” and Ray suggested Dead Levee, and everyone was in agreement of the name.
Indy-Which song does the band like playing live the most?
- Shout has been getting an amazing response since it was released. Though, there are a lot of unreleased songs that we’re performing that have been getting lots of love too.
Indy-What process do you use when writing and recording?
- It usually starts with a riff idea or a hook then we jam it, gradually finding an idea of where it’s going. Then we record a quick demo of it, take it home, think of pieces and parts that would complement the riff or hook and bring it back to the group. Ray and
myself are the main songwriters / lyricists of the group so the lyrics are generally written by both or either of us. Whereas Preston and Buck are great at coming up with music pieces and bringing great ideas to the songs.
Indy-What was the best gig you’ve ever played?
- There are lots of incredible shows we’ve got to be a part of. So far as this 4-piece lineup, Tralapa Music Festival was one of the overall better ones, personally. Great people running the show over there, as well as a great stage and we were lucky enough to have played the direct support slot for one of our favourite canadian rock bands, Monster Truck.
Indy-What was the worst gig you ever played?
- We’ve played a handful of “worst gigs” in the past 6 years, but that’s part of touring as a newer band. You’re going to have to cut your teeth a few times to figure out what works and build a reputation in different cities and venues.
Indy-What advice would you give new rock musicians forming a band?
- Create often and don’t doubt what you’re creating, Then tour the hell out of it.
Indy-How do you balance band life with your home life?
- It can be extremely tough but it’s something we all love to do and I can see it on all of the boys' faces during shows or when we’re creating something real cool. We’re passionate about it and you can tell when we perform on stage.
Indy-What has been the band’s biggest challenge to date?
- There are definitely a lot of challenges that we’ve had to overcome. From member changes to manager issues, but one of the bigger challenges is touring in a vast area where the next nearest big city, Saskatoon, is 260 kilometres away. Market size is spaced out in the prairies, but the long open roads are also some of the more beautiful views I’ve seen across Canada and we have had some of the best shows in
the prairies.
Indy-What changes would you like to see in the music industry?
- Not that it’s all about the money, but the vast majority of musicians go out of pocket and some go into a hole trying to showcase their art and hard work. The best way to support touring bands is by purchasing merchandise at their shows and sharing them
on socials.
Indy-Any last words?
- Give a listen to Dead Levee’s latest single and come check out a show if were in your
city!
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR DEAD LEVEE