I forget now if came across the song Quiet Storm while creating a reel on Instagram or if I discovered it through a Spotify shuffle. No matter, I’ll always check out the profile of the artist on socials and check out the rest of their music after I discover a song I love. Shierro (and his aliases) has such a big collection of beautiful songs to enjoy – whether you are just chilling or wanting to pump up your day with some positive vibes.
Shierro’s self-described music genre: “Lofi Hip Hop, “Jazz Hop” and “Chill Beats” includes too many tracks to name. A few recent tracks include: No Worries (Shierro), When I Close My Eyes (Shierro x Yestalgia), Digital Sunshine (Shierro x Yestalgia), Changes (Eaup x Shierro), and Garden of Dreams (Yestalgia x Lawrence Walther x Shierro).
Check out the Spotify links below for quick access to his music:
Based in the Netherlands, Shierro is a beatmaker and producer. He’s constantly experimenting with new sounds and pumping out individually produced and collaborative tunes.
Interview
Me: Hey Shierro! It’s so cool to have this opportunity to interview a musician with millions of streams across music platforms. I was looking for good chill/lounge music for a long time, but I couldn’t find anything that I could listen to for hours until I came across your music. The nice thing too, is that you do a lot of collaboration work – so there’s always a fresh different sound. BTW – love your self-promo hoodie in the picture above! How did you get into producing your own music and what’s your favourite part about collaboration work?
Shierro: Hi there! Thank you for having me here. As for the first question, I started producing music in the late 90s, which was more dance-oriented, to be more specific – I was producing hardcore house, which was a huge musical genre in the Netherlands and even evolved into a unique subculture which I could best describe as the ‘gabber scene’, which I was part of, so making music in that style was an obvious choice back then. To take little step back, when hanging out with friends, someone introduced me to making music on the computer. I gave it a try and I was hooked right away. Unfortunately, the internet wasn’t that big at the time and there were no tutorials online about how to do things like we have nowadays, so I just dived in and learned along the way. Getting my music out there was also a bit of a struggle, as I had to burn CDs with my demo tracks and send those to labels, hoping I wrote down the right address and wondering if I would hear from them ever again. There was no social media, there were no streaming platforms or any other places to showcase your music like nowadays. It was a tiresome and uncertain process and after a few years I just lost interest making music – the producing part of making music mainly, as I picked up the guitar as a hobby. Then a few years back, my nephew Roelo (artist) asked me about the music program I used for making my music back in the day, and asked me if I could help him getting started making some beats. I booted up the program and the spark was ignited again and I haven’t looked back since.
About my favorite part working with other artists, well, for starters, I am really good at starting new musical projects, but I am terrible at finishing songs, so having someone working on the track with fresh ears and new vision is amazing. Blending styles and make something happening is just an awesome thing. I also learn a lot from the other artists as well in the process, and it is just cool to meet like-minded people and build a connection with them.
Me: It’s cool that Roelo is into beat making as well. I see that Momentum is a collab between you guys and you have other ones too. I recently discovered and just interviewed Canadian musician Nathaniel Sutton. When I listened to his instrumental music (produced under Defend the Rhino) I thought of you and how amazing it would be if you guys did a collab – hint, hint…
You produce music under different aliases such as Kid Kio and Moon Ghetto. Are you trying to achieve something in particular by doing so and what differentiates your projects?
Shierro: Releasing under different aliases gives me room to experiment with different styles and also more opportunities to release music. Shierro is my main alias and tracks released through that range from more poppy and jazzy upbeat lofi to more dark, ambient and experimental. These tracks are more produced and detailed. I think the Shierro tracks have a more distinct sound – at least that is what people tend to say. Kid Kio releases are your more traditional cozy and dreamy lofi hip hop, and as Moon Ghetto I release more soul influenced and jazz hop kind of beats.
Me: All of your music is great. For me, which song I listen to depends on my mood. I really like the artwork and animation clips for your music on your socials. I don’t see any credits for them, so wondering if you are the digital artist?
Shierro: Haha, no. Most animation clips are provided by the labels, so I just post them.
Me: Well that clarifies that! I’ve used so many of your tunes in my IG reels and stories. I love the organic feel and vibe of your music. What inspires your music?
Shierro: That’s a difficult question for me to answer, but mostly when starting a new musical project I have a particular mood in mind. Sometimes I want to make something upbeat and jazzy, and sometimes I just want to make something more complex, melancholic and nuanced. I want people to feel something when they listen to my music. That is something that really inspires me and keeps me going.
Me: You are definitely successful at creating moods. I don’t fully understand how music is produced. Do you start with a particular instrument sound in your mind and build on that? Can you briefly describe the process?
Shierro: Every artist has their own way of starting a new song, but what works for me most of the time, is to start with a chord progression, setting a stage and build everything around that. Then come the countermelodies, effects, arrangements, bass, percussion and so on. I approach making music like painting a picture, visualizing the progress and the story as I go. It is a bit hard to explain, but I hope this makes sense, haha.
Me: It makes total sense. What I love about life is that there’s always something new to learn. I’ve heard of chill and jazz music, but what exactly is lofi?
Shierro: ‘Lofi’ comes from the term “lo-fi”, which comes from “Low Fidelity”. When making Lofi Hip Hop, the quality of the sounds are lower than the usual contemporary standards, making it sound warmer, more vintage and more organic. And this is the aesthetic we want to create when making lofi beats. It just gives this more cozy, warm and chill feeling.
Me: Very cool. On September 11, 2021, you posted that Quiet Storm hit ten million streams on Spotify. Congratulations! It’s one my favourite songs so far. I listen to Disconnect, Weightless and Wintersun (Kid Kio/Majko) a lot and play your music at work in the background. Forget traditional elevator music! What thoughts go through your mind when your music is reaching so many ears?
Shierro: Thank you. Well, Quiet Storm surpassed 20 million streams, which are crazy, crazy numbers. It is really hard to describe the feeling, knowing so many people listen to your music. It is just so surreal! To be honest, when I take a peek at my streaming numbers, I mostly just sit and stare at my screen thinking “This can’t be real.” It really excites me and motivates me even more to keep making music.
Me: Wow…20 million – that’s absolutely fantastic! You aren’t only a super-talented musician/producer, you’re really nice too. I was surprised to get a response back from you on my comment about buying your track When I Close My Eyes. You wrote “Really? I just could send you the track for free, haha. Although, I appreciate it very much!” I write about this a lot, but meeting genuine and positive people around this world makes me happy. It feels good to know that kindness still exists. On that note – fill in the blank: “If everyone _____________, the world would be a better place.”
Shierro: I wouldn’t say I am a super-talented musician/producer at all, haha. When I think of someone super-talented, I think of someone who does something with ease, without even trying. As for me, well, I still struggle sometimes working on my music and have so called ‘beat blocks’, but this also keeps me motivated to keep learning new things, think outside the box, see progression and move forward, but thank you for saying that.
For filling in the blank….”If everyone was less ignorant and more understanding, the world would be a better place.” It sounds a bit pretentious, but you never really know what is going on in someone’s life, and what personal battle they are fighting at the moment.
Me: …and modest too! So true that we don’t know what’s going on with people, yet people are quick to judge others.
Here in Canada, our local independent music doesn’t get much, if any, airtime on radio stations. I stopped listening to the radio a long time ago because they always play the same old songs. I’m so proud of musicians for the music they create for the world. Seriously, our world would be so quiet without music like yours. I feel that it’s my life mission to share amazing music. Do radio stations in the Netherlands support local independent music? Also, what are some of the challenges that you face when promoting your music?
Shierro: Well, I guess it is the same over here. Music is mostly looked at as a business, rather than art and the big radio stations ‘force feed’ the music you have to listen too, which is mostly pop music and the same old songs on rotation.
Promoting music as an independent artist is really hard. Things to ask yourself (especially when just starting out) are: Where do I even begin? What should I expect? What should I pay for promotion and what services can and should I use? Should I even pay for promotion? How do I get on big playlists? What labels could be interested in my music and what labels are best to be avoided? And the list goes on. It can be a very humbling, intimidating, uncertain, exhausting, soul crushing and sometimes expensive experience to even get your music out there and build some good momentum. I am very, very, very lucky that I’ve found some solid music labels that are willing to release my music, so they take care of the promotion for me, and I can just focus on making music. But yeah, before that happened, promoting my music was a big struggle and challenge. Knowing a lot of amazing indie artists who are still in this phase of getting their music out there and struggling, makes me feel a bit bad. If you’re an artist going through this, my major tip would be building a solid network of like-minded artists can really help you create more opportunities for your music to get exposure. Don’t think you have to do it alone. I wouldn’t be where I am now if it wasn’t for all the amazing people I’ve met along the way.
Me: That’s a great tip for other artists. I love discovering new musicians through my get-to-know-you question – if you had to pick only three, who are your favourite musicians or greatest musical influences?
Shierro: Kurt Cobain, as listening to Nirvana songs made me pick up the guitar, which helped me learn music theory. There are a lot of 90s hip hop artists I love, but picking just one, in this case hip hop group, I will go for Wu-Tang Clan, as I really love those dusty and grimy 90s boom bap hip hop beats. You can hear their influence in a lot of my music. Last, but not least, my nephew Roelo, because he is the reason I fell in love with producing music again. Maybe not the answer you were looking for, but in some way this makes him one of my favorite artists…and of course he is my nephew, so hey….
I have a lot of favorite artists and that list is growing as time passes by, and my musical taste is all over the place, but for the sake of only picking 3, I will go with these.
Me: Fan Uncle…That’s awesome! In your interview with Music Authentic, you said “I think my music is better enjoyed when being alone and in your own comfort zone, not in a setting where there is a lot of energy and other things going on.” With this seemingly endless pandemic, what do you do to de-stress and find your peace?
Shierro: Sitting in the studio and making music is one of my favorite things to do. It helps me close off from the rest of the world and create my own little bubble. This is very de-stressing. Also, I love gaming. I wouldn’t consider myself a hardcore gamer, but when I find a cool game, I can be lost in playing it for hours on end. Hearing myself say that out loud, makes me realize I need to go outside a bit more and touch some grass, haha.
Me: Too funny…yes, a world exists outside of gaming. It’s fantastic that you’re constantly releasing new songs. I especially love it when you release a new tune on Fridays – it’s such a great way to end the week on a positive vibe! What projects are in the works?
Shierro: There are a lot of projects in the works as we speak. I am working on solo material for all my aliases, but also have some cool collaborations going on with artists like: Azido 88, Ale Fillman, Yestalgia, eaup, Loraina Kenyon, Majko, Roelo, Monocloud, Lawrence Walther, Bequem, 7&Nine, KO WIN, Elijah the Alchemist, Jam’addict, Fred Paci, to name a few.
Me: Exciting! Lots to look forward to. This has been fun and it’s been great getting to know you. I know you’ve been super-busy producing music so I really appreciate your time and enthusiasm for this interview. Everyone, you know the drill: check out Shierro’s music – stream, buy, whatever…and don’t forget to give him a follow on socials. Our world needs music.
Shierro, is there anything that you would like to share?
Shierro: Thank you for having me here. I want to say, I am really thankful for everyone who is listening to and supporting my music. I really, really, really appreciate that. So thank you all for your support and positive vibes!
I came across Defend the Rhino thanks to a follow by Cups N Cakes. Cups N Cakes (IG: @cupsncakesnet) is a volunteer run promoter of Canadian indie music. I’m huge on Canadian music and nature, so when I saw the drone footage of a beautiful landscape with incredible ambient music on Cups’ post, I took a listen to the song and was instantly hooked. I write this a lot, but I get so excited when there are many songs that I like from the same artist. It’s very satisfying to be able to dig deep and delve into their entire discography.
Make Do (2022) – Album A+ (2021) – Album Wing It (2020) – Album Glisten (2019) – Album Fabricated (2018) – Album Static Breeze (2017) – Album There’s No Place Like Home (2016) – Album
Photo credit: Brandynnleigh Photography
About
Nathaniel is composer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer based in Edmonton, Alberta. He produces music under his own name, but created Defend the Rhino for his ambient and cinematic music. Nathaniel is passionate about scoring music for films and videos and embraces opportunities for the creative process.
Interview
Me: Hey Nathaniel! It’s always an honour to interview musicians whose work I’m a huge fan of. You record music under your own name – which based on my listen is alternative with lyrics. My favourite songs produced under your name are Perfect Time and Wing Tech 3000. What motivated you to produce music as Defend the Rhino?
Nathaniel: Hi Monica! I appreciate the love! I originally began writing music under my own name, using a portable digital recording studio (a MRS 1608 16-Track Digital Recording Studio to be exact) and it produced very lo-fi recordings onto CD, but helped me create my first recordings as a musician. I started writing music based on indie-rock influences such as Modest Mouse and Death Cab for Cutie. As time progressed, I discovered more artists and my list of influences grew. I started to really get into instrumental post-rock artists, one of those being a band in the UK called, Mogwai. Once I discovered Mogwai, I bought their whole discography. I knew that I’d love to attempt to make music like that someday.
Defend The Rhino was born this way, I pieced together instrumental melodies and riffs that I just loved, and built onto those sounds using drums, bass and even synth. Using this method, There’s No Place Like Home became my first release and Mint 400 Records helped me release it, which was a wonderful experience.
Me: It’s great to hear how your project started. I checked out Mogwai and can definitely hear their influence on a few of your songs. I recently sent off my interview questions to Shierro – a super-talented beatmaker/music producer from the Netherlands. I told you that you guys should do a collaboration piece. That would be wicked! Have you done or plan to do any collaborations?
Nathaniel: Actually, yes! So, after releasing my second album Static Breeze with Mint 400 Records, the label asked if I’d be interested in having some of their artists provide vocals for some songs that I produce. At that time, I had four unreleased songs that I wrote but they didn’t make it onto any albums. I thought this would be a great way to collaborate with artists on the roster. And so Fabricated became a collaboration, featuring Fairmont, Tiegan, Young Legs and aBIRD. It was such a fun experience and I would absolutely do more collaborations down the road. I follow Shierro now, he’s on my radar for sure!
Me: I’ll have to take another listen to Fabricated now that you mention the collabs and looking forward to collab work between you and Shierro.
I’ve danced alone in the forest so many times to Bucket List. There’s something so invigorating, happy and hopeful about that tune. You said that it’s your favourite song as well. I love that so many moods are expressed through your music, but I’m especially fascinated by the organic feel. I’ve used so many of your tracks in my IG reels and stories and I haven’t run out of songs yet. What inspires your music?
Nathaniel: Haha, yes! I thank you for using my music on your reels and stories. Bucket List is definitely one I’m proud of, just the way it builds up and explodes at the end. I love those kinds of songs. Actually, Mogwai is a lot like that, they’re a huge inspiration to me (have you noticed!? Haha). Other inspirations include a great soundtrack to a film. It’s my opinion that a great soundtrack can make even a mediocre film look amazing. One of my favourite movies of all time is Big Fish, the movie itself is just a nice and wholesome flick but the soundtrack makes it so much better. Danny Elfman and Nick Ingman worked together on that one. I love it.
Me: I do sense that Mogwai is a source of your inspiration lol. The first thing that I thought of when I saw your name were the poor rhinos being poached for their horns. Then I saw one of your posts about Sedan, a rhino who had died. How did you decide on Defend the Rhino as the name for your project and how does it tie in with your music?
Nathaniel: Yes, it’s so tragic. At the time when I was deciding on a name for this project, they had guards protecting the last male Northern White Rhino, Sedan, it broke my heart.
When I began this project, it was nameless. I decided to solely work on the music and the name would just come naturally. After I had finished There’s No Place Like Home, I started listening to the completed tracks on a consistent basis. I attempted to picture myself in different scenarios along with the music, I would close my eyes and see where the music took me. It wasn’t until I heard about the last Northern White Rhino being protected by an armed guard 24/7 in Kenya that my mind started to become visual with the music. I would envision myself as a soldier, defeating poachers and saving the rhinos. It was like a movie in my head along with the music. That is how the name Defend The Rhino stuck with me.
Me: That’s a pretty intense and dark visual of you as a soldier and I get the chills when you mention the 24/7 armed guard. It’s depressing that they had to resort to full time protection for an animal’s survival. That speaks volumes about the destructive nature of the human race. When will the destruction end?
You posted that your music starts with an idea, but it boggles my mind that these beautifully layered and rich songs can be created from a few plucks on your guitar or bass or by pressing down a few keys on the piano. I can’t play instruments so it fascinates me how this can happen. As a multi-instrumentalist, what instruments do you play, what goes through your mind as you put together a piece and what is the creative process involved?
Nathaniel: My main instrument is guitar but I dabble in many instruments, such as bass, piano, drums. I just know what I like and the music that I want to make, so these are my tools to do so. It’s hard to explain the creative process but it really does usually just start with an idea. Maybe it’s just a simple melody that loops throughout a song or maybe it’s drum pattern that a bass riff would be perfect for. It really all depends and the outcome can be amazing, or go nowhere – there is no in-between, haha.
Me: I love how musicians can put melodies together in their heads. I guess it’s similar to when I write – a word or thought will enter my mind and it has potential to spin quickly into a story.
It’s amazing that your score music for films and videos. BTW – anyone looking for music for your projects or films, Nathaniel is your guy.
Nathaniel, I challenge you to a new piece about the pandemic. While you’re working on it, tell us…if you had to score a song about the pandemic state of the world, in words, what sounds/feel would you imagine?
Nathaniel: Oh gosh, yeah it would be a somber song for sure, with a slow tempo, lots of reverb and probably some gentle orchestral strings in there. I can almost hear it.
Me: I’m looking forward to listening to the piece. I have such a strong connection to Canadian music. Most of what I listen to is Canadian. What does the music scene like in Edmonton and what challenges do you face getting your music out there?
Nathaniel: I’ve been heavily involved with the Edmonton music scene for a long time in various ways and I can say that it is very welcoming to almost any genre of music. Got a punk band? There’s a place for it. Got a blues band? There’s a place for it. Got an experimental noise band? Yeah, there’s a place for that too.
I think the main challenge to be faced here (which is not really any different than anywhere else) is just getting your music heard. Especially with so much competition out there, it can be difficult to stand out, but I think that’s a challenge worth accepting and figuring out how you can make yourself known.
Me: For sure challenges can be seen as a good thing if you can accept it. Your pages are very interesting. I love the Fisher Price tape player video clip on your IG page @nathanielsuttonmusic. It’s amazing that the tape recorder can still play. Quality is definitely a thing of the past! Because the tune on that post caught my interest, I asked you for the song title and you said that it doesn’t have one yet. What are your plans for releasing gems like these?
Nathaniel: I’ve been really getting into tape recording lately, there’s something nostalgic about hearing that hiss that comes with recording and playback of cassette tapes, much like the subtle crackles you hear on vinyl. So, I found an old Tascam MF-P01 tape recorder on Kijiji and have been messing around with tape loops and recordings. I have more in the works. I’m not sure what my official plan is yet for these recordings but I enjoy making them and will hopefully release them all as a collective down the road, just for you Monica! Haha.
Me: That is too absolutely sweet! I will definitely buy the collection if you release it. And if you don’t, I am open to you sharing your music file with me. I love your mini mic singing post on @nathanielsuttonmusic too, and you have a tiny music piano cranking out creepy tunes. Where do you find all the interesting props shown on your page?!
Nathaniel: Thrift shops! I find a lot of cool things going to the thrift shop. That’s where I found that creepy toy piano, I’ve also found old shoebox recorders that you’ll soon see on my @nathanielsuttonmusic page. I’m always working on something behind the scenes.
Me: I can picture a mini band with all of your tiny instruments lol. Looks like you have a lot of nature-related tattoos on your wrists. I love tattoos. What are they symbolic of?
Nathaniel: Yes, I’d like to get a sleeve eventually but tattoos are so expensive! My right wrist is trees and mountains which represents land and my left wrist is ocean waves which represents water. So, behold! Land and water, I just thought it was “cool” Haha.
Me: I agree that tattoos can get expensive – especially having a detailed sleeve. Ok, now my mandatory get-to-know-you question – who are top three favourite musicians or greatest musical influences?
Nathaniel: Well, one artist that I’ve been mentioning throughout this interview is Mogwai, so they’re definitely on the top three list. Another long-time favourite band of mine is Pinback, they’re packed-full of melodies and inspired a lot of my earlier music. Kurt Vile would make this list too, I’ve been listening to his latest album “(watch my moves)” on repeat. I really dig his style and find his unconventional vocal style – so soothing, weirdly enough.
Me: I’m listening to (watch my moves) as I’m writing – wonder why Kurt put “watch my moves” in parentheses. Upon a quick listen of this album – I agree that he has unconventional vocals and style.
In my opinion, there’s nothing like live music. Not sure how it would work with your instrumental music, but as yourself (haha, that sounds weird and I can’t figure out how to word it properly, but you know what I mean!) – do you have any plans to play live?
Nathaniel: If you look at the cover photo of my album Wing It, that’s actually a photo of me performing my first time live as Defend The Rhino. I performed instrumental music while Nisha Patel read her poetry and it was a really neat experience. When I played live, it wasn’t music from any albums, it was improvisational-based guitar riffs and loops. That’s the way I’d have to do it live unless I ever got a band together to play music from my albums live, but I don’t foresee this happening as I have been putting more effort into composing music for visual media these days.
I do agree though, live music is a much different experience than just listening to a recorded album. It’s something I look forward to getting to do again, going to see live shows after two years of being deprived, due to the pandemic.
Me: I’ll let you know in advance when I visit Edmonton so you have time to arrange a show for me. I will be there. I’m so happy to have discovered your music and thrilled to have a chance to chat with you. Thank you so much for your time and enthusiasm. Everyone, you know the drill – stream and buy music, buy merch, follow on socials…and MOST important, be generous and share music with everyone! I’m a musical sponge too, so keep sharing music with me.
Nathaniel, is there anything else that you would like to share?
Nathaniel: To be honest, my latest release Make Do will be my last release as Defend The Rhino (for now, or perhaps indefinitely). I’ve been really focused on building a brand, under my own name, composing music for film/visual media, and I want that to be my main focus for the foreseeable future. I’ll still be releasing albums/music but it will be under my own name, rather than an alias. I’m so thankful for people like you, Monica, @cupsncakesnet and for the labels that helped me get my music out there. Most recently Shady Ridge Records, who have been such a huge help in reaching a new audience. A few cassettes/CD’s are still available through www.defendtherhino.bandcamp.com
In the meantime, you can follow me on my social media pages:
Me: While wrapping up this interview, I bought one of your last Make Do CDs. It will be a collectors album now that you mentioned it may be the last from Defend the Rhino. I’m sad to hear this, but I wish you the best in your future endeavours!
–End–
Here are a few videos to enjoy from Defend the Rhino and Nathaniel Sutton:
I got a follow from these guys on Instagram and after I checked them out, I was hooked. Seriously – alt-rock music, Canadian musicians and nice guys…need I say more?
I mention it often, but I like it when bands give me a follow on socials. It brings new music to my attention, and since I do these interviews 100% out of passion, you know how much I love music.
Fire and the Dark – single (2022) Toss and Turn – single (2022) Reach for the Sky – single (2021) Sunrise – single (2021) Far from Home – single (2021)
About
Born during pandemic times, this three-piece “drummerless” band is made up of Paul Do Carmo (Singer/Bass), Geno Satino (Guitar) and Andrew Pelvin (Guitar). Based in Toronto, Screaming Riots is on a roll, pumping out non-stop rocking tunes.
Photo credit: Screaming Riots
Interview
Me: Hey guys! Let me just say that Toronto is absolutely rockin’ with incredible musical talent. I’m a bit picky with my music, so when I listened to Toss and Turn for the first time and it hit me – I was all excited. Honestly, I know within a few seconds if I like a song or not.
You guys were part of a band named Forces before starting up this one. Geno, during a live stream session you said that you really missed Forces because you put your everything into it. How did you guys decide to start all over again as a new band? And do you plan to add a drummer?
Geno: After Forces, there were times when we wanted to try to get back together and write again, but life happened and it kinda never worked out. When the pandemic happened, the world went on pause, and we were able to get together because everybody had the free time. It worked out in our favour in a way, where we were able to start collaborating again and started to find out ways to collaborate from home.
Andrew: But how did that start though lol?
Paul: I think I called Andrew or Andrew called me.
Andrew: Yeah, I think I called Paul because I had some ideas for some songs.
Paul: Initially Andrew and I got together to work on releasing some covers or whatever and we thought Geno would be interested in. But seriously though, look at Monica being all thorough lol. Forces was a great band that we loved and enjoyed immensely and I guess at the time it felt like it was like a “final stand” at attempting a lasting career in music. The industry was/is hard on musicians, and rightfully so. It’s an industry that demands time, patience and extremely thick skin. When Forces was at its prime, the band members breathed nothing but music and at its end, it felt more like a job. A job that we weren’t getting paid to do… which made it even worse lol.
Andrew: Yeah, it wasn’t fun anymore.
Paul: It was scarring lol… to the point that I sold everything I owned after that band and anything that remotely resembled music. I just didn’t think I was destined to pursue music after that attempt but ultimately, music never leaves you.
Andrew: With Screaming Riots, one of our number one goals was that we wanted it to be in our free time – no pressure. When we had some free time, we could go onto the computer and add a part to a project or write a new project altogether if we wanted to. It didn’t have to be an every day thing. It obviously evolved from there. It’s a bit more serious now, but definitely has the same vibe.
Geno: It definitely has the same vibe. Do we plan on adding a drummer?
Andrew: It’s easier not to lol.
Paul: It really depends on what the future holds for the band. There are many bands out there that function through hired session musicians for tours and live shows.
Andrew: The writing process may be more beneficial with the addition of a definitive drummer, but it’s been easier as a trio so far.
Geno: It’s not a no from us, but the drummer would have to be equipped with a home studio and be as easy going, open-minded and as passionate as we are about the music we release.
Paul: That person would have to be ready to be family lol.
Me: You guys are obviously in tune with each other. I can feel the camaraderie – love it! I was lucky to catch one of your live streams. You guys are so personable and great! You were chatting about how band members, in general, often come and go – making it hard to have a lasting band. What makes you believe that Screaming Riots will be any different?
Paul: We all grew up together and this is actually the third time we’ve tried this. The difference as of right now, is that it’s just us three this time and in just a short period of time, we feel we’ve accomplished more than past projects. That’s not a statement or testament of the quality of our other bandmates in the past, because we have worked with brilliant and talented musicians. Sometimes, it’s just simply a chemistry or timing in life thing.
Andrew: It’s always been easy with us three. We’re on an even playing field where we feel that no one is better than the other.
Geno: Because we have a lot of history and a good foundation of writing together. In past projects we’ve always felt like the three of us were the core and it has always been easy to make decisions regarding music or moving forward with publicity. We work really well together and always have.
Me: It’s great that you guys work so well together. That will make a big difference. I know how hard it must be to pick a unique yet catchy band name. In my interview with Ben VanBuskirk of Blackout Orchestra, he openly admitted that they picked their name from a site that generates names. What’s the story behind choosing your band name and the meaning behind it?
Geno: With Screaming Riots, I thought it came out pretty organically, because it was part of a lyric that Paul wrote in our first single called Reach for the Sky, and I thought it would be a pretty cool band name.
Paul: I remember us discussing the idea of trying to come up with something that related to the pandemic. I believe we had a few other candidates like “The Essentials” or “Social Distance”. We wanted something relatable to the times we were living in and “Screaming Riots” was different but still completely relevant. The world lost itself during this pandemic and we would love to perhaps propose the idea of allowing music to center yourself.
Me: I’m certain the world wants to scream “Make the pandemic go away!” about now. We are fed up and exhausted. I basically started doing interviews at the start of the pandemic, so there is a common theme of struggle for musicians throughout many of them. Describe one guiding life philosophy that is helping you through these crazy times.
Paul: Oh wow, we’re going deep are we? Uhm…the only thing we can say is that there is nothing out there that gives you permission to give up on life. Music helps us breathe, wake up and push. Music is not our only reason, but we do feel strongly about what we do. We hope we can help you move past a moment that disagrees with you. If music doesn’t work for you, find the thing that does… if you can’t please seek help from your friends and loved ones… they ARE there!
Me: Yup, me digging deep as usual lol. It’s always interesting to have a feel for what others are thinking. I love the lyrics ofSunrise: “Can’t stop the sun from the rise and the fall, couldn’t change anyway/one rise away from us facing the truth and we can’t break fee” – such a great way to express how certain things are beyond our control. What is the process behind your writing and where do you get your inspiration from?
Paul: Writing is hard sometimes, however, the process is almost always the same. The Chorus or “The Hook” essentially determines the remainder of the parts. Words are not necessarily present all at the time. I almost always start off with gibberish at first to catch all the syllables of the melody in my head. I’ve even sent it at times, just like that, to the other gentlemen for review. Imagine their excitement lol. Then sometimes a song title is sent jokingly or purposely and it sparks a line of words. From there, the song evolves into what it becomes. When it comes to inspiration, it really comes from everything around us. Movies, life experiences, conversation or emotions. It could be based on how my mental state was throughout that week. With Sunrise, I’m glad that you caught that lyric perfectly. Sometimes I like to write lyrics that are blatantly obvious while others are complex and may have an underlying meaning. There are no rules to having a right or wrong way… that’s the beauty of being an artist.
Me: Great insight into your writing process. Keep up the good work. You guys are so interactive on Instagram. I had the pleasure of chatting with you and getting to know you. Insta-instant friends? LOL. We live in a new world and with so much expectation from people to get an instant response or feedback through DMs and messages, how do you manage to keep up with socials?
Geno: It’s honestly hard to keep up with on some days because we still have 9-5 jobs, but we feel like we’re doing a great job considering. We understand the importance of maintaining “friendships” online. With the sheer amount of material that is being released nowadays, everyone’s attention span is down to seconds so the “like” or quick response to show people that you appreciate the mention or the reaction to a new release is ever more important. It’s difficult to regularly upload new material to post since we live far from each other, but when we do, we try to document the day when we do and we post important music related news that may have felt important to us that day. It’s probably the most tedious part of being in a band whose main source of advertising is through social media. However, we feel like we underestimated its importance with past projects.
Me: Well, you guys are doing great with your time and distance constraints. And socials are definitely good for free promo, reaching a bigger audience. I’ve discovered tons of new music through socials – including you guys! The three of you are by far the most ambitious I’ve seen with respect to releasing new music. You mentioned that your goal was to release one new song every month. Tell us more about your plans.
Andrew: We actually discussed this for a long time before we started releasing music.
Paul: Yeah, I remember that lol.
Andrew: In the end, monthly releases were realistic. There are times we smash through two songs in a month. Other times we hit a dry spell and get artistically stumped, but the material we have can support that timeframe. We also wanted a timeframe that would push us to actively write.
Paul: We also have a short attention span lol. Any song that takes longer than a month to complete is possibly not worth completing. That doesn’t mean there isn’t anything to work into a potential future song so all ideas are saved.
Geno: In terms of future plans, we hope to release a full album on vinyl towards the end of the year. We don’t feel like a physical CD release is a requirement at this point. There is an increasing itch to scratch with playing a few shows.
Andrew: Our main goal though, is to try and get some radio play. We feel that’s a big deal if that gets accomplished. We need to take this opportunity to seriously thank Sam Cook and our friends from Hamilton’s INDI 101.5fm for helping us realize some of that goal. Mohawk College is doing some great things within the radio broadcasting community. You can catch the station online as well by visiting INDI1015.ca. Currently they are playing Sunrise, Reach for the Sky and Toss and Turn in regular rotation on their station.
Me: That’s fantastic that you are getting some airtime. I’m rooting for you guys and a show! Nothing beats live music. Ok, now my favourite get-to-know-you question – who are your top 3 favourite musicians?
Paul: Ian Thornley, Jared Letto, John Mayer and Dave Matthews (oops you asked for 3…. sorry lol).
Geno: John Sykes, Adam Jones and Slash.
Andrew: Eddie Van Halen, John Mayer, Dave Grohl and… Paul Do Carmo lol.
Me: Sorry, I know it’s hard to limit your selection to three. And Andrew, you’re so supportive of your own band member! It’s not music related, but hiking is something else that I’m really passionate about. I was thinking about people always telling me that it’s unsafe to hike alone or commenting that they could never go out alone. I always say, that if I got a stone every time someone said this to me, I’d have a beach full of them. Of course, I take some precautions, but I don’t think that these types of comments are conducive to living life to the fullest. Often they are excuses from people not to do things. On this note, let’s have some fun…fill in the blank: If I had a dollar for every time someone said “____” to me, I’d be rich.
Paul: Lol, “You should be a singer.”
Geno: “You guys should be on the radio.”
Andrew: “Has anyone ever told you that you look like Chris O’Donnell?”
Paul: “Who?!… OH WAIT, YOU ARE TOTALLY ROBIN FROM BATMAN!!! I will never unsee that now lol.
Me: Chris O’Donnell? And Batman? Totally…lol. Thanks so much for your time and enthusiasm. The world needs more people like you. Guys, look out for me in the crowd – I’ll definitely be rocking at a show real soon. Everyone, you know the drill: Show your support by clicking like and leaving positive comments on their posts and giving them a follow on socials. And don’t forget to buy/stream/share their music, buy tickets to shows, etc.
Guys, before we wrap things up – is there anything else you want to share?
Paul: We’re not the only band trying to make something happen. There are a ton of bands working hard and that deserve to be heard and there are many that we support. We want to send our kudos to Sun Satellite (disbanded but available on Spotify), TRUCE (From Moncton, New Brunswick, available on Spotify), Haley Stark (from Brampton, Ontario) and Maybe May (From Toronto, Ontario… big tunes!!!). We would like to also extend our thank you’s to Greg Dawson of “BWC Studios” for the recording of the Forces albums and Dean Hadjichristou of “All Buttons In” for our current mixes and masters. Dean, you are a MACHINE!!!
Spotify is great at shuffling mystery songs into my playlist whenever I’m listening to music. The same thing happened when I got hooked on Canadian musician Kane Miller’s music. I was listening passively at work when The Grace by Neverending White Lights (“NWL”) caught my attention. I had to immediately maximize my Spotify page to find out what song it was. And after hours of listening to NWL’s music and sharing it on my socials… here we are!
The Grace – single (2015) Falling Apart – single (2011) Always – single (2007) Act I: Goodbye Friends of the Heavenly Bodies – album (2005) Act II: The Blood and the Life Eternal – album (2007) Act III: Love Will Ruin – album (2011)
Photo credit: Amy Pelow
About
From Windsor, Ontario, Daniel Victor is the genius behind Neverending White Lights. Daniel is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer who continues to push boundaries with his music, while helping to breakdown the stigma associated with mental health issues – especially for musicians who are struggling with them.
Interview
Me: Daniel! I absolutely love your music and what you are about. You’re a true gem. Honestly, I get so excited when a song touches my soul. Whenever I’m hit with such a song, I immediately look up the artist on socials and Spotify and buy my favourite songs on iTunes. Because I have such high standards for my music, I secretly hope that the musician has more than one song that I like. You did not disappoint me. I’ve added so many of your songs to my collection and have been listening to your music every day since I discovered you. What inspires your music?
Daniel: Thanks Monica! That means a lot.
What inspires my music? My journey in discovering life’s meaning and purpose, and the emotions behind what it means to be human and feeling things at your core. While I am often inspired by bands, albums, films, books, and other art, I am led to create music from a deep internal guidance. I guess you could say it’s about soul searching.
Neverending White Lights is a journal of my personal inquires around life itself, what existence is and isn’t, and peering into other realms of the spirit. I was always fascinated with the truth behind existence. In my youth it felt lonely to look up at the night sky and wonder how things could be so vast, yet so few of us are paying any mind to it. It seemed like people were distracted from uncovering their true nature.
I’ve always experienced this constant longing. For what, I’m not sure. But it drives me to write music. Maybe for a home somewhere, or for some place in the universe. To find something deeper behind why we do anything. I’ve tried to cope with these feelings the best way I could over the years and recording music helps to ease the agitation.
I am also inspired by melancholy and emotion itself. Beautiful tragedy, sad endings, loss, heartbreak, and grief. I like tapping into the essence of yearning, sadness, and hope. I love when things make your spine tingle, or when the goosebumps happen. I try to use that as a measure when I write.
Me: You’re so articulate. I often wonder the same thing – how there’s so much out there, but it seems like no one is noticing it. For example, I can go on and on about the colours of the sky at sunrise and sunset, the beauty of how light touches the earth, etc., but people usually just stare at me blankly and change the topic lol. There’s a sense of harmony and peace when you can connect with nature as well as the vibrations and energy all around.
Your single and album covers remind me of dark and sultry vampire movies. Also, the way you named your albums as Act I, II, and III, is like a playwright – something theatrical with a dramatic flair. In my opinion, your song Theme from Love Will Ruin is the perfect example of an intense theatrical piece. I was reading your comments that your albums can be read like a story. Can you briefly describe the concept that you had in mind when creating your albums and what you are trying to achieve with your music?
Daniel: NWL is based a series of concept albums. Every album is focused on a theme and story. Act I was about losing faith in life and our cosmic connection to beings and angels. Act II played around with musings about eternal life and love on the other side of the veil. Act III was more down to Earth both in sound and lyrics. It was conceived as a tragic love album focusing around heartbreak, loss, divorce, and how pain is often inevitable with love. The idea that we have to trade potentially devastating heartbreak to understand and receive love makes us venerable, which is why the album cover has a woman’s neck exposed – a fragile offering.
My goal with each album is to create a mood. The atmosphere and instrumentation help translate the lyrical content, in a similar way the cinematography of a movie creates its vibe. How can I make a snare sound sadder, or a choir dreamier? Guest singers bring unique characteristics to the music much in the way actors do for a script.
Each album will unravel as sequence of acts, eventually amassing to one giant work with overarching themes between them. Act I, II, and III have begun the initial trilogy. The journey will continue with Acts IV and V.
Me: So true, like the saying goes “Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” I’m looking forward to the next Acts. What does pandemic life look like for you with respect to the music scene and how is the music scene generally?
Daniel: My city has been on lockdown for two years now, and still is as of this interview.
I have personally spent much of that time focusing on my own self-healing. I’ve taken a few online classes as well, including mixology, Earth ascension (consciousness expansion), and learning the Tarot. I wrote a series of books and created two blogs. I also directed two music videos for an up-and-coming artist named MELØ – my first venture into that realm. I’ve also been working weekly with a spiritual coach, Georgia Jean, who is an extra-dimensional channel. The insights I have received through our work together has been life changing.
As for the music scene as a whole, this time on lockdown has given people a chance to regroup and recalibrate. Artists and bands have lost their ability to tour and perform consistently and several venues have closed. The live-streaming platform has helped though. It’s thrilling to watch your favourite band perform from the comfort of your living room, and selling virtual seats means a larger audience for the performer. I caught some cozy shows from Matthew Good, Sara Slean, and Rufus Wainwright. The interaction with the artists is a fantastic way to connect. I got to chat with Rufus and asked him if he felt he had accomplished everything he set out to at his age. He loved the question and replied that he had indeed, but that he still wants to write musical theatre. That man is a genius. It seems the lockdown has given artists new energy and inspiration to get out there and create.
Recently, the pandemic in general has shifted my attention towards the mental health side of things. The fear of dying and spreading illness is a huge weight for people to carry. The separation of sides on the issues has created rifts between families and friends. I see a lot of people arguing instead of finding solutions to work together. I’ve lost several close friends just over differences of opinions on the virus, the vaccine, the masks, etc. It seemed to create this great divide for humanity.
In such a panic, we can lose our centeredness, intuition, and discernment for what’s best for ourselves and those around us. People have become afraid to interact with or be around others. I have seen many people make fun of and tear down those who have chosen to follow their inner guidance. Some are angry with the government. Some are angry at those who won’t follow the mandates. And some are just angry with the confusion. Regardless of what “side” you are on, the question becomes…what long-term effect will all this have on our mental health?
It is not healthy to obsess over fear…every day…all day…for years. While we can recognize that stress, disease, war, conflict, illness, viruses, and death all do exist, it doesn’t help any of us to worry about them 24/7. Stress chemicals in our bodies deplete the immune system and slow down our cellular function. We need to be more careful with what we feed our minds and bodies. Has the CNN or the news ever made you feel at peace? A constant barrage of fear isn’t healthy for anyone.
It is important that we stay positive and use our inner guidance to do what’s right for each of us. This means there is no one solution or truth for everything. And this means we have to accept everyone’s truth as just as valid as our own.
We all want the same things – health, happiness, and well-being for all. This won’t come until we let go of separation mentality and work together instead of righteously blaming and attacking one another. Yes, the pandemic was hard, and yes there was loss, and hardship, and many uncomfortable experiences. We need to use more love and less fear. We are all here as divine souls and we are much more than just the bodies. Compassion on all fronts.
Me: Sigh, I agree with you on all points. I’m fortunate that I haven’t been affected that much by the pandemic, but I know how much life has changed for others.
I told you that you have fantastic taste in music. When I first heard The Grace, I mentioned to you that I could hear influences of Matthew Good (one of my favourite musicians) – which could be a reason that I was instantly hooked on your music. You said that you are a big fan of his music. When I reached out to you for an interview, I sent you a link to my interview with Moist as a sample. You said you are also a huge fan of Moistand even opened for them once. Wish I was there for that show. It must have been wicked! What goes through your mind when you are performing on stage and from what age did you know that were meant to perform?
Daniel: Yes, Canadian Rock is incredible. Matthew Good is one of my favourite artists of all time. His lyrics are stunning and his songs kind of stab you in a way. They’re very potent. His catalogue is a treasure. I opened for Moist a long time ago. I still listen to their albums. Gasoline and Breathe are my favourite tracks.
I love performing. Being on stage is a much different experience than being in the studio. I love producing songs and watching them come to life, but there is another side of me that lives for the stage. It’s more raw and real. I always wanted to be a performer. I used to sing acoustic cover songs to small drunken audiences, but it wasn’t until after I released my first album that I got the true taste of how special it was to perform original songs to people who were actually listening.
The energy in an audience can become electric. It is a mass expulsion of frequency and connectedness. Everyone in the room feels the vibe no matter how big or small the show is. I love that. Most of the time I’m way too inside my head when I am on stage to fully enjoy the experience. I do love the bond between a band and the audience, it’s like extended family. Performing live allows me to dive into the core feelings in the songs, like reliving a powerful memory or experience. All old songs become new again in the moment and I get taken to the initial emotional spark.
Me: I listen to Moist all the time. I can feel a chill when you talk about the energy while performing live. How amazing! If I can properly articulate, your songs are rich and beautifully layered with elements of darkness and sensuality. My favourites are The Grace, I Hope Your Heart Runs Empty, Dove Coloured Sky, Theme from the Blood and the Life Eternal, The Warning, Distance, From What I Once Was and Falling Apart, Last of the Great Lovers, A Littlepiece…but actually, I love ALL of your songs. You mentioned that The Grace was a “big part of your life”. What was the inspiration for that song and what is its significance to you?
Daniel: Thank you so much. I love the idea of darkness and sensuality. The Grace was a big part of my life, and it launched my career. It connected with a lot of people, and I realized that I wasn’t alone in my own little world anymore. And that melancholy had a new place on the radio, which was a big deal for me then for some reason. I had this issue to prove when I was 26 about mainstream radio and video playing cookie-cutter and commercial songs that lacked depth. Everything seemed so schlocky and corporate. I thought, where did all the music with meaning go?
I eventually learned that ALL music has its place that it doesn’t have to just be about emotional longing or dramatic ballads. I learned to like Nickelback. Well, almost. But the point is it’s all about not resisting what’s out there and just letting things be. What’s meant to find its path, will. There’s room for everyone.
I wrote The Grace in a quick burst. I was on a phone call with a friend, and I had this inkling that something was coming on, an inspiration. I hung up the phone, picked up my guitar and it came out. When these songs appear, it’s never about trying to force something, but instead more allowing the idea to come through without getting in the way.
The lyrics were inspired by feeling displaced and having suicidal thoughts, but not in the desperation of pain, more in the uncomfortableness of having to live a life without understanding why. It was about it being all right to not be all right with it. And maybe not even belonging here. And that it was perfectly acceptable to think these things. The chorus is a long-distance call for home, wholeness, and completeness, in whatever realm that is. It’s a conversation between a man and his angels looking for his peace on either side of the veil.
I knew Dallas Green would be the perfect fit for that song because his voice has passion, and his style is brilliant. We had already recorded together, and I called him back to “try one more idea”. And that was it. I’m grateful it was able to reach so many people. In the end, it’s not really my song. It’s a collaboration with the angels and the higher realms. Like, where does anything we create really come from? I believe we are channels. I’m just trying to get it down on paper.
Me: I feel the same about commercial radio play. I don’t necessarily do it on purpose, but most of the music I listen to is Canadian. I’m so proud to be Canadian with such musical talent and totally support them. I dream of having my own trendy vegan café where I only play Canadian music. We need to hear more indie Canadian music on Canadian airwaves.
I sent you a DM about how your music has touched my soul. I’ve always been a spiritual person, but I was in the midst of what I felt like a massive spiritual awakening when I came across your music. Your music has supported the array of emotions that I’ve been experiencing, including happiness, joy, feeling alive, longing, emptiness and sadness. I told you that I felt like I was floating because I was so happy, and you said that you could feel my energy (through my social media posts).
When I think of “neverending white lights”, images of fantasy, afterlife and eternity conjure up in my mind. How did you decide on the name?
Daniel: The name Neverending White Lights is a metaphor for the soul.
We are all made of light. When we die that light moves on into new form, while we leave our bodies behind. The name came about as I was writing Act I. I had a vision of these dark endless tunnels or pathways with bright white lights on each side that kept going through a heavenly plane. Almost like a portal or vortex. The words “Neverending White Lights” started to appear.
I believe the name was placed there by my higher self for me to remember who I am, beyond the skin and bones and programming. That I have a history off-planet, cosmically. That I came here from the stars to remember. And to help others remember their own light. To be a light. To help people uncover their own light and discover that we are all infinite.
Me: I love it, Daniel. I like the notion of light. I believe that we all have a flame inside ourselves – be it weak or strong. Sometimes we just need a spark to set it off and there is no turning back after the fire has started. There is so much to discover about ourselves and the Earth we live on. Concepts of lost souls, soulmates/twin flames, reincarnation, afterlife are everywhere.
On your Spotify write-up, you mention the collaboration work that you do with other musicians. From what I gather, you play all the instruments and have another musician sing. It’s funny because I got two comments from friends that they didn’t like the voice (I like it) in I Hope Your Heart Runs Empty. How do you decide which artist should sing a particular song and what made you decide to personally sing Always? Also, tell us more about the creative endeavour of collaborations and why you like it?
Daniel: Scott Anderson’s (Finger Eleven) voice in I Hope Your Heart Runs Empty is transcendently stark and gripping. Of course, not everyone will like everything. I’ve had plenty of comments over the years of voices that “work” or don’t. But I have to use my own intuition to decide what’s best for a song.
Finding the right voice for a track is like casting for a movie – every performer will give it a different feeling. I do sing a few on my own when I feel more connected to the song. Always was the first single from Act II and it felt like it needed to be my voice. It’s just a feeling of what the song is asking for. It’s not about vocal ability with anyone I work with, myself included, it’s just what the song wants to be. The lyrics to Always were very personal to me and it was a story I wanted to tell through my own voice.
Collaborating with other artists is stimulating, especially working with my favourites. I am a huge fan of all of them and it was a dream come true to write and produce songs with bands I grew up listening to. It gave me the ability to see inside my record collection and break the fourth wall. And it also provided a massive challenge to make this seed of an idea happen in real life – from my notebook to the world. It was a personal feat I was driven to achieve.
Part of the concept was to take singers out of their comfort zone and place them in something foreign. It made the artists vulnerable and pushed me to help make them feel confident in stretching their wings.
I really wanted Scott from Finger Eleven to tap into his more sensitive side away from the aggressiveness of his group. Writing music that would give artists room to feel around for new ways of performing was part of the beauty. When 311’s Nick Hexum decided to work on Age of Consent, it opened him up to his softer, more buttery vocal style. I encouraged him to tap into the contemplative melancholy he rarely used in the rock-reggae of his band. He told me it inspired him to record another 80’s cover called Lovesong by The Cure which became a huge radio hit for them shortly after.
Funny thing, as Lovesong was featured in the movie 50 First Dates. Adam Sandler originally wanted Hexum singing Age of Consent, but the music supervisor thought it was too mellow. Lovesong was the replacement.
Me:Lovesong is one of my favourite songs. It super old, but I just listened to it recently when I suddenly found myself signing it in my head. It’s amazing that you can hand pick artists for each song and find energy in collaboration. I’m not musically talented, so I am thoroughly impressed that you can play many instruments. What instruments DO you play and when did you pick up your first one?
Daniel: I play guitar, drums, piano, bass, percussion, and vocals. I started out on drums when I was 7. My father had a vintage Ludwig set I would bang on for hours. I still love drums the best – they’re hands down the most fun to record. I was the drummer in several bands for many years before starting NWL.
I studied classical piano for a few years, but it never stuck, so I learned on my own. I couldn’t handle all the strict rules and scales, it took the enjoyment out of getting lost in the music. I studied with nuns at the local conservatory, and it was the most un-fun thing I can remember musically as a kid. They would be grading every subtle technique and punish any mistakes. It made me dread playing. Thankfully, I was able to do it my own way, which is more by ear. I can’t read much but I can feel my way through.
My father taught me how to play guitar when I was 13. I had the fuzzed-out noise of the Grunge/Alternative rock scene of the early 90s to jam along to. Smashing Pumpkins was a considerable influence on my guitar playing and tone. Billy Corgan’s clean sound on Siamese Dream was so gorgeous. I would listen to the song Soma on repeat for hours. That album is definitely still on my top five of all time.
Me: That’s awesome that you can play so many instruments. I feel you about piano lessons. I was forced to learn piano as a kid. I hated every second of it probably because I had to play classical music. I am proud to say that I learned one song that I love – Dust in the Wind by Kansas. I can still play it today. In your interview with Margaret Konopacki of Birdsong: David Martin New Music Foundation, you said “I think many people forget how rare it is to be here, and that it won’t last forever…once we are gone, we are gone.” Your thoughts resonate with me a lot and it’s something that I think about every day. With this in mind, what focus does this philosophy give you in life?
Daniel: I believe when we’re gone from this life, the specifics of that life experience have come and gone. What we’ve learned we carry with us in our soul’s records, imprinted in the universe.
We’re only this version of ourselves once, even though we’ve incarnated hundreds of times. Everything we learn in every moment changes and shapes us. We only have this one life to be the person we are under these exact circumstances. In the next life, that will change, though it will still be us on a soul level, just a new avatar. All that was learned is gained for the soul’s journey and the greatest good of all. Every incarnation we get to have a new experience. In one life we’re rich, then in another we get to learn what it’s like to be poor. In one we are a dictator, in another a slave.
My views on these topics are always in flux as I’m always learning, so none of this might be true for me tomorrow. But it is currently the stage of my awareness.
Being on Earth at this time is challenging because we are born into the experience of separation from our Source, and from each other. The veil of amnesia we pass through at birth leaves us with little memory of our past lives, let alone our multidimensional star ancestry. We have to stumble in the dark to find our way and come up with meanings that are convincing enough for us to keep going. That can be religion, science, drugs, alcohol, sex, love, family, work, music, money, or even just survival. Most of us don’t sit in caves and mediate for answers all day and we have plenty of distractions out there. Why were we born into a place and time where we know nothing about our origin or truth? Why do we keep doing the same things every day without taking the time to find the answers?
I believe we all have a purpose for coming into this world. It’s a path of remembering who we are. Humans are more than just a physical vessel, made to wake up, go to work, retire, and die. The universe is not random and chaotic, and there are clues in our reality about how synchronistic and connected the world is. I believe we all have special powers that were kept from us – that we are all magical and psychic.
We are not victims to life, but co-creators generating our reality. Yes, life is hard, but what we focus on with intent, what we believe in, we get to experience. Everything is malleable. It’s not easy to change our thinking patterns and habits, but it is possible to awaken to our truth and break out of limiting beliefs. This is the great awakening happening right this minute on Earth. We are seeing humans start to shift towards the importance of being authentic and doing what makes them happy. We are seeing people breaking free from fear, oppression, rules, and order, and tapping more into their hearts. The best way to harness our cosmic divinity on Earth right now is to explore our creativity. When we create things, we are expressing alignment with our soul.
Me: That’s incredibly deep…and you mirror my own less articulate words! My sense of awakening is so intense at times. To really be able to see and feel, is so incredible and a gift.
In the same article, you openly admitted your battle with mental health issues including depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety. In my opinion, musicians are geniuses and may have their brains wired a certain way which allows for that type of creativity. For myself personally, when I’m experiencing feelings of depression or extreme happiness, my written work is more inspired and creative.
It’s so inspirational that you are trying to help other musicians (and others) struggling with mental health issues to understand that what they are going through is normal and not shameful. In my interview with musicians, Ben VanBuskirk of Blackout Orchestra, Andrew Ford of Inner Pieces and AARYS, they talk openly about their personal struggles with mental health issues and advocate for the importance of understanding and dealing with the impact of mental health as a collective society. It’s very inspirational when musicians channel their inner battles through music that heals their souls and well as those of others.
I read that you were struggling the most with your mental health issues during the recording of Act III: Love Will Ruin. Can you elaborate on this as well as your thoughts about the stigma of mental illnesses/conditions and how are you managing your own struggles day-to-day?
Daniel: Yes, it has been said many times that artistic ability is usually linked with mental illness, but we all struggle with it. We all are suffering in some way. It’s just part of the wiring of the brain.
Feeling depressed and unhappy can sometimes seem like normal life, but it’s not supposed to be. We often have a subconscious feeling of detachment and abandonment. It’s like a background noise. We label it “depression” or “anxiety” because we need to medically define it, but it’s all just misalignment with our higher self, waiting to be corrected. You’d be anxious too if you were dropped off on Earth with no map. Plot twist – the map as it turns out is inside us and the key to the treasures are within our hearts.
It’s important we openly discuss our mental health and be willing to share our true feelings and experiences. Most unwellness and disease is linked to emotional trauma, which is linked to what we think about, speak of, and focus on. This is often attached to unwanted experiences we’ve had as children. But there is a way through. To live happy and healthy lives we must start opening ourselves up to a new paradigm of healing.
Once we come to recognize our symptoms (anxiety, nervousness, restlessness, chronic fatigue, etc.) taking prescription drugs and living with it, will only mask the true inner cause. We need to learn how manage our thoughts and face the shadow parts of us that we might be neglecting. We need to love and accept every aspect of who we are.
When we are in worry or fear about anything, we create anxiety. We worry about the future, but the future doesn’t exist, as is just a sea of potential outcomes based on decisions and actions we take in the present. The NOW moment is all there is. This is where our focus needs to be. Not the past or future, as that is where anxiety creeps in.
I’ve been working hard for years to get better with my symptoms. I’m doing well now, though it has been difficult. I am grateful I have found new methods and I am eager to share them with those who are looking for new ways to feel better. I believe we all suffer in different ways. If I can be of assistance to anyone for inspiration, guidance or music, that is what I am on Earth to do.
Me: Well put. I like the plot twist…the key to the treasure is within us. Breaking the stigma and opening the dialogue is so important as a first step. So many people are suffering on their own, thinking that they are alone – when they aren’t. It’s just that no one else is talking.
I’m really looking forward to new music from you. What are your current/future plans with your music?
Daniel: It’s been over a decade since I have last released new music. I’ve taken a slight detour. I just fell off the track, I guess. I think my soul was trying to guide me away from my career so I could fix what needed to be fixed inside.
But I’ve written nearly 100 songs that are in varying stages of completion. Most of them will never see the light of day, but there are a few gems that I am very excited to share. There is a dreamy sentiment to the new music, kind of like a lost memory. The themes so far have to do with the awakening on Earth and our moving out of darkness, though I don’t have a title yet.
I am hoping something surfaces this year, maybe a new song. I know I will finish Act IV at some point. I’ve recently started sitting with the material again. Listening. Thinking. Feeling for that knowingness to sink in. I’m waiting for the spark of inspiration to tell me its time. Until then…
Me: Daniel, thanks so much for agreeing to this interview and your time. I appreciate your insight into the spiritual world. There is so much in this interview for us to think about and digest about us being more than vessels moving through this lifetime. I’m so thankful to Spotify for giving me the gift of your music and to you for creating your transcending masterpieces. Before we wrap up this interview, is there anything else that you would like to share?
Everyone, check out NWL and don’t forget to follow Daniel’s page. Now. And remember to show your support by buying/streaming music, attending his shows, buying merch, etc.
Daniel: My pleasure. Thank you for thinking of me and taking the time to reach out. Much love. xx
Forever the curious person I am, I clicked on Basqi’s profile when I saw it on my Instagram story. I saw that he’s a Toronto musician and we follow a bunch of mutual people. I love that Basqi has music clips on his page. I point this out because it’s feedback that I give to musicians who don’t have any video clips or music samples on their page – I encourage them to add some. In the few seconds that you have someone’s attention, it could be a chance at getting a new fan. Anyways, Basqi has another huge fan (me) because of this.
Lost Souls – single (2021) Myself – single (2021) Pick Up the Pieces – single (2021) Tell Me – single (2021) Not Sorry – single (2020) Control – single with Tommy O (2020) Lies – single with Purple Mind (2020)
About
Basqi is a Toronto-based singer, songwriter, producer, photographer and videographer who enjoys collaboration work with other musicians and chillin’ outdoors with his dog.
Photo credit: Basqi
Interview
Me: On one of your posts, you wrote that Myself was inspired by how you felt during this COVID-19 pandemic. Although my life wasn’t affected too much, I can totally relate to this song. I like the lyrics “lately feels like I’m just going through the motions to feel right. I’m just trying to find a moment to feel like myself.” I spend a lot of time not feeling like myself and being inside my head wondering where my life is going. Pandemic-wise, lots of people have been deeply affected by the isolation and changes brought about by it, so it’s amazing how you took a life experience and spun it into a beautiful song. What are other sources of inspiration for your music?
Basqi: Thanks, I’m glad the song really resonated with you! Honestly, most of my music comes from my struggles with my mental health issues like depression and anxiety. I also tend to write a lot about personal relationships – romantic and non-romantic. I’ve been trying to find inspiration in other places, but right now during the current state of the world, it’s been hard.
Me: No kidding about the state of our world. When I reached out to you for an interview, I sent you a link to Stuck on Planet Earth’s interview as a sample. You said that you knew Al (singer/bass player) and that he is your cousin…our six degrees of separation! I came so close to meeting you at Stuck’s concert in Brampton back in November 2021, because you told me that you were their videographer for the evening. You are truly multi-talented. When I suggested that you share a stage with Stuck, you mentioned that you have never performed live before. What are your upcoming plans musically?
Basqi: I do plan to perform live as soon as I possibly can. But right now, it’s proved to be hard due to lockdowns. In the meantime, I’m just working on new music and trying to build a bigger catalogue of songs. I also stream music production and performance on Twitch occasionally, but I’ve been terrible at promoting that fact lol and I should do it more often.
Me: I’m happy to hear that you plan to perform live. There’s nothing like experiencing a live show. I’ll definitely be there! How old were you when you discovered your talent for music and what’s the first instrument you picked up? Also, other than guitar, do you play any other instruments?
Basqi: My first instrument was actually the guitar. When I was in Grade 3, we had a guitar club and I was somehow able to convince my parents to buy me an acoustic guitar and let me join. Even though all the small acoustic guitars back then were still way too big for my tiny body, I still tried to play. I then moved on to drums when I was around 13. The way I remember it, my dad and I would often go to Long & McQuade because I loved to look at and play all the instruments. And he’s a great dad. So, we were there one day and I decided to play on the drum-kit and one of the salespeople walked up to my dad and said something along the lines of “he’s pretty good” (which I think they probably say to every parent there with their kid) and next thing I knew we were taking home a kit that day lol. I also played alto sax from Grades 6-12, and I say played because I haven’t touched it since graduating. Besides those, I dabble a bit with the piano for production purposes. To answer the part about when I discovered my “talent” – I don’t really know. I still don’t consider myself to be talented really. I do consider myself to be a hard worker though, and I’ve come a long way from where I started.
Me: So modest about your obvious talent and sweet that you speak highly of your dad. It’s rare that people openly say nice things about their parents! All of your tunes are catchy and relatable. I love your song Not Sorry about a toxic relationship. Lyrics go “toxic behaviour, and I ignored the warnings to deal with later, and now they’re back to haunt me… why are so toxic…I’m feeling like a target…pushing my buttons like you can control me…play games with my mind…” It sure sounds like you had a relationship gone bad. What advice do you have for others to be able walk away from those types of relationships?
Basqi: Thanks, I appreciate that! My advice would be to just know your worth, know that you are good enough and that another person can’t define you or make you feel any less than you are. Seek advice and listen to the people around you who truly love and care for you – like close friends and family. Seeing things from another perspective (especially from a perspective of somebody that deeply cares for you) can change everything.
Me: I completely agree about knowing and realizing your self-worth. I wrote a story on Instagram before with the line “No one is worth pretending for” and it’s true that you should be authentic and kind to yourself first. I see from your posts that you skateboard and spend time outdoors with your dog. As Myself was inspired by how you felt during the pandemic, what else have you been doing to destress?
Basqi: Honestly, it’s been hard recently, but I pretty much do the same things. I’ve just been making music, hanging out with friends and hitting up open mics (when that was possible, not long ago).
Me: That sounds pretty chill. Based on your posts, you’ve done some collaboration work with Purple Mind on Lies, and Control with Tommy O. BTW – I added Lies to my music collection – great song. How would you compare the collaboration process versus producing music individually?
Basqi: I enjoy the collaborative process a lot. Tommy is a long-time friend who I’ve been collaborating with as a producer and audio engineer since before I started releasing my own music. And Purple Mind I actually met through a discord server that’s for producers and musicians. They’re actually based in Germany, so collaborating with them was an interesting process. It was all done remotely via discord and sending of recordings via email, and that was a first for me. To compare it to my solo process, I actually find that I’m more motivated when working with others and really enjoy the different energies that different minds provide to the writing and production process.
Me: I can imagine that collaboration work would be interesting with musicians coming from different backgrounds with their own ideas. It seems that you manage your own socials like many other musicians. Seeing the way I discovered your handle – do you have any advice for musicians with respect to building a social media presence?
Basqi: Honestly, lately I’ve been slacking off. I don’t think I’ve been active on any socials in over a month. But if I had advice to give it would be, post often and be your authentic self. Nothing creates a more genuine connection with your audience than just being the real you.
Me: Agreed. Your authenticity definitely shines through on your page. I can’t avoid this “get-to-know-you-better” question because I find that knowing what type of music someone listens to says a lot about them. Who are your top 3 musical influences or favourite musicians? And don’t feel obligated to say Stuck on Planet Earth lol!
Basqi: I always find this kind of question to be so difficult because my musical taste ranges so much. But right now, I guess I’d say Blink-182, Blackbear, and The Wonder Years. It’s a bit of a random list and probably not my all-time top 3, but these are some artists I’ve been listening to for a very long time and connect with, as well as draw inspiration from.
Me: Nice. And so many musicians I’ve never heard of. I’ll have to take a listen. I’m looking forward to new music and your first show. Thanks again for your time! Everyone, check out Basqi’s music. Show him some love by giving him a follow on socials, stream/buy his music and attend a live show when the city is alive again.
Basqi, is there anything else you would like to share?
Basqi: Nothing I can think of, besides check out my music and follow me on social media lol.
Photo Credit: Patrick K. Leung (Instagram @patrickkleung)
By Monica Ng
How did I live before?
I can’t believe that I ever lived without Ro’s music. I may have seen his name before because he has done a few collabs with AARYS (one of my favourite female musicians), but only took the time to explore his music when AARYS mentioned him in one of her IG stories. With music you know right away if you feel it or not. With Ro’s…I’m definitely feeling it. It’s what happens when music runs through your blood and makes your body move on its own. Ro’s songs Can We and Code of Conduct got me hooked. I’m lucky because at the time I discovered his music, he had just announced a live performance. I didn’t think I could make the show because I had Stuck on Planet Earth‘s (playing with One in the Chamber) concert just days after, but I knew that I would kick myself if I missed it. I summed it up to “VERY important music interview research” and bought my ticket. Cheers to living with no regrets!
Originally from London, England, Ro is a Toronto-based singer, songwriter, composer and spoken word poet. He takes centre stage warming the crowd with his catchy hip-hop and R & B tunes, vibrant lyrics, positive energy and buff bod.
Photo Credit: Patrick K. Leung (Instagram @patrickkleung)
Music
Can We – single (2021) Code of Conduct – single (2020) Love, Pt 2 – single (2020) Inner Peace – single (2020) Water Fights EP (2019) – The Real, Let Em Go, Movin’ On, You Time, Look Away Fallin’ – single (2019) Touch Down – single (2019)
Interview
Me: Ro, Ro, Ro! Your vibe is vibin’!!!
I have already shared your music on so many of my reels and stories on social media. From the feedback I’ve received so far, you have at least three new fans. A friend said that he added you to his playlist right away and appreciates the freshness of your music. I love your freestyle videos about the pandemic – they are hilarious! You can find these videos on Ro’s IG page. And congrats on being the voice of Jeep in the ad you posted on your socials. What are your thoughts on the Toronto music scene as the city is slowly reopening during the pandemic?
Ro: Toronto had such momentum before the pandemic and we have some serious catching up to do. Just like the mosaic of the city, the artists here create from a beautiful blend of cultures and experiences.
Me: I’ll definitely do my part to support musicians. BTW – thank you so much for treating me to a drink at your concert. It was totally unexpected and sweet!
I know that you and AARYS are involved with other musicians at Division 88 – a Toronto-based recording studio bringing musicians together for collaborative work. Can you tell us about your involvement and briefly describe the creative things that happen there?
Ro: It was part serendipity and part the brilliant workings of Division 88 owner and founder Billy Wild. Billy found me at a songwriting camp where I was writing for another local Toronto singer. A song was being created at the time, Billy asked me to take a stab at it and the rest was history. At Division, amazing artists from all styles come together and create music with no particular goal and what comes out is usually amazing.
Me: Sounds like a creativity is brewing there for sure! I love the thriftiness of your lyrics – yet each word is right on target. That’s true poetry. It reminds me of my haiku writing (5/7/5 syllables) – you can only use a total of 17 syllables to conjure up a visual and deep symbolic meaning of the human experience. When did you start writing and what influences your musical style?
Ro: I started writing in elementary/middle school. I actually have a speech impediment so I’m sure it assisted in me diving into the creative arts – as it forced me to be intentional and narrowly focused on what I was creating and the emotion I wanted it to convey. My influences are Nat King Cole, Tupac Shakur, DMX and late 90’s and early 2000s RNB.
Me: It was great to hear some music from your upcoming EP at your concert. Come Forward is such a catchy, fun song – can’t wait to add it to my playlist. What inspired the album and why did you choose Edible Flowers as the name for it?
Ro: I am a writer first, that being said, I wanted to put together a body of work that showcases that. Individually each song was inspired by a different woman in my life. Similar to my poetry I take an introspective look at a situation that I experience or someone I know is experiencing and the art creates itself. Each song is about the women in my life and my partner has grown my intrigue for plants, so somewhere in the cross section came Edible Flowers.
Me: Sorry Ro, but I can’t resist…lots of music = lots of ladies! Just bugging you of course. I love how your songs are relatable. In your concert promo poster, you indicated that there would be “special guests”. I wrote in a post following the show that the most special guest wasn’t ON the stage, but OFF the stage – your mother. She told me that she surprised you by showing up. Too funny when you promised her from the stage that you’d only say Motherf***er two more times. Also, you’re so polite – you asked the crowd if it was ok to take off your shirt because you were hot. Of course, someone feisty was telling you to take off your pants too, LOL. You have such a positive vibe and great message about the importance of open communication. If you had to live by a single philosophy, what would it be?
Ro: You hit the nail with this one. Single philosophy would be: Get to know yourself inside and out and learn to express yourself in a way you intend to be received.
Me: That’s a good one to follow and by extension – learn to love yourself. I didn’t get a chance to speak to your mother more, but I asked her if you were musical since you were a child. She hesitated and said that she didn’t really think so. I read on your interview with Canadian Beats that you did some writing for other musicians and a music producer encouraged you to sing your own songs. When did you discover your gift for music and do you play any instruments?
Ro: I wrote hooks and songs from about middle school but I never really had a medium that I was comfortable enough to express it. As I started writing for artists, there was a pivotal moment when one of the artists got an opportunity to be on The Launch. While there he performed a song I wrote, and the music executives gave such high praises about the songwriting. That was the moment I went from just being confident in my abilities to knowing I had developed the skill to really do this on a bigger stage. I’ve been teaching myself the piano and guitar.
Me: That’s so amazing! I told you that I while I was driving with Can We on repeat, I thought of this specific interview question. The lyrics of the song go: “I get so lost in you/I’m upset when I only get a part of you/It’s killing me I wonder if it’s hard for you/poker face like it don’t even bother you…” then “Can we be friends/can we make love/can we surrender…?” You so beautifully described the inspiration for and the meaning of this song at your concert. Can you share your thoughts again? And I ask you – do you think it’s possible to have it all? BTW – I love the shirts that you sold at the show. They each have a different message on the back – “can we be friends”, “can we surrender”, etc. I bought the one that says, “can we be open”. Everyone, if you are interested, you can purchase a shirt through Ro’s online store.
Ro: I got inspired to write that song after reading the book Mating in Captivityby Esther Perel. Perel is a psychotherapist who focuses on couples counselling. In the book she draws from her experience counselling couples and finds that in most cases, the couples who have been together for a long time often lose their erotic side either through the mundane patterns of the relationship or because children have changed the dynamic of the relationship. The conversation was brought up that can we have both? Can we have the security/friendship that comes from a long term relationship without sacrificing the erotic element that is so prevalent in the beginning. Mixed in with inspiration from my own relationship, we get the song Can We. I think it is possible to have it all, but it forces us to learn about ourselves and be able to communicate in an effective way. Miscommunication often comes from uncommunicated expectations. The “Can we be open” shirt is my favourite one. Thank you for that.
Me: It was great to have the chance to meet you in person. There’s so much to love about you. The world would be a better place if everyone was so warm and genuine like you. On stage and from your posts, I see that you put in your time at the gym. Other than working out, what else do you do to reduce stress?
Ro: Helping people. I believe I am here to serve, so whatever opportunity I get to serve others – that is what reduces stress and gives me a greater appreciation for the world I live in.
Me: That’s so lovely Ro. The world needs more people like you. I have to ask because I ask all my interviewees: who are your top 3 favourite musicians? I know it’s hard, but if it helps…who are you listening to currently?
Ro: Nat King Cole, Tupac, and right now Russ.
Me: What are you plans now that things are opening up and is there anything else that you’d like to share? It’s a bit ironic, because as I’m finishing up this interview, Toronto pandemic restrictions are being implemented AGAIN! Will this pandemic ever end?
Everyone – as usual, don’t forget to show your support to musicians by following them, like/commenting on their posts, sharing their music with others, buy/stream music, buy merch, attend concerts, etc. And remember that love is free, so show Ro some love!
Ro: I am working on some cool collabs with some established artists and I am excited for these projects to come to life. I will be releasing more singles from the project and looking to release in March.
At work I usually play my own daily playlist on Spotify, but sometimes I listen passively to random songs. As I was working away one day, this beautiful voice sung out to me and I had to quickly maximize my Spotify screen to find out who was singing – and of course, it was Kane.
Keep Away From Time – EP (2021) – Keep Away From Time and I Still Love You
Isolation Sessions – EP (2021) – only available on Bandcamp – Wait for You, Catch My Heart, Mystery (Leads to You), All In and Feel You
I Still Love You – EP (2021) – I Still Love You and Arrow
For You, For Now, For Always – EP (2020) – Something New, Getting Older, Memories, Do It All For You, Secrets, Kings and Queens and Never Coming Back
Something New – single (2020)
In this Moment – EP (2019) – All We Need, Could It Be, Coral Reefs and Morning Dew, Black Dress (Acoustic) and All We Need (Acoustic)
Secrets – single (2019)
Through That Door– single (2019)
Black Dress – single (2019)
Remember Us – single (2019)
Sleeping Sea – single (2019)
About
Kane is a classically trained musician, singer and songwriter based in Lakefield, Ontario. In his spare time, he is out and about in nature and being so handy – has even completed his own kitchen and bathroom renos.
Photo credit: Littlejohn Photography
Interview
Me: Hey Kane! Thank you so much for taking part in this interview. I say it all the time, but I love the positive reception I get from all the musicians that I’ve interviewed. I’ve shared your music a lot on my social media stories and IG reels. I was hooked the moment I heard I Still Love You. Some of my other favourites are Could It Be, Through That Door and Sleeping Sea.
In light of the pandemic, what does the music scene currently look like in Lakefield?
Kane: Thank you so much! Lakefield is a pretty small town so not a ton of a music scene to start, but definitely there has been a hit in the area. No bars/theatres meant no shows. Usually I try to do at least a larger theatre show and some pub shows throughout the year at home, but obviously nothing in the last little while.
Me: Hopefully things will get back to more normal soon. The pandemic hit Toronto pretty bad. Some venues closed their doors for good. Based on your posts it looks like you play the piano, guitar, violin and drums. Which instrument did you first get your hands on and do you play anything else?
Kane: Sadly, not drums. I can’t quite seem to get my feet to go in line with my arms. My first instrument would probably be violin (maybe piano). I picked up the violin when I was 7 and took classical lessons and played with orchestras and different groups right up until university. Guitar came later, around high school.
Me: Very impressive that you can play so many instruments. I once sat behind a drum kit and I did just that – I sat there with no clue what to do. In the midst of the pandemic, you released your EP titled Isolation Sessions. Basically, you isolated yourself in a cabin while you produced six songs during a 4-day period. Obviously, you were productive during that time, but what thoughts ran through your mind in terms of the pressure and stress of having to produce an album?
Kane: I don’t think I really felt much stress to produce the album. I have a background in audio engineering so I was fairly comfortable doing it on my own. I really wanted all the distractions out of the way when I did it though. While I was at the cabin, I made sure to leave my phone at home and keep away from the internet. I really had no contact with the outside world while I was there. That really helped me to get going and feel productive with each song.
Me: What a great way to focus. We should all disconnect from technology once in a while. I’m a bit confused about the labelling of your LV Cabin Sessions versus your Isolation Sessions – are they the same thing?
Kane: Isolation Sessions and LV Cabin Sessions are different. LV Cabin Sessions were done with my regular producer, Femke, as well as Singer-Songwriter, Micah Dalton, a drummer, Matthew Singler and an engineer, Josh Reynolds. We did this one in an Airbnb house a couple hours outside of Nashville in 2019.
Isolation Sessions were completely done by me. All engineering, mixing and mastering as well as all instrumentation. All songs were written with either Jeff Turner or Fain Spray. Everything was recorded in my family cottage in Bancroft in June 2020.
Me: You are one talented guy putting together a whole album on your own. I’ll have to check out your Isolation Sessions on Bandcamp. I love your outdoor shots where you are holding your guitar. The mood of your photos totally supports the organic sound of your songs. What inspires your music?
Kane: Thank you! Every picture is really to the credit of Rebekah Littlejohn from Littlejohn Photography. She has an amazing eye and always seems to catch the best photos and moods. My inspiration for music comes from pretty much anything, whether it’s a thought I had one day or just a feeling. I love to sit down with a guitar and try to write out whatever I can.
Me: It’s so perfect that you love to sit, write and sing – while I love to listen. Keep the songs coming! I find your music authentic and uncluttered – free of bells and whistles. I am reminded of a comment that musician Jake Feeney made in my interview with him about the competitive music industry. He said “A lot of the time it feels like the music isn’t enough, and that you need a compelling story to really cut through the noise.” What do you think it takes to make your mark in the music industry? And were you ever part of a band, or ever consider forming a band?
Kane: I agree. It always seems to feel like you need some kind of story or way to market your music. With so much coming out on Spotify or Apple Music daily, you have to find a way to cut through. I have a Celtic band, Hunt the Hare, that is more of a hobby and something completely different from my solo music. I love playing with groups of people and am always looking for interesting people to play music with.
Me: So cool! I’m taking a listen to Hunt the Hare as I write. I read that you signed on with LV Music – a Nashville (Tennessee) label and did some collaborative work with other artists. Can you tell us more about this?
Kane: All of my music out on Spotify and streaming services has been produced by Femke and released through her label, LV Music. It’s an incredible label to be part of and Femke is an amazing producer. The label feels like a small family and the support between artists and Femke is great. I’ve done a ton of writing collaborations with other artists and writers since starting to work with Femke and LV as well. Pavel Khvaleev just released a song that we did together a couple years ago, with him being a DJ and producer and me a singer-songwriter. It was a totally cool thing that was a very new experience for me.
Me: Nice. One of the things that I love about these interviews is learning tidbits about the music industry. I’m going to change up my typical interview question about your top 3 favourite musicians. Instead, who or which artists would you say most influenced your current musical style?
Kane: Even narrowing it down to 3 favourite musicians would be real hard. I listen to a huge amount of different stuff, from classical to folk to Celtic and back to alternative rock. Currently I’m listening to some Sufjan Stevens B-Sides while we do this but I think my biggest influence would be Damien Rice.
Me: I took a listen to Damien Rice and I get where you’re coming from. I’ve received all sorts of feedback about the challenges associated with being a musician, but the need to have a thick skin is a recurring one. What advice do you have for anyone wanting to start a career as a musician?
Kane: Thick skin is a good one. I love the music part of being a musician but you have to be aware that there is so much more in the marketing and business side of it, if you want to succeed. I find attitude is one of the biggest things as well. There are going to be nights when you play just to the bartender and you have to give that your all, just as if you are playing to a packed stadium. Every moment is important.
Me: So true about attitude and I love the visual of the performer and lone bartender. With an impressive 2 million streams across music platforms, what are your plans to keep up the momentum?
Kane: Thank you! I’m always releasing music and I’ve got a few things in my mind and up my sleeve – so stay tuned!
Me: Kane, thanks again for this interview. If you ever play in Toronto, I’ll be there. Is there anything else that you wish to share?
Everyone, don’t forget to give Kane a follow and support musicians by streaming/buying their music, buying merch and tickets for their shows.
I’ve seen One in the Chamber’s name mentioned here and there on social media, but most recently through Sara Sunshine (IG: @sara_sunshine_meredith) and Canadian band Stuck on Planet Earth’s (IG: @stuckonplanetearth) posts/stories. I figured that I should take some time to listen to their music – afterall, Toronto has some wicked musicians.
Upcoming concerts:
October 30, 2021 – Halloween Rock N Eve (Fundraising concert in support of frontline workers at Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation)
November 16, 2021 – The Rose Brampton (with Stuck on Planet Earth)
I’ve Got Something to Say (EP) – 2018 – Crooked Step, Bills to Pay, The Ballad of Captain Jack, Something to Say and Itchin’ Back
The Boston Session: Bootleg Demos – 2017
Photo credit: Keelan Nightingale
About
This self-described dirty rock ‘n roll Toronto-based band is made up of Mike Biase (lead vocals/rhythm guitar), Cecil Eugene (lead guitar/backing vocals), Christian Dotto (bass) and Gerrod Harris (drums). One in the Chamber (“OITC”) is on a roll with over 20,000 Spotify streams, more than 10,000 followers on social media, and their album “I’ve Got Something to Say” being named as “Canadian EP of the Year” following its release by Canadian Beats and their readers.
Interview
Me: I’m delighted to have this opportunity to get to know the four of you. You guys are LOUD and banging – I love it! I admit that I haven’t been listening much to heavier rock lately, but I think I’m ready for some head banging. What I like about rock ‘n roll is that you can just let go of everything and ride the music. The pandemic has affected so many industries, but now that things are opening up again here in Toronto – let’s hear it…How was Voodo Rockfest?
Gerrod: Thanks for having us! Voodoo Rockfest was unreal. It was amazing to be back on stage and to see so many of our friends in other bands for the first time in almost two years.
Christian: Nice to meet you, Monica! Thanks for having us!
Me: Pleasure’s mine! And thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedules for this interview. You guys are really great with social media. When I first followed you, I got a DM asking what made me follow you with links to your socials. I find that music is a whole new experience when you have an opportunity to interact with musicians through commenting and DMs. That being said, I can imagine that managing your socials is a full-time job in itself. With over 10K followers, how do you manage and where do you draw the line between band life and your personal lives?
Gerrod: We try to keep it as professional and in tone with the band as much as possible. We have so much going on that we never feel that we need to post about our personal lives. It’s nice having the separation.
Christian: It really is a pleasure to connect with these people. We’ve met some of the most amazing fans and some truly cool musicians this way.
Me: I posted on my social media that I fell in love with your softer song Just for Tonight. It may sound weird, but it IS possible to fall in love with a song. I’ve only experienced this feeling twice in my life – the first time was Lewis Capaldi’s song Someone You Loved. If I try to describe it, I would say that your song has this way of wrapping itself around me and carrying me in such an intangible emotional way. It’s been on repeat for a while now. So, thank you for this beautiful song. What inspires your music and your latest singles Blow and To the Gallows?
Mike: I generally write lyrics first. I always keep a notebook or paper around and I have pages and pages of lyrics written about whatever comes to mind. Sometimes I would end up writing music to them. For lyrics my inspiration has generally come from what is going on in my life (songs like Just for Tonight or Bills to Pay). Since being in OITC though, I’ve found that I like hearing the music first, and writing lyrics that come from the song. That was the case with songs like Blow and To the Gallows. The music has its own emotion and the words come out of it. I still write a lot in my books, but I find I’m also writing guitar licks and lines more often now, such as Itchin’ Back, and then putting lyrics in once we’ve written the music.
Christian: Wow! Thank you for the compliment! Just for Tonight (Stay) is a song that we recorded in Boston with former Bang Tango guitarist, Scott LaFlamme. The bassline that I wrote was inspired by an idea that Scott had given me at the time and was far more interesting than what I was playing during rehearsals. Blow and To the Gallows were written in a more organic way than Just for Tonight (Stay) was. Mike immediately expressed how the riff was too heavy, so he started messing around with it on his guitar and eventually created the main riff that you hear in the song. The original riff was still salvaged though, as that is what Cecil plays in the first verse of the song!
Me: It’s nice to hear the story behind my favourite song. Congratulations – I read that you guys recently made it to the semi-finals in 97.7 HTZ FM’s annual Rocksearch competition. How did you get involved in the competition and what’s the story behind how you guys formed as a band?
Gerrod: It really meant a lot to us to be recognized by 97.7 in 2020’s Rocksearch. It is a Canadian institution that has promoted some of the coolest bands to come out of our country for the last two decades and it was amazing to have been a part of that.
Cecil: The band formed in 2015. At the time, the band I was playing with was in the midst of breaking up, so I decided to get a bunch of guys together to start a rock/hard rock band. I knew Mike from the pub I worked at, which was at York University. We had played a few gigs together before, so when I saw him waiting in line on pub night, I asked him if he wanted to start a band, and so we were the first two members of OITC. I hosted jazz nights at the pub and one night Gerrod subbed in as a drummer for a group that I booked regularly. The guitarist in the group worked at the pub as well and gave me Gerrod’s number, saying he was looking for a rock band, so I gave him a call. We met up at one of the university’s music rooms and the three of us jammed the early stages of Bills to Pay. One night, I was talking to my brother, telling him we were still searching for a bass player. He told me to message Chris because he was also looking for a band and played bass. After a few months, we decided to name the band One in the Chamber and played our first gig at The Valley Bar and Grill in Mississauga.
Me: I love those stories…how destiny brought you together! I’m sure you get asked this all the time – how did you choose your band’s name? I stumbled upon another rock band with the same name while checking out your music. How can fans avoid confusion on this front?
Gerrod: I’m sorry to the hear that! To my understanding, we are the only active band with the name, but follow us on our socials and website to see everything from us firsthand.
Christian: It actually took us about a month to finally decide on a band name. We had close to ten ideas that we’d narrowed down to a top three, and finally agreed that One in the Chamber was the name for us.
Gerrod: One in the Chamber is about making your one shot count.
Me: Cheers to first shots! I enjoy hearing how musicians first get into music. When did you guys pick up your first instrument and what other instruments do you play?
Mike: My dad used to listen to Q107 every morning taking us to school, so I started listening to rock music at a young age. My mum played guitar as well so I was surrounded by music all the time. I played trumpet in band in elementary school and picked up guitar when I was 12.
Gerrod: I grew up with music playing in my house all the time, but I started playing the drums in the seventh grade. Since then, I’ve learnt a little guitar but drums have always been my passion.
Christian: I also grew up around music. My parents would always have rock and metal music playing in the house and on car rides. When I was about 13 years old, I got my first electric guitar and picked up the drums and bass guitar in high school.
Me: Wow, your houses were rocking! Sounds like music is in your blood. As you may know, I interview musicians (mostly Canadian because I’m a huge supporter of my fellow Canadians) out of pure passion. What I love is that I have a chance to ask my questions and learn about them and what drives them. If you had to describe yourself in 2- 3 words, what would they be?
Gerrod: Dirty, rock and roll.
Mike: Hairy, hard hitting.
Me: That’s so funny and most awesome! I would have never expected those descriptions. I’ve received feedback from previous interviews that it’s really hard to pick 3 favourite musicians, but to get a feel for where you’re coming from – who are yours?
Mike: Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen.
Gerrod: If we’re talking drummers, I’d say John Bonham, Chad Smith and Danny Carrey.
Christian: That is a tough one. I’m going to narrow it down, like Gerrod, and stick to bass players – Cliff Burton, Geezer Butler and Geddy Lee.
Me: I like getting answers to this question because I get to discover more musicians. You guys are so personable and down-to-earth. I would imagine that those traits are assets in the music industry. Any advice for anyone starting their music careers?
Gerrod: Be kind, actively pay attention to the business side and never stop learning.
Christian: Also be genuine. People can see right through you if you’re being pretentious or trying too hard. If you’re doing what you love, just have fun with it!
Mike: Leave your heart and soul on stage every time you play.
Me: Love it guys. It’s been great chatting and I look forward to seeing you guys in concert.
Everyone – don’t forget to follow these rocking dudes on socials and check out their music.
Guys, is there anything you wish to share before we wrap things up?
Christian: Thanks again for having us, Monica. See you around!
Gerrod: Thank you for your time! Hope to see you at a show soon!
I know – this is my third non-Canadian musician interview. What’s going on? Well, my heart was brimming with raw emotion listening to Jacqueline’s music – I just had to share it with you. Social media is a fascinating thing. A bit of backstory how I discovered her – a while back I clicked on The Moon & I’s sponsored Instagram link which led to an interview with Eric Nguyen of The Moon & I, who’s from my hometown Montreal. I’m always looking for new music and curious what others listen to, so I admit that I checked out a few musicians from Eric’s page. And lucky that I did!
Burn it Down – single (2021) – placed in CW’s television show Batwoman
Carry Through – single (2021)
I Broke My Heart – single (2021)
Find Your Way – single (2020) will be on a Christmas Film “Magic in Mount Holly” on November 1st on Pureflix
Just a Memory – single (2020)
If I Could Go Back – single (2020)
Just Let Me Breathe – single (2020)
Don’t You Pretend – Album (2020): Don’t You Pretend, It’s Not on Me, Coming Undone and Coming Undone (Semblance Remix)
Deshacer (Spanish version of Coming Undone) – single (2020)
About
Jacqueline is a singer, songwriter, guitar and piano player from Miami, Florida. According to Jacqueline, she moved to Spain because “That’s where my family is from. My grandfather is from Tenerife, Spain. He moved to Cuba as an adult where my mother was born. My mother had to escape Cuba when she was 4 years old when Fidel Castro took everything away from her family. She went to Tenerife a few years ago on vacation and felt she belonged there. As soon as she said she was moving, I knew I would follow her wherever she would go. The island is really special and it’s where I found the courage to pursue my true passion – songwriting. I didn’t even know I could sing until I happened to bump into a music school here in Tenerife, and decided to take some lessons. I was 36 at the time and even though I’ve always wanted to sing, I thought I couldn’t. As soon as I started to learn what my instrument could do, I worked crazy hard everyday to train my voice, and one door after another started opening up. It was as if the universe was saying, “Yes”! I find peace and inspiration for my music on this island.”
In her spare time, Jacqueline enjoys experimenting with music production. Her enthusiam translates into everything she does, “I am diving more into music production with the help of my incredible female mentor, Kris Bradley. I always thought I couldn’t produce music, but one of the tracks on my album I actually produced, “I Broke My Heart”. It’s just the beginning for my production career!”
Photo credit: Hector Socorro
Interview
Me: Jacqueline, I’m so happy you agreed to this interview. I’m grateful for this opportunity to chat with you. You’re incredibly multi-talented, open and enthusiastic. I mentioned that your spirit reminds me of Canadian musician AARYS. Your soulful and expressive voice has already made its way into my bones and gives me the chills – in a good way of course.
I’m hooked on If I Could Go Back and Find Your Way. I love the progression of the music in If I Could Go Back leading up to the powerful upbeat chorus – it’s like all of our inner struggles disappear and we are strong and resilient against the odds. Your voice in some of your songs is both haunting and uplifting at the same time. Find Your Way is one of those fun songs where you kick off your shoes, lift your arms up to the sky and dance – and the kind of song you play full blast while hanging out with girlfriends.
Congratulations – Burn it Down was placed in CW’s television show Batwoman. Well done – I love it…what a gorgeous dark cinematic song. You’re on a roll – this is the third song you’ve released this year. I Broke My Heart and Carry Through are your other two new releases. You are on fire! Since I wrote up this interview, you released even more songs and you’re about to launch your first album. Congratulations on that as well.
You mentioned that I Broke My Heart is your first self-produced song – how long did it take you to produce the song, and can you describe your learning experience along the way?
Jacqueline: It took me about two months to produce. I took Kris Bradley’s course “Produce Like a Boss – Voice Memo to Demo” and after doing one track that may never see the light of day, I decided to produce a song I wrote, “I Broke My Heart”. My other female mentor, Shelly Mcerlaine who guided me while I was in The Songwriting Academy really pushed me to produce this track. These two female mentors have pushed me out of my own way and made me realize that I CAN produce music if I put my mind to it.
Me: That’s so inspiring! I completely agree that often it’s thinking that we can’t do something that holds us back. Once we set our mind to something, who knows what can be accomplished? When did you learn to play the piano and guitar?
Jacqueline: I learned to play guitar at 18, and piano I just started teaching myself a year ago! I always wrote poetry since I was a little girl chasing after dumb boys! LOL! Reading and writing have been a huge part of my life and that came in handy when it came to songwriting.
Me: Impressive and great visual about a girl chasing boys…haha. I really admire musicians. I can’t play instruments or sing, so my musical career was over before it began. But I’ve always loved listening to music. What was your “defining” moment when you knew that you would become a musician?
Jacqueline: I was playing one of my songs to my friend here in Tenerife and he said, “Why don’t you have any of these beautiful songs on Spotify?” That’s when I said, “Yeah, why don’t I?” As soon as I had that idea, I was a freight train on a mission and dedicated so much energy and time to music and honing my craft.
Me: I love it – a freight train on a mission. I have those moments too, when I know there’s something I want and I go for it. You sing so beautifully in English and Spanish. What inspires your music?
Jacqueline: My identical twin has been my Muse. I adore her and so much of who I am is because of her. She has had a tough journey in life and I’ve always tried to help her along the way. Sometimes or often times she doesn’t like to listen to me so I decided to write songs about it! I also realized that I’ve been in similar tough relationships and had to find the strength to get out. I’m hoping my music helps other people find their strength.
Me: A sibling who doesn’t listen? Unheard of, lol. Your songs are very inspirational. If I Could Go Back gave me a lot of strength at the time I needed it. I love the lyrics “lessons I have learned/take them with me/where I go I know I’ll be ok…If I could go back/I would have walked out that door…”
Based on my previous music interviews, I know that musicians have been hit hard during this COVID-19 pandemic. But some of them brought up a few positive things that came out of it – they had a chance to develop their social media presence and more time to produce new music or experiment with music production/styles. What were you doing just before the first lockdown?
Jacqueline: I had just moved back to Miami for a year to help out with some family matters, and in that time I formed a band! I always dreamt of being in a band so when I was playing an open mic one night in South Miami, a guy, Gio, came up to me and said he wanted to be my drummer. I thought he was crazy but I said, “Yes!” Where there is a will there is a way Monica, and we had a band in no time. We were playing all over Miami, and having such a good time doing it! I played at some great local music venues there like Bar Nancy which I truly love, and Churchill’s which is where I used to go to when I was a kid to watch bands play. Las Rosas is also another spot I love, and it was the last show we played right when lockdown happened.
Me: What a great story of the impromtu formation of your band! You must know this question is coming…what is it like to have a twin sister and what’s the most mischievous “swap” that you ever did?
Jacqueline: Lol! Yeah, of course I knew this one was coming! We’ve done a ton of mischievous things growing up. My favorite is the first one. I was in kindergarten and of course I was the more daring one and came up with the idea to switch. My twin definitely did not want to do it but I talked her into it. We were crazy identical at the time, and the teacher had us in assigned seats with our names taped onto the desk, and we even sat on the other side of the room from each other. The teacher asked a question, and I raised my hand at which point she calls on me and calls me Caroline. I am blown away at that moment realizing this all has worked. Then the teacher asked another question and when my twin raises her hand, the teacher says, “Yes Jacqueline,” my twin started crying and says, “I’m not Jacqueline, I’m Caroline!” The teacher infuriated and staring at me screams, “What, that means you’re JACQUELINE?!” I respond calmly, “I don’t know what she’s talking about, I’m not Jacqueline, I’m Caroline.” LOL!
Me: Too funny, but I feel bad for Caroline. Don’t hold back Jacqueline – tell us more about your song Show Them and new album.
Jacqueline:Show Them is a song I wrote on my own. It was meant to empower people to be who they are. I feel one of the best things I have learned in life is to be who I truly am, instead of who I’m “supposed to be”. I hope this song empowers people to be true to themselves – a message I always try to give my two girls. I even had them sing on the chorus, which really meant the world to me because so much of what I do is for them. I want the album to leave people inspired. I hope it gives them strength to accept what’s going on, not pretend it’s something it’s not and realize they have the strength to get out of it…and at the end of it, realize that they’re amazing just the way they are.
Me: Girl power and self-empowerment are definitely conveyed in your music. Self-love is so important and I think that too many people have self-doubt and don’t love themselves enough. I really look forward to more music from you. The world needs to “feel” and release raw emotion rather than keep feelings bottled up. I have your album pre-saved already. Everyone – add Jacqueline’s music to your music collection and let her voice and lyrics propel you into believing in yourself and loving yourself first. And as usual, remember…following people on socials is FREE! Give Jacqueline a follow. Jacqueline, is there anything else that you wish to add?
Jacqueline: I just filmed the music video for “Show Them” in the forest here in Tenerife. I’m super excited about it because the song is a female empowerment track and I had both my daughters in it along with their closest girlfriends. It was definitely a day I think all of us will never forget 🙂
It’s my lucky day – I get to interview not 1, 2 or 3 – but FOUR handsome and very talented musicians forming one band called Phantom Atlantic. I’m constantly blown away by the high caliber of Canadian music and so proud of all my local Torontonian bands, including this one.
What a find! I must thank my favourite band, Stuck on Planet Earth, for recommending Phantom Atlantic in one of their IG stories.
This four-piece band is made up of Kyle Brunet (lead singer/guitar), Ryan Stam (guitar/keys/backing vocals), Jeff Burling (bass) and Ken Grisé (drums/backing vocals). Its members, from different areas of Ontario joined in Toronto with a common desire to create music. This self-defined “cinematic alt rock band” has been part of Toronto’s music scene since 2017 and is now rocking the world with their latest EP, Your View of a Former Me.
Photo Credit: Kelsi Gayda, 400 LUX Club
Their Music
Your View of a Former Me (EP) -2021: No Way to Live, Start from Nothing, Chrysalis (Interlude), Man Like You and Heart out of Heaven.
Lessons (single) – 2018
Beneath your Moment (single) – 2018
Interview
Me: How’s it going guys? Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedules for this interview – especially since you guys have day jobs as well. Congratulations on the release of “Your View of a Former Me” EP! Honestly, I love everything about you guys – your style, music and videos. I can’t get enough of your songs, Start from Nothing, Heart out of Heaven and Beneath your Moment. Kyle, damn…your vocals are…absolutely beautiful. You can sing to me any day. How are you guys feeling after the release of your album and how long did it take you to put it together?
PA: Thank you so much! It’s feeling really good to know that ‘Your View of a Former Me’ is out there in the wild, and even better seeing how well it’s being received by fans, old and new. In hindsight it probably took us too long to make the thing, just over 9 months, but it was at a point where we all felt a strong desire to step up our songwriting. We actually finished production on it just before the pandemic and at the time we were beginning to plan what the release would look like. Well, when the masters arrived, the lockdown hit the same week and instead of releasing it we decided to hit the pause button and regroup for a minute…so here we are!
Me: I can appreciate that choosing a unique, yet descriptive band name would be difficult. What’s the story behind Phantom Atlantic and can you briefly describe what “cinematic alt rock” is?
PA: Haha, difficult is an understatement. I think we have an Evernote file somewhere with over 300 names on it, some of them pretty ridiculous. Phantom Atlantic came about from one of our long winded philosophical conversations that we love having, but beyond that we kind of like to leave it as a blank slate for people. As for the cinematic angle, we come from a film background so movies are big sources of inspiration for us in a bunch of different ways. In our songwriting specifically, we’re really drawn to blending more traditional alt rock elements with the ambient textures, atmospheres and soundscapes you’d find in a lot of modern film scores. Some people would correctly call that a post-rock influence, but since that term is often associated with instrumental bands and we’re not that, we like to go with “cinematic alt rock.”
Me: Interesting about your name – I like it…a blank slate for one’s imagination. But somehow, I feel compelled to take a stab at it… Atlantic makes sense because in Ontario we are closer to the Atlantic Ocean than the Pacific Ocean. Phantom – maybe it represents the shadow (dark side) hanging over each of us that comes and goes silently throughout our lives. But as much as we may hate our “phantom”, we need to learn to deal with it because it’s really just an extension of ourselves. On another note, I love the dramatic effects that you guys use in your videos – like the floating doors and fire in your video for “Beneath Your Moment”.
I read a write up about you guys on the 94.9 The Rock website. Is it true that there’s a hidden neuroscientist in the group? That caught my interest lol. Apparently, you guys come from diverse backgrounds but came together for the love of music. What is the story behind how you guys hooked up?
PA: You read correctly, our drummer Ken…well Dr. Ken now, recently completed his PhD and we’re super proud of him. The guy works crazy hard all while holding down a beat. As for how we all met, it’s kind of a chain reaction. Kyle and Ryan are childhood buddies who have been writing together since high school, Kyle and Jeff met in college, and Jeff and Ken have actually played in 2 bands together previous to Phantom Atlantic. A couple years after school, Kyle and Ryan were finally putting a band together that needed a bass player, so Jeff literally left his old band and dragged Ken along with him shortly after.
Me: Very impressive Dr. Ken! And nice to learn about how you guys connected.
I love the beautiful summary of the underlying theme of your album on your website: “It’s a sharp, precise, and volatile five-track collection that ends in step with its beginnings: understanding and accepting the futility of stasis, and the inevitability of perpetual change. These two truths are earned over the course of Your View of a Former Me, a project and a title that chart a crooked path towards repair and salvation that never quite ends.”
I can really relate to your songs and your IG motto “Say what you feel, mean what you do.” As I get older, I tend to express exactly what I feel and say what’s on my mind. I admit that sometimes this gets me into trouble! What is another valuable piece of advice about life or music that you can pass onto others?
Kyle: Try your hardest every day to give an earnest effort toward being 100% true to yourself and those around you. Even when you’re not exactly sure on everything about yourself. Pro tip: you never are.
Ryan: This may sound nihilistic, but all of the systems of belief that are forced upon us to tell us how to act, how to think, and how to structure our lives are constructs that have no inherent basis in the natural world. So fuck what everybody says; find your passion and chase it relentlessly. At least then, if things don’t go your way, you can take comfort in the fact that you were always true to yourself. If you try to change to satisfy someone else, and still don’t succeed, the failure will hit doubly hard.
Jeff: I love it, the world can use more straight talking troublemakers such as yourself! Some of my best friends are the kind of people who say exactly what’s on their mind, and whether it’s right or wrong it almost always leads to wonderful conversation and a greater sense of mutual understanding. But to answer your question, I guess if I had to offer some form of life advice all I would say is that whether you’ve come to realize this yet or not, there is something deep within you, a place that your mind wanders to more often than not, with a sense of longing. It is only with the recognition of this deep rooted sense of self that a path towards a life filled with meaning and purpose can emerge. So live free. Do you.
Ken: I can philosophically ramble on forever in this light. Instead, I’ll just suggest a philosophy anyone can check out and explore for themselves: Absurdism. My unqualified synopsis of absurdism is that you have complete agency to decide for yourself what is important in life, because there is no inherent meaning or purpose (though I find we have a pervasive tendency to grasp at, or be proselytized to adopt, a prescribed purpose). For some it’s a scary idea, for me it is wonderfully liberating and is a perspective I find works wonders for my mental health.
Me: You guys are deep! I love it. My dad’s life-changing stroke almost 8 years ago made me realize that life is too short. Everything you guys mention resonates with me. I’ve been living life with no regrets and live like every day is my last. We do have control over our lives and like Ryan says, we should not change ourselves to satisfy others – we will only have regrets.
Back to music, I have no musical talent. Sadly, I can’t sing or play instruments, but I can definitely appreciate amazing music like yours. When and how did you get hit with the “music bug” and what inspires you musically?
Kyle: I don’t really feel like there was an actual decision to pursue music. I know I’ve always wanted to create. I just remember incessantly writing and using this 4-track cassette recorder to make my little demos. Many things interest me, but it was fairly obvious around the end of high school that all I’d accomplished was working on writing music. The verdict felt obvious after that revelation. Music it is!
Jeff: I grew up in a small northern Ontario town where the only exposure to new music came from my slightly older, very much cooler cousins from Sudbury. They played in a metal band appropriately called Temper! and always had to show me what was inspiring them at the time. For me, they were the original influencers and I owe everything, from my appreciation for music, to pursuing a life of creativity and expression to them. These days, my tastes span genres but I am still very much a “metal-head” at heart on the lookout for musicians pushing the envelope in composition and production.
Ken: I had one of those families where music was just a big part of life. We always had a piano, but I think when I was about 5 or so, my parents gave me a toy keyboard piano that I loved just fumbling around on. After that gateway, I ended up taking piano lessons from my aunt for a short while. My grandpa was really into big band music and I remember telling him after piano, sax was on my instrument to-learn list (that hasn’t happened… yet!). My parents actually played in a folk band when I was young and for a while, instead of hiring a babysitter, they would bring me and my younger brother along to hang out at their shows. However, it wasn’t until I was about 13 that I went beyond a dabbler and started on the path to really becoming a musician. Some friends and I – sitting around in our small town coming up with ideas to entertain ourselves – decided we should start a band by picking up instruments that none of us even owned yet. I called dibs on the drums and that was that.
Me: Thanks for sharing your musical journeys. I’m a bit nutty when it comes to finding ways to make the world a better place. The world needs more happy people. I always say that smiles, compliments and love are free to give, so give freely. During this pandemic so much has happened to the world and so many lives have changed. Fill in the blank: We can change the world if we ____________________.
Kyle: We can change the world if we enter some hellish symbiotic human singularity where differences of opinion can no longer be tolerated by the almighty veracious optimization machine. Or just don’t be a dick.
Ryan: We can change the world if we have the humility to accept what we don’t know and the desire to learn.
Jeff: Ah man, that’s a tough one. I’d say we can change the world if we just realized that the deadline we’ve all placed on our dreams isn’t actually real.
Ken: We can change the world if we combine empathy and objectivity to design a society that enables everyone to achieve a healthy minimum quality of life. And realize that it only takes an idea to change things — we all have the power to generate ideas, so we all have the power to change things.
Me: Love it! Man, where were you guys when I needed help writing my university papers? I’ve got to ask my usual interview “get to know you” question. I know it’s hard, but I’m going to force you to narrow it down – who are your top 3 favourite musicians?
Kyle: Ruthless question! There’s a thousand. Here’s 3… Bob Marley, Kurt Cobain, Beethoven.
Ryan: I’m gonna go the band route here. Radiohead and Coldplay are the staples that will never leave my top three. The two Jonny’s (Greenwood from Radiohead and Buckland from Coldplay) are the biggest influences on my guitar style. The third slot constantly rotates but for the last few years, I’ve been really into another British alt rock band called Nothing but Thieves, so I’ll give it to them for now.
Jeff: Definitely Misha Mansoor (a.k.a. Bulb) of Periphery who basically ushered in an entire era of DIY producers/musicians/entrepreneurs. There’s Tosin Abasi of Animals as Leaders whose debut album still blows my mind to this day. And I guess I’ll throw in a childhood favourite, from the band 311, their super creative and always tasteful bass player P-Nut. Beat that thing! (for those in the know…)
Ken: I’m going to cop out of this one as hard as I can. But I will say, in retrospect I think I spent too much of my youth only really deeply appreciating a very limited scope of music, so these days, I spend much more time exploring the vastness of music via podcasts like Song Exploder and NPR’s All Songs Considered — who also produce the Tiny Desk Concert series — all wonderful sources of musical diversity and discovery.
Me: I’ll take a listen to your favs. I haven’t heard of most of them. LOL, sorry for limiting you, Kyle.
I posted on social media that you guys instantly became part of my top 3 fav bands. Then I posted again after I realized that I only had 2 fav bands (Moist and Stuck on Planet Earth) – turns out that a spot had been saved for you guys to take. It amazes me how much music exists out there. The music industry, like many others is very competitive. Do you guys have any tips for aspiring musicians?
Kyle: Massive persistence and focus. Go all in. Listen to everyone but don’t listen to anyone.
Ryan: Passion beats perfection, any day.
Jeff: Advice salad here we go:
Don’t let all the virtuosos on Youtube and Instagram discourage you from becoming the best you can be.
Remember that great music can be found everywhere along the range of stupid simple to seemingly impossible.
The first draft is always shit. Don’t let it discourage you because…
Every hit song ever was once a first draft.
Ken: Be mindful of the reality of taking a passion and making it a profession. At the core, it is about passion and expression. Yet, the actualization requires understanding that music functions like many other industries (but can actually be even more mystifying). If you acknowledge that, it makes it easier to recognize and overcome certain barriers and help you progress towards your goals. e.g. Who you know matters. Don’t know anyone? Network. Familiar advice for anyone in any industry.
Me: Great advice guys! Jeff, that’s a yummy salad 🙂 I had a blast putting together this interview. You guys are so awesome. I’ll see you in concert real soon.
Everyone, it costs nothing to give this amazing band a follow on their social media accounts. And don’t forget to support Canadian and local musicians. Buy or stream their music on whatever platform(s) you are on and buy tickets to live concerts when the world is back up and running. Guys, is there anything else you would like to share before we wrap things up?
PA: Honestly this has been fantastic, we covered a lot of ground here! Thanks so much for your support Monica, and we can’t wait to get back out there and do what we do best. Cheers!
