The 68pornomags

M U S I C – The Gifted


Original submission to SUBSTANCE Magazine, November, 2007

The 68pornomags

BD Marie Hughes

Recently I sat down with the front man of The 68pornomags, Wes Ryan, and band drummer, Mike “Wally” Wallington, (absent, working late, Mike Wistuba, bass guitarist) in Mike’s downtown Toronto home in their practice space.

BD: Nice to see you, Wes, Wally, as always. You have your band set up online with your own web page and a myspace page. They’re quite impressive in their content and layout. What can you tell me about them and your take on cyberspace? How does it work with music, specifically your band, and generally in music today?

Wes: Cyberspace has really leveled the playing field in so far as it is allowing unsigned bands to compete with major label bands that have considerable corporate backing. The internet has been a great equalizer. Myspace has been a useful tool. However, there are many tools online that allow unsigned bands to connect with fans they would otherwise not have connected with. Look at Radiohead, one of most popular bands in the last 15 years, essentially adopting the methods of “the unknown band”. They’re selling their music for whatever you, the fan, feel it’s worth – essentially it’s free, they’re giving it away. Radiohead will make their money on concert tickets, merchandising, and licensing etc. We’ve had our songs downloadable for about 4 years.

Wally: Cyberspace is an excellent tool and everyone should use it! (the 3 of us laugh, acknowledging Wally’s “myspace” stab)

Wes: It’s like with “indie” music.” In the 90’s,” indie” had an entirely different connotation. “Indie” meant independent. Since the 90’s, music has changed. The classic record industry has learned to watch the underground and find ways to infiltrate it. “Indie” has morphed into a buzzword, a marketing word. You have “indie” bands that are signed or dream of being signed to a record label. So “indie” no longer means “independent” in the traditional sense. I mean shit, they are selling cars and ipods with the “indie” esthetic now.

BD: You have described your music as a cross of rock, thrash, and punk for lack of better terms. Are you writing most of your own music? How do you 3 create your music, from ideas, to conceptualization, to encapsulating the whole thing, and then laying down a track? Describe your writing scenario.

Wally: We write all of our songs. Any one of us can start to play the music, then Wes slowly writes the lyrics to it. It’s usually done in one evening.

Wes: We don’t write anything down. We can do it in 15 minutes, sometimes longer, an hour or 2. The lyrics will be about what you’ve heard and read – current stuff.

Wally: (deadpans) His mind is like a computer, my mind is like a drain (points to Wes).

BD: Recently you played a venue where there were record label execs there to offer free critique about your talents. What was the feedback? How do you view the whole record label scene?

Wes: These types of events are done in every large urban centre in the country. It’s basically an entertainment event. It’s for the promoters – they get bands to come out and the bands bring their friends out. We don’t see it as our big break, quote unquote, so to speak. Again, music is now DIY. If you look hard enough you will find out what works. It was interesting though, I mean, to hear Roadrunner A&R tell us that the record company is basically trying to figure out how to get their CD’s under $10 so that they can compete with unsigned bands who own burners/printers. It was quite nice to hear. That part of it was interesting. You get the feeling that they are really trying to stop the coffin from closing and are quickly running out of options to block the lid.

BD: How do you feel about censorship? You had a show recently where the promoters refused to bill your band as The 68pornomags. They billed you as “Mags” or “The Mags”.

Wes: We don’t think anything about it. I mean it’s 2007 for christ sakes. If it’s OK to fight an illegal war and slaughter innocent civilians in the name of decency, I can’t really see how the word “porno” or “fuck” holds much power next to that…

BD: The obvious question is, “What are your music influences?” The not-so-obvious question is, “How do those influences reveal themselves in your music?”

Wes: We each listen to different types of music.

Wally: We listen to tons of shit as a band and tons as individuals. Some music I listen to, Wes doesn’t. Like Wes likes everything from Duke Ellington to Justin Timberlake to Beneath the Masses. I like Classic Rock, Jazz, a lot of 90’s music. Mike listens to Jazz, classical, old punk, Dave Matthews Band, Victor Wooten and so on. The sound of the band is a sum of its parts.

Wes: There are 2 kinds of music – good and bad. The only difference is how well it’s played.

BD: It’s quite apparent that all 3 of you are insanely talented, each in your own right. How do you, as a band, play to those strengths? Also what helps you develop your musicianship?

Wes: Playing in the band has been the most practice we’ve had recently, but in prior years we all practiced on our technique quite a bit. There is a prog-ish element to what we do.

BD: What advice would you give to young artists? We often read about musicians retaining control of their own music.

Wes: Don’t do drugs unless they are totally free or cooked into pastry. Don’t do what Cobain did.

BD: Your fan base is escalating really quickly. I’ve seen this first-hand in checking out The 68pornomags and the numbers of people turning up at many of your gigs. Are you looking to appeal to any specific group or are you going for that wide appeal? How is your reputation spreading and building momentum?

Wes: We just want to be loud and rock the shit out of people. Putting up posters is always a real drag so recently we’ve begun a new program.

Wally: Yeah, we are hoping to contract out a hearing aid company that can offer discounts for people who have attended our shows. Maybe get them to put ads up in the washrooms at venues that we are appearing at soon.

Wes: We’ve got a strategy in mind.

BD: What’s next for The 68pornomags?

Wes: We’d like to set out our critical path, get a series of ads out, really promote the band and the fact that we are worth at least $5 to see live. We’ve been songwriting and have half an album done already. We really like to think things through, take time so it sits right. I mean we looked for a drummer for 5 years and finally found Wally. We held auditions and all that, just to get the right fit. (Pointing to Wally playing Mike’s bass guitar) Wally’s a really, really technical player who’s played with no technical purpose for years – it’s going great!

REFS/Sources:

www.myspace.com/the68pornomags
www.68pornomags.com

Wake-up Nightlife - Venues - The Dungeon, Oshawa, ON

Wake-up Nightlife – Club District – December 9.2007

The Dungeon, Oshawa, ON

By BD Marie Hughes

Originally submitted to SUBSTANCE Magazine, Dec.9.2007

Where is the best place to go & take in the best bands just beyond the city limits of Toronto? Two words: The Dungeon in Oshawa. Three more words: Worth the drive.

The following are excerpts from an interview with the incomparable and highly energized Sarah Bisch, General Manager. She managed to impressed the hell out of me with her quick management skills and problem-solving (“There’s always a problem!”) at a massive show in early December 2007 featuring The 68pornomags, Blackjacket, Man With Target, Bridge Too Far, End Program, and Raised Fist from Sweden currently touring Canada & the U.S. I told her she seemed extremely plugged-in to her job and that, as a competitive men’s rowing coach, I don’t blow no sunshine. Sarah is also a full-time student of the Music Management Program at Durham College. She’s a young woman that’s on top of her game.

BD: How would you describe The Dungeon to someone who’s never been? What’s its reputation?

Sarah: The Dungeon is the longest running venue for live music in Oshawa. It lives up to its name. It is a bar situated in the basement under a Laser Tag place. It’s grungy, small, and bursting with positive energy and kickass live music.

BD: Does The Dungeon advertise?

S: Due to The Dungeon being around for such a long time, it isn’t necessary to advertise the bar itself. We promote our shows all around Durham region and the internet. We have been doing some promotions lately with local radio stations and with Rogers television. The media is very supportive of our venue and we try to give them lots of opportunities to work with us and artists we are booking.

BD: What types of bands do you book – are you looking to go with a certain genre or is it a free for all?

S: The Dungeon is usually known for having in Rock, Hardcore, Punk, Ska (punk rock with brass), Emo, and Metal shows, however the venue is definitely NOT limited to those genres. In January, we are having East Coast Hip-Hop artist Classified hitting our stage. We’re always open to every genre. Another favourite Hip Hop band we’ve been having out lately is Down With Webster from Toronto. If you want to get a crowd moving, invite those guys out!

BD: How do you go about booking bands for your venue? Do you contact them or are bands getting in touch with you? What criteria, if any, do you have for the bands?

S: Bands contact us all the time. Fans of bands contact us all a time. Will (the owner of The Dungeon/WRNent which is William R. Neville Entertainment) and I are constantly on myspace, or kicking around Toronto checking out shows when we have the night off. If we find a band that we dig, we see about getting them in to play. Criteria: Be good.

A big factor about getting a second gig at the venue is to be polite. Since starting at the venue, I have dealt with some really difficult “rockstar” types. That’s a huge turn off. Your music can be good, but if you aren’t polite to the bar staff, and the promoter, don’t expect a second gig.

BD: You had mentioned earlier that there is a new owner – what is it like to work with him? I understand he’s promoted the hell out of you internally, giving you a larger role at The Dungeon and more responsibility.

S: I started at The Dungeon January 5.2007. This was the first show put on by the new owner, William Neville. I went to a show he put on at another bar a month or so earlier and got his contacts from one of the bands. I asked him if he needed a hand at any shows he was putting on. He told me he had just bought The Dungeon and offered me a job. I started out as the door person. From there I became Will’s assistant on the promotions side, and as of recently, have been promoted to being the General Manager. Will is a great boss and friend. He has been my biggest mentor in the industry. As he likes to put it, “I (Will) am a promoter. I promote my bar. I promote my bands. I promote my people”. He has lived up to that statement in every way. The venue has really had a huge turn around this year since Will took over. It’s a lot cleaner than it was in the past years, and is a safer environment to harbour the “all ages” crowd that we are proud to welcome. The bar has had some really big names play at it this year, including: illScarlett, Gob, Rockstar Supernova winner: Lukas Rossi, Social Code, Protest the Hero, The 68pornomags, Raised Fist from Sweden, etc., etc. The place is getting noticed from big entities like myspace, too. We will be co-presenting our New Year’s Eve Bash with them.

BD: What’s the craziest band you ever booked?

S: I was on tour while Toronto’s 3Tards (punk rock) played at The Dungeon. I heard stories about there being a riot and the General Manager having to call the cops to shut the show down. 3Tards are definitely one of the craziest bands in the Toronto area. They are crazy wild and encourage the crowd to get rowdy. It’s a formula for a riot for sure (we both laugh). They are also really great guys to work with. We are hoping to get them back to the venue sometime this spring.

BD: Which band or bands have come to play at The Dungeon that brought a huge audience that you weren’t expecting?

S: illScarlett shows are always huge for us. I remember the first time I saw them. It was a few years ago at the Vinyl in Guelph. illScarlett was opening for The Salads, and I was hanging out with the Salads’ bassist, Chuck, watching them. We discussed how good they were. I started my first year of college in 2006 and the first party I went to I heard a familiar sound . Since then, I haven’t been able to go a day without hearing something about the band. It has been nice to see them doing so well.

BD: Conversely (laughs), who bombed?

S: (laughs) We don’t like to talk about them.

BD: Club drink du jour?

S: There is not one drink that is a house favourite. We ensure that we stock Labatt’s 50 on nights with punk shows. It is key to stock 50 for punks.

BD: You went on tour last summer with the insanely talented Jen Militia. What was that like and how did you find it prepared you for your role here at The Dungeon?

S: The tour was a 10-week Western Canada tour. We went through highs and lows while on the road. The experience gave me an amazing look into the life of a touring band. I find that I am far more accommodating to bands and their tour managers now that I have seen how rough it can be on the road. After sleeping on a concrete floor and bathing in a wash tub for almost a week in Vancouver, you really get the feel for how life on the road can be.

We hit every different type of venue while crossing the country. You meet a lot of different people when you hit a different town every couple of days. I got to meet plenty of bar owners, promoters, bartenders, and fans. It was neat to see how different bars were run.

BD: What advice would you give to other young women looking for a career in the music and club industry? Do you, yourself, feel you’ll be here in 5 years time growing the biz or perhaps moving into a different area?

S: I shouldn’t be giving advice at this point. I’m still a baby in this industry. 19 is too young to be offering words of wisdom to anyone other than myself. I often remind myself to not lose focus. Advice I have gotten that has been good for me:

“Don’t be scared.” This has been said to me at least once by every single member of the Jen Militia. I heard it at least daily while on tour with them.

“Sleep is for the weak.” – (laughs) Will likes to joke and say this to me when I get busy juggling my school work and my work for him.

I hope to be working with Will in 5 years. He is a great boss and things just keep getting bigger and better for everyone here. I’d be crazy to bale on this operation anytime soon. I will, hopefully, tour a few more times while I’m still young and full of energy, and working with the Jen Militia. They’re going to be huge.

Ref./Sources:

www.TheDungeon.ca

www.myspace.com/wrnent

Classy, Smart & Choosy: Enjoy your Cocktails!

Classy, Smart and Choosy – Enjoy your Cocktails!

By BD Marie Hughes

Originally submitted to SUBSTANCE Magazine, Jan. 2008 issue

The start of a new year often brings weight management resolutions. It’s the little changes, added up over time, which help you reach your goals. Soon you are defining a new and refreshing lifestyle approach. If you design it, you can live with it!

An evening out need not be anxiety-laden – you can indulge and enjoy, all the while keeping your New Year’s resolutions!

Take a look to see where you can trim “calorie corners”. Tip: Anything “spritzer” is a clever calorie “stretcher”!

Type	Typical Serving	Calories
Bailey’s Irish Cream (& most liqueurs)	1 glass – 37 ml	139
Beer, bitter, canned	1 pint	182
Beer, Guinness, stout	1 pint	170
Beer, lager, Stella Artois	1 can – 550 ml	221
Vodka, 40% volume	1 shot – 25 ml	55
Gin, 40% volume	1 shot – 25 ml	56
Sherry, sweet	1 glass – 50 ml	68
Port, ruby or white	1 glass – 120 ml	175
Wine, white, medium	1 glass – 120 ml	85
Wine, red	1 glass – 120 ml	95
Wine, rose or blush	1 glass – 120 ml	95
Champagne	1 glass – 120 ml	90

"Jagermeister Cured My Cold!!"

“Jagermeister cured my cold!”….. and other mythical cures for the Common Cold

BD Marie Hughes

Originally submitted to SUBSTANCE Magazine, Oct. 2007

Feed a cold, starve a fever. Starve a cold, feed a fever. What are you going to do?? You’re suffering and you just want relief…..

Contrary to the exclamation above, alcoholic beverages do NOT ward off the flu! That includes Jager, Cosmos, designer martinis, single malt scotches, and Heineken!

Other myths to cure the common cold:

• Drowning yourself in orange juice

• Boiled cabbage quarters wrapped in a tea towel and applied to the chest

• Chicken noodle soup (vegetable is actually better – it’s easier on your digestive system)

• Eating garlic, garlic, and more garlic

• Turnip juice

• Pigeons’ egg yolks

• Donkey or goat milk (huh??)

• Wrapping a stinky, woolen sock around your neck (compliments of my Swedish mother, “When you can smell the sock, you’re good!”)

• Large doses of vitamins including vitamin C (Be careful! Vitamins, in excessive doses, can be toxic!).

There is no known cure for the common cold. There are many strains of influenza. The flu shot is only effective for a few. At most you can do things that bring comfort and induce sleep. Who wants to be awake and suffer?

When you begin to feel lousy, that’s when you’re most contagious. That’s also the ideal time to excuse yourself from life for a day or two. That time frame gives you a chance to get eating as healthy as possible and get more rest. You also avoid stares and complaints about sneezing, coughing and “infecting everyone”! You will also be stronger to endure the inevitable symptoms that will follow.

Go with what feels right to you. Eat what you can, drink plenty of liquids, and rest.

Toronto Independent Music Awards (TIMAs) 2008

TORONTO INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS (TIMAs) 2008

Originally submitted to Tambourine Magazine, "Tambourine Magazine Sponsors The 2008 TIMAs"

By BD Marie Hughes

The TIMAs, the Toronto Independent Music Awards, is in its fourth year and quickly gaining momentum, prestige, and music industry recognition. The TIMAs celebrate music talent not only in Toronto but internationally. Awards are given in a comprehensive range of categories including songwriting and cd art design.

Music showcases take place at Jeff Healey’s Roadhouse, on Blue Jays Way, downtown Toronto, every Wednesday night beginning April 9. The Phoenix Concert Hall in Toronto will be the place to be on July 31 for the awards show! Nominees and fans alike will have the chance to rub elbows with music industry executives and, together, celebrate independent music achievement.

The TIMA’s visionary producer and founder, Daniela Oliva, fueled by her passion and obvious hard work, has successfully contributed to the independent music scene by creating this unique opportunity for artists to connect with industry mentors. Independent artists now have one more way to add to their experience, knowledge, and networks – tools that are invaluable in the highly competitive, ever-changing world of music.

Tambourine Magazine is a proud supporter of The 2008 TIMAs. We will be there to bring you the highlights and all that is leading edge in the independent music scene world-wide!

For complete showcase listings and details on the July 31 awards show, visit www.TorontoIMA.com.

Toronto Independent Music Awards (TIMAs) 2007

THE TORONTO INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS (TIMAs) 2007

Orginally submitted to SUBSTANCE Magazine, "SUBSTANCE covers The TIMAs 2007"

By BD Marie Hughes

The TIMAs, the Toronto Independent Music Awards, is in its third year and quickly gaining momentum, prestige, and music industry recognition. The TIMAs celebrate music talent not only in Toronto but internationally. Awards are given in a comprehensive range of categories including songwriting and cd art design. SUBSTANCE was there to bring you the highlights!

The Phoenix Concert Hall in Toronto was the place to be on October 4! Nominees and fans alike rubbed elbows with music industry executives and, together, celebrated independent music achievement.

A high level of energy was maintained throughout the night as various artists performed between award presentations. Host Sabrina Jalees kept the festivities hyped injecting her dead-pan yet razor-sharp “Swiss Pakistani” humour between introductions of guest presenters.

Some of the winners and their categories included:

Daphne Darling – Best Pop

Lowlife – Best Rap

Jen Militia – Best Urban

Romney Getty – Best Country

A Certain Symmetry – Best Indie Rock

Fancy Girls Market – Best Young Songwriter(s)

Best Female Fronted – The Joys

Flat Top – Best Out-of-Province

Max Min (Austria) – Best International, Best Album Art

For the full list of winners, see www.TorontoIMA.com.

The evening’s outstanding live performances were:

Layah Jane

Letters to Elora

KC Roberts

Run with the Kittens.

The Best Alternative Rock Award was presented by Gordon Lewis, of Teenage Head fame, to the band Westpoint.

TIMA’s visionary producer and founder, Daniela Oliva, fueled by her passion and obvious hard work, has successfully contributed to the independent music scene by creating this unique opportunity for artists to connect with industry mentors. Independent artists now have one more way to add to their experience, knowledge, and networks – tools that are invaluable in the highly competitive, ever-changing world of music.

SUBSTANCE will be there in 2008 to bring you all that is leading edge in the independent music scene world-wide!

REFS/Sources:

www.TorontoIMA.com

Art Tour: Toronto's "Graffiti Alley"

ART TOUR: Toronto’s “Graffiti Alley”

By BD Marie அughes

Originally submitted to TAMBOURINE Magazine www.TambourineMagazine.ca - February 12.2008

Even in the dead of winter, Toronto’s downtown “Graffiti Alley” remains an energetic riot of colour. If you’re rambling around downtown at any given time and want to see what it’s all about, a good starting point is Queen St. W. at Spadina. Walk about half a block south of Queen W. along Spadina and you’ll find the hidden masterpieces welcoming you in.

This is a concentrated area of wall to wall graf. You will find an array of styles, subjects, and “statements”.

Since 2002, Style in Progress, a non-profit organization that promotes urban culture by producing exhibits and events, has hosted the event (with owners’ permission, naturally). In October 2005, through SIP, Bell Canada commissioned the painting of 10 utility boxes. Community feedback was so positive that, in October 2006, Bell commissioned 40 more. That commission covered utility boxes in the Jane & Finch neighbourhoods, as well as those in Queen St. W. downtown. Alas, favour in all things artist waxes and wanes. SIP wasn’t able to secure financial backing in 2007 to host the event. On the positive side, the existing graf was not removed and remains as a tribute to the urban art scene.

Whether you feel this type of art exists at its best in an illegal form (“bombing” under the guise of dark) or in “legal” hosted events, you won’t be disappointed in a walking tour regardless of the time of year. As an aspiring musician, I am passionate about any avenue in which art can be viewed and expressed. Graffiti Alley is one of those places, to me, by its sheer will of existence, only furthers that passion. When you have time, check it out. It’s all fenced up now but try to find “the secret swing”.

All the Brightness

ROCKED: In conversation with ALL THE BRIGHTNESS

By BD Marie Hughes

Originally submitted to TAMBOURINE Magazine www.TambourineMagazine.ca - February 10.2008

ALL THE BRIGHTNESS

Nick Mazzei – vocals, guitars

Kevin Bailey – bass guitar

Pete Maniatis – drums

In mid-February, I met with the gifted Canadian rock band All the Brightness, based out of Toronto. They’ve been together for the better part of 3 years and have garnered prestigious industry recognition & awards from both Indie Week and The Toronto Independent Music Awards (TIMAs). Among other accomplishments, the band also enjoys serious internet radio play (IndieSolo.com and BreakThruRadio.com, to name but a few).

BD/Tambourine: Nick, this question is for you. Many of your songs of the modern rock/power pop genre speak to the human condition, often with a glimmer of hope.

Beautiful Massacre – Will you follow, Even for no reason? / There’s always a treasure out there, To be uncovered, I feel love all around me; and,

Come a Long Way – Can’t get too far if you, Don’t know who you are / If there’s one thing I’ve, Learned, it’s to set a pace, One I can handle, Within a reachable place / I come on strong, When I know I belong.

Are you drawing on your own life’s experiences or those you’ve observed? In any time or place, your lyrics are universal. What can you share with us about your writing process?

All the Brightness (ATB) Nick: A lot of inspiration comes from experiences in my life. My observations and my own personal experience. It pretty much starts there and I incorporate stuff I see around me. Whether it be politics or other aspects of the human condition. I try to put it all together to make it easy for someone to relate to and not so specific to my circumstances. I think I’ve always had that writing style. It means more when someone can take what they hear and relate it to their own personal experience. That is validating to me.

T: You have placed twice in the USA Songwriting Competition which accepts entries worldwide. “Never You” won first place in the rock/alternative category in 2006, and “Soul Deposit” has placed as a finalist for 2007. All the Brightness also made the semi-finals with “Soul Deposit” in the International Songwriting Competition in 2007. A big congratulations from me on those accomplishments! How has this exposure parlayed for the band?

ATB Pete: We got a free guitar! (everyone laughs)

ATB Nick: It definitely raised our confidence. I don’t think we’ve fully taken advantage of our accolades as much as we should. We’re taking baby steps, maybe, to something bigger.

ATB Pete: We got someone from Universal in New York contacting us. I guess that’s something that builds your confidence. In the end, this and that happened, and things didn’t work out. But the fact that we were at least contacted was a big confidence booster for us.

T: Last February you had an invitation from IndieCan.com for a live performance radio session along with an interview with Joe Chisholm. The live radio experience…. (laughs) What was that like?

ATB Kevin: It was a lot of fun really. We went in and played a few songs and did a short interview. It was a good experience.

ATB Pete: It was very comfortable. They do it in a recording studio. We each got our own little booth. We’ve been in studios for years now so it was pretty fun.

ATB Nick: It wasn’t broadcast live. They recorded everything we did beforehand and then they broadcast. So it’s not really 100% live. We may have been a bit nervous if it was live. Nevertheless, it was definitely a unique experience because we haven’t done anything like that before.

ATB Kevin: What I liked about it is that we have a lot of fans in other parts of the world and it gave them a chance to hear us play the songs live and find out a little more about the band.

T: Do you consider it a “door opener” to get national air time? You must feel that you’re doing something right.

ATB Kevin: Anytime we’re presented with an opportunity, it’s a validation that we’re doing okay and an affirmation that we’re doing something right.

ATB Nick: As far as mainstream radio goes, we’ve learned that it’s not realistic at our level as All the Brightness right now because there are a lot of politics involved. If you don’t have a lot of money, you don’t get radio play. If you have the money, you can pay to have yourself played. But that’s way out of our budget. We sort of set our aim at a level that we think we can accomplish – for now, anyway. I mean that’s something ultimately we hope to accomplish – to get out to the masses. But, as I’ve said, it’s baby steps for now.

T: Was it the same feeling that “you’re on the right track” when you were asked to be part of compilation cd’s put out by Powercast Radio and AlternativeAddiction.com?

ATB Pete: Ya, definitely with AlternativeAddiction.com because we didn't have any personal connection with them. We contacted them randomly through the Indie Bible and down the line they not only invited us to be on their compilation cd, but also put us in their Top 20 Indie Bands of 2006, so that definitely makes us feel validated that what we’re doing is good in other people’s minds.

ATB Kevin: I don’t think that’s necessarily the reason why we do it. That we think we’re getting on cds. It’s more the fact that people enjoy our music and want to include it in their projects.

ATB Nick: We like what we do. Every new song is exciting. We look forward to showcasing it and getting feedback. And that makes it all worthwhile.

T: Twice in 2007 unbiased reviews by listeners at Garageband.com earned you “Track of the Day” airplay. What was this experience like? Did this type of internet radio exposure help secure the deals “Crash Addicts” on the Outdoor Life Network and CrucialMusic?

ATB Pete: The CrucialMusic thing came from a myspace contact. They contacted us through myspace. The appeal came from the USA Songwriting Competition.

ATB Nick: CrucialMusic came a few weeks after we won the USA Songwriting Competition. It may have been pure coincidence or because we won and were able to get some recognition there. The song that won was the same song on their website for possible licensing.

ATB Kevin: Crash Addicts was basically by word of mouth through mutual acquaintances. They heard our cd and decided our style was right for their theme song. We had a song presented to us and we had to put our signature sound on it.

ATB Nick: They had a song more “country” in style and they wanted it more “rocked up”.

ATB Kevin: I think they wanted it to sound more “Guns n Roses”.

ATB Nick: Somebody recommended us to take on this task. We put our spin on it. They ended up liking it. We went ahead with it and recognized the potential exposure. It was the experience as well and something to add to our resumé.

T: Are you still on rotation on MuchLoud? How did you get added? Has this generated more interest in your band?

ATB Pete: You can check us out on MuchLoud.ca, so I think we’re still in rotation on TV. But I haven’t seen it recently.

ATB Nick: There’s a weekly panel and selection process involved and we did get through the panel. I’m sure they get tons and tons of videos a day. Basically, if you can shoot your own video and it looks good, and you get a shot to go down to MuchMusic, if they like it, it gets a chance to play on MuchLoud.

ATB Pete: Our old manager was telling us that he saw it up until about 16 weeks in, so it got a least that much rotation.

T: You must have been excited to have been selected!

ATB Nick: Thrilled – we were thrilled!

T: What can you tell us about the BoDog competition? One band that I recently interviewed made it to the All Ontario finals.

ATB Kevin: Well, I can tell you that we didn’t! It’s all based on internet voting, and for whatever reason, we don’t really excel in that department. We’re just maybe a different type of band. A younger band will have a younger audience and go to the BoDog site and vote every day. We entered, we promoted it like any other undertaking and, for whatever reason, we didn’t go very far. We didn’t get a showcase or venue to play at.

ATB Kevin: It’s kind of like getting into Canadian Music Week. We apply every year and they don’t accept us. It’s not our music. It’s just that we don’t have the right connections or enough buzz.

T: (I ask some questions “off the record”. The discussion becomes more intense and I’m asked by the band to put the following “ON the record”.)

ATB Pete: We met the person who runs the USA Songwriting Competition at NXNE. He was on one of the songwriting critique panels and I remember the panel listening to our song and this person being blown away by it (the song). Meanwhile we apply to NXNE and CMW year after year and never get in, which seems kind of inconsistent. Anyway, it's not that big of a deal because at this point we know that the selection process is not exactly based on merit alone. A lot of the nights are sponsored by magazines or record labels and other industry groups and they place their own bands on their nights, so there's very few spots remaining for the bands who simply submit their press kits. In the end, I think it's more about who you know than how good you are.

ATB Kevin: I think it’s ironic that we won an American songwriting contest and we’re still not getting into Canadian festivals. (Understood “Read between the lines”.)

T: I have to ask: What’s the deal with Total Wrestling Entertainment? (laughs) That’s the “WWE” of Australia, right? The “TWE Divided Music Video” on YouTube really slams! (still laughing) How did the two of you come together?

ATB Kevin: It’s ultimately through myspace.com. We have some very loyal fans in Australia who just, I don’t know, they came across our band and really like our music. And these fans are really promoting us hard down there. And they know some people who make those videos and they recommended us.

T: In my discussions with other indie musicians, there seems to be a consensus that it will be a partnership or certain type of pairing that will bring success. For example, indie punk bands or hard metal bands with skateboarding. Will it be All the Brightness and Australian wrestling? (everyone laughs)

ATB Nick: I don’t think that’s our first reaction. To think that it might be something, you never know, we’re not going to close ourselves off.

ATB Kevin: I don’t know how it would logistically work out with us being in Toronto, but it always helps when someone decides to use your music with their product or whatever they do. When you’re partnering with someone, you both stand to gain from the exposure.

ATB Nick: Maybe it might branch out into other extreme sports. I can see some of the new songs being used for sports advertising. It’s all cool.

T: Any idea on types of extreme sports?

ATB Pete: Ping pong! (everyone laughs)

T: You know I can help promote you if it’s rowing! Windsurfing! Ice windsurfing! Note to self: All the Brightness. Ice windsurfing. Bring helmets. (more laughing)

T: As a spin off to that question, how hard is it to maintain connections that will present your music once you’ve made those connections? I know of one-off’s, say, for indie punk rock bands on snowboarding. There often isn’t a follow up gig. You managed 2 (“Lost in the Soul Deposit” and “Never You”) with the Aussie wrestling. Any thoughts on that?

ATB Kevin: Well, in some ways it’s easy, and some, it’s hard. With the internet it’s easy to get in touch with people on myspace. On the other hand, there are so many contacts you can lose track of them.

ATB Nick: I don’t know what it is about the music business. Or the entertainment business in general. The hard part comes where there is always a new flavour of the week. Unless you’re constantly maintaining contact, you’re easily forgotten. It’s one of those things we have to constantly stay at it. Sending out emails or whatnot just to remind them that you’re there. It could be something as simple as keeping our website up-to-date as much as possible. At least if they happen to visit your website they see that things are current and you’re working. And, if something comes up, they’re able to reach you.

ATB Kevin: I honestly think that the worthwhile contact usually comes to you. If you have to work at something too hard, it’s usually not worth it, I think, in this industry.

ATB Nick: I agree with Kevin. For some reason, it’s the way some people are. They’re just really hard to reach. And when you do reach them, it’s worth it. But that’s for some people. They are few and far between.

ATB Kevin: If you expose yourself properly on myspace and your website and work at those enough, that’s pretty much the best you can do.

T: Will you be participating in Indie Week and the Toronto Independent Music Awards in 2008? You seem to be gaining momentum with these independent music showcases.

ATB Pete: I think we will be participating in Indie Week. Last year for the TIMAs, we didn’t have a new product so we didn’t participate. If we get our album done, we’ll definitely be participating!

T: I have to say that out of all the indie bands I’ve interviewed, All the Brightness is the first one I’ve seen with 6 digit profile views in myspace! What was the count as of today’s date? 120,142?? That’s pretty solid. Obviously you have a very interested fan base. You seem to be using the internet to your advantage.

ATB Kevin: Ya, we try! I basically do 80% of the internet work, whatever you want to call it. It’s a lot of work. It’s almost a fulltime job to stay on top of it. I just think that’s a good way of promoting your music these days.

T: You gig pretty regularly at select clubs in Toronto and to the southwest: Mississauga, Brantford, Hamilton, Kitchener, London, and Windsor, among others to the west and east of the city. Your recent performance at the El Mocambo in Toronto was stellar. I hope you thanked the sound guy – he did the best job I’ve heard in a long time. You sounded great! There were also a lot of people to take you in that night. In terms of touring, do you have any aspirations to cast the net wider?

ATB Nick: First, we can thank the sound guy – it’s Tod Cutler at The Elmo.

ATB Kevin: It’s nice to think about – it would be cool. I think right now we don’t have enough things working for us to go on the road. Unless we have radio promotions going on, there wouldn’t be a point.

ATB Nick: Other than honing our live show, to just pick up and go tour without having other things in place, yes, you do expose yourself to other new fans, but the yield or reward would be little compared to what you have to put forth. It’s a pretty big undertaking. As Kevin said before, if you can put a lot of the pieces in place like prior radio rotation and people listening to you before you visit, you at least get 10, 20, 30 more people in attendance at your shows than if you went on the fly. Our goal is to get more radio play, other college radio play, and building our fan base in Toronto and the neighbouring metropolis. Detroit. Windsor. London. New York City. (laughs) I don’t know – we’ll see.

T: What are the plans for All the Brightness going forward?

ATB Pete: We have new material for a new cd so we should have it recorded by mid to the end of April. We’ll have 10 new songs out.

ATB Nick: And once we have that, we’ll follow up with another video or video campaign and just gigging. We’ll try again to build on the little successes like “Soul Deposit”. It’s a lot of hard work. We all work fulltime jobs, too, and that’s what kind of limits us to a large degree. But we do what we can and use the internet to our advantage.

ATB Pete: The main goal is to make the best music we can and something that satisfies us creatively. And you do your best to support the business. We don’t have a ton of control over that. First and foremost it’s the music. Everything else comes after that.

REFS/Sources:

www.myspace.com/AllTheBrightness

www.AllTheBrightness.com

Photographer credit: TBA

Photographer: Elena Vardon

SELF-MADE: Entrepreneurial Photography in the Indie Music Scene

By BD Marie Hughes

Originally submitted to TAMBOURINE Magazine www.TambourineMagazine.ca – February 10.2008

In December of 2007 I met a young, aspiring photographer named Elena Vardon at a photo shoot for Canadian indie rock band Downfall of Romeo. After seeing some of her work, and, curious about her entrepreneurial spirit, I wanted to interview her for Tambourine magazine. Recently, we sat down at The Java House on Queen West at Spadina in downtown Toronto to talk about her craft.

BD/Tambourine Magazine: How did you and DoR get together?

Elena: I actually knew Richard first (Downfall of Romeo’s bassist). We used to work together and kept in touch over time. Then I found out that he’s in a band. So I went out to see some of his shows, and you know, just supporting him. I think their band has a really good energy. I thought the photo shoot was a great opportunity, would be a lot of fun, and would help them out. So I said, “Sure!”

BD/T: What aspects of that collaboration did you enjoy the most?

Elena: It was a lot of fun! The guys were so into it and were so excited about the whole thing. It’s really fun to work with people who are aspiring in their own craft. It was great to see them getting excited about it and listening to their ideas. Where we shot was a really great location. There were a lot of opportunities to set up interesting shots.

BD/T: Would you consider working with those guys again? (laughs)

Elena: For sure! (laughs) They were really nice and easy to work with – a lot of fun! So I don’t see why not! (still laughing)

BD/T: What got you interested in photography?

Elena: As far back as I remember, I have always found photography to be one of the most striking and affecting art forms because it’s real. I have also always been obsessed with documenting life. I could never let a pretty sunset go by without trying to capture it. Some people might say that’s unhealthy but I just always saw it as an immutable part of my personality. I looked for ways to satiate my desire to record the wonderful moments in life. I was lucky that my mom was interested in photography, too, and I could learn from her when I was really young.

BD/T: How did you earn your “ed cred” (educational credentials)?

Elena: Well, I took photography classes in high school because I was curious about the technical aspect of the pursuit. To me, it was a hobby and an art form but I felt limited by my knowledge of camera functions. Eventually, I ended up studying film production at Humber College. There are a lot of similarities in what you learn, so I can apply my learned knowledge to photography.

Actually, I feel that I learned as much out of school as I did in school. Don’t get me wrong. It was very valuable to learn about F-stops and depth of field and so on, but I find that what was most important to me was finally just telling myself not be afraid and going out there on my own and just taking pictures. I was too afraid when I was in college to really use the film cameras and I regret this. But I think having made that mistake made me stronger in the end. Now I don’t let fear get the best of me.

BD: Are you strictly shooting with digital? Any other media?

Elena: I would love to shoot with film again. Right now I’m sticking with digital because my good camera is digital and I’ve gotten so used to it. I haven’t worked with film in years. Working in a dark room, though, is really magical. Also, I love grainy film images and you can’t get those with digital because digital grain is just not the same. Film is so expensive and so finicky. There is something to be said for being able to see your photos playback immediately. So, maybe some day, I’ll use film again. For now I’m sticking to digital.

BD/T: How are you going about drumming up new business? Word of mouth? Referrals? Cyberspace? The dreaded cold calling?? (laughs)

Elena: (laughs) Right now I’d say the internet is a big help because I always know it’s there for me and I can advertise on various websites. The business I’m getting now is mostly through word of mouth. It’s just because I know some people who wanted head shots. I know some people who do music and who are involved in the music industry to kind of practice and have fun with it.

BD/T: What have been some of the challenges as a young, female entrepreneur in this line of work? Does the fact that you’re young, quote unquote, seem to be a barrier? How about the fact that you’re female in a male dominated field?

Elena: As far as age goes, I think it’s true sometimes people don’t take you as seriously when you’re younger. It does sort of help when you’re doing music shoots and you’re sort of in the zone with other young people. Bands trust you and what you’re doing because you’re in the same demographic. It can help you or hurt you – it just depends on what you’re doing.

It’s the same with film. I had a lot of issues with this when I was in school. I found many men didn’t trust the women in the class to do a good job. The women faced a lot more scrutiny than the guys did. It made me more timid than I otherwise would have been. I really do feel that I have to work hard to prove myself especially being a young woman. However, I’m not going to let interfere with my plans. (smiles) I think that the best way to gain respect is through perseverance. I think a lot of women in the photography industry have done just that. I’m really inspired by female photographers like Annie Leibovitz and Diane Arbus. Arbus is fascinating because her husband was a photographer and she learned through him, undiscouraged, even though, in those times, it truly was a man’s profession. Clearly, things are way better now. I can only hope we continue to move toward equality.

BD: What advice would you give to other young women entrepreneurs trying to break into the music scene with their photography?

Elena: I would say that if you hate living a typical life and you dream about succeeding in doing something you know you’re good at, being your own “boss,” so to speak, you can do it. I have always been creative, but when I was younger, I was so unmotivated and easily scared off. Now, I’ve realized that I only live once and I don’t want to waste what I am good at or what I love doing. So, I just started doing what I wanted to do and now I feel freer than ever before.

REFS/Sources:

www.ElenaVardon.com

Downfall of Romeo

ROCKED: Downfall of Romeo

By BD Marie Hughes

Originally submitted to TAMBOURINE Magazine www.TambourineMagazine.ca – 2008

January 11.2008

At the end of January, I met with the gifted Downfall of Romeo at Sushi on Bloor for what turned out to be a more than entertaining interview.

Tambourine (“T”): Nice to see you again! (Dave – Vocals, Trip – Bass, Furl - Keys and Andre – Guitar). Happy New Year!

Furl: (drops his chop sticks) Yeah, for sure! Happy New Year to you, too!

Dave: Thanks for seeing us again!

T: So what’s up with you guys for 2008?

Trip: We’ve certainly been busy and getting really hyped about this year. We’re working on re-branding the band and getting a fresh start with some new music while we take the band to the next level.

Dave: It’s been a little tough for us, as it is with any other band, but we’re working hard behind the scenes to deliver a better “Downfall of Romeo” to our fans in 2008.

T: That’s awesome! When you say things like “re-branding” and “delivering a better DoR”, I have to ask if you see your music as a business or an art? Can your music still be an art if you sign to a major label? I mean, some would say your music becomes a business when you’re preparing business plans, press releases and so on. How do you view the record label scene? What do you do on your own terms? What do you describe as a “sell out”? Well, shiiit, if that’s not a loaded question! (everyone laughs) Hit me with it!

Furl: I think it’s important for any band to treat themselves like a business. No matter if you’re a garage band or a pro studio band – you need to take your craft seriously and include a lot of thought and hard work to be able to reap the benefits of it.

Trip: Running a band like a business doesn’t have to be a tiresome thing. It’s just a matter of making a plan for the band to follow from A to Z. It’s still just as fun playing gigs for your friends, but it feels even better when you manage to reel in new fans each time you play, extending your reach.

Dave: I think every band, whether they’re starting out in their parent’s basement or have been in the game a long time, playing great venues, dreams of hitting it big. Signing to a huge record label could definitely have it’s drawbacks but then again, they have their advantages, too. I think if an artist asks questions and understands what the music industry is all about then he’ll stay out of situations where he’ll lose his musical integrity.

Furl: Doing things on our own terms means having control of what we create. Right now we are bound by no one and no guidelines. We wear what we want, express our thoughts the way we want and drink when we want. (laughs) We have complete control right now so why not take advantage.

Andre: I think a “sell out” is someone who allows others to think for them and doesn’t possess a voice of their own. A “sell out” is someone that simply goes with the flow because it’s a lot easier than putting up a fight for what they believe in.

T: What is your view of music and the internet? Promotional tool? A tool to produce music? Retail? Catch 22? (laughs)

Dave: Music and the internet, wow, that’s a good one. I definitely think it’s a great tool to promote your music. The problem that arose early on was that there were tons of illegal downloads. I think right now people are getting sick of searching for a song that doesn’t cut out half way through it, or that has the DJ from the radio station in the middle of the song with a deep voice saying “Ro- Ro- Ro- Rock Radio 88.6 FM”. (laughs) Overall, I think that it’s a great tool and things are only going to get better. It’s given bands more creative ways to get noticed.

T: What about radio play?

Andre: Radio play has been good to Canadian artists over the last several years. They’re pushing more Canadian content on the airwaves and I think it’s awesome. It has become much easier for a band to make an impact. Even the term “radio play” has changed because it doesn’t just mean standard FM radio. There’s satellite and internet radio now, too, which are other avenues bands can use to reach an audience.

T: We’ve talked before, in other interviews, about how you go about writing your music. What’s key for me, as a fan of your music, is that you write about things that are relevant. Has your approach to songwriting changed or varied in any way as DoR has evolved? What makes DoR’s music so relevant? Do you feel you are able to say everything you want to say with your music?

Dave: Our method to songwriting remains the same. They key is not to cage what you’re trying to say. Let it out on paper and it will take it’s own form when you incorporate it with music or vise versa.

Furl: If there is one thing that’s changed it’s that the process of music writing for us is getting easier and more fluid. The better we get to know each other and the more we jam together, it helps stir the creativity and productivity. It’s important to have musicians that “click”.

T: Where in Downfall of Romeo do you feel you take chances?

Furl: The dynamics of our music is where I think we take the most chances. We’ll take a fast beat and break it down half time in a chorus or a bridge. New sounds could also break the mold. A certain sound on the keyboard, for example, may sound like crap by itself but, in the right song, it paints a picture. Wow, that sounds deep. (laughs)

Trip: Variety is another risk for us. We’re trying to make it in an industry that’s already loaded with lots of talented rock musicians. We’re doing our best to balance great rock licks with modern flare.

T: What personality characteristics do each of you contribute to DoR?

Dave: I have to admit that we share a lot of positivity together – which is key for staying together and moving forward as a band. Through our many hardships, and I mean many, there’s always been at least one of us who managed to keep our chins up.

Trip: (laughs) So many times Dave would call me late at night and start complaining about something that just wasn’t going our way. Then I’d figuratively slap him in the face and keep him looking towards the future. And, of course, vice-versa…

Dave: The difference is I kick him in the crotch. (laughs)

Furl: And a sense of humour is another characteristic.

T: You’ve had a few line up changes with your killer drummer, Matt, moving on to other career opportunities, and with Andre looking to phase out due to work and family commitments. How are you dealing with the changes?

Dave: It’s not easy that’s for sure. But like we said, we use each other to lean on. The one thing to remember is that every band out there deals with the bullshit of being in a band. You can’t escape it. Priorities change and people can grow out of being excited about playing music. Once you lose that, you lose everything. One thing we haven’t done is settle for less. We look for experienced musicians that have the same goals as us – someone who speaks the same language as us musically.

T: Toronto is a big city with a musician or band per city block (grins). What’s your take on the Toronto music scene?

Furl: I’m glad to see that there is such a huge diversity of music out there. You won’t get bored with the same old thing. You’ll hear new wave, rock, punk, ska, reggae. It’s great to have that in this city.

Trip: One thing I’ve noticed is that Toronto is a hub for musicians nationally. We’ve had people audition for the band who had recently moved from Ottawa or even as far as Calgary. It’s great to know that Toronto can be called “home” to music.

T: How do you define “success”? Do you need a major label deal to be successful – you know, that achieving quote unquote “fame” needs financial backing? Or can you be successful artists all on your own?

Trip: I think success can be seen as a matter of perspective. My personal definition of success is playing a live show and having everyone in the crowd dancing and singing along. When the crowd moves, I know I’ve done my job well.

Andre: Success is also more about your ongoing achievements. Each time you take your music a step up, you get one more fan into you, you play one more venue. That’s what success is all about.

Dave: Playing for as long as we have, we’ve realized that the dream of hitting it big is not always the meaning of success. Due to our struggles we’ve encountered, we understood that the meaning of success was just to be up there and play. At one time we definitely missed it. In the end, that’s all we want to do – Play.

Refs:

www.myspace.com/DownfallofRomeo

Photographer credit: Elena Vardon