TEA Artist Interview Links

Rock has morphed into rather a cluttered, heavy sound that seems to be quite emotionally imbalanced at the end of the day. If you don't believe me, try to remember the last mainstream hit you remember from five years ago, and then figure out the lyrical meaning of the music. Exactly. It simply isn't substantial enough to be poetic.

In a world where a genre is reliant on screaming and instrumental disasters, Drive Faster is rather a breath of fresh air. Originating in Alberta as "Supernal", without the cowboy hats, they provide a sound that's energetic and inspiring. The lyrics actually make sense. And you don't need earplugs to enjoy its rebellious feel.

Thus begins an interview with lead singer, Angela, who adds the right amount of "up and at 'em" to each wonderful creation.

PHIL: How was "Drive Faster" formed? Was it fate that brought you together?

ANGELA: Drive Faster was born out of the band "Supernal" that we were formerly known as for several years; a rock band with two crunchy guitars and a heavier sound. With the name change we decided to try and find a keyboard player and go for a more dance/rock vibe. The idea was to go up-tempo all the way. When we couldn't find the keyboardist we envisioned, we decided that maybe I should lose the guitar and try playing keys instead. And... here we are.

PHIL: Your music contains elements of rock along with the use of synthesizers and plenty of enthusiasm to boot. Does it require a lot of effort in order to keep a uniform sound with all these different features?

ANGELA: I think the use of the synth in the band works to create the sound, making it easier to sound uniform. We definitely have elements of rock in our sound, with our history of playing heavier rock, but that being said, we consciously strive for a specific vibe and tempo.

For "Frame of Mind", each song we wrote had to sound good next to the last one and have a common thread somewhere. That was a bit of the goal when we started as a band writing from scratch: songs that don't sound too "rock" that you can dance to and hum along.

Read the rest of this interview at TEA on 148.ca and Fab Indie

Infectious as The Killers, cool as Metric, Drive Faster keeps dance-rock slick and savvy. Vroom vroom…

A rhythmic band with an indie pop vibe, drummer Michael Holbrook, guitarist Tony Gare and bassist Jeff Scale lock into up-tempo, new wave grooves that will make you dance even if you don’t know how. Frontwoman Angela Saini, trading in her electric guitar for a micro-Korg synthesizer last year, adds in melodic hooks with small twists and turns that result in memorable songs with catchy choruses that keep rolling on long after the band has packed up and left. “Their music is just like their personality: friendly and upbeat. They are realistic and ambitious. Top that with talented” (Andréanne Sasseville – Sirius Satellite Radio, BOBBi MAGAZINE).

Drive Faster, formerly known as Supernal, boasts a long history of touring across the continent from their original headquarters in Calgary, AB, and are not a band to sit curb-side.  Shows opening for Angels and Airwaves and Sum 41, along with airplay on over 300 commercial and college radio stations, led the band to Toronto, and reviewers testified, “the energy and vibe they provide to their audience is infectious” (Uncharted Sounds, 2008).

With a new name and electro-rock style Drive Faster debuted their new sound at Canadian Music Week 2009 to a packed crowd at Holy Joe’s. Drive Faster taped an episode for Aux TV’s “Master Tracks” where producers Moe Berg (Pursuit of Happiness) and Lawrence Currie (Sloan, The Cliks) worked with the band to record their song “Analog” at Metalworks studio. Berg described the process as a “homerun” and during the episode says, “The vocalist is just so outstanding. You almost get a rush when you are recording someone like that.”  The debut, Frame of Mind will be released in July 2010 as Drive Faster heads to the fast lane. For up to date gig listings and other information just follow the blog postings for this feature by clicking on the band title Drive Faster. You can purchase the new debut CD - Frame of Mind here.  SRN Mediaworks have recently completed an interview with Angela from Drive Faster which you can read at Fab Indie. Also, check out the Mississauga News Review

Listen to Drive Faster

Shortly after the tour, IBO was in a serious car accident that hospitalized him for a year. This tragic event profoundly effected Jon and lead him to take his life and music even more seriously. With IBO still in recovery, Jon launched his band project, The Karuna Movement, with a sold out show in Nanaimo. Karuna means Compassion. The next day he headed into the studio with Juno nominated producer/engineer Rick Salt and began production on his debut album entitled, “The Power of Music”.  A few years later and Jon has produced a top notch EP, toured throughout Western Canada, performed at several major festivals (including Calgary Reggae Festival and a headlining slot at Islands Folk Festival), and enjoyed radio play on stations all across Canada including WOLF, CHLY, VIBE, CJSW, FOX and CBC. He is currently polishing up his band album and completing preproduction on a solo acoustic/reggae/pop album. Keep your eye on this guy!!!

“Jon Bone delivers a captivating stage presence with a rich and soulful voice that, reminiscent of inspirational artists like Bob Marley and John Lennon, sings of love, equality, social justice, and a peaceful state of being.“
-Aaron Bethune of PlayItLoudMusic

Listen to Jon Bone

Rivoli in 2011

The next TEA showcase will be held in 2011 at the Rivoli in downtown Toronto. This showcase  will feature TEA Volume 14 and 15  artists. Due to increased recording projects and summer travel plans the TEA showcase has been pushed forward to 2011. More details will be forthcoming in the months ahead.

No other artist expresses themselves as much as elevator boy does in each and every song he creates.  His manipulation of sound is his voice, which will not be found on any of elevator boys’ recordings. Point blank, to even call his music, music, seems a little naff.  It’s art, pure and simple.  It’s ageless.  It’s fashion-less. One hundred years from today it will sound as fresh or as ancient as it already does. And he does it all, from the confines of his little, delicate, glass elevator, going up and down, like his emotions, like his music. Matthew is hoping by having his music featured on TEA's volume 14 compilation, his music will reach a broader audience, and hopefully create fans, critics and hopefully some level of discussion about the music he creates.

With his visual art, Matthew continues where his music left off by creating highly experimental works using unconventional to straight forward materials.  Matthew uses his obsessions, struggles, frustrations to great use  in his work, but always tries to show some of his sometimes out of touch sense of  humour.  The dark undertones, layers of expression has a maximum effect  in some of his artwork but in others its its simplicity and rawness that draws the viewer in. His music and art are interconnected, that hopefully give the listener/viewer not only a  chance to discover who is Matthew?, but more importantly questions about there own experiences, their own lives. Check out website

Listen to elevator boy

Locus has produced several independent recordings. In the spring of 2008, Locus conceived, financed, and produced their debut EP “Silent Echo.” They released the follow-up to "Silent Echo," titled "Ambrosia," in January 2009. "Ambrosia"'s first single "Wonderland," was selected to appear on the TEA South Compilation Volume 14. Locus released their third studio effort in November 2009 titled "Shine." Read Locus artist interview conducted by Phillip Hong of SRN Mediaworks.  You may purchase Locus music here

Listen to Locus

Environmentalist David Suzuki’s Discovery Channel Special, ‘AN EVENING WITH THE NEW CENTURIONS’, is an engaging 90-minute special about our global future and the steps needed to repair years of neglect. It premiers Saturday, April 17 at 7 p.m. Central/5 p.m. PT on Discovery HD. Classic Hollywood TV Producer Bernie Rothman creates the Discovery Channel Special. Manitoba’s own Katelyn Dawn shines with a glamorous performance opening the show!

AN EVENING WITH THE NEW CENTURIONS pays tribute to the youth of today's "Y" generation whose actions help mobilize our society to make positive changes. For more information on The New Centurions:

http://www.discoverychannel.ca/article.aspx?aid=25318

Katelyn Dawn, who recently moved to Toronto to pursue a music career following Canadian Idol spent some time in Los Angeles, California filming the upcoming Discovery Channel show, which was filmed at the Canadian Consul General’s Residence. "It was an honor to perform in front of so many people who are passionate about our environment, something I also care very deeply about."

This discovery channel special airs on the eve of Katelyn’s upcoming self-titled album release, which has just been pre-released on her website and will soon be available on iTunes and other record and online stores across the country.

Check her myspace for more details on upcoming performances and new songs from the EP!

www.myspace.com/katelyndawn

An emotional, intense journey

It's definitely a very special experience when one becomes a musician, and for Sean Peori, it is also an exciting journey that has taken him to quite a few places within this country, working with dedicated people who have been associated with big names such as Randy Bachman, Bob Dylan, and Blue Rodeo.

This is the sort of music that is built to be enjoyed by a wide audience, and it's due to a creativity that is the result of bearing one's soul - and this artist easily shows his identity through musical means.

With plenty of emotions and elements that easily reflect him, Sean makes his tracks an extension of who he is as a person, and this journey is quite pleasurable to hear as a result.

PHIL: You have had an interesting journey in regards to getting into music. What really sparked your interest in this field?

SEAN: Melody and groove, originally anyway. I can remember my parents playing bands like the Doors and The Beatles on vinyl. The way sounds and rhythm made me feel was incredible. Like a giant surge of energy and emotion. I would dance around the room singing along with the songs, it was like a release. Next, in adolescence, it was the attitude and style. It gave me someone to be, an identity. Standing behind the mic on stage with a guitar in hand felt like the right place to be. The audience was my muse and had the opportunity to affect how they felt and thought, I liked that.

Then it was songwriting. I absolutely fell in love with the creative process, the craft of song. It became a mission, a continuing mission, to create great original melodies, arrangements and grooves. My songs caught the attention of Tom Hooper (The Grapes Of Wrath) and Matt Johnson (54-40) when I began to perform on the West Coast.

Their guidance gave me the fuel I needed to keep working as a musician, even though it wasn't paying the bills. I recorded a CD with Tom which sparked the interest of Grammy award winning producer Malcolm Burn (Bob Dylan, Emmy Lou Harris). I ended up recording a new CD at Malcolm's home studio in Kingston, NY. This was great incentive to stay on the path of music.

PHIL: Your music has been described as "beautiful" and full of depth and colour. Would you say that your tracks paint a picture for curious minds?

SEAN: I have always loved music that affects me emotionally. Naturally this has led me to try and create music that takes the listener on a journey or stirs something inside of them. I do believe my music paints a picture for the listener.

PHIL: Tell me about your latest release, "Find Our Place". What should we expect in this vivid creation?

SEAN: You can expect a collection of intense heartfelt songs. I put a lot of my soul into my songwriting and I believe we have captured this on Find Our Place. The album was produced and engineered by Andy Bowmer (Randy Bachman, Harry Manx). Andy was emotionally invested in the project. He loved the songs and really wanted to capture the essence of each one. Also, the musicianship on this album is fantastic.

Read the rest of this interview at Fab Indie

Locus Interview

When I think of Chinese pop music, it's usually this melodramatic mess with digital instruments that seem to spit out quite a cheap sound, combined with lyrics that are created for no other purpose than to entertain to the lowest possible common decimal. In fact, I believe there is a lack of soul in music that is created for the language, because a lot of that market is focused on selling albums as a Olympic sport out of all things.

Locus provides a very different, a more profound point of view into this otherwise failed genre. For those who don't understand the Chinese language, they have also given equal footing by being bilingual with their material. It's a form of pop that isn't corny or ridiculous at all... in fact, a number of genres take an influential role in their music, and that's probably their biggest draw.

I should brush up on my own pathetically amateurish knowledge of this mother tongue before I say anything else. My ridiculous questions have been answered by bandmates Jason Chu and Kaila So.

PHIL: How was the band formed in 2006?

KAILA: We actually didn't think about forming a band at first. It started when Jason and Kelvin began writing music ten years ago as a duo. I came on board in 2005 when Jason and I met while still playing for another band. Eric joined shortly after he began collaborating with Jason in late 2006. This led to a string of collaborations between the four of us, and in a very short time, we discovered we had written about 30 songs! Then we realized it would make perfect sense if we all joined together to contribute to each others' musical journey. Now, here we are, a songwriting group and best friends for life.

PHIL: How did music in general come into your life?

JASON: Kelvin and I started studying piano when we were four years old. Eric is self-taught in guitar and drums. Kaila has previously fronted other local bands and contributed vocals for local acts XYL and Daddy Chang.

Read the rest of this interview at TEA on 148.ca