Canadian online indie magazine Truth Explosion will be celebrating the launch of their 1st Annual Photo Issue with a live show that will feature several acts including the folk-country four-piece Cuff The Duke.
This past year proved to be very memorable for the Oshawa natives. The band released their self-titled sophomore record, which received acclaim from the industry across Canada. Though their sound is quite hard to describe, critics have called Cuff The Duke’s music traditional and elegant, something vocalist Wayne Petti concurs with. That being said, the one thing which is true about their music is that their sound is a reflection of their personality. “We tend to be a little all over the place because our personalities are all over the place,” says Petti.
The guys of Cuff The Duke first got into country in their late teens and early twenties. Although their goal was to play country music, Petti says that punk rock somewhat ruined their idea because they weren’t good enough at their instruments to play purely country music. However, the band seems to have found their sound and reached their comfort level with their new effort.
The band’s frontman says that Cuff The Duke tried to be more creative on their new record, pushing the envelop a little further, which is something he claims mainstream music is no longer doing. “It’s so pathetic, a lot of the major record rock right now is brutal,” says Petti, “Labels used to take a chance on things, they clearly don’t feel that they can do that anymore.”
Playing it safe, he says, is what they are doing and as a result they are boring the public to death. “No wonder no one wants to buy a record anymore because most of them suck; they are boring and generic,” says Petti.
One thing which Petti does not find generic, is Truth Explosion magazine. The magazine was launched in 2003 and made a place for itself because of its original concept and extensive collection of live music photography. The free printed issue, which will be launched in Toronto this weekend and in Montreal on February 24, will feature some of the best 120 pictures of 2005 taken by the magazine’s photographers.
Since both Petti and the band’s bassist both studied photography, they are really happy to be taking part in this event. “I like it when there’s something cool that’s just starting up. People helped us early on, so it’s cool to do that,” says Petti.
The launch is just the beginning of a series of new projects for Truth Explosion. They will be launching their very own radio station in the coming months, which will feature audio interviews with bands, music and pre-recorded shows.
Make sure you catch Cuff The Duke and get a copy of Truth Explosion’s first annual photo issue on Friday February 24 at Main Hall. Tickets are $10 and show is at 8 p.m.
