Category: Music

Royal Wood is ready to claim his seat among Canadian Kings of pop-noire Rufus Wainwright and Hawksley Workman. This multi-instumentalist composed, recorded and produced his most rich and dignified effort yet, A Good Enough Day.

The accomplished musician is more than ready to back it up with tour dates this spring. But before gracing Montreal, Wood demystifies his album, opens it up at the hinges and lets us in.

A Good Enough Day is your second record, but your first album on Emm Gryner’s label Dead Daisy Records. How did this come about?

It was a long and winding road. My last album “Tall Tales” had found its way into DDR’s hands and started the ball rolling in terms of interest. When the new record was complete, I wrestled with how and where to put it out, and eventually Dead Daisy made the best sense. They were fully behind the record, and it is the kind of a label that allows for artistic freedom like very few others out there. At the end of the day, after every idea and discussion, the final say is always my decision with DDR – and I relish that.

What does your album title A Good Enough Day signify?

It is always a good enough moment in time to seize life. The making of A Good Enough Day meant that I had reached the next stepping stone in my career. I set out to make something different from anything I have made before. I wanted to make a departure from my last effort; a beautiful and holy record that would stand up against what usually hits the airwaves.

Can we talk tracks? What is “A Mirror Without” about?

“A Mirror Without” is about the idea that we are nothing without someone to share our life with. What good is a mirror unless there is a face to look upon it? What good is a life unless there is a loved one to experience it with us?

What inspired your song “Siren”?

“Siren” itself was inspired by the age old concept that it is better to have loved and lost, then never to have loved at all. We are the products of what we experience day to day, and a lost love helps mold us into who we are now. We should be thankful for it, in all of its stages. From the first spark to the dying amber.

What are you saying with your song “Step Back”?

“Step Back” is about taking stock of life, reviewing the situation, and dealing with what has to be done in order to better ourselves and our current predicament.

What is behind your song “Acting Crazy”?

“Acting Crazy” is about a love between two people that ends, not of lost affections, but out of situations beyond our control. Roads diverge and sometimes two can not take the same path. When this happens it is a breakdown instead of a break up.

Great Canadian musicians contributed to your album like Hawksley Workman and Kurt Swinghammer. What was it like working with them?

Hawksley, Kurt and I have been fans of each others music for a while now, so it seemed natural to finally have them in the studio. Both are beyond professional and beyond genius so I sat back and let the magic happen on both of their performances. I really tried not to influence what they played for their perspective parts and just let them take shape themselves. As expected they struck gold.

Is there a reason why Hawksley Workman appears as guest drummer on the particular song, “Forever We’re Tied” and not another track like “Step Back” or “A Mirror Without”?

Hawksley had heard some of the initial demos for the record, and was kind enough to ask if he could play on the record in anyway. My drummer Adam Hay, at the time, had very much influenced the parts for “A Mirror Without” and “Step Back” in the rehearsal stage, and I couldn’t imagine any one else playing the parts but Adam. He is a tremendous talent at what he does. On “Forever Were Tied” though, it made sense as a song to have Hawk’s style of playing on the kit. He is such an artist at the drums and plays it as only a songwriter could.

What is the common thread running through A Good Enough Day?

The theme of this record in the broadest sense is life itself and the emotions that come with it. We are on a roller coaster after all, and we are along for the ride until it stops.

Royal Wood plays Casa del
Popolo Wednesday, May 9.

Some acts let an audience into their world during a live set. They bare themselves, exposing their beauty, talent and insecurities. Some have a story to tell of love, heartbreak joy and misery.

Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac are one of those acts. They’re storytellers looking for willing ears and open hearts.

How did you two ladies come up with your band name?

Lisa: We got it while on a writing trip in a campervan through America. One night we stopped in New Mexico fairly close to Roswell. We had an extremely trippy experience in a natural hot spring and just losing time. There was this woman, a hippy who checked us in at the hot spring; she was absolutely off her rocker! Her name is Violet.

Brenley: It’s like a live stage story that takes a long time! And there were no drugs involved!

You give off the impression that you’ve know each other forever. How did you two meet?

Brenley: We met at a place called The Green Room in Toronto. I was eavesdropping on a conversation that Lisa was having with someone. I heard her say the name MacIsaac. I recognized it from Craignish a small town I grew up in. It’s funny because I was just there and drove by their house. A friend told me, “You know, that’s Ashley MacIsaac’s house, and he has a sister who lives in Toronto.” Lo and behold, within three months, we ran into each other.

So Lisa, you’re Ashley MacIsaac’s sister! You must get a lot of enquiries about him in interviews.

Lisa: Oh yeah! Some journalist, not as much since we came into our own rite, would bring it up and it would become the topic of discussion. I usually ended up saying “You know what? Don’t go there!” But yeah, I’m his little sister. [Laughs]

Ok, point taken! Next question! I read you wrote your past albums in motor homes. Do you think the albums would be the same if they were produced in different environments?

Brenley: I think they would be different. Your environment has to do with what thoughts are running through your head. We don’t have any real structure or formula for writing.

What are some things that generally inspire you to write songs?

Lisa: Well our two records in general have some sort of relationship based theme. Finding love or being heartbroken. There aren’t very many happy love story songs on our albums. I think you only get a good song out of it if it’s heartache.

Brenley: A lot of our writing explores the idea of finding out whether you should throw in the towel or stick it out.

Touching back on your writing trips and producing album while travelling, are you going to make that a tradition in song writing?

Brenley: I’d love to. Just before we called you we were actually looking for a campervan for Australia. We’re going to be there for three months on tour. During the week things die down and it would be great to have a camper van and we’re about due for another record.

For two people who travel so much, what is your concept of home?

Lisa: Toronto is home; it’s where we both pay rent and should be doing our taxes. [Laughs] But I feel very much at home when I’m on the road. I enjoy the minimalist lifestyle, like just having a suitcase to live out of.

Brenley: We both get a little messed up if we’re home for too long and off the road. Maybe because we’ve done so much traveling in the last seven years, it’s become more normal for us. So, when we’re home we start to fret. There is so much going on here. We’ve been home on break now, it’s been good, but we’re really excited to get back out there.

Until the first tremors hit last month, renowned Canadian rockers Finger Eleven were riding on a low profile, nearly dormant since their last quake in 2003.

Now they’re back and making noise with their lead single “Paralyzer” from their new release Them Vs. You Vs. Me.

The band is about to commence their Canadian tour with Strata and Inward Eye, kicking it all off in Quebec’s capital.

Guitarist Rick Jackett took some time out to talk while wrapping up their US tour with Evanescence in Providence, RI.

Finger Eleven has been together for over 10 years now. A lot of bands spin off solo projects or simply break up; they just don’t seem to last this long. What’s the secret to staying together and being a collective, successful band?

Our secret is just not giving up! Just continuing to make the music we want to make and trying not to compromise anything within the band. We respect each other and run the band like a democracy. There’s not one leader of the band telling others how to act. But the biggest part is being friends.

Friends before business?

Oh yeah! The business side of the band isn’t something that we really worry about too much. Most of our decisions are made about music and not money.

How do you find that balance between friends and business?

That’s a side that nobody really thinks about when starting a band. Most times when you start a band you just want to play music with your friends. Then you become self-employed and you are running a business. But for us, being business partners with your friends is pretty easy. Like I said, we run everything like a democracy and that’s how decisions are made. Fair.

You were just on tour in the US with Evanescence?

Yes, it was great! The shows are incredible. It was a big stadium tour and the fans were really into it. I get pretty stunned when I’m on stage watching people singing our songs back. That stops me in my tracks! It was a fun, easy tour. We’re friends with Amy and the band it’s been awesome.

Must be a real rock show! Do you have any wild tour stories to share?

Our merch-man went to the hospital today, but that wasn’t because of the BB guns we bought! [Laughs] Each show is like a little adventure that piles up.

But it’s weird, it’s hard to think of one because something is happening everyday that seems wild and crazy if you weren’t on the road. But when you are on the road it seems very normal.

If I was home right now or if we were talking in a bar it would come naturally to me. It’s like trying to pick your favorite record; I can’t think of it, my mind blanks.

Thinking of favorite records, John Lennon comes to my mind and you recently covered his song “Look At Me”. Why did the band decide to record that song?

The recording was for Amnesty International online. The reason we chose “Look At Me” is simply because we like the song. They told us we could pick any solo John Lennon song. Because the original was a very barebones acoustic song, we thought we could add some sounds to it without screwing with the actual song.

The band was on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno last month. What was that like?

That was the second time we got to do that and it’s a really amazing feeling. I never thought we’d be playing the Tonight Show. It wasn’t part of our long term goal, but when it arrived it was just amazing.

Speaking of television, your songs were featured in a few movies and videogames even. How does it feel hearing your songs on TV or on the big screen in successful films like Daredevil?

It’s pretty close to the same feeling you get when you hear your song on the radio or TV. It’s just a little larger than life and the song feels bigger than you ever thought it could actually feel. It’s amazing.

And it’s good to be involved in all the different types of media, especially nowadays; it’s such a good way to get your music out there and heard.

“Paralyzer” is getting great air play and Them Vs. You Vs. Me has received a great response. Can you tell us about the album title?

“Them Vs. You Vs. Me” is also a song title on the album. The expression summed up an outside pressure that trickled down on us. Outside of the band there are pressures between managers and labels. Everyone wanted the record to be as good as it could be and that pressure translated down to the band members and we put that pressure on each other.

If someone were to pick up your album and they could only listen to one song, which track would you hope that they’d listen to?

That would be hard! The record is so different from song to song, so if you did only listen to one song on the record you wouldn’t get a full feel of what it’s about. But my favorite song on the record is “I’ll Keep Your Memory Vague”.

What is that song about?

You’ll have to ask Scott, he wrote the lyrics.

But it’s open for interpretation. That is the beauty of music.

The lead single off the album is called “Paralyzer”. What are your weaknesses, things that paralyze you?

Not much! We don’t have any real fears.

Finger Eleven plays Le National
Saturday, April 28 with Strata.

Springtime my ass! I find it hard to believe that May is just a little over two weeks away. There was a small snowstorm last week for heaven’s sake!

With that said, Exclaim’s Spring Fling tour might have sounded somewhat out of place (seeing as it’s freezing), but one of four bands in the line-up, brought in some warmth from the west.

Vancouver’s You Say Party! We say Die! is starring vocalist Becky Ninkovic, keyboardist Krista Loewen, guitarist Derek Adam, bassist Stephen O’Shea and Devon Clifford on drums. This dance-punk quintet knows how to bring in the funk and raise up the heat.

Vocalist Becky Ninkovic shares some views on touring and partying.

How has touring been so far this year?

Weird things happen all the time! We have a lot of bad luck and we always have to fix our van. But we have a lot of fun on the road and get to meet interesting people.

Bad luck, like the incident in the US that we can all read about?

[Laughs] We’re not allowed back in the States for five years! We applied for visas and they were taking a really long time to go through. We had to get down there to play the shows we booked so we tried to go down with a fake recording contract. They caught us in the lie. But it wasn’t a total lie! [Laughs] We did have recording time booked in L.A.

Speaking of a little dishonesty, how about some big honesty? Who has the worst habits while on tour?

Worst habit or worst hygiene? [Laughs] Well Krista definitely likes her mayonnaise. She has a serious mayonnaise and chips habit. Not together. [Laughs] We definitely wait for Devon a lot. Oh! And Devon likes to hang his sweaty shirts at the back of the van and when its dark in the van and you’re looking for your pillow you get a handful of super sweaty clothing and it’s really gross! We all have something!

You definitely give your fans something each time you put on a show.

People come to our shows hoping we’ll entertain them and give them a party. But we do this night after night and people might be coming out for their one day of the week to party. So we just get caught up in everyone else’s aspiration to party.

Every community is different and likes to party in their own way. So we actually just go along for the ride!

If you were throwing the party of the century, who would be invited?

Stephen wants the Wolfman! [Laughs] But I’m thinking Ariel. I’ve always wanted to meet a mermaid since before the time I could talk! [Laughs] If I could have mermaids and Stephen could have the Wolfman that would be crazy! It would have to be a mythical creature affair.

What is a good excuse to party?

A good excuse to party? Any time is a good time. No excuse! [Laughs]

With a clear blue sky, yacht-riddled ocean bay, and countless amounts of breast implants as a visual backdrop, this week’s column is being written from the balcony of a luxurious Miami hotel.

That’s right, M-I-Yayo – a very peculiar place. A lot of really tanned people wearing really tight shirts and drinking really expensive martinis served by a really good-looking bartender. Just sitting by the pool for an hour I must have seen ten million dollars worth of plastic surgery.

But the home of thug extraordinaire Trick Daddy has other things going on for itself. One of them is an exploding hip-hop scene. With superstars like DJ Khaled, Rick Ross, and producers Cool and Dre, Miami is setting up to be the next city to invade the North American airwaves. “We Takin’ Over”, the inescapable club banger featuring some of the hottest rappers in the game, seems to confirm that, plain and simple.

Yet if you look at Miami’s musical heritage, it only makes sense that a comeback is in order. Miami Bass, also known as Booty Music, has set the stage for B-more club, Drum&Bass, Ghettotech and of course the monster that Dirty South music is. Being the first musical genre to use 808 kick drums, the pioneers of Miami Bass, although never commercially recognized, were the first to pursue that booty-shaking madness that so many DJs make a living off of now.

I must say being in Miami makes me wanna act like Scarface all the time, minus the mountains of cocaine and the chain saw scene. But causing a scene in the restaurant and yelling “everybody look at the bad guy” then calling people “f-ing cockroaches” seems doable. The sad truth is, strolling down South Beach I noticed there are dozens of guys who actually walk around talking like Tony.

Anyway… If you guys have ever read Jeff Chang’s “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop”, the most comprehensive history of hip-hop in book format (full of priceless interviews and photos from the 70s and 80s), you should look out for his follow-up “Total Chaos”.

The book, which deals with the arts and aesthetics of hip-hop, explores the ways in which the music has influenced mediums like theatre, dance, performance, poetry, literature, fashion, design, photography, painting, and film. The book presents the idea that hip-hop is now much bigger than rap music and, in turn, beyond the African-American experience. I’ve only read parts of it but I definitely recommend it as a gift to any hip-hop heads.

The Kop Shop is hosting a must-see hip-hop show on April 20th organized by ICM (Island City Monsters) records and featuring Lone Catalysts’ J.Sands, local MC/Producer D Shade and Memo, an established graffiti artist and talented MC. ICM also recently released a crew album available on their online store at islandcitymonsters.com.

Montreal’s biggest street dance convention Bust A Move is going down May 5th at 8 PM. Featuring dancers from here as well as Toronto and NYC, the event will showcase battles in Hip-Hop, House, Popping, and Locking. $10 per person. Tickets are available at Off the Hook, 8 Count, and Urban Element. Don’t miss it.

And of course, Nas will be performing on April 16th and I’m counting the days until he blesses the stage at Metropolis. Get your tickets quick!

French rap group TTC collaborated with locals Omnikrom yet again for a new banger. After blessing us with the anthem “Pour Te Rechauffer”, the new hilarious masterpiece “Danse La Poutine” is a must-listen on Omnikrom’s myspace page. Too good.

Local rap movement Hood 2 Hood will put out vol. 2 of their mixtape this summer which will feature Concordia student/rapper The Catalyst. Check out his myspace.com/catalystlilo.

If you would like to join a forum for ideas and suggestions for the column, join the facebook group “Straight Up And Down!” and feel free to post up.

For anything else, hit up my gmail.

Poppa knows, child…

Songs to bump once the weather’s nice:

The Roots: “Lazy Afternoon”

Sublime and Pharcyde:

“Summertime”

Ice Cube:

“Today Was a Good Day”

Big Pun: “It’s So Hard”

Snoop Dogg: “Still a G Thang”

Wyclef: “Guantanamera”

Lil Wayne: “Mo Fire”

Ludacris: “Spur Of The Moment”

Clipse:

“Queen Bitch” (Diplo Remix)

It was a very rock and roll moment when I crawled into the back of a van with Nick Backovic and Neil Vidyarthi from the new independent record label Upp Records. They were at the Milton gates on McGill University campus promoting the launch party for their label, which took place at Caf

Inspiration is a funny thing; bizarre, erratic even. It is bewildering how this delectation comes to burn inside an song writer.

What fuels them to compose, to conceive? Is this a creative flow of potent supernova juice? A revelation perhaps, transcending from the divine?

This timeless inquisition is nothing new.

Song writers themselves go as far back as inspiration itself, even beyond the years of the troubadours of the Middle Ages and the nine mythical Muses of pre-Hellenistic times.

In this century, song writing is best appraised by someone who knows a thing or two about the art. Someone passionate, experienced, well-rounded, with a rock star edge.

Adam Cohen, son of world renowned poet, singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, was born into a bohemian lifestyle, surrounded by rich art and culture.

Tapping into his artistic heritage, Cohen made his well received musical debut eight years ago.

Now, with two solo albums under his belt and a leading role in the successful quartet the Low Millions, this artist naturally took his place in the haute monde of music.

You seem undercover these days. Do you have anything up your sleeve?

I’m working on two very cool projects, one is secret and so exciting that I don’t want to jinx it. The other is your typical slow collection of song ideas for a new record, which I will definitely be making in the next six months. I have high hopes for both, which in this biz is a pretty sure way of getting your ass handed to you.

You’ve composed and recorded music in various places in the world, from Paris to L.A. to Montreal. Do you believe location affects song writing?

The speed at which a song is written, or the thoughts that compose a song are always affected by mood and location very much affects mood. Some prefer to write when in the din of a bar or social setting, some have to be isolated; some need friction and drama, some peace and quiet. But, then again, what do they say: “wherever you go, there you are.”

When you start writing a song, is your focal point generally more on the music or the lyrics first?

The music for a song is almost always more complete than the lyric for me. But at the inception, the music is accompanied with mumbling and utterances that are being formed along with the music.

You are bilingual and that comes through in your music. Why pour your bilingualism into your song writing?

I find that French is a much more romantic language, and I often find those who live in francophone worlds lead more romantic lives, culturally speaking. I certainly find Paris and Montreal sexier, more sensuous and romantic than say, Toronto or L.A.

When you are composing a song and your intention is to record that song in French, do you first write that song in French or is it translated from English along the way?

I write the song in the language in which I wish to record it. Only once have I translated a song of my own. “Hey Jane” was originally in French.

You don’t only write for yourself. I read that you’ve written songs for other artists like Bette Midler.

I’ve written songs for so many artists, most of whom have regrettably chosen to not record them, often at the last minute. I hope that changes. It’s been a great bummer! I intend to keep trying though.

Your album Ex-girlfriends with the Low Millions refers to failed relationships. Does falling out of love with someone inspire you more than falling in love?

I find that when things are just peachy in your life, it’s much harder to sit down, concentrate and write. I’m just too busy having a good time and enjoying the good stuff.

Like seeing the light in the dark? Do you think misery is inspirational and productive?

The friction, the surprises, disappointment and general heart break of relationships do make for great songs, don’t they? It takes one hell of a song, piece of music and vocal to make a celebration song good. Though I can think of a few great ones, most of my favorites are sad songs.

At times, have you lost your muse and experienced writer’s block?

Writer’s block? Not really. Disinterest with my own writing? Often.

What do you do in that circumstance?

The only remedy: patience and not giving up on it.

Your father’s music and poetry have inspired so many artists; the numbers of tributes are endless. Is it fair to assume that he has inspired you as well?

He always has, still does. But it also puts in question: just what exactly do I have to contribute to song writing? And I’m still looking for the exact answer to that question.

First and foremost, The Roots show at Metropolis last week was incredible. Having seen them several times before with disappointment, I was skeptical. But this time the performance was all love. On stage for nearly three hours, the legendary Illadelph crew went from playing their own classics to doing a 20-minute blend covering songs from Tribe to Lil Jon. Even the jam sessions fueled by Questlove’s drum solos kept the spirits high and the party going.

To top it off, Quest provided a scholarly lesson to DJs by mixing at Le Sociale for another three hours after the show. While other members of the band were mingling with fans, Quest did an entire set based on James Brown mixed with records that sampled his work. Great night.

Just when I thought Bush and the Gang couldn’t pull off another faux-pas to piss us all off, the world had to be introduced to MC Rove. Dubya’s closest “political guru” (aka the Devil) single-handedly sucked the cool out of rap last week when he busted a freestyle at a gala dinner.

While pulling moves that make Urkle look like Michael Jackson, Young Rove went on stage with his tuxedo-rocking posse to kick rhymes about animal cruelty and shooting quail. Seriously, you have to see it to believe it. I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry but I did consider political assassination for a moment. I don’t know what to make of the world the day hip-hop hits Washington.

Imagine the jump-off on a saturday night at the White House. Paul Wolfowitz on the wheels of steel, Condelezza Rice burning up the dance floor while grinding up on Dick Cheney and Bush at the bar chanting “till the sweat drop down my balls!” Then MC Rove’s special performance of the Capitol Hill banger “Corporate Pimps” and the neo-con anthem “Rockin’ Iraq”.

During his performance at the gala, Rove did take a cue from Diddy by pulling out his cellphone and pretending to be busy. Maybe Def Jam is already looking to tap a new demographic…

Speaking of cellphones, isn’t it great that people’s awful taste in music has to be shoved in my face every time their cellphone rings. Honestly, how many times do I have to hear Akon’s “Smack That” at Presse Cafe before I decide to retreat to a Tibetan monastery. Is the library suppose to turn into a club every time your mom calls you?

If you guys are ever bummed out, come to Reggie’s on Thursday nights and wait for someone to freestyle outside. Pure comic relief. Between the dollar beers and those freestyles, I damn near soil myself every time. MC Rove might drop some fire next week.

There’s a new label kicking off here called Bad Habitz Entertainment that is looking for singers, rappers, DJs and producers. You can contact them at info@badhabitzent.com and check out their new single by rapper Teknish on myspace/teknsihn. Very promising material.

Another talented producer here at Concordia is Breeze. Armed with an MPC 1000 and Tech 1200s, Breeze cooks up soulful beats that are a delight to true hip-hop heads. Hit him up and check his beats at myspace/breezeproduction.

If you guys want to check out some dope art, hit up Le Kop Shop (111 Roy E.) on Friday at 8 p.m. to see a free expo of artist The Mac. His work, a mix of outdoor spray-paints and canvas pieces is thought-provoking and a treat to the eye. (www.elmac.net)

Delicious little U.K. sensation Lily Allen is performing at Club Soda, also on Friday. She’s blowing up right now and for the right reasons. Don’t front like that song “Smile” doesn’t make you happy.

Ghislain Poirier will be slinging bounce at Main Hall on Saturday night, along with Matt Shadetek and 77Klash from Sound-Ink, New York. It may be one of the last Bounce Le Gros parties so make sure to catch it.

Anyway … beats, rhymes, love, hate. Just send it to my gmail …

Cowabunga!

Classics:

Masta Ace: “Big City”

Das Efx: “Real Hip-Hop”

Soulsonic Force: “Looking for the Perfect Beat”

Newbies:

UGK feat Outkast:

“International Players Anthem”

Evidence: “Down in New-York” Freeway feat Musiq: “Buddy (remix)”

1. YOU SAY PARTY! WE SAY DIE! – Lose All Time

2. ARCADE FIRE – Neon Bible

3. BLACK LIPS – Los Valientes Del Mundo Nuevo

4. CURSED – blackout the sunrise ep

5. MODEST MOUSE – We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank

6. BESNARD LAKES – The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse

7. LAND OF TALK – Applause Cheer Boo Hiss

8. LCD SOUNDSYSTEM – Sound Of Silver

9. DEERHOOF – Friend Opportunity

10. HOT CROSS – Risk Revival

The press is calling Jason Kent familiar and they’re right. Kent sounds like a voice you’ve been acquainted with for years.

He is a familiar face that you’ve seen around the city. In one instant he is a wallflower, the boy next door and in the next, an alluring spark with an audacious smile.

His sound is a warm fresh ’70s breeze echoing only the greats. He’s created a comfort zone with a folk-rock base and country trimmings in psychedelic shades. Kent borrows from history and builds a future with his solo debut. He’s in his element and will pull you in. Even in simple conversation.

Have you ever seen The Big Chill?

It’s a great film, if anything just for the soundtrack. It has Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, the Rascals; all these great bands from the ’60s. It’s a soundtrack I grew up to.

You grew up here in Montreal, born and raised, right?

Right here at the Royal Vic. There was even an audience. I was very much alert, kicked the nurse, I was ready to go and happy to live! [Laughs] I lived in Hudson outside Montreal. But Montreal is Montreal, Toronto never crossed my mind. A lot of my musician friends moved and did the whole Toronto thing.

You’ve played with many musicians and in different bands like, Soft Canyon, the Sonny Best Band, Bodega and now you decided to go solo? Why now?

I wanted to do my own thing five years ago, but I wasn’t really ready. If you heard the album I had ready five years ago, we might not be talking. [Laughs]

I was always doing what I wanted to do, just with very many people. When Soft Canyon broke up I thought, “Well I have this time now, what should I do with it?”

So here we are with your self-titled solo debut, was it a D.I.Y. effort?

Pretty much. There are a few other players on the album that I’m very thankful for. It can be nice not having to rely on other people, but at the same time you’re losing that human touch when you do it all yourself.

Looking into the album, can you tell us about your song “Midnight Love”?

If you heard the first version you wouldn’t recognize it. It was very cold, very bleak. I reworked it and it became what it is now, I suppose an Air rip-off. I fell in love with The Virgin Suicides Soundtrack. [Some] think it’s a big drug oriented song. I didn’t think of it that way. It’s very innocent, the sky, and the stars. Like a little prince imagery in my head.

“Any Old Day” stands out on the album. It comes across a little different than the other songs.

“Any Old Day” is different. This song was more of a vibe thing. I started out recording a riff over and over. At first I didn’t have any words written out at all. Now it sounds like a really sexual song: “I went looking for your sweet loving and found it all the way down.” It’s very unlike me. I tend to write more thoughtful songs. I don’t write ambiguous, weird, let loose songs. You know, it’s a rip-off of Led Zeppelin and Iggy Pop.

You’re very influenced by the 60s and 70s.

I love the Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison and the whole tragedy about him. I love the sound of the snares in the 70s, some great music. People in the 60s and 70s seemed to have a better vocal range, write better songs and they seem more inspired.

What current musicians are you listening to?

My business is music so I should be more in touch with today’s music, but when you start making albums I guess you get a little na’ve to what’s going on. I’m not too familiar with all the bands going on today, but naturally the bands that come to mind are Radiohead, Wilco and Sparklehorse. What’s good these days? What about these kids that are all over – they have their photos in HMV’s window?

Fall Out Boy?

Yeah! Fall Out Boy! I can’t get into them. I have aesthetic issues with the way they look! So if you’ve seen their poster, then you’ve seen mine. Next door at Fido, the guy smiling with the dog, that’s me! [Laughs]

Oh, I think we’ve all seen those Fido ads. When did you start modelling and working in advertising?

I started two years ago. I first auditioned for a Budweiser ad. They were casting for a rock star who plays guitar. So I got it! They posted 36 stills of me on metro cars. My legs were so sore from jumping and posing. But when they told me how much they’d pay, I didn’t care how my thighs were feeling!

Speaking of feelings, it must feel good to take your music overseas and you will be again soon. What do you like about playing in the UK and cities like London?

Yes! It’s very different. One thing about playing in London is you can play Monday through Friday and still have a different audience every night. London is so exciting, so much history and music. So many great bands came from London. Going to London is just me wanting to fulfill a small little dream. Going back in June is like a better, bigger dream. I’m just trying to make things happen.

Jason Kent plays with the Autumn Defense at the Main Hall on Friday, March 23 at 9 p.m.

Perhaps it’s the bouncing of basketballs that developed Montreal producer Ghislain Poirier’s own love for the bounce. But one thing is for sure: his relationship with the sport gave him his first acquaintance with hip-hop.

“Hip-hop is the unofficial soundtrack to basketball. I used to play a lot as a teenager so that’s what I would hear,” explained Poirier. The signature big-bass style he has been perfecting for some years quickly earned him the international title of ‘king of the bounce.’ “When I started doing DJ gigs in clubs, I began to realize the power and effect of base on people. I witnessed people’s reactions and thought ‘Okay, I should do tracks like this,'” he explained.

With already five albums behind him and countless remixes with artists from around the globe, Poirier has come a long way from his college radio DJ days. “From the moment I did my first song, I realized I could make albums.”

Poirier’s sound is rooted in hip-hop, reggae, and electronic music. Yet lately he’s been digging into Soca music, a Caribbean dance fusion of Calypso and electronic percussions originating from Trinidad. “It’s very festive, happy, carnival music.”

Although he likes to sample, Poirier says he always tries to tweak his sounds or do something that makes them his own. “I try to put a signature on it so it’s not just a straight sample but really my sound.”

Poirier manages to cook up his beats simply on a computer, which proves to be enough when you hear his blend with Lil Wayne on the soon-to-be-out ‘We Got The Remix’ mixtape or his production of Omnicrom and TTC’s local anthem “Pour Te Rechauffer.”

“That song is like a UFO. A crunk track in Quebec. We’re all really proud of it,” he said.

He has also released his own mix tapes Bounce Le Remix part 1 and 2 which Poirier considers a DJ tool. By blending random accapellas over his own beats, he does for producers what rappers do on their mixtapes by rapping over famous beats. His take on JT’s “My Love” or Daft Punk’s “Da Funk” mashed up with spank rock is nothing short of exquisite.

“A lot of people kept on saying my beats were too crazy to be labeled hip-hop. But when I took rap acappellas and put them on those beats, people just vibed to it and recognized.” The mix tapes also include melodic female vocals and a cappellas from UK artists.

Poirier has been getting direct reactions from his “Bounce Le Gros” parties since 2005, where he slaps the crowd with constant discoveries in booty-shaking music. “It’s always a challenge to take people further and play them songs they don’t know. But I feed off their energy and it works.” He also uses the gigs to test his own beats on big speakers and gather people’s reactions.

Right now, Poirier is working on his new album due out in October on Ninja Tune. He has already named the album, but prefers to keep the surprise so far. Until then, you can catch him spinning at Main Hall on April 7 for Bounce Le Gros vol.15 or at Club Lambi April 20 for Bounce Le Baile. Bring a sweat towel and bounce, bounce, bounce…