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An Introduction to 90s R&B

The rhythm and blues records that bring nostalgia to our eardrums

R&B, the acronym for rhythm and blues, is a genre that sometimes gets lost in the shadows of hip-hop nowadays. In the 90s, just like hip-hop, R&B prospered, changed and grew. The move into experimental R&B set the scene for talented contemporary artists. In case you aren’t familiar with the smooth, cool, funky sound of 90s R&B, here are some picks for best artists and albums of the era.

Aaliyah – One in a Million (Blackground Records & Atlantic Records, 1996)

Aaliyah Dana Haughton was “more than a woman,” and she remains an R&B legend to this day. Her debut album, Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number, was released in 1994 when she was only 15 years old. The album sold three million copies in the U.S according to Billboard Magazine. Two years later, she worked alongside producers Timbaland and Missy Elliott to release an essential album of the 90s, One in a Million. It sold another three million copies in the U.S and over eight million worldwide according to Billboard Magazine. Aaliyah was known for her smooth seductive voice. You can hear the maturity in her vocals and lyrics—she inspired class, professionalism and dedication. The song, “One in a Million,” is one of Aaliyah’s classic hits, it is a romantic tune that will definitely make you fall in love with her. “If Your Girl Only Knew,” “4 Page Letter,” and “Hot Like Fire” were her top hits from that album. She had the voice of an angel and was taken from us much too soon at the age of 22 years old. A week after her death, her self-titled album, Aaliyah was released. She truly was “one in a million,” and her musical influence lives on and on and on.

Trial Track: “One in a Million”

Mary J. Blige – What’s the 411? (Uptown/MCA Records, 1992)

If you’re searching for some “Real Love,” Mary J. Blige gave it to you on her debut album, What’s the 411?, back in 1992. The album was produced by Sean “Puffy” Combs (now known as P. Diddy). It peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 and sold 3.4 million copies in the U.S according to Billboard Magazine. She is known for her soulful voice. Mary J. Blige was praised for mixing her powerful vocals with hip-hop—she was one of the first R&B artists to do so. This blend of genres can be found in “You Remind Me,” featuring Greg Nice, which peaked at number one on the R&B singles chart in the summer of 1992. Critics view her album, What’s the 411?, as one of the most important records of the 90s. Her second album, My Life, spoke about her dealing with an abusive relationship, drugs, alcohol and depression. She expressed feelings that every woman has felt at one time: “How can I love somebody else/If I can’t love myself enough to know when it’s time to let go?” are the lyrics from her top hit, “Be Happy.” She expressed how happy she truly wanted to be, yet she admitted “I don’t know why, but every day I wanna cry.” Her strong voice, along with her powerful emotional messages, touched fans across the globe.

Trial Track: “Real Love”

D’Angelo- Voodoo (Virgin Records, 2000)

Few artists do R&B with as much soul and funk as D’Angelo. Fusing jazz, soul and R&B, D’Angelo is one of the most important figures in the neo-soul movement that emerged in the 90s.  The artist’s second album, released in 2000, captures D’Angelo’s emphasis on complex musicality with original use of instrumentation and rhythm.  The artist’s first album, Brown Sugar, released in 1995, abided more to the traditional R&B and hip-hop conventions of the time. Voodoo was, in a sense, revolutionary to 90s R&B.  It reflected the jams and flows of the artist’s music collective, Soulquarians. The sound of D’Angelo’s second album moved in a more contemporary direction—a direction in which the artist continued and strove for in his latest album, the 2014 jazzy neo-soul masterpiece, Black Messiah. The sexual, sensual and personal album was part of an important shift in R&B. D’Angelo and Voodoo’s influence are still tangible in today’s R&B, in artists like Solange Knowles and Frank Ocean.

Trial track: “Untitled (How Does it Feel)”

Erykah Badu- Mama’s Gun (Motown/Universal Records, 2000)

Another prominent figure in the neo-soul movement, Erykah Badu was part of the Soulquarians music collective alongside D’Angelo.  Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, the drummer for The Roots, produced Badu’s second studio album, Mama’s Gun, which was released in 2000.  The album beautifully showcases Badu’s unique, identifiable voice and experimental R&B sounds.  She conveys raw, powerful emotion so naturally through her lyrics and vocals. The album is vulnerable—a painful but beautiful heartbreak album. What is particularly interesting about Mama’s Gun is how vulnerable the confident, sassy Badu lets herself be, in a musical genre that doesn’t necessarily encourage heartbreak or vulnerability in the same way pop and folk do. “I can’t imagine why I feel so weak, say, say/That’s when he took my heart in his hands, and kissed it gently,” she sings in “In Love With You.”

Trial Track: “Didn’t Cha Know”

Anthony Hamilton- XTC (MCA Records, 1996)

Hamilton’s debut album, XTC, released in 1996, is so pleasingly 90s. The sound is less experimental than Badu’s and D’Angelo’s, and has more of a classic, early 90s R&B vibe. Hamilton’s voice was made for R&B—both smooth and nasally, his vocals match his jazzy guitar and bluesy, slow drumline. Next time you’re chilling with friends or hosting a dinner party, switch this gem on for a groovy soundtrack. “And she said ‘baby baby, I know it might sound crazy, but I just want to spend some time to relax your mind/Spend some time with you is what I really wanna do,’” he sings in his smooth, sax-backed ballad, “Spend Some Time.”  The lyrics and music are simple, but that is part of what makes the album work. In R&B, simplicity often translates to smoothness.

Trial Track: “Fallin”

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Music Quickspins

Regina Spektor – Remember Us to Life

Regina Spektor – Remember Us to Life (Sire Records, 2016)

Regina Spektor’s seventh studio album, Remember Us to Life, is arguably one of the singer’s strongest to date. The album is full of slow, melodic tunes that tell stories reminiscent of Spektor’s previous albums, including Far and What We Saw From the Cheap Seats. However, this new album also has a maturity and sadness that her previous albums lacked. While Spektor takes risks with more electronic sounding, fast-paced tracks, like “Bleeding Heart” and “Smalls Bill$,” the album’s strongest songs feature mainly piano and orchestral strings. Songs like “Sellers of Flowers” and “Grand Hotel” really use these instruments to create a stunning dream-like vibe, while telling stories of an old winter marketplace and a hotel haunted by indolent demons. The album tackles themes such as aging and death, leaving loved ones and disillusionment. Spektor’s masterful storytelling, poetry and timing are what really make this album a masterpiece.

Trial track: “Grand Hotel”

Rating: 9/10

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Music Quickspins

Norah Jones – Day Breaks

Norah Jones – Day Breaks  (Blue Note Records, 2016)

Day Breaks is Jones’s sixth solo album. After 15 years in the industry and five albums under her belt, she’s got her sound down and she’s sticking to it. With her alto, muted jazz voice, armed with her piano and smooth bass lines, Jones is unstoppable. Over the years, she has consistently produced albums that are critically acclaimed and grow musically a little each time. Day Breaks is a jazz album—a slow-paced, no-frills jazz album. Unfortunately, a few of the songs in the middle of the album muddle together, as they sound too alike. While the songs are individually pleasing, there isn’t an apparent musical story throughout the record. Like a lot of Jones’s albums, the sound is nostalgic, with an added twinge of melancholy. The piano takes up a lot of room in the album, gracing us with its beautiful solos, song after song. “Fine lines, moments pass by, and I cry / Rewind, step behind, it’s hard to find the flipside,” she sings in her jazz-rock tune, “Flipside.”

Trial track: “Day Breaks”

8/10

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Colbie Caillat – The Malibu Sessions

Colbie Caillat – The Malibu Sessions (PlummyLou Records, 2016)

Colbie Caillat’s sixth studio album is her first release under her new, independent label, PlummyLou Records. The album is a collection of beachy, breezy, catchy tunes about love and letting go. It opens with the sound of ocean waves and subtle echoey vocals. Caillat’s warm and friendly voice shines through the entire record—it feels as though she is personally telling you her stories. “Good Thing” is reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac, with its expressive vocal harmonies and drumbeat. “Cruisin’” has the island vibe and relaxing feel fans have come to love and expect from Caillat—she doesn’t shy away from her roots in the slightest. The album comes full circle, concluding with the sound of ocean waves. The Malibu Sessions is emotionally honest, but also oozes with cheerfulness. It’s the perfect way to warm up as the winter months approach us.

Trial track: “Cruisin’”

7/10

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60s rock songs that changed it all

An introduction to rock and roll’s most remarkable hits

The late 60s to early 70s marked the best and most formative years of rock and roll. Some rock groups created their own unique sound that would influence new styles of rock music, including progressive rock, psychedelic rock, punk rock and heavy rock. Here are some of the songs that, not only changed the very face of rock, but inspired a whole new generation of music.

The Kinks: “You Really Got Me” (1964)

This song showed The Kinks’ ability to create a unique sound that was way ahead of their time. The guitar solo was a precursor for heavy metal. The use of power chords heavily influenced future rock players in the realms of heavy metal and punk rock. The popular American rock band Van Halen even covered this song in 1978. Brothers Ray Davies and Dave Davies were the very heart and soul of The Kinks, and the combination of their talents made the band a huge success for many decades following this release. The younger brother, Dave, was an extraordinary guitar player, and Ray, on the other hand, was one of the greatest songwriters in rock and roll, with hundreds of songs under his belt, such as “Come Dancing,” “Lola” and ‘Waterloo Sunset.” “You Really Got Me” was the British rock band’s breakthrough hit, establishing them as one of the top British Invasion acts in the United States. It was also a number one hit on the UK’s singles chart when it was released in 1964. After decades of success, the band was finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.

 

The Rolling Stones: “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965)

This song not only launched the Stones’ career, but it hit a raw musical nerve. The song’s lyrics clearly express the annoyance of constant advertisements and incessant consumerism. The song also talks about their frustration with the female sex and a woman’s inability to be satisfied sexually, which was controversial at the time. While they definitely had bold, in-your-face lyrics, The Stones’ music told powerful stories. The very first note of the song is the devil’s interval, otherwise known as the augmented fourth, which quickly gives a distinct sense of tension and anger. The distorted guitar sounds, done through a Gibson fuzzbox, only furthers this feeling of dissatisfaction and aggravation with the world. The title, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” rebels in its rejection of proper grammar. Needless to say, the song opened up a whole new world of rock music, paving the way for musicians to be more colourful and expressive in both their lyrics and their instrumentals. Rolling Stone Magazine placed this song second on its “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” list. This song, however, only marked the beginning of what was to come for the band, as they went on to be one of the greatest rock and roll groups of all time.

Procol Harum: “A Whiter Shade of Pale” (1967)

This deep and powerful song was not only a precursor to many styles of rock music, but it had an enormous impact on many rock musicians. The sound of the organ takes you on a journey through time, in a majestic and other-worldly way. The song incorporates classical music and rock, making it a precursor to symphonic rock and, by extension, progressive rock. People who have analyzed the song over many years notice the band took many of their influences from the classical pianist Johann Sebastian Bach, according to Billboard magazine. This track also has psychedelic rock elements—music that mimics the mind-altering experiences of being on psychedelic drugs. The descending bassline sounds both classical and ceremonial, while also giving the impression of timelessness. There are other psychedelic aspects that are layered throughout the song, such as the distorted, almost backwards-sounding guitar. The song has garnered an enormous amount of success, in fact, according to Rolling Stone Magazine, the song has sold 10 million copies worldwide. This song was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.

The Beatles: “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (1967)

The Beatles must be included in the list of most influential rock songs of all time. Around 1967, the band decided to take a break from touring and playing their music live. Paul McCartney came up with the idea of creating an entire album that sounds as though they are  playing in front of a live audience, and it opened up a whole new door for the band. By moving away from the constraints of their well-known and established band, this also gave The Beatles all the creative freedom in the world to explore their musical identity and their sound. This kind of creative spunk is what is most inspiring about both the song and the album. The album won four Grammys in 1968 and Album of the Year, the first rock LP to receive this award.

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Music

How to record your band’s first EP

A 10-step guideline for those entering the recording world

If you’re a musician looking to record your first EP album, here is some advice that could benefit you. I’ve been there and have made many mistakes that I want to share so you can avoid making them yourself. This is a general guide aimed at those who are entering the recording world.

1. Write lots of songs

Get into the habit of writing everyday. Even though most of your songs will get tossed, you’ll come across a few gems worth working on. Play those songs to your band, entourage or the public as a busker. See what the reaction is.

2. Write a band agreement

The agreement will ensure everyone is on the same page before you spend any time or money on the project. Make sure these elements are crystal clear with all parties before moving forward: who wrote the song and who owns the copyright to it, who owns the copyright to the sound recordings, who will pay for the recordings, mixing and mastering, what the credits will read on the website and physical albums, and the division of royalties.

3.  Practice, practice, practice

It’s cliché because it’s true. Your band needs to be confident enough with the songs you want to record for your EP. Make sure everyone knows exactly what their parts are. Arrange the songs so there’s a change in dynamics, and don’t overplay. I sang, played guitar, bass and synth on my band’s first EP, and it was a bit messy because I was riffing too much on each instrument. Let each instrument take turns in the lead and rhythm parts.

4. Setting up for recording

Figure out which electronic device or recording software you will use to record. I recommend “Reaper” software. Once you’re recording, every signal coming into your computer should not be over -9 decibels. Anything louder than that can cause clipping. Make sure to have a metronome set for each song, to ensure a professional sound recording.

5. Recording instruments

For drums, I suggest going to a studio and having a professional help with this—it will make an enormous difference on the overall sound of the recording. Drums are the most technically challenging instrument to record. For bass, having fresh strings are a must. A real amp is preferable over a simulation. Use a compressor placed between the guitar or bass and amp to get a constant signal level.  For synthesizers, use a compressor placed between the synth and the audio recording interface.

6. Recording vocals

Rent a few mics to see which one suits the singer’s voice best. Next, put together a vocal booth, either by building one or using mattresses/moving blankets or duvets. You don’t want to hear any of the room’s reverberation in the mic. Have three sides that block the outside sound and sing towards the open area. Suppress the sound area above you, as sound will bounce off the ceiling. Use a pop filter and place yourself about a foot away from the mic.

7. Comping

Record four takes of each instrument and even more for vocals. Comping means using the best of each take to create the best version of the song. Isolate each individual instrument and play it with the metronome. Listen to the track in eight bar sections and use the take most closely played to the metronome. For vocals, you want to listen to the vocal track much louder than the other instruments. What you’re listening for is the right pitch and emotional delivery.

8. Mixing and mastering

I highly recommend finding professional engineers to mix and master your EP for you. Be ready to spend between $600 and $1500 on mixing and make sure you get three full revisions of each song included in the price. When you receive the first mix, listen to it on a variety of speakers and headphones, and write a list of what you want changed in each song. An agreement or contract here is vital to protect your band and the engineer from any misunderstanding or fraud. Sign a work-for-hire agreement, which states that the engineer shall not receive any royalties from the music, and also, that they do not own the sound recordings. For mastering, expect to spend between $200 and $500. The goal of mastering is to get each song at the same volume and as loud as they can be.

9. Release

Book a venue for your EP release show a few months in advance, on a Saturday night if possible. You want to have as many people present at your release, as well as press, bloggers and music reviewers. Hire someone who can take good pictures, and find an opening act that will warm up the crowd before you headline. Post your music on Bandcamp the day of the show, and have download coupons ready to sell to your fans, friends and family. Typically, an EP goes for $3 to $5, so you can include this in the cover charge—when people pay $5 to see your show, they get a download coupon for your EP.

10. Promote

Create an electronic press kit full of professional band photos, logos, biography information, recordings, stage plot and contact/booking info. Send it to radio stations, music review sites and booking agents. Aim to book one or two shows a month.

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Music Quickspins

Van Morrison – Keep Me singing

Van Morrison – Keep Me singing (Caroline Records, 2016)

Who hasn’t danced with a huge smile on their face to Morrison’s 1967 classic hit “Brown Eyed Girl”? Morrison’s new album, Keep Me Singing, includes some compelling songs. It remained relatively true to the distinct sound we know and love from this artist, however, it was presented in a disappointing way. Although the renowned Irish musician is known for his upbeat and ballad tunes, this album’s sound feels forced and has inauthentic joviality. Morrison, now 71-years-old, is starting to sound his age. Throughout the album, the singer’s voice sounds pushed to its limits and tired. The tiredness of his voice awkwardly clashes with the upbeat swinging rock ballads that seemingly seek to replicate what the folk-rock genre was doing in the 60s. Although Morrison introduces some original elements with interesting hints of jazz in his songs “Every Time I See a River” and “Look Behind the Hill,” overall, the album was disappointing musically.

5/10

Trial track: “Look Behind the Hill”

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Against Me! – Shape Shift With Me

Against Me! – Shape Shift With Me (Total Treble Music, 2016)

Against Me!’s most recent studio album, Shape Shift With Me, is a true-to-form, punk rock album. The loud drums, screaming vocals, and crazy guitars really take the listener back to pre-New Wave Against Me! with its quality instrumentation. However, the album lacks some of the lyrical depth present in their earlier works. Songs like “White People for Peace” and “High Pressure Low,” focused on politics and were featured on their earlier albums. Those songs, along with their most recent album, Transgender Dysphoria Blues, were far more lyrically interesting than the songs on Shape Shift With Me. Most songs on this album focus on the singer’s disdain for the past, the loss of old love, or budding new ones. And while the songs are still very entertaining, like “Rebecca,” which still has that raw, vocal anger fans have come to expect from Laura Jane Grace, the songs seem to lack a level of depth and “punkness” due to their subject matter.

Rating: 5/10

Trial Track: “Rebecca”

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Tor Miller — American English

Tor Miller — American English (Glassnote Records, 2016)

Tor Miller’s fan base may not be vast, but with the release of his debut LP American English, he is likely to gain a whole new audience. The 13-track album features only two songs from his debut EP Headlights (2015)—the title track and “Midnight”—providing old and new fans with plenty of new material to take in. While most of the songs on the album err on the side of pop rather than the piano-driven ballads he is becoming known for, Miller manages to incorporate the right amount of soul in his instrumentals and earnest lyrics. He has successfully distanced himself from the boy bands of his generation, putting himself in a category all on its own. His adoration of New York City shines through in songs like “Washington Square Park,” “Rag N Bone” and “Chelsea,” making American English a love letter to the city he was born and raised in.

7.5/10

Trial Track: “All Fall Down”

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Jojo – Mad Love.

Jojo – Mad Love. (Atlantic Records, 2016)

Jojo’s first studio album in 10 years, Mad Love., is an upbeat, empowering record with touching moments scattered throughout. The album opens with the heartfelt piano ballad “Music.,” where Jojo sings about her late father. As she reaches for the higher notes, you can hear the strain in her voice, which makes the track all the more raw and emotional. There onwards, the album is mostly a mix of club anthems and R&B tunes that dive into lyrical themes such as empowerment and doing your own thing. Many feature dance rhythms and beat drops that are typical, along with overproduced vocals. “FAB.” is arguably the most unique up-tempo track—it features rapper Remy Ma. Standing for “Fake Ass Bitches,” the song is packed with solid vocal runs and punchy lyrics. Overall, there isn’t enough depth to this record, but as Jojo concludes, from here on out, she’s going to “Rise Up.”

5.5/10

Trial Track: “FAB.”

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Greg Halpin’s Bedroom Tour

Concordia graduate kicks off solo tour and debut album Notes from a Bedroom

Greg Halpin is coming to a bedroom near you. The singer-songwriter and guitarist kicked off his North American tour on Sept 30, following the release of his first solo album,  Notes from a Bedroom, on Sept 23. Before heading to New York City for his first tour performance, Halpin performed his complete new album for the first time at Concordia’s Oscar Peterson Concert Hall on Sept 30.

The musician’s “Bedroom Tour” is not your typical music show. Halpin will perform his tunes in different people’s bedrooms in cities across North America. People have invited Halpin to perform in their rooms, where they can invite friends to be part of the intimate audience. This concept was inspired by his new album, which was recorded entirely in Halpin’s bedroom.

Halpin graduated from Concordia in 2010 with a liberal arts degree and a minor in music. You might have heard him busking in front of the Guy-Concordia metro or performing with his previous indie-pop band.“My first band was called a lot of different things, but mainly it was known as HonheeHonhee. We toured across Canada a few times,” said Halpin. Stefan Fudakowski-Gow, a Concordia mechanical engineering graduate and former HonheeHonhee band member, is the person who first inspired Halpin to venture into guitar-playing and songwriting. “I started playing the guitar when I was 10 years old with Stefan,” said Halpin. “He lived down the street from me and he wrote songs—I never tried to write any songs until I met this friend.”

Halpin’s solo debut was inspired by one particular song he wrote back in college called “Notes from a Bedroom.” Ever since he wrote it, Halpin said, he had been pondering the idea of developing the song into a solo album.“I liked the title, and I knew it was an idea that I could explore further,” he said. “I was really getting into Bob Dylan’s earlier albums at the time, where it was just him and his guitar. I liked the idea of music all coming from one person.”

Halpin releases solo album, Notes from a Bedroom. Photo by Natasha Greenblatt.

It was in 2014 that this idea flourished, when Halpin met producer Howard Bilerman. He had wanted to record with Billerman ever since his HonheeHonhee Canadian tour. “I met Howard two years ago, and talked to him about this project that I had. He was on board from the beginning. He lent me his equipment and advised me through the recording process,” said Halpin.

Two years later, Halpin achieved his goal of releasing a solo album. He said the process of creating Notes from a Bedroom was as personal as it gets. “It was a really raw creative process,” he said. “I wanted people to feel like they are in my bedroom, and that they are coming into this intimate space.” Some of his new songs are a bit graphic, and most of his lyrics are unfiltered thoughts. “You might be shocked when hearing some of the songs, and that was intentional. I wanted to invite people into my private state of mind,” said Halpin. He said he wants his music and lyrics to connect with the minds of his listeners. “When someone expresses a thought that has been in my mind and I hear it in a song, that’s when I connect to the music,” said Halpin. He tried to further this connection with the bedroom tour concept— a room where you can be your naked self and reveal your natural thoughts, where you can see if you can truly connect with someone. “There are some things that I’ve thought about but I’ve never really said out loud, so I want to dive into that as deep as I can with my lyrics” said Halpin.

He said he wrote one of his songs when a bunch of random words popped into his head during a soundcheck. The words came along with a melody, and he bounced off stage to jot them down so he wouldn’t forget. “I read Bob Dylan’s autobiography where he said that writing a song is kind of like trying to remember a dream. You have an idea, you don’t know what it is exactly, and you’re struggling to remember it,” said Halpin. Those words and that melody became one of Notes from a Bedroom’s hit singles, “One Last Love.” The song took two years to complete. “I was happy that I got through it but it was a long process,” said Halpin.

Bedroom Tour Dates. Photo by Greg Halpin.

When Halpin toured in May 2016, before the album was finished, he played a few songs from Notes from a Bedroom. He played in Toronto, Ottawa, Kingston and some cities in the US. During that tour, he also performed in people’s bedrooms. “For the first tour I mostly played in people’s houses that I knew. I also found a few strangers. It’s all about reaching out to friends and friends of friends,” said Halpin. Along for the ride was Matthew Raudsepp, a former HonheeHonhee band member, who filmed Halpin’s first bedroom tour performances. Raudsepp is using the footage to create a documentary called The Bedroom Tour, and will be submitting the film to various festivals.

Halpin’s latest tour is much bigger than the last. He’s visiting more bedrooms across many more cities, including New York City, Denver and Los Angeles. “I’ve never been anywhere in California, so I’m very excited to be playing in LA,” Halpin said. The tour will wrap up in Toronto on Nov 6. Halpin said he hopes to play for as many people as possible. “I’m still looking for people interested, if anyone knows of a bedroom in need of some music,” said Halpin.

If you’re interested in having Halpin perform in your bedroom, contact Halpin through his facebook page “Greg Halpin Music.”

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Montreal’s eighth annual Ska Festival

Local and International Ska bands reunite under one roof to perform at Katacombes and Petit Campus

Montreal’s Ska Festival celebrated its 8th birthday on Sept. 29 to Oct. 2, with bands from around the world. Valerie Desnoyer, the founder of the event and president of the Montreal Ska Society, said more people have bought pre-sale tickets this year than ever before.

Desnoyer began the event in Montreal eight years ago after volunteering at Victoria’s Ska Festival in British Columbia. She immediately fell in love with the style of music, which blends elements of Caribbean and reggae rhythms along with upbeat American jazz and blues. Coming back to Montreal, she was shocked to discover that ska music wasn’t being promoted on a local level. She felt that she needed to do something about it. “The Planet Smashers and all of these new [ska] bands were coming out and I was like, “We need a platform. We need something to show outside Montreal what we have,” she said.

Desnoyer decided to put together Ska festival soon afterwards, and then partnered with Stomp Records, a record label based in Montreal. The label has helped to keep the festival running every year, since according to Desnoyer, all of the funding comes from ticket sales and private sponsors. Singer and guitarist Matt Collyer from the ska punk band The Planet Smashers and bassist Jordan Swift from the ska band The Kingpins created Stomp Records in 1995 .Lorraine Muller, the Spokesperson for the festival, was the alto saxophone player and singer for The Kingpins. She said that the bands started the record label because they both wanted to put their music out, but no local label was interested in ska. “Things developed from there due to the success those bands had in the mid-nineties,” she said.

The Planet Smashers were the headliners of the Ska Music Festival in Montreal this weekend and performed to a packed crowd at Petit Campus on Saturday. According to Desnoyer, the Planet Smashers are considered to be at the top of the Montreal Ska scene. “They made ska what it is here. So many bands got influenced by their type of music,” she said, “Everyone’s kind of trying to copy them, or at least try to make their songs as catchy as they did.”

Collyer said that it would take years of hard work for them to get to where they are now. “We’ve been through it all, and it’s been interesting to say the least,” he said, “But we’re still here and we get to play shows and we’re lucky for that.” The band, who has been together for over 21 years, has developed a unique style of ska music that people can’t help to be drawn to. “We stick to four on the floor which is basically a straight up dance beat. It’s in almost a lot of pop metal,” said Collyer, “It’s a really good formula in terms of like making people have a good time.” Collyer said that they’re successful because they are passionate about what they do. “It’s honestly about how much fun we have,” he said, “I mean, it’s inevitable. The band has a good time. We’re on stage, we’re having a good time. The music is fun.”

Drummer Nathan Fitzsimmons playing for Los Kung Fu Monkeys. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

With so many young artists touring now, Collyer notes that it is so much harder to make it in the music-business today than ever before. That’s something that The Planet Smashers don’t have to worry about, since they’ve already established themselves musically. “Now we’re just having a good time. We don’t have to worry about trying to make it, trying to break it, trying to figure out how to break it, trying to figure out how not to break it but still be cool, and all of these things, which is something that all of the young bands have to deal with, which is tough,” he said. This year, Collyer brought international ska punk bands to the festival, including The Resignators, from Melbourne, Australia, and Los Kung-Fu Monkeys, from Tijuana, Mexico. “They are great bands,” Desnoyer said. “I was never able to get them to come play [before], so it’s exciting.”

Both of the bands expressed how grateful they are for the opportunity to come and tour Canada. Nathan Fitzsimmons, who is a regular member of the bands Nevertime High and Caught Off Guard in Calgary, Alberta, was especially excited to jam with Los Kung-Fu Monkeys. He and his friend Adam Ostick fill in for the band whenever they come up North, since not all of the members are able to get Visas to come into Canada. Fitzsimmons said that he first met the band in 2014 when they were doing a short tour in Canada. The band’s producer, Steve Loree, contacted him when their drummer, Hecky, was unable to cross the border into Canada. “They gave me a shot and asked me if I could do it, and I said yes,” said Fitzsimmons. “I got three days’ notice and 20 songs, and I went on tour with them.” Fitzsimmons said that the band has had big impact on who he is as a musician.“These guys take [their work] very seriously, and they made me a better player,” Fitzsimmons said. “Bernie [Leos] the frontman, is just captivating … He has that charisma, that leadership. People just follow him.”He also hopes that everyone will be enjoying their music as much as he does. “You can’t help but dance to it—it’s just summertime party music,” he said. “I always get the image in my head of like, hanging out in a boat on the beach in the summer.”

Francis Harrison from The Resignators performing at Katacombes. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Australian singer Francis Harrison of The Resignators is grateful to play the band’s music, especially in Montreal. Although he has been here a total of eight times, he said that each time has been great for them. “Montreal is just a party city. Everyone wants to have a beer. Everyone wants to dance. Everyone wants a poutine. And everyone just wants to have fun,” he said. “Yeah, we really like Montreal.”

After playing at the Ska Festival in Montreal, the Resignators and Los Kung-Fu Monkeys will be playing in Shawinigan, and then in St-Hyacinthe. “People should just expect the unexpected. Chaos. Whatever happens happens” said Harrison about the tour. Muller is hoping that the festival will continue to go on for a long time. “I will always be there to do whatever I can to ensure smooth sailing for Val who puts in months of coordinating all aspects of the festival,” she said.

The festival is something that she is very passionate about. “It’s such a fulfilling weekend that leaves us all exhausted but feeling very positive,” she said, “The atmosphere at all the shows is so good, and the audience loves every second of it.” Desnoyer is already looking forward to the 10-year anniversary of the Ska Festival, she plans to hold the  anniversary on a boat in the old port.

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