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Music

Evan H. Clarke is a musical jack-of-all-trades

Evan H. Clarke is showing no signs of slowing down.

The Calgary native has been playing music for over half of his life. His story as a musician dates back to his time in the eighth grade where he delved into the world of Led Zeppelin and took inspiration from John Bonham to begin playing the drums.

As the years went on, Clarke took it upon himself to learn to play a plethora of other instruments including bass, electric and acoustic guitar, banjo, harmonica and piano. Having paired this ability to play with the knowledge of mixing and mastering at a young age. In Clarke’s own words, he is “music-obsessed.”

Clarke’s most recent release was his debut to Spotify, a 10-track album, Maverick, released in April of this year. As per usual, Clarke was at the helm of production for his latest project, citing Pro Tools and Logic as his go-tos for putting together his tracks.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Clarke was in the process of rehearsing for shows to perform his Maverick album for the first time. It would have been his first time singing while playing the drums, seeing Clarke taking a new direction in his array of musical abilities, as he “should be coming close to my 10,000 hours.”

Now at 29, Clarke is in his final year of study at Concordia as a double major in Communications and Irish Studies. Through his twenties and his time as a Concordia student, Clarke hasn’t slowed down at all, releasing projects at a consistent pace and keeping the flame burning in his passion for music. Even with a variety of different EPs and two full-length albums under his belt, it is only the beginning for the artist. With big plans for the near future, Clarke continues to record for new projects and even aims to release electronic music someday as well.

We spoke to Clarke about his world of music.

The Concordian: Your album, Maverick, has a certain flow from the opening track all throughout the album. How did you pick your album’s tracklist arrangement and song titles?

EC: I usually write a batch of songs around the same time, so I tend to pick keys and chord progressions — which are similar — so they sound cohesive. My writing techniques vary — sometimes I will come up with the song title first, which was the case with the song “Hibernia,” and then write the song after, and sometimes I’ll pick a line from the song which holds the most meaning and use that as the title. It varies from release to release.

TC: It seems to be an open secret that you’ve got a variety of scattered works all over the internet, will we ever see any of those hit Spotify?

EC: Possibly! I’m quite proud of some of those releases, perhaps I should put them up on the big streaming platforms. My previous full-length Afterlight was released under a different name, maybe I’ll do a re-release!

TC: As a one-man show who puts up lyrics, music composition, mixing, producing and mastering, how much time are you dedicating to your craft?

EC: I try to dedicate as much time as possible to it, which can be difficult, particularly when you are a student. I usually write when the inspiration hits, which could be anytime, and then dedicate a few months to tracking and mixing when I’m happy with the batch of songs. I should be coming close to my 10,000 hours!

TC: The lone single for your first album came out the day after COVID-19 shutdowns began in Canada. Has the pandemic affected your artistic process and methods?

EC: Haha yes it did, great timing on my part. It definitely has, I had a large album release show planned with merch and everything, but I called it off. I have had more time to work on my music than ever, so I have another album nearly finished, and a couple electronic projects on the go. The shutdown has afforded me some time to experiment on finding a different sound for my future releases.

TC: For someone that plays so many different instruments, when you approach the musical part of a song how do you know where to begin?

EC: Great question! I usually write on my acoustic guitar or piano, that gives me a sense of what the song could be and which instruments to use. I start by tracking drums (this is always difficult because I don’t have a set, so when I go into the studio it’s my first time playing the song), this gives me an idea of what the bass track should be because it should correspond with the drums. From there, I’ll lay down some guitar or piano. It is usually a process of trial and error.

TC: What should the world expect from Evan H. Clarke moving forward?

EC: More music! I’ve got another album 75 per cent done, and some electronic music in the works. I am moving to Vienna next year, so I am sure that will have some effect on the music I make in the future!

 

Feature photo by Sabine Schoerkhuber

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Music

Erin Marcellina is not going to wait for you much longer

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After wowing her school and peers for years, Erin Marcellina is ready for the big leagues

At 18 years old, Erin Marcellina’s first memories of music go far beyond the lessons she’s accrued over the years. She still remembers very vividly being a toddler listening to her older sisters play the piano and trying to annoy them while they played. Then, at just four years old, Marcellina began working on her piano fingers, one key at a time.

Born and raised in Ottawa, Marcellina has held music near and dear all her life. Raised by her mother, a music teacher and performer, the family talent was bound to rub off at some point. At six years old she began taking music lessons from private instructors and later enrolled in a formal music academy where she learned classical piano and composition, remaining enrolled until age 17.

In June of 2019, Marcellina began uploading recordings of her playing to YouTube. Between a mixture of covers and original songs, she started gaining local acclaim at her school and amongst peers. 

Having performed at a plethora of recitals, bar gigs and continuing to post online, she eventually gained the confidence and momentum to begin working on her first project, a self-released EP.

After two months of planning, writing, recording and mastering, on July 11 Marcellina released her first cohesive project, Wait for You. Though she was only 17 years old when she released it, Erin is not resting on her laurels and continues writing new music as she gears up for a debut album.

Now enrolled in Concordia University’s music program, Marcellina is working on her coursework remotely from the comfort of her home in Ottawa, though she maintains that Montreal is where her heart is and always will be.

Most recently, Marcellina released a second EP on Sept. 24 titled Blue Skies & At Peace. The two tracks build on her first release and serve as a snippet of what the artist is capable of.

We spoke to Marcellina to discuss music and her goals with it. 

TC: When did you first realize music was what you wanted to do with your life? 

EM: It wasn’t until last year that I decided to pursue music as a career. Before then, I had always wanted to study science and go to medical school. The first time I released music on YouTube I was so surprised and overwhelmed with the responses from listeners. Everyone loved what I had created and many people asked for more. It was at that moment that I realized that music would no longer just be a hobby.

TC: Tell me about the YouTube songs. Where did you draw from to put all of those out before? 

EM: All of the songs that I have released on YouTube were songs that I wrote at 3 a.m. Each song holds a very special place in my heart. I would write each song in 20 minutes while just sitting with my guitar or at my piano. Each piece has a deeper meaning behind the lyrics and when I go back and listen to these songs that I wrote over a year ago, I feel nostalgic and remember how I was feeling at the time. I started to release music on YouTube after performing at a recital at my old music school. I remember someone approaching me and asking where they can listen to my music online.

TC: Who are your top three influences in the music world? 

EM: My top three influences are Clairo, Jacob Collier and Edwin Raphael. Clairo’s style and individuality in her music is something I strive for as a musician. Jacob Collier is a genius and his interpretation and love for music is a huge inspiration. The fact that he won a Grammy after writing, recording and producing his own album in his room is incredible to me. Edwin Raphael is an indie singer/songwriter from Montreal who I’ve been listening to since 2017. I’ve watched him grow as an artist and his dedication is amazing. After my first EP release, I was able to get in contact with him and show him my work.

TC: As a young artist what are your biggest challenges with creating new music? 

EM: My biggest challenge is being young and not knowing my “sound.” My music has changed drastically since my first upload to YouTube as well as from my first EP, Wait for You to my recent EP, Blue Skies & At Peace. I am constantly surrounded by new ideas and inspirations for music, as well as suggestions from other people. I don’t see an issue with me releasing music of different genres or sounds but I am still trying to find my true style that feels and sounds the most like me.

TC: Your debut EP, Wait for You came out this past July, what’s the story behind it? 

EM: I worked very hard on the concept of Wait for You and many people don’t realize that this EP is a concept album. I started working on this EP when I first released the song “Wait for You” on YouTube (April 2020). The original idea for this EP was to be about my journey to finding both self love and love for another person. This all changed when I fell in love with a boy in May (a month after I started planning my EP). The concept then immediately changed to the feeling of falling in love to the feeling of losing myself in love. The first three songs of the EP are all about looking for love and feeling that I will never find it. The last three songs can be seen as autobiographies and how it feels to take a step back from your past and surround yourself with love moving forward. The song right in the middle of this EP, “Needle and Thread,” is about the boy that I fell in love with and how with the right person, you can let go of your past and find your true self.

TC: What’s your artistic process like? How do you go from an idea to a polished track?

EM: Before releasing Wait for You, I would simply sit at my piano and improvise until I played something that I liked. I would then record myself and sing a melody on top of this chord progression or ballad. It would usually have taken me about 20 minutes to write a song. I go about writing very differently now. I plan my songs in advance with chords, harmonies and the overall instruments that I have in mind. From there I will lay down my chords and start the layering process. I will always complete my instrumental before attacking vocals and harmonies. Planning harmonies alone takes me about two days to complete. Unlike before, it will take me at least two weeks of recording, editing and producing to have a polished song ready for release.

TC: Do you see yourself collaborating with other artists on your next project? Or do you want to build your own name first? 

EM: I have collaborated with musicians in the past and I truly find it beautiful to share ideas and create a project together. These times make it more difficult to collaborate but I am planning on working with other musicians for my next release. Building my name is important for pursuing music but to be a true musician and be prepared for the industry, I must work with other artists in order to grow as a musician myself.

TC: Last month you released a second EP, Blue Skies & At Peace. When should we expect a full length project? 

EM: Blue Skies & At Peace is a taste of a future full-length album that will be released at the end of 2020. I have been planning and working on this album since I started releasing music on YouTube, as it has always been a dream of mine to release a full-length project of my work. It will include new versions of my older YouTube songs, as well as songs similar to “Blue Skies” and “At Peace” and new genres such as R&B and jazz. The album is still in the planning process and I’m hoping to start recording early November and have the full project done before the new year.

Feature photo by Vincent Baluyot

Shining a neon light on the history of ink

Tattoo Box Traditional’s storefront. Photo by Victoria Lewin.

At Tattoo Box Traditional, you’ll learn about more than just tattoo aftercare

Decked out in blown up portraits of World War I veterans and acetates dating back to the early 1900s, the walls of recently opened Tattoo Box Traditional tell a story. Artist Kate Middleton, living in France and working out of Montreal, began construction at Tattoo Box Traditional in August of last year. Originally meant to combat construction planned on Pine Ave. W., where her primary shop is located, she’s now hoping for the new location to double as a tattoo museum.

Artist Liam Lavoie tattoos his colleague on a quiet day at Tattoo Box Traditional. Photo by Victoria Lewin.

Collecting historical acetates and framed prints from artists she’s worked with over her career, Middleton has adorned the shop with bits and pieces of tattoo history. While the location only opened this summer, Owen Jensen, Sailor Jerry, Walter Torun, Zeke Owens and Jack Rudy are just a few noteworthy mentions who’s artwork can already be seen at Tattoo Box Traditional. Middleton said she’s only just getting started, “I have so much memorabilia that I have yet to get in there.”

Middleton holds up the sketchbook of renowned artist Zeke Owens, who tattooed service men and women during and pre-war. Photo by Victoria Lewin.

While residing in Avignon, France, Middleton also runs Livre and Let Die Books and Art Supplies on Pine Ave. E., as well as a small media studio out of California, her hometown. Ensuring the shop promotes a safe and open space for staff and clientele is one of Middleton’s top priorities. Being a female and lesbian tattoo artist, she said “misogyny is the biggest hurdle I’ve ever had to overcome, in myself and facing it from others. That needs to be ended before anyone or any gay woman can progress in their life.” Though the essence of Middleton’s vision is to showcase tattoo history, artwork that is traditionally misogynistic, racist, and otherwise offensive won’t make the cut in this tattoo museum.

An acetate from the early 1900s by famous American tattoo artist Paul Rogers. Photo by Victoria Lewin.
As a lesbian woman, Middleton works hard to ensure the shop maintains an open, safe space for all LGBTQ+ individuals. Photo by Victoria Lewin.
Artists work on various projects during the snowstorm in Montreal on Feb. 13. Photo by Victoria Lewin.
The shop offers free breast cancer ribbon and semicolon tattoos, symbolizing depression. Photo by Victoria Lewin.
Shop decor includes walls of art from various artists Middleton has met and worked with over the years. Photo by Victoria Lewin.

 

Tattoo Box Traditional is located at 1757 Amherst St. More information can be found on their website: tattooboxmontreal.com.

Photos by Victoria Lewin.

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Opinions

I’m an independent woman—with or without a relationship

Graphic by Alexa Hawksworth

You should be able to work on yourself, whether or not you’re with someone

I recently got out of a long-term relationship. After three years, things started to go downhill and it just wasn’t working out for us. He was my first love. Going through the breakup—the process of no longer speaking daily, of understanding he was no longer part of my life, of telling friends and family we are no longer together—was hard and is still hard at times.

When talking with friends and family about how I felt, I often got the same general advice: “It’s okay, now it’s time to work on yourself.” It’s a piece of advice I understand but have a hard time grasping.

As an only child, I learned to be independent at a young age. I’ve learned to rely on myself for everything. I’ve also learned that I can be alone, because I’ve always been alone. As a kid, I only had myself to occupy my time, aside from the time I spent with adults. And even that allowed me to become more independent and grow up quickly.

So the concept of “working on myself” after this breakup sort of baffles me. I’ve been working on myself for years, since I was in my early teens. And even when my boyfriend and I were together, we didn’t necessarily do everything together, so I was working on myself while I was with him. I had my life, he had his, and we grew individually throughout our relationship.

Despite the break up, I know I’m going to be okay. I know what I have to do: I’m going to do what I’ve always done, even when I was with him, just without him. I’m going to continue my education, continue my search for the career of my dreams, continue working at my part-time job, and continue spending time with friends and family. The only thing missing will be him.

There’s this misconception that circulates, which is that your relationship status is a way of defining who you are, whether you’re single, in a relationship or somewhere in the realm of “it’s complicated.” And I’ve always hated that concept. Why do I, an independent woman, have to be defined by who I’m seeing or not seeing? Why is my worth dependent on my relationship status as determined by Facebook? Why does working on yourself only happen once you are removed from your relationship? Why can’t you work on yourself while also being in a relationship?

I am an independent woman, no matter who I’m with or who I’m not with. If you can find someone who allows you to grow while also being in a relationship, then that’s even better. And that’s how I felt when I was with him. And that’s still how I’m going to feel now that I’m not. My relationship status does not define me as an independent woman. It does not define me as a woman who, more or less, has her life figured out. I am still me.

Graphic by Alexa Hawksworth

Categories
Music

Rock warriors ready for battle

Photo by Allie Mason

What began as an inside joke about a character in a high school play has now become the Montreal electro-rock band Chair Warriors, whose debut EP A Thousand Words features traditional rock vocals, guitar and a little bit of ivory-tickling.
“We entered our first battle of the bands, scrambling to find a name,” recalls guitarist Rob Flis, a Concordia journalism student and staff writer at The Concordian. They decided on the name Chair Warriors, inspired by their friend who played a character called “the Chair Warrior,” a super villain who finished off his adversaries with a chair, à la WWE, in Laurier Senior High School’s annual Blue and Gold Revue, Super Zeroes.
“We just used Chair Warriors as a last resort, thinking, well, you know, we’ll just use it for this because we need something, and we couldn’t shed the name.”
After a few lineup changes, the band has settled down as a three-piece, emulating their sonic heroes Muse. The trio consists of Rob, his brother, drummer Ryan Flis who also attends Concordia, and vocalist/keyboardist Brandon Mignacca, who is studying music at Vanier College.
“I’ve known Ryan for, let’s see, since he was born,” Rob jokes. “Ryan met Brandon during high school, where he was already blowing away people with his talent.”
The band members quickly bonded as they began making a name for themselves on the rock scene, playing clubs around Montreal.
“It’s been great playing at places like Le Divan Orange and La Sala Rossa,” says Rob. “But we’ve played our share of dumps, too.”
In addition to their covers, which treat fans to classics such as Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song,” they have been working hard writing original music, too. The songwriting process often begins with an idea from Brandon, while working at home.
“Usually it’s just a simple piano melody and a vocal take,” says Rob. “And from there it grows. Sometimes it changes drastically, but most of the time it’s a collective process.”
The new ideas and fresh songs have led to the band renting out a recording studio to flesh out their ideas.
“It requires more responsibility,” explains Rob, adding that the studio time is both necessary and expensive to capture their electro, classical and ‘90s grunge influences. “But it comes with being a musician.”
So does the challenge that plagues all musicians: getting people to listen to their music.
“Word of mouth is very difficult,” laments Rob. “Even on the Internet, you feel like this little guy, stuck in a life raft in the middle of the ocean, amongst the millions of other life rafts.”
“Right now, we really have to publicize ourselves as much as possible, and we seem to be doing quite well. But we are always happy to work from step one,” says Rob. “First step, you start a band. Next step, you play shows. Next step, you record an album. Next step, you get fans.”
In taking on the roles of student and musician, the dedication and commitment can take its toll.
“It’s draining,” admits Rob. “There is a lot fun, but there is a lot on our plates, so we couldn’t do it without the people who give us clear-headed advice. It makes life so much easier.”
While they make sure their music is readily available on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and Reverbnation with its smartphone app, the band recognizes the need to give fans something physical. That’s why they are planning to launch the physical copy of their album when they perform as a featured artist at Landmark Entertainment’s Battle of the Bands 2012.
“Fame, fortune, the works,” Rob says is what’s in store for Chair Warriors. “We want to be the next Foo Fighters. 2012 is our year.”

Catch Chair Warriors at Le National (1220 Ste-Catherine St. E.) on April 14 for the launch of their debut record A Thousand Words.

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