I had a chance to sit down and discuss (via cyberspace) my pal Dominique Fricot's new recording experience, and a few of his favourite things. Take a minute and read up on what he's all about here. I suggest you get in on what's left of his ground level because he's soon to be in high demand all over the region and likely North America/the World very very soon.
MZ: In your new song "I miss the 80's" you reference a number of pop-icons and artists but what I noticed was a hint or reference about your sister(s). Tell me what it is about your siblings and those relationships that inspired this song
DF: While the song talks about a lot of the pop icons of the 80's, I think what I was feeling when I wrote this song was my experience of being 4 or 5 years old and digesting culture through the filters of my two big sisters. All of the tapes I listened to, and opinions on pop culture at the time was very much molded by what they liked and what they were bringing home. As I say in the song "I'm too young to really know" the 80's. Which isn't really true because I was alive, but you made a good observation, my sisters had a big part in my perspective at the time.
MZ: Warne Livesey is a master producer. What did he bring to the table that was different then other producers from your previous work?
DF: Warne or papa dubs, dubya or Dubstep has an incredible ear for arrangement. His father was a jazz musician so I think that lends a bit to his ear for more elaborate chords and harmonies than other producers I've worked with. What I love about working with Warne is he follows the old adage to "serve the song" as most producers do but he has the sensibility to not make each an every song a radio single. Songs off my record like "hermit in the park" and "you can't leave me" are from he and I's favourite songs and I think it's because we let them be what they were: one a dark creepy ballad that turns into almost a trip hop groover, and the other a short little acoustic lament with a tasteful string accompaniment.
I think Warne has great honest sensibilities while having the pedigree to make a pop hit and get world class sounds on tape (digital tape)
MZ: Was there specific sound themes that you wanted to achieve with Warne? Were there unexpected or surprise moments on your new LP where you achieved something far better than your expectation?
DF: I wanted the string accompaniments to play a strong part in this record which I think we were fairly successful. For both of us the biggest surprise was where the song Saddest Thing went. We didn't really have anything more than a nice piano part and vocal and then we just started experimenting with electronic beats and putting delays on Rhodes. Once Warne sequenced that trippy beat every time we'd track or listen back I couldn't help but bounce all around the studio doing my silly weirdo dance.
MZ: I enjoyed your Vancouver locale name dropping on your previous record. Is the city of Vancouver in this new LP?
DF: Yes, Marty. There is. There's a track called Granville Bridge that was almost this name of the whole record, but I changed if last minute.
MZ: Do you have a favourite craft beer? What is it and where do you like to drink it?
DF: Nah. Drinking beer for me is something I do with friends. Really the most important thing for me is the company. Therefore I'll say my favourite beer to drink is whatever my man Cory Curtis (bass player on Sweet little fantasy, and Hannah Georgas) is pouring out of his beer fridge, and the best place to be is either on his couch or his deck.
MZ: Here we go. Who's your favourite Beatle? Why? and what's the song/era that connects with you the most?
DF: Knowing you, Marty, I feel like this whole interview was to get to this question. John Lennon hands down. I like his humour and how he spoke out the most with controversial/hilarious things. What era? I'd go with mid to late. His productivity may have slowed down but I think that's when the production and writing became more interesting and he had long left behind boy girl love songs. It's weird though not my favourite songs, loser and nowhere man are probably the songs I most connect with. Is that bad?
That isn't bad Dom. In fact, that's probably about right with me too!
--
Dominique's single "I miss the 80's" is available now on iTunes. I suggest you go grab it. And then check out all of his other music right away if you haven't already and curl up with a glass of red wine and fall in love with everything this homegrown Vancouver/British Columbian talent has to offer.
Love,
Marty
@martyzylstra
Showing posts with label The Peak Performance Project. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Peak Performance Project. Show all posts
May 12, 2014
March 22, 2011
We are all connected
In 2004 I was sitting at home jamming alone and I came up with an extremely simple lyric idea that was a little too cute "Extra Extra I tried to Text ya"
I then got really into it and as the lyrics developed I really liked the idea. I took it to the band (Sweetheart - Click here for more info) and as we jammed out the ideas, it turned into a really cool vibe and eventually a pretty fun song. I still remember jamming it out for the first time and some other band dudes who shared the rehearsal space were standing outside the door and came in the room to tell us that they really liked the idea. Obviously taken as a grain of salt but when we finally recorded the song in 2006 and I heard the first mix, I was blown away at how huge the song sounded.
As a songwriter, it's been amazing to see the journey of a song and to think about where it started and where it ended up. It's almost like a child in a way. From an initial guitar hook to a full band song, to a recording, to an album, to radio, to TV shows, to people's hands (CD, iPod) and then to the stage.
Because this was one of the first songs we ever wrote as a band, I will always think of it fondly. Like a first born child.
Today I decided to post the lyrics on our "bandcamp" site. Re-reading these lyrics for the 100th time I realized how proud I still am of this song.
take a look:
I then got really into it and as the lyrics developed I really liked the idea. I took it to the band (Sweetheart - Click here for more info) and as we jammed out the ideas, it turned into a really cool vibe and eventually a pretty fun song. I still remember jamming it out for the first time and some other band dudes who shared the rehearsal space were standing outside the door and came in the room to tell us that they really liked the idea. Obviously taken as a grain of salt but when we finally recorded the song in 2006 and I heard the first mix, I was blown away at how huge the song sounded.
As a songwriter, it's been amazing to see the journey of a song and to think about where it started and where it ended up. It's almost like a child in a way. From an initial guitar hook to a full band song, to a recording, to an album, to radio, to TV shows, to people's hands (CD, iPod) and then to the stage.
Because this was one of the first songs we ever wrote as a band, I will always think of it fondly. Like a first born child.
Today I decided to post the lyrics on our "bandcamp" site. Re-reading these lyrics for the 100th time I realized how proud I still am of this song.
take a look:
We are all connected - Sweetheart
Extra Extra
I tried to text ya
But your phone was off
And I couldn’t getchya
We are disconnected
Now
Doctor Doctor
Can you stop the talking
Voices in my head
And shadows that are knocking
On my doorstep
Now
We are all Connected
Extra Extra
I tried to play catch up
With this modern life
Don’t let it get the best of me
Get out
Now
Brother’s Sister’s
Can you feel the future
The end is out to get you
Stay young while you can
Beauty is perfection
Now
We are all connected
I can’t
Stop this
She’s a
Rocket
You’re all
I know
I’ll go
Solo
We are all connected
I tried to text ya
But your phone was off
And I couldn’t getchya
We are disconnected
Now
Doctor Doctor
Can you stop the talking
Voices in my head
And shadows that are knocking
On my doorstep
Now
We are all Connected
Extra Extra
I tried to play catch up
With this modern life
Don’t let it get the best of me
Get out
Now
Brother’s Sister’s
Can you feel the future
The end is out to get you
Stay young while you can
Beauty is perfection
Now
We are all connected
I can’t
Stop this
She’s a
Rocket
You’re all
I know
I’ll go
Solo
We are all connected
listen here:
March 7, 2011
Show Review: Run the Red Light, March 4th, 2011, at the Media Club
I've seen Run the Red Light play live many times.
I'm very familier with their music and show and thought I knew what to expect.
This show was different.
There were a couple of reasons that it different for me last Friday (for me).
1) to me it seemed that the band felt whole again. Mark (their talented bass player) had been away for a year in Holland experiencing Europe and seeing the world. The band had let him go his own way with hopes he would return. They even visited him in Amsterdam and played a show locally in that city.
I hadn't seen Run the Red Light since Mark got back and it was good to see him again and to see him back on the stage. It felt like all the pieces were back in place.
2) Run the Red light has one of the premiere lighting rigs in the city. Their light show is part of the live experience and the headliner last Friday requested that they leave it at home. Typically a national act will ask an opener not to "show them up" so to speak by having better lights, stage dressings etc. Friday they played without. It seemed...more intimate. I'll explain below.
The band seemed ramped to start the set. The club was sold out and as an artist there is nothing better then performing live in a small club to a capacity crowd. When the band kicked in they were heavy and loud. Ben has an intense drumming style. You could tell that he was really into it in the first 2 songs and was hitting hard and slamming the accents hard. All of the sound selection for this band is crisp and clear and the guitars sounded like a wall of sound. RTRL looked like they were just happy to be there with all smiles when the songs were finished. Also, they got into a few extended jams at the end of the heavier numbers and you could tell they were having fun.
Back to the lighting.
I've told Toby this before but their lighting rig has a tendancy to lose the audience's focus on the songs and you can lose the connection with the band. Friday felt more intimate. The entire crowd was glued on the band and was interested in every movement they made. Lighting would've been a distraction this particular night.
If you re-read my previous post here you will probably see that I am a huge fan of this band's music.
I have had a good enough relationship with Toby over the past that we give each other support on what "not-to-do" and what to improve on artistically.
A couple things I felt that would help their set going forward is the following:
- Their cover of New Years Day by U2 was great but their version although spot on felt weaker then their own original songs. My suggestion is to incorporate it into one/two of the original numbers with an interlude. I felt like I lost interest during this cover song and could sense that some of the audience around me was feeling the same way.
- Also another small tweak I would suggest is if the band could strip right down to just one guitar and vocals for 1/2 a song it would help the set dynamics immensely. There was a couple moments in the set where the instrumentation was minimal and as a listener was drawn further in only to be blown away when the band kicked into full gear on the big choruses. I felt that it could strip even further down and that as a listener would be taken on even more of a journey.
- Lastly, for one song, Toby put down his guitar and stepped up to the mic as a jus a singer. This was great and I would've liked to see him do it for more songs.
All in all, Run the Red Light is a brilliant band. They are brilliant live. They are some of the best players in not just Vancouver, but also Canada. You should really go and download all of their music get into them. I hope you get a chance to see them live soon!
They will be back at the Media Club on March 12th with Civil Twilight!
Details here!
Download their EP here
Check out Run the Red Light's website here
Love,
Marty
@martyzylstra
I'm very familier with their music and show and thought I knew what to expect.
This show was different.
There were a couple of reasons that it different for me last Friday (for me).
1) to me it seemed that the band felt whole again. Mark (their talented bass player) had been away for a year in Holland experiencing Europe and seeing the world. The band had let him go his own way with hopes he would return. They even visited him in Amsterdam and played a show locally in that city.
I hadn't seen Run the Red Light since Mark got back and it was good to see him again and to see him back on the stage. It felt like all the pieces were back in place.
2) Run the Red light has one of the premiere lighting rigs in the city. Their light show is part of the live experience and the headliner last Friday requested that they leave it at home. Typically a national act will ask an opener not to "show them up" so to speak by having better lights, stage dressings etc. Friday they played without. It seemed...more intimate. I'll explain below.
The band seemed ramped to start the set. The club was sold out and as an artist there is nothing better then performing live in a small club to a capacity crowd. When the band kicked in they were heavy and loud. Ben has an intense drumming style. You could tell that he was really into it in the first 2 songs and was hitting hard and slamming the accents hard. All of the sound selection for this band is crisp and clear and the guitars sounded like a wall of sound. RTRL looked like they were just happy to be there with all smiles when the songs were finished. Also, they got into a few extended jams at the end of the heavier numbers and you could tell they were having fun.
Back to the lighting.
I've told Toby this before but their lighting rig has a tendancy to lose the audience's focus on the songs and you can lose the connection with the band. Friday felt more intimate. The entire crowd was glued on the band and was interested in every movement they made. Lighting would've been a distraction this particular night.
If you re-read my previous post here you will probably see that I am a huge fan of this band's music.
I have had a good enough relationship with Toby over the past that we give each other support on what "not-to-do" and what to improve on artistically.
A couple things I felt that would help their set going forward is the following:
- Their cover of New Years Day by U2 was great but their version although spot on felt weaker then their own original songs. My suggestion is to incorporate it into one/two of the original numbers with an interlude. I felt like I lost interest during this cover song and could sense that some of the audience around me was feeling the same way.
- Also another small tweak I would suggest is if the band could strip right down to just one guitar and vocals for 1/2 a song it would help the set dynamics immensely. There was a couple moments in the set where the instrumentation was minimal and as a listener was drawn further in only to be blown away when the band kicked into full gear on the big choruses. I felt that it could strip even further down and that as a listener would be taken on even more of a journey.
- Lastly, for one song, Toby put down his guitar and stepped up to the mic as a jus a singer. This was great and I would've liked to see him do it for more songs.
All in all, Run the Red Light is a brilliant band. They are brilliant live. They are some of the best players in not just Vancouver, but also Canada. You should really go and download all of their music get into them. I hope you get a chance to see them live soon!
They will be back at the Media Club on March 12th with Civil Twilight!
Details here!
Download their EP here
Check out Run the Red Light's website here
Love,
Marty
@martyzylstra
January 24, 2011
TV Heart Attack
Once upon a time in a land far far away I played in a really fun band called Grace Nocturnal with some friends from the island. We used to come to the mainland often to play shows all over Vancouver, and one such show I met my soon to be long term friend Jason Corbett from a band (at the time) called Speed to Kill.
We loved hanging out with these guys in those days, as they were an amazingly talented group of people but also their music appealed to me.
Fast forward 3-4 years.
A couple years ago I'd heard that Speed to Kill had disbanded and that Jay (affectionette nickname) had started a new reincarnation called TV Heart Attack.
Fast Forward another few years.
In 2009 Sweetheart was a part of the "Peak Performance Project" which is a radio contest supporting BC talent sponsered by Music BC & 100.5 the Peak (a great local radio station here in Vancouver). As part of this contest, all 20 of the artists were to spend 1 week at a "bandcamp" where seminars and networking opportunities were held with local industry people. Initially I was skeptical but when the top 20 artists were announced I was pretty excited when TVHA's name was mentioned. I knew that they would be an ideal group of guys to hang out with for a week in the woods as they are probably the funnest, craziest individuals I know. Jason, Ryan & Art have the constant ability to make me laugh just by looking at them. Maybe it's because I can read what they're thinking before they say it. It's usually about the same kind of thing I would say. Our humour is identical, it's awesome.
I'm really rambling here but my intention was to review a song of theirs.
Here we go. Jay will probably hate me for picking "AO" because it's an "old song" but to be honest, it's a great song.
Some people have the knack of writing a hook that is so strong that it stays in your head for days. TVHA is this band for me. I don't have much to critique in this song, to me it is the perfect mix of style and substance. The chorus has a little songwriting trick in it where the band doesn't repeat the line on the 3rd time instead using guitar to repeat the hook. It's ingenius. Also the "Satellite of Love" throwback in the middle 8 is great. One time I told Jay that I wanted them to repeat it but he told me that it keeps you coming back for another listen. It totally does. I like this song so much that when Sweetheart went out for a tour with TVHA we started throwing AO at the end of one of our songs live. Also, I love this band so much that when I heard they were looking for a new member I suggested one of my heroes/best friends Adam to join. Is this making you sick reading this? Bromance is delightful.
I'm really excited to hear the next record from these guys.
--
To wrap up: TV Heart Attack is a Vancouver band that has become on of my favourites over the years as friends and as colleages. I've also become a huge fan and like to tell everyone about it! They perform this Thursday January 27th, 2011 at the Forum on Granville (1163 Granville Street). You should go. You should tell all your friends.
Check out their website here:
http://www.tvheartattack.com/
Check out AO on Youtube here!
(this video is cool, right?)
Love,
Marty
@martyzylstra
We loved hanging out with these guys in those days, as they were an amazingly talented group of people but also their music appealed to me.
Fast forward 3-4 years.
A couple years ago I'd heard that Speed to Kill had disbanded and that Jay (affectionette nickname) had started a new reincarnation called TV Heart Attack.
Fast Forward another few years.
In 2009 Sweetheart was a part of the "Peak Performance Project" which is a radio contest supporting BC talent sponsered by Music BC & 100.5 the Peak (a great local radio station here in Vancouver). As part of this contest, all 20 of the artists were to spend 1 week at a "bandcamp" where seminars and networking opportunities were held with local industry people. Initially I was skeptical but when the top 20 artists were announced I was pretty excited when TVHA's name was mentioned. I knew that they would be an ideal group of guys to hang out with for a week in the woods as they are probably the funnest, craziest individuals I know. Jason, Ryan & Art have the constant ability to make me laugh just by looking at them. Maybe it's because I can read what they're thinking before they say it. It's usually about the same kind of thing I would say. Our humour is identical, it's awesome.
I'm really rambling here but my intention was to review a song of theirs.
Here we go. Jay will probably hate me for picking "AO" because it's an "old song" but to be honest, it's a great song.
Some people have the knack of writing a hook that is so strong that it stays in your head for days. TVHA is this band for me. I don't have much to critique in this song, to me it is the perfect mix of style and substance. The chorus has a little songwriting trick in it where the band doesn't repeat the line on the 3rd time instead using guitar to repeat the hook. It's ingenius. Also the "Satellite of Love" throwback in the middle 8 is great. One time I told Jay that I wanted them to repeat it but he told me that it keeps you coming back for another listen. It totally does. I like this song so much that when Sweetheart went out for a tour with TVHA we started throwing AO at the end of one of our songs live. Also, I love this band so much that when I heard they were looking for a new member I suggested one of my heroes/best friends Adam to join. Is this making you sick reading this? Bromance is delightful.
I'm really excited to hear the next record from these guys.
--
To wrap up: TV Heart Attack is a Vancouver band that has become on of my favourites over the years as friends and as colleages. I've also become a huge fan and like to tell everyone about it! They perform this Thursday January 27th, 2011 at the Forum on Granville (1163 Granville Street). You should go. You should tell all your friends.
Check out their website here:
http://www.tvheartattack.com/
Check out AO on Youtube here!
(this video is cool, right?)
Love,
Marty
@martyzylstra
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)