DEARLY BELOVED

The Jaguars of Rock Dearly Beloved go on the prowl from Toronto’s urban jungle and pounce

by Christine Leonard September 21, 2006 When singer-songwriter and bassist Rob Higgins embarked on the journey of creating his new album You Are the Jaguar, he was so involved in wrestling with his personal demons that he couldn’t see the forest for the trees. Emerging from the shadow of successful groups such as Doctor, Change of Heart and Our Lady Peace, the Toronto-based Higgins yearned to move away from the energy-sapping teamwork approach that required him to constantly be at the mercy of his bandmate’s personalities. Add to that the inestimable stress he experienced while keeping vigil at his father’s deathbed and soon it became apparent, even to Higgins himself, that he needed to step away or risk succumbing to the mental cancer of depression and hopelessness. "I was having trouble getting down to work on the new album," says Higgins. "I was focusing so much on my father and his circumstances that I was losing my own mind. Seeing him struggling with cancer day after day in the hospital, I just lost my shit and took off and sat on the beach for a week. I was having all kinds of anxiety and panic attacks and finally getting away gave me a chance to relax. Once I calmed myself down everything gelled and I was able to finish the album quite quickly. My little excursion to Florida left me with a much better outlook and I was able to continue to be an active contributor." Upon returning from his self-imposed solitude with a suitcase full of songs and an acoustic guitar in tow, Higgins set about arranging his masterpiece. Pouring out all of his rage and angst he crafted an album that is surprisingly upbeat. Resplendent with heavy bass riffs, hard-rockin’ guitar licks and passionate he/she dual vocals, his cathartic musical venture goes far beyond the typical turning lemons into lemonade scenario. "The record is an extension of what I was going through during that period but it was never meant to be sad," Higgins acknowledges. "I wanted to make a record that was irreverent and makes you wanna shake your ass and to celebrate living more than mourning. That’s the only way I could deal with things, I couldn’t stand to be negative, that was the last thing I wanted, it was much more important to me to remain positive." Drawing on his need to vent and his love of performing for a crowd (this long-time groupie is the nephew of Rush’s Geddy Lee), Higgins discovered that his most painful experiences could be the most rewarding as he came to appreciate the kindness and support of the friends and family members who rallied around him in his time of need. Morphing from a solo act to a full fledged band in a matter of weeks, Dearly Beloved came to encapsulate fast friends and co--conspirators. Joining Higgins onstage are vocalist Niva Chow (Sticky Rice), guitarist Damon Richardson (Danko Jones), guitarist John Pogue (Change of Heart) and drummer Alex O’Reilly (Doctor). "Dearly Beloved is really just a vehicle to make our own records and not wait for anyone else," Higgins admits with a chuckle. "The name reminds us not to let things get to us and to remember the love in life. I feel the band name Dearly Beloved made sense because of who’s involved – close, trusted friends. It speaks to the great wells of strength that we have inside and how strong humans can be. It’s very admirable and inspirational. The feeling when we play live is primal and full of raw aggression, we really get into playing and it’s quite intense." Once again finding himself immersed in a group setting, Higgins is eager to take his band on the road and has planned an extensive two-month stint cordially dubbed the "Rugged Casual Tour." This much-anticipated round of live performances was chiefly arranged by ex-Trailer Park Boys Cory Bowles who invited Dearly Beloved to join the bill of his own band, Aide-de-Camp, and recognized the rocking potential that lurks within the artistic depths of You are the Jaguar. Having made peace with his past, Higgins looks forward to a bright future, one that he faces with unbridled confidence and optimism. "I’ve studied the cultures of the ancient Maya and Aztecs, so I chose the title You are the Jaguar because it represented their warrior class and what my father went through with his illness was almost like going to war. Even if war is not something you can actually relate to, in times of crisis life is reduced to the fundamentals and you have to stop and take stock. It just kept sticking with me as an image. Symbols like the jaguar are drawn from base elements and there’s no putting limits on those. No sense of pressure, just good stuff."

Kinnie Starr : in tents with Cirque du Soleil

Hip-hop diva living every girl’s dream Kinnie Starr inks record deal, then runs away to join the circus by Christine Leonard  June 1, 2003 As if signing a new record deal wasn’t enough, Kinnie Starr had to go and join the circus, too. The rising hip-hop diva has had a lot of good fortune come her way lately. The offer to sign on to Canada’s prominent Maple Music record label – home of Kathleen Edwards and The Dears, among others – came only days after her successful audition for the position of lead vocalist in Cirque Du Soleil’s new Las Vegas production, Zumanity. Set for a two-year run at the New York, New York hotel in Vegas, Zumanity is touted as an exploration of human sensuality and art that combines dance, music and contortionism. For her part, Starr describes the multi-disciplinary show as "an erotic cabaret." Although Starr is obligated to remain tight-lipped about the nature of her role in the international troupe’s latest project, she does confess that the rigorous rehearsal schedule is taking its toll. "A lot of artists do one thing at time," she says. "But six months in transition? I don’t quite know what to make of it – the physical demands are tiring, but it’s a great job, great money and great experience. Plus, I get to keep my voice in shape. Right now, I’m working 10 to 15 hours a day, six days a week, in rehearsal." Outside of endless cast practices and time spent in the recording studio, Starr does what she can to keep her temple in shape. Running, swimming, dancing, working out, martial arts and generally kicking butt all help to keep this wonder-girl feeling happy and healthy inside and out, a formula that had eluded her for years. "Whatever is in my life comes out in my work. It’s the first time in my life I haven’t been addicted to pot or anything, and it’s good to have my head above that depression. I’ve been working with my body a lot. Physical therapy and conditioning have finally relieved the chronic pain I’ve been living with for so long. "It paints the world so differently to have something like that lifted off of you. And now, I’m working with professional athletes who make their living off of their bodies. I realize that your body is the instrument for your voice. You see some singers really straining to get the right tones as they sing – my goal is to be able to relax in order to get tone." With the help of her family, friends and a multitude of musical guests, Starr has refurbished her life and created a new album in the process. Sun Again, the much anticipated follow-up to her previous full-length releases Tidy (1996) and Tune-Up (2000), is less political than its predecessors, but just as soulful. Contributors to the record include her regular core of band-mates (John Raham, Chris Carlson and Rob Chursinoff), as well as her cousin Lily Frost and friends Moka Only, Kia Kadiri, Coco Love Alcorn and DJ Murge, among others. Still basking in the glow of this eclectic musical endeavour, Starr relates that sharing her work with so many people has been its own reward. But, given the collaborative nature of Sun Again, one must ponder how such a technically polished and multi-tiered sound could be successfully transferred to the live arena. "There’s no way we could re-create those songs live onstage, so we had to strip things down to the bare bones. Really old-school, hybrid electric/acoustic stuff. Stripped-back beats, that’s the sound," says Starr. "You have to keep in mind that you never want the show to sound exactly like the album. It’s weak – and boring for the audience." Of course, Starr notes, that’s assuming the audience is willing to be engaged. She knows that no matter how hard she works, some people just aren’t going to appreciate what she’s doing. But she is nevertheless excited to tour with her band before she heads off to Vegas with Cirque. Moving away from her multilingual poetry-slam style of rap, Sun Again reveals Starr’s thoughts and emotions exclusively in English. Her sexy, spiritual beatnik rhymes are still there, but they’re wrapped in a gauzy layer of floating electronic melodies and heavy urban pulses. The record’s ear-catching beats and smooth vocal grooves smack of platinum potential, but when asked if her easy-listening brand of hip-hop could achieve a wider audience than ever before, Starr remains skeptically optimistic. "That would be nice," she admits. "But I’m not going to hold my breath. People who are well versed in hip-hop understand the need for diversity in the culture. I’m working with a really talented group of people who were all very involved in making the CD. I can remember all the fuckin’ amazing moments I had in the studio with Moka Only and DJ Spek – musicians who like to play music for music." Starr notes that her project functioned as side work for these friends, who like the untrained structure of her sonic palette. Starr learned by listening and doesn’t need classical training to express herself. "A lot of Canadian rhymers are influenced by U.S. rap phrasing and accents, and I don’t necessarily think you have to go that way," she says. "I can’t do that U.S. rap thing. That’s why I love my friend DJ Spek – his lyrical delivery is so Canadian, and you can really hear it. Hip-hop would grow so much faster if artists were encouraged to put more of their own personal style and character into it."

Despised Icon : Tightening the Cords that Bind

What comes naturally

Despised Icon undergoes Healing Process
by Christine Leonard

Revered for their blistering guitar work and pummeling percussion, Despised Icon confirm Quebec’s status as a bubbling cauldron of molten metal. At the same time that the six-piece grindcore specialists from Montréal have been building a name in the competitive Eastern market, they have taken a decidedly hands-on approach to managing their musical careers.

Pulling triple duty as the band’s manager, booking agent and vocalist, Alexander Erian is looking forward to finally hitting the road and enjoying the experience of performing for new audiences in strange places. Or, strange audiences in new places, as the case may be.

"The last year has been really hectic," says Erian "We’ve gone through some pretty significant lineup changes and have now rebanded, if that’s a word." 

Replacing singer Marie-Helene Landry at the mic, Erian came out from behind the drum kit and the band enlisted the help of another Alex, drummer Alex Pelletier. Having built a reputation as a technical but fun-loving band, the roster change came after recording their nine-track monstrosity The Healing Process.

"We released a two-song EP last April and shopped it around to a number of labels. But we got tired of waiting on someone else to make things happen," says Erian. "We decided to do our own thing and went on to record a rough mix of our new album over that summer."

The album caught the ear of Century Media, which subsequently generated interest for Despised Icon with Relapse Records. Since the band had admired the label for some time, when it offered to release a split album for Despised Icon and Bodies in the Gears of the Apparatus, Erian and company jumped at the chance.

"It was a now-or-never kind of proposal, so we went for it and it’s selling better than we could ever have imagined. So, what more could you ask for?"

Despised Icon started playing in 2001, but all the members have been part of the Quebec metal scene for some time. Erian used to play with Neuraxis and, in fact, is still neighbours with two of their members. "There are a few other metal musicians on the block as well," he says. "We’re takin’ over!"

Taking over the hood is one thing, but making the switch from percussion to vocals is another. Undaunted, Erian has stretched his talents and his vocal cords and come to revel in the intensified level of audience interaction that comes with being the frontman.

"I loved playing the drums, but you get a different view of the shows when you’re behind the kit," says Erian "As a singer, I’m much more exposed, there’s more showmanship involved. I get to move around and have a lot of fun. I’m really enjoying the sense of change, and I don’t have to worry about mounting and dismounting my drum kit in a 15-minute period with some tour manager breathing down my neck."

Despised Icon perform at The Alexandra Centre April 14, 2005

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE - An interview with Troy Van Leeuwan by Christine Leonard-Cripps

No one knows they’re insane...

 Queens of the Stone Age rock the cradle with fatalistic fables

You know you have made the big time when warming up before the big show is the only way to get daily musical practice in, but for guitarist extraordinaire Troy Van Leeuwan, it’s his preferred mode of operation.

With bands such as A Perfect Circle, Enemy and Failure to his credit, Van Leeuwan takes the pressure and adulation that comes with being in Queens of the Stone Age (QOTSA) in stride. In fact, it was while on tour with Failure that Van Leeuwan initially made the acquaintance of QOTSA’s front man, space cowboy Josh Homme. At the time, Homme was playing for the Screaming Trees and the two made an instant connection, due in no small part to Van Leeuwan’s admiration for Kyuss, the groundbreaking stoner-rock giant formed by Homme and his longtime collaborator Nick Oliveri. Van Leeuwan’s past experiences put him in the enviable position of knowing what he was getting into when he signed a deal to team up with Homme for his next foray into rock ’n’ roll history.

"I’m just doing the music thing until I can launch my own accounting firm. That’s where the real money is," Van Leeuwan says, with dubious sincerity. "But seriously, being in A Perfect Circle and Failure was like polar opposites. Failure didn’t get its due. We were broke the whole time. And the whole process was driven by the sheer love of music. A Perfect Circle was something that Billy (Howerdel) had been working on for years. I was one of the last to join and was only there to record two songs at the end…. It just shows how much you can achieve when you know how to orchestrate art and commerce.

"This situation… is somewhere in the middle. It’s more chaotic, which in turn creates energy. It’s more intense."

Diagnostically speaking the departure of bassist Oliveri was a gaping wound in the Queen’s side and could be considered a mortal blow for a band who’s previous album, Songs For the Deaf, signalled a swift and steady rise to success. But Homme was not about to give up the ghost, and splitting with Oliveri afforded the hard rockers the freedom to take on fresh players and a new sense of style.

"It’s something that we grew into," says Van Leeuwan, who now shares bass duty with Homme and Alain Johannes. "It doesn’t feel like I’m replacing anyone. We’re still evolving as a band. We all write and we all like to stay busy. The last thing you want to do is to become stagnant. Because then you’re just treading water."

The addition of Natasha Shneider on keyboards brings a "space-country-rock-ambient kind of a thing" according to Van Leeuwan. "Not typically the way things were supposed to go," he says. "The one thing we discussed was making different colours and shades and dark and making space – something I’ve been known to do."

Indeed, at the time he was invited to play guitar and electric piano for the QOTSA, Van Leeuwan was already well reputed for his ability to create an instant sense of atmosphere in the studio on recordings for A Perfect Circle, Failure, Orgy and Deadsy. Van Leeuwan‘s talents made him the perfect fit for Homme’s re-banded circle of merry men.

"We were still finding out new things about each other while we were recording the last record (Lullabies to Paralyze)," he says. "When you do most of your playing in the studio, the intensity is at a much higher level. If something had a character or a vibe we liked, we would get to go off the page and explore it. You put pressure on yourself to do your best, but you have to be aware that you’re only competing with your own expectations. The temptation is to over analyze every song, because you’re so focused on it. If something requires more than five takes it’s not working. It’s like beating a dead horse."

Ex-Screaming Trees branch Mark Lanegan has also ventured across the bridge to bring his vocals along for the ride with the Queens on the new album and on tour. Bonding during the production of Lullabies to Paralyze, the album’s central story was modelled after a fairly twisted tale akin to the fatalistic fables penned by the Brothers Grimm.

"The theme of this album was our own dark fairy tale. Most of the old stories were really dark and now people are trying to clean them up for the kids. But that’s so wrong. Sometimes when you’re searching for something you wind up going into the dark and you have to do that in order to see that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel — and it’s not always a train that’s about to hit you."

by Christine Leonard

Originally published in FFWD April 2005

ROBIN BLACK : Interviewed by Christine Leonard-Cripps

Tighter than a pair of leather pants! Glam Rock freak and MMA pundit Robin Black spits out an  nstant Classic for the masses

Love him or hate him, Canada’s most notorious media whore (next to Jian Gomeshi) is back with his second full-length album Instant Classic. While some may shy (OK, flinch) away from the Boy George-meets-Alice Cooper look that Robin Black and the Intergalactic Rockstars have chosen, there’s no denying that he gives good interview. "Riff-laden, arena-style rock music is our big thing and when we started out nobody else was doing it. By now we’re getting pretty damn good at it. Inside I’m just a 14-year-old rock ’n’ roller. And what I love best is going out on the town and flirting with girls," says Black. "After hearing a lot of the new stuff that’s out there, I’ve come to the conclusion that rock music is a really lowbrow form of entertainment – like comic books. It entertains all kinds of people and it’s all based on fun… and on the groin!" Strutting his stuff with fellow glam rockers "Killer" Ky Anto (lead guitar-vocals), Starboy (guitar-keyboard-vocals), John "The Creep" Kerns (bass), and percussionist Chris "The Kid" Kidd, Black and company have already made a name for themselves with their unbelievably loud, pyrotechnic-filled stage performances. Adhering to all that is cheap and smutty about their preferred musical genre, they extol the virtues of sex, drugs and the pursuit of hedonistic pleasures of every description – a common thread, which has ensured that despite the passage of time this quintet has remained as tight as a well-worn pair of leather pants.    * MMA commentator and practitioner of Tae Kwon Do and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Robin Black returned to the cage in November of 2012 after a 2-year hiatus. He brought his professional fighting record to 4-5 (W-L) with his second-round Kimura armlock submission of vetted opponent Derek Charbonneau at the inaugural SLAMM: Tristar Fights event. "I’m proud of the five of us," Black says. "I have the pleasure of playing with four really talented guys. We wouldn’t have survived for 10 years otherwise…. Our skills have developed around one another and we’re working harder now than ever before in our lives. We write, play, tour and try to improve. I think it’s very admirable and noble trying to be the best rock band in the world. It’s all about drinkin’ beer, smokin’ pot and playing rock ’n’ roll… and I get to bang a lot of pretty girls!" Making an album with the dude who produced Pink Floyd’s The Wall and KISS’s Destroyer is a dream come true for any aspiring rocker and Black is no exception. Hammering out the final details of Instant Classic with legendary producers Bob Ezrin and GGGarth Richardson was definitely a highlight of a career that has put the Winnipeg-born Black and his band on the fast track to (increased) notoriety. Already well known for their onstage antics, glamorous makeup and bravado, Black sees Instant Classic as a timeless tribute to all the things he loves most about good old rock ’n’ roll. "We’re so used to touring all the time, people know us as a super exciting live act," he says. "But we wanted to go beyond being the drunkest band in Canada, so we decided to take a huge leap forward and make a great record." The band minted Instant Classic in the hopes of capturing that essence of joie de vivre and distilling it for purely commercial purposes. The technically polished version of their manic mayhem may be one side of the story, but Black admits he and his bandmates just love driving around with the tunes cranked and needed a "special" new disc for the ol’ Trans Am. Instant Classic delivers everything we’ve come to expect from the larger-than-life Robin Black. "People go nuts at our shows," says Black. "If you love MuchMusic, Elvis Costello and introverted indie-rock bands who sing sad songs about their parents – don’t come to our show. If you love KISS, Aerosmith, pounding beers, smoking joints, beating your chest, wearing low-cut tops and tight pants – we’re the band for you." Originally published March 2005 in FFWD Weekly Magazine By Christine Leonard  @Nocturntable

Habib Koité : Global Griot

Malian magic

Musical storyteller Habib Koité  makes a Big Noise for impoverished countrymen

by Christine Leonard

Known for his technical precision and flair for blending diverse musical styles, Malian guitarist Habib Koité has a rich personal history to draw upon when it comes to his art. Tuning his modern day instrument to the pentatonic scale and playing with open strings, he consciously echoes the sound of the ancient African harp known as kora. Originally from Senegal, Koité continues to pay tribute to the popular rhythms of his native city of Keyes. While studying under the legendary Kahlilou Traore, of the Afro-Cuban band Maravillas du Mali, Koité quickly learned to incorporate elements of flamenco and the blues into his repertoire. Now an accomplished instructor at the National Institute of Arts in Bamako, Mali, Koité strives to bring together the most powerful aspects of the old and the new, developing a truly pan-Malian approach that reflects his innovative spirit as well as his reverence for the past.

"My family name is Khassongke griot. A griot is a storyteller, someone who keeps the stories in their mind and tells them to others. Griots perform ceremonies for marriages and deaths, and in times of war, and at other times they carry messages between villages. Griots are a bridge between the people and the musicians. It was easy for me to take up guitar in my family," says Koité. "My brothers play guitar, and my parents have always been involved with making music. What I play is not exactly the music I was brought up on, but it’s close." Ultimately he takes his musical inspiration from the many different languages of Mali. "Everywhere you go people are speaking in different tongues," he says.

Discovering that his multi-album international success as a musician gave him access to a universal language and a larger global audience, Koité has keenly focused his efforts to help alleviate the economic hardships that have impacted many of his countrymen. Using his influence to bring attention to the plight of Malian cotton farmers, he has organized with artists such as Colin Firth, Michael Stipe, Alanis Morrisette, Chris Martin, Minnie Driver and Youssou N’Dour in joining with Oxfam’s Make Trade Fair: The Big Noise movement to protest U.S. and developed national policies that dump commodities on poor countries that depend on fair competition to make a living from their basic commercial crops.

"My country has grown some of the best quality cotton in the world," says Koité "But Malian farmers are finding that they cannot sell their crops because they are too expensive. Our government has too many things to do in such a poor country. That’s why it’s expensive, because people from outside of Africa can supply the same product for so much less. Our people cannot stay in poverty. We have to do something to equal out the prices in the world market so that consumers can choose quality. This money is very important to Malian farmers – it means being able to feed and shelter their families. I don’t know why people would want to keep them down."

After 20 years of raising spirits and awareness with his deeply intimate singing style and mesmerizing guitar work, Koité looks to the future with the knowledge that anything is possible. Gearing up his earthy rhythm section, Bamada, for a grand 34-city North American tour, he eagerly anticipates the opportunity to bring the sounds of his beloved homeland to new ears.

"I don’t teach like I play. I’m not the put-your-arm-like-this-and-your-fingers-there kind of instructor. I listen when I teach," says Koité. "I believe in co-operation in music. I don’t know what people hear when they listen to my music, but I hope that they gain some understanding of where I’m coming from in my expression. That’s what drives me as an artist to say ‘Yes, I can improve.’"

Habib Koité  performs at Eric Harvie Theatre (The Banff Centre) and Jack Singer Concert Hall March 11-13, 2005

GFK : Gunk Rock

No time to waste

GFK liberates metal-core from its mental shackles and gets political

by Christine Leonard
February 21, 2005

Ready to challenge new audiences via their signature barrage of punk-metal-might-with-a-message, GFK are riding high on the success of their latest album. Released on Propagandhi’s much revered G7 Welcoming Committee label, GFK lead vocalist Jessy Baron is proud of what his band has accomplished.

Not only is their new album, If Liberty Isn’t Given It Shouldn’t Be Taken, a shining example of French-Canadian headbanging know-how, it also strives to reach beyond the obvious melee of thrashing guitars and animalistic vocals to drive home issues of import to the band’s five members.

"We try to be very political with our music. But sometimes we get a bad answer from the crowd," says Baron, with a Québécois drawl thick enough to put Chrétien to shame. Mixing metal, art, punk, rock and jazz, they can be classified as metal-hardcore, but each member has their own influences. Their diversity, with a bit of a punk edge, must have been what drew G7 to the band.

"Being on G7 is a real dream for us. We thought it would be cool to send them one of our demos for their suggestions. They wrote back asking us to join the family. You don’t know how exciting that was for us. We don’t care about selling records. We care about integrity, and political intent."

Since forming in 1996, Baron, bassist Sonny Letourneau, guitarists Mike Beaudoin and Remy Verreault, and newly recruited drummer Yannick Simard have been touring relentlessly. Their earlier albums The Social Responsibility Theory (2000), and In Defense of Politics (2002), released on their own New Horizon label, firmly established GFK as one of Eastern Canada’s bands to watch – and not just because of their high-flying onstage antics. GFK are determined to inform the masses beyond the mosh pits.

"We are really picky about our lyrics," says Baron, the principal songwriter, "We ask ourselves about life – think about the events that surround us. On our new album, we took the time to ask the right questions. In the metal scene, there are not many bands who talk about politics. But why should we waste our time?"