Photos by Andrew Epstein
Performing in malls is mostly associated with eighties pop star Tiffany. But when I make the reference to Arkells vocalist/guitarist Max Kerman, he thinks I’m talking about the jewelry store. His confusion is understandable though, as he and his band were about to take to the stage in the middle of Sherway Gardens. It was the culmination of a special event put on by Samsung Canada who were promoting a number of new items including an at-home virtual reality unit that features a collaboration with filmmaker David Cronenberg.
Their set would go off without a hitch, attracting a diverse crowd who ate up their brand of soulful indie rock and energetic Motown covers. Given the circumstances I thought it would be good to ask Kerman about his view of how music and technology work together. We also talked about the subtle sonic changes that characterize the Arkells’ catalogue, if winning awards has helped their career, and whether wearing their home on their sleeve makes things more difficult for Canadian bands.
Arkells have upcoming shows in Germany and the U.K, with some Canadian dates lined up for next year. Their latest album is 2014’s High Noon, and you can watch their new video for the track “11:11” here.
Photos by Chris Tung
At this year’s Riot Fest at Downsview Park I had the chance to sit down with Toronto-born rapper Jazz Cartier. He was admittedly a bit tired after journeying across the country the night before to be there. It didn’t show on stage however as he turned in an intense thirty minute set where he ended up crowd surfing and climbing the scaffolding.
He’s also turned a lot of heads south of the border with his debut album Marauding in Paradise, which despite Drake’s success, is not an easy thing to do. The album certainly doesn’t sound like anything that’s ever come out of the Canadian rap scene. Cartier is well-travelled, and it seems that it’s had a positive effect on his music. We talked about his cross-border style and why he puts an emphasis on performing live (as well as being insured for it).
Jazz Cartier has upcoming shows in Montreal, Ottawa, and Los Angeles. You can listen to Marauding in Paradise in full below or download it here.
Photo by Hannah Verbeuren
There are many in the metal community that would count former Sepultura frontman Max Cavalera as an essential figure in the rise of nu-metal in the nineties. The first few albums from his post-Sep band Soulfly seemed to owe much to the genre. It wasn’t that surprising considering Cavalera makes a habit of embracing younger bands. After a few albums the band adopted a hybrid sound that was more in line with early thrash music. The new Soulfly album Archangel is Cavalera’s most diverse in years and seems to take influence from all parts of his career. With the a nineties pop culture revival now in full swing, I was curious to find out what he thinks about the purists who decried his early Soulfly albums.
But when I sat down with the legend himself before a recent show at Toronto’s Opera House, I found that he’s quick to distance himself from any nu-metal involvement he may have had. He’s still searching for heavier bands. His new album also continues his spiritual take on metal, and I also wanted to know how he’s able to enjoy so many Satanic and blasphemous bands.
Finally we spoke about how he feels when he plays Sepultura songs and why he thinks Cavalera Conspiracy, the band he formed with his brother and fellow ex-Sep member Igor, retains more of the original Sepultura spirit than Sepultura itself.
Soulfly are currently touring in the U.S. and Archangel is available now on Nuclear Blast Records. Watch the video for the title track here.
Photo courtesy of Stereo Dynamite Recordings
The first time I saw Simone Denny on stage she was opening for Gwar. But this needs context. Denny is perhaps best known as a house music icon from her time with Canadian techno sensation Love Inc. She also grabbed a ton of attention for her vocals on the theme song to the show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and for its subsequent repetitive use in an episode of South Park in 2003.
This brings me back to that Gwar show. On that evening in mid-2002 Denny was appearing with the band Damn 13, fronted by former Monster Voodoo Machine vocalist Adam Sewell. It was Denny’s connection with Sewell that has now culminated in the just-released Stereo Dynamite Sessions Vol. 1. Produced and co-written by Sewell (and named after his label and studio), the album combines modern R&B and soul with trip-hop and a tinge of alternative rock.
I sat down with Denny on a beautiful afternoon to find out more about the album. It’s the most eclectic music that Denny has ever performed, and I was eager to know how she approached its creation and if she was worried about upsetting her house music devotees. I also made sure that the South Park folks had settled up properly.
The Stereo Dynamite Sessions Vol. 1 is available now on Stereo Dynamite Recordings and you can listen to the track “Your Love Fades Away” here.