Canadian Music Round-Up

Smallman Retrospective:

I’ve been working on a retrospective for Smallman Records since as you may already know, the label closed its doors last year. If you want the long story about why I'm doing this, head here. But all you need to know is that I’ll be sharing little chunks from my project in this space. Today's excerpt comes from Sick City bassist TJ Stevenson and the band's guitarist Dave Grabowski. And if you're still wondering about the future of the band, Grabowski says: “No official announcements. We are on a bit of a hiatus, I’m not going to rule out resurfacing in the future though. But there’s a feeling we’ll just let the Sick City name die."

Stevenson’s Favourite Thing:
“The fact that they just sticked to what they love and didn’t care what other labels or trends are doing at any point. They just put out music they love and work with people they know love music. That’s my thing, it was a really tightened family where everyone wanted to know each other and help each other. Everyone was promoting each other’s bands, you know? In labels now you don’t really see that at all. That was one of the things we tried to find in the States. We got fooled into believing Trustkill was like that. It was a lot of talking. Their owner Josh knows how to talk. I was the main representative from Sick City when talking to him and he made me feel like he was bringing us into the family. I was really into hardcore at the time and they had a lot of bands I respected as well. They represented themselves as a respected hardcore family and it was nothing like that. I’ve reached out like I did with Smallman bands to Trustkill bands and I never got a reply from any of them. Even the label they promised a lot when they signed us, especially with tours and it was always neglected. It didn’t even seem like we were on an American label to be honest. It was really a big surprise to me when I realized how much work it took to be such a well oiled machine like Smallman. It’s a whole new world of business. I realize not just one person can do it, you really need a tight knit family who trusts each other and are willing to work with each other.”

Stevenson’s Least Favourite Thing:
“They should have stayed a label. The Canadian scene is making a turn for the worse and it’s hard for independent music in Canada to reach the masses, especially right now. It’s so hard to tour, 8 hours between cities. Unless you move out east like all the disBAND bands are doing, you really have a short hand in the game that is being played.”

Grabowski’s Favourite Thing:
“The fact that it was from Winnipeg. It was pretty cool to be on an indie label in your hometown. It was cool to have a label like that from your hometown, it’s sad that they’re gone. It leaves a big gap in Western Canada. It was pretty neat. The timing couldn’t have worked out better for us.”

Grabowski’s Least Favourite Thing:
“That’s tough to say, really I can’t say one negative thing. We had no idea, we knew we want to be in a band, but when it came to being on a label, we knew nothing. We were blessed to work with them. We probably asked them the stupidest fucking questions all the time, I’m sure of it. They were probably sick of dealing with us because we were so fresh.”

[button=http://smallmanrecords.com/mp3/SickCity_TurningHeads.mp3]Sick City - "Turning Heads"[/button]

Check Out The Previous Excerpts Too:

Layaway Plan
Guy Smiley
Choke/Passenger Action
Another Joe
Moneen
Sixty Stories
Selfmademan
Small Brown Bike/Broadway Calls/Misery Signals
The Reason
Comeback Kid/Sights & Sounds
Ghosts of Modern Man
Sylvie
Our Mercury
Daggermouth

-----------------------------------------------------
In case you missed them during the week, here are the posts made about Canadian content:

Arcade Fire Trailer

The Artist Life Release Date

Caribou Posts Tons of Music on Soundcloud

Carpenter Interview

Deadmau5 Posts New Songs

Death From Above 1979 Rehearsal Video

Fucked Up Release Date

MSTRKRFT Posts New Song

NXNE Info

Protest the Hero Stream Their Latest Record

Sum 41 Post Previews of Their New Record / Playing on Jimmy Kimmel March 31

The Wilderness of Manitoba Music Video

------------------------------------------------------
Additional News:

D.O.A. are giving Something Better Change and Hardcore '81 30th anniversary reissues on May 17.

----------------------------------------------------
Additional Music and Videos:

A video blog from Lights can be seen here.

A song from DreamFace titled "Someone Else's Hands" can be heard here.

--------------------------------------------------------
Additional Tour Dates:

Wintersleep will be touring the States in May.

Dan Mangan is touring eastern Canada soon:

4/20/11 - Charlottetown, PE - Hunter’s Alehouse

4/21/11 - Fredericton, NB - Charlotte Street Arts Centre

4/22/11 - Halifax, NS - The Seahorse Tavern

4/23/11 - St. John’s, NL - Ship Pub

4/27/11 - Rimouski, QC - Le Bien, Le Malt
4/28/11 - Rivière-du-Loup, QC - Brasserie Lafontaine
4/29/11 - St-Jean-Port-Joli, QC - Centre Socioculturel Gérard-Ouellet
4/30/11 - Victoriaville, QC - Vieux St-Pierre
5/03/11 - Sorel/Tracy, QC - Pub O'Callaghan
5/04/11 - Montréal, QC - Sala Rossa

5/05/11 - Québec, QC - Le Cercle

Michou announced a few new shows, some of which are free.

------------------------------------------------------------
If you’d like to submit news for this round-up, email me at deborah.remus@absolutepunk.net or send me a PM with “Canadian Round-Up” in the subject line.

Whats up with the non ap.net love for Canadian band Mother Mother. New cd last week, hit number 2 on the itunes top album charts, 2nd to rise against new album.

Originally Posted by me7719

Whats up with the non ap.net love for Canadian band Mother Mother. New cd last week, hit number 2 on the itunes top album charts, 2nd to rise against new album.

Because this round-up and all the Canadian news I post is based on two things:

Bands I actually like
Bands I know readers like

And you're the first person that has mentioned them to me. So I'll add them to my list and try to have updates about them in the future.

Originally Posted by Deborah Remus

Because this round-up and all the Canadian news I post is based on two things:

Bands I actually like
Bands I know readers like

And you're the first person that has mentioned them to me. So I'll add them to my list and try to have updates about them in the future.

Thanks! They have a pretty big following in Ontario, and in the Vancouver area, its their third album and I think they are a greatly under appreciated band.

I liked Sick City but I'm glad that they are going to (possibly) let the name die. I haven't checked in with the band in a while but it looks like their MVP, the singer, has left and the members are all doing different things.

Originally Posted by me7719

Whats up with the non ap.net love for Canadian band Mother Mother. New cd last week, hit number 2 on the itunes top album charts, 2nd to rise against new album.

I really dig the single that The Edge was playing the past month or two

I miss Sick City, Turning Heads is such a great song

Originally Posted by brandon_260

I really dig the single that The Edge was playing the past month or two

Yeah its called the Stand, the cd is out now its called eureka, you should have no problem finding it. Really solid album very catchy.

Anyone who got tix to any of Dan Mangan's shows is a lucky bitch, the Hali date sold out so fast.

Originally Posted by Deborah Remus

Because this round-up and all the Canadian news I post is based on two things:

Bands I actually like
Bands I know readers like

And you're the first person that has mentioned them to me. So I'll add them to my list and try to have updates about them in the future.

Their new album is fantastic, I'd love to see updates about them in the future.

Originally Posted by MADSTA

Anyone who got tix to any of Dan Mangan's shows is a lucky bitch, the Hali date sold out so fast.


Their new album is fantastic, I'd love to see updates about them in the future.

Thanks for the feedback! I'll try.

Originally Posted by WeltallAY

I liked Sick City but I'm glad that they are going to (possibly) let the name die. I haven't checked in with the band in a while but it looks like their MVP, the singer, has left and the members are all doing different things.

Josh really did have a great voice. But you're right, he's gone now, they actually had to kick him out because alcohol was becoming a big problem for him. Or so I was told in the interviews I did for this retrospective.

Originally Posted by Deborah Remus

Thanks for the feedback! I'll try.



Josh really did have a great voice. But you're right, he's gone now, they actually had to kick him out because alcohol was becoming a big problem for him. Or so I was told in the interviews I did for this retrospective.

Ahhh, c'est dommage. Hopefully he can get help.