(On April 20th, 2009, Emily Haines and Jimmy Shaw surprised Winnipeg with a free acoustic show at The Pyramid Cabaret.  I was lucky enough to sit down with the two of them before the show and find out a little bit about what makes them who they are.  Traditionally, I would edit this article down to around 1,200 words, but I feel that with all the things we discussed, it would be a disservice to Emily, Jimmy, and you, the reader, to cut out anything but the most mundane exchanges.  Therefore, this article was originally published in three parts on May 5th, 6th and 7th, 2009.  Please enjoy.)

On the horizon of releasing her new album, Every Opposite, Zaki Ibrahim proves how aptly titled it is through our conversation.  It began with a reflection upon the previous night’s Eclectica In Purple EP release party and concert, yet twisted and turned itself to bring out her perspective on growing up through the South African Apartheid and how that negative childhood experience has affected her character and music in a positive way.  An old soul breaking new ground in Toronto’s hip hop scene, Ms. Ibrahim redefines perfection in her music with characteristic imperfections and true personality – which I sincerely applaud.  Popular music in the last decade or so has seemingly lacked this attribute, and is one of the reasons I have given up on radio and cannot tell the difference from one tween tart to another.  Zaki stands alone in style, sound and even appearance – her curls and the spaces in her teeth accentuate her beauty and personality.

Here is what she had to say, starting with how the EP release was a definite success based upon the energy of the people.

When we last spoke to Sing It Loud in September of 2007 they were just getting their feet wet. The Minneapolis quintuplet had just released a self-titled EP and had been a band for less than five months.

Oh kids these days, they grow up so fast.

Now they have new songs on the horizon (recorded with Josh Cain of Motion City Soundtrack), a wealth of touring experience, and oh yeah, they signed to Epitaph Records home of MCS, The Matches and Bad Religion.

With all of this happening in the few months since I last sat down with Kieren and Pat of Sing It Loud, I decided it was time to check back in.

Sing It Loud has put in thousands of miles of being sweaty in a van together over the past several months and it shows.

The room is packed; there are 50 (uncomfortable) chairs that were quickly commandeered but the clerks stopped counting at 100 when the crowds continued to flow into the second story of BookPeople, Austin’s funky, well-loved, independent bookstore. BookPeople rarely gets this SRO crowd – except for former presidents and celebs; book talks by the average author garner a handful these days. So who’s the big draw? Music journalist Rob Sheffield, author of the surprise New York Times bestseller Love Is A Mix Tape.

For a music-lover like me, this book is a no-brainer favorite. Of course I’d be into an intense and tragic love story told through mix tapes and music; it’s a music geek’s dream—love among the LPs. But as this large and diverse audience (and loads of great reviews) indicates, this book is not just for intense music lovers.

It’s a hot August evening and the amphitheater is packed. As I walk over to the side of the stage to meet My Chemical Romance’s tour manager, my mind is buzzing and my nerves are on edge. I meet MCR’s manager and he escorts me backstage to the bus. I walk up the steps and am greeted in the front lounge by Gerard Way. I shake his hand and murmur the usual pleasantries. He turns, grabs a brown paper bag from the seat next to him, and pulls out a small sword. My confusion must be obvious because he cracks a grin and says, “Isn’t this awesome?” “Uhm...yeah!” I reply, not knowing where this is going. “Our busdriver got it for me at a gas station or something...it’s pretty cool,” Way says, happily inspecting the sword once more before putting it back in the bag. Then, as if nothing had just happened, he politely asks me if he can eat his salad while we talk. My mind is still spinning as I nod my head, and I can’t help wondering...if this is just the introduction, what’s next? Welcome to the Black Parade, indeed. 

Drummers, as Tony Thaxton of Motion City Soundtrack admits, are often the least focused on member of a band, so let’s get you up to speed. Tony has never touched a drug, doesn’t have any tattoos or piercings, confided his wrestler name would be Action Thaxton, and his favorite Star Wars quote is, “I have no need for a protocol droid.” Now that the essentials have been covered, here are a couple other minute details; Thaxton joined Motion City right before the recording of their first full-length I Am the Movie, and the band released their latest album Even if it Kills Me last September. The band is currently relaxing at home before they head out for a month’s worth of international shows. I talked to Tony via phone while MCS was getting ready for their show in Norfolk, Virginia.

YOU will like this band. You will like this band. You will like this band. Got it? Ok, good. Bend Sinister is a band worth enjoying. Through an amazing amount of turmoil, they manage to exist as a band, and as one of the finer bands to emerge from Canada’s west coast in a while. Bend Sinister is a band of many faces, which finds the perfect combination of difficult, intellectual music and catchy, likeable melodies. They are not a band whose sound you can understand by simply looking at the clothes they wear and the way they style their hair. Bend Sinister (in its current iteration) is Dan Moxon (vocals, keys, guitar), Jon Bunyan (vocals, guitar, keys), Naben Ruthnum (lead guitar), Jason Dana (drums, percussion) and, (for the meantime), Edo Van Breemen (bass via keyboard).

There are many reasons why “band x” will never make it; laziness, pretention, selfishness. However, when I received an e-mail from guitarist and vocalist Mathew David Barletta of Hollywood Lies it was a breath of fresh air. Here was a musician who knew he needed to work hard, but at the same time wasn’t making music for the sake of being signed to a major label and making it big. This is actually exactly what Hollywood Lies is not about. Their name stems from the absurdity and fake lifestyles that make up Hollywood today, and our irrational obsession with them. The guys in Hollywood Lies -- a pop-punk trio made up of Barletta, bassist Mikey Matthews, and drummer Johnny Barbas -- are making music because they love making music and they want you to join the party. There are no over-inflated egos here; the band makes it a point to refer to their listeners as “friends” rather than “fans”. I talked to my friend Mathew recently to discuss the truth about Hollywood Lies.

Several years ago a globetrotting friend of mine introduced me to the fast-paced, fun-filled, musical extravaganza known as The Cat Empire. At the time, the Australian sextet composed of Harry James Angus (vocals, trumpet), Felix Reibl (vocals, timbales), Ollie McGill (keyboard), Ryan Monro (bass), Jamshid “Jumps” Khadiwhala (decks) and Will Hull Brown (drums) had yet to release a record in North America. Thanks to the wonders of the internet and overseas shipping, I was able to get my hands on their Australian self-titled LP, as well as their sophomore record, Two Shoes (not to be confused with their North American record by the same name). Upon first listen, I instantly fell in love with the mishmash of styles that flowed out of my speakers. The Cat Empire is the epitome of a un-definable band. They touch on every genre you can imagine, even ones that haven’t been made up yet. A huge inspiration behind the creation of this very magazine, (a staunch reader might notice that they are quoted on our banner), when given the opportunity to sit and chat with my favorite band from Down Under, I jumped on it faster than a cat on yarn.

Secularity is growing ever-more popular amongst some music scenes. Thanks to some bands who have verbalized their beliefs on stage in an insufficient manner, it has almost become “uncool” to be open with fans about beliefs, religious or other. Not to name any names, but there are some very outspoken musicians, particularly in the punk scene (and who have been around for some 25 years…and who are Fat Mike of NOFX) who publicly detest bands (like Underoath) who profess their religious beliefs on stage. Having seen Underoath perform live, I attest, they do tend to push “the guiding light” on their audience; although, I doubt that is their intention.

Amidst dancey pop beats and high-pitched vocals, a multi-faceted musician remains, and his name is Bryce Avary. Avary is the brain and brawn heart behind The Rocket Summer. He also loves Christ; although, this may not always show through to listeners. Recently, I had a chance to probe Bryce on his Christian disposition, and more specifically, how it influences him creatively.