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Written by: Franky

Category: Search for Reverb in Canada

Published: 11 February 2018

Hi! Today, I have the pleasure to chat with Dave Kapp, guitar from Let There Be Theremin 3rd wave band! Thank you Dave for taking time to answer us. Let's surf and start the interview if you please. ?

SRR: What year was Let There Be Theremin founded?
Dave Kapp: We started the band in 2006 with a short hiatus between 2010 and 2015.

SRR: Who are the members of Let There Be Theremin?
Dave Kapp: Dave Kapp, guitars; Kurtis Medhurst, drums and Darren Stovin, upright bass.

SRR: From which city did Let There Be Theremin originate?
Dave Kapp: Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

SRR: Where did the idea to form an instrumental band come from?
Dave Kapp: Me and Darren started jamming together just for fun after meeting at various rockabilly shows which were all the rage back then. I played upright bass in a rockabilly band and Darren had just purchased an upright and wanted to learn how to play. I had just started on the guitar so he was just learning as well. Neither were singers. We wanted to make a band but didn’t want too many people in it, that just makes everything more challenging so decided instrumental was a much easier choice. As everybody knows, singers are nothing but trouble.

SRR: How did you meet each other?
Dave Kapp: Me and Darren met at a rockabilly gig I was playing at the Gaslight Saloon in Regina in a band called Los Diablos. We had seen each other at many shows but never hung out. That night, I gave Darren a ride home in his Subaru Justy. When was the last time you even saw a Subaru Justy? After jamming a few weeks, it bacame apparent that a drummer would be a good addition. Darren said he had a room mate (Kurtis) who just happened to be a drummer. Kurtis was very quiet and did not say anything for the first couple of weeks.

SRR: What were the influences of the band?
Dave Kapp: Well we all like punk and rockabilly so that is our primary influence. I was into ska for a long time so there is a bit of ska in a few of the songs like Shock Thereminpy and Curse of the Camel Toe

SRR: How did you guys describe the band at the time?
Dave Kapp: We described it as Skapunksurfabilly. Peoples described it as they have no singer.

SRR: When was your first gig?
Dave Kapp: 2007. There used to be a really fun venue in Regina called the Manhattan Room. It was run by punks and smelt like it too. That was our first gig.

SRR: What year did you do your first recording?
Dave Kapp: 2009 at Cave Studios in Zehner, Sask. It was engineered and produced by our good friend Dave Fries who really helped us out.

SRR: Did you have a label?
Dave Kapp: Not really but Dave has been labeling band recordings he has been involved in as being on Fox Hat Records. It comes from a joke where our prime minister at the time, Jean Cretien’s wife was telling him they were going on a trip to Saskatchewan and she asked him what she should wear. Jean replied in his French accent ”Wear the Fox Hat?”

SRR: Which instrument did you used?
Dave Kapp: On the recording Dave used a Fender Jagmaster through a Fender Blues Deluxe. Darren played a Hawkes by Upton upright with Innovation rockabilly strings through an Ashdown Mag 300 with 2x10's and 2x12's. The Sax is a 50 year old Pan tenor from Dave’s Kiwanis marching band days. We’re not sure about the drums they don’t have any markings on them. The theremin is a one antenna affair. All effects on the Theremin were added by Dave Fries during the mixing process.

SRR: Did you use a reverb tank?
Dave Kapp: I believe Dave Fries had rigged up some kind of giant reverb tank in his studio.

SRR: What are the effects used on the guitar?
Dave Kapp: I don’t think any effects were used on the guitar in the recording, these were added in the mixing process as well.

SRR: What type of strings do you use, flatwounds or roundwounds?
Dave Kapp: D’Addario roundwounds 10 or 11 gauge depending on the guitar.

SRR: Was there any reunion?
Dave Kapp: We did have a falling out around 2010. We were still friends but didn’t play together until again until about 2015 when Kurtis gave us the all clear. We rehearse and drink beer every Thursday night since then.

SRR: Where can we buy and follow Let There Be Theremin?
Dave Kapp: Are music can be purchased at Cdbaby, we are also on Facebook.

SRR: Thank you very much Dave for taking time to answer me today.
Dave Kapp: The pleasure has been ours!

Details

Written by: Franky

Category: Search for Reverb in Canada

Published: 17 December 2017

Hi! Today, I have the pleasure to chat with Nate Manor, Ari Dasgupta and Tim Jones, respectively guitar, sax and guitar from The Gnarly Ones 3rd wave band! Thank you guys for taking time to answer us. Let's surf and start the interview if you please. ?

SRR: What year was The Gnarly Ones founded?
Nate: I think 2014? Could have been late 2013? The point was to drink beer/smoke weed in Tim's basement so... it's fuzzy.
Ari: (Laugh) It was the summer of 2013. I think the other guys had jammed once or twice before I joined them.

SRR: Who are the members of The Gnarly Ones?
Tim: Me on guitar; Nate Manor, guitar; Jim "Rhim" Davis, drums; Ari Dasgupta, sax and Mike Hanmer "aka Hambone" on bass.

SRR: From which city did The Gnarly Ones originate?
Tim: Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

SRR: Was there a name before The Gnarly Ones?
Nate: The name of the band, even a few days before our first show, was "Surf Band." Hanmer came up with the gnarly thing, thank god.

SRR: Where did the idea to form an instrumental band come from?
Nate: My first band when I was 16 was an instrumental surf band. My friends and I had seen Pulp Fiction and, you know... my mind was bent. Loved surf instrumental ever since!
Tim: Mike, Nate and I had the idea for a few years before we decided to actually start jamming.

SRR: How did you meet each other?
Nate: I was already in a band with Jim ‘n Hambone. They both knew Tim from forever ago in the goth/industrial scene. I wanted to find a sax player and my friend Meher, who had a weekly gig at my local, suggested Ari. I owe him big time now that I think about it.
Tim: I knew Jim, Mike and Nate from their other band, The Birthday Massacre. I was their guitar tech for a few shows and also knew them from the local scene when I was in another band as well.
Ari: Aww… thanks, Nate! My buddy, Meher, had heard Nate mention he was looking for a horn player, so Meher made the introduction, and the rest is history.

SRR: What are the influences of the band?
Tim: Most of us come from various other styles of music. Mostly the goth/electronic side of things. As far as surf goes, we are influenced mostly by the classic bands: Link Wray, the Ventures and so forth.
Nate: This band is definitely also influenced by all the bands we've played with… and been jealous of around town. Parks at Night, King Beez, The Surfrajettes, god, a bunch more, even Alvvays... (Laugh) and ole Dick, of course.
Ari: My influences are all over the place. Stylistically, I listen to a lot of rock and roll, ska, and jazz. Pretty much every sax I’ve heard in rock and ska have had an influence. Clarence Clemons and Saxa both come to mind first.

SRR: How did you guys describe the band at the time?
Tim: A fun band to see! Had many shoes that would get quite rowdy. Most people just liked the classic sound we played and had fun listening and dancing to it.
Ari: High energy! Surf with attitude.

SRR: When was your first gig?
Tim: January 2013, I think... (Laugh)
Ari: Only a year off, Tim! It was actually in January 2014. At The Magpie, in Toronto, with Parks at Night and The Calrizians on the bill with us. It was super cold and snowy out. We packed the place and rocked so hard that the light fixtures on the walls literally fell apart! (Not the last time a bar was left in shambles after a Gnarly encounter!)

SRR: What year did you do your first recording?
Ari: We recorded a demo of surf classics (unreleased) in the late fall of 2013. We put out an EP of originals in December 2014.

SRR: Did you have a label?
Tim: No label, just DIY.

SRR: Which instrument did you used?
Nate: Ibanez.
Tim: A custom gold sparkle Telecaster I built from parts. Has a Bigsby and Tv Jones pick-ups.
Ari: A silver, 1950 Selmer Super Action alto sax. Mike plays a Squier Jaguar bass, and Jim is a Ddrum artist.

SRR: Which amplifier did you use?
Nate: 1963 Vibrolux with a cheap, light speaker made by Fender.
Tim: Fender Deluxe Reverb

SRR: Did you use a reverb tank?
Nate: Yes I use a tank!
Tim: No, just the amo reverb.

SRR: Was it an original or modified tank?
Nate: Original, early 1963.

SRR: Can we know about which tube you used?
Nate: I use NOS tubes for the tank. I follow what's on the chart... au7s.

SRR: What are the effects used on the guitar?
Nate: Verb and amp Vibrato. I don't even use a pedal tuner.
Tim: Just the amo Reverb.

SRR: What type of strings did you use, flatwounds or roundwounds?
Nate: Round 11s, but I use a 13 on the high E.
Tim: Ernie Ball 10-46.

SRR: How long has The Gnarly Ones been active for?
Tim: About 3 or 4 years.
Ari: We’ve been on a hiatus since January 2016, but we’re still active at heart.

SRR: Planning any reunion?
Ari: Not yet.

SRR: Were the members in any band(s) after The Gnarly Ones?
Nate: I've played a few shows with Green Jelly since the Gnarlys? Does that count?
Tim: Three of the guys; Nate, Mike and Jim were and still are in The Birthday Massacre, and Ari sits in with many other bands and musicians.
Ari: Yeah… since the Gnarlys last played together, I’ve been guesting with a bunch of rock bands around Toronto, including our compatriots in surf, Luau or Die and The Calrizians.

SRR: Where can we buy and follow The Gnarly Ones?
Ari: You can buy our stuff on Bandcamp and follow us on Facebook. We’re on all the streaming sites like; Itunes, AppleMusic, Spotify, etc... and, of course, Surf Rock Radio!

SRR: Thank you very much guys for taking time to answer me today.
Ari, Tim and Nate: Thank you!

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Written by: Franky

Category: Search for Reverb in Canada

Published: 22 October 2017

Hi! Today, I have the pleasure to chat with Dan Brody, Rick McConnell and Johnny G Mazzei, respectively drums, bass and lead guitar from The Cliff Divers 3rd wave band! Thank you guys for taking time to answer us. Let's surf and start the interview if you please. ?

SRR: What year was The Cliff Divers founded?
Dan Brody: I think we actually started playing about eight years ago or so. We talked about it for a long time before we actually got to doing it. So circa 2009.

SRR: Who are the members of The Cliff Divers? 
Dan Brody: The band is a three piece with Johnny G Mazzei, guitar and effects; Nautiloid Rick, bass and beverage bag and me Dan Brody, drums and insults.

SRR: From which city did The Cliff Divers originate?
Dan Brody: Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

SRR: Where did the idea to form an instrumental band come from? 
Dan Brody: We all loved instrumental rock in general, not just surf, and I suggested to Rick and Johnny that we should form a surf band. I could play the drums, Johnny was the guitar maestro, and Rick was willing to play bass (he has started out as a guitarist). So finally, we got to it and we had Rick's 50 birthday party as motivation to do it. 

SRR: How did you meet each other 
Dan Brody: Rick and I grew up in the same small town, Simcoe and have know each other for decades. We're both fanatical record collectors too. Johnny teaches guitar, and Rick was one of his students many years ago. I met Johnny through Rick, seeing him at shows, and seeing him play with other bands. 

SRR: What were the influences of the band?
Dan Brody: It would take too long to listen all our influences. All three of us love a lot of different music from rock to country to blues to rockabilly to punk to hard rock to metal.  Even though we are called a surf band, we have rock, country, blues, psychedelic, spaghetti western, jazz touches all through our stuff. We like to play what we call heavy surf.

SRR: How did you guys describe the band at the time?
Dan Brody: I have christened us the "Blue Cheer of Surf."

SRR: When was your first gig?
Dan Brody: Our first gig was the 50th birthday party for our bass player, Rick.

SRR: What year did you do your first recording?
Dan Brody: No recordings but something we would want to do in the future.

SRR: Which instrument did you use?
Dan Brody: I use a small Japanese kit from the '60s. I also have a rock style Pearl kit from the 80s.
Rick McConnell: I mostly play Fender Precision Basses. I have a few but my main one for The Cliff Divers is a recent Sonic Blue Fender ’63 Vintage Reissue. Fender really hit it out of the park with this reissue model. I also like Fender Mustangs and sometimes play my 1969 Orange Competition live. The Relic finish on that one is all natural. Terrific Bass. I also collect vintage Japanese basses. I love how the Japanese in the 1960’s combined Fender and Mosrite styling in interesting and unique ways.
Johnny G Mazzei: 68 Mosrite Mark V and other 60's 70's & 80's Mosrite's, 63 Fender Jag, Sparkle Fender Japanese Jag Reissue, Gene Parsons Telecasters signed, Mahalo Surfboard Lap Steel Guitar, Various assorted Tiesco's & Japanese guitars including 2 Intermark Cipher 4 pups, Various Danelectro reissues, Various Yamaha reissues.

SRR: Which amplifier do you use?
Rick MacConnell: I use an Eden WT550 head with either a 2x10 or 1x15 RA Custom Cabinet. Rick at RAWOODS has made me several cabinets. He will build you whatever you want. Mine are Blonde Tolex with Oxblood grills loaded with Jensen’s. Highly recommended. I also have a 200W Fender Studio Bass Head with a 1x15 RAWOOD Tone Ring Cabinet. The Fender Studio Bass is from 1978 and was originally a combo but I converted it to a separate head and cabinet. Rick at RAWOOD built both cabinets . They are finished in Brown Tolex with Oxblood Grills. I just had to pick the colours, provide the measurements and install the amp and the speaker. The speaker is a vintage 15” JBL . It sounds huge but this rig stays at home mostly since it is a bit of a back breaker.
Johnny G Mazzei: 71 Fender delux w Vintage 30, late 60's early 70's non master Fender Super Reverb, early 70's drip edge Fender Princeton that I sit on when I play lap steel.

SRR: Do you use a reverb tank?
Johnny G Mazzei: Yes several; 60's Fender Tweed, 60's Fender Black, 90's USA Fender which we kick, 70's Traynor TR-2 which we kick.

SRR: Was it an original or modified tank?
Johnny G Mazzei: The 60's Black Fender Tank has an Accutronic replacement springTank. The 60's Blond has been modified to add a short spring as well as along spring and has a switch to change springs.

SRR: Can we know about which tube you used?
Johnny G Mazzei: My repair guy Keith selects all my tubes.

SRR: What are the effects used on the guitar? 
Johnny G Mazzei: Fulltone Tape Echo, Dr. Scientist Reverberator, Jonny Rock The Pink Pit, Electro-Harmonix Lester G Deluxe Rotary Speaker, Boss VB-2 Vibrato, Electro-Harmonix B9 Organ pedal, Electro-Harmonix C9 Organ pedal, Fulltone  Supa-Trem2 (yellow), JangleBox compressor, JangleBox J-Gate, Zvex Hand-Painted Jonny Octave, Devi Ever OK fuzz, Dr Z Drive Overdrive , Jonny Rock Dyna Boost, Xotic EP Booster pedal, Goodrich 120 Volume Pedal.
Rick McConnell: The Eden has a built in Compressor but If I am using a house rig I will use my Diamond compression pedal. Made in Canada Eh!

SRR: What type of strings did you use, flatwounds or roundwounds?
Johnny G Mazzei: I use Ernie Ball Beefies on every guitar 11-54, Lap Steel C6 set from Al Brisco @ Steel Guitar Canada.
Rick MacConnell: I have the Fender round wounds that came with the Bass on my ’63 VRI Precision. I don’t know the size but I would guess the E is a 100. I like them so haven’t changed them.  My other Precisions have Thomastik  Infield Jazz flat wounds (100 70 56 43)  on them that I order from none other than Carol Kaye herself. I also use her picks. My Mustangs  have La Bella flat wounds on them. They are a custom set that La Bella makes specifically for Mustangs and are strung through the body . They are (104 82 60 43). For round wounds I like R Cocos and Rotosound strings.

SRR: How long has The Cliff Divers been active for?
Dan Brody: Eight years or so.

SRR: Were the members in any band(s) during or after The Cliff Divers?
Dan Brody: Rick the bass player is in The Absolute Whores. Johnny plays in a band called Whoa Nellie. I had a punk band at one time called Bruiser Brody.

SRR: Where can we listen and follow The Cliff Divers?
Dan Brody: We have a Facebook page. The gigs are listed there. Also few videos are available on Youtube.

SRR: Thank you very much guys for taking time to answer me today.
Dan Brody: No problem, Franky! Thanks for checking us out!

Details

Written by: Franky

Category: Search for Reverb in Canada

Published: 15 October 2017

Hi! Today, I have the pleasure to chat with Ben Jewer, lead guitar from The Calrizians 3rd wave band! Thank you Ben for taking time to answer us. Let's surf and start the interview if you please. ?

SRR: What year was The Calrizians founded?
Ben Jewer: 2006.

SRR: Who are the members of The Calrizians?
Ben Jewer: We currently have: Oscar, bass; Tom, keyboards; Drew, drums and myself on guitar.

SRR: From which city did The Calrizians originate?
Ben Jewer: Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

SRR: Where did the idea to form an instrumental band come from?
Ben Jewer: It was me. Someone asked me to throw something together for an art show event. I've loved playing surf since I was a kid so I decided to get some friends together & play some ventures, Dick Dale, Shadowy Men etc. We had so much fun with it we decided to keep it going. 

SRR: How did you meet each other?
Ben Jewer: Oscar & I worked together at Future Bakery on Bloor st. in the 90s & I had always intended to play music with him. We met Tom 5 years later through an ad. Drew used to be in another band we shared our old rehearsal space with. Our former drummer Jason recently passed away. He is tremendously missed. We are really lucky to have Drew with us now though. We've had the good fortune to play with some other really great people over the years, but it's currently just the 4 of us.

SRR: What were the influences of the band? 
Ben Jewer: Well, we have always loved the older surf stuff (Ventures, Astronauts, Shadows etc) as well as Man or Astroman, Shadowy Men etc, but we do delve into several other genres. We borrow from bands like Booker T & the MGs, Black Sabbath & Dewey Cox to name a few. I could list piles of others, but I don't want to take up too many pages. I love Brian Connelly of Shadowy Men, Atomic 7 etc, the Sadies, Nokie Edwards, Takeshi Terauchi,  Lee Hazelwood, Steve Cropper, Don Rich, East Bay Ray... Again, I could go on all day.

SRR: How did you guys describe the band at the time?
Ben Jewer: Well, we were originally called a "surf band" as we played surf covers & a few "surfy" originals. I believe as we started to incorporate some other styles of instrumental music & started doing some goofy covers & mashups we were described as a "party band". I don't know. I guess we just like to keep it loose & have fun with it. 

SRR: When was your first gig?
Ben Jewer: That was the Dundas West Arts Building art show in May 2006.

SRR: What year did you do your first recording?
Ben Jewer: It was 2006 I believe. we've recorded a number of times, but never officially released anything. By the time we got to the mastering stage I was always dissatisfied with the material. We've got a genuine bonafide album coming out next month though. For real this time.

SRR: Did you have a label?
Ben Jewer: No.

SRR: Which instrument do you use?
Ben Jewer: I play a Gretsch 6122jr, a Fender Stratocaster & a Fender Telecaster. Oscar plays a Jaguar bass & occasionally an old Musicmaster. Drew use a small Gretsch kit and Tom plays a Korg CX3 through a Leslie 145 (or a Motion sound at smaller gigs) & a Nord.

SRR: Which amplifier did you use?
Ben Jewer: I've used Fender Vibrolux reverbs, Deluxe reverbs & Twins in this band, but I currently just have a blackface Pro reverb and a silverface Super reverb.

SRR: Did you use a reverb tank?
Ben Jewer: Not external .

SRR: Can we know about which tube you use?
Ben Jewer: Usually winged C's or nos RCA black plate power tubes if I can still find them, whatever for pre-amp tubes.

SRR: What are the effects used on the guitar?
Ben Jewer: A mild Overdrive G2D Creamtone, a Demeter compulator compressor, an old Boss DM2 delay, and a tuner.

SRR: What type of strings did you use, flatwounds or roundwounds?
Ben Jewer: D'addario NYXL 11-52.

SRR: How long has The Calrizians been active for?
Ben Jewer: 11 years.

SRR: Were the members in any band(s) after they left the band?
Ben Jewer: An old drummer of ours, James plays with the Blue Demons & the Champions of Justice.

SRR: Where can we buy and follow The Calrizians?
Ben Jewer: Facebook for now I guess. We might have a couple of old ones on SoundCloud. Our album will be officially released Dec 1 2017. I'm sure download & other contact info will be posted on our Facebook page.

SRR: Thank you very much Ben for taking time to answer me today.
Ben Jewer: It's been a pleasure, thank you.