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The Fat Cats’ Shine Box
Two decades ago, five guys started a residency at a local club – a night of jamming with good vibes. It wasn’t long that the Fat Cats drew in crowds and it marked the beginning of an odyssey of musical exploration. Over the years, their reputation would grow as one of Hamilton’s premier live acts but they’d only decide to record twice – Cruelty’s Cure in 1994 and Daredevil in 1998 – in all of those years. These days, Todd Gillies (lead guitar and vocals), Chris Gatchene (guitar and vocals) – songwriter, David E. Hill (bass), Josh Williams (keyboards, harmonica and vocals), and Ed Casasanta (drums) have developed careers and families outside of music across Flamborough, Guelph, Niagara, Dundas, and Brantford but the band remains something dear to their hearts and the hearts of fans that still flock to the live gigs. The Fat Cats aren’t kids anymore but the music still captures that youthful love of the music that first drew them to the stage. Now, 14 years since their last recording, the Fat Cats are back in the city where it all began with their new CD, Shine Box.
“The main focus for the band has always been the live shows and it’s tough to keep count of how many shows we’ve actually played since 1992,” notes Gatchene. “We toured western and eastern Canada several times. Along with playing at typical music venues for a touring bar band, we also had regular stops in some of the more remote communities, where you would play at a community centre and the whole town or island would come out for the party. But over the last decade, some band members started getting into other things like school and starting families. We still perform on a regular basis, but the amount of shows we play in a year is much less, and now we are looking at maybe less gigging at bars and more time spent creating new music.
“But it came to a point where it only made sense for us to document the songs,” he adds. “We just wanted to have something to have on hand at shows.”
That new music showcases a band as creative as when they first started, with a spark that is now a little more matured. For a band that likes the spontaneity of the live stage, going into the studio might have seemed a little daunting but recording with fellow long–time musician Carl Jennings at Westmoreland Studio helped guide the project in the right direction.
“We still remain true to a certain music style and sound since in the early days, but we’ve matured as musicians and as people, and this has impacted the band, how we relate to each other, how we approach music and songwriting,” explains Gatchene. “When a band is feeding off the energy of the audience and each other, and manage to take things to another level musically – whether it be through high energy jams or great vocal performances. It takes solid chemistry amongst the players to achieve this as well, and great songwriting to top things off. It’s all these elements that we strive for as musicians through live performances and when it comes together it creates special moments, and you can see the smiles on people’s faces.
“It has been difficult for us to capture our live sound in the studio,” adds Gatchene. “The Fat Cats are known more for the live shows and improvisational jamming, we tend to keep things flexible. We were more open to exploring what the studio could offer us in terms of sound and technology. The album is a good representation of what we do live, with a splash of Carl’s special sauce added to breathe a slightly different life into the songs. For me, the title of the CD, Shine Box, relates to a modest approach, perhaps our unpretentious nature in the music business. We’re not doing this to be superstars, what we’re doing is honest – like shining shoes.”
Humility aside, the Fat Cats are skilled technical players that draw from a wealth of styles – but it’s the heart in the songs that is sure to capture fan’s ears. Just being a band for two decades could be accomplishment enough for the Fat Cats but the new recording offers the possibilities of so much more in the future.
“The key to our longevity is that we love playing music and we’ve formed long–term friendships with one another,” smiles Gatchene.
“There have been highs and lows over the years, but it is ultimately something we enjoy being a part of. Also, I think it’s fair to say that we aren’t in it for the money, or out to push sales on people. Sure, it’s good to get paid and have people buy our album, but it’s something we haven’t been relying on in quite some time in order to make a living.
“At this stage, we are happy to be releasing our new long–awaited studio release,” he adds. “We want to focus more on writing new material and even consider recording again in the future. It has been such a long time since the band has celebrated a studio release. We’re looking forward to the opportunity to share the album with the fans, and I think they are looking forward to supporting us as well. The Fat Cats will still play, fans will come and dance, but it won’t be the end of the story. We’ll ultimately continue on in Fat Cat fashion, playing music, having fun, and sharing a positive collective experience.”
The Fat Cats play this Saturday January 28 at This Ain’t Hollywood with the Allniters. Doors are at 8pm and $10 gets you in or $20 with a CD.
Jigz Crillz Heavy
From an early age, Jigz Crillz knew his destiny was to rap. By the age of 17, he was starting his own record company, Stainless Steel Records and offering the news as he saw it from the Hamilton streets. Songs and videos like “Welcome To The North” captured the imagination of many fans from around the world and has garnered Crillz awards nominations and accolades across Ontario and the Northern US. But with the internet at the ready, Crillz is proud to be taking on the world from a Hamilton advantage and this weekend makes a welcome return back to the local stage with a new collection of songs, a new mixtape featuring Crillz and more entitled Heavy.
“It’s a compilation of me, Cass Money, and Marxxman – the artists on my label Steel City Records,” notes Crillz on his fifth release. “The word heavy describes the music, it’s real. People feel it, that’s why we gave it the name Heavy. It’s getting better each time so it’s definitely a progression. I write about real life, stuff people can relate to coming from the same environment that we do.
“I’m about to stand behind Cass Money, let him get his shine and give him a little push this year,” adds Crillz. “I’ve been doing my thing the last few years solo so I’ve decided to let people see the other artists on the label. I’ve known Cass Money since I was a kid, just another artist from Hamilton. He’s always been around so he just jumped on the label and we’ve been working together.”
Slick enough to be on the radio right now but with enough grit that you know it’s from the Hammer, Heavy lives up to the name in content and style. And as Crillz has realized over the years, the most important thing is to get the music to the people. Heavy is available for a free download from his website so that his voice is coming out from speakers around the world but this weekend, he’s joining some friends and getting his face back in front of the microphone for a big
local celebration.
“The reality is the internet is the best way to get it out there,” says Crillz. “It makes it easier to get to hip hop fans from around the world. I still represent Steel City – every day. I would call it a Hamilton hip hop sound. It’s how our music is. We don’t like to sugar coat things. We just speak the truth and put it out there, it is what it is. You can love it or hate. But lately I haven’t been doing too many live shows and that’s my focus this year. We’re going to get out
there.
“I go to Hamilton and Toronto and network and we’re working on a lot of things for 2012 but DJ Verse One has been my boy since I first started,” notes Crillz on his relationship with promoter and radio personality Verse One. “He’s putting on this big birthday party for anyone who is an Aquarius. I’m proud to be a part of it. There are going to be live performances from me C. Money and a few other Hamilton artists so people should check it out. These are all well–known names so it’s going to be a packed house. You’re going to hear the loud beats, heavy bass and a lot of energy coming off the stage. We’re going to get the crowd going and have a good time – that’s what it’s all about.”
Jigz Crillz plays this Saturday January 28 at Club 77 as part of DJ Verse One Annual Aquarius Celebration with Cass Money, Prezy, Jai Steels, Uprising Family and DJs Verse One, Ill Kidz, White Bwoy, Pentium Sound and Lady K. Music gets under way by 10:30 and $10 gets you in. Any Aquarius birthday patrons get in free with valid ID. Click on stainlesssteelrecords.net or djverseone.com
Further the Lion
Troy Stone (vocals, bass), Brent Etherden (vocals, guitar), Jordan Kopoian (guitar), and Greg Kopoian (drums) came together in their last year at Glendale back in 2008 to start a band. With internet culture, bands usually tend to go public well before things may have been solidified so what was the Kicks became Mediocre At Best and after some industry advice the band has again opted for a name change and refined their sound on a new CD they release this weekend.
“We did some shows around Hamilton and Toronto as Mediocre At Best but after recognizing that people were taking our songs seriously, and not the name – it was time for a change,” reasons Jordan Kopoian. Further The Lion are one of the newer bands on the scene but one that takes a lot from older musical influences. There aren’t a lot of 20–somethings into music from 40 some odd years ago.
“We all share an appreciation for early rock and roll,” offers Kopoian. “We actually had a class called ‘Rock n’ Roll History’ in high school, which only furthered our passion and opened our eyes to all these extremely talented musicians, as well as how their music influenced different eras. Looking at songwriters like Lennon/McCartney and how their songs inspired people the way they did, it’s hard not to try to follow that direction.”
The band comes closer to success when they mine more of their power
pop vein showcasing a distinct nod to the fab four with “The Words The World Is Made Of” or “The End of the Road” but also veer into more psychedelic nods and pages perhaps stripped from Bowie’s Deram years.
“I think it’s pretty unique to find two singer–songwriters who enjoy collaborating with their different writing styles, team that with two brothers who share the same type of musical mentality. Already you have a bond that most bands don’t have,” notes Kopoian. “This album resembles both sides in a psychedelic trip. In the beginning, you have that ‘60s pop vibe, but it veers into a strange, creative vision. It really depends on the songwriter. Brent’s songs are more focused on real life experiences, usually about a girl, while Troy is more of a philosopher, writing about his perception of the world and sometimes things beyond this world.”
With their debut recorded with Chris Wilson (Perennials), Further The Lion now hopes to attract new fans to the new band and sound with a CD release party this weekend to get the ball rolling.
“We’ve been spending a lot of time on our new album so we’re just starting to get out and promote it,” says Kopoian. “Our upcoming show at Absinthe is special to us because it has been highly anticipated by our friends, family, and fans, ever since announcing our new name and the release of our new CD.
Our live performances have been described as a slightly unpredictable,
a high–energy party with little to no nudity,” adds Kopoian. “We have a diverse sound that appeals to a wide variety of music fans. It’s always a party atmosphere and everybody has a good time. Our passion for music is what draws our audience to us. They can definitely tell were having fun and we like what we do when were on stage.” V
Further The Lion plays Club Absinthe this Saturday January 28 with DJ Matty B and DJ Blake Prince spinning rock/indie/punk/metal/hardcore afterward. Doors are at 10pm and $5 gets you in. Click on reverbnation.com/furtherthelion
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