EASY WAY OUT

R.I.P.

2006-2008

Redefine your Press Kit: Getting your album reviewed in a print publication

Press clippings are unequivocal necessities to a growing EPK and getting a review in a print publication can certainly be an arduous task. Without a support team to help you publicize, it'll take an Indie artist dedication and lots of grueling hours in front of the ol' confuser as well as standing in line at the post office. But a little hard work and persistence can and will pay off.

Once you've got yourself reviewed on Toronto Indie take a trip over to your local Chapters / Indigo and peruse the music magazine section. Now quickly flip to the review sections of these magazines and take note of a disturbing consistency. The publications that cover Indie artists seem to focus mainly on Indie acts that are signed to a label of some kind. However, there are a couple rags with a little more street cred that pride themselves on their accessibility to the unique and underground sounds that hover low below the radar.

Based out of Seattle, Redefine magazine is a classy mix of Indie reviews, interviews and visual artist showcases. Redefine prides themselves on their dedication to the buzz. The contributors of this publication operate as a democratic collective that are given a fair bit of creative license in choosing which acts the magazine will include in their next issue.

Here's a quote from their mission statement:
REDEFINE was born from the reality that sometimes extremely talented people are overlooked while less talented people take the spotlight. In this day and age where even huge outlets like Billboard and SPIN Magazine have spots dedicated to independent music, our publication offers an alternative to the mainstream. We make clear that while the mainstream is not always bad, there are often greater things lurking underneath.

Previous Issue Cover

Redefine magazine actively includes reviews of truly independent and unsigned artists from all over the world, including Toronto. So if you're looking to get some press clippings included in your EPK, Redefine is definitely a great place to start.

Head over to your local Chapters / Indigo and pick up the latest issue of Redefine which includes a review of Easy Way Out's album, Steal the Show.

Check out Redefine Magazine online at www.redefinemag.com

Originally written for torontoindie.com

Chaos erupts at the RYE Market festival

Ah springtime! The air is crisp, the animals are all confused by their instinctual first quarter rituals and the weather is doing its part to help the plant life thrive. Unfortunately for the artists performing at this year's installment of the RYE Market Festival at Dundas Square (corner of Dundas and Yonge), the weather brought nothing positive to the all day festival.

The RYE Market festival (Ryerson Youth Entrepreneurial Market) is an annual event designed to help promote young entrepreneurs across Canada still in Colleges and universities. The organization responsible for the event is called SIFE Ryerson (Students in Free Enterprise) headed up by Leslie Bradt and Indie Music manager Marco Capo of Lynxz management. The goal is to provide these students with a test market to show their products, receive feedback and earn a profit while networking with their entrepreneurial peers. 3 years in the making, originally located in the Ryerson Cafeteria, the festival has grown to a 25 booth fairway at Dundas Square where 60,000 people walk through every day…. unless it’s pouring rain.

Marco Capo of Lynxz Management

But on to the concert...

Although the skies draped the day in a dismal rainy grey, the lineup of Fake Reality, The Cunninghams, SOPE, Word People, George Reefah, Easy Way Out and DJ M-kutz were all in agreement that, short of a flood, the show would go on... and for 5 of those acts, it did.

Fake Reality took the Dundas Square stage around 1:00 and performed amazingly. Being the first act of the day at an outdoor festival is never easy. The sound team often uses the first act to tweak the audio in order to make the whole festival sound sharp and although monitors may not have been loud enough and backings we're a little quiet, Fake Reality was able to convey their brand of heavy trip rock and make it look effortless. By the time these indie stalwarts reached their 3rd song "Pilot Season", the RYE festival sound team had nailed it. Fake Reality barreled through their set for a growing crowd that didn't seem to mind a light drizzle from over head. Looking around, fans could be seen singing along to songs, which is no big surprise since fan favorites like "Tragic Helpless Romantic" and "Deeper Further" have stolen air time on stations like Y108 in Hamilton, Kingston's K-rock, Rock 95 in Barrie, 105.1 the River and Toronto's own Indie Love Radio. Fake Reality certainly started the day off on the right foot and the audience was ready for more.

Fake Reality

Fake Reality live @ Dundas Square - Pilot Season

Next up, the Cunninghams! Fresh off their win of the Mazda Muzic Fest and an opening slot for Sam Roberts at the Opera House, the Cunninghams were in fine form chugging through their set bursting with straight forward balls to the wall rock n' roll. A sound tried tested and true, the Cunninghams delighted onlookers with tunes like "Keep movin' like a butterfly" and "Black & White". If you head over to their Myspace page, you'll notice the only tracks available are acoustic, however they are slated to begin recording their electric debut that reflects their killer live show in less than a week and you can expect that EP sometime in the summer.

The Cunninghams

the Cunnighams live @ Dundas Square - Move Like a Butterfly

The rain remained consistent and near harmless as SOPE (Stuck.On.Planet.Earth) pummeled the crowd with their twisted mix of punk, garage rock and pop. Loyal are SOPE's fans, and they proved it with every cheer and scream as the band unveiled new tunes such as "Paradise" and played a barrage of indie ear candy off their most recent self titled EP. It should also be noted that SOPE's covers of the Police's "Can’t stand loosing you" and Justin Timberlake’s “Lovestoned” were stellar to say the least.

SOPE

Sope live @ Dundas Square - Lovestoned (Justin Timberlake) Cover

The rain began to subside as Word People took the stage. These staunch Hip Hop archetypes may have taken a little extra time to set up, but the performance was well worth the wait. Spewing forth rhymes off their up coming People's Eatery CD, the audience was nothing short of mesmerized by the motor mouthed machine gun delivery and keen hooks emanating from the band shell. I'm not entirely sure if the word "shell" is appropriate however, since a shell is, by definition, something that protects it's contents. A shell does not empty collected pools of water through its apex. A design flaw in the canopy covering the Dundas Square band shell resulted in the soaking of Word People's Drummer, but they pushed on and finished their set with class and style.

Word People

Word People live @ Dundas Square - Thats Life

The bad weather crept back in and continued to haunt the RYE Market festival. But the crowd collected in far larger numbers than they had all day. Quintessential Hip-hop innovator George Reefah was about to make his entrance with the 5 Deutsche crew (Kastro & Young Grova). Rippin' through singles off the up coming album titled Public Service Announcement, Reefah was joined by a pair of choreographed, minimally uniformed, foxy female members of Toronto's finest who proceeded to manhandle and arrest him through his first 2 tracks including the single "Freak'em". Then Kastro and Young Grova stepped in and showed Toronto what the 5 Deutsche are all about and why they are so magnificent.... appropriately with the song "I am magnificent". These three hip hop super heroes amplified the electricity from the crowd and set Dundas Square alight proving why Reef's music has been standing strong on the charts at Flow 93.5.

5 Deutsche

George Reefah

George Reefah live @ Dundas Square - Freak'em

Reefah and co. just barely made it off the stage in time. As Easy Way Out began setting up their gear, the rain picked up and the wind shifted. A huge "crack" was heard, followed by a "crash" and the canopy broke dumping another flood of water onto the stage. The rain was now attacking at an angle, drenching every piece of equipment on stage. The fate of the monitors, amps, heads, effects pedals, mixing boards and more were now questionable and the sky seemed as if it was falling. Panic struck the sound techs as they clamoured and tripped over each other trying desperately to save any equipment they could. Tents in the market began toppling and booth covers took flight. The RYE Market was over for the day and the concert was sadly called off with 2 acts to go. Before long, the rain had subsided and the sun came out, a kick in the teeth for Easy Way Out and DJ M-Kutz, but in the end no one was hurt... although there were a few close calls.

For the acts that did play, the RYE Market provided a tremendous opportunity for exposure and a great addition to their bios and gig resumes. That alone, should fill the organizers with gleaming pride.

For more information about the Rye Market, SIFE, Lynxz and the artists…

Visit:
Rye Market at www.ryemarket.ca
Lynx Management at www.myspace.com/lynxzmusic
Fake Reality at www.fakereality.net
The Cunninghams at www.myspace.com/thecunninghamsband
SOPE at www.myspace.com/sopeband
Word People at www.myspace.com/wordpeoplemusic
George Reefah at www.georgereefah.com
Easy Way Out at www.myspace.com/taketheeasywayout
DJ M-Kutz at www.djmkutz.com

SOPE release video of single: "Stampede"

SOPE (Stuck on Planet Earth) are diligently ascending the ladder of Canadian indie success. Taking each rung in a carefully planned sequence and spending the necessary time to strategize a plan to reach the next.

Rung 1: SOPE released their debut self titled EP back in September of 2007, and have since enjoyed increasing sales of their disc... which you can buy online at CDbaby.

Rung 2: A roster of memorable gigs in such high profile venues like the Phoenix Concert Theater, The Mod Club, the Steam Whistle Indie Club, Dundas Square and an upcoming performance at West 49.

These first 2 steps have SOPE's fans, scratching their heads, wondering "What could possibly be next?"

SOPE travelled all the way to New York city to film Stampede at the School for Visual Arts. It was shot in cool blue hues by Garret Davis and artfully directed by Joseph Zentil. SOPE's Al Capo had this to say about working with their NY film team:

"This was out first music video and we had a blast! The video is intended for internet promotions and the video has also been submitted to Much music and MTV Canada."

The video has a crisp, straight forward appeal. Music video sites and stations are saturated by the mini-movie mind set and rarely focus on the artist anymore. Video's like Stampede are far more functional and permeate the feeling of what it might be like to be up on stage or at a rehearsal with the band. Conveying this intimacy is the most endearing trait of this video and goes a long way in connecting with a growing audience. Thus creating the illusion that SOPE has invited you share a deep, intimate, musical moment with them... and you can relive that moment anytime you want by clicking play.

Learn more about SOPE at www.myspace.com/sopeband

Blog Review: Gitpop.com

Podcasts and blogs are an essential part of any grass roots indie marketing campaign.

In the weeks preceding this post, Easy Way Out has had the good fortune to be featured on a number of blogs and podcasts. Most recently, EWO's album "Steal the show" was reviewed on an awesome indie music blog called Gitpop.

Gitpop is a tremendous source for locating up and coming acts the world over. Steve Chatterton, your Gitpop blog host, covers everything from album and show reviews to music news. His most recent article informs the reader about the upcoming Toronto Freedom Festival and Marijuana March.

The album reviews are refreshingly brief and to the point. Folks today certainly have short attention spans, so this format allows the reader to get in, get the goods and move on... and there's plenty to move on to. After satisfying my ego by reading the review of our album "Steal the show" I began clicking away, jumping to and from Gitpop, to Myspace and back through the provided links. Before I knew it, 2 hours had gone by... a perfect example of why less is more.

Steve also writes for BlogTO and has a Podcast there which, although it has been on a short hiatus, will be returning in the coming weeks... most likely with a tune or 2 from Easy Way Out.

For now, dear reader, head on over to Gitpop and find yourself some new ear candy.

Take the... Easy Way Out Podcast: Episode 2

Friday April 18th, 2008
the
Annex Wreckroom

Featured artists: Borealis, The 13th, the Rails and Easy Way Out
Promoters: Wishjar.ca and Adrenelinemedia.ca

At the very last minute Easy Way Out was asked to join the lineup and the show ran smoothly with the help of some amazing promoters, a great lineup and some wicked die hard fans. Listen to the Podcast for all the details.

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Borealis

The 13th

The Rails

Rob (wishjar) & Jay (Adrenaline Media)

Paul (Indie Love Radio)

Zeke (Indie love Radio)

Easy Way Out fans: Lisa & Nicole with EWO's George Reefah

Easy Way Out Fans with EWO's George Reefah & Mauro Cecchi

An Interview with... Indielove webradio host Zeke the Freak

So tell us a little bit about your show and what you do over at Indie Love Radio.

My weekday 5-7pm show is very tame compared to The Sunday Night Freakshow, but the constant is always great Canadian Indie Music. I talk about current events and whatever info our bands send me. The Freakshow is something completely different. Irreverent, irrelevent and not for the weak of heart, The Vixen and I talk about whatever is turning or burning our cranks. Also, we now feature one Hard, Hot and Heavy band every week, with one of my favorites, Easy Way Out, coming in on Sunday May 4th.

Nice... who is this Vixen you speak of? Sounds soooo... uh... Super Villain-esque!

The Vixen Meaghan, is my not so new anymore co-host on The Freakshow. She's hot, open-minded and the yin to my yang. Since her arrival, things are a tad more freaky (if that was ever possible), much more interactive and funny as hell. We have a blast and really don't care if anyone else does. We even hang out aside from the show as much as we can, and things just carry on. I can honestly say that I've never laughed as much before her arrival.

Can you give our readers an example of freaky?

An example of me eh? Well, I re-wrote the lyrics for the Twelve Days Of Christmas to The Twelve Days of Freakmas. The partige "in a pear tree" was replaced with "A finger up my pooter". Also, The Vixen and I are re-working a clssic film genre, PORN. We are currently working on a Super Hero Porn Blog cumming soon to the Freak Show. On top of this, I think the freakiest thing is the way I have inspired those around me to freakiness. One of my many, many, many talents is being able to turn any comment sexual. Now it has gotten to the point where I do not even have to comment, or even react and Im being told to shuuuuuuut up! Everyone else is now thinking what I would think, before I can think it!

Do you have any off air plans for your show, maybe a Freak Festival of some kind?

Plans, plans, plans. Halloween is a big night for me, and The Vixen as well. With her announcement that she is with child, another Freak in the making, we will be dressed as pregnant nun and her priest. Indie Love Loud is still in the works. That would be a showcase for all the Hard, Hot and Heavy bands. I'm just need to find the right venue. Freakmas was a big hit last year and that will end up being the first tradition for The Freakshow.

What are the top 5 bands your spinning right now on your show (excluding Easy Way Out)?

My top five is hard, but here it goes. In no particular order:

Warmachine
Virtue & Vice
Aberdeen
Dame
Fake Reality

You can learn more about Zeke the Freak at: http://www.myspace.com/thesundaynightfreakshow
and sign on to hear his various radio shows at indielove.ca

Venue Review: The Annex Wreckroom - Shock and Awe

Let's explore shock and awe for a moment. For me, it's a level of surprise that grabs a hold of astonishment by the balls, looks it square in the face and says "dude, that f'n rules! Everything about you makes me wanna squeal like a squirrel on crack!"

I experienced a sincere feeling of shock and awe on Friday April 18th when I arrived at the Annex Wreckroom for sound check. An impressive collection of imagery, sound and comfort washed over my soul in the span of a second.

This was my first time at the Annex Wreckroom. I'd heard good things and was looking forward to soaking it all in first hand, but that's usually when I get let down. But I'm here to urge you, dear readers, if the opportunity arises, plan to spend an evening at the Annex Wreckroom.

After stepping through the threshold and walking up the stairs, a guest of the Wreckroom is greeted in the foyer by a glass encased Elvis bust beside a ukulele and, on my visit, the original stylings of Dread Zeppelin emanating from the main ballroom.

Once through the foyer, the room expands into a gargantuan playground of style and rock luxury. The Wreckroom is deceivingly huge, from the outside, one would never expect the sheer magnitude of the space. A massive paisley shaped bar, adorned with a drunkard's trove of bottles, rests in the centre of the room as if it were a pivot for the rest of the Wreckroom to revolve on when the bands start rockin' out. The walls are lined with custom teardrop cushioned seats resting in rot iron stool frames and matching booth style couches. Ahead of the bar sits a generous stage seductively waiting to lay underfoot of the evening's noise and talent. To the left of the stage resides a makeshift games room, open concept, with coin operated standards like foozball, pool and a Michelangelo Portrait machine, and retrofitted with table hockey and a Pac Man aracade. Beyond this area is a VIP lounge complete with even dimmer lighting than the rest of the club and lower, more inviting couches that beg to be made out on. The entire atmosphere describes rock n' roll... even the bathrooms are labeled with the visage of Iggy Pop for the men's and Deborah Harry for the Ladies'.

The sound offstage is full, even and powerful. The sound onstage is clear, brilliant and balanced. The shock and awe here is not from the quality, but the discovery that our sound man is the very same gentleman, by the name of Aaron, that had previously provided killer sound at the Reverb, seemingly, for ever.

The Annex Wreckroom is definitely deserving of your hard earned dollars. Let's face it, music fan, after a long day of work it's time to kick back in a cool place and listen to some killer rock, might as well be the Annex Wreckroom. I can't promise you that every band that graces their stage will provide you with that feeling of shock and awe, but the Wreckroom itself certainly will.

An interview with... EWO Guitarist Mauro Cecchi

List the gear you use and describe the desired sound you like to hear blasting back at you from your cabinet.

Gear:
Ibanez SA
Epiphone Les Paul
'66 Fender Telecaster
Mesa Boogie Sinlge Rectifier Head
Marshall Cabinet
Line 6 Floor Pod Plus

Desired Sound:
Well, it always depends on what the song is asking for. For example, on a heavier track like Beat Down or New Age I like to hear a perfect blend of sustain and presence in my leads and a thick, chugging pound in my rhythm. When it comes to the tracks that are a bit more laid back, let's say, Leave the Bottle or Perpetual Blue, I want to hear a warm, ambient sound that sets a mood of comfort.

Mood and comfort are certainly awesome bedfellows. Describe the ultimate setting or mood for writing music or jamming out new tunes.

There are many different moods that can define the outcome of a song. Any mood that you're in is perfect. New songs depend on moodswings in my opinion. Anger tends to bring out a more aggressive sound while anguish may bring out a bone chilling power ballad. Happiness will always give you those songs that you can dance to.

Jamming out new tunes always depends on how everybody in the room is feeling. Sometimes its just good to let everyone do their own thing for 5-10 min and see what kind of creation we can come up with together. You never know what off note or off time fill can do for a song.

In point form, name 5 bands/acts that have influenced your songwriting the most.

In the beginning I would have had to say:
Black Sabbath Santana Metallica

...now I would have to say I'm steering more towards:
Incubus Rage Against the Machine

...while keeping that same feel from previous years

I'll pluck Incubus from the lot for this next one... what, specifically, about Incubus do you find most inspiring?

There's nothing bad to say about Incubus, especially their album S.C.I.E.N.C.E. Their style is like no other. Mike Enzinger aka Fabio Fungus Amongus (no joke) is a hardcore guitar player who has all kinds of trippy loops and riffs with sci-fi sounding movie effects. He has influenced me like no other guitar player. I try to create songs with the same dynamic feel that he does. He has a funky side to him that I love and, in my opinion, are some of the best riffs of all time. I would love to steer into that direction of sound for EWO. Alternative Rock with a dash of funk and a hint of down right dirty in yo face heaviness.

At a recent show, you had some technical difficulties that, unfortunately, ended the set early. From what I understand, it was like lightening hitting twice. Can you lay it all out for the readers?

Don't remind me. I had nightmares of that happening and it finally came and bit me in the ass. From the minute I woke up that morning, things were just not right.

Anyways, we get to The El Mocambo to play some soup kitchen benefit. We all thought we were gonna be late because we were suppose to be on stage at 11:00. Once again EWO's set time was pushed back. The place was almost empty that night and none of us were really pumped to be on stage.

Finally, 1:00am rolls around and the venue was actually looking pretty good. The audience was all warmed up and ready for more. So, EWO hits the stage..

1,2,3, DANANANA DA, DANANANA DA (we opened with See What I See). Not even 30 seconds into the song, the tuning is out of whack. I look down only to find my D string dangling from my guitar. Lucky the song kept on going and we were not booed off the stage. Next song, I had to borrow a guitar from one of the other bands. So, we start the tune and guess what, the same string on a different guitar pops off.. I guess that we were not meant to play that show or maybe I should have just slept through the whole day. That was the shortest set in the history of performance, not a fact but I'm pretty damn sure.

So that was a rough experience, tell us about the opposite end of the spectrum. From what I understand you're having a blast with street level promotions an sales.

Oh yeah.. Grindin on the streets is my favourite part of this whole music thing (besides playing of course). Rain or shine I'm out there hustling EWO discs with all I got. My strategy is pull up, swing open the doors of the Dodge, blast the music and make sure every single person that passes by hears the name Easy Way Out. No matter who it is is, I will try and get them to buy our disc. 1 out of 5 or 6 will stop and buy one which is even more of a reason to do it. We got a good product. Sales are doing great, by the way, people. If you don't have "Steal the Show" I would advise you get it while it's HOT!!!

So where are the corners you can most likely be found selling "Steal the Show"?

We can most likely be found on Queen and Spadina, Yonge and Dundas or around Ryerson. Those are probably the best areas. Next, we'll be hitting malls like Yorkdale and Dufferin Mall. It's a long summer and there's a lot of sales to be made. Hope to see some of you out there.

EWO The Next Big Thing - Exposed & Podcasted to the World!

Now fret not, dear reader. You may be scratching your mellon, wondering what the hell a podcast is and how you, an indie music fan, will benefit from it's existance.

Essentially, a Podcast, is an audio blog or a single downloadable internet radio show. Podcasts have grown exponentially over the years and is now considered one of the many effective ways to reach the masses with a message and, for EWO, our music. You can listen to these pirate radio session on line or you can download them and drop them onto your mp3 player.

With that, may I present to you, the 1st Easy Way Out appearance on a podcast. The good folks at "The Next Big Thing", an indie music promoting and reporting organization, have been kind enough to include us on this week's cast.

http://nextbigthing.libsyn.com

Click on the POD icon and you'll be brought to a screen where you can listen or..
Right click the POD icon and choose "Save Link As" (alt+click for Mac users) and the podcast will download to your desktop. Then drop onto your mp3 player using your choice of mp3 file management software.
A little bit about "The Next Big Thing":

Martin Smit, a musician himself, along with NBT sincerely believe that "there are NO borders, no place in the world where Independent music cannot exist."

Podcasting from across the pond in Germany, Martin and his co-conspirators have set out to break the boundaries of how, you, the music fan is exposed to music. You won't always like every band they feature, but from my experience, there is always a gem or 2 that fits my personal taste. I know that you will find tunes that suit yours as well. "From Unsigned debut recordings in countries like Norway, Israel and Canada to Artists that have had million selling hits in the UK and Grammy Nominees in the USA, NBT is all about those who seek an alternative to the bloated boring mainstream and the companies dedicated to trying to implode the music biz." NBT also has another podcast focusing on the darker side of the music realm called Bullets From The Belfry

http://nbtdarkelectric.podomatic.com/

I sincerely hope you enjoy this weeks The Next Big Thing Podcast and that you feel free to check out podcasts all over the web. Let us know if you find one that you think Easy Way Out should be on.

Check out Martin and NBT on the web:
blog: www.nbtmusic.wordpress.com
Myspace: www.myspace.com/martinnextbigthing
Official Website: www.nextbigthing.co.za

Here's a list of Podcast search sites so you can start finding new music in all the nooks and crannies of the free thinking world:
www.podcastpickle.com
www.podcastalley.com
www.odeo.com
www.apple.com/itunes/store/podcasts.html
http://podcasts.yahoo.com

EWO fans win big at Clinton's show!

It's true! In an effort to give back to our loyal fans, EWO has created opportunities for audience members to go home with some killer prizes when they come out and show support at an event we book and run ourselves.

On Friday March 28th at Clinton's Tavern, as fans arrived in droves, they were given 2 such opportunities with the price of admission.

1) A raffle ticket for a shot at a fold-up, felt top, padded, poker table top

2) A feedback form, which upon return, automatically entered them into a draw for a $20 credit at the bar

The giveaways were a great success and certainly raised the anticipation level of the night so you can count on EWO doing much more of that in the future.

Up 1st on stage was local arena style rock group ADA. As fans entered Clinton's killer back room venue, they were treated to a heavy and trippy array of tunes overlaid by singer, Jen Mahone's, power wailings. Evoking the power of Audioslave, the progression of Yes and the spirit of both Chrissy Hind and Stevie Nicks, ADA's short set was both awesome and explosive.

Easy Way Out took the stage next. Ripping through the first 3 songs without a break as if ramping the audience up for some kind of release, EWO delivered with 2 new tunes: This Ol' Phantom (easily a crowd fave about a destitute homeless man who's clearly gone bat-shit) and Princess Parasite (an other worldly tale of prostitution and lust) The rest of the set fired off like a rocket and exploded when the crowed holla'd for an encore. Perpetual Blue and High Life were returned to help satiate the audience.

All the way from Windsor, On., Evelyn Falls took the stage 3rd. Updating the dark heart of grunge and evoking the ghost of Layne Staley, Evelyn Falls represented Windsor as if on a mission. Certainly an act to listen for.

Who could ask for a better closing set than the one performed by Toronto's own Dub / Ska / Rock collective Street 66. Sans horn section, Step and crew carved off all the fat and showed the audience the bare bones truth behind their sound. Charisma, character and killer songs filled the room and before long folks were cuttin' rugs like ... well like rug cuttin' bugs. Dig? The second set of encores for the night came and went and it was time to head home.

All and all the night was a real success, the bar made money, the bands made a little cash, the audience got a bunch of free stuff and went home with some great memories and a feeling, one hopes, will stay with them for a long time.

An Interview with... Evelyn Falls guitarist Mike Matwijiw

How did Evelyn Falls meet / come together?

The thought of Evelyn Falls began in the fall of 2006. At a Breaking Benjamin show, at Harpos, in Detroit Michigan I bumped into one of a singer that I jammed with in high school, Jay Seiben. We caught up and exchanged numbers. I had already decided I was forming another band and pretty much demanded that he call me. The two of us started auditioning for bass and drums. We jammed with a few people but it just wasn't working out and then out of nowhere I got a phone call from Brett Sobocan (Bass). His aunt saw an add that I had put out at a local music store and gave him the number! He called, we met and I "knew" that he was the guy! Then came the daunting task of finding a drummer. Brett, Jay and I were recording some tunes when I went into the washroom and dropped my phone in the toilet. The next day, I had to buy a new phone and all my numbers were gone from the sim card except one...which was Brittany who just happened to be a drummer. I gave her a call! It wasn't too long after that she was in the band. We had our first show at the Chubby Pickle in Windsor and enjoyed a pretty fruitful 2nd half of 2007 together! It all led up to our big NYE show with Ashes of Soma where Jay and the rest of the band had a fallout! Jay was replaced in early January by Matt Tourangeau (formerly of Bitter Green). We also very recently decided to replace Brittany with Mark St.Denis who came from Bitter Green as well!

... Man I ain't no stranger to fall outs and band blow-ups... How is the group dynamic evolving with the new members?

The group is stronger and tighter than ever now! Both personally and musically! We are all very passionate about what we do and we all have a lot respect for what each and every one of us brings to the table! We just played our first gig with the new lineup at Venues in Windsor on March 22nd and it went over really well! It was an awesome show and our fans were very impressed and happy about the recent change-ups! It definitely feels like a "real band" now! At earlier shows, I always got butterflies... mainly because I didn't know when we might fall down the stairs. With Mark on drums everything has just become so much easier! The songs have a groove now and we are all having SO much fun! Matt is a great frontman and his passion and love for music is contagious! We are very excited about coming up to Toronto, it's gonna be a great night for all!

What type of shenanigans should an audience member expect to see at a typical Evelyn Falls show?

Well, we are just getting the new band off the ground. We are all just starting to get to know each other. Matt is a very animated. Mark hits hard and plays with a lot of enthusiasm! I'm always doing something bizarre and Brett is the mellow one. This is something that, with only one show under our belt, we are still gelling. The songs are good and the energy is definitely there, it'll be interesting to see where it all goes.

Any plans to take the new lineup into the studio, and if so, when can we expect a release?

We are definitely planning on entering the studio!! I generally record all of our demos at home, but we want a pro-level recording and I don't want all of that on my head anyway! We are thinking of SLR in Windsor. They've done some pretty stellar recordings that are getting radio play and the fact that it's right here in our home town makes it a no brainer to me. We are just going to write as many good songs as we can and select what we and our fans think are the best tunes, and then track them. Then hopefully get some radio play! I have no idea what our target area for a release is but I can definitely see us in the studio within the next few months!

Can you describe the methodology you subscribe to when songwriting for our readers?

I generally write riffs by feel...I do NOT follow popular chord progressions! When it comes out of me, it comes out! I find that way a much more authentic way to write than just following formulas! Once I have a riff, then I start humming along vocals and find the right notes/changes and words start to pop in my head. I'll end up getting a couple of lines, then I get a feel of what the song is about, then it snowballs! The songs write themselves! It comes from somewhere...but I'm not exactly sure where THAT is.

Name your top 5 influences

To name just 5 would definitely be doing an injustice to many. My favourite front men are...Freddy Mercury, Rob Halford and Paul Stanley! As for guitar..I grew up playing a lot of Metallica and Ozzy! I'm also a huge fan of grunge! I like a filthy guitar sound that still retains clarity....it just has a dynamic or personality to it that I find captivating! It's like beauty meeting ferocity!

Describe, in brief detail, the ultimate setting for listening to your tunes.

I think the ultimate setting for our tunes would be around the camp fire while camping with close friends and family, drinking and reflecting on life. Star gazing together while getting a little messed up. Losing yourself in those moments and the songs...it's the ultimate environment! I've been there on countless occassions.

Find out more about Evelyn Falls at www.myspace.com/evelynfalls

Catch Evelyn Falls Friday March 28th at Clinton's Tavern (693 Bloor St. E.) in Toronto with Easy Way Out, Street 66 and ADA .

Venue Review: Shades of Green, Woodstock, On.

I'm not entirely sure where Shades of Green (453 Simcoe Street, Woodstock, On.) got their name from, but I'm almost positive that it either comes from an old Irish expression or it has something to do with the flesh tone on the faces of the, 4 or so, bar flies pounding back the suds, staring off into space and looking pathetically lonely all night long. The event that the venue was hosting was certainly a worthy cause and for this reason alone, I will try to describe this venue to you in the most diplomatic and flattering manner possible.

Most live music venues tend to dim their lights when it's time to listen to the music, not Shades of Green. Dimmers are expensive and besides, counting and comparing lip stains on your pint glass can provide patrons with endless fun while waiting between bands and shouts of random lunacy from the regulars. The staff was singular but friendly, the washrooms were oderous but well labeled and the pool tables were adequately level. The stage was neatly tucked away in the corner of the bar behind a necessary structural pillar and a dip in the ceiling. The sound booth, conveniently located on the stage at arms length distance, consisted of 4 imaginary walls that took up almost no space. This was a blessing since Easy Way Out barely fit on the stage what with the Neil Peart size drum kit that monopolized the majority of the real estate the carpeted riser had to offer. The sound mix was alright and provided Mark, our drummer, with the opportunity to attempt our set by memory since he couldn't hear anyone but himself. Needless to say, Mark shined the entire time. (For the record, Mark did love playing that gargantuan kit.) The vocals were at a decent volume and the generous echo allowed me to imagine what it might be like to perform our set from the other side of a giant electric fan.

All and all, if your goal is either to simply get loaded and the location is irrelevant... or you can't get served anywhere else because you're under age and your fake ID blows dogs for quarters, then Shades of Green is probably just perfect for you... so enjoy.

(NOTE: this post is meant as a humour driven satirical comentary on many pubs/taverns in small rural communities . It is clearly tongue in cheek and Easy Way Out thanks Shades of Green for the opportunity to play for their patrons. If this post upsets you in any manner, you seriously need to take a deep breath, put down the Labatt 50, readjust your tight jeans, straighten your mullet and calm the f' down..... I just described my uncles...)

EWO: Supporting the Cause

For a band with, seemingly no specific political or social agendas, Easy Way Out sure do support a lot of causes. In the past 4 months EWO have been busy booking unpaid gigs to help raise money and awareness for PeTA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), PAY (Physically Active Youth), the Will Play For Food Marathon (Helping the ElMocambo build a Soup Kitchen) and now a benefit for Devon Sweeney, a brave little guy who's been hit with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia a second time. This 11 year old boy also lost his mother to Cancer at a very young age and the kid continues to smile.

Devon with last year's Canadian Idol Brian Melo

So when Loretta Crotta, an organizer trying to raise money for Devon's treatments, asked Easy Way Out to drive out to Woodstock, On. to play the benefit, we jumped at the opportunity.

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is described by wikipedia as malignant, immature white blood cells that continuously multiply and are overproduced in the bone marrow. ALL causes damage and death by crowding out normal cells in the bone marrow, and by spreading (metastasizing) to other organs. The statistics are uplifting though, as it has an 85% cure rate in children.

This event is something truly unlike the benefits we've supported in the past. First of all... it's way the hell out in Woodstock, On. so this should be exciting for a bunch of city boys to make this trip. Second, we're playing with a band called N/Ferno... Now, the long hair that plays rhythm guitar in this rock outfit has collected pledges for which he will be shaving his melon shiney! ... so has the organizer Loretta Crotta! The hair that they procure from chrome doming themselves is gonna be donated to an amazing organization called Angel Hair for Kids which takes donated hair and makes these incredible wigs for children who've lost theirs due to chemo and radiation treatments. We will also be playing with a band called Junipher Skies out of London, On.

Easy Way Out is very proud to be a part of this show and very much looking forward to entertaining Devon's supporters. Should you wish to make a donation or write a letter of encouragement for Devon please email easywayout@rogers.com and we'll forward your letter to Loretta Crotta.

The show is this Saturday March 15th at Shades of Green, 453 Simcoe Street, Woodstock, On. Doors open at 9:00.

Drugs, Alcohol & the Stage

For many many years I was under the mistaken impression that alcohol and weed amplified creativity. I don't think I was ever alone in such a deluded dream of a thought process. Perhaps there's a quarter ounce of truth in that loosening up a little will always allow you to act and react with a little more freedom. But once you pass that initial low level flight, a subtle floating inebriation, you risk crippling active creation, retarding reaction, impeding progression and just plain forgetting parts and playing like total horse shit. I've played and sung like complete ogre puke on stage... no joke... I've given performances that, quite frankly, blew dogs for quarters. Never again.

I know, I know, there are plenty of exceptions to the rule. Some musicians are simply cut from a bolt of cloth whereby performing under the influence has not only seemed to improve their already genius quality but also secured their throne in the kingdom of rock... yeah... I'm not that guy. If you're that guy, then I hope you enjoy a wonderful career long after you've died at the ripe age of 27 by overdose, heart attack, self inflicted gun shot wound to the face or choking on your own vomit. (Robert Johnson, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain)

Don't get me wrong. I am no advocate for straight edge living, nor am I a promoter of anti-intoxicant propaganda. Many of Easy Way Out's lyrics deal with contra-ban and hooch . These tales are certainly fueled by true events from our day to day lives. (I love beer... I mean I looooove beer) But there is a time and a place as well as a level of respect that must be subscribed to when feeding your mind these little slices of altered states. The older I get, the less likely will show and stage be the time and place. Every day ingestion is definitely no longer an option.

The truth is, I want our shows to maintain a long lasting impression with our audience. The most proficient method of achieving this is through a consistent structured rehearsal schedule and strong work ethic. This is my commitment to the craft.

But I'll still meet you after the show for five or six pints, I promise.