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| Riding Shotgun |
T-Mak World coverage of Canadian Music Week 2013 is centralized here – your one stop guide for rock at this year’s festival.
March 11 2013 – Canadian Music Week 2013 is almost here and we can’t wait for hundreds of bands to invade the bars and clubs of our fair city of Toronto as part of the festival’s Canadian Music Fest program. Admittedly the names are slightly confusing but Canadian Music Week is the master name of the festival that is composed of a film program (Canadian Music Week Film Fest), a comedy program (Canadian International Comedy Fest), a conference, awards shows, a trade show and a kick ass music festival called Canadian Music Fest (CMF) that runs between March 19-24 2013.
In 2012, T-Mak World initiated extensive coverage of Canadian Music Fest and we saw a total of 34 bands/artists and interviewed the following 10 bands as part of our Emerging Artist Spotlight series:
Our wrap up article from 2012 is here and we are excited to be back in 2013 and to add even more bands to our Emerging Artist Spotlight Series. Today we focus on a band from Toronto, Canada and their CMF profile reads:
More then just a theory. It is a feeling that lives inside of each & every one of us since birth. A concept based on control. The idea that no matter what course of action we take there is always the unknown variable involved our own personal, and collective fates. No matter what you do in life sometimes all you can do is sit back & let things unfold before you…THIS IS RIDING SHOTGUN
Described simply as dirty anthem rock for a disconnected, rock and roll starved generation, Riding Shotgun is a band that delivers by walking, not talking. Originally formed in March of 2009, R.S. is a hard hitting 4 piece from the Toronto area that has been giving other people a lot to talk about. The hard working group have been creating a buzz in the business in their short history, most recently opening for Gilby Clark (of Guns and Roses, Rockstar Supernova, etc.), which led to Gilby producing their newest EP at his studio in Hollywood, California. Also having shared stages with bands such as Default, The Cancer Bats, Art of Dying, Bleeker Ridge, Hail The Villain, The Reason, Anvil, as well as many other top touring acts, and having toured Canada themselves, the band is showing no signs of slowing….only stomping down harder on the gas pedal, moving things up to break neck speeds.
Described simply as dirty anthem rock for a disconnected, rock and roll starved generation, Riding Shotgun is a band that delivers by walking, not talking. Originally formed in March of 2009, R.S. is a hard hitting 4 piece from the Toronto area that has been giving other people a lot to talk about. The hard working group have been creating a buzz in the business in their short history, most recently opening for Gilby Clark (of Guns and Roses, Rockstar Supernova, etc.), which led to Gilby producing their newest EP at his studio in Hollywood, California. Also having shared stages with bands such as Default, The Cancer Bats, Art of Dying, Bleeker Ridge, Hail The Villain, The Reason, Anvil, as well as many other top touring acts, and having toured Canada themselves, the band is showing no signs of slowing….only stomping down harder on the gas pedal, moving things up to break neck speeds.
Here is what they had to say to us:
1. Hey Riding Shotgun, thanks for taking the time out to talk to us. Let’s start off with the obligatory introductions. Who’s in the band and what instrument does everyone rock?
Riding Shotgun:
Crash,Vox
Blake,Guitar
Richie,Drums
Al,Bass
Crash,Vox
Blake,Guitar
Richie,Drums
Al,Bass
2. How about the history of the band, when did you get started and how did it happen?
Riding Shotgun: Riding Shotgun was formed in 2009,We all played in other bands with the same exp,drive,music tastes,and vision.Started jamming and throwing ideas around and we all knew this was it.Following through with goals and reaching new heights.
3. Who are some of your musical influences?
Riding Shotgun: We all listen to sush a WIDE range of music.We feel that as musicians it’s good to keep our ears open to all types of music.
4. Congratulations on being selected to play at Canadian Music Festival, what does the opportunity mean to you?
Riding Shotgun: CMW really means being apart of something great.Toronto is such a great music city and when CMW is on the city is just rocking!..We are grateful to be apart of it.
5. When and where is your CMF gig? And more importantly, why should a music fan come and see your show instead of all the other choices available to them at that time?
Riding Shotgun: We are playing opening night Tuesday March 19th @ Cherry Cola’s @ Midnight! Coming out to Cherry Cola’s is always a cool trip i’ve seen nothing but GREAT bands there so for us to play there is awesome.The staff,the people really great Rock N Roll vibe.,,L.A. has the Rainbow,New York had CBGB’s T.O. has Cherry Cola’s.
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| Riding Shotgun |
6. What’s it like being on stage? Do you get nervous or are you thriving on the adrenaline (or somewhere in between)?
Riding Shotgun: We all get nervous but it’s a good feeling,it’s a feeling that is working with us not against us.it’s the best high you can get.We all love what we do so much that every chance we get to perform is great.
7. What does 2013 hold for you?
Riding Shotgun: So Far we’ve been out to California working/recording our new EP with our producer Gilby Clarke (Guns & Roses) due for release late spring 2013.Followed by U.S.-Canada-Europe tour.
8. Imagine that you were asked to be the opener for any band’s world tour (both current and historical). Which band and tour would be your dream opening gig.
Riding Shotgun: That’s a huge question..I know we all have our personal fav’s ..lets put this as a festival tour with, Guns & Roses(94*) Pantara,BLS,OZZY,Rage,Rolling Stones,Riding Shotgun,
9. How important is the performer/audience connection? Can you rock a show as hard for 10 people as if you could playing an 80,000 person festival?
Riding Shotgun: This comes from exp, We know that all of us in the band HAVE to enjoy & rock before other people can dig it, Even in rehearsals we are rocking full out because we really love what do.Then add a crowd and that brings the energy up.We have been blessed to play with some really great bands over the years and we have learned from them all. On past tours we have played small town clubs where there was 4 people in the bar & we rocked like there was 40 thousand.
10. Where can people get your music/CD, is it being sold anywhere?
Riding Shotgun: The Buckle up record is on Itunes,Amazon,CD Baby,all HMV stores across Canada.
11. At the end of 2012 we published our picks for top 10 albums of 2012. Lists like those are always a reflection of personal tastes so if you were making the list what are some albums you would you have had on it?
Riding Shotgun: Way too many to name!
12. Any closing remarks for our readers?
Riding Shotgun: Thank you. www.ridingshotgun.ca
Thanks so much to Riding Shotgun. We hope that you can see them live. They are playingCherry Cola’s at Midnight of Tuesday March 19th.
The band’s website is www.ridingshotgun.ca and as you would expect they are on facebook https://www.facebook.com/ridingshotgunmusic In the meantime check out their video below from YouTube.
