April 30 2015 – Another year and another Canadian Music Week. We firmly believe this is the best festival in Toronto if you love rock. Of course the festival feature all genres of music but we only care about what we call #RealRock – music steeped in electric guitars and that carries on the spirit of rock and roll. We here at T-Mak World really enjoy trying to find new bands that we love. Once we find such bands, we approach our favorites to request interviews for our Emerging Artist Spotlight series where we have featured over 100 artists so far. We set off on this mission yet again for Canada Music Week (CMW) 2015
Today we set our focus on a band from DALLAS, TX named DEAD FLOWERS. All bands we talked to are asked similar questions to each other so we can get to know them better. The description on DEAD FLOWER’S website reads:
“Within a year of releasing their first record Dead Flowers has shared the stage with acts such as, Murder City Devils, The Reverend Horton Heat, The Whigs, and J Roddy Walston & the Business. When they aren’t hosting touring bands, they’re filling venues with local bands. Quickly gaining respect as one of the most exciting up-and-coming bands out of Dallas, Texas, they are angsty, aggressive, loud, sincere and simply put- rock n’ roll. While they’re certainly not trying to reinvent the wheel, Dead Flowers is comprised of members who’s musical upbringings differ in drastic proportion; thus creating a sound that’s beginning to gain notoriety not limited to their city, state, or country.”
Here is what they had to say to us:
1. Hey Dead Flowers , 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?
Dead Flowers: Corey Howe on guitar and lead vocals, Vince Tuley on lead guitar and backing vocals, Evan Johnson on bass, and Ed Channey on drums.
2.How about the history of the band, when did you get started and how did it happen?
Dead Flowers: Corey and Vinnie met and played some smaller gigs in Chicago. Upon moving back to Dallas Corey met Ed and later Evan. The three started devloping their sound and playing locally until eventually Vince moved down to Dallas to join them.
3.Who are some of your musical influences?
Dead Flowers: The Replacements, Against Me!, and Queens of the Stone Age to name a few.
4.So based on the above how would you describe your music to someone that has never heard it?
Dead Flowers: Gritty guitar driven rock and roll. Aggressive, dynamic, and big.
5.What is the significance of playing Canadian Music Week (CMW) for you?
Dead Flowers: For us, getting out of Texas and playing these other markets is ideal. We’re ready to travel. We’re ready to be in motion, and to leave the comfort of hometown sold out shows and make new friends along the way. We’re ready for what happens next. Plus we all know Canada is responsible for some of the biggest names in rock and roll.
6.What is your favorite single line of lyrics the band has written and why?
Dead Flowers: “This place is full of monsters, and they’re hungry at best; and they’ll take everything you have and there ain’t much left” We’re all kind of stumped, but I guess this line kind of sums up most of Corey’s lyrics. They’re dark, haunting, and often hopeless but so easily relatable.
7.What does the 2015 hold for you ideally as musicians?
Dead Flowers: We’re spending the majority of this year touring. We’re hoping to meet as many people as possible. No pressure of selling the band to new friends, just trying to build a community outside of the one we are in. You gotta build an army if you want to start a war.
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.
Dead Flowers: The Replacements for sure. I don’t know where though. I don’t think it would matter. It would certainly be cool to play with them at First Avenue. I kind of get the chills thinking about it.
9.What is the future of the music industry? With the concept of the album and physical CD’s facing extinction, how will we be consuming music in 10 years? Are the economics feasible for emerging artists?
Dead Flowers: It’s hard for sure. Bands don’t make near as much as they need to these days. Often times it seems you have to spend a lot more to even get to the point to where you’re able to support yourselves. We try not to think about that. Our friends at home in Dallas support us well enough to keep us on the road. So we’re just focusing on where we are now. Just got to keep loading that merch into venues night after night. We’ll all come out on top I’m sure.
10.Where can people purchase or listen to your music?
Dead Flowers:
11. At the end of 2014 we published our picks for top 10 albums of 2014. Lists like those are always a reflection of personal tastes so take a look at our pics and tell us if you were making the list what are some albums you would you have had on it?
Dead Flowers: Dr. Dog (B room) and Shovels & Rope (Gone Swimming) definitely were a couple of our favorites, but otherwise I think our lists look pretty similar.
12.Any closing remarks for our readers?
Dead Flowers: Thanks for checking out this Spotlight, we really appreciate your time, and hope to see/meet you at a show soon! Cheers!
Thanks so much to Dead Flowers . We hope that you can see them live. They are playing Johnny Jackson 9pm on Thursday May 7 2015.
The band’s website is here and as you would expect they are on Twitter and Facebook.In the meantime check out their video below from YouTube.
Article by – Terry Makedon
T-Mak World: Toronto’s Site for Music, Movies and Culture
www.tmakworld.com | Twitter | Facebook
Get the T-Mak World Toolbar below to get all the info you need
