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Interview: We Are The Fallen’s Bassist Marty O’Brien Excited About New Band and New Life

Jeremy Singer — Thu, 13 May 2010 19:45:36 +0000

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For a 12-year seasoned veteran free-lance bassist, Marty O’Brien is all of a sudden experiencing things for the first time now.

The Rhode Island native’s got his first real band We Are The Fallen, ergo, his first real debut album Tear The World Down, and above his first real consistent gig for the future.

He laughs when thinking this was all thanks to an unanswered e-mail he sent in 2002, to tryout for guitarist Ben Moody’s new band at the time, Evanescence.

“Funny story,” says O’Brien who’s been on three different Ozzfest tours as a free-lancer, and has rocked with A-list people like Tommy Lee, Disturbed, Kelly Clarkson and Celine Dion.

“About a year-and-a-half after I didn’t get a reply back from him, I ran into Ben (Moody) outside the Viper Room on Sunset Blvd -after Evanescence had become really popular- and I introduced myself, asking him about that e-mail. He freaked out, and was like ‘dude, are you serious!? At that time, I was living in my grandmother’s basement! When I saw your credentials, I thought that it was like a joke that a few friends were playing on me or something!’”

Not to worry though, because from that encounter stemmed a building friendship between O’Brien and Moody for years to come, where Moody would leave Evanescence in 2003, and have O’Brien play bass on all his solo-projects.

It was only a matter of time that after Evanescence members John LeCompt (Rhythm Guitar), and Rocky Gray (Drums) also left the band in 2007, that Moody would decide to bring them together along with O’Brien, grab a talented former American Idol top ten finalist Carly Smithson (Vocals), and form new talented alternative rock/metal band We Are The Fallen in 2009.

“I tell everyone,” says O’Brien, “even though the band has only been together for a year, it feels like I’ve known some of these guys for a lot longer- for like years now.”

O’Brien admits that this new experience is definitely a contrast to his days free-lancing as a bassist for party rock n’ roll tours.

“There’s a difference for sure,” he says. “With Tommy Lee, you try to go back into the bus to chill out, but wait, you can’t because there’s a huge after party on the bus. Here everyone’s married, has kids, very mellowed out. We watch movies, everyone’s in their PJ’s after the show. It’s funny.”

And although the band’s concentrated ex-Evanescence core has brought a bit of criticism that they sound like Evanescence, O’Brien says that it can’t be avoided.

“It makes me laugh,” he says. “You have to realize, these guys pretty much created Evanescence. It’s like if Led Zeppelin broke up and created a new band…obviously it’s going to sound a bit alike. How do you not sound like yourself?

“But we’re just way too happy right now to be fixed-out about it.”

Keeping them high on life is their debut album Tear The World Down -which was released by Universal Republic on May 11- and is led by their hit single Bury Me Alive, which has climbed the charts and was also used in the promo of the season one finale of CTV’s The Vampire Diaries. Also pushing the record strong are singles like Don’t Leave Me Behind, and Sleep Well, My Angel.

Originally the group was supposed to release a song every eight weeks by MySpace to build a compilation, but after the band underestimated the amount of material that they had actually written, it was agreed that they had to put it together into an album.

“When we formed, we didn’t have one song,” says O’Brien. “So you can imagine how much writing we’ve done over the last year, but we all just had a lot to say on our minds in the beginning, so we had more than enough material to write about.

“We would even all record and submit our own musical ideas form our designated instruments. It was a really creative open brainstorm.”

But surprisingly, writing wasn’t even the first issue on the agenda when the band formed. It was actually figuring out how they were gonna look on-stage.

“Ben was the first to speak to Carly,” says O’Brien, “and they clicked on their vision of what this band should look like, to the album cover, to the performance, to what they wanted to do on-stage. We have all these crazy ideas that we’re working on now.

“I can’t say anything yet, but you’ll be seeing them soon…”

The group hopes to reveal those ideas and their potential while on their current massive 28-city tour in the U.S. with Finish rock-band H.I.M, and then a 14-city solo-tour in the U.S. and Europe.

“We plan on staying on the road for a year-and-a-half, probably 18 months,” says O’Brian. “We’re determined to work this album for a long time. But we have to take this step-by-step, that’s the way to do it to reach longevity.

“We want to prove ourselves. It’s one sitting at a time, to show people what we have. But it’s a great feeling to finally have that album out.”

Interview: Degrassi’s SoundSpeed, In A Category Of Its Own

Jeremy Singer — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 06:47:37 +0000

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Before a camera begins recording on a film set, there’s an iconic chant that is heard time and time again.

“Lock it up. Rolling sound. Sound speed!”

If you’re an actor, then you know it’s a verbal-cue that tells everyone on-set to shut-up and listen because a scene is being recorded. And it’s also an acting reference that a few actors from Degrassi: The Next Generation have taken to heart in their new venture into the music scene as one of Toronto’s up-and-coming alternative bands, dubbed SoundSpeed.

But with such a unique sound, combination, and debut EP, it can be said that the six-man band has the same message in mind as that of the chant back on the film set. Before you judge, question, or make an opinion, first…just shut-up, and listen.

“I think we represent something different,” drummer Shane Kippel, 23, tells andPOP. “We have such a refreshing sound, yet you can’t really figure it out. It’s just a blend of all of our input and musical interests.”

On first impression, SoundSpeed spikes viewers’ attention because of the band members’ side career as actors on Degrassi. Yet it’s actually the group’s details that make the unsigned band so distinguishing and interesting.

For example, they have instruments ranging from the guitar to the key-tar, and a sound so hard to pint-point that it takes all six guys thinking on a couch until one of them finally blurts out something that gets nods of approval- though not even close to your typical genre.

“We’re sort of like the grim reaper, wearing high-top nikes, while walking on a rainbow,” says 20-year-old guitarist Jamie Johnston. It’s no surprise really, it’s a testament to the group’s blend of musical interests and personalities from pop/punk all the way to classic rock.

“We pride ourselves in not being only one type of genre, or having to stick to one type of sound.”

Each member comes from a musical background- with the band featuring Raymond Ablack (Degrassi: “Sav”) on vocals, Dalmar Abuzeid (Degrassi: “Danny”) on bass, Johnston (Degrassi: “Peter”) on guitar, Scott Paterson (Degrassi: “Johnny”) on trumpet/key-tar, Kippel (Degrassi: Spinner) on drums, and Sean Farquharson -a non-Degrassi member- on the other guitar.

But this isn’t the first time Degrassi’s seen its actors turn to the music scene. The franchise has churned out a respectable array of up-and-coming talent with Aubrey Graham making a prominent career as hip-hop rapper Drake, Cassie Steele fresh off of a sophomore pop-album, and Mike Lobel on the rise with his rock band “Boys Who Say No.”

Despite this, Farquharson admits that this idea was something just waiting to happen. They can credit it to perfect timing- when Ablack and himself both left their bands, causing Ablack to decide to try and bring everyone together to take a shot at music in reality.

“We wanted to see if there was any chemistry,” says Farquharson, “so we tried it out, jammed at Kippel’s house for a few hours. We realized that everything was clicking.”

Adds Kippel too, “Yeah, our chemistry was great.”

But working tirelessly over the last year -specifically the summer- to record their three-song EP Soundspeed Hello! hasn’t just been for the sake of picking up another hobby while they’re not filming on-set.

According to Abuzeid, it’s hopefully another career all-together.

“We’ve always been musicians,” says the 19-year-old. “But the opportunity to be a band with some notoriety right from the get-go was like an opportunity that fell right into our laps. We want to pursue this seriously.”

Leading their demo-tape is the go-getter song Magnets for Lips, which boasts nice hooks and a catchy chorus. With Ablack as the main songwriter of the group, the 20-year-old says that finding recording time was the biggest challenge in the band’s building stages.

“Trying to find time to practice on everyone’s filming schedule was pretty hard,” says Ablack. “Then came fall, and then some of us had school, so we had to fit it all into the summer- which we did.”

The band released their EP during their first showcase on January 29 at Six Degrees nightclub. Besides a packed raving audience -who got an autograph signing session at the end- the event also had close friends in attendance, such as fellow Degrassi stars Charlotte Arnold, Lauren Collins and Adamo Ruggiero, Life with Derek star Michael Seater, and MuchMusic VJ Jesse Giddings- to name a few.

“I think in reality, besides putting on the show, with screaming fans and label heads and what not, we were just looking forward to a nice cold brew afterward,” jokes Paterson.

“But we’re obviously so lucky and thankful to have our Degrassi fans following us like this for our attempt at music.”

Additionaly, the group also played at Copps Coliseum for Hamilton’s “We Day” on February 8 -alongside Stereos and Louise Kent- in support of one of the band’s favorite charities Free The Children.

No doubt, SoundSpeed seems to be riding the right sound-wave to success, as they hold high aspirations for their potential. But right now, the guys all know that they’ve got to take a more day-by-day approach.

“We just have to get the word out,” says Abuzeid, “and play more shows. We can do it, it’s just a matter of paying our dues.”

For more information about the band or show dates, check out their MySpace at www.myspace.com/soundspeedband.

Dragonette’s Martina Sorbara, As Unique As They Get

Jeremy Singer — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 03:26:09 +0000

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Martina Sorbara’s music career has been like one one-night-stand after the next.

The lead singer of Electro-Pop group Dragonette has been involved in many projects – both as a solo singer and in group settings – but she has yet to be part of a follow up album – until now.

Dragonette’s second album Fixin to Thrill, was released last month, and Sorbara’s feeling of the album’s completion is sublime.

“It’s a huge deal for me,” Sorbara, 31, tells andPOP. “Just putting out a second album is kinda like a milestone. I just think that every time we finished a song, that was a big high point for myself.”

Following the solid reception the band received in Canada and the UK for their 2007 debut album Galore, which earned them a Juno Award nomination for Best New Group, the four-person group -comprising of Sorbara on vocals, Bassist Dan Hurtz, Guitarist Chris Hugget and Drummer Joel Stouffer- approached their sophomore album like any other.

“We were pretty focused on moving on where we left off,” says Sorbara, “and trying to make a cool follow-up.”

With a musical style resembling the syth-folky textures of MGMT, Dragonette was formed in 2005 by -now married couple- Sorbara and Hurtz. Martina laughs at the aspect of working with a spouse, and admits that her greatest gift can also sometimes be a curse.

“It’s challenging,” says Sorbara, “because we wrote most of the album in our basement studio in London, ON, so you’re locked inside with your husband 24/7. There’s moments where it gets intense, because there’s no feeling of ‘Ok, I’m just going to go home now to my family,’ because it’s always there.”

“But believe me,” adds the artist chuckling, “It’s been way more fun than I thought it would be. The album is a lot more serene than the battles that went along with it. But the hysterical battles brought us to where we needed to be.”

The Canadian-native describes the finished product as “a mouthful,” mentioning that it’s also “aggressive, yet emotional at the same time- still holding the story-telling aspect.”

And as a songwriter, storytelling is one of Sorbara’s favorite pieces of the album’s puzzle- it gives her the chance to take what inspired her and inspire everyone else.

“I guess I like taking a topic that means something to me,” says Sorbara, “and be able to say an interesting take on it that’s never been done before. It would be a story that’s familiar to people, but I can go and put it in a unique language. A unique angle, that’s what gets me to write.”

Only, there’s one small obstacle in the way.

“I have almost zero discipline as an artist,” she says laughing.

“So if I’m not having fun, then I’ll just go and ride my bike or something.”

But Sorbara’s figured out a sure-fire way to keep herself content when boredom strikes. No doubt riding on the bus for the next two months with all the guys during their Fixin to Thrill tour across Canada, the US, Europe and Australia – can get a bit overwhelming.

Her fix?

“I love to knit,” she says. “I love to create, that’s how I shut out the world.”

A sweater or scarf was the first assumption. But that was quickly corrected.

“Dude, I’m so much more advanced than that,” she raves. “I’ve knitted dolls, a lion, a sheep, a poodle…and they all have names. And another thing I did was a full double sided queen size blanket; took me two years.”

Continues the singer, “this year, I’m gonna knit a pig. It’s the only way. I need something to show after sitting on my ass doing nothing. The boys watch movies, and I knit.”

“Though there’s one rule above the rest,” she says that her husband made.

“There’s no knitting in bed.”

Dragonette’s 2009 Canadian Tour Dates:

Waterloo, Ontario- October 7, 2009- 8:00 pm

Toronto, Ontario- October 8, 2009- 8:00 pm

Winnipeg, Manitoba- October 12, 2009- 8:00 pm

Calgary, Alberta- October 14, 2009- 8:00 pm

Edmonton, Alberta- October 15, 2009- 8:00 pm

Vancouver, British Columbia- October 17, 2009- 8:00 pm

Victoria, British Columbia- October 18, 2009- 8:00 pm