andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

One of the most successful Canadian bands in recent memory is back with their fourth studio album, Billy Talent III. Do they feel any pressure with this album given the multi platinum success of their other releases? And what do they think about today’s record business? Jordan found out.

Billy Talent is set to headline Edgefest 2009, which returns to Toronto’s Downsview Park for a second year on June 20.

Also playing the main stage will be AFI, Alexisonfire, Metric, K-OS, The Stills and Arkells, while the second stage will feature Beast, Clothes Make The Man, Dean Lickyer, Dinosaur Bones, Flash Lightnin’, La Casa Muerte, The Midway State, Moneen, Still Life Still and The Waking Eyes.

An exclusive presale for members of 102.1 The Edge’s “Inside Edge” club began on Tuesday and runs through Friday at midnight. Tickets go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. to the general public.

For more info on this year’s festival, visit www.edge.ca.

Edgefest has hosted the likes of Radiohead, Green Day and Blur during its two-decade run. Last year’s lineup included Stone Temple Pilots, Linkin Park, Sam Roberts Band, The Bravery and USS.

A slew of musicians including Billy Talent are playing four benefit shows this week for the victims of last month’s Queen St. West fire in Toronto.

The first two shows were held Monday night at Holy Joe’s and The Reverb, and featured such acts as The Speaking Tongues, Mariposa, The 9AM Social, Basement Arms, The Salarymen and Anagram.

The cover for both all-ages shows was $10 at the door, while clothing donations were encouraged and a bake sale and crafts table raised additional funds.

The third and fourth shows will take place Friday and Saturday at the Bovine Sex Club, also on the city’s Queen West strip. Among those taking the stage on Friday will be Chameleonize, Trigger Effect, Titan and Sloan’s Patrick Pentland acting as DJ. The cover is $10.

Saturday’s lineup includes Billy Talent, The Creepshow, Latefallen, Black Lungs and others. The show starts at 9 p.m. and the cover is $20.

The Queen West fire on Feb. 20 destroyed eight historic buildings between Bathurst and Portland streets, causing almost $10 million in damages. About five dozen people lost their homes and/or businesses in the blaze.

On Monday, a new benefit single was released to radio stations across the country, featuring musicians from Billy Talent’s Ian D’Sa to Choclair.

“Song For Africa” is being released to raise awareness among youth in Canada about the issue of HIV/AIDS in Africa.

It was co-written by Winnipeg producer Darcy Ataman, along with musicians Rob Wells, Luke McMaster and Simon Wilcox.

“With over 6,500 preventable deaths happening daily due to AIDS in Africa, and an entire generation of children being orphaned, it is time we shed some light on the matter in this lucky part of the world called Canada,” said Ataman in a press release.

Starting on Tuesday, August 1, listeners will be able to buy the song either in stores or on iTunes. Proceeds from the sales will go towards supporting a mobile health unit in Kenya, run by Free The Children.

Here’s a full list of contributors:

Ian D’Sa (Billy Talent), Ian Thornley (Big Wreck, Thornley), Choclair, Gordie Johnson (Big Sugar, Grady), Kyle Riabko, Ken Tizzard (The Watchmen, Thornley), Liam Thomas Killeen (Not By Choice), Daniel Greaves (The Watchmen), Tara Slone (Rockstar INXS finalist), Liam Titcomb, Damhnait Doyle, Keith Macpherson and Renne Lamoureux (Easily Amused), Sean Jones aka Smooth (In Essence), Luke McMaster, Simon Wilcox, Karl Wolf, Kelly ‘Mr. Chill’ Hoppe (Big Sugar), and George Leach.

The boys from Billy Talent are back with a new album, “Billy Talent II,” being released on Tuesday.

The Canadian rock band will be touring all summer around the world, including a stint on the Warped Tour in North America.

Lead singer Ben Kowalewicz sat down with andPOP recently in Toronto to talk about the new album, life on the road, one band member’s battle with MS, and much more.

Interview by Amy Sharaf
Editing by Bite TV

The list of nominees for 2006’s MuchMusic Video Awards was announced Wednesday, with Billy Talent, Kardinal Offishall and Massari leading the pack.

Billy Talent’s video for “Devil in a Midnight Mass” received nominations in five categories, including best video. Kardinal Offishall’s track “Everyday (Rudebwoy)” also received a best video nod, along with four other nominations.

Of this year’s 16 award categories, four will be decided by voters on MuchMusic’s web site: favourite Canadian artist, favourite Canadian group, favourite international artist and favourite international group

The 17th installment of the annual awards show will take over MuchMusic headquarters at Queen and John in Toronto on June 18.