Interview: Edgy

Edgy Questions Answered By Gary (Drums) and Jamie (Bass). 07/10/00 Interviewed by wookubus

Related Links: Official Website

PRP: Let's start off with the ever annoying question, how did the band get started?
Jamie: Well, Me and Troy were like "Hey we should start a band, I'll sing, you play guitar!" Meanwhile Jonas(my cousin) and Gary were having band discussions also...eventually we hooked up, Gary's sister had a bass, so he became the bassist, Jonas had no shame, so he became the vocalist, Troy was already playing guitar, and for fear of being left out I became the drummer...we're all self-thought.
Gary: It's kinda weird how it all worked out. Since then we all got to know our instruments way more and we keep learning more shit as we go.

PRP: The band cites Far heavily as an influence and its very noticeable throughout the CD, would you say you guys try to emulate their sound a bit?
Gary: Far is definitely a big influence on the band. I'd be lying if I said that there wasn't a little Far in us, but Edgy is also made up of a shitload of other influences. We listen to a lot of different stuff.
Jamie: We don't go for a Far-type sound, it just kinda happens, besides Far is pretty much a rough bastardization of Sunny Day Real Estate and Deftones...and we fuckin' love those bands too.
Gary: A lot of the newer shit we've been writing lately is way more in-depth than the songs on Solitary Contender. We're not afraid to try out any particular genre right now.

PRP: Living on the east coast, do you find you consume more fish then normal?
Jamie: Here fishy fishy fishy!!!! NO.
Gary: I don't even like fish that much, but I always thought eating lobster was cool 'cuz you got to bash the shells with big fuckin' mallets!
Jamie: G really likes grease!

PRP: If forced to, how many fish do you think you could fit in your ass at once?
Jamie: None....no fish will ever enter me...Captain Highliner takes up the ass...So I hear!!!

PRP: You guys lay out a very heavy and soulful melodic sound, that is almost emocore yet a bit edgier and popish, did you set out to try and create this?
Gary: Not really. It just happened. We started writing songs almost right away but it took awhile for the Edgy sound to evolve. I remember the day we played 'Hormone' for the first time...
Jamie: That was the day everything came together, from then on it was growth for EDGY.
Gary: We're still growing too, but it all comes natural to us. We listen to everything from The Beatles, to DJ Shadow, to Vision of Disorder so we just like to mix it up and play exactly what we wanna hear.
Jamie: We know what's been done, we know what we like...now it's time for us to take in all styles and spit out something fresh...and cool.

PRP: Do you find it limited being a Canadian band, especially the east coast where traditional Celtic music is more popular?
Jamie: I love the fact that we were somewhat frowned upon for screaming every now and then or for turning up our instruments....you feel so much heavier when everything is so radio-friendly around you, not that we can't be radio-friendly too.
Gary: It's tough 'cuz I can honestly say that we're one of a kind up over here. No one would have ever expected a band like us in the east coast, but I like that.
Jamie: It's too bad we don't live somewhere with more venues for our style...like L.A. I just feel the need to be somewhere where we're accepted a little more....I think the east coast is afraid of what we aim to do.

PRP: If I was a goat, would you milk me?
Gary: Show me your tits!
Jamie: If you spewed skim milk I'd milk ya!

PRP: The name Edgy, is there any special meaning behind it?
Jamie: Not really, it means something to us now though. Originally it was one of 30 or so band names I wrote on a piece of paper before our first practice...none of them were memorable enough, or suited our style(which was Silverchair/Bush/Pearl Jam type bullshit), except fo' EDGY.
Gary: All I remember is coming home from practice and one of us screamed out "EDGY!!" and I guess it just stuck with us.

PRP: How are Cheticamp and Halifax's scenes for heavier bands, do you find it tough to get shows to play?
Gary: Cheticamp was a bitch to get gigs. We played at our highschool a few times and played the occasional teen dance, but because there were no other bands around we had a really hard time. Halifax is way better although it's still hard to get gigs. We have to aim for the all-ages shows mostly.
Jamie: It's really hard when your new to the scene, have minimal connections, and no money...but we'll pull through...I imagine we've got our work cut out for us...but we'll pull through. Everyone's gonna get to hear us, I'll do anything to make sure.

PRP: Are you offended if called a newfie?
Jamie: No...they're nice people though.
Gary: Are newfie jokes popular all over Canada or what?!
Jamie: Are you offended if I call you a mofo?

PRP: There's a track called "Goonies II" on the CD, had this movie ever been made, do you think Chunk and Sloth would take over as the main stars?
Gary: Sloth was so cool. I think if they ever did make the movie, Chunk and that hot cheerleader should get it on at the end.
Jamie: I bet Data would have all kinds of fucked up inventions...that movie would be the shiznit...we'd definetely re-record 'Goonies II' for that movie.

PRP: Jonas and Jonah of Far have a similar name and similar vocal style, has this ever been brought to light before?
Jamie: Jonas comes from a Weezer song...yes they do have a similar vocal style...yes Jonas really digs Far...but I still think Jonas' has his own style...something a bit more diverse, besides Far would never write a song like 'Chilliwangker.'
Gary: The name thing is just a coincedence. We were playing a show and Jonas was introducing the band and when it came to say his name he just sang out 'My Name is Jonas'. After that everyone started calling him that, so he kept the name.

PRP: A lot of Canadian bands look to conquering the states and don't really care about Canada, are you guys eyeing this market as well?
Gary: We're definitely interested in making our mark on more than just Canada, but we're not like "Fuck Canada!" or anything.
Jamie: We plan on making our presence felt everywhere...we don't really sound canadian...and we don't really sound like we're from the states...I think there's plenty of room for our sound in today's market in general.
Gary: The states definitely have a bigger market but for now I think we'll just take it one step at a time.

PRP: In your own opinion, what is the worst show on the CBC?
Jamie: Coronation Street sucks....I really miss BeachCombers and Danger Bay!!!
Gary: I always got those 2 shows confused. I used to love The Kids in The Hall!
Jamie: This Hour has 22 minutes is by far the biggest turd on TV.
Gary: Fuck I hate that show!

PRP: Lately there's been an effort to support the Canadian scene, with Loud on Muchmusic showing more focus to Canadian acts and The Fang Magazine focusing on the Northern crop of bands as well, do you find its easier to get your name out there now?
Jamie: I guess there are more breaks for heavier bands in general, but it doesn't seem to be easy in anyway...nobody is catering to our sound right now...but I feel like our sound has never been done before so I guess it'll take time.
Gary: I find fanzines are quite useful for any band starting out in Canada and plus we have Much East here in Halifax which helps out the local scene.

PRP: How do you feel about the internet and mp3's as promotional tools?
Gary: I think the internet has become very useful in promoting our music. We put a lot of effort into our website so that people can check us out wherever they might be from.
Jamie: Mp3's are great for a die hard music lover who wants rare shit...but people who burn CD's instead of buying them are not what I would define a fan to be.

PRP: You guys have proclaimed your sound "Trash-pop", how would you define that?
Jamie: Our sound is pretty much an open-mind. We explore different kinds of music, not because we're following a specific plan, we just love everything...I bring every style up to the plate, then we hit it in our own way...with an EDGY vibe to it...the older songs are still spread out anywhere from Korn to Foo Fighters...but there's so much more to what we like now...our sound has been redefined... the trash part refers to energy and fun... and pop refers to the melodies and honesty.
Gary: I just thought 'Thrash-pop' was a cool concept because a lot of our songs are pretty heavy musically but a lot of the stuff that Jonas sings is really memorable and catchy so you can actually sing along with it.
Jamie: Now we go from Nu-Metal to New Age, from Blues to Breakbeat, from Emo-core to Electro-pop...every single style of music is embedded into at least one of us if not all four of us.

PRP: What would happen if someone did eat your guys ravioli for breakfast?
Gary: As long as they don't get my chicken on the cob baby!
Jamie: If you want my Ravioli, just ask politely...If your paws touch my pancakes, you're fucked!!!

PRP: Speaking of which, just what in the hell is the hidden track on the CD?
Jamie: It's a piece of shit called 'ChilliWangker'...we made it in two minutes one day...trying to make 'Seinfeld' music...I guess it comes off sounding a bit like the muppets...pornstyle.
Gary: Sometimes at practice when we get really bored and frustrated we'll start jamming out some of the weirdest shit you've ever heard.
Jamie: Watch out for 'ChickenPox'!!!

PRP: The title "Solitary Contender", does it refer to anything in general?
Jamie: It sounded cool, and we sorta linked it to the fact that we had a new sound around here and that our sound kinda made us solitary contenders in the biz.
Gary: It also suited the cover art of the album really well.

PRP: How has the music progressed since the release of the CD?
Jamie: The music has one of the biggest gaps of improvement I've ever witnessed...bands always get better and smarter...but I'd say this improvement is similar to that of Glassjaw from their early EP to "Everything You've Ever Wanted to Know About Silence." I'm hoping(but pretty sure) our new stuff is gonna blow everyone away and that it would be incredibly hard for someone to hear all the new shit and not find at least one song they really love.
Gary: A lot of the songs on "Solitary Contender" are pretty old...some go as far back as '97. We've matured a lot more as song writers since then. A lot of it has just come naturally along with the whole experience of recording the album in the studio and shit. Our newer stuff is way more dynamic.
Jamie: I'm really excited because I'm such a huge,picky music fan....and all our new songs pass my grueling "Is It Cool?" test.

PRP: What's next for you guys?
Gary: We're basically trying to play as many shows as we can right now.
Jamie: We'll do anything and everything to be heard...

PRP: I'm out of questions, any shout outs, messages for the kids or shameless self promotion?
Jamie: Y'all betta check yo'selves fo' you wreck yo'selves!!!!
Gary: Buy "Solitary Contender" and ride the white pony...
Jamie: Peace out!!!