The Russian Artist Factory

Artist Information

Biography

When a Siberian winter sweeps in to take you away, you better be sure to have something warm and well constructed to keep yourself alive in....

...Enter The Russian Artist Factory, whose sole purpose on the planet is to leave you feeling musically warm and secure in the belief that pop music can be filled with honesty and humility and the artists themselves are appreciative and human.

Yet with the conviction of a Russian winter storm, these artists can blow your doors down with dance floor friendly, sing-along guitar pop...or perhaps you'll invite them inside where they can light up a room with a blend of piano pop stories romantically reminiscent of a time when things were soft and simple.

Since their arrival in Calgary in October 2005, The Russian Artist Factory has quickly garnered praise from every media outlet they have had the privilege of working with, from independent monthlies to nationally owned dailies.

With a rich and active international history, The Russian Artist Factory gives rise to some of the most melodic and sculpted pop music on the radio today.

Instrumentation

Peter Willis - Piano/keys, guitar and vocal
Damien Van Johnson - Guitars and backing vocal
Keith McTaggart - Bass, percussion and vocal
Jay Hughes - Percussion and backing vocal

Discography

The Russian Artist Factory EP (October 2006)

The Swingset Basejump E.P. (October 2005)
Swingset Basejump (the single) is on selected radio stations across Canada now!

Audio

• Swingset Basejump
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• Bang 2 Sticks
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• Stay Where You Are
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Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Calgary Film Fest 2005 [+ Show ]
  

  "Upon first listen, The Russian Artist Factory is an exciting discovery of sounds and melodies that ..."Upon first listen, The Russian Artist Factory is an exciting discovery of sounds and melodies that are simultaneously in harmony and conflict; chord changes that are so unexpected that they bream of the obvious, and haunting textures that sooth as much as they exhault. This is one half hour of some of the most original pop music I've heard in a long time."

• The Pretty Pop Proletariat [+ Show ]
  

  "Industrially shiny and streamlined...it's a real friendly coup with...pretty pianos, catchy hooks a..."Industrially shiny and streamlined...it's a real friendly coup with...pretty pianos, catchy hooks and crafty, thoughtful lyrics...and no egos."

• Well Oiled Machine [+ Show ]
  

  "The lyrics suggest a gentle urgency. It's (Swingset Basejump) a near perfect pop single - upbeat, c..."The lyrics suggest a gentle urgency. It's (Swingset Basejump) a near perfect pop single - upbeat, catchy and sufficiently clever enough to sidestep all the cliched pitfalls that plague so much radio friendly pop fodder. The song manages to stick firmly in your head..."

• Compilation "A"-Side
  

  "The Russian Artist Factory's crafty songwriting and simplicity draw me in every time..."

• EP Review Excerpt
  

  "Swingset Basejump and Kensington are both up tempo pop gems..."

Setlist

2 sets of 50 minutes

Bang Two Sticks
The National Health
Nobody Pays Me Enough
Polish Fairy Tale
Suicide Squeeze
Suits and Boots
Friendly Skies
Frank Sinatra Story
Kensington
Swingset Basejump
Stay Where You Are
Keep Dreaming
Lips Freeze
The Two Man
Icicle
Karnivale Diablo
Red Tile Sea
Canadian Key

Basic Requirements

Calendar