AGE OF DAZE

Fredericton's Age of Daze is likely in a daze now that the band's hitting the big time. The rock band has just been signed with Fontana North Distribution in Canada. The record label is re-releasing the band's CD, Hollywood Ending, originally put out as an independent album last October.

Including eight songs, ranging from passionate ballads to hard-driving guitar numbers, each stands on its own as a single and all, according to their fans' comments, kick butt.

Age of Daze has been played on U.S. satellite radio Sirius Octane's Top 20 Rock Charts, competing with bands such as 3 Doors Down and Seether for the most-played and most-requested song.

This is a huge accomplishment for an independent Canadian band with no marketing machine behind it.

The premise of the album is what happens when the dream of Hollywood stardom dies. When it was first released, the guys shopped it to radio stations across Canada on their own. Those stations started playing the single Afflicted and it quickly got lots of play, ending up on Canada's Top 20 rock charts because fans were calling radio stations requesting a song they couldn't get enough of.

This self-starter attitude, coupled with the use of the Internet, helped the band to catch the eyes and ears of their record label. Lead vocalist Tim Morrison and bass player Matt McLaughlin laugh as they recall some of the comments they've heard about their music.

They've been told it's not what's expected from an East Coast band. That's right, they say, there's not a fiddle to be found among their instruments. Performances at the ECMAs and other high-profile venues this year have significantly helped album sales.

But this hasn't been an overnight success story. These band members have worked long and hard to get to where they are, working full-time jobs to support themselves and their music.

"Before March, when we signed on with our management company, we were responsible for everything: marketing, writing the songs, recording the music and we did it all out of our own pockets. No grants. The album was completely funded by us," says Morrison.

These band members are an accountant, a graphic designer, a floor installer/drumming teacher, a drywaller/painter and a video editor. All are about to quit their day jobs because Morrison, McLaughlin, Jamie Norrad, Jon Price and Pat Pelletier will soon board a bus for an 18-month promotional tour which will see them working with major headlining bands during a cross-Canada tour.

"It's very exciting. We're freaking out. We're just waiting to go," says Morrison.

If you've never heard their music, think along the same musical lines of bands such as Nickelback and Hinder. It's a fair comparison, the guys say.

This is the kind of music they listen to and what's influenced the edgy, powerful rock tunes Morrison and McLaughlin wrote from this CD and are now writing for upcoming releases.

Hollywood Ending is getting a second, and much bigger shot with heavy rotation on radio stations and an accompanying video for the single Afflicted, being aired on stations such as MuchMusic.

McLaughlin and Morrison recall sitting in front of a TV waiting for the video to air for the first time. With high-fives and lots of fist-pumping, they were thrilled to see their work on TV.

Already this band has many groupies. More than 13,000 fans have joined their MySpace page. They are so thankful for their swelling fan support that Morrison personally takes a couple of hours each day to write back to everyone.

"We are so thankful to everyone who comes to a show or buys a CD. It's really important to take the time to thank them. Everybody likes that they can talk to the band."

These bandmates and friends met through the local music scene. Because the band's label and management are located in Toronto, the guys are seriously considering moving there. Driving from Fredericton to Toronto every couple of weeks over the past few months has been tough, they say.

Each time they go, they have to rent a van, load their gear and endure the 16-hour drive with either Morrison or McLaughlin, the only two band members with driver's licences, behind the wheel. It's a true test of compatibility. Life on the road isn't easy. Making things easier is that none of them are married or have children. For now they've dedicated themselves to advancing the band's success.

"This is something that we've always wanted to do and now that things are taking off, we're fortunate and now is the time to really focus on this," says Morrison.

What will be fantastic, they say, is to be on a tour bus and to be able to relax, sleep or write songs on the road. As much as they want and need to promote themselves and their first CD, they know music fans are always looking for more.

If you want to see Age of Daze before their upcoming national tour, they will be performing at The Playhouse on Oct. 9.
- dailygleaner.com - 19 Sept 08