Ariel's Worm

Ariel's Worm is probably one of those bands that you'd subconsciously recognize from having heard them on any one of the many television shows that they've licensed their music to. they formed in 1999 and sold their first single "Beginner's Luck" to the producers of Dawson's Creek for use on that show. Hey, promoting your music through TV worked for Moby, and it seems to be working for Ariel's Worm too.
A collection of music with a definite stylistic signature in every song, but every one just a little different form the one before. I love the voice of lead singer Jennifer Strype, it is just so much more textured and richer than some of her alt-pop contemporaries.
Ariel's Worm boasts solid songwriting and unquestionable musical talent. It's hard to single out a specific song on this album as being better than the others, each one has it's own specific charms. A solid rock effort that is seriously enjoyable. - Adam A. Donaldson - Lucid Forge Magazine

"One of Canada's best unsigned acts. Catchy tunes with awesome hooks. You'll be saying Ariel's Worm all the way to the cd store." - Renzo DeSilva - Musiccorp Magazine

The stream of sounds blended together with style and finesse. Each tune scurries through your speakers with only one goal in mind, good music. On the CD, the stunning voice of Jennifer Strype has an air of Gwen Stefani. The band put together simmering guitar work, solid backbeat and rhythm, and a fresh voice that cries to be heard. Ariel's Worm have been cutting their touring teeth opening for such great Canadian acts as See Spot Run, Big Sugar, and Kim Mitchell. With the energy and commitment put forth on the disk, one can only imagine the live show being a spectacle. Read the full review at Rikks Revues.com - Rick Matheson Music Reviews

About a year ago I had the pleasure of interviewing Mike Strype from the band Ariel's Worm. The band was getting ready to perform at the CMW and I was eager to learn about these local talents. I have kept in touch and was contacted regarding a few charity concerts they were involved with in the Toronto area. I had the chance to ask Jennifer (lead singer and sister of Mike) a few questions about the passion that lead to these special concerts.

Q: Tell me about the causes you are standing behind.

We have been involved with the Brain Injury Awareness campaign for the past three years, and started with the Relay For Life Cancer walk that happened in Haliburton just this year. We were approached by both groups and happily participated in the annual events that they hold. Brain Injury Awareness is something that specifically targets the demographic that my brother and I share, and if it's just mentioning to someone that they should wear a helmet when they go snowboarding, then we are happy to do it.
We have both known people that have had brain injuries and recovered well, but it's the prevention that is the key. We always enjoy participating and meeting brain injury survivors and hearing their stories.

The Relay For Life event we participated in is a 24-hour walk to raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society. We played a set and I also sang ‘Amazing Grace’ at the beginning of the luminary ceremony. I have been fortunate to sing in front of thousands of people due to all the anthem singing I've done but let me tell you... standing in the dark and looking out into a sea of people and watching the luminaries light, each representing a person who has passed away or been affected by cancer... I will never forget that moment for as long as I live. I was honoured to be in the presence of so many survivors. It was inspirational, moving and makes you appreciate the strength in humanity. The Relay For Life Haliburton cancer walk ended up raising over $108K!

Q: I believe you still live in the Toronto area and your brother has moved to Ottawa. How has this affected the dynamics of the band? Where do you practice? Does Mike still produce for the band?

Yes, I am currently living in Toronto and Mike in Ottawa. The distance has been great! I'm kidding! It has been difficult over the past year but when you are passionate and committed to something, like we are with our band, you make it work. Mike has the rough end of things since he does all the commuting into Toronto and surrounding area. We both vacation at our cottage so when we are there or he is in Toronto, we take the time to rehearse and play together. Mike did not produce our heavier rock record Firegirl, but we are currently working on an acoustic album that he will be producing. We are very excited about it and it is very much a return to our roots. We started out eight years ago just with guitars, good songs and both of us singing, so I'm looking forward to getting back to that simplicity.

Q: What are your future plans in terms of album release?

The last album we primarily used to promote to record labels, managers and
booking agents. It was a big departure from what we are currently working
on and we haven't yet decided on releasing it. This current acoustic record we plan to have pressed and available at shows for purchase, but we don't have a set date yet.

Q: Music in my opinion is globally diverse and affects so many people in
a positive way. Would you consider traveling to a third world country to
learn about their music and culture and to perhaps display your talents
to the people? Perhaps shoot a documentary…something educational for the
schools systems to show how music inspires people of all ages?

I definitely agree. Music has that ability to cross over anything and everything and connect and affect people. Borders, war zones, language barriers, it doesn't matter. That's why I love it and why I do it. I would love to travel all over the world and learn more about music and culture and how it brings us together. That has always been a dream of mine. Evoking emotion has always been what I strive for because the more emotion you feel the more alive you are.

I saw a documentary DVD called I Know I'm Not Alone by Michael Franti. He is an amazing musician who Mike and I both love. He carried his guitar with him and travelled to war zones in Iraq, Israel and occupied Palestinian territories. He wanted to see for himself what was going on and all the while played his songs to anyone who would listen. It is an incredible message and solidified my wanting to do the same thing.

Q: What are your tour plans?

At the moment we don't have any tour plans, but are looking into playing a few other charity events. I'm currently doing some research on other organizations that are close to our heart. Our next step will be focusing on the next recording and starting the pre-production stage, but we always enjoy playing shows while we are also in the recording process.

Q: Any album plans?

We are hoping to start recording in the next couple months and then we will have a better idea of release dates and more shows, possibly a cd release. Check our website for details and/or myspace.

Date Posted: 2007-06-24
- Erica Leon - Monkey Biz Magazine

Canadian Music Week has come and gone, but the memories forever remain. Erica Leon managed to snag an interview with Mike Strype from Ariel's Worm, and so here it is for your reading pleasure.


Erica: How did you get into the biz?

Mike: In high school I was in a few bands as a singer and drummer. I started playing guitar and writing songs. I made a demo and got a song on the television show "Dawson's Creek". My sister was interested in music so she jumped on board and we went from there.

Erica: Have you always been a 4 member band??

Mike: There are 4 members currently. We used to have a 5th member but having 4 "forced" us to create better music because we had to each focus on our task and there was no room for laziness.

Erica: You have had a few tracks on programs such as Dawson's Creek and Joan of Arcadia. Do you need a manager or is it more feesable to act on your own behalf?

Mike: We don't have a manager and are self managed. We do have a producer and lawyer who send out our CD's which may help us get picked up for programs such as Dawson's Creek and Joan of Arcadia.

Erica: Talk a little bit about the image change of the band.

Mike: Our music has gone in a completely different direction. We a portraying a darker image and a more aggressive sound. I write all the lyrics which although can cause tension within the band, my sister is really supportive. The songs I write define what the bands sound like. until this method stops working I will continue to write the songs. The industry labels you (rock, punk etc) and if your sound is all over the place it's harder to market you.

Erica: How did you get involved with Canadian Music week?

Mike: We applied, submitted 3 songs, any related press, bio, photos and they select the bands they want. This is our 2nd time participating in CMW>

Erica: When does music become a sole means for income? Do you and other members hold jobs other than the band?

Mike: I am the only one who solely works in the band. I write, publish, produce our stuff so I get more money from the band. As long as we keep getting songs picked up, income with come in and eventually we can all do this full time.

Erica: What are your thoughts on reality shows?

Mike: I think it cheapens the industry. Music shouldn't be a contest. There will always be someone who loves you and someone who hates you. I don't think that art should have a winner. It's there to be appreciated.

Erica: You engineer, and write for the band. Is managing or producing something you see in the future?

Mike: After working with the producer we have now I know I could be a producer for other bands. You can only push your friends so far before they say FU. So it's better for the band if you hire an outsider to manage you.

Erica: Any tour dates coming up?

Mike: I am really excited about this show (CMW) because we've been out of the scene/loop for a while because we've been in the studio. We can't wait to play. After that we will be playing at the Bovine Thursday April 6th.

www.myspace.com/arielsworm

Date Posted: 2006-03-30
- Erica Leon - Monkey Biz Magazine

People keep calling about indie band Ariel's Worm and their song, Don't Want to Sleep (off the Beginner's Luck EP). Listeners want to know who they are, where they came from, and how they can get their hands on their own cd. - Mike Fry - Canadian Music Network Magazine

Ariel's Worm is a brother and sister duo, Mike and Jennifer Strype. Together they ventured into the rock/pop scene in 1999, with much acclaimed success. Along with drummer Mike Braun and bassist Peter Fera, this band gained some serious momentum. By "injecting infectious grooves" into their fan base, their music has been featured on the TV show Dawson's Creek and various radio stations throughout Ontario, including the highlands.
If you haven't discovered them yet, this Saturday night's the chance. Ariel's Worm is the opening act at the Kim Mitchell concert August 31 at the Wilberforce arena. The dynamic duo has a studio in their home on Boshkung Lake.
Growing up in Unionville, the Strype kids have cottaged in Haliburton for more than 20 years. The family moved to the Highlands three years ago and Mike and Jennifer are now inspired by the "best of both worlds", splitting their time between the lake and the city.
After all, just a few months ago Ariel's Worm played in New York at the trendy, popular club CBGB's. They roll into LA in September to showcase their music, not leaving a stone unturned. Right now they are searching for that record deal, something lucrative to continue their torrid pace.
Both siblings clearly focus on the band, though they both agree that spending so much time together can be a little much. They live together, rehearse together, work together - every day is spent together. They have become best friends and they know it has brought them closer together. Every effort is for the band.
Mike is a cool, cautious, laid-back type. He is constantly writing new music and playing his guitar.
Like a best friend, his guitar is his faithful companion. With it, he is able to be himself and pour out his soul, knowing it is a special bond they share.
Jennifer is a bright, charming young lady. She holds herself well and is incredibly driven. She is aware of the importance of hard work to create her dream. Jennifer is in charge of the business and sales side of the band. She is hopeful that each phone call, email, chance meeting and conversation is the one that pushes the band another step up the ladder of success.
Ariel's Worm was rocking out with big Canadian acts such as The Watchmen, Big Sugar, and Alannah Myles this summer. For more info check out www.arielsworm.com. I'm going to keep in touch with Jennifer and Mike, and so should you. They were a pleasure to meet and my spider senses tingled, telling me this band will achieve their goals. "Some dreams are born to win." - Andrea Hillo - The Echo

The song 'Tame' from the album 'The Next Big Thing' which debuted in Carnarvon last summer, aired on an episode of the hit tv show 'Joan of Arcadia' on Friday. It was played in the opening scene of the show. The band, which includes Boshkung Lake siblings Mike and Jennifer Strype recently shot a video for the song "The End" which will go into the editing stages sometime next week and will be downloadable thorough their website. Last week Ariel's Worm played Canadian Music Week to a packed house at the Bovine Sex Club in Toronto which was a huge success. They are also gearing up to start recording album number 3. - The Haliburton Echo

They are ambitious and are quickly receiving recognition with goals of recording contracts and CD releases within their grasp. They are Ariel's Worm, which began as a brother and sister duo in early 1999 and are now a four piece band opening for such artists as See Spot Run, Platinum Blonde, The Watchmen, Big Sugar, Nazereth, and Alannah Myles.
Songwriter Mike Strype and sister Jennifer Strype are from Halls Lake just north of Minden, an area they cottaged at for over 22 years and as of two years ago made their home.
Both studied music and in 1999, Mike wrote a song and decided to pursue his musical talents further. He teamed up with his sister who become not only the lead vocalist, but also the manager of the band. Her "great management" abilities, along with a rocking demo CD has lead the band into the limelight at a very quick pace. In November of 1999, the song Beginner's Luck was picked off their demo and used on an episode of the hit TV show Dawson's Creek (episode #308, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner). How did this come to be? Well back to great management. Jennifer is not afraid to make the band's presence known and she sent the CD to the show producers with hopes of recognition. "We really liked the show and we found it showcased a lot of Canadian artists on it so we just sent in a demo. They liked it and used one of the songs on one of the shows," says Mike. After the song aired, the Ariel's Worm website received a lot of hits from all over the world. The song received airplay on the Moose radio station out of Bancroft as well as 15 other radio stations.
Their style of music is pop/rock with a bit of a California sound to it. "We've been told we don't sound like Canadian bands, " says Mike.
Since their beginning in 1999, and in addition to receiving air play and exposure on Dawson's Creek, Ariel's Worm has performed at such clubs as Lee's Palace, the El Mocambo and the Horseshoe Tavern - all three clubs are popular venues in Toronto featuring bands on a regular basis. The El Mocambo is famous for its surprise appearance by the Rolling Stones many years ago.
In 2001, Mike received the prestigious "Professional Demo Grant Award" recognizing unsigned songwriting from Canada's own FACTOR. Injected with the infectious grooves of drummer Michael Braun, they’re first EP Beginner's Luck, released in June of 2001, gained serious momentum. In addition to the radio play, they were mentioned in "Canadian Music Network Magazine" (issue #26), which cited the large number of requests for the song "Don't Want to Sleep'.
'Undertow' , also off the Beginner's Luck EP was recently added to a Columbia Sportswear Compilation CD, promoting their snowboard line Convert.
They recently opened for The Watchmen and Big Sugar on July 20 at Rockfest in Hunstville and on July 26 they opened for Alannah Myles and Nazereth at Riverfest in Bracebridge.
In August they are playing a variety of shows in Toronto and have plans to tour southern California in the fall to do some showcasing. They recently played the acoustic gallery at CBGB's in New York City.
Prior to leaving for south of the border again, the band is spending some time in the studio to finish what will be their first full length CD. Mike is doing the recording and production in his own studio. When completed, the CD will be released for sale. Locations and release date will be announced soon. Please visit www.arielsworm.com or email the band at info@arielsworm.com
- Highland Communicator

It's a common pitfall of young pop/rock bands that their live repertoire gives the impression that you've heard all these songs before somewhere, as though the band members have spent all their time listening exclusively to one or two rock gods, like Lenny Kravitz or Led Zeppelin.
Not so with Ariel's Worm, whose CD release party on May 3rd showed an up-and-coming band convincing us they had something original to say. The professionalism of the performance was not lost on the audience, where the 10pm gig started in darkness. A single on-stage siren whirled blue light around the hall as a building drum roll and synth effect heralded the arrival of lead singer Jennifer Strype onto the bandstand for their first number, a fist-pumping rendition of their anthemic 'The End' - perhaps the most energetic and inspired songs on this second album, The Next Big Thing. The songs - which included a couple of covers and some items from their previous album - varied from full-tilt rock to boppier charts to softer ballads, with these last backed by acoustic guitar and bongo drums instead of the standard, wholly electric ensemble of many bands.
The other standout songs from the four piece band - which began as a brother sister duo in 1999 between Jennifer and songwriter Mike Strype - were the fun spirited, part-reggae 'Holiday', the harder edged 'Waiting For The Sun' and a rendition of the Police classic "S.O.S', which was cleverly segued in from another song and exchanged Sting's brittle crooning for a more melodious voice in Jennifer.
The fact that the band live together, dividing their time between Toronto and a studio on Boshkung Lake, was reflected in the invariably tight performance of each song and their obvious on-stage confidence. It was welcome near the end when the drums eased back, perhaps tapping only the rim of his snare drum and high hat cymbal, as Jennifer stretched out with her clear, steady, lead voice; the ability to lower the volume without losing intensity is always taken as the mark of a top live band. It was a credit to the band's commitment to the songs they sing that this gig overall was more entertaining than the already impressive CD that they were promoting.
- Erin Tennant - The Echo