Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
"Whitby Band Amplifies Fun"
Source:www.durhamregionnews.com
While a lot of people are fans of Star Wars, it's rare for bands to take their name from the sci-fi classics. Whitby group Kessel Run though did just that.
"We're really big Star Wars fans and the Kessel Run is from Star Wars, Han Solo, The Millennium Falcon," singer/bassist Jay, a.k.a. Conno, says with a laugh.
"We could never come up with a band name that we could all relate to," singer Nathaniel Flower adds. "We're all huge nerds too so we wanted it to relate to something that we all know and enjoyed."
The group, which plays Oshawa's The Dungeon on July 8 and Ajax's Santa Cruz the following day, formed last summer. Jay says Kessel Run, which also includes drummer Adam Barker and guitarist Kyle Wallace, jelled quite quickly.
They also invented a new term to describe their primarily rock and punk sounds and styles.
"We actually self-proclaimed ourselves as 'funcore' because we all have different backgrounds of music," Jay says. "You can't really label yourselves anymore so that's why we describe ourselves. It's fun amplified."
Kessel Run released an eight-song EP earlier this year entitled If They Catch Us but continues to write new material. As for the songwriting process, Flower says he usually writes the lyrics but everyone comes to the table with ideas.
"Sometimes there will be conflicts but they're creative conflicts," Flower says. "We have arguments but they're always constructive and we always end up coming out with something sounding better. We put it all together and work it out."
"If we don't like something, we want the other people in the band to know that," Jay adds. "That way you can fix it in a way that everyone can agree with."
While making the EP was hard work for Kessel Run, it was definitely something band members enjoyed. They also enjoy how the music scene in Durham and Oshawa is flourishing.
"There are a lot of really talented bands around here that are getting noticed," Flower says.
But there are also a few drawbacks.
"I think if we had a lot more venues it would be better," Jay says. "We were actually talking to a guy today about it and there are not that many venues all the way around. It would be great if there were a lot more or even one or two more places to play."
The group hopes to keep playing and grow their local fan base, possibly recording new material later this year.
See MacNeil's weekly online music roundup at:
newsdurhamregion.com
searchkeyword: durhammusicroundup
Jason MacNeil is a freelance writer in Durham Region. Contact him at kingjinpusan@hotmail.com.
- Whitby This Week
DURHAM -- The Whitby band Kessel Run ran away with first place in the fourth week of Bandwarz 2006 competition.
The self-proclaimed "funcore" rockers combine many music genres, including rock, emo, punk and alternative in their "heavy-but- catchy" style.
"Bandwarz has been a great experience for us" commented Kessel Run's Nathaniel Flower. "It's already given us a lot of recognition, and has introduced us to lots of other local talent. We plan to practice hard for the finals, tightening our performance, so we can release electric waves of rock to the audience, and grow a bigger fan base." - Whitby This Week
Discography
If They Catch Us… EP (2005)
1 – To All The Little Whores Who Tried
To Convince Me Otherwise
2 – Handshake For A Heartache
3 – Keep Me Hush Hush
4 – En Route To Dagobah
5 – Possessed Monkey Island
6 – “I Love You.” “I Know.”
7 – The Western Song
8 – Tonight We Drink For Fun.
(Save The Heavy Hearted Stuff
For Heavy Hearted Times.)
Kessel Run Demo (2006)
1 – MacGyver (If There is One Thing He Taught Me It’s You Can Solve Anything With A Pocket Knife)
2 – Corner Light
3 – Goonies Never Say Die
Kessel Run has recieved airplay for songs off of their "If They Catch Us..." EP, on the Durham College radio station "The Freq."
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Kessel Run is united by an extreme desire to deliver solid Rock and Roll tunes, without boundaries to the masses. They are fueled by their equal passion for music, the odd picnic at a park and their appetite to continuously grow as performers, writers, pole dancers and musicians as a whole.
For those who know the origin of the name Kessel Run don’t be fooled, for any thought of space navigation with Chewie and the gang, have been put on hold. If you were to dig deeper into the personal meaning of Kessel Run, you may find that the fictional name could in fact symbolize the bands vast imagination and belief, that their music should have no boundaries; neither should where they take their music. However, this four piece band from Whitby, Ontario wouldn’t want you to think too hard on the band name alone. Hear it and embrace it. Now you are ready to make some noise!
The bands skills of writing captivating vocal melodies and solid guitar riffs with contagious rhythm, that will have you jip joppin’ and bip boppin’ like someone put a snake in your pants. This can be shown audibly on their recent recordings. Do you want a snake in your pants? I do. “Music is an expression of feelings, emotions and ideals. Therefore each and every one of Kessel Run’s songs, is a creation of combined passion and influences,” comments vocalist Nathaniel Flower. This union has birthed a unique yet catchy sound that makes it difficult to be bound by any generic labeling. Kessel Run’s sound comes from a number of genres such as: rock, pop, post hardcore, punk, alternative and others. When asked by peers their musical style, the band has self labeled themselves as “Fun!Core”.
The band’s late 2005 EP release “If They Catch Us…” helped Kessel Run begin to establish a local fan base, continuing to spread their music through local gigs and in the Toronto area. Kessel Run contacted local Courtice label Standing 8 Count Records and their interest in working with the band put things on a positive note. However due to the owner’s busy personal schedule working with Standing 8 Count Records hasn’t taken off.
It was early 2006 when Kessel Run was back recording a new demo. The passion and excitement the band felt from immortalizing their music on a disc could not keep them away from a studio long. The demo would include three of their newer songs. The band collectively felt these songs having been electrifying for live gigs and having more depth then their older songs would be perfect to unleash.
Kessel Run has done well for the year and few months they have been a band. Although in the beginning, finding this formidable line up of friends to take on the world proved difficult, they are here now and these are only the early days. So strap in! Or on! This band will rock all those people who are willing to listen, and even those who aren’t. Continuing to grow as a band, with their; electrifying stage prescence and band chemistry. “If They Catch Us…” “They won’t…”
Links
