Music
Press
"Madman Orchestra play rap music, but in a much different way than rapping over a record beat....Their performances are definately "shows". When you hear strains of the classical masterpiece of Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries that opens their show, you automatically think it's going to be big. They don't disappoint. Lead singer Homie Smiles, 21, comes out with a big fur coat, no matter the weather. His look is reminiscent of '70s blaxploitation films like Superfly, where "pimps" showed off their bling every chance they had."....
"His vocal stylings rival many mainland MCs and he's got the swagger of a rapper."...
"On stage, they wear colourful costumes, and every performance they give is 110 per cent, whether they're playing for 20 or [a full house]. Their debut album, Outpatients garnered them multiple nominations from the Music Industry Association of Newfoundland and Labrador and they showcased at the 2005 East Coast Music Awards. The band also represented the province at the Xtreme Bandslam Competition in Toronto during Canadian Music Week 2005 and recently opened for Canadian rocker Fefe Dobson. It's a new sound for "The Rock" and it's catching on, slowly but surely."...
"The tunes are irresistibly catchy and automatically makes you want to move your "booty" to the beat."...
"The reaction to the band in mainland circles has been extremely positive, and if they were in such places as Toronto, they'd probably already be an established band."...
"The new CD, "What's Real or Not", recorded in St. John's and mastered in Los Angeles, has a number of tunes that can make an impact on radio. The single, Can't Stop, and the second single, Problem, have garnered some local airplay. The other tunes on the album are also strong without the serious side that permeated parts of their debut." - The Newfoundland Herald, Kevin Kelly, October 2, 2005
"The mainstream music industry is a harsh and unforgiving battleground built upon the charred remains of countless small, independent bands all trying to make it big. Occasionally, the charred remains will also be of the bands' gear, as when Madman Orchestra's studio caught fire this summer, sending their guitars up in a puff of smoke. Still, a band this fresh couldn't stay down. Madman Orchestra is a six piece group that meshes hard rock with energetic rap in a manner far-removed from the horrors of nu-metal."...
"The group's primary focus is on rocking the audience, providing a raucous live show that would always be memorable. Their stage presence has garnered fans all across the Conception Bay South area." - The Muse, Anshuman Iddamsetty, September 16, 2004
"Every band wants a hit album; we already have it - you just haven't heard it yet," is Madman Orchestra's motto, and the musical group just might be right. The St. John's sextet is far from a classical orchestra - the group, fronted by rapper Homie Smiles, spits out alternative hip hop rhymes combined with rock and roll tunes in a style that could make Linkin Park jealous."...
"And Out Patients just might be the ticket to sucess amoung the hip hop crowd with its driving guitar riffs, piano solos and burning rap lyrics." - The Telegram, Tara Bradbury-Bennett, July 30, 2004
"Daring and Different this album could go places"
"[Out Patients] does include some fine melodies, and lead rapper Homie Smiles is a smooth vocalist." - The Newfoundland Herald, Kevin Kelly, June 27, 2004
For the rap lover on your (Christmas) list, the Madman Orchestra is Newfoundland's originators in "rap and roll." Their second album, What's Real or Not, is a growth from their dark debut to an all out party vibe this time around. You may have already heard Problem on the radio, but there are other great tunes on this CD, including Can't stop, Feed my Addiction and Madman's Mind. The album isn't subtle by any means, but that's a good thing for a hip-hop record. - The Newfoundland Herald, Kevin Kelly, November 27, 2005
"As St. John's was digging out from a major snow storm, a phenomenon of another kind hit Charlottetown, PEI, over the weekend. The band is Madman Orchestra and it blew everyone away Sunday night at the 2006 East Coast Music Awards conference's Sneak Peek Rising Stars Showcase."
"With their distinctive blend of rock and rap, the six-member ensemble put off a spectacular, high-energy show that left audience members, both young and old, floored."...
"Of the five up-and-coming acts that performed Sunday, this group was, by the far, the most unique - in both its music style and its fashion style." - The Telegram, Rosie Gillingham, February 27, 2006
Discography
“Out Patients” – 2004
- Debut Album, 10 tracks plus one hidden track
- Two singles, “Danielle’s Song”, and “Farewell” garnered airplay on CKIX-FM (99.1 HITS FM), CHOZ-FM (OzFM), CBC Radio, and CHMR (campus radio)
- A third single “Verbal Soup” also received airplay on CHMR
- Nominated for four 2004 MIANL (Music Industry Association of Newfoundland and Labrador) Awards
”What’s Real or Not” – 2005
- Sophomore Album, 11 tracks, professionally mastered @ Precision Mastering, Los Angeles, CA
- Officially released on October 8, 2005
- “Problem” and "Feed my Addiction" have received airplay on CKIX-FM (HITS FM), CHOZ-FM (OzFM), CHMR, as well as CKEC Radio in New Glasgow, NS. "Problem" also received airplay in Charlottetown, PEI's Magic 93.
Photos
Bio
STORY OF A MADMAN
Winners of Newfoundland’s 97.5 K-Rock Xtreme Band Slam, Madman Orchestra was off to compete in the National Xtreme Band Slam (XBS) competition in Toronto as part of Canadian Music Week 2005, where they passed through the semi-finals and into the finals to be one of the TOP 4 Indie bands in Canada!
This six-piece rock orchestra blends Rock and Hip-Hop together with crazy lyrics. They call it “Rap’n’Roll”. The band channels this sound into a unique, highly energetic and captivating live show. Madman Orchestra has shared the stage with Fefe Dobson, The Salads, High Holy Days, Classified, Thornley, and Theory of a Deadman.
The now 6-member band started out as a recording project initiated in 2002 by now frontman Homie Smiles and his friend, Powder (who had since left to study music). They approached GW [Head Engineer and Producer] and Noel Lee [Second Engineer and Producer] of Hi-Tone Entertainment with their vision of recording an album.
Soon after, GW [Guitar], Noel Lee [Bass], and Glynn Power [Drums] collaborated with Smiles as he recorded his material. As they mutually recognized one another’s talents and the potential of combining the young rapper with a rock band, Madman Orchestra was born in 2004 with the completion of their debut album “Out Patients”. Other contributors to the album include Boyd Bragg & Danielle Smith.
Once the studio recording was near completion, Homie Smiles, GW, Noel Lee, Colin Skinner, Glynn Power & Boyd Bragg began performing live shows. Shortly after, Bragg had to leave the group due to previous life commitments.
Madman Orchestra was in search of a new singer. Turns out it would be a girl. Singer and songwriter Lindsay Barr joined the band in April 2004. Madman Orchestra continued to win one fan over at a time in downtown St. John’s, and a few places just outside the capital.
But there was one morning in July 2004 that word came of a fire in the building that housed Madman’s master recordings, instruments, and one band members recording studio gear. With the cause of the fire unknown, there was no insurance. This was devastating. But it would not stop them. They eventually decided to find another permanent studio home.
In the meantime, Madman Orchestra relied on alternate places to practice and continued with the already-scheduled CD Release of their debut album “Out Patients” in late Summer 2004. The album garnered multiple nominations from MusicNL, had singles played on local radio stations, and the band earned the MuchMusic Alternative Rock Showcase at the ECMA Conference in February 2005. They were competing in the National XBS Competition.
Barr toured with the group for almost a year, but she left to concentrate on her own writing and her own band. After one last lineup change, the final member of the band is the lovely and talented singer and songwriter, Judith Morrissey (May 2005) and now Deena Baker (2008).
Madman’s sophomore album "What's Real or Not" was professionally mastered at Precision Mastering in Los Angeles, California and was officially released in October, 2005, garnering radio play both locally and abroad. It will be eligible for the MusicNL awards in November 2006. It was after the release of this album that Madman was awarded the performance of the coveted Sneak Peek Rising Stars Showcase (Presented by Warner Music Canada & CBC Galaxie) at the ECMA Conference in February 2006, where they also played 8 more times within 3 days!
The lyrics and rap style of Homie Smiles, the sweet and sexy singing style of Deena Baker, and the seasoned musicianship of the band combine to create a charismatic group with a highly energetic party sound and a kick ass live show!
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