SLAVE to the SQUAREwave

5 church street toronto ontario canada M5E 1M2 t 416 862 2000 f 416 862 8364 w www sparksmusic com
SLAVE to the SQUAREwave
- bio –
“The music industry has completely forgotten that people want to be entertained and
that’s what SLAVE to the SQUAREwave does.”
- Montreal Music Scene
Picture Devo. Now picture Devo, but with David Bowie as the singer. Now picture
Devo with Bowie, but they’re all sporting Talking Heads suits and influences. Now
picture a squarehead…and you might just begin to get the feel for the music of
Toronto’s SLAVE to the SQUAREwave.
Brought together in 1999 at a rave, where singer Colin Troy and keyboardist Rob
Stuart were each playing solo sets, SLAVE to the SQUAREwave was born out of a
mutual admiration for the bands mentioned above…… a penchant for fat, funky bass
lines…. that infectious retro dance beat and a flare for the dramatic on stage. Made
complete through the addition of Andrew Starr (guitar) and Doug Lea (drums), mere
words cannot describe the experience of their energetic live shows, where Troy easily
takes the title of the most riveting front man to emerge in recent years!
The band’s incredible live show did not go unnoticed among judges of the 2003
Emergenza contest in Canada, who voted SLAVE to the SQUAREwave the best band
in this country from over 350 contestants. Playing at the world Emergenza finals in
Germany was the highlight for the band that year, where they performed for
thousands of cheering fans. And speaking of cheers, the staff at Club Soda in
Montreal, where SLAVE to the SQUAREwave opened for new wave legends The
Fixx, said, “This is only the second time in 5 years that the opening act has received a
standing ovation”.
2004 saw the band tour Florida twice; playing during the March break festivities in
Boca Ratan, Ft. Lauderdale, Hollywood and Orlando, plus a three day stint in June at
the Parliament House in Orlando. With a unique, clever, original mix of ‘80’s electropop
and driving drum beats, SLAVE to the SQUAREwave also garnered the attention
of one Howard Stern in the “Restless Restless” songwriting Contest on his American
syndicated radio show. Placing in the top 30, Stern said “I would love to see these
guys play live”.
5 church street toronto ontario canada M5E 1M2 t 416 862 2000 f 416 862 8364 w www sparksmusic com
Iconic Canadian DJ Dave Marsden remarked “SLAVE is better than Scissor Sisters”
and called SLAVE to the SQUAREwave “The best band of 2006”. Several of SLAVE’s
songs have been in steady rotation on 94.9 The Rock and on www.pulverradio.com.
“Pumpin’ Up the “P” House” was heard in the long running TV series Degrassi: The
Next Generation and Fashion Television, shown in over 70 countries worldwide, has
placed several SLAVE to the SQUAREwave songs in its shows, finding a perfect
balance of dance, funk, melody and upbeat rhythm for its audiences.The “P” House”
track has recently been remixed by Toronto DJ’s Soundbluntz and is destined to
become a national club hit!
Meanwhile the title track has also been remixed and serviced to alt rock and pop radio
across Canada.
SLAVE to the SQUAREwave are set to release their major label debut, entitled “BIG
CHANGE”. “Lyrically, this album is about post university graduate blues”, states singer
Troy. “The album was written about the frustration of the middle class. It’s about
human beings being eaten alive in suburbia … and about sex too !”
SLAVE to the SQUAREwave recently signed with Toronto’s newest indie record label
Sparks Music.Sparks was created in early 2007 by major label veteran Larry Macrae
and well known artist manager,promoter and marketer Jeff Rogers.They have joined
forces with Andy Crosbie and Angus MacKay who owned and operated Ready
Records,once home to Spoons,Blue Peter and the Demics.Sparks is housed within
the offices of Sparks Productions[a commercial television production company] in
downtown Toronto.
Sparks Music is distributed by EMI Music Canada.
The SLAVE to the SQUAREwave album[Big Change] will be released on September
25.
www.slavetothesquarewave.com