Static Revolt

EMC News - Local Ottawa band Static Revolt will be kicking off the New Year's celebration at The Rainbow on Dec. 31 from 4 to 7 p.m.

Band members Avi Agulnik, 24 guitarist, Aaron Gravel, 20 bassist and Scott Masterson, 30 drummer and Tim Miller, 27 lead singer, are more than pleased to entertain their fans as they ring in the New Year.

Static Revolt's sound is reminiscent of mid-90s rock. They have been playing together for the last two and half years and have been fairly successful with two EPs out and another on the way.

Whatever you do don't refer to them as a heavy metal band or a pop rock band as Gravel explained, "We're not a metal band, but we're not like John Mayer." It's a well-known fact that a lot of great Canadian talent inevitably moves south to the U.S. so their music can be produced and marketed with zeal.

"There are big bands out of Canada but we have a long way to go," said Gravel. "Bands have to go to the U.S. to break into the market." Gravel's interest in music began when he first heard Seattle band Nirvana.

"I love their raw energy. That's when my obsession with music started." Static Revolt is putting in the time it takes to make it, as they rehearse as much as they can in between going to their day jobs. Agulnik and Miller work as mechanics, Masterson works as an auto detailer and Gravel studies film and music at Carleton University.

"We're trying to bring rock back," said Miller. "Our goal is to be the biggest band in the world." As the band experiences more success the original goal of being professional musicians is ever more a reality.

"It's exciting, we're definitely looking a this as a business and career option." Rock and roll needs a bit of old school soul as Agulnik explained, "There's too much soft rock out there. We're a band who's aggressive, who puts everything we have into our music. We want to be bigger than Deathclock." Agulnik got his start in a pretty unique way, "I'm a Yakama wearing Jewish boy. I took my Bar Mitzvah money and bought a guitar and I've been playing it for the last 13 years." Masterson said he dreamt about being a musician when he was younger and then experienced the moment for real.

"I was in the dressing room preparing for the show and felt like I had seen that scene before. I got to play in front of 2,100 people." Static Revolt has had a lot of local success playing gigs at Rainbow, Mavericks, Pub 101, Live Lounge, Avant Garde and more across Ottawa. They've opened for Buck Cherry, Pretty Reckless and Bleaker Ridge. They have competed in Live 85.5 Big Money Shot and performed at Ottawa 67's games.

Their top five favourite songs are Sinners Tongue: about sex and temptation, Persephone: about the Greek myth, At Home: the felling of being home, Rise and Fall: about being there for your friends and The Slinky Song AKA Passion Infectious: super egoistical rob zombie-esque anthem of liberation.

They are currently working on their third EP and preparing to tour in the New Year. They are hoping to play at the Junos and Bluesfest.

Fans can find them on their Facebook page www.facebook.com/pages/STATIC-REVOLT.

Fans can contact them through their Facebook page to purchase their EP.

-Janice Thiessen - EMC Orleans