Strike To Spare

Strike to Spare formed in the spring of 2001 under the name Alternation--the brain child of Emerson Baxter and Taylor Wyatt, who met while attending high school in East Toronto. Emerson had always wanted to play guitar and sing in a band, and once he learned that Taylor had a Starter Jazz Kit gathering dust in his basement, Emerson convinced him that rather than selling the drum kit, it should be put to good use. Soon after they had begun jamming together, the boys enlisted guitarist Joe Evansen, another friend from school, and longtime pal David Pearson on bass. But Alternation was short-lived. Due to creative differences Joe left the band, and guitarist Ryan White joined--and Strike to Spare was born.

After performing some small local shows, Ryan went away to college. The three remaining members of STS recorded a demo with the production help of Alex Mycan (currently a member of the band Blue Light On) in Mississauga. Six months after finishing their first five-song demo "The Penny Jar," vocalist and guitar player John White (No relation to Ryan) was recruited by the band as their fourth member.

Since May 2004 the composition of Strike to Spare has remained the same--Emerson Baxter and John White on vocals and guitar, David Pearson on bass guitar, and Taylor Wyatt on drums. During this time together, the boys have developed a strong musical chemistry that is apparent in their recordings and especially during their live shows.

STS has been playing shows more and more frequently, and in November of 2004 recording began on their soon-to-be-released EP, "The Fear in Others." The new songwriting material is more comprehensive and creative than their previous efforts, signalling that the band has begun to come into their own. As David puts it, "We feel we've finally found our niche both musically and lyrically." Jules Phillips-Swift (guitar player/vocalist for the up-and-coming Toronto band The Labour Of) is currently finishing the final touches in the production of the EP, which is set to be released at the beginning of February.

Strike to Spare's musical influences include the bands Thrice, Taking Back Sunday, The Lawrence Arms, MatchBook Romance, and Alkaline Trio.

In terms of songwriting, much of the material comes from the pen of John White, who brings his personal experiences into every dynamic song he writes, and conveys his emotions through his powerful singing voice. The voice of Emerson Baxter counters John's with a rawness that is refreshing and sincere, and he is a gifted guitarist with a million ideas for new chord progressions. Also, David Pearson brings an intensity to the bass that makes his on-stage presence entertaining to watch. And last but certainly not least, Taylor Wyatt is a creative and experimental drummer who rarely drums without a grin on his face.

As a member of Strike to Spare, a talented band sure to see success on the Toronto music scene, why wouldn't he be smiling?