The Creekwater Junkies

Besides producing some of the hardest hitting original material I've heard in years, The Creekwater Junkies are a dedicated group of dudes who enjoy their craft more than any band I know. Their sound is a clever combination of deep fried southern rock, and straight edge heavy metal. Don't expect screaming, expect to sing along with bar anthems, and intricate lead guitar lines that will have you shouting for an encore. I see big things for this band, and I see them happening soon.

Matt Diamond,
Afternoon Drive, 94.9 The Rock.
- Matt Diamond

By Shain Shapiro:

It’s no surprise that alcohol and music are bedfellows. Some of the best music ever written was done so under the influence, whether the songwriter admits to the fact or not. Yet, alcohol is a serious substance that does damage to one’s body, and some of the worst affected, at least historically, have been those who perform professionally in rock bands. Whether it’s a case before set time or a mickey afterward, alcohol affects music making, both positively and negatively. But very few acts laud alcohol for its ability to unleash the drinker’s creativity, as heavy drinking is usually kept under wraps, to keep the audience from knowing how much booze it takes to perform the way they are accustomed to. But this is not the case from Cobourg–based quartet The Creekwater Junkies. Established on Canada Day in 2007, these three blokes drink, write songs and do not hide the fact the one is the direct result of the other. “If you want call drinking a theme, then there ya go,” admits lead guitarist Mitch Cuming. “Half of our songs are about or involve booze and partying somehow, and I’m sure then it won’t come as a surprise that yes, we always bring the party and booze to wherever we go, of course.”
Harking back to the late 1970s when hard rock and garage jamming intersected, the Creekwater Junkies perform simple, no holds barred rock and roll, done with gusto, machismo and of course, under the influence of one thing or another. Guitars rattle amongst bashed snare drums, croaky vocals and loud, driving bass lines. It’s unabashed, tipple–driven rock and roll, so much so it sounds out of place and time, anachronistic even. “In a small way we do feel our music is anachronistic, due it borrowing multiple influences from musical eras that precede the one of today,” explains Cuming. “To us, the present industry market is flooded with clone bands that are formulated to sound like what is popular right now in order to generate capital based on someone else’s success. Whereas in our case, we like to draw influences from eras past and present spanning across multiple genres to form a brand of music we like to play and listen to.”
The result of all this is a five track EP titled Off The Beaten Path, which the band released independently last year. It was recorded close to home, just outside of Cobourg, and emphasizes, quite specifically, the band’s musical intent moving forward. “The sound of the EP is very polished, so it doesn’t necessarily sound live, or as we sound live,” adds Cuming. “However, I will say that every track you do hear on the EP is played live and off the floor. We don’t record fourth and fifth guitar tracks to layer on top of each other in the studio, because when we are playing in front of people, we only have two guitars to work with. It would really take away from the whole experience if when you came to see us a whole bunch of stuff that was on the studio track isn’t present live.” Yes, with this lot, what you hear it what you get. It’s honest, insomuch as what influenced the product in the beginning to what emerges after the influences are tweaked in the studio setting. “We had about 15 tracks to choose from to create this EP, so after we selected the five on there we just went into the studio and banged ‘em out,” continues Cuming. “We were maybe in there five days over two weeks, which resulted in the tracking, editing and pretty much every process except mastering getting done in that time frame. Time wasn’t really a concern for us, it just kinda happened that way, fast and furious to be frank.”
With the EP doing the rounds of local media and selling well at shows, the next obvious step for the Creekwater Junkies, after drinking of course, is to record a full–length album on the basis of the EP’s success. But with this band, recording more is a priority, but not one to be rushed. Instead, they will wait until the circumstance fits, and use the EP until a label or backer comes along with the resources to support a full–length. “Like all bands, we want to put out a full–length album. Currently however, without a label backing us, it doesn’t seem feasible to release a full–length on our own, as distribution of said album would be much harder to do. So right now it looks like another six or seven–song EP will be coming before a full–length does,” replies Cuming.
“Plus, after talking to a couple of our contacts in the industry, it just doesn’t seem cost effective or practical to release a full–length album without proper distribution and promotional support behind it. If we did go and record a full–length, then say six months later we strike a deal with a label, there’s a good chance it’d have to be redone with producers, better recording, new songs or whatever, so we’d rather do the first one right with the proper resources.”
So until then, it’s best to grab a few pints and go see the Creekwater Junkies celebrate alcohol’s influence on music live. It will be memorable experience, worthy of nursing a hangover the next day. V [SHAIN SHAPIRO]

THE CREEKWATER JUNKIES
Saturday, January 30
The Corktown Pub
175 Young
905.572.9242 - View Magazine