Lucky 13= 13 questions+13 answers = a whole lot-ta fun.
Electric Revival is a popular underground Rock band. Frontman Ian Dillon took time out of his hectic schedule ( the group is currently on tour) to talk about life on the road, performing live and their latest album.
Electric Revival Q&A with Abby from Curtains Up.TV
Q1) Electric Revival formed in 2009. What inspired you guys to start a band? How did you all meet and where?
We all grew up together in Innisfail Alberta, and some combination of the the 3 of us have always been playing in bands together. The Electric Revival was a name I used to call basement tapes for a solo project I was working on in late 2009, they were really just sketches of a project I wanted to start but at the time I was playing all the instruments and writing the arrangements and releasing material online. By 2011 Dallas was sitting in on drums for recordings and in 2012 Daniel joined the band on bass. The very first live performance under the name The Electric Revival was played on November 14th 2012.
Q2) what were you up to before the band? Was music always something you guys wanted to do or was it just a hobby?
Music has always been very important for the 3 of us, we’ve been in a number of bands together in the past, No Pride, Cerberus, War Eagle Rising, Adverse Reaction and Victimize to name a few.
Q3) Does the group name Electric revival represent your music in the sense that a lot of music journalists have commented on how ‘old’ and ‘retro rock’ your sound is.
Maybe… I wanted to call it The Electric Black at first but later changed my mind.
Q4) Do you find that comparisons to Led Zeppelin and The Black Keys are fair or does it bother you when critics compare you to other bands?
I don’t like being compared to the exceptional talent in both groups, but I think we sit somewhere in-between the two, we are all rock bands.
Q5) Which group or artist are you a fan of that would perhaps surprise people?
We are all Super Joint Ritual fans
Q6) It’s your first North American tour. What mode of transport are you travelling by? Do you have a van, bus…personal helicopter? Is there anything you’re worried about in regards to being on the road? Or something in particular you’re looking forward to?
We just bought a late 70’s Chevy van with plush velvet interior, it’s rad. We are no strangers to the road, we love going to new places and making friends, this will be the bands first time east of Saskatchewan and we are excited to come party with y’all.
Q7)Let’s talk about your recent and second album : Pirate Radio. How long did it take for you guys to write? Also, what was the recording process like? Was it long hours in a studio ?
Pirate Radio was recorded at Electric Park Studio in Calgary from April 10th to 15th 2013. About 75% of the album was created on the spot, live in the studio in 5 days. A few songs we were playing live at the time, like See That My Grave Be Kept Clean and Hell Hath No Fury. It was a fun way to make an album with that much material (60 minutes) because you just had to let everything flow, there was no time to over think your parts, you had to lay it down and move on.
Q8) You released a follow up five song EP shortly after Pirate Radio was distributed. Why is that? Is it true that your fans had been demanding more singles?
The 5 song EP was recorded around the same time as Pirate Radio for an unplugged show we had booked, so it was just hanging around. After our first tour for Pirate Radio we decide to put it out while the band was taking some time off from performing to write our next upcoming album, which we plan to release in September of this year.
Q9) What is the best show/performance you’ve ever had and which was the worst?
So many great shows to remember, the ones on Vancouver Island stand out, Portland, the Pirate Radio release at The Palomino and Hairy Christmas at The Bamboo. The worst would probably be our first show, I think we cleared the room.
Q10) What would you say is the weirdest thing a fan has ever said or sent to you?
Fan pictures of our bass players hair.
Q11)You guys will be in Montreal at Café Chaos March 5th– Give us one reason why Montrealers need to head out and check out your show!
We like to rock n roll, and we have this really cool theremin/guitar. Come have some fun with us!
Q12) What band would you absolutely love to open for and why?
Boz Scaggs! for obvious reasons.
Q13) Which song on your album, would you say best represents your life right now and why?
Got To Be, we are having so much fun touring and playing music right now, we are living free and easy.
The Electric Revival will be performing in Montreal at Cafe Chaos March 5th
Mar.6 Ottawa – Avant Garde Bar
Mar.7 Toronto – The Central
Mar.8 Toronto – Cherry Cola’s
