Category: Interviews
Vancouver based Tripping West is founding members Orlando Kutic (Bass) and John Bardsley (Drums). Formerly Swimming With Lions, they were looking to start a new project, and so they recruited Tricia Kelly (Vocals) and Alex Picard (Guitar/Keyboards) in order to start the new project. Formerly known to fans as Ouest, Tripping West have been playing live in and around the Vancouver area since 2004
The band has been hard at work in the studio for the past 4 months. With great songs and an energetic live show they are popular among fans locally, and have found quite a following on the Internet, too. The are hosting their CD release party September 27 at the Media Club in Vancouver, with special guests the Welsh Brothers.
A long time member of the Project Opus community, we are excited to spotlight this power pop quartet (sometimes quintet) who draw comparisons to Blondie, Cranberries and The Pretenders, with melodic and interesting rock songs. Orlando and Trish took a moment to tell us about the band, their songs and even take a few jabs at each other.
You’ve been together since 2004, and really seem to click as a pop/rock band. Tell us a bit about where you come from and what brought the four of you together.
Orlando: We’re all Canadian, from two different parts of the country. Alex (guitar and piano) and myself (bass and guitar) are from Montreal, and Tricia (vocals) and John (drums) are from Vancouver. John and I first met playing in a band called Pink Parlour, an experimental feminist rock group. When that surprisingly didn’t work out, we started a band Swimming With Lions in 2003, which was the precursor to this project. After a bit of a shake up with that group we made some personnel changes and invited Tricia, who had come in a few times to do back up vocals, if she would like to step into lead. Alex came to us through divine intervention it seemed, or through football if you prefer. I had organized a Superbowl party to which he was invited by a mutual work friend, and following the game he mentioned music, so we decided to jam. I had told him we were looking for a lead guitarist, and he assured me that he wasn’t really a lead guitarist. When he busted out the Stevie Ray Vaughan I told him he was exactly the kind of non-lead guitarist we needed, invited him on board, and the rest, as they say, is history.
At what moment did you know that this lineup was going to work?
Orlando: I think that the moment came in early 2006. We had a bass player who had just left the band, so I jumped from rhythm guitar to bass for a few shows. This move was initially temporary, but everyone told us that we sounded awesome as a 4 piece. We have subsequently added a fifth member (Blair Curtis) on rhythm guitar for live performances, and he has brought some much needed enthusiasm back into the fold.
Tricia: And more cowbell.
Although I like both names, I have to ask: Why the switch from Ouest to Tripping West?
Tricia: A lot reasons really. It was a hard decision to make because we really like the name OUEST (the French spelling of WEST). It suited us well, and there was a good feel to it. But it came down to the fact that a lot of Anglophones had trouble with the spelling and pronunciation of a non-English word. Promoters got it wrong often (it was usually spelled QUEST), and people said it wrong (often we got OUST), and we figured that in the age of the Internet, an easily spelled name would make access a lot easier for our fans.
Orlando: It was all about marketing the band. After dealing with the problem of having our name mangled on posters, we decided to change it to something more user friendly. To us, Tripping West is a positive evolution of the original name. West remains in the name, in order to represent where Alex and myself headed in order to discover our band mates. Tripping symbolizes having fun and discovering new adventures. It’s all about the positive.
Tricia: Plus the chicks dig it.
You make your own comparisons to the Pretenders and Blondie, which are some pretty big shoes to fill. The comparisons are not only musical, but they were both fronted by strong female personalities with all male band mates. Is that something that you‚ve consciously created, or is it just the musical style that draws that connection?
Orlando: I think that our musical style is what ultimately drew these comparisons. When we first got together as a band, we didn’t really have an idea as to whom we could compare ourselves. One of the first people to compare us to Blondie was our producer Rick Welin. The first time he heard us play, he told us that we reminded him of Blondie. We then began to be compared to the Pretenders because of Tricia's vocal style and delivery.
Tricia: I would have to say, though, that it isn’t entirely unintentional. Obviously we play to our strengths, and have developed our music in our own style. But it certainly doesn’t hurt to have these comparisons made, both for promotional purposes, and to feed our temperamental artistic egos.
Although I’ve never deliberately tried to sound like Chrissie Hynde or Deborah Harry, I’ve certainly tried to channel their rock chick energy and essence. I'm trying to add Johnette Napolitano, and Ann Wilson next. Perhaps Annie Lennox, if I may be so bold. I think it helps to have role models, to see how people before you have done it, and changed it, and made it there own. It is interesting to see that although there very often is a patent formula to success, in the most successful cases it is the unique individuals that people love. That voice, those words, that style. What we’ve tried to do essentially is combine the best of what we’ve learned from watching and listening to the greats, and use it to filter the raw, original ideas that come from ourselves. It's an ongoing process, with a tapered learning curve, but we're happy with the results so far. Can’t wait to see what comes next!
Who would you say are your influences?
Orlando: I think that as a band, our music is influenced by every band member’s taste. I know that for myself, Sammy Hagar was a big influence in terms ofjust picking up an instrument, playing and having fun. John is influenced by bands such as The Pixies and The Police. U2 is also a big influence for myself as well as Alex. I'm influenced more by Bono’s song writing, while Alex is a big fan of Edge‚s guitar playing, as you will notice when you listen to a track like Not Today.
Tricia: I think that if Orlando loves Sammy Hagar so much he should marry him. Just kidding Julie. It’s so hard to pin down influences if you are a lover of music. Obviously the Beatles were a huge influence for me, as with many other people born, well, last century. Growing up, I loved ABBA, Blondie, Heart, the Bangles, Concrete Blonde, and the Go-Gos. Chick rock rules! But I would have to say that my greatest influence for this album is the Bare Naked Ladies, specifically their album Gordon. You can’t really peg it as one set style, it's just great music from start to finish.
Not Today was one of my first favourites on Project Opus, which I see as a song about personal struggles with a difficult love. What are some of your inspirations for song writing? Heartbreak, Social Change, Rebellion?
Tricia: Tequila. Well, to be honest that's more of a performance enhancer than a song writing inspiration. Although the Drinking Love Song was almost called the Ballad of Tequila, so that's gotta count for something. But really, 99% of the time, writing songs is all about love. Or relationships anyway.
Orlando: Most of my inspiration comes from relationships, whether in love or just in general. I think that relationships are probably the most important facet of everyday life. Everyone is always looking to either have a relationship or end one. I like to write about these little struggles, which are sometimes my own and other times just what I notice about various people I meet. I also like to tackle some more serious issues. On this album I wrote lyrics to a song called Could You Be Me, which deals with overcoming anxiety and depression. The issue was easy to undertake as I had suffered from depression and still battle anxiety on a daily basis.
Tricia: For me Not Today was the cathartic experience. Well, one of them anyway. It was my way to express not being able to express myself. I think women often just assume that we are the great communicators, and that all men are terrible at it, but that really isn’t the case. Not today was my admission of being a lousy communicator in relationships. It is about how hard it really is to say some of the most important things you need to say to the people you love, and more specifically how long you can keep relationships going by dancing around issues and never really getting to the heart of the matter. It’s about self-preservation and limiting your vulnerability, without totally blocking someone out.
Vocally it represents the delicate balance that we often strike to keep things going, but musically it portrays the highs and lows, the repetitious or cyclical nature of these relationships, and the building tension that we inevitably feel in such situations.
Who writes the lyrics and the music for Tripping West? Is it a total band effort, or does one of you come in with an idea and then work it out?
Orlando: The lyrics and basic chord patterns are written by Tricia and myself, and the music is arranged by the whole band. The way it usually works is that Tricia or myself will come in with a song and play it for the rest of the band. We then hammer out our individual parts and throw ideas around to make the song better. Although Tricia and I do most of the original writing, it's really John and Alex who bring this whole thing to life. John is just good at playing the perfect drum part to match the mood of the song, and Alex is a master of layeringguitars and piano. They really are the driving force of Tripping West’s sound.
You are about to release your first CD. What was the experience like? How long did it take?
Orlando: The experience was fun, exhausting, and gratifying. It took 4 months from the first drum track to the last mix, but the whole planning process began almost a year ago. A lot of people don't realize just how much work goes into recording a CD. Keep in mind that we all have day jobs and had to work around our schedules to get this done. In the end, no animals were harmed in the production of Scenes From Our Lives, and that's the most important thing.
What did you learn this time that you will do differently next time, or make sure you do again? Is there any wisdom that you can now pass on to someone else about to go into the studio?
Orlando: I’ve learned that there is no such thing as perfection. You will always find flaws in your recordings. The important thing is to not over examine each track to the point of making it sound bland, just because you want it to be perfect. For anyone out there that is planning on recording a CD, my words of wisdom are as follows. Be ready to have a lot of small disagreements with your band mates as well as your producer. However, once the project is done you will become a much tighter unit because of the struggles you’ve overcome together.
Tricia: Yeah, I kind of took a different lesson from it all. In the age of digital recording, with the software that we now have available for editing and enhancing music, I think it’s crucial to get initial recordings as perfect as possible.We spent a lot of time fixing mistakes in editing that would have taken a lot less time had we just re-recorded it correctly in the studio. I think it is essential to develop a trust in your own instincts for what is good enough, and what isn’t...what you need to push yourself or your band mates harder on. At the same time you do need to develop a trust in your band mates opinions, and an instinct on when to let go on an issue. It’s a balance between striving for best that you can do, blending differing artistic tastes, and enjoying what you're doing and how you're doing it.
My words of wisdom for recording are get the foundation as solid as possible. It is so time consuming to fix a crappy recording after the fact, and all the special effects in the world aren’t going to help make a bad song good. If you start with a good song, and get a solid recording of the basic elements, you can't really go too wrong. You can always experiment and try new ideas in editing and production (and there’s always the “undo” button when you need it), but if you start with a shaky foundation you are going to spend all your time and resources trying to hide the flaws that are probably just going to show through in the long run anyway.
Playing live or recording in the studio. Which do you prefer?
Orlando: I prefer playing live, just because of the instant gratification. When you're in the studio, it almost seems like there is no end in sight. However, when you're playing live, the audience is there to tell you if they like it or not, on the spot. I'm also more of a social character; therefore, interacting with people is always more fun that interacting with computers.
Tricia: They are both such different experiences that it is hard to compare them. I really wouldn’t want to do one without the other. There is no feeling in the world like playing a live show when all your fans are out there dancing and singing along, shouting, applauding, holding up lighters or cell phones (gotta say, that was pretty cool the first time that happened!). It is a total rush, and it makes all the hard work and time put in worth it. But for me there is something equally gratifying about going into studio, seeing a song through from start to finish, and having this end result that you can listen to and play for other people, that you can take pride in as a tangible result of your creativity and hard work. I think recording makes us better musicians and performers, and really helps tweak the songs. I don’t think there is a single song on this album that isn’t a much better song now for having gone through the scrutiny of recording and editing. So, yeah, can’t wait to play more live shows, can’t wait to get back into studio. I love it all!
You play clubs, bars and outdoor shows. Do you change up the songs for a live performance depending on where you are or to keep things interesting for yourself?
Orlando: Absolutely. It’s important to cater to your audience. We play a lot of shows out in smaller towns around the city, and for those our set list might include a lot of classic rock cover tunes. When we play in town, we tend to concentrate on original material and more contemporary and alternative covers. There’s just not that same demand for Poison covers in Vancouver.
Tricia: Oh, I beg to differ! I think everyone secretly loves a little “Every Rose Has It’s Thorn”. Either that or they all just want a chance to slow dance at the end of the night. Why not do it to some classic cheesy 80s ballad? I mean, if you're going to go all junior high nostalgic, might as well go all the way baby!
What type of show can fans expect to get when they come to see you live?
Orlando: They will get a good and honest rock show without pretension. We’re a very down to earth band that likes to have a great time on stage and involve our audience. We also like to down our fair share of Tequila.
Tricia: Hell yeah!
Are you touring to support the CD release?
Orlando: There are no plans to tour just yet, but we will be playing a great deal in and around the Vancouver area. We do hope to tour eventually when our budget will allow it.
Based on your recent show schedules, you play live a lot. Is touring something that you want to do more of?
Orlando: Absolutely. I think that touring is where the real fun in music is. I hope that we get the chance to do it in the near future when it will be more feasible.
You guys are based in Vancouver. What do you think of the Vancouver music scene? Have you found it to be supportive of your style of music?
Orlando: I’m a big fan of the Vancouver music scene. There are a lot of great bands just waiting to be discovered. I like the fact that Vancouver is one of those cities that gives indie bands a chance. You don't really need to know anybody in order to play. In Montreal, the situation is a little different. If you don’t know anybody on the inside, you will never get a chance to play more prominent venues. The Vancouver music scene has been very supportive of our style of music, and we hear great comments from all the people that come out to our shows.
Tricia: And that’s not just our friends and family! Even total strangers who’ve stumbled in off the street seem to genuinely enjoy the shows. They like us, they really like us!
You have a lot of Internet profiles that you keep up to date and, of course, you participate in the Project Opus community. By all accounts, you're working the online world for the artists. Do you feel that it makes a difference in how you relate to your fans?
Orlando: It makes a big difference. We can now connect with fans all over the world. We have fans in South Korea and India, in Sweden and the UK. Without the internet, we would be limited to our friends and family, and some of those strangers that stumble in off the street. The internet has opened up a whole new world for indie bands, one that was virtually nonexistent a few years ago. Today internet promotion allows us to function on the same level as some major acts. We can reach a wider fan base and promote our music, mostly for free, from the comfort of our own home.
Tricia: It is pretty sweet, and we are taking full advantage. I used to work in radio, typical fm stations, and realized long ago that there was no way a new or independent band would be break into the biz that way. If your music isn't sent in by a major label you won't get played. They essential pre-select all the top 40 hits. It works the same way all big corporate business does... they won't make a move unless they have tangible and expensive market research that proves something will work before they actually try it. (Whether it actually works in the long run or not is a rather secondary point). That is why it is such an exciting time for music right now. The advent of the internet has opened up whole new possibilities for music as a business as well as an art form. It truly is the dawn of a new era, and it's cool as hell to be a part of it.
How much time do you spend online managing this aspect of your career?
Orlando: I spend about 3 to 4 hours a day updating, and just surfing our various sites in order to keep them updated and see if we're gaining any new interest out in the cyberworld. It's really a fun thing to do. I compare it to planting seeds and watching them grow into flowers. It’s amazing to see just how much interest can be generated on the Internet, even as an unknown act.
Tricia: I think that’s an apt comparison, only I’d prefer to see them grow into hemp. A highly valuable and sustainable, multi purposed resource you know. (Won't somebody please think of the environment!)
Your CD is coming out September 27th. What’s next for you?
Orlando: Play more shows! It's all about getting our name out there and getting people out to see us live. We will also be promoting our CD to college radio stations, film and TV, and even some record labels. Hopefully someone out there will like what they hear and that will help us continue our musical journey. We have also started writing some tracks for our next CD, but that is still in its infancy stage.
Tricia: Yes. You know, a lot of crying, and napping, and drinking out of bottles. But seriously, I am really looking forward to playing more. Not just shows, but rehearsals, jamming, composing, getting back to why we were doing this in the first place. It’s easy as an independent band to get caught up in all the other aspects of the music industry ... recording, promoting, managing all the other little details that require your attention if you want to be serious about it. But we’re really doing this because we love playing music, and it will be great to get back to doing a lot more of that.
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