The members of Sleazy Way Out were kind enough to allow me to interview them during one of their rehearsal session. I got to sit in on part of their rehearsal time, enjoy their music, ask them a few questions and find out more about the band and the individuals who make up the band.

The band consists of: Stacey Sleaze on lead vocals, Cleve Hartwick on guitar and backing vocals, Dany Cardinal on drums and backing vocals and J-F Daigle on bass.

ML: You describe your style as sleaze metal, which bands would you say influence you?

SWO: Cinderella, Hardcore Superstar, Britney Fox, Motley Crue,  Dangerous Toys, L.A. Guns, Reckless Love

 

ML: Which band do you despise most in metal? No, NickelBack does not fit into this category!

That got the whole band laughing and they had to think about that one. 

Dany: I don't like Death, Gore, M-Core stuff like that, 

J-F: Speed metal, I hate speed metal. 

Cleve: Dillinger Escape Plan it's not our thing. Jazz metal and that kind of music is not for us either. 

Dany: Limp Bizkit as a band they don't like, but they argue it's not metal. 

SWO: We hate Korn, Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit, but those bands should not be considered metal.

By Tanya Kassabian

Standing in line, hearing the first chord of the guitar and being able to see the sweat on Jimmy's face, drinking a cold beer, does it get any better than Jimmy Eat World at Metropolis? The sound was perfection; the way it bounced off the walls and resonated perfectly in my ears was incomparable to anything I've ever heard before. Being so close to the band that I could almost touch made this concert even more amazing than I ever thought it could be. I was so overwhelmed that I actually cried. Jimmy Eat World has been my favorite band for as long as I can remember, but they've never really made it mainstream. Most underground bands perform at Metropolis before they get famous, which grants the audience the chance to see them in the best environment possible; Metropolis. It is the greatest venue for defining an artist's transition from underground to mainstream.

I sit with my notes in an ornately detailed wooden chair. Oddly enough, the expertly carved ivy that I rest my left palm on top of fails to capture any of my prolonged contemplation as it stands in the shadow of the many other exquisite items of furniture, technology, and general intrigue that occupy the vertically endowed living room that I find myself contently admiring. It may also be that this chair is hidden by the literal darkness of a room illuminated modestly by a far from modest dimmer-switch-equipped chandelier. I hold the complacent gaze of a child-sized Virgin Mary statuette lurking in a shadow across the room. I can't help myself from furrowing my brow in disbelief - this is no student home. It is instead the den of Wolfe Belkin, musical wunderkind, industry mogul to-be, and some sort of genius, though he wouldn't say so himself. He's inexplicably cool, in that timeless sort of way, and although this aura and dwelling at first appear to be the product of either his effortless sensibility or a trusty little trust fund, I come to realize that hiding behind my host's superfluously adorned hand-crafted Italian sunglasses is a piercing gaze that reflects the true source of his lair's aforementioned swagger in it's entirety; his brain. Beneath his deceptive air of nonchalance hums a relentlessly contemplative mind, because ultimately, Wolfe Belkin is one strange mother-fucker.

By: Meghan M.D.

The concert led with a darkened Bell Center and screams of anticipation.  While the guitarists punched holes through a wall that separated them from the excited audience, the lead singer bored one through that same wall with a laser cutter, expelling a glowing red light. This was it. It was about to begin. The minute he sang, I don't think anyone could help but notice the LED light was in his mouth! The drums exploded, ringing out like hammers. This was the beginning of a spectacle Montrealers had been awaiting for the better part of a decade.

After a ten-year absence from Canada, fans were beginning to wonder whether Rammstein would ever cater to North American again. The last time they were in this region was during the Mutter tour in 2001. However, December 9th of 2010 changed everything. They came back from their hibernation, rocked North America and are planning to do so again on May 1st, 2012. The German sextet is back and better than ever!

Being one of the largest cultural hot spots in Canada, Montreal is an important stop for most major bands that tour across North America. That being said, there are a variety of incredible venues to choose from for any band visiting this vibrant city. From rock to hip-hop to metal and everything in between, there is a venue in Montreal to suit any musician's needs. In this list I'll break down my top five venues to catch your favorite rock band rip it up.

5. The Bell Center

There are few things that speak to the depths of an artist's passion like their music collection. While sitting comfortably in the studio of Montreal DJ and producer Bowly, surrounded on all sides by massive bookshelves nearly overflowing with records, I came to realize just how much this man truly loves music. With a record collection that he's been growing almost non-stop his entire life, it's clear that Bowly's passion for music runs deep. With records that range from the soulful house of Moodyman to the funky rhythms of Geiom, his collection is notably unmarked by the trappings of genre limitations that can be the downfall of so many DJs, and by sheer volume alone makes a strong case for this DJs dedication to his music and his craft.

Upon entering the home of 17-year-old Brandon Mignacca, one of the first things you're likely to notice is the soothing sound of classical piano, serenading you as you approach the music room in which he spends hours a day practicing. That is, unless he's out unleashing a sonic hurricane with his band, Chair Warriors.