Lo-Fi Rock Band, Women

Women Bassist Matthew Flegel and Drummer Mike Wallace, Photo: ERICA TIMMERMAN

ERICA TIMMERMAN, Suite 101, Apr 09

Don’t be fooled by the band’s name. Women are actually an all-male under-20 rock band who delves into lo-fi, psychedelic rock, reminiscent of 1960s Velvet Underground. Not that they ever consider themselves of the same caliber.

“We’ve even been compared to the Beatles which is unacceptable, untouchable territory. You can’t say our band is like that,” said bassist and vocalist Matthew Flegel in an interview with Suite 101.

Maybe then of the same caliber as ambient punk peer, Deerhunter, perhaps? Women’s self-titled debut album flips back and forth between catchy pop songs, like the well-received ‘Black Rice’, and ominous industrial post-punk, such as “January 8th.”

One thing that stays the same throughout the album, however, is the constant tape hiss and the far-away voice of main vocalist, Patrick Flegel, singing songs in a monotone drone.

Childhood Friends

Women were signed onto Calgary label, Flemish Eye Records, where the band’s hometown is. Through the help of Indie legend, Chad VanGaalen, they were able to get the retro sound they wanted by recording on tape in basements, culverts, anywhere an echo was likely to be heard.

The quartet are childhood friends and family who grew up together and went to the same school. “Mike [Wallace] the drummer lived a block away from us. Pat is my brother and I’m the oldest by three years. We’ve been playing together since we were 12,” said Flegel.

Flegel admits he and his band mates were avid listeners of 60s music and pointed to the Everly Brothers and Skeeter Davis as inspiration for their own music. At one point they dispersed as a band and went on to play back up for Xiu Xiu and Hella.

By 2008 the friends got back together, formed Women and sent some demos in to Ian Russell, president of Flemish Eye. Within three months they produced their album, released it in October 2008, and since then have been on the road touring throughout Canada, the U.S. and Europe.

“We’ve covered so much ground in such a short period of time,” said Flegel. “We’re actually getting really used to it. Like I’ll get home and get really antsy. This is all I ever really wanted to do.”

Non-Stop Touring

In March and April 2009 Women went on a tour across the West Coast with Chad VanGaalen, playing in locations such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle. They received many positive reviews, -the San Diego CityBEAT described Women as “basement rock goodness” – and even sold out concerts.

“Everything has been mind blowing,” said Flegel. “In Calgary the shows are a really small, closed in scene. Some 50-60 people come. But touring we have filled up venues with people who shouldn’t even know who we are.”

This summer Women will be packing up again and touring throughout Europe which they are very excited about because they’ll have a chance to meet rock heroes Sonic Youth and The Jesus Lizard.

“At the Primavera Sound festival [in Barcelona, Spain] we will be setting up a point system. Like you’ll get five points talking to this person or that person,” explained Flegel. “I’m going to try and get a conversation with Neil Young, that will be worth 100 points.”

The Multi-Talented Chad VanGaalen

Indie rocker Chad VanGaalen, Photo: ERICA TIMMERMAN

ERICA TIMMERMAN, Suite 101, Apr. 09

Calgary rocker, Chad VanGaalen, often wishes he could go back to busking his hometown city streets before he unintentionally became an indie darling.

“I learned by busking I could usually make $200 a day and pay my rent. It’s what I wanted to do and was a great life,” said VanGaalen during an interview with Suite101.

That was the past however and today VanGaalen is fast becoming one of the top Canadian indie singers as well as a favourite in the U.S. and Europe.

Unconfirmed Style

After signing onto Flemish Eye Records in Canada and Sub Pop Records with the U.S. in 2004, he released his first album, Infiniheart, to critical acclaim. The Globe and Mail described it as, “Pulp fairy tales that are easy to enter, so hard to leave behind.”

Since then he has worked hard to write, produce and animate a new album every two years. In 2006 he came out with Skelliconnection and in 2008, the album he is promoting currently, Soft Airplane.

VanGaalen’s songs are original and experimental. His willowy, fragile voice sings songs of death and dreams in beautiful context. He uses a variety of instruments, including the harmonica, ghetto blasters, banjo and his favourite, the Steinberger, a small electric guitar.

His music moves back and forth from rock flirtations to electronic diversions to folk digressions. In Skelliconnection VanGaalen was accused of alienating his audience because he was creating too much noise and not enough music. His record producers asked that he concentrate on a niche and stick with it. Soft Airplane has a more defined balance, VanGaalen said. “It’s not too thought out, but is a happy medium of improv and focus.”

Critics have a hard time pin-pointing his style. The magazine Treble Zine commented, “The reason I may not be able to put a finger on that extra quality is most likely what makes him one of a kind.”

Some relate him to rock legend, Neil Young, but VanGaalen declines the compliment. “I didn’t listen to him at all growing up. I thought he was this burnt out old hippie dude.“

Instead VanGaalen said he often seeks inspiration through ambiance music, trains and bird songs. “Music can get kinda boring,” he explained, so he looks for natural sounds to get his mind thinking outside the box.

Notorious Homebody

VanGaalen spends the majority of his time in his basement where his studio is. There he writes songs, records music and animates the videos that accompany them. Recently he recorded the debut album of the band, Women, using ghetto blasters and old tape machines to create a lo-fi, psychedelic sound.

VanGaalen is vehement about his distaste for touring, explaining he would rather stay home creating music than performing. “I would much prefer making videos than I don’t have to leave the house. Seems crazy to tour because I get the same message out and I put as much good energy into what’s produced.”

But the power of the record label is high and so is the demand from his fans. Recently he completed a tour throughout the West Coast that proved successful. Seattle Weekly wrote, “ If Chad VanGaalen is any indicator, Canadians have excellent taste in music.” He toured with Women and almost every night tickets were sold out, VanGaalen said.

This coming May VanGaalen will be touring again, across the Atlantic and around Europe. This particular tour he is looking forward to because he said he likes the European lifestyle.

“In North America when you say you are an artist, people think you make no money, but when you’re an artist in Europe, they let you express yourself and are more accepting.”