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5 Questions With Familiar Strangers

Familiar Strangers Familiar Strangers (Ryan Peters, Josh Gladstone and Daniel Draper) put on a great show Sunday night at Drums N Flats. Their set list included original songs like Bar in Seattle, as well as covers of Avicii’s Wake Me Up, Barenaked Ladies’ Pinch Me and The Lumineers’ Ho Hey.

Which band do you want to reunite this year?

Ryan: Groove Street

Josh: On The Rocks

Daniel: Dispatch

Who would you like to see win big at the Grammys?

Ryan: Taylor Swift

Josh: Mumford and Sons

Daniel: Daft Punk or Robin Thicke

Do you think music videos are still important?

Ryan: Videos are a good way to get to know the band’s personality. OK Go have a really cool music video with them walking on a treadmill, which showed off their quirkiness. I think [music videos] are still important.

Josh: I think we’re in an age of visual people because of YouTube etc., so if people want to get famous, they have to go down that route, or else they won’t have a presence. But in my opinion, music should always be primary.

Daniel: I don’t think they help artists sell music, but they’re good for artists that want to make a statement. I like Lupe Fiasco and Macklemore because they recently came out with some interesting videos. What Beyoncé did by putting out a video for each song was incredibly unique and made a statement. They’re not just dancing videos; they’re telling stories.

January 20, 2014 by Sarah Prince

Behind The Band: Familiar Strangers

After studying at different Canadian universities, Ryan Peters, Josh Gladstone and Daniel Draper are reuniting to perform old favourites at an acoustic show. To call Sunday night a reunion would be an understatement because some of their high school friends haven’t seen each other in over four years. The low-key concert (promoted through a Facebook event) will offer a chance for Familiar Strangers’ fans to reconnect over drinks at an uptown bar in Toronto.

In honour of #FlashbackFriday, here are some exclusive insights about Familiar Strangers’ music and the band’s aspirations. Consider this a commercial-free digital spin-off of E! True Hollywood Story and enjoy.

Ryan (piano and vocals) plans to become a teacher, so he’s studying education at U of T and Daniel (guitar) is travelling for eight months before moving to Calgary for a consulting job. Meanwhile, Josh (guitar, cello, recorder and oboe) is a Project Specialist in Bell’s rotational program for new graduates.

Ryan Peters (2011)

Daniel Draper (2011)

Daniel Draper & Josh Gladstone (2006)

Growing up, they enjoyed playing music at summer camp. “We wrote a couple Familiar Strangers songs by the campfire,” explains Josh. Likewise, Daniel’s counsellors influenced his taste in music and they introduced him to some of the tracks he plays on repeat today.

In high school, they liked listening to Billy Joel, Dave Matthews Band and John Mayer. Back in the day, Daniel sent Ryan music via MSN Messenger, but now that’s merely something they’re nostalgic about. Ryan mainly listens to Top 40 and show tunes, “as nerdy as that makes me.” Josh discovers new music through streaming apps like 8tracks, as well as satellite radio. If you subscribe to SiriusXM, Josh recommends listening to The Pulse and The Blend. He’s also a huge fan of Mumford and Sons. “Opening for Mumford and Sons in front of a big crowd at the Molson Amphitheatre is the dream.”

If their dreams come true, then Familiar Strangers’ music will be featured on primetime TV. Ryan believes their “music would take any HBO show to the next level.” If a Game of Thrones producer includes their music in an upcoming episode, “it would be the greatest thing ever,” adds Josh.

January 17, 2014 by Sarah Prince

Behind the Band: June and the Bee

After meeting June and the Bee at Aspetta Cafe in Kensington Market, I was delighted when the band’s lead singer Emma agreed to do a Behind the Band interview.

What makes June and the Bee’s music unique?

We write our music using our lives as a malleable creative substance from which to draw upon. We play from a place of infectious joie de vivre and are utterly unconcerned with being anything other than what we are.

What can you tell readers about your songwriting process?

As a trio we all bring an ingredient. My brother, Eli, is the melody guy. While he plays, words are usually jumping down from the shelves of my mind and arranging themselves into lyrics. Lyric writing happens all the time. My way of processing an experience is turning it into a song. Zoe, our third member writes the wonderful harmonies. Her technical background in classical music grounds the band in an awareness of dynamics and all those elements that may seem miniscule but are responsible for the song being something we love to sing. As we have continued to grow as a band, we have started to share the different roles in the songwriting process.

Professional role model: Carrie Ferguson

When we first entered the folk scene, Carrie took us under her wing, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the essence of pure joy when playing regardless of the stresses and pressures the road ahead could present. We pride ourselves in being able to tend to that creative joy and let it radiate through our music. This joy is detached from the ego and is more about collectively sharing than about individual self-worth.

What is your approach to promoting the band?

I manage the band’s social media, regardless of the fact that I have historically been ‘living under a rock,’ so to speak. We love to keep things as personal as possible. Being from a small town, you know everyone. We want to invite all of our fans to be a part of our musical family. We usually just send out our mailing list via carrier pigeon. so if one morning you hear a tap on your window…you’ll know we are in town. If you are a part of the Facebook world, Like us because we adore you!

August 10, 2013 by Sarah Prince

Behind the Brand: Fossil

It’s one thing to shop at Fossil and follow them on on Facebook or Twitter.

It’s quite another to learn more about the accessories brand from an insider.

Name: Lori Petteplace

Position: PR & Marketing Manager

Employer: Fossil

Education: Psychology, McMaster University

In 140 characters or less, describe your role at Fossil:

Out-of-box promoting and event planning to increase brand awareness, sales & desire of the brand while crediting 1 of our wholesale partners

How does Fossil foster creativity at the office?

Fossil has their finger on the creative pulse for their employees. We have an open and engaged idea environment, where ‘answers are in the room’ round-table discussions are common. We sincerely and actively pursue placing people in roles that suit their personality, creativity, talents, desires and ambitions.

Fossil works with many brands, but its partnership with Michael Kors seems to be the most well known. Why do you think Michael Kors watches are so highly coveted in particular?

Michael Kors has taken aspirational ‘Jet Set’ lifestyle and presented it to the fashion-conscious individual at attainable price points. Further, he provides a head-to-toe look emphasizing not only his apparel but also his finishing accessories – the statement watch, stacked jewellery, a handbag and footwear.

May 15, 2013 by Sarah Prince

Behind the Band: Two Hours Traffic

Some Western students may have missed Two Hours Traffic’s last local concert to attend Homecoming festivities instead. Thankfully, the Canadian band is returning to Call the Office on Tuesday to promote their new album Foolish Blood.

Their latest tour began at the end of February and recently included a stop in Texas for the SXSW festival. No matter where they perform, Liam Corcoran, lead vocalist for Two Hours Traffic, emphasizes he values his eastern Canadian heritage.

“The sound we have is kind of reminiscent of the Halifax pop sound,” Corcoran remarks. “I think between the way we write songs and the way we sound, I think we belong to a kind of family of bands that started out in Halifax. Also, [it seems] we must have an accent, although I don’t really notice it.”

Two Hours Traffic is content living in Prince Edward Island, but Corcoran has his eye on Toronto as his future home. Corcoran admits America’s song-writing capital Nashville, Tennessee is a particularly appealing alternative too.

“We have a lot of friends [in Toronto] and family as well. We know the city really well,” Corcoran says. “I’ve never seriously thought about anywhere other than Toronto, [but] I daydream about a few places.”

Recognizing concerts with major headliners are relatively rare in Canada’s remote areas like the Northwest Territories, Corcoran likes playing there because everyone truly appreciates the opportunity to see them play live.

The band’s catchy hit song “Jezebel” has been featured on many film and television soundtracks, including in episodes of popular teen shows like One Tree Hill and Gossip Girl. Eager to interact with fans that discovered them on such TV shows, Corcoran and his fellow band mates tend to hang around the merchandise table after concerts.

March 15, 2013 by Sarah Prince

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