Colour Color

"It's not very often a band surprises me but Colour Color have done just that. Brilliantly combining intricate "math rock" stylings with the right amount of pop sensibility, Colour Color may have made one of the most interesting records I have listened to in years. Bravo!"

-Alexander Reed - Go Radio

"Pop rock has seen its years; it has been rehashed, dissected and revamped many times over. Now that the genre is in silver days, bands must be at the top of their game to rise as the cream of the crop. Colour Color attacks on all fronts with well thought out riffs, memorable vocal hooks and puzzle piece instrumentation. Tasteful song writing is their ace in the hole, demonstrating the member’s veteran skill set. Presented in crystal clear production, their debut “the Farther We Go” will surely put them in the saddle among the other fore runners of the genre."

-Bobby Markos - Native

"When I first heard colour color, all I could think of is "fresh". Their sound is an amazing mix between indy rock and pop. And I love that about them. They do an amazing job sticking great music into your head."

-Jeff Schneeweis - Number One Gun

"It's exciting working with artists that truly value human expression. Their objective is simple and focused; capture the intended emotion of the song and translate it through a speaker. Colour Color accomplishes this with ease. It's always a pleasure working with them."

-Matt Grabe - Producer
- Alexander Reed - Bobby Markos - Jeff Schneeweis - Matt Grabe

"It's not very often a band surprises me but Colour Color have done just that. Brilliantly combining intricate "math rock" stylings with the right amount of pop sensibility, Colour Color may have made one of the most interesting records I have listened to in years. Bravo!"

-Alexander Reed - Go Radio

"Pop rock has seen its years; it has been rehashed, dissected and revamped many times over. Now that the genre is in silver days, bands must be at the top of their game to rise as the cream of the crop. Colour Color attacks on all fronts with well thought out riffs, memorable vocal hooks and puzzle piece instrumentation. Tasteful song writing is their ace in the hole, demonstrating the member’s veteran skill set. Presented in crystal clear production, their debut “the Farther We Go” will surely put them in the saddle among the other fore runners of the genre."

-Bobby Markos - Native

"When I first heard colour color, all I could think of is "fresh". Their sound is an amazing mix between indy rock and pop. And I love that about them. They do an amazing job sticking great music into your head."

-Jeff Schneeweis - Number One Gun

"It's exciting working with artists that truly value human expression. Their objective is simple and focused; capture the intended emotion of the song and translate it through a speaker. Colour Color accomplishes this with ease. It's always a pleasure working with them."

-Matt Grabe - Producer
- Alexander Reed - Bobby Markos - Jeff Schneeweis - Matt Grabe

There is a fine line between progressive music that alienates the average listener and structured pop which can pander to audiences, effectively compromising artist integrity. Newmarket, Ontario alternative rock duo, Colour Color, have found a way to toe that line. Through channeling intricate, unpredictable song structures while employing wonderful pop moments, the duo have been able to craft an EP and LP that is as accessible as it is mysterious. So while some have pandered to the masses in order to attain elusive mainstream success, Colour Color have stayed true to their roots, and have crafted a sound that is uniquely, well, Colour Color. 

For Fans Of: Tides of Man, This Town Needs Guns, MuteMath 

Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.?Johnny Simmen and Kyle Sipress. When we record Johnny plays all the drums, sings all the vocals and plays rhythm guitar and I play all the lead guitar and bass. Live, Johnny plays guitar and sings lead while I play lead guitar and sing backup. We have friends who help us on drums and bass live.??What’s your hometown (or what are your hometowns)??The band’s hometown is Newmarket, Ontario where Johnny is from. But I am from Stevensville, Michigan.??How did the band come together? How long has it been??Johnny and I met in 2008 through our mutual booking agent, being in two separate bands we were booked on a month tour in the US together with Asteria. (My band - Carawae // Johnnys band - Fiction City). After the tour we kept in touch here and there (being that I live in the U.S. and Johnny lives in Canada, it wasn’t very often) Separately we continued to pursue music with our bands that we had begun developing since high school but eventually both of those bands fell apart. In 2009 Johnny ended up joining a band called These Silhouettes to play drums and they needed a lead guitar player so I volunteered to do it. The night before Johnny came to pick me up in Michigan, the lead singer of These Silhouettes randomly quit the band to pursue his thoughts of becoming a nurse. ?Johnny called me and explained the situation but I told him “come pick me up anyway, we’ll figure it out”, mainly because Johnny was one of the best drummers I had ever seen and I figured we could make something happen. We ended up living in the basement of Johnny’s parents’ house, writing, jamming and trying to find another great singer for These Silhouettes for about 7 months. It got to a point where Johnny and I quit the band because we saw it going nowhere in the direction that we wanted to take it. There were also other personal reasons why we left the band but let’s keep that a bit of a mystery. Being in Canada without a band we decided to start something on our own and began writing songs. After the first song was down, we didn’t have any trouble putting together 10 songs to choose from in order to create a 5 song EP. Shortly after writing the 10 demo’s we flew to Mesa, AZ and recorded our EP at Flying Blanket Studios, with producer Matt Grabe. In February of 2010 Colour Color was officially born.??Why should people listen to your band??We play honest, organic music with messages ranging from love, death, the illuminati, genetically modified crops and everything in-between. We busted our asses and paid for everything ourselves without the “help” of KickStarter and released both records for free, so why not? ??How have you grown since you started? ?When we started it was more of “let’s see what we can do to create a band,” and now it has gotten to the point where we know how to do it and what we want. I think this is evident when listening to the difference between our EP and our LP.??What sets you apart from other bands in the scene? ?We have separately been touring and playing in bands for about 9 years across the United States and Canada. We’ve been through the early mistakes that most bands make and have learned from those mistakes. I also think a main factor is that we don’t have a preconception for what our “sound” is going to be from song to song when we are writing. We want to sound like Colour Color; not someone else, which was a very important aspect while recording our new album. We used one microphone for the drums. We didn’t use drum replacement or samples; everything is real and I think a lot of bands are afraid to do that now a days.??What’s the best part about being in your band??The best part for me has to be that I’ve never operated in a band with only 2 main members. Things work a lot differently than any other band I’ve been in, which keeps things interesting. It’s just like that saying goes: “too many cooks in the kitchen, spoils the broth.” It’s easier to create something true when there are only two of us who are on the same page with everything. It seems like things come together a lot easier. I know Johnny and I would absolutely love to have a full time bassist and drummer to creatively add to our sound, we just haven’t found them yet, but they a - Michael Meeze

There is a fine line between progressive music that alienates the average listener and structured pop which can pander to audiences, effectively compromising artist integrity. Newmarket, Ontario alternative rock duo, Colour Color, have found a way to toe that line. Through channeling intricate, unpredictable song structures while employing wonderful pop moments, the duo have been able to craft an EP and LP that is as accessible as it is mysterious. So while some have pandered to the masses in order to attain elusive mainstream success, Colour Color have stayed true to their roots, and have crafted a sound that is uniquely, well, Colour Color. 

For Fans Of: Tides of Man, This Town Needs Guns, MuteMath 

Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.?Johnny Simmen and Kyle Sipress. When we record Johnny plays all the drums, sings all the vocals and plays rhythm guitar and I play all the lead guitar and bass. Live, Johnny plays guitar and sings lead while I play lead guitar and sing backup. We have friends who help us on drums and bass live.??What’s your hometown (or what are your hometowns)??The band’s hometown is Newmarket, Ontario where Johnny is from. But I am from Stevensville, Michigan.??How did the band come together? How long has it been??Johnny and I met in 2008 through our mutual booking agent, being in two separate bands we were booked on a month tour in the US together with Asteria. (My band - Carawae // Johnnys band - Fiction City). After the tour we kept in touch here and there (being that I live in the U.S. and Johnny lives in Canada, it wasn’t very often) Separately we continued to pursue music with our bands that we had begun developing since high school but eventually both of those bands fell apart. In 2009 Johnny ended up joining a band called These Silhouettes to play drums and they needed a lead guitar player so I volunteered to do it. The night before Johnny came to pick me up in Michigan, the lead singer of These Silhouettes randomly quit the band to pursue his thoughts of becoming a nurse. ?Johnny called me and explained the situation but I told him “come pick me up anyway, we’ll figure it out”, mainly because Johnny was one of the best drummers I had ever seen and I figured we could make something happen. We ended up living in the basement of Johnny’s parents’ house, writing, jamming and trying to find another great singer for These Silhouettes for about 7 months. It got to a point where Johnny and I quit the band because we saw it going nowhere in the direction that we wanted to take it. There were also other personal reasons why we left the band but let’s keep that a bit of a mystery. Being in Canada without a band we decided to start something on our own and began writing songs. After the first song was down, we didn’t have any trouble putting together 10 songs to choose from in order to create a 5 song EP. Shortly after writing the 10 demo’s we flew to Mesa, AZ and recorded our EP at Flying Blanket Studios, with producer Matt Grabe. In February of 2010 Colour Color was officially born.??Why should people listen to your band??We play honest, organic music with messages ranging from love, death, the illuminati, genetically modified crops and everything in-between. We busted our asses and paid for everything ourselves without the “help” of KickStarter and released both records for free, so why not? ??How have you grown since you started? ?When we started it was more of “let’s see what we can do to create a band,” and now it has gotten to the point where we know how to do it and what we want. I think this is evident when listening to the difference between our EP and our LP.??What sets you apart from other bands in the scene? ?We have separately been touring and playing in bands for about 9 years across the United States and Canada. We’ve been through the early mistakes that most bands make and have learned from those mistakes. I also think a main factor is that we don’t have a preconception for what our “sound” is going to be from song to song when we are writing. We want to sound like Colour Color; not someone else, which was a very important aspect while recording our new album. We used one microphone for the drums. We didn’t use drum replacement or samples; everything is real and I think a lot of bands are afraid to do that now a days.??What’s the best part about being in your band??The best part for me has to be that I’ve never operated in a band with only 2 main members. Things work a lot differently than any other band I’ve been in, which keeps things interesting. It’s just like that saying goes: “too many cooks in the kitchen, spoils the broth.” It’s easier to create something true when there are only two of us who are on the same page with everything. It seems like things come together a lot easier. I know Johnny and I would absolutely love to have a full time bassist and drummer to creatively add to our sound, we just haven’t found them yet, but they a - Michael Meeze

Newmarket, ON indie-rock band Colour Color released their first full-length September 1, 2012, The Farther We Go. It is a follow-up to their self-titled 2010 EP, which depicts an innovative take on experimental music and shows their listeners what it sounds like to devote their lives to improving overall musicality.

During the first 35-minute listen of The Farther We Go there was doubt that this duo would have a hard time grabbing new fans because of the sensual vocals and abnormal dynamics seducing and alleging the listeners in a peculiar way, but further listening proves fine textures, diverse rhythms and multiple dynamics are what make this album stand out as an imaginative piece of work with a inimitable twist.

Independently produced by Matt Grabe, The Farther We Go is also solely written and recorded by the duo, Johnny Simmen and Kyle Sipress. Artists that make it evident they’re taking risks through their music inspire Colour Color.

Simmen, lead vocals and guitarist, states on the Colour Color Facebook page that they “wanted to reflect exactly who [they] are as people and as musicians,” which is exactly what they did.

Single, “Leaving This State,” is sharp with guitar ringing through the chorus and sultry vocals creating a dissonance that mashes up with the underlying lyrics – “They would change us all / If they knew we would strive / to be the better part of the pain they caused.” Portraying a part of themselves is an easy task for them as many sudden dynamics within vocals and instrumentation intertwine seamlessly.

“Changed,” strikes as an eerie in-your-face seduction, but leading to the chorus the rhythmical lyrics explain, “Sometimes we need someone to show us / what we can’t see ourselves.” This song really indicates the wide overall sound of tone because of the unique, yet subtle, melody.

A standout track, for its continual vibrancy, “I’m Still a Minor,” is a funky track that makes you question the current era. Sipress, lead guitarist, shines with multiple fascinating riffs in his favour, while Simmen’s vocals still creating that indescribable eerie effect linger as he articulates, “This who you are / you can not pretend / you’re lucky you’re not dead / so just go with it.” Listeners can surely appreciate what Colour Color is capable of through this song (in addition to may others), since a fun-exciting chorus with cunning hints to surround keeps the musicality grounded and flowing.

Although at times it was difficult to pick out one track from the next due to multiple textures clashing and mingling, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The album overall shows truthful and passionate expertise hidden beneath the interesting mashing of vocals and instrumentation.

If this means that Colour Color will stick to their wide-ranging moralities as artists under an experimental indie-rock genre, that is sufficient enough incentive to grab a copy of The Farther We Go.

Keep an eye out for Colour Color show dates, as The Farther We Go sounds like a decent start to a stimulating journey.

Check out these tracks: Leaving This State, I’m Still A Minor
For Fans of: Circa Survive, Brand New


by Rebecka Calderwood - Rebecka Calderwood

Newmarket, ON indie-rock band Colour Color released their first full-length September 1, 2012, The Farther We Go. It is a follow-up to their self-titled 2010 EP, which depicts an innovative take on experimental music and shows their listeners what it sounds like to devote their lives to improving overall musicality.

During the first 35-minute listen of The Farther We Go there was doubt that this duo would have a hard time grabbing new fans because of the sensual vocals and abnormal dynamics seducing and alleging the listeners in a peculiar way, but further listening proves fine textures, diverse rhythms and multiple dynamics are what make this album stand out as an imaginative piece of work with a inimitable twist.

Independently produced by Matt Grabe, The Farther We Go is also solely written and recorded by the duo, Johnny Simmen and Kyle Sipress. Artists that make it evident they’re taking risks through their music inspire Colour Color.

Simmen, lead vocals and guitarist, states on the Colour Color Facebook page that they “wanted to reflect exactly who [they] are as people and as musicians,” which is exactly what they did.

Single, “Leaving This State,” is sharp with guitar ringing through the chorus and sultry vocals creating a dissonance that mashes up with the underlying lyrics – “They would change us all / If they knew we would strive / to be the better part of the pain they caused.” Portraying a part of themselves is an easy task for them as many sudden dynamics within vocals and instrumentation intertwine seamlessly.

“Changed,” strikes as an eerie in-your-face seduction, but leading to the chorus the rhythmical lyrics explain, “Sometimes we need someone to show us / what we can’t see ourselves.” This song really indicates the wide overall sound of tone because of the unique, yet subtle, melody.

A standout track, for its continual vibrancy, “I’m Still a Minor,” is a funky track that makes you question the current era. Sipress, lead guitarist, shines with multiple fascinating riffs in his favour, while Simmen’s vocals still creating that indescribable eerie effect linger as he articulates, “This who you are / you can not pretend / you’re lucky you’re not dead / so just go with it.” Listeners can surely appreciate what Colour Color is capable of through this song (in addition to may others), since a fun-exciting chorus with cunning hints to surround keeps the musicality grounded and flowing.

Although at times it was difficult to pick out one track from the next due to multiple textures clashing and mingling, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The album overall shows truthful and passionate expertise hidden beneath the interesting mashing of vocals and instrumentation.

If this means that Colour Color will stick to their wide-ranging moralities as artists under an experimental indie-rock genre, that is sufficient enough incentive to grab a copy of The Farther We Go.

Keep an eye out for Colour Color show dates, as The Farther We Go sounds like a decent start to a stimulating journey.

Check out these tracks: Leaving This State, I’m Still A Minor
For Fans of: Circa Survive, Brand New


by Rebecka Calderwood - Rebecka Calderwood

Colour Color – The Farther We Go

I don’t give the website Absolutepunk credit enough for the things they’ve done for me. For starters, they (meaning the staff members and fellow users) helped me to find out about music I would never have even thought existed, because most of my friends do not listen to that kinda stuff. In a way, this website is great, because it lets me interact with people who enjoy the same kind of music I do. For the most part, I really can’t do that, because not many people I know share my eclectic and eccentric taste in music. With that being said, Canadian alternative duo Colour Color is one band that I never would’ve found out about, thanks to AP.net. They recently put up their debut record, I believe, The Farther We Go for free on the website, and I finally got a chance to check it out. I must say, I’m quite impressed, and I’m not too impressed with random things I find too often. I felt as though I was in for a treat when I read that they have a sound not unlike Illinois alternative band The Graduate. If you’re a fan of the Graduate, you will love this record, and this band. There is a comparison there, but it’s not very obvious, so the band still has an identity of their own, yet sounding quite familiar. It’s interesting how that works, because I don’t hear too many bands like that often. When it works, it really works. This one is a case where it does work quite well.

The record starts off with “Look Around,” and immediately, it really captures my interest, because lead guitarist Kyle Sipress has a very interesting guitar riff here. It’s rather slow, and it sounds almost surreal, even. Vocalist/guitarist Johnny Simmen kicks in a bit later, and his voice is very unique, yet does have that subtle comparison to the Graduate’s vocalist Matt Kennedy. Not quite, but it’s there. I’m a fan of the Graduate, so that’s why I’m making the comparisons. However, I think I should probably stop with them for now. As I’m listening to this first song, it really sums up the band’s sound in about two and a half minutes. That’s not to say you shouldn’t listen to the whole record, though. It’s free, so it’s worth checking out. The first track alone is very important within a record; if it’s awful, I’m not going to be too excited to listen to it. In Colour Color’s case, it’s a well-crafted track. It’s different, and it’s rather unique. Their sound is really something I haven’t heard too often, and I like it. The next track is the title track, but this track has a bit of a faster tempo, which shows another side of the band. However, the very interesting guitar riffs, and very distinct vocals by Simmen continue. I failed to mention about the lyrics as well, and one of my favorite things about this record are the lyrics. They’re really strange, but not so strange where they don’t make sense. They sound poetic almost, and I certainly have not heard lyrics like these before. Are the best I’ve ever heard? No, not really, but they are pretty close. The title track is certainly one of the highlights on the record, and there are a lot. This is definitely one record that’s quite memorable, and really leaves a lasting impression on the listener. At least, it did with me.

Third track “Leaving This State” is certainly one of my favorite tracks on the record. It really just sums up what they’re about, or rather, what their sound is for the most part. To be honest, this band almost has a Circa Survive vibe with me, too. Maybe it’s from the ethereal guitar riffs, and the almost theatrical performance of Simmen. His vocals sound so haunting, and that’s what makes the lyrics a bit better, because he’s singing them in a very interesting way. Next track “Changed,” is where some variety comes in, because an acoustic guitar is the backbone of this song, so to speak. And unsurprisingly, it still works quite well. This song also has some of my favorite lyrics; they’re rather optimistic, yet still sound haunting. Sixth track “I’m Still a Minor,” has the weirdest title, yet is my favorite song on this CD. It begins with a very bluesy-guitar riff that sounds really cool, and just really interesting. It’s completely different from the rest of the record, but it fits perfectly in with everything else. It does not sound out of place whatsoever, and when a band is able to do that, that’s perfection. If I had to describe this song, I’d call it “groovy,” hands down. Next track “Stay the Same” follows this one-two punch, essentially; it also features a female vocalist named Maddy Rodriguez, and both Simmen and her sing wonderfully together. The lyrics on this song are quite lovely as well, especially when Simmen repeats “I guess you’re around when I need you.” This song is great. As for the rest of the record, it’s quite enjoyable. There’s only a few songs left, but album closer “Yet Again,” is a great closer, because it’s rather slower, yet still fits in with the rest of the record.

Overall, this record is fantastic; the - Bradley Ryan Christensen

Often times, the biggest disappointment in a debut album is the lack of consistency from one song to the next. It’s quite common for new artists to compile a featureless panorama of songs that point in all directions. Such is not the case for Colour Color, an independent band hailing from Newmarket, Ontario. With only approximately 40 minutes of released material under their belt, Colour Color makes a fairly strong first impression on the indie scene with the release of their debut LP The Farther We Go.
The two-member team, comprised of Johnny Simmen and Kyle Sipress, has certainly spent the time refining their sound. The thought given to achieving a collective style that beacons more surprises than predictability is something that can be appreciated in an age when melodramatic emo-pop bands are a dime-a-dozen.
The ten tracks of The Farther We Go are in and around the four-minute mark, with the longest track clocking in at 4:37. While one might argue few of the songs go on for longer than they should and could have been cut to avoid giving the album so much room to breathe (in the case of an EP, it’s generally stronger when it’s tighter), it’s hard to tell what Colour Color could have done without. Just when you think a track has reached its plateau, an unexpected stand-alone riff or interesting diversion immediately draws you back in.
Though the songs don’t have a lot of empty space in them, they do make a greater impact when played standing alone. Truthfully, the repetitive textures in the middle of the album don’t stick. But this is not to say the album, which opens and closes with a bang, becomes unpleasant at any point. If a slightly more stimulating melody could be tapped to keep the ball rolling between tracks, there is no doubt the boys will easily become the new poster children for young alternative bands.

by Caryn Ceolin | @Caryn_Ceolin

HCS Journalist - Caryn Ceolin

Often times, the biggest disappointment in a debut album is the lack of consistency from one song to the next. It’s quite common for new artists to compile a featureless panorama of songs that point in all directions. Such is not the case for Colour Color, an independent band hailing from Newmarket, Ontario. With only approximately 40 minutes of released material under their belt, Colour Color makes a fairly strong first impression on the indie scene with the release of their debut LP The Farther We Go.
The two-member team, comprised of Johnny Simmen and Kyle Sipress, has certainly spent the time refining their sound. The thought given to achieving a collective style that beacons more surprises than predictability is something that can be appreciated in an age when melodramatic emo-pop bands are a dime-a-dozen.
The ten tracks of The Farther We Go are in and around the four-minute mark, with the longest track clocking in at 4:37. While one might argue few of the songs go on for longer than they should and could have been cut to avoid giving the album so much room to breathe (in the case of an EP, it’s generally stronger when it’s tighter), it’s hard to tell what Colour Color could have done without. Just when you think a track has reached its plateau, an unexpected stand-alone riff or interesting diversion immediately draws you back in.
Though the songs don’t have a lot of empty space in them, they do make a greater impact when played standing alone. Truthfully, the repetitive textures in the middle of the album don’t stick. But this is not to say the album, which opens and closes with a bang, becomes unpleasant at any point. If a slightly more stimulating melody could be tapped to keep the ball rolling between tracks, there is no doubt the boys will easily become the new poster children for young alternative bands.

by Caryn Ceolin | @Caryn_Ceolin

HCS Journalist - Caryn Ceolin

Band: Colour Color
Album: Colour Color EP (2010)
Genre: Rock/Experimental
Influences: Mutemath, Copeland, Brand New.
Rating: 5/5
By: Shayla Miller


Colour Color are a rock duo based out of New Market, Ontario. It is comprised of Johnny Simmen (lead vocals/guitar) and Kyle Sipress (lead guitar/back up vocals), with the help of Mark Schroor (drums) and Steven Foster (bass) during their live shows. I first heard the band when they performed in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Immediately I was captivated by their sound and very intimate performance. I was sold, and after the show I promptly purchased their CD.

It is certainly a breath of fresh air in the sometimes stale and bland rock genre.
The simply titled “Colour Color EP” was recorded at the legendary Flying Blanket Studios in Mesa, Arizona. It is certainly a breath of fresh air in the sometimes stale and bland rock genre. The songs on the EP really showcase the bands ability to write catchy pop-rock songs, whilst remaining true to their overall sound. Vocals are a stand out aspect for me. Intriguing and unique, they really bring the tunes to life. The songs are very upbeat and every one of them will leave you with a smile on your face. Full of clever lyrics and catchy hooks, this collection of songs is not one to be missed. Colour Color give me hope that meaningful and heartfelt music is still thriving. Be sure to check out their five song EP, available on iTunes!

The Good: I’ll leave you with my standout tracks from the album, “My Prize” and “Someone Else.”

The Bad: The only thing I don’t like about it is that it leaves me wanting to hear more songs! Very talented group of guys.

The Ugly: Currently, the band is back in Arizona (which means Canada will miss them) recording their first full-length album. Make sure you keep your eyes peeled for its release! Can’t wait to hear what they come up with!

http://www.myspace.com/colourcolor

Review by: Shayla Miller - Shayla Miller

Colour Color is:

Johnny Simmen - lead vox, drums, rhythm guitar
Kyle Sipress - backup vox, bass, lead guitar

Location: Ontario, Canada
Genre: Rock

In this interview Johnny Simmen answered the questions.

1. How did you come up with the band name, Colour Color?

When it comes down to it, the band name is just another band name. It’s something for people to associate our music too. But, Its actually the first band I’ve been in where the name has some sort of meaning. The spelling of “Colour Color” represents myself being Canadian and Kyle being American.

2. How did the band get started?

The band got started around Dec. 2009. Before it all started, I was playing drums for a band called These Silhouettes and we needed a guitar player. Having known Kyle from a tour in a previous band, I called him up to see if he was interested in playing for These Silhouettes. Kyle moved here, and after a few shows and a lot of drama, These Silhouettes broke up. Then, we got busy doing a few other projects, playing for people/helping people write their record, we were on Much Music’s disband - playing for a 15 year old country girl but we ended up starting to really miss writing, playing our own music, and doing something we were proud of. Which is the reason we started playing music in the first place. So Kyle and I started writing our own project, just the two of us, and we loved the results.

3. How would you describe the band’s sound?

It’s really hard to describe our own sound, and I feel like every song we write gets us closer and closer to discovering our own unique quality. I’d say the first 5 songs we put out had a very Pop/Rock commercial vibe to it, and our new ones will be more organic, and open for experimentation.

4. Recently you put a new EP out, can you tell us more about it?

Yes! In September 2010 we released our 5 song, self-titled EP on iTunes. It was a long work in progress! In February 2010 we were lucky enough to be able to go to Arizona and work with a producer named Matt Grabe, at Flying Blanket Studios. He has worked with bands such as The Maine, A Rocket To The Moon, The Summer Set and we knew he could make our record sound the way we wanted.

5. Are you guys writing or working on any new music?

Yes! We are always writing, and working on new music. It’s become a part of our daily lives. We posted a few new ones on our myspace since we released our EP and we also plan on releasing a few more.

6. Where does the inspiration for your music come from?

I’d say the inspiration for my lyrics come from a number of different things. Usually it ends up being about events that go on in my life, past events, or stories I think would be cool to use in a song. I like to think that the song is already out there, its written, and my job is to write it down in my own words.

7. Who are some of your musical influences?

Some of my musical influences would include - Jimmy Eat World, Copeland and MuteMath. Of course, there are many more

8. Do you have any shows coming up?

Yes! We have a lot of shows coming up. We are heading out on 2 different tours. Our first one starts March 12th in Brantford with Use As Directed and Hartford. And the second one starts on March 25th with Chiara Young. You can check out our myspace (myspace.com/colourcolor) or facebook (facebook.com/colourcolor) for complete show dates.

9. What’s your biggest accomplishment so far as a band?

I guess you could say our biggest “accomplishment” would be our EP. It’s not every day, that a band flies out to Arizona, and records with a well known producer, at a wicked studio. I know theres 2 bands around here that did the same thing - and I still feel lucky. There is so much more ahead of us tho, and a lot more to “accomplish,” we are just getting started.

10. If you could tour with any band, past or present, who would it be?

If I could tour with any band, I would probably pick Brand New and Jimmy Eat World. Ofcourse I would want to play with The Beatles, or U2 because they are revolutionary and have performed infront of thousands and thousands of people. But I just think It would be awesome listening to JEW and Brand New, night after night. Oh yah, Katy Perry would be cool too. haha.

11. Who have you been listening to lately?

Recently, I have been listening to a lot of MuteMath, Minus The Bear, Mumford And Sons, and even more recently - Dirty Projectors.

12. What’s your favorite food that you guys like to eat on tour?

Favorite food? Thats tough Courtney! Just ask any hungry musician - we will eat anything! Having said that, Ramen noodles is a go to. They are cheap, easy, and fun! Haha.

13. Were there any other careers you were thinking of pursuing?

There aren’t really any other careers that have interested me. There is one, and it has everything to do with music. I have been producing/recording bands for the last 3 years and when I am not on the road, or busy with Colour Color - - The Jukebox

Colour Color is:

Johnny Simmen - lead vox, drums, rhythm guitar
Kyle Sipress - backup vox, bass, lead guitar

Location: Ontario, Canada
Genre: Rock

In this interview Johnny Simmen answered the questions.

1. How did you come up with the band name, Colour Color?

When it comes down to it, the band name is just another band name. It’s something for people to associate our music too. But, Its actually the first band I’ve been in where the name has some sort of meaning. The spelling of “Colour Color” represents myself being Canadian and Kyle being American.

2. How did the band get started?

The band got started around Dec. 2009. Before it all started, I was playing drums for a band called These Silhouettes and we needed a guitar player. Having known Kyle from a tour in a previous band, I called him up to see if he was interested in playing for These Silhouettes. Kyle moved here, and after a few shows and a lot of drama, These Silhouettes broke up. Then, we got busy doing a few other projects, playing for people/helping people write their record, we were on Much Music’s disband - playing for a 15 year old country girl but we ended up starting to really miss writing, playing our own music, and doing something we were proud of. Which is the reason we started playing music in the first place. So Kyle and I started writing our own project, just the two of us, and we loved the results.

3. How would you describe the band’s sound?

It’s really hard to describe our own sound, and I feel like every song we write gets us closer and closer to discovering our own unique quality. I’d say the first 5 songs we put out had a very Pop/Rock commercial vibe to it, and our new ones will be more organic, and open for experimentation.

4. Recently you put a new EP out, can you tell us more about it?

Yes! In September 2010 we released our 5 song, self-titled EP on iTunes. It was a long work in progress! In February 2010 we were lucky enough to be able to go to Arizona and work with a producer named Matt Grabe, at Flying Blanket Studios. He has worked with bands such as The Maine, A Rocket To The Moon, The Summer Set and we knew he could make our record sound the way we wanted.

5. Are you guys writing or working on any new music?

Yes! We are always writing, and working on new music. It’s become a part of our daily lives. We posted a few new ones on our myspace since we released our EP and we also plan on releasing a few more.

6. Where does the inspiration for your music come from?

I’d say the inspiration for my lyrics come from a number of different things. Usually it ends up being about events that go on in my life, past events, or stories I think would be cool to use in a song. I like to think that the song is already out there, its written, and my job is to write it down in my own words.

7. Who are some of your musical influences?

Some of my musical influences would include - Jimmy Eat World, Copeland and MuteMath. Of course, there are many more

8. Do you have any shows coming up?

Yes! We have a lot of shows coming up. We are heading out on 2 different tours. Our first one starts March 12th in Brantford with Use As Directed and Hartford. And the second one starts on March 25th with Chiara Young. You can check out our myspace (myspace.com/colourcolor) or facebook (facebook.com/colourcolor) for complete show dates.

9. What’s your biggest accomplishment so far as a band?

I guess you could say our biggest “accomplishment” would be our EP. It’s not every day, that a band flies out to Arizona, and records with a well known producer, at a wicked studio. I know theres 2 bands around here that did the same thing - and I still feel lucky. There is so much more ahead of us tho, and a lot more to “accomplish,” we are just getting started.

10. If you could tour with any band, past or present, who would it be?

If I could tour with any band, I would probably pick Brand New and Jimmy Eat World. Ofcourse I would want to play with The Beatles, or U2 because they are revolutionary and have performed infront of thousands and thousands of people. But I just think It would be awesome listening to JEW and Brand New, night after night. Oh yah, Katy Perry would be cool too. haha.

11. Who have you been listening to lately?

Recently, I have been listening to a lot of MuteMath, Minus The Bear, Mumford And Sons, and even more recently - Dirty Projectors.

12. What’s your favorite food that you guys like to eat on tour?

Favorite food? Thats tough Courtney! Just ask any hungry musician - we will eat anything! Having said that, Ramen noodles is a go to. They are cheap, easy, and fun! Haha.

13. Were there any other careers you were thinking of pursuing?

There aren’t really any other careers that have interested me. There is one, and it has everything to do with music. I have been producing/recording bands for the last 3 years and when I am not on the road, or busy with Colour Color - - The Jukebox

I recently had a chance to explore the depths of the brain of the man behind the axe, Kyle Sipress from Colour Color. At the risk of sounding like a cheesy trilogy to Transformers, you will see in this interview that there is “more than meets the eye” with Kyle. Representing half of the Rock/Indie band Colour Color who have recently released their debut EP recorded by legend Matt Grabe at Flying Blanket Studios. Let’s see what he has in store for us on the behalf of Colour Color, and enjoy the interview.



1) First of all, Welcome and thanks for doing the interview! To start off, can you please introduce yourself to the readers?
Hey everyone, my name is Kyle Sipress and i’m 1/2 of Colour Color haha.

2) Can you give us a quick rundown about the history of Colour Color, and how it came about? Were you in any bands before Colour Color?
The exact story would probably shut down your site from information overload so here is the shorter version. I have been in several bands from the states mainly a band called Carawae, for 5 years until the band broke up. Then I was invited to move up to Canada and join a band called These Silhouettes with old tour mate Johnny Simmen, from She Swings. In 2008, Carawae and She Swings completed a 3 1/2 month tour in the states with another American band, Asteria. After several months went by, playing a handful of shows and all of the internal problems arose with These Silhouettes, it was over. Johnny and I then wrote and co-wrote for some Ontario bands and did some session work for Maddy Rodriguez on the Much Music show Disband. After almost half of a year doing that we decided it was time to dust off the amps and start a new band from scratch and what arose from the ashes was Colour Color.

3) Colour Color has a unique and catchy sound, how do you classify the type of music you write into a “genre”?
Well thank you that’s quite the compliment :) I don’t know that we have ever really tried to classify our music, for instance we have never sat down and thought, well lets write a song that sounds like blah blah blah or so and so. The main points we have been focusing on would be the groove of the song, the over all movement and feel of the song, lyrical content and general catchy-ness. We aren’t the biggest fans of classification, placing defined genres into your band limits you to that specific genre.

4) You guys had the chance to venture out to Flying Blanket Studios in Mesa, Arizona to work on the Self-Titled EP which was produced and engineered by legendary Matt Grabe. Was this always established as the primary setting to record, or was it just luck of the draw?
This wasn’t the primary objective for recording but it was a promising lead. Back in Carawae we took a band called A Rocket To The Moon on their first tour (the power stance in leather pants tour). Anyways they quickly surpassed us, got signed and got huge. Their debut EP on Fueled By Ramen was with produced by Matt Grabe and I remember how pro the record sounded. We emailed Matt 10 demos that we recorded at Johnnys studio in Newmarket, Astareawae Studios. He responded the next day saying he would love to do the record and after some talks we were on a flight to Mesa Arizona.

5) The Colour Color EP was released earlier this year and is now available on iTunes (here!), which is a great EP– congrats. Can you take us through the recording process of that album? What was it like to record at Flying Blanket Studios and to work with the likes of Matt Grabe?
Thanks again! Well this record was by far the most unique process I have been a part of. We were recording a full band record with only 2 people. Johnny was a drummer for all of his previous bands for the last 10 years and moved on to being our lead vocalist and front man as well as playing guitar. Johnny tracked the drums and vocals while I tracked the guitars and Matt tracked the bass. Flying Blanket Studios is an amazing place to do a record, amazing gear, amazing vibe and its right next to a great american fast food joint called Sonic which we frequently visited throughout the day, every day.

6) How has the album response been thus far, since the release date in September?
Its hard to tell, we have had pretty decent Itunes sales and we have been selling/handing out download cards with our music on them. The true results have been the fact that there has been people singing the words at shows. Thats my favourite thing to see and be a part of.

7) You also filmed a great-looking video for “Carry On” with Nicole Dee. Who came up with the concept, and how did the video shoot go?
The video was shot and directed by Johnnys sister, Nicole Dee who came up with the concept. It was shot in the Simmens back yard, it was cold, wet and dark but it was a fun process and the video turned out great!

8) 2010 is coming to a wrap and it seems that Colour Color has been extremely busy. Can you give the readers a tease of what is, or might be in store for 201 - Promos4Awareness

I recently had a chance to explore the depths of the brain of the man behind the axe, Kyle Sipress from Colour Color. At the risk of sounding like a cheesy trilogy to Transformers, you will see in this interview that there is “more than meets the eye” with Kyle. Representing half of the Rock/Indie band Colour Color who have recently released their debut EP recorded by legend Matt Grabe at Flying Blanket Studios. Let’s see what he has in store for us on the behalf of Colour Color, and enjoy the interview.



1) First of all, Welcome and thanks for doing the interview! To start off, can you please introduce yourself to the readers?
Hey everyone, my name is Kyle Sipress and i’m 1/2 of Colour Color haha.

2) Can you give us a quick rundown about the history of Colour Color, and how it came about? Were you in any bands before Colour Color?
The exact story would probably shut down your site from information overload so here is the shorter version. I have been in several bands from the states mainly a band called Carawae, for 5 years until the band broke up. Then I was invited to move up to Canada and join a band called These Silhouettes with old tour mate Johnny Simmen, from She Swings. In 2008, Carawae and She Swings completed a 3 1/2 month tour in the states with another American band, Asteria. After several months went by, playing a handful of shows and all of the internal problems arose with These Silhouettes, it was over. Johnny and I then wrote and co-wrote for some Ontario bands and did some session work for Maddy Rodriguez on the Much Music show Disband. After almost half of a year doing that we decided it was time to dust off the amps and start a new band from scratch and what arose from the ashes was Colour Color.

3) Colour Color has a unique and catchy sound, how do you classify the type of music you write into a “genre”?
Well thank you that’s quite the compliment :) I don’t know that we have ever really tried to classify our music, for instance we have never sat down and thought, well lets write a song that sounds like blah blah blah or so and so. The main points we have been focusing on would be the groove of the song, the over all movement and feel of the song, lyrical content and general catchy-ness. We aren’t the biggest fans of classification, placing defined genres into your band limits you to that specific genre.

4) You guys had the chance to venture out to Flying Blanket Studios in Mesa, Arizona to work on the Self-Titled EP which was produced and engineered by legendary Matt Grabe. Was this always established as the primary setting to record, or was it just luck of the draw?
This wasn’t the primary objective for recording but it was a promising lead. Back in Carawae we took a band called A Rocket To The Moon on their first tour (the power stance in leather pants tour). Anyways they quickly surpassed us, got signed and got huge. Their debut EP on Fueled By Ramen was with produced by Matt Grabe and I remember how pro the record sounded. We emailed Matt 10 demos that we recorded at Johnnys studio in Newmarket, Astareawae Studios. He responded the next day saying he would love to do the record and after some talks we were on a flight to Mesa Arizona.

5) The Colour Color EP was released earlier this year and is now available on iTunes (here!), which is a great EP– congrats. Can you take us through the recording process of that album? What was it like to record at Flying Blanket Studios and to work with the likes of Matt Grabe?
Thanks again! Well this record was by far the most unique process I have been a part of. We were recording a full band record with only 2 people. Johnny was a drummer for all of his previous bands for the last 10 years and moved on to being our lead vocalist and front man as well as playing guitar. Johnny tracked the drums and vocals while I tracked the guitars and Matt tracked the bass. Flying Blanket Studios is an amazing place to do a record, amazing gear, amazing vibe and its right next to a great american fast food joint called Sonic which we frequently visited throughout the day, every day.

6) How has the album response been thus far, since the release date in September?
Its hard to tell, we have had pretty decent Itunes sales and we have been selling/handing out download cards with our music on them. The true results have been the fact that there has been people singing the words at shows. Thats my favourite thing to see and be a part of.

7) You also filmed a great-looking video for “Carry On” with Nicole Dee. Who came up with the concept, and how did the video shoot go?
The video was shot and directed by Johnnys sister, Nicole Dee who came up with the concept. It was shot in the Simmens back yard, it was cold, wet and dark but it was a fun process and the video turned out great!

8) 2010 is coming to a wrap and it seems that Colour Color has been extremely busy. Can you give the readers a tease of what is, or might be in store for 201 - Promos4Awareness

A quick break during the JAPAN Benefit, A few doors down at “A Stare Away Studios” I popped in for a quick shoot. These guys played a quick tune for me and demo’d some new music they are working on. I was impressed to say the least. Check out a few B&W’s I snapped for them. - Peter McKinnon

A quick break during the JAPAN Benefit, A few doors down at “A Stare Away Studios” I popped in for a quick shoot. These guys played a quick tune for me and demo’d some new music they are working on. I was impressed to say the least. Check out a few B&W’s I snapped for them. - Peter McKinnon

1) Where did the name “Colour color” come from?
The name Colour Color represents Johnny (myself) being Canadian and Kyle being American.

2) How long have you been together as a band?
Kyle and I have been playing together for about a year and half now. We've also been lucky enough to find some amazing/talented people to play for us. We've gone through a lot of changes with our backing band, for a number of different reasons, but we're confident we'll have some permanent players soon.

3) What have been some of your biggest accomplishments so far?
Some of our biggest accomplishments would include going to Arizona to record our 5 song EP with Matt Grabe. All the shows we've played and the 3 Canadian tours/1 American tour we completed. We have a lot ahead of us and a lot we want to accomplish.

4) What is your favourite song to perform live, and why?
My favorite song to play live would probably be Fix It. It has some calmer parts and some dancy parts, and I really love both those concepts of music. We get a cool crowd response when we play this song. Also, it's filled with harmonies, and harmonies are another one of my favourite parts of music.

5) How would you describe your fans?
Our fans are awesome. We like to think of them as family. There are these 3 girls (Meg, Kali, and Kelsie) that have come to many of our shows, and one time they made their very own Colour Color shirts! We thought that was pretty sweet, because we can't even afford to have our own band shirts right now :)

6) What are you most looking forward to in 2011?
This year we are most looking forward to TOUR TOUR TOUR! We have a couple routes for the next few months that we'll be announcing soon. Also, we'll be writing and recording our full length.

7) What is your favourite venue to play in Toronto?
We have played Toronto, as Colour Color, only 5 times. Our favourite show out of those was just recently, at The Hard Luck Bar. It was Dean from TheSet's birthday, and it was just one big party! We also met a ton of cool people and bands. We'll never forget that show.

8) Where is your favourite spot in the city to hangout as a band?
We actually don't hang out in the city very often. Newmarket is were it all happens, haha. Gotta love Sneaky Dee's though, I think that's obvious....who doesn't love nachos?

9) What has been the craziest fan moment to date?
There are lots of really cool "fan moments." I think one of the coolest fan moments was just the other night, in Ottawa. We played a show with a dub-step group called Bass Machines, they also did a remix of our new song "The Farther We Go." After we finished our set, they played the remix and a girl came up to me while I was packing up my
gear at centre stage, and was singing every single word to me. I pulled her on stage for a minute and we danced to the song. She explained how the song was one of her favourites and she listened to it all the time. I was flattered!

10) For people seeing Colour Color for the first time what can they expect? Next Toronto show date?
As of right now, there aren't any Toronto shows booked. You can keep up to date on our myspace (www.myspace.com/colourcolor) or our facebook (www.facebook.com/colourcolor) because I'm sure we will be
playing in Toronto soon. If you are coming to see us for the first time live, you can expect to see some honest guys playing music that they enjoy. I can't tell you that you will love it because everyone is different, we're just out to have a good time and we hope that everyone else is while they are watching our set. - LiveMusicTO

1) Where did the name “Colour color” come from?
The name Colour Color represents Johnny (myself) being Canadian and Kyle being American.

2) How long have you been together as a band?
Kyle and I have been playing together for about a year and half now. We've also been lucky enough to find some amazing/talented people to play for us. We've gone through a lot of changes with our backing band, for a number of different reasons, but we're confident we'll have some permanent players soon.

3) What have been some of your biggest accomplishments so far?
Some of our biggest accomplishments would include going to Arizona to record our 5 song EP with Matt Grabe. All the shows we've played and the 3 Canadian tours/1 American tour we completed. We have a lot ahead of us and a lot we want to accomplish.

4) What is your favourite song to perform live, and why?
My favorite song to play live would probably be Fix It. It has some calmer parts and some dancy parts, and I really love both those concepts of music. We get a cool crowd response when we play this song. Also, it's filled with harmonies, and harmonies are another one of my favourite parts of music.

5) How would you describe your fans?
Our fans are awesome. We like to think of them as family. There are these 3 girls (Meg, Kali, and Kelsie) that have come to many of our shows, and one time they made their very own Colour Color shirts! We thought that was pretty sweet, because we can't even afford to have our own band shirts right now :)

6) What are you most looking forward to in 2011?
This year we are most looking forward to TOUR TOUR TOUR! We have a couple routes for the next few months that we'll be announcing soon. Also, we'll be writing and recording our full length.

7) What is your favourite venue to play in Toronto?
We have played Toronto, as Colour Color, only 5 times. Our favourite show out of those was just recently, at The Hard Luck Bar. It was Dean from TheSet's birthday, and it was just one big party! We also met a ton of cool people and bands. We'll never forget that show.

8) Where is your favourite spot in the city to hangout as a band?
We actually don't hang out in the city very often. Newmarket is were it all happens, haha. Gotta love Sneaky Dee's though, I think that's obvious....who doesn't love nachos?

9) What has been the craziest fan moment to date?
There are lots of really cool "fan moments." I think one of the coolest fan moments was just the other night, in Ottawa. We played a show with a dub-step group called Bass Machines, they also did a remix of our new song "The Farther We Go." After we finished our set, they played the remix and a girl came up to me while I was packing up my
gear at centre stage, and was singing every single word to me. I pulled her on stage for a minute and we danced to the song. She explained how the song was one of her favourites and she listened to it all the time. I was flattered!

10) For people seeing Colour Color for the first time what can they expect? Next Toronto show date?
As of right now, there aren't any Toronto shows booked. You can keep up to date on our myspace (www.myspace.com/colourcolor) or our facebook (www.facebook.com/colourcolor) because I'm sure we will be
playing in Toronto soon. If you are coming to see us for the first time live, you can expect to see some honest guys playing music that they enjoy. I can't tell you that you will love it because everyone is different, we're just out to have a good time and we hope that everyone else is while they are watching our set. - LiveMusicTO