Hayley Stark

Hola a todos ! Debido a la impresionante cantidad y talento que había anoche, he decidido escribir dos crónicas. Una para cada banda. Así que hoy vamos a hablar de “Hayley Stark”
“Hayley Stark” está formado por tres chicas y un chico. Tenemos a Mónica Julie (Voz y guitarra), Jennifer Bryan (Voz y guitarra), Karli Forget (batería) y Dougie Murder (Bajo).

Hello everyone!!! Due to the impressive amount of talent present last night, I’ve decided to break last night’s concert in to two reviews. So today is all about “Hayley Stark”!!!
“Hayley Stark” is a “mostly” all female band. We have Monica Julie (Vocals, guitar), Jennifer Bryan (Vocals, guitar), Karli Forget (drums) and Dougie Murder (Bass).
La primera vez que escuché el nombre de la banda lo primero que me vino a la cabeza fue el cometa Halley. No estaba yo tan lejos de la verdad. Se estrellaron en mi mundo creando un vació que luego rellenaron con su música y su energía desbordante.

The first time I heard the band’s name I thought of Halley’s comet and I was not that far away from the truth because they crashed my world like the fiery comet they are.

El lugar elegido para el concierto fue el “Cherry Cola Cabaret Lounge“. El lugar está envuelto, literalmente, en rojo y negro. Con espejos barrocos y lámparas de araña (candelabros). Las paredes están adornadas con carteles antiguos y hay varias antigüedades que le dan ese ambiente muy “Moulin Rouge”. Me quede gratamente sorprendido y muy agradecido con el ingeniero de sonido y luces cuando en vez de esos focos rojos sangre me los cambio por una luz blanca que hizo que lo que pudo ser una pesadilla, a la hora de tomar las fotos, se convirtiera en un sueño. Desde aquí se lo agradezco mucho y la próxima las cervezas las pago yo.

The venue chosen for the event was Cherry Cola’s Cabaret Lounge. The place is draped in red and black wallpaper with baroque mirrors and chandeliers. The walls are adorned with vintage posters and there are several antiques that give it that Moulin Rouge vibe. I was so grateful when the amazing sound engineer let me have white lights as I was dreading having to do the photo shoot under a very thick red light. From me to you, thank you so much and I definitively own you a beer.

La banda subió al escenario alrededor de las diez, lo que en si ya es bastante tarde para la escena musical en Toronto. La norma es que los teloneros empiecen sobre las nueve de la noche. No sé si fue porque era un Miércoles o porque era tarde, pero no había el publico que debería de haber habido, sobre todo teniendo en cuenta el calibre de las bandas que tocaban.

The band got on stage at around 10pm, which is a rather late start. The norm is around 9pm. I don’t know if it was because it was a Wednesday or because it was late in the day but the turn out was poor for the caliber of the bands playing.

En su lugar, otras bandas habrían hecho las maletas y si te he visto no me acuerdo. No “Hayley Stark“. Salieron rugiendo y con la misma energía como si estuvieran tocando frente a 20,000 fans. Había tanta energía bombeando durante su actuación hacia el público, que en cualquier momento esperaba ver al conejito del anuncio de la pilas Duracel hacer una aparición especial, beberse una lata de Red Bull, que le creciera alas y que se fuera volando hasta la luna.

Other bands may have decided there and then to call it a day. Not “Hayley Stark”, they came out roaring. With the same energy as if they were playing in front of 20000 fans. There was so much energy pumped out during their set that I was basically waiting to see the Energizer bunny make a guest appearance, throw back a can of Red Bull and grow wings and fly all the way to the moon.

Tocaron diez canciones de su álbum “You Made My Night”. Canciones destinadas a ser clásicos como “Watching Who”, “Skirt is on Fire”, y mi favorita “I Hate to Break it”.
También tocaron una increíble versión de “I Want Candy” por “The Strangeloves” pero tengo la impresión de que la versión de las “Hayley Stark” esta mas influenciada por la versión de “Veruca Salt” que por el original de 1965.

Their set consisted of ten songs from their “You Made My Night” EP. Songs destined to be classics such as “Watching Who”, Skirt is on Fire”, and my favourite “I Hate to Break it”.
They also did an amazing cover of “I Want Candy” by “The Strangeloves” thought I’m sure they were more influence by the “Veruca Salt” version of the same song than by the 1965 original.
La banda sonó muy bien durante todo el espectáculo. Mónica y Jennifer eran simplemente increíbles de ver y escuchar. “Hayle Stark ” tiene un sonido muy particular que toma prestado de muchos géneros. Es como un cóctel en el cual se mezclan el rock de los años 60 con un toque de pop y unos tragos de punk. Su música me recuerda a bandas como “Velocity Girl”, “The Breeders”, “Tuscadero” e incluso a “Elastica”.
Esta banda está viva, y se puede ver por la alegría con la que tocan, lo contentas que se les ven en el escenario que hace que las fronteras entre público y grupo se fundan. Mónica y Jennifer son la encarnación viviente de iconos femeninos del Rock & Roll como Susan Kay aka Suzi Quatro.

The band sounded great the whole show. Monica and Jennifer were just incredible to watch and listen to. “Hayle Stark” has a very unique sound that borrows from many genres. Its like a melting pot of 60′s Rock & Roll mixed with a dash of Pop and a few shots of Punk. Their music is like listening to bands such as “Velocity Girl”, “The Breeders”, “Tuscadero” and even “Elastica” all in one venue. This band is alive and you can see that because, not only are they having a great time playing but they also want their audience to have a great time listening to them. Monica and Jennifer are the living embodiment of Rock & Roll female icons like Susan Kay aka Suzi Quatro. I think the future of music is in good hands.

Después de haber disfrutado tanto con “Hayley Stark”, creo que el futuro de la música está en buenas manos.
En general, quedé muy satisfecho con lo que vi y oí. Me hubiera encantado ver al grupo tocar frente a una audiencia más grande. El intercambio de energía entre el público y la banda habría sido electrizante.
Como bonus extra y durante un tiempo limitado, os podéis bajar las canciones del grupo gratis en el sitio soundcloud de la banda https://soundcloud.com/hayley-stark/

Overall I was very satisfied by what I saw and heard. I would have loved to see them play in front of a bigger audience because then the energy exchange between the public and the band would have been electrifying. And I didn’t get candy. So yes, Jennifer & Monica, if you are reading this I expect candy at your next gig.
As a bonus you can now, and for a limited time, download their music for free on their soundcloud site https://soundcloud.com/hayley-stark/

Me gustaría dar las gracias a Jeanny Reid de “Music City North” por la gran labor que hace promoviendo la escena musical en Toronto. Espero con ansias los conciertos que organicen próximamente.

I’d like to thank Jeanny Reid from Music City North for doing such a great job at creating awareness for Toronto’s music scene. Looking forward to whatever you have in store next.
Ángelo Marchini Montesinos - http://musicamas.net/

Toronto punk-pop band Hayley Stark held their EP release party in celebration of their new full-band record You Made My Night. Kicking off the night was a special guest performance by The Anti-Queens.

With a hint of 1990s alternative rock, pop and punk energy, plus diva-esque vocals, Hayley Stark songs tackle the everyday complexities of life and some of the fun bits. For more information, please visit: http://hayleystark.com

http://www.snapdowntowntoronto.com/index.php?option=com_sngevents&id%5B%5D=573206 - SNAP Downtown Toronto

June 7, 2012

It doesn't really matter that an accomplished L.A. producer is working on your upcoming debut album or that your single gets a lot of radio play.

When news comes that your band will tour the country as an opening act to Slash, you're awestruck.

"It doesn't quite seem real when you say it. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it," said Jeremy Widerman, guitarist and singer for Hamilton rockers Monster Truck.

The band's debut single, Seven Seas Blues, a trippy tune reminiscent of early Black Sabbath, is enjoying a lot of airtime and its popularity almost certainly helped them land the gig with the former Guns 'N Roses guitarist.

Two EPs have been released since the band's inception in 2009, but the real band comes through on stage.

"It's impossible for us to bottle the live show for a CD," said Widerman.

Monster Truck delivers authentic rock music, although there are hints of punk and grunge.

"A lot influences we have are from stuff that hit us when we were younger," Widerman said over the phone from Hamilton. "Then all of us got tied into the punk rock and indie scene growing up. It got a little stale for us, and the punk rock lost its luster. We ended up cycling back to the bands we listened to as kids because we all had enthusiastic parents who tried to get us into Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin."

Monster Truck is currently recording their debut full-length LP with L.A.- based producer Kevin Augunas, who's also worked with Foo Fighters, Black Keys and Gotye. The untitled album, which follows the 2011 The Brown LP, will be released later this year.

Monster Truck, along with Golden Gate Graves of Barrie and Out Rival of Sudbury, play the Townhouse Tavern tonight. The show kicks off a three-day multi-venue music festival. New Music Fest Sudbury features 55 acts of various genres from across the country performing live in seven bars and nightclubs across Sudbury.

Most venues will be offering free cover to the performances Friday and Saturday night.

The festival started five years ago in Barrie and became so popular, organizers decided it was time to expand.

"It's become such a successful concept (in Barrie), we decided to take that brand into multiple cities, starting with Sudbury," said Paul Fairley, president of Admiral Entertainment from Barrie.

Why start with Sudbury? The company's manager of operations, Andre Legault, is originally from here.

If the festival is well received, the intent is to make it an annual event.

The festival will be a sort of homecoming for Jennifer Bryan of the alternative pop/rock band Hayley Stark of Toronto.

A graduate of Marymount College, Bryan studied jazz at Laurentian University before moving down south for college. The classically trained musician spent time playing in heavy metal and punk bands before finding her voice in songwriting.

Bryan has a day job doing marketing for The Toronto Symphony and at night, plays music with Monica Julie, a metal drummer she met during her years of head thrashing.

"Living in Toronto, there are just so many weird people," said Bryan. "There's just weirdness all the time so there's no shortage of stuff to write about."

Bryan and Julie started as an acoustic duet, but fans wanted to see some of the old attitude from their days of punk and metal. So they added two musicians to play drums and base.

"But we're kind of the boss," Bryan laughed, "and they just come with us."

The band's name, Hayley Stark, is based on the manipulative anti-heroine in the film Hard Candy. The musicians admired the devious character and thought it would help them move beyond the stereotypical notion of two female musicians singing kumbaya on stage.

Catch Hayley Stark at SRO 10 p.m. Saturday.

- - -

New Music Fest Sudbury lineup

THURSDAY, JUNE 6

. Townehouse Tavern: Monster Truck, Golden Gate Graves, Old Rival;

. Tickets $10 advance. FRIDAY, JUNE 7

. Free cover t - The Sudbury Star

June 7, 2012

It doesn't really matter that an accomplished L.A. producer is working on your upcoming debut album or that your single gets a lot of radio play.

When news comes that your band will tour the country as an opening act to Slash, you're awestruck.

"It doesn't quite seem real when you say it. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it," said Jeremy Widerman, guitarist and singer for Hamilton rockers Monster Truck.

The band's debut single, Seven Seas Blues, a trippy tune reminiscent of early Black Sabbath, is enjoying a lot of airtime and its popularity almost certainly helped them land the gig with the former Guns 'N Roses guitarist.

Two EPs have been released since the band's inception in 2009, but the real band comes through on stage.

"It's impossible for us to bottle the live show for a CD," said Widerman.

Monster Truck delivers authentic rock music, although there are hints of punk and grunge.

"A lot influences we have are from stuff that hit us when we were younger," Widerman said over the phone from Hamilton. "Then all of us got tied into the punk rock and indie scene growing up. It got a little stale for us, and the punk rock lost its luster. We ended up cycling back to the bands we listened to as kids because we all had enthusiastic parents who tried to get us into Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin."

Monster Truck is currently recording their debut full-length LP with L.A.- based producer Kevin Augunas, who's also worked with Foo Fighters, Black Keys and Gotye. The untitled album, which follows the 2011 The Brown LP, will be released later this year.

Monster Truck, along with Golden Gate Graves of Barrie and Out Rival of Sudbury, play the Townhouse Tavern tonight. The show kicks off a three-day multi-venue music festival. New Music Fest Sudbury features 55 acts of various genres from across the country performing live in seven bars and nightclubs across Sudbury.

Most venues will be offering free cover to the performances Friday and Saturday night.

The festival started five years ago in Barrie and became so popular, organizers decided it was time to expand.

"It's become such a successful concept (in Barrie), we decided to take that brand into multiple cities, starting with Sudbury," said Paul Fairley, president of Admiral Entertainment from Barrie.

Why start with Sudbury? The company's manager of operations, Andre Legault, is originally from here.

If the festival is well received, the intent is to make it an annual event.

The festival will be a sort of homecoming for Jennifer Bryan of the alternative pop/rock band Hayley Stark of Toronto.

A graduate of Marymount College, Bryan studied jazz at Laurentian University before moving down south for college. The classically trained musician spent time playing in heavy metal and punk bands before finding her voice in songwriting.

Bryan has a day job doing marketing for The Toronto Symphony and at night, plays music with Monica Julie, a metal drummer she met during her years of head thrashing.

"Living in Toronto, there are just so many weird people," said Bryan. "There's just weirdness all the time so there's no shortage of stuff to write about."

Bryan and Julie started as an acoustic duet, but fans wanted to see some of the old attitude from their days of punk and metal. So they added two musicians to play drums and base.

"But we're kind of the boss," Bryan laughed, "and they just come with us."

The band's name, Hayley Stark, is based on the manipulative anti-heroine in the film Hard Candy. The musicians admired the devious character and thought it would help them move beyond the stereotypical notion of two female musicians singing kumbaya on stage.

Catch Hayley Stark at SRO 10 p.m. Saturday.

- - -

New Music Fest Sudbury lineup

THURSDAY, JUNE 6

. Townehouse Tavern: Monster Truck, Golden Gate Graves, Old Rival;

. Tickets $10 advance. FRIDAY, JUNE 7

. Free cover t - The Sudbury Star

March 2012


http://theoriginalsoundtrack.ca/featuredartists/HayleyStark/profile.html - http://theoriginalsoundtrack.ca

March 2012


http://theoriginalsoundtrack.ca/featuredartists/HayleyStark/profile.html - http://theoriginalsoundtrack.ca

August 2010
By Jessica Bebenek

I have to say that I was excited when I heard I would get to meet up again with the relatable, down-to-earth, and funny girls of up-and-coming Toronto band Hayley Stark, Jennifer Bryan and Monica Julie. Having been featured earlier this year in Uncharted Sounds, the girls are so promising that we just had to have them back. The self-proclaimed “silly girls play guitars” (from their some Somebody Else) are just regular girls with big talent trying to make it big in the competitive music industry, and this comes through in both their music and performance. Their passionate, acoustic pop-rock music is so easy-going and relatable that you quickly feel as if you're listening to your own friends tell you about their life – if your friends in a super cool and talented local band.

Both girls started their music careers early. Jen was (willingly) forced into pursuing music when her father, a drummer, told her to pick an instrument at the age of seven. “I picked the guitar because my best friend Vanessa was playing guitar and I'm a copycat” explains Jen, laughing. She got her first taste of fame performing in the third grade talent show and never looked back, going on to study jazz guitar in university and play in several bands before Hayley Stark. Monica's musical ambitions also started at the age of seven when she received a mini Casio for her birthday. “It had the MJ beats and everything!” she laughs, “Plus I'm half Filipino, so karaoke is just in our blood.”

The girls grew out of their musical households and into a sound that you would never expect listening to their music now. The girls met when they joined Spankdriven, an all-girl hard-rock band. But the two, finding themselves the main songwriters in every band they joined, decided to branch off on their own and create Hayley Stark, drastically mellowing their sound and concentrating their efforts on the band. “Not to say that we're all grown up,” explains Monica, “but we're a bit more grown up and we know a bit more now (...) about music and real life.”

However, the girls admit to being somewhat inexperienced when it came to their first EP, Get Over It. The two recorded and released Get Over It before notifying any press or sending it out for review, a backwards way of going about things in the music industry. “Now we have a better idea of how we're going to go about things,” tells Jen, “Well I say that, but it's not true. We're gonna fumble along still, but maybe we've grown up about it a little bit.” However, the EP itself makes up for the technicalities of marketing. The girls belt out big, inspiring acoustic numbers that are truly passion and relatable. Making reference to the city of Toronto and singing about their daily lives, the girls have a personal feel that really makes them stand out.

Hayley Stark is constantly growing as a band and their sound is evolving yet again. The girls recorded a three-song radio demo which is currently being mastered in New York and features drums, bass, and piano. “We've basically just taken songs and filled them out,” explains Jen, “It's kinda the vision that we had from the beginning.” The girls insist, however, that they're still the same Hayley Stark, joking that some of their friends who aren't musicians actually can't pinpoint what it is that makes the new songs sound bigger and better than they were before they were recorded, just that they sound better. “And meanwhile we've toiled for hours and hours in the studio,” Jen laughs. Having one of the songs (Skirt is on Fire) from the demo live at a performance, I'm excited to see how their sound will evolve and grow with the addition of instruments. “We still sound like Hayley Stark, just bigger.” Monica explains, and judging by their Get Over It EP, bigger can only be better.

When asked what inspires their music, Monica instantly responded, “Life. Everything in life, every day that goes by, you take something from it.” This certainly rings true in their music, which deals with passion in the everyday, such as fights, break-ups, or just the little things that make you sad or angry. Jen sums up the band perfectly when she explains, “Whatever song somebody hears, if they get something out of it, whether it was what we were intending or not, that's pretty cool (...) or even it's just that they hum along and it's catchy, that's cool, too. We're not trying to change the world or anything.” Hayley Stark's chilled out, unpretentious attitude towards music is what makes them real as a band and as people, just making music because they love it.

The girls, of course, have to pay bills and being a musician isn't always so lucrative. Monica works as an office manager at an auto body shop, “dealing with angry people and broken cars” all day long (and I can't help but wonder if this might inspire some of their angrier songs.) Jen, on the other hand, works at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and managed a program called tsoundcheck, - www.unchartedsounds.com/magazine

"...like Kate & Anna McGarrigle with more angst..."

The wonderful Amanda Putz gave HS a fun little intro on CBC One's Bandwidth on Saturday April 10! Listen here to the whole show, featuring Jill Zmud, Elizabeth Shepherd, Soft Copy and Dala.

http://ia331210.us.archive.org/3/items/Bandwidth-April102010/Bandwidth_April10.mp3

NXeW has also saved the show. Just scroll down a bit: http://www.nxew.ca/labels/Podcasts.html

Check out Bandwidth every Saturday on CBC Radio One: http://www.cbc.ca/bandwidth/

Read more: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=380588891&blogId=532749071#ixzz0mbghfeLh
- CBC Radio One's Bandwidth by host Amanda Putz

i'm with the band ARTS & CULTURE

bands, music, Queen West

Just because your New Year's frock is at the cleaners and the January winds are blowing there’s no reason to slip into hibernation mode.

Lace up your dancing shoes and let these homegrown acts entertain you.

Jay Clark and the Jones: Take a dollop of folk, add a spoonful of amplifier, soak in whiskey and you've got the swagger and good rock sense of these alt country darlings.

The Good Lovelies: This trio's banjo, mandolin and upright bass sweet harmonies will be sure to give you a case of the warm and fuzzies on a nippy night.

Sing Leaf: Described as "electroacoustic ambient pop," we just think they're simply “great."

Hayley Stark: This duo's acoustic guitar-driven tunes span the spectrum from carefree and catchy to heartsick heavy hitters.

Sunparlour Players: These multi-instrumentalists bring multi-tasking to a whole new level. Seeing is believing when they take to the stage.

Get the latest details on local gigs at www.torontomusicscene.ca or Rotate This, 801 Queen St. W., Toronto, 416-504-8447, www.rotate.com
- Vitamindaily.com

March 17th, 2010

Top of the Pops
ARTS & CULTURE

Talking on a cell phone while driving may be illegal, but who said anything about belting along to our new favourite tunes?

Get Over It, the debut EP from Toronto acoustic pop rock darlings Hayley Stark, is our springtime cruising soundtrack. The girls of HS dazzled during a Canadian Music Week showcase and now we’ve been infected by the hooks of their driving pop tunes.

Roll down the window, sing along and tap your foot—preferably not the one on the gas pedal.

- http://vitamindaily.com/toronto

Hayley Stark
Get Over It

Get Over It by Hayley Stark embraces alluring harmonized vocals with captivating acoustic guitar which only complement each other.

Hayley Stark is comprised of two very vocally talented ladies who are Jennifer Bryan and Monica Julie.

The album Get Over It is contains six tracks, which include.

Let Me Go (Tonight)
Somebody Else
I’d Still Pick You Up
One Good Reason
Pour Me A Drink
Hard Candy


When I read the bios for both Jennifer and Monica I noticed that they both have played in Metal bands before, but as you listen to the album you probably will not believe it because of the soothing and ambiance sounds which their vocals create. I found however if you find yourself digging deep inside a few of the lyrics to their songs you may find yourself noticing similarities with their Metal influences. Now I am not saying their music has lost all edginess, in the song titled “One Good Reason” you will find a deeper and more alternative edge to the vocals. Or a Better way to put their sound would be Acoustic Guitars with the partial attitude of Metal/Rock fused with Indie Pop.

It is not too often when you find yourself enjoying every song off an album, Get Over It is an album where you will find yourself listing to the album over and over again and never get tired of listening to. Since I received the album about a week ago I have taken the album where ever I go. I have also tried to find my favourite song off of Get Over It but each time that I have finished listening to the album from start to finish I still find myself enjoying every song the same. One that amazes me the most about this album is how entertaining the album is especially due to the fact that there is only two singers, two acoustic guitars and a appearance of a cello during “One Good Reason.

One element about Get Over It which I admire highly is the fact that both Jennifer and Monica share the vocal responsibilities throughout each song evenly, either member is not out to over shine the other. They both come together to create a atmospheric sound as you are listening to the album. One song in particular where Jenifer and Monica blend their vocals together and complement each other is “Pour Me A Drink”. Throughout the song the pitch of the vocals are not too high and has just the right smoothness and mid pitch to create a commendable ambiance. When one of the vocals goes into a lower and quieter soothing sound the other vocal plays out over top and creates a creates a ambiance sound which is second to none.

You can pick up your copy of Hayley Stark - Get Over it by visiting their myspace page @ http://www.myspace.com/ilovehayleystark

Or if you are in Kingston On July 13 you can catch them live @ The Mansion as part of the Indie Buzz Werks concert Series. After listening to their album, I know I am a definite attendee for this show.
- http://kingstonmusicreviews.ca

CD Review – Hayley Stark – Get Over It EP
Feb 26, 2010

by Jade Sperry

Jennifer Bryan is a roaring girl in every sense of the phrase. She has played lead guitar in a host of metal bands and you can catch her lending her skills to the popular Toronto-based band The Roaring Girl Cabaret. Monica Julie is well known for her multi-faceted musical expertise. She has captivated crowds as a technical and hard-hitting metal drummer in the bands Spankdriven, Bound Ether and In The Wake.

Their first project together is Hayley Stark, and their new EP release, Get Over It, has songs that are folksy, jazzy and filled with lyrics that have emotion and heart. This EP is very impressive. “Let Me Go (Tonight)” is the lead off song which is very well written and mixed. With each song, Jennifer and Monica have great vocal harmonies and also acoustic guitar melodies that ebb and flow like water. They sing about life, love, relationships and turbulent times and each song has its own theme. For two women who have a “metal” background, you would never know this based on these 6 songs. One other song that is a standout is “Somebody Else” which has really good lyrics, vocal harmonies and emotion within the lyrics. I found myself humming along with the songs “One Good Reason” and “Pour Me A Drink” as the melodies of these 2 songs are pleasant and lingering. Overall, this CD is solid, well written and mixed, and is a complete turn around from the metal scene.

You can find Hayley Stark at their My Space page where you can buy the CD direct from there. - NXeW.ca

May 2010 issue

Little Girls, Big Voices
Written by Jessica Bebenek
www.unchartedsounds.com/magazine.php


I’d heard the girls’ music before I saw them walk into the bar, so needless to say, I was shocked. Jennifer Bryan, standing 5’2”, and Monica Julie, an even smaller 5’0”, belt out big numbers in their acoustic pop/rock duo Hayley Stark. Both girls sing and play acoustic guitar, writing and performing their songs with a passion that really stands out in the crowded music industry. As a small band trying to make it in Toronto, the two have been touring the area’s festivals and intimate venues as of late. But the pair didn’t start out with their current sound.

“I had moved to Toronto and I was auditioning [as a guitarist] for an all-girl hard-rock band called Spankdriven. When I got to the audition, Monica was there and she had just become their drummer” Jennifer explains, with Monica adding, “as soon as I saw her play – I didn’t know her name, I didn’t know who she was – I was like, “I need to know her and she needs to be in my band.” The two worked together in several metal and hard-rock bands, but found themselves always being the sole songwriters. The finally settled down together as the acoustic duo Hayley Star, though they still retain the influence of their metal past.

“If it’s a good song, you can strip it down and play it on acoustic guitars and it’ll always be a good song” says Monica, and the girls do have plans to amp-up some of their current songs (such as “Skirt is on Fire”) with bass and drums in the near future.

Get Over It, which follows the band’s first self-title EP, is inspired by “our break away from metal, “ explains Monica. “It is a break away from our past and coming into our own…sure there are obstacles in life, but you’ve got to get over it, keep pushing.” The band’s name, which I was admittedly confused over at first, represents this message. It stems from the movie Hard Candy, in which a young girl lures a pedophile and “goes vigilante….not that we support that!” they explain, laughing. “[It shows that] what you see on the outside isn’t necessarily what’s on the inside,” reflecting the girls themselves. The two manage to write songs that are simultaneously catchy and compelling – as Monica describes, “We’re just trying to write songs that are Jen and I.”

When it came time for their performance, the girls put on a great show. Even better live, their strong voices filled up the intimate venue, capturing the crowd’s attention. The two were relaxed in the spotlight and even got the crowd clapping along with them during “Still Pick You Up” – one of my favourites. They seemed like they were really having fun on stage and that’s what makes for a great performance. It’s clear they’re doing what they love.

When asked what’s next for Hayley Stark, Monica responded without hesitation, All the way to the top, baby!” The girls plan to release a three song EP in the future, adding drums and bass. They want to “fill out the songs so we can play some bigger gigs”, explains Jennifer, “get some more fans and more exposure.” It seems as though the girls are getting a little nostalgic for their metal roots and plan to return somewhat, but with their talented song-writing abilities, they can’t go wrong. They also plan to tour around Ontario this summer, hitting-up some of the folk and acoustic festivals up north. They’ll also be playing small (usually free) shows around Toronto while working on the album, so check their MySpace for dates. With their efforts to get their name out there and their ever-evolving sound, I look forward to seeing what these two will be up to next. Their songs have definite radio potential and it’s only a matter of time before you hear more from them. Keep your eye on these two – they’re going places.



- www.unchartedsounds.com

May 2010 issue

Little Girls, Big Voices
Written by Jessica Bebenek
www.unchartedsounds.com/magazine.php


I’d heard the girls’ music before I saw them walk into the bar, so needless to say, I was shocked. Jennifer Bryan, standing 5’2”, and Monica Julie, an even smaller 5’0”, belt out big numbers in their acoustic pop/rock duo Hayley Stark. Both girls sing and play acoustic guitar, writing and performing their songs with a passion that really stands out in the crowded music industry. As a small band trying to make it in Toronto, the two have been touring the area’s festivals and intimate venues as of late. But the pair didn’t start out with their current sound.

“I had moved to Toronto and I was auditioning [as a guitarist] for an all-girl hard-rock band called Spankdriven. When I got to the audition, Monica was there and she had just become their drummer” Jennifer explains, with Monica adding, “as soon as I saw her play – I didn’t know her name, I didn’t know who she was – I was like, “I need to know her and she needs to be in my band.” The two worked together in several metal and hard-rock bands, but found themselves always being the sole songwriters. The finally settled down together as the acoustic duo Hayley Star, though they still retain the influence of their metal past.

“If it’s a good song, you can strip it down and play it on acoustic guitars and it’ll always be a good song” says Monica, and the girls do have plans to amp-up some of their current songs (such as “Skirt is on Fire”) with bass and drums in the near future.

Get Over It, which follows the band’s first self-title EP, is inspired by “our break away from metal, “ explains Monica. “It is a break away from our past and coming into our own…sure there are obstacles in life, but you’ve got to get over it, keep pushing.” The band’s name, which I was admittedly confused over at first, represents this message. It stems from the movie Hard Candy, in which a young girl lures a pedophile and “goes vigilante….not that we support that!” they explain, laughing. “[It shows that] what you see on the outside isn’t necessarily what’s on the inside,” reflecting the girls themselves. The two manage to write songs that are simultaneously catchy and compelling – as Monica describes, “We’re just trying to write songs that are Jen and I.”

When it came time for their performance, the girls put on a great show. Even better live, their strong voices filled up the intimate venue, capturing the crowd’s attention. The two were relaxed in the spotlight and even got the crowd clapping along with them during “Still Pick You Up” – one of my favourites. They seemed like they were really having fun on stage and that’s what makes for a great performance. It’s clear they’re doing what they love.

When asked what’s next for Hayley Stark, Monica responded without hesitation, All the way to the top, baby!” The girls plan to release a three song EP in the future, adding drums and bass. They want to “fill out the songs so we can play some bigger gigs”, explains Jennifer, “get some more fans and more exposure.” It seems as though the girls are getting a little nostalgic for their metal roots and plan to return somewhat, but with their talented song-writing abilities, they can’t go wrong. They also plan to tour around Ontario this summer, hitting-up some of the folk and acoustic festivals up north. They’ll also be playing small (usually free) shows around Toronto while working on the album, so check their MySpace for dates. With their efforts to get their name out there and their ever-evolving sound, I look forward to seeing what these two will be up to next. Their songs have definite radio potential and it’s only a matter of time before you hear more from them. Keep your eye on these two – they’re going places.



- www.unchartedsounds.com