Static In The Stars

This Vancouver-based band have been described as epic, triumphant rock‘n’roll, combining soaring melodies with bombastic guitars in a sound that transcends boundaries and is built for the stadium. The new EP Kings Of Last Call was produced by Tommy Mac from multi-platinum Canadian recording artists Hedley. Muchmusic.com says: “The best way I can think to describe a Static In The Stars show is guitar-shredding, drum-smashing, epic rock‘n’roll you can dance to with catchy vocals that leave you singing the lyrics days later.” - Music Week - UK

Canadian Musician Magazine – Showcase

- Ben Conoley
Static in the Stars blast right out of the garage and into your stereo at a ferocity best experienced with your volume knob cranked. The Vancouver-based quintet plays loud stadium-ready rock n’roll with huge guitars and soaring vocals. The band’s latest EP, Kings of Last Call, is short, but packs a powerful punch. It’s a follow-up to their 2009 effort No Grace in Goodbyes and transfers just as well to the stage, which they’ve shared alongside acts including Pearl Jam, Wintersleep, K-OS and Billy Talent.

The band has spent the last year touring, picking up some awards here and there and catching the ears of people like Hedley’s Tommy Mac, who produced Kings Of Last Call, and JUNO-nominated engineer/mixer Dean Maher (AC/DC, Bryan Adams, Nickelback, Rise Against), who also lent his talents to the effort. If the doctor has ordered you to listen to some straight-up rock ‘n’ roll, look no further than Static in the Stars.
- Canadian Musician

Alan Cross
Music from the Inbox 09/04/2011

Big-sounding alt-pop from this Vancouver band (okay, Langley). To my ears, they sound like the Trews on super-overdrive. Listen here.
- Alan Cross

Reviewed 9//4/2011 by Mike
4 / 5 Stars

This compelling little five track ep amply illustrates why Static in The Stars are going places. Peppy melodies and hooks galore combine with modern production-courtesy of Hedley’s Tommy Mac- and brazen self-confidence which sees the band heading into a world where new meets old. The old school bludgeon of the title track and the modernized heavy glam of ‘Lost Vegas’ show a band at the top of their game, whilst the harmony soaked ‘We Are’ and the reflective balladry of ‘Whenever You Fall’ intimate that this band are more than a one trick pony. Static in the Stars are a special band and a full length album can’t come soon enough. Watch this space. www.myspace.com/staticinthestars
- www.alternativeaddiction.com

Static In the Stars-An interview
by Mike Newdeck

Well, well, well, wouldn’t you know it yet another bunch of Canadians pushing the envelope with their unique brand of hard rock and they can’t be dismissed as Nickelback clones. With an e.p ‘Kings of the Last Call’ available now, a full album due in the very near future and some high profile concerts coming up, the future does indeed look very bright. Oh! And did I mention that they’re managed by Hedley’s Tommy Mac. Mike Newdeck spoke to main man Jordan Carriere about the inception of the band and what lies ahead.

Why did you relocate to Vancouver from Calgary?

We felt that moving to Vancouver where there is a larger, more established music scene would be more beneficial to our career. A lot of our industry contacts are out here and I had an opportunity as well to build a recording studio with Tommy Mac called The Beatlab. www.thebeatlabstudio.com . We felt that we had accomplished all we could in Calgary and decided to go to where the industry is, and that meant either Toronto or Vancouver.

Tell me about the Vancouver Fox Seeds competition?

The Fox Seeds competition is a yearly competition run by the rock station 99.3 The Fox that brings together the best in independent talent in Vancouver. It’s been running for around 20 years and has launched the careers of a number of Vancouver bands. Last year we were fortunate enough to place in the top 20. We didn’t win but it was a great experience and really helped raise our profile.

How did you come to work with Hedley’s Tommy Mac?

We were introduced to him through our old drummer Harvey Warren and he came out to Calgary to our rehearsal space and I guess he saw some potential cause he agreed to produce us and has ever since.

How has your recent ep ‘Kings of the Last Call’ progressed form the album ‘No Grace in Goodbyes’?

I think the songwriting has improved. Stylistically it’s similar but we grew as songwriters and musicians and the songs are a bit more to the point and structured better.

How would you describe your music?

I would call it anthem rock. Rock that makes you want to put your fist in the air and sing along. Big guitars and big melodies.

At the moment it’s the indie route for you have any of the major labels shown any interest?

At the moment we are still independent, which definitely has its pros and cons. We’ve had a bit of interest from some people but the way the industry is now no one wants to take a risk on anything that they don’t feel is going to be a sure thing. There’s no development of bands anymore. It seems like for a major to take an interest you almost have to be at the point in your career where you don’t need them, and that’s when they take notice. Everyone keeps saying that in the new industry you don’t need the majors, but there are still definite advantages to being on one.

How does it feel to struggle from the bottom up? Are you making headway? Or do you ever feel like giving up?

It’s definitely a struggle every day. I don’t think a lot of people realize what it takes to be in an independent band. While the internet has changed the industry immensely and has given independent bands tools that they never had before, it’s also made it so that anyone can make music and put it out there, so it’s hard to break through all of the static.

That being said, I feel like we are making some headway. We’ve been fortunate to play some great shows, do some traveling, and get some good press, and there are a lot of bands that would kill to have some of the experiences and opportunities we have had.

Sometimes you feel like you’re pushing a rock uphill and the thought of giving up crosses your mind, but it’s at that moment when you realize that we aren’t doing this for fame or fortune, we’re doing this because making music is such a large part of who we are. We don’t do it because we want to, we do it because we have to, and it’s in our blood.

Can we expect a full album anytime soon?

We’ve been on a writing spree recently and have a full albums worth of new material, so the plan is to hopefully start recording later this year. Whether or not it will be a full album or another EP is yet to be determined. We are also going to be releasing remixes of “We Are”, “Kings of Last Call” and “Raise Your Voice” soon.

Could you give me a brief band history? The bands that you were with before ‘Static....’

Static was formed around 2007 I think out of an old band that I was in called Screams of Silence. We’ve undergone a number of lineup changes and currently we have me, Cam Thomas on guitars, Trent Otter on drums and Jeff Ingham on keyboards/programming.

We’ve all been in different bands before, I was in Atoms Eve and Screams of Silence, Cam was with a band called Piston and Trent was in the Joyride.

We released a self-recorded; self-produced EP upon forming and set out playing gigs around Calgary and Western Canada. We were finalists in the Fuel 90.3 (now Amp 90.3) Big Rock Star contest which provided us with a $25,000 grant that we used to make the “No Grace in Goodbyes” EP with Tommy Mac producing and Dean Maher engineering and mixing.

We continued playing shows across Canada, made some lineup changes and then moved to Vancouver. Once there we made the Top 20 in Fox Seeds, continued to play shows across Canada, recorded and released “Kings of Last Call”, made some more lineup changes, played more shows and that pretty much brings us to where we are today.

How old are the members of the band?

I’m not at liberty to disclose that information at this time…. Hahahaha.

Would you say that you are great musicians?

Without sounding too pompous or arrogant I think that each member is a good musician in their own right, but I think our strength comes from being good songwriters. But we are always trying to learn and improve everyday.

Why did you call the ep ‘Kings of the Last Call’?

If you ever get a chance to drink with us it would be pretty self evident… we are the Kings of Last Call! We like to party and have a good time and when we wrote the song Kings of Last Call it was a natural fit to make that the title track. It sums up our party philosophy nicely. There’s a term that a group of friends in Toronto use when we come there to play, and it’s called “getting Static drunk”.

How would you describe the music scene in Vancouver and Canada generally?

I think there are a lot of talented bands in both Vancouver and Canada and overall it’s a pretty good scene. The Vancouver scene is great compared to a lot of places I’ve been. And we love Toronto too because we get amazing support there. But it does seem though that it is a lot harder to get people out for live music these days and the support isn’t as strong for independent music as it used to be, but that could just be a sign of the times.

Tommy Mac is your manager; will he open new doors for the band?

Tommy isn’t technically our manager, but he acts as our mentor and consultant. He has such a wealth of experience and has been so successful in his career that his advice and guidance is invaluable. He has definitely opened a lot of doors for us and hopefully will continue to in the future.

What’s the plan for the rest of 2011?

We are redoing our live show and adding in new musical elements to our sound and will be back to playing shows by October. We are doing a one off show in Calgary in September for our friends Crystal Kid’s CD Release party. And hopefully we will be making a new record in the next couple of months. We are really excited about the new songs and our sound is going to be undergoing a bit of a revamp. We did some writing as well with Paul Laine (Danger Danger). We are getting ready to come out swinging again with our new lineup and new songs.

What’s the song ‘Lost Vegas’ about?

It’s about a good girl making bad decisions in Las Vegas!

Which bands have you supported and which gig do you remember most?

We played Virgin Fest in Calgary with Pearl Jam, Billy Talent, Wintersleep, K-os and others, Boonstock with The Offspring, Papa Roach, Chevelle, Matt Good and more, opened for Twisted Sister, and played the Gibson Guitar All Star Party at the Junos at the Hockey Hall Of Fame with Randy Bachman, Down With Webster, Anvil, The Trews, and a bunch more. So we’ve been lucky to get to play with some really amazing bands, as well as a number of great independent bands.

Virgin Fest is definitely one of those gigs that we will remember forever. Another memorable gig was our Fox Seeds showcase, it was kind of our coming out party in Vancouver and it was a great show all around.

What is the best moment of your career so far?

Probably either playing Virgin Fest with Pearl Jam headlining or playing the Gibson All Star party at the Hockey Hall Of Fame.

You were featured on a London (UK) radio station recently how did that come about? And is there an interest in the UK for your music?

We were actually featured in the London music magazine Music Week on their “Sounds of Canada” playlist, which was an opportunity through Canadian Music Week, which we have played numerous times. We submitted a song and were chosen to be on the playlist.

That’s our first real foray into the UK market and it seems to be pretty well received so far. The UK is a market that we have actually targeted, as we feel that our style of music will go over well there. So we are definitely focusing on getting more exposure in the UK. So if you’re reading this and you are in the UK spread the word!

How do you all get on as a band? How do you deal with conflicts within the band?

We get along pretty well, Cam and I fight like an old married couple but that’s just because we know each other so well. Overall being in a band is like a marriage with 4 other people, so you can’t take anything too serious. Any major conflicts are usually solved via knife fight, or sometimes we will pull out the staff and use that.

This band from Canada is certainly one of the best that I have come across. Check out some of their huge tunes at www.myspace.com/staticinthestars - www.alternativeaddiction.com

Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Review -- STATIC IN THE STARS -- No Grace In Goodbyes
NO GRACE IN GOODBYES
Static In The Stars
Sound Grenade
8-out-of-10
If you like high energy rock that doesn’t go too far into the realm of metal, or just like being in on the ground floor of a band which should break big, then you had better put Static In The Stars’ debut release No Grace In Goodbyes on your last minute Christmas list.
This Calgary band is just plain good. Listening to the seven-song disk the first time I got the same feeling I did hearing bands such as Art of Dying and Cold Driven the first time. For regular readers, yes Static In The Stars are that good.
Lost Vegas starts off the CD and immediately catches your attention. You have the immediate feeling you are in for something special.
By the time you get a few chords into Raise Your Voice, you are convinced the band is for real.
Through the remaining five songs they simply keep matching the high bar they set with the first two songs. There is not a weak cut here. This is simply a killer disk top-to-bottom.
Jordan Carriere provides the lead vocals with help from Cam Thomas who also plays guitar, drummer Jason Ritchie, and bassist Jeff Pedora, with James Goodon also supplying guitar work.
This is truly a CD to have, and a hot band to keep an eye on.
Check them out at www.myspace.com/staticinthestars
— CALVIN DANIELS

-- Review first appeared in Yorkton This Week newspaper Dec. 23, 2009 - Yorkton, SK. Canada - Yorkton This Week

STATIC IN THE STARS PLAY INDIE WEEK TORONTO
October 26th, 2010



Static In The Stars describe themselves as “Combining 80's cock rock with modern influences like Anberlin and the Foo Fighters they have created a new brand of straight ahead rock and roll that sets no boundaries and takes no prisoners” – a hell of a statement. But if there’s anything I’ve learned from these Calgary natives, it’s that they definitely do not disappoint. These guys know how to put on a live show – whether it’s for 20 people or 2,000; everyone in the house will be into it, guaranteed.

The band is made up of Jordan Carriere on vocals, Cam Thomas and James G on guitar, Jeff Pedora on bass, and Jason Ritchie on drums; and all of them with rock in their heart. Formed in Calgary, but now based out of the *other* music city of Vancouver, it’s been a huge year for Static. They have been the kings of festivals, playing Virgin Fest Alberta, Boonstock 2010, Canadian Music Week 2009, Junofest 2008, and what’s got to be a dream for any Calgary-born rocker – they opened for Twisted Sister during the Calgary Stampede. They played Indie Week both this year and last, have received radio play on several stations, and have caught the attention of Tommy Mac from Hedley. They have shared the stage with everyone from Pearl Jam, Matt Good and Wintersleep, to K-OS, and Papa Roach; a diverse roster that definitely shows their true colors and their ‘take no prisoners’ attitude.

Their album ‘No Grace in Goodbyes’ was released last year and produced by Hedley’s Tommy Mac, engineered by Juno-nominated Dean Maher, and mastered by Chris Potter – Static in the Stars are clearly in good hands.

The guys in the band are not just a pretty face – they’re smart too. They are currently doing everything they can to play as much as possible, and expose their music to a wide audience across Canada and beyond, and are also in the midst of building their own studio – next stop, world domination!

But enough of the formalities – what you really want to know is how these guys rock out, right? The best way I can think to describe a Static In The Stars show is guitar-shredding, drum-smashing, epic rock n’ roll you can dance to with catchy vocals that leave you singing the lyrics days later. Static takes the best parts of 80’s hair metal and combine that head-banging epic-ness with modern harmonies, split time and catchy lyrics to create a fantastic diverse sound not quite like anything else.

The guys played four shows at this year’s Indie Week Toronto; and they delivered a top-notch performance every single time. Toronto loves them, which is a big statement considering we have a rep for being a tough crowd. The guys are willing to do anything for their fans, including singing on top of the bar. And if they can make it here, they can do it anywhere.

It also helps that these are some of the best guys to party with. I know I’m always in for a good time when the band is in Toronto (now dubbed their ‘second home’). That means a night of awesome music, new friends, high fives, debauchery, narwhal references, conversations full of passion for anything with rhythm, and likely ending with 3am waffles.

But don’t take my word for it, do yourself a favor and check out Static In The Stars on MySpace here or their site here, or better yet, follow them on Twitter. And if you ever hear of them coming to your hometown – trust me and go check them out. Get ready for a good time, they will NOT disappoint.

Article and photos by Chloe Gedmintas. - Much Music Blog

Artist
Static in the Stars
Venue
Calgary Olympic Park
Date
08/02/2009
In the stifling heat of Calgary’s Olympic Park, Static in the Stars blazed onto stage – as if the scorching surface of the stage’s black floor needed to be any hotter.

Soaring riffs that drive straight into your skull proved Static in the Stars to be a reflection of the decadence that is vital in 80’s hair metal. But don’t let this fool you, their sound was as fresh as the roaring crowd was sunburnt. Playful 80’s rhythms blended with a hint of punk and some melodic metal undertones created a sound that not only blasted the stage out of the park, but put to shame all of the subsequent bands unfortunate enough to follow-up after their set.Lyrically, Static in the Stars clearly demonstrated a greater amount of sophistication and polished eloquence than their rock n’ roll counterparts. Tracks such as No Grace in Goodbyes make the band third dimensional and enticing, setting them apart from the majority of the current cardboard-tasting struggling bands. Despite the swelteringly hot conditions, the band played relentlessly, punctuated by the larger-than-life stage presence of frontman Jordan Carriere. When half of the city was too lethargic from heatstroke to even move, Carriere pounded through the set, bursting with charisma and oozing with rock n’ roll machismo. Not to be outdone, the rest of the band was a show unto themselves, flawlessly belting out their soon-to-be-single, Lost Vegas and completely conquering each and every track. Okay, so at times they might have looked slightly uncomfortable, but this can hardly be seen as a criticism, considering that it was so hot outside that the soles of their shoes were melting – along with the guest DJ’s vinyls. Visceral and engaging – a sound that will chew you up and spit you back out again - this local band proved to be one of the more exciting acts at this year’s Virgin Festival. - www.komodorock.com

Calgary Sun Article

Oct 15, 2008
Permalink 05:05 am, Kelly Doody / Fantastic Fundraiser, 366 words
Big Sound Benefit

Calgary band Static in the Stars has been busy.

Playing high profile shows like JunoFest, opening for legendary rockers Twisted Sister, working in the studio with Tommy MacDonald from Hedley, recording new music for their upcoming album and competing for a cool $200,000 in the FUEL big Rock Star finale, you'd think the last thing they'd have time for is a benefit concert. Not so.

Bandmates Jeff Pedora, Jordan Carriere, Harvey J. Warren, Jamez Goodon and Joe McLeod – also known as Static in the Stars – are set to headline the Big Sound Benefit this Saturday at The Gateway Restaurant and Bar at SAIT.

Playing alongside Once Just, Constant Season and 40 Gun Flagship, the band's hard rockin' tunes will be well-suited to the 'big' sound of this benefit, fittingly raising funds for the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Calgary and Area.

"This is an excellent opportunity for us to be involved with a great organization and give something back to the community," said drummer Harvey Warren, who also doubles as the drummer in everyone's favourite 80's glam rock cover band Broken Toyz.
As part of the benefit event, Static in the Stars will also be hosting one lucky Little Brother or Little Sister for the day. Kids 10 and up were asked to submit something creative that described why they would like to be a rock star, in hopes of winning the opportunity to attend the Big Sound Benefit's super cool sound check and then have dinner with the band the day of the show.

"We feel honoured to be a part of this event for a great organization like Big Brothers and Big Sisters," lead vocalist Jordan Carriere told Page Six. "We feel that it is important for kids to be exposed to music, and I know that when I was younger I would have loved to know more about the music industry and how to get into it."

Tickets are available at ticketmaster.ca, and are just $12 in advance. For more on the band, check out www.myspace.com/staticinthestars. - Calgary Sun