The Bloody Five

The Bloody Five are back and better than ever, and they’ve got a brand new music video to prove it.

The Toronto indie punk rockers have just released a new video for the slow burning Je M’excuse, their follow up to their punk rock rendition of a Canadian classic, New York City. This latest single shows off a different aspect of a sound the band has carefully cultivated. Exploring the melancholy themes of absence and longing, the video was shot by Martin Wojtunik, the director who was also behind their fun and fast paced video for “New York City”, and edited by the band’s own bassist Jay Appleby.

Check out “Je M’excuse” for yourself below:

by Nadia Elkharadly - Addicted Magazine

Jul 22, 2010: REVIEW: Review at the Fireband CDs blog - Firebrand Inc.

Jan 16, 2011: REVIEW: Bedroom Music review from nxew.com - nxew.com

Apr 4, 2011: REVIEW: Concert review from examiner.com - examiner.com

Oct 25, 2011: REVIEW: Link to “Never Again” on Rockband for Xbox - rockband.com

Nov 25, 2011: REVIEW: Article by Karen Bliss at Gleaner - Gleaner Community Press

Nov 25, 2011: REVIEW: Article by Karen Bliss at Gleaner - Gleaner Community Press

Dec 23, 2011: REVIEW: Review by Alan Cross - Alan Cross

Jan 10, 2012: AUDIO: Interview with KD on FM96 - FM 96 London

Feb 5, 2012: REVIEW: Alan Cross on the New York City video - Alan Cross

Apr 1, 2012: REVIEW: CMW review by Nadia Elkharadly at examiner.com - examiner.com

Apr 1, 2012: REVIEW: CMW review by Nadia Elkharadly at examiner.com - examiner.com

Apr 2, 2012: REVIEW: CD mention by Bob Segarini - Bob Segarini

Apr 9, 2012: REVIEW: Review from Matt Tracks at MuchMoreMusic - Much More Music

May 2, 2012: REVIEW: Review from The A.V. Club - The A.V. Club

May 2, 2012: VIDEO: Performance and interview on Rogers TV - Rogers TV

May 24, 2012: REVIEW: Article by Jade Sperry at nxew.ca - nxew.ca

May 24, 2012: REVIEW: Article by Jade Sperry at nxew.ca - nxew.ca

Jun 21, 2012: VIDEO: Acoustic performance on BalconyTV - BalconyTV

Jun 25, 2012: VIDEO: Interview in studio at 93.3 CFMU - 93.3 CFMU

Aug 25, 2012: REVIEW: Article by Nadia Elkharadly at examiner.com - examiner.com

Oct 12, 2012: REVIEW: Indie Week review from Toronto Music Scene - Toronto Music Scene

Oct 12, 2012: REVIEW: Indie Week review from Toronto Music Scene - Toronto Music Scene

Feb 3, 2013: VIDEO: Performance and interview on CIUT’s Map Room Sessions - CIUT Map Room Sessions

Mar 15, 2013: INTERVIEW: CMW interview with T MAK WORLD - T MAK WORLD

Sound 5/5

The Bloody Five are seasoned, pounding and sexy. Wailing harmonicas evoke Southern Blues a la Black Snake Moan, thrown into a morass of Tool, Jethro Tull, the Misfits and the Damned. The music is well structured and creepy, with the plodding menace of a horror movie and the driving drums to make you wanna do something bad.

Performance 5/5

Announcing, “You’ve got a new favorite band” at the onset of the performance proved to be a prophecy fulfilled. They are a mature band, confident and intuitive of each other on the stage. The crowd was pretty much going ballistic the whole time. Lots of smoke and lasers.

Professionalism 5/5

They’re consummate professionals.

Aesthetic 4.5/5

They dressed dark but not lurching into caricature, showy but not overwrought.

Authenticity 4/5

They have clearly been doing this for a while. Convincing and confident with their sound, they easily won over new converts.

Total 23.5/25

FINAL GRADE 94 %
- Tiffy Thompson - Toronto Music Scene

“The Bloody Five are a band from Toronto who formed in High School (sort of). Now I know that doesn’t seem very extraordinary. Bands form in high school all the time, but The Bloody Five are different. They were born out of a talent show where students and teachers form a band and play some tunes together, but this band took that idea a little further because they kept making music after the talent show. They are a mix of teachers and former students.” Matt Wells, Matt Tracks, MuchMore

Formed in 2009, The Bloody Five are 70’s 80’s and 90’s babies with a mutual passion for creating music and building on each other’s imagination. The band’s multi-generational make-up and fusion of relative influences drive their mission to brew a magical mystery potion for the ears.

Guitarist, Tomi Fear and Vocalist, KD were inspired to write tunes while jamming in Claremont, Ontario with “The Vinyl Knights”, a blues brotherhood . Jay Appleby replaced Chris Hau on bass perpetuating the raw energy for which the band is known. Robby “Raw Beats” Sedran rounds out the band with his uncanny ability to define the groove using innovative fills and his double bass pedal. He speaks softly but carries powerful sticks.

In 2010, The Bloody Five released their first EP, Bedroom Music, produced by Derek Hoffman (Brighter Brightest- Much Discovered), which was well received by fans and given positive reviews. The band worked hard to manage and promote itself and collaborate with different people also yearning to express their artistic passion in different ways. In 2011, the band once more teamed up with Derek Hoffman to produce a full length album. They were also fortunate to receive studio support from Brian Moncarz (The Darcys) and Joao Carvalho (Sloan). Meanwhile, the band continued touring around southern Ontario with showcases at Canadian Music Week, North by North East, Indie Week, and the Y108 Spring Music Festival. In October 2011, Track 10– Never Again was included in the Rock Band 3 video game.

Early in 2012 with the support of Autoshare, The Bloody Five released an album single, their rendition of The Demics classic, (I Wanna Go To) New York City. The song garnered attention on, AlanCross.ca, PunkNews.org, MuchMusic (including a profile on MuchMore’s Matt Tracks), and AUXTV. The momentum continued to rise as the song and its unique video have been praised by music journalists and placed on rotation on several college radio stations throughout Canada, even charting on Mohawk College’s INDI101. S

With an album ripe for release, The Bloody Five were fortunate to incorporate the album cover artwork of RUNT, the artist who paints the mural on the front wall of Lee’s Palace, Toronto. Stay tuned for the press release!

For more information, check them out at www.thebloodyfive.com.
- 94.9 The Rock FM - Oshawa

•The Bloody Five
.

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Canadian Rockers the Bloody Five gear up to release their debut full-length album, and celebrate with a fan filled CD release party at Toronto’s Legendary Horseshoe Tavern.

The Bloody Five’s debut album Unreleased 2012 is the culmination of a two year process of hard work and creativity. Teaming up with producer Derek Hoffman (Brighter Brightest/ Much Discovered), the talented Brian Moncarz (The Darcys) and Joao Carvalho (Sloan) contributed their skills in the studio to bring the long awaited album to fruition. The music loving public has already gotten a taste of what’s to come; songs from the album have already been given pre-release commercial radio airplay on 102.1 The Edge (Toronto), Y108 (Hamilton), and FM96 (London) as well as college radio stations throughout Canada. The mysterious and melodic “Never Again” is already available on Rock Band 3. Demics cover “New York City” has also garnered attention from Alan Cross, Punk News, AUX TV, and MuchMusic, including a profile on Matt Well's Matt Tracks on MuchMore Music. And if the musical content of Unreleased 2012 wasn’t enough to tempt fans, the dazzling cover art by RUNT (the famous Toronto artist who paints the mural on the front of Lee's Palace, one of the band's favourite venues) wraps things up in an incredibly intriguing package.

Following 2012 showcases at Canadian Music Week and North by North East, the band can also be seen at Indie Week this October.

Formed in 2009, The Bloody Five are 70’s 80’s and 90’s babies with a mutual passion for creating music and building on each other’s imaginations. A multigenerational band with a multigenerational fan base, the Bloody Five exemplify the timelessness of rock music. Kevin DeFreitas (vocals and keyboards) and Tomi Fear (guitar) were both high school teachers in York Region and had written some songs together. A school talent show brought the musically inclined teachers together with two musically inclined students, and soon the Bloody Five was born. The youngest member, Robby “Raw Beats” Sedran (drums) brings an uncanny ability to define the groove using innovative fills and his double bass pedal, and to hear him play you’d never believe he was the youngest member of the group. The band has recently seen a lineup change with the departure of Chris Hau (to pursue solo efforts) and the addition of Jay Appleby on bass. Jay's presence perpetuates the live raw energy for which the band has become known. Their first EP release, Bedroom Music, in 2010 received acclaim from both fans and media alike, and with Unreleased 2012 coming out, the Bloody Five’s momentum is stronger than ever.

The Bloody Five will be celebrating the release of Unreleased 2012 on August 31st at the Horseshoe Tavern presented by Vai Media Group and Collective Concerts. A limited supply of CDs will be available for free at the show. Event information can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/events/345578822185351/

Media Quotes and Links

“Call me crazy, but I hear Ozzy, The Ramones (The 5 do a killer cover of The Demics’ “New York City”) and Pink Floyd in their music. Catch them live, and dig this track, a scorcher from their not-yet-released CD. Call it NuPunk if you must, a rock and roll sub-genre this band has a definite handle on.”

Bob Segarini - Segarini: Don't Believe A Word I Say

“A multigenerational band with a multigenerational fanbase, The Bloody Five exemplify the timelessness of rock music.”

Nadia Elkharadly - Canadian Examiner

“Kudos...to The Bloody Five for resurrecting [New York City] and showing it the proper reverence.”

Alan Cross - AlanCross.ca -A Journal of Musical Things

http://www.thebloodyfive.com

http://facebook.com/thebloodyfiveofficial

http://twitter.com/thebloodyfive

http://www.youtube.com/thebloodyfive
- Nadia Elkharadly - Canadian Examiner

For those of you who do know that I currently attend Ryerson University’s RTA School of Media, you might have been expecting this sooner. (Also, maybe we should start playing the “Let’s Count How Many Times Faustine Mentions Ryerson in Toronto Soundscapes” game. We’ll make it a drinking game too.) This week, I’d like to introduce you to The Bloody Five.



What I really like about The Bloody Five is how its members are all babies from different decades, from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Easily, The Bloody Five is a small group of people from very different times who were brought together with their mutual love for music. Naturally, there’s something for everyone in their music.



The band started back not too long ago in 2009 and currently consists of guitarist Tomi Fear, vocalist KD, bassist Jay Appleby, and drummer Robby “Raw Beats” Sedran. These guys deliver purely raw musical energy around the Toronto area, in such places as The Horseshoe Tavern, playing their “heavy not heavy” rock (as one fan has apparently said) music.



As the years progressed, The Bloody Five has definitely been on the rise. Thus far, they’ve released an EP, Bedroom Music (2010), a full-length album Unreleased 2012 (just released the other night), which were both released with the help of Derek Hoffman (Brighter Brightest – Much Discovered). They’ve also played at notable events and festivals such as Canadian Music Week, North By North East, and Indie Week. You can now also find their track “Never Again” in the Rock Band 3 video game.



You might have also heard of these guys due to Canadian radio broadcaster and writer Alan Cross (basically, a big deal), who rewarded The Bloody Five for resurrecting the alternative rock classic “New York City” by The Demics.



If these guys can capture Alan Cross‘s attention, it definitely deserves yours. Watch their music video for “New York City” by The Demics below and check out their official website [here].
- Faustine Pelipel - Bestfan Magazine

For those of you who do know that I currently attend Ryerson University’s RTA School of Media, you might have been expecting this sooner. (Also, maybe we should start playing the “Let’s Count How Many Times Faustine Mentions Ryerson in Toronto Soundscapes” game. We’ll make it a drinking game too.) This week, I’d like to introduce you to The Bloody Five.



What I really like about The Bloody Five is how its members are all babies from different decades, from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Easily, The Bloody Five is a small group of people from very different times who were brought together with their mutual love for music. Naturally, there’s something for everyone in their music.



The band started back not too long ago in 2009 and currently consists of guitarist Tomi Fear, vocalist KD, bassist Jay Appleby, and drummer Robby “Raw Beats” Sedran. These guys deliver purely raw musical energy around the Toronto area, in such places as The Horseshoe Tavern, playing their “heavy not heavy” rock (as one fan has apparently said) music.



As the years progressed, The Bloody Five has definitely been on the rise. Thus far, they’ve released an EP, Bedroom Music (2010), a full-length album Unreleased 2012 (just released the other night), which were both released with the help of Derek Hoffman (Brighter Brightest – Much Discovered). They’ve also played at notable events and festivals such as Canadian Music Week, North By North East, and Indie Week. You can now also find their track “Never Again” in the Rock Band 3 video game.



You might have also heard of these guys due to Canadian radio broadcaster and writer Alan Cross (basically, a big deal), who rewarded The Bloody Five for resurrecting the alternative rock classic “New York City” by The Demics.



If these guys can capture Alan Cross‘s attention, it definitely deserves yours. Watch their music video for “New York City” by The Demics below and check out their official website [here].
- Faustine Pelipel - Bestfan Magazine

While the majors are hoarding most of their big releases for the fall, the avalanche of indie records never stops. Here with a look at what made it through the double-filter gaunlet of all the stuff that came into this site is Juliette Jagger. - AC

Artist: The Bloody Five, “Release”

Album: Self-Titled

I totally dig this band. They’re sort of like an Alexisonfire deal – sans the screaming – in the sense that they’ve got these up-front guitars that have a sort of hallow sound, and a vocalist whose voice vibrates with this steady, weathered hum of emotion.
- Alan Cross.ca : A Journal of Musical Things

9/10 rating for The Bloody Five's debut album to be release Summer 2012. - Jade Sperry of NXEW.ca

9/10 rating for The Bloody Five's debut album to be release Summer 2012. - Jade Sperry of NXEW.ca

Kevin from The Bloody Five speaks with Andrea Dunn of FM96 on The Indie Show. January 10, 2012.

The Bloody Five was FM96 Supernova featured band of the month for January, 2012. - FM96 - London's Best Rock

Kevin from The Bloody Five speaks with Andrea Dunn of FM96 on The Indie Show. January 10, 2012.

The Bloody Five was FM96 Supernova featured band of the month for January, 2012. - FM96 - London's Best Rock

This is audio footage of an interview conducted by Dave Bookman a.k.a. Bookie of 102.1 The Edge, Toronto - The Bloody Five's music was played weekly on the station as the band was featured Band of the Month for May, 2012.” - 102.1 The Edge

Here is video footage of The Bloody Five profile on York Region Living, Rogers TV York Region w/ Dusty Lalas - York Region Living - Rogers TV

Toronto’s The Bloody Five emerged with the 2010 EP Bedroom Music, which married the dark, murky sound of The Cure and Depeche Mode with Tool’s hard, churning instrumentals. But with their new single, “(I Wanna Go To) New York City,” they’re bringing their punk influences to the fore. The song is a cover of the Canadian group The Demics, but The Bloody Five’s rendition sacrifices some of the original’s grimy, proto-punk charm. Instead, The Bloody Five’s take on the song will appeal to fans of pop-punk and power-pop sounds, as the band cleans up the mix, speeds up the tempo, and even introduces a few handclaps to the proceedings. - A.V. Club Toronto

The Bloody Five – (I Wanna go to) New York City (2012)

The Bloody Five are a band from Toronto who formed in High School (sort of). Now I know that doesn’t seem very extraordinary. Bands form in high school all the time, but The Bloody Five are different. They were born out of a talent show where students and teachers form a band and play some tunes together, but this band took that idea a little further because they kept making music after the talent show. They are a mix of teachers and former students and their first video is a cover of a tune by The Demics. The Demics were a punk band formed in London, Ontario around 1977 and this is widely considered one of the great Canadian songs of all time
- Matt Tracks - MuchMore Music

Tip of the Week

I’ll be writing about some of the artists I heard at CMW this year as soon as time (and space) permits. Here’s one I think deserves your attention.

They’re called The Bloody Five, and I was tipped to them by Downtown Bobby Singh, a man who knows his women, his liquor, and his music. Call me crazy, but I hear Ozzy, The Ramones (The 5 do a killer cover of The Demics’ “New York City”) and Pink Floyd in their music. Catch them live, and dig this track, a scorcher from their not-yet-released CD. Call it NuPunk if you must, a rock and roll sub-genre this band has a definite handle on. Release.
- Segarini: Don't Believe a Word I Say

Toronto band, The Bloody Five, have just released their new sing “New York City”, which is a cover of the 1977 song written by The Demics. I really like the spin it takes from the original punk song by speeding it up and adding a touch more rock’n'roll into the mix. It feels kind of like a boxed cake mix. It is not from scratch, but most of the time a boxed cake ends up better than the original anyway (at least when I am baking) especially if you jazz it up a bit like The Bloody Five have!

We hope you enjoy the song below. The band actually went to New York City to film the video this past summer. - Char - Vancouver Music Review

While choices on the final night of Canadian Fest may be more limited than during the rest of the week, the fine folks behind the band bookings make sure that there is still something for everyone.

Multigenerational band The Bloody Fivecontinue to improve and branch out their sound with each performance. For their CMF show at the Hideout, they added another ingredient in their musical concoction in the form of vocalist Andrea Matchett. The silky voiced blue haired beauty added her Amy Lee style vocals to lead singer Kevin DeFrietas’, most prominently on “Under this Mountain.” Her powerful voice added an additional artfulness to the band’s already melodic, yet dark and brooding style of punk rock. Matchett integrated herself seamlessly into the band’s live show, and with a band full of such strong characters and personalities, that is no easy feat. Guitarist Tomi Fear intimidates, with his striking persona and remarkable talent on the guitar. DeFreitas maintains an aura of quiet intensity, amplifying his vocals on “Never Again”, reaching off the stage and into the crowd, pulling them into his orbit. And it must be the nature of the teacher in both DeFrietas and Fear, as both older members of the Bloody Five allowed their younger members to shine. Drummer Robby “Raw Beats” Sedran’s unconventional drumming provided structure and gravity to every song, his sticks flying too fast for a camera to follow. And bassist Chris Hau’s youthful energy cannot be contained by a mere stage. Pushing the boundaries of his wireless transmitter, Hau leaps, bounds and flies from literally one end of the Hideout to the other, rushing through the crowd, and even showing off his dance moves, all the while never missing a beat on his bass. Despite the band’s early set time, the hideout was filled with fans, coming from all around the city and beyond to support the boys, and they did not disappoint. Playing their killer cover of The Demics’ “New York City”, the Bloody Five provided a fiery closing to another great performance.
- Nadia Elkharadly - Examiner.com

Toronto-based The Bloody Five have posted the video for their cover of The Demics's punk classic, "(I Wanna Go To) New York City." It was, in fact, shot in New York City by Martin Wojtunik and Zoe Alexopoulos.

The song was originally written by The Demics who formed in London, Ontario in 1977. Lead singer Keith Whittaker was originally from Manchester, England, explaining the band's English punk sound. They ended up moving to nearby Toronto to be closer to the punk scene and this song was their breakout single.
- Punknews.org

Multigenerational music took centre stage as local band The Bloody Five rocked the basement of the Hard Luck Bar in Toronto last Friday.

The members of The Bloody Five prove that music not only transcends the generation gap, but blows it away. Student became teacher and teacher became student as singer KD, guitarist Tomi Fear, bassist Chris Hau and drummer Raw Beats Sedran cross a three decade wide generation gap to combine musical forces. Packing their huge sound into the small space downstairs at the Hard Luck bar, every audience member gained intimate knowledge of every nuance of the Bloody Five’s style. Having members born in the seventies, eighties and nineties means having 30 years’ worth of musical influence, all coming together to create a fluid and variable sound. It also creates a wonderfully entertaining performance.
Each member has a stage presence and contagious energy that pours off the stage, sometimes quite literally. Hau was easily the star of the show, with exuberance that couldn’t be contained. He spent more time in the audience than next to his bandmates, and making a gaggle of girls swoon as he dropped to his knees and played in front of them. Heavy handed drumming lashed out of Sedran’s sticks as they attacked his drumkit and keeping furious time for his bandmates. Not to be outdone by their younger counterparts, KD and Fear thrashed about the stage and showed the crowd where the youngins’ got their moves. KD alternated rocking some awesome vocal effects with a megaphone to belting out song after song while Fear‘s fingers flew over his guitar as he cranked out one awesome solo after another. Their music has been described as “heavy but not heavy”, and this writer could not think of a more apt description. Melody met metal as they played songs from their EP Bedroom Music as well as new songs from their upcoming record, from the fast and energetic title track to the ethereal “Just Joking”. The band closed their set with their interpretation of a piece of canadian punk history, London, Ontario’s The Demics “New York City”, before leaving the stage to be worshipped by their adoring fans.

The Bloody Five put on an amazing how, and could not only benefit, but thrive in a huge venue where they can be as loud as they want (and should) be. This Saturday (April 9th) they get their chance, playing Dundas Square in downtown Toronto, before playing in Aurora in May. Two chances, take one, and don’t miss their kick ass show. - Nadia Elkharadly - examiner.com

Promotional press for Aurora New Music Festival - May 07,2011

Article comments on the inaugural festival - a collaboration between The Bloody Five and Joey Ferguson of Theatre Aurora

- Amanda Persico - Era Banner

Toronto band The Bloody Five are gearing up to release their cover of “New York City” by The Demics next Friday February 3rd. Produced and engineered by Derek Hoffman (Brighter Brightest), mixed by Brian Moncarz, and mastered by Joao Carvalho, this high energy and crowd pleasing track will be the first released from the band’s full length album, coming out later this year.

Formed in 2009, The Bloody Five are 70’s 80’s and 90’s babies with a mutual passion for creating music and building on each other’s imaginations. A multigenerational band with a multigenerational fanbase, The Bloody Five exemplify the timelessness of rock music. Kevin DeFreitas (vocals and keyboards) and Tomi Fear (guitar) are both York Region teachers who had started writing some songs together in 2009. The charismatic Chris Hau (bass), a former student of Kevin’s, soon joined the group, and his study of rock and roll dynamics clearly has paid off in his exuberant stage presence. The youngest member, Robby “Raw Beats” Sedran (drums), also a former student at Kevin’s school, rounded out the band with his uncanny ability to define the groove using innovative fills and his double bass pedal. Their first release, Bedroom Music, in 2010 received acclaim from both fans and media alike, and their highly awaited forthcoming album is set to drop in 2012.

The Bloody Five’s rendition of “(I Wanna Go To) New York City” is a modern take on a Canadian punk classic. The song was originally written by The Demics, formed in London, Ontario in 1977. Lead singer Keith Whittaker was originally from Manchester, England, explaining the band’s markedly English punk inspiration and sound. The band moved to Toronto to be closer to the punk scene, adding to the already vibrant blend of influences from the UK, the New York underground punk scene and something quintessentially Canadian. “New York City” was their breakout single, getting airplay on CFNY “The Spirit of Radio” in the station’s early days. Chart Magazine (now Chart Attack) named the song “the best Canadian single of all time”, and The Bloody Five continue the song’s journey to iconic Canadian musical status.

The cover was actually inspired by guitarist Tomi Fear’s step-brother, Kevin McLaughlin of Toronto company, Autoshare. A few years older than Tomi, his stepbrother was listening to radio when the original song was actually on the air. Tomi’s step-brother was really keen on hearing this song redone and pressed The Bloody Five to give it a shot. The band picked up the challenge, making this landmark song their own while staying true to its origins. ~

A music video for “New York City” has already been shot and will be released as well. The band actually travelled to New York last summer with directorMartin Wojtunik and Zoe Alexopoulos, shooting the video over two days. Toronto videographer, Chris Nelson, and Kevin McLaughlin are also part of the project. The video will be a homage to the 1970’s punk scene in general, and will show the band embracing their role as true punk “poseurs”. The Ramones, The Sex Pistols and other punk icons will be featured in some form or another. The single’s artwork was created by, Krista Arnold, a former student of the Aurora high school where The Bloody Five was born and features the medieval wheel of fortune, possibly signifying loss and gain of riches…in New York City.

The Bloody Five will be celebrating the release of “New York City” on February 3rd at Lee’s Palace. Details on the show will be made available on their website, Facebook, and Twitter pages.

http://thebloodyfive.com

http://facebook.com/thebloodyfiveofficial

http://twitter.com/thebloodyfive

http://youtube.com/thebloodyfive - Nadia Elkharadly - examiner.com

One of the finest punk rock songs to ever come out of Canada was "New York City" by the Demics, a London-based band lead by the late Keith Whittaker. From the moment it appeared on the Talk's Cheap EP in 1979, it was been a alt-rock classic.

Kudos then to The Bloody Five for resurrecting the song and showing it the proper reverence. - Alan Cross - alancross.ca

A band fronted by a high school teacher leading a secret second life? And what if the band included a couple of the singer's former students? Sounds like an HBO series, doesn't it?

But it's not. The Bloody Five is a Toronto band with a debut record coming in 2012.

Here's a preview. Damn, I wish my teachers had been this cool...
- Alan Cross - alancross.ca

The Bloody Five will be releasing an 11-song album in the new year. Courtesy Martin Wojtunik

The Bloody Five frontman Kevin “KD” DeFreitas, a former Annex resident who is now a high school teacher living in suburban Toronto, is lining up a giveaway for his band’s show at Lee’s Palace (529 Bloor St. W.) on Nov. 26.

KD is happy to be playing in his former ’hood. “I used to be a student at U of T so I lived there when I was in teacher’s college, at 666 Spadina.”

The members of the alternative rock band—including KD, guitarist Tomi Fear, bassist Chris Hau, and drummer “Raw Beats” Sedran—have an 11-song album in the can, produced by Brighter Brightest singer Derek Hoffman, but won’t be releasing it until the new year.

Instead, KD says, “We are planning a surprise for fans who show up at Lee’s Palace that will be related to our upcoming single, video, and album releases.”

Chances are it will be a download card or CD with the single and maybe a few extra tracks.

The multi-generational band—Hau and Sedran were both students of KD’s and would perform at their Catholic school’s talent shows or in the liturgical band—has been together since 2009.

“We’ve got a heaviness to us; we’ve got a melodic flavour as well, kind of a trippy sound in some places,” said KD.



They released a five-song EP in June of 2010 that included songs “Never Again” (also available on the video game Rock Band in the “grunge” category), “And Me For The Forest,” “Bedroom Music,” “Under This Mountain,” and “Just Joking.”

The Bloody Five’s cover of “(I Wanna Go To) New York City” by Canadian punk band the Demics (1977-1980), the forthcoming single on the still untitled album, is a departure from the band’s other material.

“The guy who owns Autoshare.com [Kevin McLaughlin] is our guitarist’s step-brother,” says KD. “He grew up in the ’70s and loved that song. When Tomi was a kid, for one of his birthday presents [he said], ‘When you try to get into this music business, I’m going to give you one music video.’ And that’s what this is. He wanted this song.”

The video, directed by Martin Wojtunik, was shot last summer in New York and has a rather amusing premise.

“We start off [with] us running around the Manhattan area taking things. ‘Oh, here’s sunglasses; here’s a wig; here’s a leather jacket,’” recounts KD. “We end up at Bowery and Bleeker which is the location where [legendary punk/new wave venue] CBGB used to be, and that’s where we posed as the Ramones.

“So we’re looking like ourselves and throwing on the costume as we run around and end up as poseurs,” he laughs.

The cover art for the single was designed by another former student of KD’s, Krista Arnold, now at OCAD University.

KD says the punk song fits The Bloody Five’s sound because “one thing that definitely is in common with the rest of the album is the rawness of the guitar sound. That’s something Tomi is trying to put across.

He’s more into that heavy side and I’m more into the Beatles. I like the harmonies.”
- Karen Bliss - Gleaner Community Press

Xbox 360 RBN Releases for Thursday, 10/27/2011

Grunge
The Bloody Five - "Never Again" (80 MSP)

Metal
Halcyon Way - "Death of a Dream" (80 MSP)
Between the Buried and Me - "Selkies: The Endless Obsession" (160 MSP)
Between the Buried and Me - "Selkies: The Endless Obsession (2x Bass Pedal)" (160 MSP)
Without Mercy - "CMDUC" (160 MSP)

Novelty
Mega64 - "My Name's Horatio, You Got Me, You Ain't Got Nobody Else, So Deal With It, And Love It" (80 MSP)

Nu-Metal
Powerman 5000 - "Show Me What You've Got" (160 MSP)

Pop/Dance/Electronic
Active Knowledge - "Reality Down" (160 MSP)

Pop-Rock
The Boyscout feat. Amanda Somerville - "Blood Red Rose" (160 MSP)
JOANovARC - "Sisters" (160 MSP)

Rock
•A Day to Remember - "2nd Sucks" (160 MSP)
•A Day to Remember - "2nd Sucks (2x Bass Pedal)" (160 MSP)
•A Day to Remember - "If It Means a Lot to You" (160 MSP)
•Glenn Case - "Sweet Canadian Mullet" (80 MSP)
•Jocko of Sha Na Na - "The Monster Stroll" (160 MSP)
•New Nobility - "Galactic Love" (160 MSP)
- Rock Band Network - for Microsoft XBox 360

Jun 18, 2011 under announcements


We're always trying to spread around the genres we work with. Usually we succeed. Sometimes we get stuck in a random electronica rut. Oh well. This time, we succeeded! With two songs in two genres that haven't been properly represented in RBN so far (at least, we think not).

First is Giraffes? Giraffes! (That's two giraffes!) This somewhat.... quirky duo is our first math rock group. What is math rock, you may ask? Take prog and turn up the crazy. And so you know there's crazy when you're coming in, we're working on a little ditty called "I Am S/H(im)e[r] As You Am S/H(im)e[r] As You Are Me And We Am I And I Are All Our Together: Our Collective Consciousness’ Psychogenic Fugue" for the Rock Band Network.

And since I'm now out of breath from that song name, let's blend Soundgarden's grunge with Ben Fold's inability to count and grab The Bloody Five, a Canadian quartet and the Network's first grunge band (though not the first grunge-ish band). We're doing "Never Again", the lead track from their debut EP "Bedroom Music".
- Fairwood Studios

Jun 18, 2011 under announcements


We're always trying to spread around the genres we work with. Usually we succeed. Sometimes we get stuck in a random electronica rut. Oh well. This time, we succeeded! With two songs in two genres that haven't been properly represented in RBN so far (at least, we think not).

First is Giraffes? Giraffes! (That's two giraffes!) This somewhat.... quirky duo is our first math rock group. What is math rock, you may ask? Take prog and turn up the crazy. And so you know there's crazy when you're coming in, we're working on a little ditty called "I Am S/H(im)e[r] As You Am S/H(im)e[r] As You Are Me And We Am I And I Are All Our Together: Our Collective Consciousness’ Psychogenic Fugue" for the Rock Band Network.

And since I'm now out of breath from that song name, let's blend Soundgarden's grunge with Ben Fold's inability to count and grab The Bloody Five, a Canadian quartet and the Network's first grunge band (though not the first grunge-ish band). We're doing "Never Again", the lead track from their debut EP "Bedroom Music".
- Fairwood Studios

We headed out to the Aurora woods with the members of “The Bloody Five” two weekends ago here in Ontario.
The band’s bass player Chris Hau was a fella I met at Wakestock in Collingwood last year.
He and the lads asked us for a shoot for some promotional images.
Kevin, Tomi, Chris, and Robby were a hoot to work with. They were fresh off a gig at the Toronto waterfront,
and were excited about their new EP Release “Bedroom Music”.

Here’s a few shots from the shoot…
- Biff Spandex Photography

The Bloody Five played the Y108 Rock and Roll Challenge at Hard Luck Bar. Alex McCusker was there to capture their set in photos. - Buying Shots for Bands

A video of the Rally For Respect: A Toronto for Everyone.
Created by CITY TV
"...included rousing music..." - CITYTV

But recently enough to write about, I was able to make it out to one of my cousin’s shows. He is vocalist in a band called the Bloody Five, These four cats have been playing shows in the GTA for the past year quite consistently. Below are a few photos taken at their Lee’s Palace gig on March 4th. I’m a fan of the new stage! Check out their musical grooves here. - Tippy Photography

But recently enough to write about, I was able to make it out to one of my cousin’s shows. He is vocalist in a band called the Bloody Five, These four cats have been playing shows in the GTA for the past year quite consistently. Below are a few photos taken at their Lee’s Palace gig on March 4th. I’m a fan of the new stage! Check out their musical grooves here. - Tippy Photography

"The Bloody Five seem to have the perfect combination of influences to pick up where Canadian innovators The Smalls left off. Very solid, infectious grooves and engaging harmonies coming from this Toronto-based quartet."

- James Moore, Your Band Is A Virus! (www.yourbandisavirus.com) - James Moore, Your Band Is A Virus!

The eleven-to-midnight slot on the Canadian Music Week site was the only one left blank on the roster for The Hideout's opening night of CMW, and these are the four guys that filled it. That's right: four. The meaning behind this band's name was lost to me the entire time I was watching them, but they showed the crowd (although small) a good time. Serving up a thrashier version of the run-of-the-mill pop-punk, they nearly got a pit going among the small group originally horseshoeing the stage, bassist Christopher Hau running around the venue with his cordless bass to the effect that he gathered any group of people that had allocated itself towards the venue's booths or bar to floor in front of the stage. Take notes from this guy, he's on to something. - Truth Explosion Magazine

EP Review – The Bloody Five – Bedroom Music

Released: June 2010

By Jade Sperry

JadedPhotography

The Bloody Five is a 4 member band hailing from greater Toronto ON. The members of this band are connected by a mutual passion for creating music and building on each others' imaginations. The band members are: Kevee Dee (KD, vocals, rhythm guitar and keys), Tomi Fear (lead guitars), Chris Hau (bass) and Robbie “Raw Beats” Sedran (drums). This is a band that has many different eras of Rock that influence the bands' sound because the members of this band grew up in different musical eras but they're all drawn to Rock music that has a timelessness to it. Tomi and KD found a common passion for music appreciation and production while playing weekly with The Vinyl Knights, a jam band from Claremont ON. Bass player Chris Hau's passion for music is fed both by his ongoing solo acoustic project and The Bloody Five's energetic group dynamic in which his bass licks – and onstage acrobatics – are a driving force to be reckoned with. Robby “Raw Beats” Sedran (drums) rounds out the band with his uncanny ability to define the groove with innovative fills and his double pass pedal. Their 5 song EP, Bedroom Music, was well received by fans and was given positive reviews. This band also works hard to manage and promote itself using online social networks (such as Twitter and MySpace) and they collaborate with different people who also yearn to express their artistic passion in different ways. They released this EP for free online in anticipation of their upcoming second EP which will be released sometime this year. They were also nominated for a Toronto Independent Music Award in 2010. This EP was produced by Derek Hoffman and was mastered by Joseph Coupal.



The Bloody Five in studio. Photo courtesy of the band.

One thing that should be stated here is that you can hear the influences of such bands like The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Radiohead, Tool and The Cure within The Bloody Five's music but, in hearing these influences within their music, they take the influence and make it their own. That's pretty difficult to do in this day and age.

The EP starts out with the song “Never Again” which is a hard edged, head-banging, get up and start doing something kind of song. The guitars are hard, distorted and command your immediate attention. The time changes within this one song are done amazingly well and at all times the bass and drums combine strength to make the song fluid for the full four plus minutes of the song. This song basically speaks of never doing anything again that would depress or isolate you in some way. “Bedroom Music” is fast paced, rocking and has overtones of actual jazz chord structure within the rock context. And the song speaks of “bedroom music/will you be my lover” which could mean the love of music or another person. “Under This Mountain” is a complete 180 from the first two songs. Much in the groove of a trippy, slow and melodic song that flows out from all four members in a very good way. Understated, mellow guitars mixed with a melodic tone of the keys sounds really well with the bass and drums. The vocals add that oomph layer that makes the song work. The line “under this mountain/there's no pain” and then “it happens three times a day/what was I going to say” just makes so much sense with the music. Well done! The other two songs, “Just Joking” and “And For Me The Forest” are also songs with substance. I would highly recommend this EP as the music is produced (by Derek Hoffman) mixed and mastered (by Joseph Coupal) very well.

The Bloody Five's various links:

Twitter

MySpace

Facebook Page

And you can download the EP here::

The Bloody Five – Bedroom Music – Free download

Chris Hau's music can be found right here:

Chris Hau music

The band members all have their own Twitter accounts and you can find them on their MySpace page.

Video - Under The Mountain

- North by East West

"Bedroom music, could you be my lover?" The Bloody Five are a 4 piece from Toronto. They are Tomi Fear, Bass Hau, KD and Raw Beats. They released their debut EP, Bedroom Music, in the summer of 2010. It is a wonderful collection of rock songs that melds classic rock influences with alternative rock melodies. The title track, with it's sonic guitar driven melody is a balls out rocker. This inventive band was nominated for a Toronto indie music award and is becoming a fixture on the Toronto music scene. They have a gig coming up on January 20th at the Bovine Sex Club. They are also working on a new album. Bedroom Music is available for download on Itunes. The band has also been allowing fans to download the album for free from their website since the late fall. As well, there is a very cool remix of the song, Bedroom Music, available on their website. This exciting new band is certainly one to watch in the coming year. They have a very cool website and are socially connected with their ever growing fan base through Twitter, You Tube, Facebook, MySpace and Blogging. You can follow their music at http://thebloodyfive.com/. You can also vote on which video you prefer for the song, Bedroom Music, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMErwosIntQ). Thanks for reading and enjoy! - Raised on Canadian Radio

"Bedroom music, could you be my lover?" The Bloody Five are a 4 piece from Toronto. They are Tomi Fear, Bass Hau, KD and Raw Beats. They released their debut EP, Bedroom Music, in the summer of 2010. It is a wonderful collection of rock songs that melds classic rock influences with alternative rock melodies. The title track, with it's sonic guitar driven melody is a balls out rocker. This inventive band was nominated for a Toronto indie music award and is becoming a fixture on the Toronto music scene. They have a gig coming up on January 20th at the Bovine Sex Club. They are also working on a new album. Bedroom Music is available for download on Itunes. The band has also been allowing fans to download the album for free from their website since the late fall. As well, there is a very cool remix of the song, Bedroom Music, available on their website. This exciting new band is certainly one to watch in the coming year. They have a very cool website and are socially connected with their ever growing fan base through Twitter, You Tube, Facebook, MySpace and Blogging. You can follow their music at http://thebloodyfive.com/. You can also vote on which video you prefer for the song, Bedroom Music, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMErwosIntQ). Thanks for reading and enjoy! - Raised on Canadian Radio

The attached audio link is an interview with The Bloody Five conducted by The Music Junkie on Ryerson's spiritlive radio - The Music Junkie

The attached audio link is an interview with The Bloody Five conducted by The Music Junkie on Ryerson's spiritlive radio - The Music Junkie

We have caught up with The Bloody Five and discussed a few things. Check them out on MySpace.

Where does the name The Bloody Five originate from?

A lot of people ask us the meaning of our band name and are confused since there are only four members in a band called The Bloody Five. A real story could be told by someone named Crimson Laurier in three sentences or less, but we've enjoyed leaving the explanation up to our fans who have actually come up with some wild ideas about our name. Some have described horrible things happening to our fifth member. Some believe five fingers bleed when we play our instruments so hard. Others have brought up occult references to the number five (of course, for the record, we're not admitting to anything like that). We put blood, sweat, tears, and, perhaps, two other mystery ingredients into into our music so that could have something to do with it as well.

What are the next steps for developing your band?

We really love writing, producing, and performing our music. We went through this cycle once in 2010 and it was an adventure which we'd like to repeat on a larger scale in 2011. In the next few months, we will be working on our second EP containing some songs that have been performed live but never recorded. Those songs have evolved in interesting ways. We're really looking forward to dedicating more time to production and adding more layers of sound to our new songs during our recording sessions. Lots of what we'd like to see happen depends on time and money- both are not always available- but it's been fun imagining possibilities. We'd also like to work on new components of our live show. Lasers and pyrotechnics would be cool, I guess, but we'll settle for some added jams between songs for now.

What is one goal you hope to achieve within the next year as a band?

Our main goal is to keep doing this because we love it so much. We'd like to do a tour over the summer and share our music with people from different places. We'd like to open for an established band on a tour - that's a huge goal. Hey Tool, what do you say dudes? [Worth a try] If we can keep growing and learning as a band, then we hope to share our journey with our current fans and continue to reach new audiences as well. We'd tour the world if we could afford it, but even touring Ontario would be a blast.

What is your favourite experience so far as a band?

The band members will probably all have different answers, but I think our trip to Montreal was the most memorable experience for all of us. We got to really bond as a band and wander around in a really cool city meeting unique characters all over the place. Then again, the recording process with Derek Hoffman was awesome - he's an incredibly talented guy. Playing those Toronto venues was incredibly exciting. Playing in Aurora for a receptive crowd of local fans was amazing too.

What is your largest influence?

The list of bands from different eras of rock that have had the most significant influence on our sound includes The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, RadioHead, Tool, Archive, and The Cure.. The Bloody Five consists of members who grew up in different musical eras but we are all drawn to music that has a timelessness to it. You might get a different list tomorrow but today our guitarist is influenced by Tool. Our drummer likes Lamb of God. The singer likes RadioHead and the bassist likes MuteMath.

What can we expect to see in the future from The Bloody Five?

Our second EP should be published early in 2011. You will also find us on tour and playing some festivals. We hope to be a part of North by Northeast, Indie Week, and other festivals like that in 2011. Although we've been managing and promoting ourselves, we'd love to just focus on the music while connecting with some form of external management. We have to be careful how we tread in that area since we're still learning about the music business. We would want to work with someone we can trust. We'd love to reach new ears- readers looking for a new vibe can check out our tunes and ongoing adventures online at www.thebloodyfive.com.which serves as a hub for all of our online social networks. - Take a Stand Media

We have caught up with The Bloody Five and discussed a few things. Check them out on MySpace.

Where does the name The Bloody Five originate from?

A lot of people ask us the meaning of our band name and are confused since there are only four members in a band called The Bloody Five. A real story could be told by someone named Crimson Laurier in three sentences or less, but we've enjoyed leaving the explanation up to our fans who have actually come up with some wild ideas about our name. Some have described horrible things happening to our fifth member. Some believe five fingers bleed when we play our instruments so hard. Others have brought up occult references to the number five (of course, for the record, we're not admitting to anything like that). We put blood, sweat, tears, and, perhaps, two other mystery ingredients into into our music so that could have something to do with it as well.

What are the next steps for developing your band?

We really love writing, producing, and performing our music. We went through this cycle once in 2010 and it was an adventure which we'd like to repeat on a larger scale in 2011. In the next few months, we will be working on our second EP containing some songs that have been performed live but never recorded. Those songs have evolved in interesting ways. We're really looking forward to dedicating more time to production and adding more layers of sound to our new songs during our recording sessions. Lots of what we'd like to see happen depends on time and money- both are not always available- but it's been fun imagining possibilities. We'd also like to work on new components of our live show. Lasers and pyrotechnics would be cool, I guess, but we'll settle for some added jams between songs for now.

What is one goal you hope to achieve within the next year as a band?

Our main goal is to keep doing this because we love it so much. We'd like to do a tour over the summer and share our music with people from different places. We'd like to open for an established band on a tour - that's a huge goal. Hey Tool, what do you say dudes? [Worth a try] If we can keep growing and learning as a band, then we hope to share our journey with our current fans and continue to reach new audiences as well. We'd tour the world if we could afford it, but even touring Ontario would be a blast.

What is your favourite experience so far as a band?

The band members will probably all have different answers, but I think our trip to Montreal was the most memorable experience for all of us. We got to really bond as a band and wander around in a really cool city meeting unique characters all over the place. Then again, the recording process with Derek Hoffman was awesome - he's an incredibly talented guy. Playing those Toronto venues was incredibly exciting. Playing in Aurora for a receptive crowd of local fans was amazing too.

What is your largest influence?

The list of bands from different eras of rock that have had the most significant influence on our sound includes The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, RadioHead, Tool, Archive, and The Cure.. The Bloody Five consists of members who grew up in different musical eras but we are all drawn to music that has a timelessness to it. You might get a different list tomorrow but today our guitarist is influenced by Tool. Our drummer likes Lamb of God. The singer likes RadioHead and the bassist likes MuteMath.

What can we expect to see in the future from The Bloody Five?

Our second EP should be published early in 2011. You will also find us on tour and playing some festivals. We hope to be a part of North by Northeast, Indie Week, and other festivals like that in 2011. Although we've been managing and promoting ourselves, we'd love to just focus on the music while connecting with some form of external management. We have to be careful how we tread in that area since we're still learning about the music business. We would want to work with someone we can trust. We'd love to reach new ears- readers looking for a new vibe can check out our tunes and ongoing adventures online at www.thebloodyfive.com.which serves as a hub for all of our online social networks. - Take a Stand Media

The Bloody Five just dropped their Bedroom Music album today for FREE download on their site. Just caught wind of these guys through twitter. They have a really unique style with an indie rock feel driven by upbeat drumming with an almost metal feel, having lots faster riffs. The new digital 5-track album is a great start to their originals collection. This is a great band with undoubted potential as they gain more influence and experience throughout their career. - The Beat-Play Experiment

The Bloody Five just dropped their Bedroom Music album today for FREE download on their site. Just caught wind of these guys through twitter. They have a really unique style with an indie rock feel driven by upbeat drumming with an almost metal feel, having lots faster riffs. The new digital 5-track album is a great start to their originals collection. This is a great band with undoubted potential as they gain more influence and experience throughout their career. - The Beat-Play Experiment

Alternative rock is, generally, one of those genres that remains fixed, sometimes formulaic, and mostly unwilling to budge from tradition. The Bloody Five seem to have thrown this conception out the window, existing in a realm where alternative rock can be both ethereal and psychedelic, melancholic and touching.


Having only played together for around a year, The Bloody Five seem to have found their perfect respective musical matches, which is apparent in their cohesive, but ultimately unique style. As an aside, they manage to remain super elusive and mysterious by taking on stage personas; KD, Tomi Fear, Raw Beats Sedran, and... Chris Hau?

Anyway, check out the teaser trailer for their new record, Bedroom Music, below for a taste of what I mean. Check them out on at their official website, and why not add them on MySpace, too? - Firebrand CDs

One last dude deserving of an honourable indie mention is wicked-named Tomi Fear of Toronto-area group The Bloody Five. C’mon, he has the SNIDELY WHIPLASH you can twirl evilly while waiting for the train to run over a damsel in distress! Guys, let’s never lose sight over what Movember is all about, raising “Mo”ney and awareness for men’s health issues, namely prostate cancer. So, while none of their members have ever been known for their face fungus, AC/DC merit a spot on this macho-stachio playlist for their terrifically testicular headbanger “Big Balls”. Just do your best to overlook how drummer Phil Rudd is being charged for attempting to procure murder. Now grow those Mos! - See more at: http://www.ichill.ca/articles/the-manliest-moustaches-in-music#sthash.K07XMtX8.dpuf - Chill Magazine