
By: Tara Thompson
Rock Eden: Lovers, Fools and Kings was officially released online at the end of August. How has everything been going since the release?
Jonathon: It's been great, we've been focusing on the upcoming release celebration and we are hoping to get a couple videos shot over the next few months. We're certainly making lots of plans (including writing for the next album).
RE: How was working with Chris Kirby as your producer?
Greg: Working with Chris was an excellent experience. His expertise and abilities as both a producer and songwriter were invaluable to the development of the album, plus he’s a great guy to work with! He really has an excellent understanding of what makes a song good and that was key in bringing out the potential in every track. He seems to be picking up a lot of hype as a producer as of late and he totally lives up to it.
RE: The official album release party is coming up on November 19th at The Fat Cat. What are you most excited for?
Michael: With our previous album, Movin' On, some songs were impossible to pull off in a live environment, but the songs on Lovers, Fools and Kings are more live friendly. We cannot wait to get in front of an audience and play the new album in its entirety from front to back. The prospect of performing your own material for an audience in itself is exciting but when we get to share the stage with the caliber of musicians that we have on the bill, it brings the anticipation to another level. Personally, I am a big fan of Darryl Cooper, so anytime I get to watch him perform is a treat. I could listen to him play 24/7. I recently heard Janet Cull's new album and was blown away. I cannot wait to finally see them live.
RE: You won Rock The Block and got to open George Street Festival with Our Lady Peace this summer. What was that experience like?
Michael: Honestly, we entered the competition just to throw our names in the hat and had no anticipation of winning. The band had previously played the festival twice before and there is just something about playing on that stage that motivates you. I think the Rock The Block competition was a major kick in the butt for us to become more involved in the promotion aspect of being a musician. The momentum and exposure we received from the competition was far beyond anything we have ever seen before. When the results were announced, it was a huge surprise to see the overwhelming amount of support we received, and we are forever grateful for every vote. The concert itself was a bit of a blur, but so much fun, everything went by so fast. We had the privilege of sharing the stage with three acts who we genuinely are fans of and look up to very much. It will be up there in the top highlights of our musical careers for sure.
RE: How was your MusicNL week, with showcasing and two nominations (Group of the Year and Jazz/Blues Recording of the Year)?
Jonathon: As usual, a well put together weekend by MusicNL. Maddox and I had a sleepover in the truck the first night because we didn't book far enough in advance and we just couldn't stand the thought of missing a night of the MusicNL weekend. The showcase went brilliantly. Unfortunately, we came home empty handed, but just to even be there with our name next to so much talent made it all worthwhile.
RI: You’ve recently been longlisted for The Overcast’s Borealis prize and are currently in the running for a trip to the Caribbean with Club One New Releases. How does it feel having these new opportunities come up?
Greg: We write and record music just because it’s fun and satisfying, so to have these opportunities pop up from time to time is icing on the cake. It’s always a great feeling to know people appreciate what you do and the thought that our music could be taking us international is very humbling. Oddly enough, I think we’re most excited about getting back to writing and recording. We’ve already got a dozen or so new songs in the works!
Beauwater's Album Release Show is Saturday, November 19 at the Fat Cat.
