‘Mother Nature’s
Putting on a Show’....
Sound and Fury
appearing with
The Parlor Mob and Airbourne....
Edmonton Event Centre, Aug.29, 2008
We were just coming upon Sherwood Park when the bright lightning of an electrical storm began. Pink streaks of fire, white bolts of energy,purple veins of shock igniting the black clouds our destination-Edmonton. Was it meant to be ominous? Could’ve been, since this journey seemed doomed from the beginning. I was late leaving my square job in another city. But my worrying – and subsequent speeding-was for naught. Turns out Luke Metcalf, he of the equally electric Sound and Fury, was likewise captivated by the lightning storm at the start of the last warm, summer weekend. And I was to learn the London, Ontario lad was equally inspired; he was-as he quoted- “supercharged.”
But the band. Energy? Energy. Raw, crunching power driven so wildly it could have been the soundtrack to the storm. Easily such tracks as “Supercharged,” and guitar- ravaging “Bad Touch” could fit the bill. For rumbling thunder, look to the bass-y weight of “Hellhound” or “Night of the Ghouls.” Contained on a studio recording, Sound and Fury blends tightly and the songs play well, unleashed, these wolves howl much better live and deranged. Working the crowd into a lather, Metcalf-shirtless and in a black bowler hat looked like a tattooed leprechaun- thrashed out a frenzied “I Got Rabies,” a hidden track on their debut album that for me mainly serves to cause a chuckle. Then, all too soon, they were done. Now what we do?
Within minutes we were led past the stage and through a curtain. Plunged into sudden darkness I could only make out a few people- one of whom was shirtless Luke from onstage moments before- standing round in a small backstage area and an exit. So far we’ve no photos, 15 minutes of a set and no interview. Out in the parking lot we stood awaiting the chance to grab a quick word so that the trip (read full tank of gas) was not a complete loss.
We’re brought onto the bus. We’re introduced, and I thank them for seeing me. There’s bassist John Kerns ,formerly causing sparks with Age of Electric and guitarist Griffin, sitting to the left who asks me, when he hears out my day job, who my favourite poets are. We agree on Poe and Byron. His friend to the right astutely comments that I have a dark side, and I smile at her in agreement. It’s okay. I’m in. Standing in welcome, Mr. Metcalf would like to chat, so to the back of the bus we go. I must say here that the teenage part of me wished I was still young enough to be thrilled to the core to be on a band’s tour bus, -especially the back which would have made a wicked story-but sadly, as a grown-up gal in her late 20’s, the thrill was wasted on me slightly.
Metcalf owns up to “ripping off Shakespeare” with the Sound and Fury band name, as apparently English class was the only class he cared to occasionally attend, but “hey man, I’m just the fool telling the story,”- and he doesn’t know how poetic that is.
Touring with Airbourne and Parlor Mob has proven an “amazing trio” - “a tri-fecta!” -Griffin exclaims from the hallway where he’s changed shirts twice now- “ of power rock bands” because of their equal parts energy and devotion to their inspiration; 70’s and 80’s rock, metal and punk anthems. Touring all summer has had them
in BC recently hitting Vancouver and Victoria. After tonight, their next adventures in September-October will be with Camaro, and November they head across the pond to the UK with Airbourne. Being Irish/English, Metcalf is especially keen to get to their Ireland gigs in Belfast and Dublin. Pretty far to come for a squeegee kid, I remark, and how does that feel? “Feels pretty damn good” he grins, gratified.
He exhibits his well- inked right forearm bearing an AC/DC tat. Idol Bon Scott had it right according to Metcalf. No pretence, honest, balls-out rock and roll that’s about survival, getting through the tough shit and the battles of life and celebrating that life. Something has happened to rock music, he says. It goes in cyclical motions until it’s over worn, ripped down by corporations and degraded until it’s nothing but “whiny shit.” These new, depressing so-called rock bands are reduced to whimpering puppy dogs who have little to no right to complain, as they’ve never actually had to ‘survive’ anything. And Metcalf should know from survival.
For Metcalf, It’s not selling out or dishonest to have fun in rock music, it’s the whole purpose of the music. Writing “full, quality albums” that best represent and showcase all the musicians talents is also paramount, and they push each other’s limits. Griffin can attest, as he bears the brunt of those 12 bar guitar solos. “Keep soloing, he keeps screaming at me, keep soloing! Man, I got nothing left! My hands are killing me!” he laughs. Metcalf reinforces, the honest core is the ‘foundation’ and the guts, and the solos are ‘the icing on the cake.’
So what has been the highlight of the tour for Griffin? “It’s those 30 minutes on stage, that’s the pinnacle. All the rest is shit!” he laughs, “No man, recovering is shit,” Metcalf adds. “Wait, bumpy roads with a hangover are shit!” This could go on for hours.
The manager stops in to remind the boys that their tourmates are hitting the stage in 5. Time to draw it to a close. Grabbing an x-box handset we pose, metal faced, before the twentysomething philosophers go for round two. The interview done, the show still blasting on, and pictures to prove it all came together. Supercharged, electric , ‘mother nature’s putting on a show’ in the eye of their story, in the eye of the storm.
LadyM
Sound And Fury CD review