The Birth of Down in Ashes
It’s been a few years since I’ve written and really wanted to get back into it. Finding something fun that would inspire me was proving to be quite the challenge. When presented with the opportunity to sit with the debonair lads of D.I.A it was all systems go. I’ve known these guys for a few years now and have to say that every interaction has given me something to chew on for a bit, or talk about for days after. I could think of no better environment to offer the inspiration I needed, than an outdoor patio with these 3 charming men. To my dismay, Koji was not present as he had a previous engagement to tend to, but I’ll snag him at some point to pick his brain.
This article is the beginning of many to offer the fans a chance to get to know D.I.A even better. These lads are quite easy to get to know if you get the chance to chat with them, but they all have such jammed schedules I’m surprised they find the time to eat.
Bear with me on the quality of this blurb, as time will not allow me to inject it with all the wit and charm I would prefer.
Coming up are the individual interviews that will offer the chance get to know each member a little better and I will do my very best to have you on the floor laughing.
For these interviews, I am offering you the chance to get involved. Post any questions you may have for the band or an individual member on their Twitter or MySpace and I will pick it up to incorporate it somehow!
Once I get some interaction with the fans I will be able to start the next batch. This is all about giving you the low down on D.I.A-so tell me what you want!!!! Let’s see what we can squeeze out of these rockers!!
I’ll give you a quick intro for the members:
Kim – Lead vocals and guitarist. I get a great vibe from Kim. He’s really relaxed and therefore calming. He’s great to talk to because he is genuine and attentive. He is a really creative man that puts a lot of heart into his goals and because of that has achieved many successes in his life.
Koji – Lead Guitar. Quiet at first. Once you crack that barrier watch out! This guy obviously has a very intricate mind. He is very focused and level minded. Not the kind of guy that would talk your face off just to hear his own voice. Because of this silence, when Koji speaks-you listen. He is very dedicated to his music and would rather practice at home then go out and terrorize the streets.
Yves – Bassist and vocals. Holy hell. This guy has so much energy on and off the stage. Everything about him is expressive. He has great style, he’s always animated and enjoys a good laugh. He loves his music-give this guy almost any instrument and he’ll throw something down for you. Watch out for random statements and hilarious spontaneity.
Shawn – Drummer. Pensive. Sitting with Shawn you can see the wheels are constantly turning. Shawn’s the one that started this crazy train by posting an add online back in 2004. He was always influenced by rock & heavy metal and wanted to invest in that genre to expand his skills. His drive has turned a hobby into a lifestyle, which some people are too scared to do.
Alright guys! Now that it seems as though I am ridiculously in love with all 4 of them…..let’s get on to the Q&A!!
How did D.I.A form?
S- I posted an ad online in 2004 and Kim answered it. We met and made a good connection that seemed like something that was worth moving forward with.
K-Started jamming with Shawn in 2004 but it didn’t work out due to a lack of rehearsal space. We lost contact for a while and ran into each other at HMV so I grabbed his number again. We started recruiting and many didn’t even make it past the first meet. We were really focused on finding members that ‘fit the bill’.
S-I started jamming with Koji in 2007 and was really impressed. I could tell he had talent, but just hadn’t been fostered or brought forward properly yet. I sent him copies of our music and told him to come and jam with us. He showed up knowing how to play all of our songs and actually played them right. He seemed to resonate with the music well as it wasn’t generic stuff he’d heard before.
Y- I used to jam with Kim doing covers when we were about 18. In 2005 I was jamming with 2 other bands, but I wasn’t resonating with them well. Kim called me up and asked me to join this new project they had on the go and I was in. I wanted to be a part of something that had that comfort zone so we could offer a great show based on stage presence and interaction.
Why “down In Ashes”?
K-we sorted through a lot of crappy names and settled on D.I.A. It represents that whatever you do in life, you take to your grave-kinda’ karma based.
What was your favorite show and why?
K-Last show at Live Lounge. The crowd was really responsive. They were energetic, getting up close and dancing around. We saw a lot of new faces too, which was great. You can feel more connected to the crowd and feed off of their energy when you can make eye contact and see them singing along. While we were playing “Sexy Machinery” we got the crowd singing the chorus. It’s amazing to hear them singing your lyrics.
S-Montreal Bodog. We were all really connected for that show and led off of each other. It was our first night playing at a venue outside of ....Ottawa.... and we were competing against new bands. It was a new experience all together and therefore an indication of growth. We had a group of people that came with us from ....Ottawa.... to support us which was amazing. When it was announced that we had won, the response was wild. We got tackled by the audience.
Y-CD release party at Mavericks. It was the first time I noticed new faces in the crowd and could see that our fan base was growing. That realization made me take it all that much more seriously and feel like I was finally a part of a progression. We had people that had our shirts on, our CD was in stores-it was really igniting.
What was your worst show?
S-Big Money Shot Finals 2008 in Ottawa. We were all sick and tried to regroup for the show but I was in so much pain while I was playing as well as drowsy. We were the last on and after we were done our set I literally walked over to a garbage can and vomited. I learned that I can get through a lot of things as long as my heart is in it.
K-Groove Lounge in ....Oshawa..... We needed to drive home that night and at the last minute they bumped us to last on so we had to stay later. The crowd was minimal and the pay was less. We used what they paid us with to buy shots for the few that were in the bar and drove home. I learned that you need to have a guaranteed crowd and have reassurance that promoters are on top of things.
Tell me about your first album:
K-We used every song we had at that point. I think it was a quality album because it was from the core.
S-I felt like they were all 100%. If we had more time we would have written more, but I don’t think the album was any worse for lack of songs.
Y-I loved every song on it and had faith that it would move. I really liked the fact that it didn’t fit into a specific genre because all of the songs were so versatile.
Y-First Big Money Shot. We lost. The other band was very in tune with each other and it paid off. We walked in thinking we were automatic winners and walked out with a reality check. We learned that we needed to be more in synch and that it was important for more than one reason.
That’s all that we had time for *tear*. I had a great time doing this because I think it’s really important for people to invest in their passions. These gents definitely do so, no matter how intimidating it can be at times. Like I said, send me your questions and let’s get this ball rolling!
I’ll leave you with this little tidbit from Kim:
“It seems to me that the harder I work at something, the better my luck becomes. Could it be that we make our own luck? Following a dream always involves risk, sacrifice and complete determination. Jump off that cliff and the stars will catch your fall! I often have family and friends say to me, "You know Kim, you work way too hard. You should relax more". In the next breath they say, "Whoa!! The band is really coming along!".... Wanna guess why the band is coming along? Put the work into it and it WILL happen.
You know what to do...”
Thank you to everyone for stopping by! We’ll chat soon ;) - ..Erin..