Gimli’s The Paps ‘a music exec’s dream’

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Saturday, October 24, 2009

The Paps 2009

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Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Interview/Review in the Logberg

Paps now de-smeared, ready for fame

It’s remarkable how much can happen in a band over two years. When I last spoke with The Paps nearly 730 days back, the fiery young powerpop foursome from Gimli, Manitoba had just released their debut EP, Love Chords, were entering their final year of high school, and had a different singer. Flash forward to now.A second EP, Not Looking ForRomance, has just made it way into the world: a vigorous, punky five-tracker that was the end result of some nascent growing pains for the band. Like a lead singer change-up roughly a year-and-a-half ago, a move which saw Terra Stevenson take over for the band’s original singer. “Without talking about our old singer, we just thought it was time for a change. Our new singer is amazing and she’s always giving it 110%,” drummer Jodi Dunlop explains over coffee.“It [her vocals] suits our band more,” chips in bassist Fiona Axelsson. Now fronted by their ferociously passionate new singer, The Paps – rounded out by guitar specialist Jordan Dunlop (who is, along with twin sister Jodi and Axelsson, of Icelandic descent) – have rocked venues all around Winnipeg and Gimli, sharpening their sound and perfecting their live performance. And, sure enough, the band’s stylings caught the ear of award winning Winnipeg filmmaker Guy Maddin, who invited the girls to kick off the festivities at the launch of his film, My Winnipeg. This golden opportunity meant a half-hour set in front of a sold-out crowd at the Burton Cummings Theatre. “We were all nervous and everything. But when the curtain opened we couldn’t see anything, and it was like playing to no one,” recall Dunlop and Axelsson, nearly completing each other’s thoughts. “We had our own little dressing room. He [Maddin] came and asked ‘I wanna see what a band does beforehand, do you think I can see what a band does?’He stayed for a few minutes and was so great!” Another part of the postband-infancy process for The Paps involved shortening their moniker from “The Papsmears” to “The Paps,” a smart and media-friendly move. “It was good when we were sixteen… and we weren’t thinking about radio play. [However], we’d heard that radio stations were kinda sketchy about playing us and we figured ‘The Paps’ is cool,” Axelsson says. So armed with a truncated, more-agreeable name, invaluable show experience and a different singer,The Paps returned to the studio and recorded their second EP, Not Looking ForRomance, a continuation of the uncompromising powerpop aesthetic they first introduced listeners to in 2007. The five tracks still play to The Paps’ strengths: effusive delivery, economic arrangements, and insanely catchy riffs, yet their overall sound is sharper and more mature. But this isn’t all together too surprising, as the promising teenagers I wrote about in the fall of 2007 have grown into talented, powerpop-purveying adults. Mykael Sopher is a fifth generation Canadian of Icelandic descent on his father’s side. If there is anything related to Icelandic music you wish to bring to his attention, feel free to email him at:
soundingicelandic@gmail.com

6:14 PM

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Thursday, August 27, 2009

Album Review

The Paps

Not Looking for Romance

Power-Pop

Sun Rating: 3 out of 5

The kids grow up so fast, don't they? Just look at The Paps. It seems like only yesterday this Gimli girl-group was calling itself The Papsmears and bashing out gritty little pop-punk nuggets between exams. Now, they've shortened their handle to something slightly more palatable -- and taken steps toward musical commerciality. This six-track EP retains their punky spirit but gussies it up with sharper hooks, bigger choruses, stronger performances and fuller production. They may not be looking for romance, but they're sure to find a few admirers with this.

www.myspace.com/thepaps

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Friday, July 31, 2009

The Interlake Spectator

Gimli’s The Paps ‘a music exec’s dream’

Posted By Jim Mosher

Posted 6 days ago

The Paps are winning wider attention for their energetic ‘power pop’. Formerly known as The Pap Smears, the four-woman ensemble, who all hail from Gimli, recently garnered the attention of Winnipeg Sun Music critic Darryl Sterdan who called the Gimli High School alumnae “a record executive’s fantasy come to life.”

“Four teenage girls (including a set of twins) who can handle their own instruments, sing on key, harmonize and write punchy, punky, power-pop nuggets that invite comparison to the old-schoolcrash-bash sugar buzz of The Runaways and early Blondie,” Sterdan wrote in the July 16 edition of The Sun.

High praise for a band that released its new EP called not looking for romance later that day at Gimli Theatre in their hometown.

Linda Vermeulen attended the Gimli release party. “It was a really good show,” Vermeulen, who shoots photographs for the band, said. “The sound was really, really good.”

That good sound was at least partially due to a new system in the theatre, owned by Larry Minarik.

The Gimli Theatre release also brought together In Motion, a band consisting of recent graduates from Gimli High School.

The success of The Paps and the early success of In Motion are at least in part to the high school’s band program. “Kudos to the music program,” Vermeulen said. “There’s so many skilled musicians coming out of that program.”

12:19 AM

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Sunday, July 19, 2009

Winnipeg Sun (our interview)

Incase you missed this boys and girls...

I've said it before and I'll say it again -- The Paps are a record executive's fantasy come to life: Four teenage girls (including a set of twins!) who can handle their own instruments, sing on key, harmonize, and write punchy, punky power-pop nuggets that invite comparison to the old-school crash-bash sugar-buzz of The Runaways and early Blondie. The Gimli foursome have a new EP called Not Looking for Romance out today -- and they're playing a hometown release party tonight at the Gimli Movie Theatre. Not up for the drive? Be patient; they'll be playing in the city next month. Meanwhile, they were nice enough to answer my stupid questions.

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- Who's in the band, how old are they, what do they play, and what do they do for real money?

Fiona, 19, rocks the bass and works for the music industry ... at HMV.

Jodi, 18, plays drums and works as the personal assistant to the Mayor of Gimli.

Jordan, 18, plays guitar and works the streets as a Red Bull girl.

Terra, 19, sings. You know how singers are ... always between jobs.

- Describe your music and/or sound in 20 words or less.

Power pop.

- Tell us about your latest CD or upcoming gig in 20 words.

We recorded with Brandon Friesen and Ron Obvious. It's called Not Looking for Romance. Out today.

- Why should we buy your CD or come to your gig?

Because we're in debt.

- What's your most original quality?

We're an all-girl band that doesn't sound like an all-girl band.

- What's your motto?

"I'm not going home alone tonight" ... joke.

- Complete this sentence: This band runs on ...

Vodka limes and good times.

- What are your favourite movies?

C.S. Blues: Behind The Scenes with The Rolling Stones; Madonna: Truth or Dare - Tell us about your coolest tattoos, piercings or other body mods. Don't be shy.

Terra has a large tattoo on her back -- she's accident-prone so she got an angel to watch over her.

- What is your most valued possession? And where do you keep it?

Her name's Trish. She's a porcelain doll face that hangs on the wall in our practice space to prevent fights. We draw on her a lot.

- Got any guilty pleasures?

Jon and Kate Plus 8.

- Name your favourite local musical act.

Adam T. Elvis

- Now, name your favourite musical acts.

The Clash, The Who, David Bowie, Bryan Adams, The Rolling Stones, Blondie, Arctic Monkeys, Exploding Hearts.

- Who would you be insulted to be compared to?

Other girl bands who suck/ We're constantly compared to them because we're girls.

- Tell us about your best gig.

We got to open for Guy Maddin's My Winnipeg at the Burton Cummings Theatre last summer. It was the best day of our lives ... so far.

- Tell us about your worst gig.

When we were 16 we opened for an erotic hypnotist. We weren't even old enough to be there and we didn't get on stage until 1:30 a.m. We had school the next day.

- Now describe your ultimate fantasy gig.

We would love to play in Iceland. We all have strong Icelandic roots and respect their support for the arts. We'd bring The Strokes with us.

- What's the best part of performing and/or touring?

Being able to do what you love and seeing other people get into your music. We also like to play dressup.

- What's the worst part of performing and/or touring?

Struggling to carry our gear.

- What are you afraid of?

Becoming a one-hit wonder.

- Tell us about your coolest celebrity encounter.

We got to have a glass of wine backstage with Bryan Adams. He took the photo featured on the inside of our EP.

- What's the dumbest thing you've ever done?

Hanging out at Hooligan's till 3 a.m. with an exam early the next morning.

- What's the smartest thing you've ever done?

Taking advice from our talented and beloved Ron Obvious.

- Complete this sentence: I'll know I'm a success when ...

We're able to support ourselves with our music, or we have our own show on the Disney Channel.

- Now complete this sentence: I'll know I'm a failure when ...

We have our own show on the Disney Channel.

- What would it take to make you give up music? Not that we're suggesting anything.

Amputation of ALL limbs -- because we know it's quite possible to keep going with the loss of only one or two.

5:46 PM

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Thursday, July 02, 2009

you've been waiting...so here's what you wanted!!!

We're finally ready to release the ep...phew!! it's been a long while, and we've been super eager to get this thing out there. The album release party is scheduled and confirmed for July.16 at the Gimli Movie Theatre with special guests in motion!! hope to see you all there and let us know what you think of the new song we've added today.

stay classy,

the paps

10:43 PM

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Thursday, April 30, 2009

Photo shoot

Yesterday we were shooting photos for our album cover. We were photographed by the lovely Linda Vermuelen! It was lots of fun, and we've got lots of good shots. Thank you to Larry Minarek at the Gimli Movie Theatre for letting us use the space for the day, and Linda for making us look better than ever..in closets...movie theatre chairs...stages...carpets..and 50's style beds! We'd also like to thank Ron for his wonderful assistance.Can't wait for every one to see the shots.

The Paps

8:40 PM

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Sunday, March 22, 2009

not lookin for romance

We are ONE vocal session away from finishing our entire EP!
Recently we've added an acoustic pinball wizard inspired guitar to cut n paste girl and it sounds absolutely stunning! Tuesday we'll be wrapping up.

Lots of Luvvvvv and stay classy!!
xoxo
The Paps

12:31 AM

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Monday, February 16, 2009

Garage Band Idol

Entertainment Music
Garage Band Idol
Sun Media music man Darryl Sterdan rates some of Canada's more intriguing and interesting unsung, unsigned acts
By DARRYL STERDAN

The Grammys were last week. The Junos are next month. As always, this is the time of year when the music industry likes to sing its own praises.

But what about the countless Canadian bands and artists that aren't on the award-show radar? Well, that's where we come in. For going on two years now, we've been reviewing unsigned acts every week in our Garage Band Idol feature -- and in that time, we've received hundreds of submissions that we're still wading through.

In the lull between award shows, we made some time to dig a little deeper and pick out some of the more intriguing and promising entries that have arrived in our e-mail over the past year or so. If you're on this list, congrats; if you're not, be patient -- eventually, the day will come when we sing your praises. Or not.

7:03 PM

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