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Rock n Roll is about to experience a little 'Turbulence'
As the founding member of Ontario’s award winning hard rock band, “Slik Toxic,” Nick Walsh has spent his time and his money wisely. He took on an entrepreneurial project after Slik Toxic disbanded by partnering with an old friend to start Electric Machine Studios in Toronto. Here he lent his production talents to new-comers to the business and to musicians looking for a user-friendly place to turn their demos into dreams.
It wasn’t long before Nick got that inevitable urge to create again.
Harnessing his tenacious spirit, Nick set out to shake up the current state of rock n’ roll. After seeking and recruiting four talented and like-minded individuals, “Revolver” was born.
The band is prepared for take-off as old-school ideals lay just below the surface of Revolver’s latest Canadian and European release entitled, “Turbulence.” As the band gears up for a European tour scheduled for early ’06, Nick Walsh and I discussed a throng (not to be confused with thong) of topics, including the many things he has learned from being involved in the music industry since his early teens.
So, fasten your seat belts boys and girls, and hold on tight, we’ve headed for a Helluva…ooh, sorry I couldn’t resist…ha, ha
Enjoy the flight…
Hey Nick, love the new record! I think it’s great that there are still musicians out there who have the balls to create new music while still keeping a little of that 80’s magic alive, the sound and the image, regardless of the current trend.
Ya know what? That was a good time because that was a time when there was a bond with the musician and the fans. Now I find it’s a little different than that.
How long did it take you to complete the material for “Turbulence?”
The album itself took like 22 days, from start to finish, recorded and mixed. We have the fortunate fact that I’m a partner in a recording studio up here in Toronto. When there’s new songs to be developed or whatnot, we have the means to demo them and rehearse the crap out of ‘em.
How did you get involved with the studio, how did that come about?
Well, actually a friend of mine and myself, we’ve been buddies since we were fourteen/ fifteen, we’ve always been sort of the guys in our respective bands that have kind of spearheaded everything. He’s a songwriter and he used to take care of his band’s situation as far as recording or writing or whatever and so did I. At an early age we were rivals, but growing up we became really good friends. We always had the dream of having a place. Basically, it was just before Revolver, I had written some material and gone in the studio, somebody else’s studio, for six days and ended up paying like four grand. It was one of those situations where I said, “instead of giving somebody this kind of money for six days, just invest some money into putting something together for ourselves, so that we’d have a place to do want we wanna do.” But at the same time, I know how tough it is for musicians out there, so our motto at the studio is “a studio built by musicians for musicians.” Where people don’t have to worry about how intimidating the studio can be.
How did you go about handpicking the people that are in the band now? Did you purposely setout to get a chick in the band? How did it all come down?
After Slik Toxic I had formed a very short-lived project called “Raised on Mars.”
I had a chance to meet Laurie. Her band opened up for Raised on Mars a couple of times. I just thought she was a really cool chick and I thought she rocked and she was a good player. So, when I was putting this thing together…actually… even with Raised on Mars I tried to get her to jump ship from her paycheck, but that didn’t work out. But when I was putting this together, I happened to give her a call and the timing couldn’t have been better because her previous band had just broken up. So, it depends on how you look at it. Is it fortunate or unfortunate for her that her other band broke up? (Laughter)
What was the vibe like when all of the components came together, everybody was in the band, and the first time you guys jammed?
It was awesome! Because I had gone through a couple of guitar players for this project and it just never felt right. When I had the opportunity to start working with Gene Scarpelli and Sean Kelly, it just felt right. Like everybody was so cool, we’re all experienced musicians. We know the game. There’s no misconception, by anybody. Ya know, like, “we know what we’re doing” kinda thing. In the room together, the vibe is great. It’s always positive.
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Excellent. What is your favorite song on the album?
My favorite song on the album, hmmm… that’s a really tough one. Um, it comes and goes I guess. Initially, when you write songs, whatever your most current, newest song is, is usually your favorite. Compiling them all and then actually seeing it as an album, I guess it’s just one of those things that it depends on what mood I’m in. Some days “Dead Weight” is my favorite. Some days “Walking” is my favorite. But I’d say, overall, I probably got about 5 favorites. Half of the album I really love. Half of the album I would’ve done things a little differently in hindsight, but people like it, so…
Okay, this next question I need to ask, but you don’t have to answer if you don’t want too. Is “Pandora’s Box” an autobiographical song?
Is it an autobio….HA, HA (shameful laughter ensues). Well, it’s one of those things that, ya know, in my experiences, with myself and other people, I’ve seen different situations go down. I don’t know if the word is really “inspirational,” but it was inspired by a few different things that I’ve seen go on around me.
Yeah, the song is very…well, it gets to ya. The first time I heard I went, “Whoa!”
I read you’re review just last week, I was blown away as to how detailed you scripted it out in your review. I was like, “Wow, somebody really gets it!”
Thanks, it is a great song. Okay, movin’ on… you started “Slik Toxic” at a young age. In fact, you were still in your teens. What were the pros and cons of being in that situation and having a successful band? What was the most important thing you learned from that experience?
Well I think one of things I don’t know if it’s actually something I learned, or something I experienced. Just people. It’s finding the right people. When I say that,I mean as far as your band members and the team that works with your band, such as management or labels and things like that. I also think it’s a good idea, generally, to keep an eye on your own affairs. When you’re very young and breaking into the business and you have a major label and major management behind you, they make you believe that everything just kinda comes and goes. You don’t know where your money is going, or what’s gonna come next. Like we (Slik Toxic) had signed with Capital records. We had this idea that this was a label that actually developed bands. A lot of bands that we had listened to had put out multiple records and ended up having a career. Whereas, I guess the timing wasn’t the right thing, because when we released our album it was just shortly thereafter that the whole pendulum had swung with music and grunge came in. All of the sudden, every label and their mother is looking to sign the next Nirvana. A lot of groups suffered from that. So I guess the main thing is to find people who are genuinely behind what you do. It’s so easy for someone to see dollar signs. But as far as the development of your career goes, you want someone who goes, “I don’t want to change you, in fact, the reason why I’m dealing with you is cause I like what you do. I like what you stand for and I like what you create.” That’s the biggest thing from being young to now.
Why do you think Canadian artists have a harder time breaking into the US market? It seems they never get the credit or respect they deserve in the States.
It’s funny, I sort of disagree with that. Because I live in Canada and I think our Country, for our own artists, is a lot harder to break than it is to break into the States. If you look at some of the top selling bands in the last 5-10 years, like there’s Nickelback on the charts, Theory of a Dead Man, Sum 41, Avril Lavinge. These are all Canadian artists that have relocated down there. It’s the same with the entertainment industry. Some of the top actors/actresses are from this country, like Jim Carey, Mike Meyers, the list is huge. But then for some strange reason, nobody here gives them the time of day, until they’ve broken somewhere else, especially the States. I dunno, it’s all who ya know, I think. It’s harder to make it from your own backyard than it is, like, if I moved to NY or L.A. I might have a better chance at breaking in the States, if only for the networking possibilities.
You have plans for a European tour coming up, right?
We are planning on doing on something there in the New Year because in the European market, in the springtime right through summer to fall, there’s rock fests going on all the time. I mean it’s funny, because in North America the big rock fests are either OzzFest or the Vans Warped Tour or something, but that’s just a regular occurrence in Europe. Like every weekend there’s some other huge rock or metal festival. Because a country can only be a two-hour drive to another country, ya have die-hards that go to all of these things.
They keep it alive out there for sure.
Oh yeah, big time.
Any plans to play around Buffalo or the East Coast?
I’d really like to, but we haven’t thought about that because what I’m currently in the middle of doing is finishing up new material and we’re planning on going into the studio in the New Year to record another record. Regardless if our record comes out in Canada, the States or Europe, we’re always gonna continue to be writing, recording and doing what we do. We gotta keep the momentum going.
Definitely! There’s been a bunch of great releases lately from LA Guns, Vain, Beautiful Creatures, Tesla.
Oh! Davy Vain…I used to love that record. There were like four songs I loved off that debut album. It just had that mix of glam rock meets a bit of punk and it was very emotional.
At this time in the interview, the actual “interviewing” portion of our conversation takes a hiatus as Nick & I wind up having a ten minute conversation about the bands I just mentioned, plus music in general and eventually on to the topic of “Saliva” (which Nick & I agree… kick ass!).
Saliva is band that, again, I don’t want to compare them to us, but it’s a band that has taken all the cool, old-school elements and brought them up to date. I think that’s kinda what Revolver is trying to do. We’re taking the best of the old and combining it with the new production and all that, trying to hook people in. Maybe that’s the biggest problem I find in the music lovers of today, the youngsters, they don’t know the roots of music. Meaning they can say, “I’m into punk rock,” (like Sum 41 or something). Okay, but have ya ever heard of the Ramones? Or the Dolls or even the Pistols or whatever? It’s the same with hard rock and metal. It’s like, “Go to the source! See who you’re heroes are influenced by, and why!”
Is there anything you’d still like to accomplish either musically or personally?
Well, musically I would just like to honestly be able to switch as many people on to my brand of rock n’ roll, and be able to make a decent living at it. Ya know, I’m not 18 dreaming of, “hey I gotta be at the Playboy mansion parties every Friday night.” I just wanna be able to do what I love to do the most in this world and do it well, have people enjoy it and not worry about where I’m gonna get my next meal from.
Okay I have to ask this too, Triumph or Rush?
Rush. It’s sort of one of those “you have no other choice” questions! I love Triumph too, but, for Canadians, Rush were really the pioneers. They really opened up a lot of doors for Canadian rock bands in the States and stuff. Ya know what else I find? I find that in the late 70’s, Canadian rock, it was so much easier to cross borders. Bands like April Wine, Rush, Triumph and Saga, for these bands it was so much easier to go down to the States to do festivals. Now it just seems so… political.
Any quote or parting words of wisdom from Nick Walsh to our Glam-Metal readers?
Just to keep your ears open and don’t close your eyes, because before you know it, you’ll be hearing of Revolver.
Cool! Good luck with the record and the tour! Hopefully, you can make it down this way soon.
Where abouts are you?
Right outside of Buffalo.
Tonawanda?
Yeah! How’d you know?
Just took a guess, I love saying that word, Tonawanda! (Laughter)
Once again, we break into a lengthy conversation where Nick is actually asking me a host of questions, mostly about locals clubs, street festivals and oddly enough how he recalls watching Irv Weinstein from Eyewitness News report on fires that “broke loose” in Tonawanda back in the day!
Nick was a great interview, and I could’ve talked with him all day. Revolver will be opening for George Lynch on December 5th, at the Reverb in Toronto. Be there, as I’m sure it’ll be one “Helluvatime!”
Visit www.revolvertv.com for more info
Also, check out my review of Revolver’s latest, “Turbulence” here
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