Interview with Obsidian

Obsidian is "trying to break down that wall between the audience and the band" – by Mel in Toronto

"Ready to go" is what this energetic Canadian metal-punk-rock band is at all times. Obsidian is very successful in "trying to break down that wall between audience and the band," as lead singer Turi puts it. "We are trying to get you to know not just the people on stage, but the people off stage." And this is what these five guys are going to do while sitting on drummer Phil's deck on a sunny afternoon in August.

While an obsidian is a dark shiny rock of volcanic origin, this Toronto based Obsidian is Turi Mercuri (lead vocals), Ryan Chalmers (vocals, lead guitar), Andrew Postlethwate (vocals, lead guitar), Kevin Brezina (vocals, bass), and Phil Elliot (drums). In 1999, Turi and Andrew first started Obsidian, in this formation, the band has been together for two years. Musically, the band members are influenced by a wide range of bands, including NOFX, Rancid, tool, Pantera, Lamb of God, Led Zeppelin, and Dreamtheater. And "I'm obviously influenced by Andrew, Ryan, Kevin and Phil," Turi adds.

Obsidian is a tight unit who has a collaborative approach to writing music and lyrics. "We are pretty fortunate that everybody writes in this band. And this record that we just did, all 13 songs were a 100 per cent collaborative. They would not have turned out anywhere near the way they did, without any one of us and our producer Matt DeMatteo deserves a shout out to that too," Ryan says. Generally in their lyrics "is some political twist, there is some humour, there is some massive emotional outlets on the record, it's a real mixed bag of lyrics," Ryan says. Turi emphasizes "we really strive to keep it wide open what you can get out of the song and its meaning. It's whatever the hell it means to you, son."

One of the emotional outlet songs is LOCK THE CAGE. "I love LOCK THE CAGE, it's one of my favourite songs," Ryan says. "Myself, Turi and Matt actually did a lot of writing on that. I remember a couple of sessions with Turi and myself where we got into that song really heavily. It's cool, because we both came from a bit of a sketchy upbringing, we both had experiences when we were younger that were easy to write about, let's say. I wouldn't change anything; we are the way we are because of those experiences. But it makes for some good ass emotional lyrics."

ULTIMATE DISASTER is about "staring down a lot of the things you hear and you are exposed to today with prognostications about how everything's going down," Kevin says. "I mean, we might all be fucked. The way we are living our lives now might not go on, but whoever is left over after everything goes down, probably still wants to have a good time. Let's not forget how to party, man. Let's not forget." Turi adds "I'm down and out, but I am ready to go, I am burning, I am burning, but I am ready to blow. That's all I have got to say about that." About the song CANNIBAL Turi says "I don't want to spoil it for you, but if ULTIMATE DISASTER had a younger sister, it would probably be CANNIBAL."

The high energetic and very eclectic song ACE "is all about die motherfucker die," Turi says with a smile. "That's all what it's about. It's a fun song, to go out there and do whatever the fuck it is you want." Phil adds "It's just a good party time song, rocking, windows down in the summer sort of deal. That one really seemed to write itself."

If you have a chance to see Obsidian live, you are in for a treat. The band involves the audience and really gets themselves and the crowd going. In the meantime, if you can't go and see them live, check out their brand new video to ULTIMATE DISASTER.

"In your own words" – ONE on ONE with Mel and Obsidian

Mel: What does it mean to you to be an indie artist?

Turi: Lots of passion, lots of emotion, and no money, that's what it means to be indie.

Phil: What you sacrifice in terms of maybe not having wealth right away is you have a lot of control of your career to a certain degree. It makes things harder, because you don't have this large machine behind you, but at least you can control your own destiny and do what you want in the meantime.

Mel: Which opportunities do you see with indieSolo?

Ryan: I think indieSolo is awesome. I've been looking at it a lot lately, doing our profile. I think 24 hours of exposure just on our band is awesome. When we get our day, I think we will be able to direct a lot of people to the site and I think it represents us really well. I can see very good things coming from indieSolo.

Mel: Who writes the music?

Turi: I just pay those guys about $15 every gig; they are in it for the money and the chicks. But I am really into it for the music. (laughs) We all write the music, we all have written each other's parts multiple times. I do most of the drumming on the album, just so you know. But everything else, pretty much everybody else does. It is really, really, really, really, really collaborative, I'd like to emphasize how collaborative this is. Phil, would you like to comment on the fact that I do the drums on all the albums?

Phil: (laughs)

Mel: Which artist would you like to record a song with and why?

Phil: Without a doubt, I would say Steve Vai; he is a world class guitar player that totally inspired me. This guy, I think, has become one with his instrument. I'd love to play with this guy, if I ever get a chance.

Andrew: I want to do a collaboration with 50 Cent. And that real authentic metal meets that authentic gangster shit, so it will be called metal hop, it's going to blow up in two years.

Turi: If I could get a group of people together I would get maybe Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page on guitar, John Bottom on drums, Kevin Brezina on bass, and then I will have myself singing of course and maybe Robert Plant in the background somewhere singing some shit too. And I'd have Rick Ruben, and Dre there and Bob Rock, so that I can make some fuckin' cash, could I mention the cash? Bob Rock would make me money. That's who'd I want to play with and then any hot chicks that are naked that play really good. I'd play with them too.

Mel: What do you like best, when you perform live?

Turi: The reciprocal energy traded between the band and the audience is what I like best. I also like the fact that we are all five of us on stage, we are just losing our shit together and there is no better feeling in the world and if I could sleep on stage I would, because that's where I feel at home. and it's with these losers that I'm with here that I feel at home and that's just the way it is and that's the way it's just going to go.

Phil: What I feel on stage is, I feel at home except for that singer up there (laughs), no, we get good energy up there, a good release for all your anxieties, and stresses and stuff that is bringing you down in life, it's one of these places. This is what drums always meant to me. Since I've been playing on stage, it's just intensified with your friends and band mates and the crowd's going at it.

Kevin: What they said and the free beer.

Ryan: I love playing live, it makes me happy.

Andrew: Energy, and that's what you get when you come to an Obsidian show. It's just cool camaraderie on stage; it's a lot of fun. It's a good excuse to get wasted and have a good time.

Mel: How important is it to you to stay close to your fans?

Kevin: Ryan just said that fans are our friends. That is so true. It is great talking to people, and interacting with them. See what they think of the music, it's really nice to be that connected. We weren't able to do that up until very recently. We have conversations with people all the time. And I really value that. The blogs are great conversation starters, they let people know where we are at, and let them know what Phil is thinking about ….

Phil: The blogs are fun and it's nice to talk with our fans.

Turi: One cool thing that has been happening in the last ten years, I remember back in the day, there seemed to be this wall in front of the bands, and they were kind of mystical and you'd think, wow, I wish I knew what they were doing. Whereas what we are trying to do with the blogs or if you watch our ‘Armaggedon Party Boys' series and all of our videos, is trying to get you to know not just the people on stage, but the people off stage. And we are trying to break down that wall between the audience and the band, which is something I think we do well live. Often times, you see myself or Andrew, or whoever, running into the audience and that's just to let people know that there is no wall, there is no barrier, you are just as much a part of this as we are and if you weren't there, I know a thousand people have said this, neither would we be there.

Mel: Any last words?

Turi: I would like to add a huge thank you to indieSolo, who is working their ass off to get bands noticed every day out there. The cool thing is you can check out indieSolo every day of the week and you have no idea what you'll find and God knows, maybe you'll find us there again and again once we learned how to hack into their system and make it SidSolo.com and it's going to be Obsidian all fucking day long (laughs).

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