CM : Singer Shane Volk has said that this feels like a new OBS with the new record . Do you feel like the band has changed ?
KD : We ’ re always changing as individuals , and we always want to change with each album , but this album feels like a bigger jump . I think it ’ s because as writers , we really were pushed by Gavin Brown , our producer . We ’ d come in with a song and he ’ d ask what it ’ s about and we ’ d give some rock n roll answer about layered meaning and stuff . He ’ d say that ’ s crap and tell us to tell him what it ’ s about in 10 words ; otherwise , he wouldn ’ t care , and if he didn ’ t care , no one else would care . He pushed us to write songs that would connect with more people and make them feel alive … We pushed ourselves and took a leap . So in that way , this record is sort of like a new OBS because it ’ s the best version of ourselves we ’ ve ever had .
CM : What ’ s the biggest source of musical inspiration for you today ?
KD : Lately , life is so busy , which seems like a symptom or problem of our modern times , so what gets me excited is putting on a record – usually from the ‘ 60s or ‘ 70s – playing it side to side , front to back , with the lights low and a candle lit . Music isn ’ t just background noise ; I like to make it the foreground .
Jesse Labovitz
The Gear
Gretsch USA Custom Drums in Rosewood Lacquer
• 12-in . Rack Tom
• 16-in . Floor Tom
• 18-in . Floor Tom
• 24-in . kick
Gretsch USA Custom in Champagne Sparkle
• 12-in . Rack Tom
• 14-in . Floor Tom
• 20-in . kick
Gretsch 14 x 6-in . Brooklyn Black Brass Snare
Gretsch 14 x 6.5-in . USA Custom Bell Brass Snare
Gretsch 14 x 6.5-in . USA Custom Solid Steel Snare
Murat Diril & Zildjian Cymbals
HeadHunters 5B Drumsticks
Remo & Aquarian Drumheads
DW 9000 Series Pedals
No Warning , Headstones
Jesse Labovitz is trained in classical percussion but plays nearly any style you can think of . Jesse is the drummer for No Warning and Headstones , both of which are back and active after years on ice , and also plays a weekly Motown gig in Toronto and backs pop ’ s Danielle Duval .
CM : Can you characterize how your approach to drumming has changed over your career ?
JL : I think , if anything , over the years I ’ ve really just tried to keep a super open mind to everything musically . Even if it ’ s a style I ’ m not listening to , I just try to become versed in everything . That way , I ’ ve been able to get all the different kinds of gigs I ’ ve done over the years .
CM : Do you still see or feel the classical influence come through in your work and style today ?
JL : For sure . I rely on the classical stuff just for technique and whatnot . Obviously there ’ s a lot of different things when you ’ re playing in a rock band or an orchestra , but I was telling some of the younger drummers on the tour we just got off of that , you know , it ’ s really easy to get carried away live and over exert yourself and squeeze the stick . What I ’ ve been trying to do lately is that , when I get like that or even close to it , I start concentrating on
the stick grip and technique so I ’ m not overdoing it . I think a lot of that comes from classical training and snare drum training that I have .
CM : What ’ s the biggest difference – in terms of drumming or the band in general – between No Warning ’ s 2004 release Suffer , Survive and the new record , Torture Culture ?
JL : Suffer , Survive was at a time where we were working with a producer for the first time in our lives and we had some more outside influence on that one as far as songwriting and style . For Torture Culture , we did it without a producer . We did it with a good friend , Mitch Fillion , who engineered it and was with us through the whole process , but we didn ’ t have a producer . This one is definitely a little bit more all over the place in a good way stylistically , and less sort of cookie-cutter arrangements . Drumming-wise , I was pretty much left to go insane and do whatever I want . The first track is over the top with fills and it ’ s cool that they let me go with that .
Marcia
Hanson
Mobina Galore
Marcia Hanson is the drummer for Winnipeg-based punk rock duo Mobina Galore , who released Feeling Disconnected earlier in 2017 . Hanson has played with supreme beings of punk such as Against Me ! and Propagandhi of late and loves her “ gorgeous ” cymbals .
54 • CANADIAN MUSICIAN