by Brennan Anderson
A couple of months bac k the ne w split 7”
record from Sightlines and Crystal Swells arrived at the
CICK train. I immediately fell in love with the record for
its fast paced crunch and excitedly put it to the airw aves
for all of Smithers and the w orld to hear. When the
host of Liv Shack told me tha t Sightlines had a Smither s
connection—lead guitarist/singer, Eric Axen was born
and raised in the Bulkley Valley—stoke level increased.
Sightlines represents the diverse sounds
emanating from the Smither s-diaspora-via-Vancouver
punk scene. It made me r ealize something about the
Bulkley Valley: put to tune , the valley has mor e than
one feel and aesthetic . Smithers can pr oduce gentle
folk, latin pop, country singer-songwriter ballads, and
blistering distortion packed with energy, noise, and
euphoria. Counter-culture punk music can germinate
from the valley as naturally as any other music, an organic
expression of the distinct identities tha t exist within the
mosaic of the Nor th. Sightlines ar e helping expand m y
perception of this place , as a newcomer to the v alley.
While the band isn’t based out of Smither s, it does have
its roots here, and voices a valley perspective from afar.
Sightlines rounds out the mosaic of cultural plurality that
makes this small town so incredibly funky.
In June, before witnessing the band pla y an
excellent set a t Sled Island Music F estival in Calgary, I
had a chance to catch up with lead singer, Eric Axen. We
discussed the Smithers punk scene in the 1990s, how the
geography of the North affects Sightlines songs, and about
the art of his music.
[sic]: Sightlines mak es music that moves quickly and
packs a punch in short periods of time. I love economical
songs that have focused drive. Why the short format for
Sightlines?
Eric Axen (EA): I have a short-winded muse! Also I like
to play with a lot of energy which means faster, and when
,
you speed songs up they’re inevitably going to be shorter.
I don’t think e very song r equires a v erse-chorus-versechorus-bridge-chorus structure. That may work to get
music on the radio , but in cr eative terms I don’t think
every song warrants it.
[sic]: I lo ve your soft, carefree, melodious voice,
especially how it contrasts with the oftentimes hea vy,
fast paced musical happenings underneath. Was this born
organically through simply playing what felt r ight, or
were you inspired by other music to try and capture this
juxtaposition between soft and heavy?
EA: I think it just happened. I’m always more interested
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[sic] fall 2014.indd 8
14-10-07 7:00 PM