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Ten Kens - Interview : Canada
Since dropping through Fresh Deer Meat's letterbox 14 days ago, Ten Kens' eponymous debut has not been off the stereo. Teetering midway between gonzo rock and wonky pop nonsense, it rocks splendidly about on its heels like a drunk prize fighter spoiling for a fight. Every few seconds it lands a mighty punch, and by-god what a succession of teeth-shattering, nose-ruining punches these boys can land. But who really are Ten Kens? We sat down with front man Dan Workman to get to the bottom of the most exciting band to come out of Canada since Arcade Fire...
FDM: Hey Dan, thanks for taking the time to speak to FDM. Tell us about the inception of Ten Kens. What's the story about the band forming?
DW: Everything started about four years ago when Dean (Tzenos, guitar) and I met in art school. We had an obvious musical kinship and felt that it was something we could build upon. We started making music together jamming with various musicians. Things really started coming together. Once we had enough raw material, we broke away and set about recording an album ourselves. We rented a townhouse, bought all the equipment we needed, and spent the next year recording. Once it was finished, we sent it out. We were essentially a two-piece when we signed to FatCat, but it was never our intention to stay that way, we simply hadn't formed the full band yet. We then recruited Lee, another friend from art school, then held auditions for drummers, which led to our finding Ryan. And that was that.
FDM: Did the band come together over a shared musical vision or do each of you bring different to the band?
DW: Well the 'demo' version of the album, which is the template for our proper album, was already written before the full band was formed. So it was pretty important to Dean and I that everyone share in our vision...which they did. But everyone certainly came in with their own individual styles and preferences. Ryan is actually a schooled jazz drummer. But it's these individual styles that will allow us to grow as a band and evolve our sound for future albums. We will never make the same album twice.
FDM: Is it true that the album was recorded in a rented townhouse in Toronto? Tell us a little about how this worked it's not your usual debut album recording environs?
DW: Dean and I had no prior experience recording. We needed a setting in which we could spend as much time working as possible and be completely uninterrupted. We figured it would be best to work in a place we could also live, to maximize our time. We set about 10 different deadlines for ourselves and missed them all. Our first few recording attempts were slightly disastrous. It was definitely a learning experience. We spent a very unhealthy amount of time in that townhouse, we'd go days without going outside, we both went a little nuts.
FDM: What did you want to create when you set about making the album?
DW: We really just wanted to make a record we'd listen to...and we wanted it to have balls.
FDM: Arcade Fire have given everyone in the UK a particular impression of the Canadian alternative scene. Is this fair? Ten Kens for one seem to be trailing a different path?
DW: Arcade Fire are awesome. We're happy to have them give impressions of the Canadian alternative scene. It can only create more awareness. Being from Canada used to put you at an immediate disadvantage, but thanks to bands like AF, it's officially cool to be a Canadian band. However, we definitely do our own thing, we're not out to reinforce any preconceived ideas about what a Canadian band should sound like and/or look like. We play heavy and we play loud and in the end it doesn't matter where we're from.
FDM: What do you make of the early comparisons to Black Mountain? Do you take pride in such comparisons or can they become something of a hindrance?
DW: We share the same sound engineer as Black Mountain, so it's no surprise we've received some comparisons, and any comparison to an awesome band can only taken as compliment. We merely view it as a way to describe our sound to those that may not be familiar. We don't always agree with the comparisons, but we're never offended by them.
FDM: Tell us about the decision to sign to Fat Cat Records? How did it come about?
DW: We sent FatCat a demo because we loved the label and figured they might get what it is we were trying to do. They heard it and picked us up, just like that. And as much as I wish the story could be more exciting, we're pretty happy with the way it all went down. We put so much work into the record and to have it recognized by such a reputable label was pretty amazing. We know how fortunate we are and more grateful we could not be.
'Ten Kens' is released on the 8th September through Fat Cat Records.
Words: Josh Timber
www.tenkens.com
FDM: Hey Dan, thanks for taking the time to speak to FDM. Tell us about the inception of Ten Kens. What's the story about the band forming?
DW: Everything started about four years ago when Dean (Tzenos, guitar) and I met in art school. We had an obvious musical kinship and felt that it was something we could build upon. We started making music together jamming with various musicians. Things really started coming together. Once we had enough raw material, we broke away and set about recording an album ourselves. We rented a townhouse, bought all the equipment we needed, and spent the next year recording. Once it was finished, we sent it out. We were essentially a two-piece when we signed to FatCat, but it was never our intention to stay that way, we simply hadn't formed the full band yet. We then recruited Lee, another friend from art school, then held auditions for drummers, which led to our finding Ryan. And that was that.
FDM: Did the band come together over a shared musical vision or do each of you bring different to the band?
DW: Well the 'demo' version of the album, which is the template for our proper album, was already written before the full band was formed. So it was pretty important to Dean and I that everyone share in our vision...which they did. But everyone certainly came in with their own individual styles and preferences. Ryan is actually a schooled jazz drummer. But it's these individual styles that will allow us to grow as a band and evolve our sound for future albums. We will never make the same album twice.
FDM: Is it true that the album was recorded in a rented townhouse in Toronto? Tell us a little about how this worked it's not your usual debut album recording environs?
DW: Dean and I had no prior experience recording. We needed a setting in which we could spend as much time working as possible and be completely uninterrupted. We figured it would be best to work in a place we could also live, to maximize our time. We set about 10 different deadlines for ourselves and missed them all. Our first few recording attempts were slightly disastrous. It was definitely a learning experience. We spent a very unhealthy amount of time in that townhouse, we'd go days without going outside, we both went a little nuts.
FDM: What did you want to create when you set about making the album?
DW: We really just wanted to make a record we'd listen to...and we wanted it to have balls.
FDM: Arcade Fire have given everyone in the UK a particular impression of the Canadian alternative scene. Is this fair? Ten Kens for one seem to be trailing a different path?
DW: Arcade Fire are awesome. We're happy to have them give impressions of the Canadian alternative scene. It can only create more awareness. Being from Canada used to put you at an immediate disadvantage, but thanks to bands like AF, it's officially cool to be a Canadian band. However, we definitely do our own thing, we're not out to reinforce any preconceived ideas about what a Canadian band should sound like and/or look like. We play heavy and we play loud and in the end it doesn't matter where we're from.
FDM: What do you make of the early comparisons to Black Mountain? Do you take pride in such comparisons or can they become something of a hindrance?
DW: We share the same sound engineer as Black Mountain, so it's no surprise we've received some comparisons, and any comparison to an awesome band can only taken as compliment. We merely view it as a way to describe our sound to those that may not be familiar. We don't always agree with the comparisons, but we're never offended by them.
FDM: Tell us about the decision to sign to Fat Cat Records? How did it come about?
DW: We sent FatCat a demo because we loved the label and figured they might get what it is we were trying to do. They heard it and picked us up, just like that. And as much as I wish the story could be more exciting, we're pretty happy with the way it all went down. We put so much work into the record and to have it recognized by such a reputable label was pretty amazing. We know how fortunate we are and more grateful we could not be.
'Ten Kens' is released on the 8th September through Fat Cat Records.
Words: Josh Timber
www.tenkens.com
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