| Page 1 2 BETTER THAN A FACE INFECTION: THE MELIGROVE BAND IS OUT FOR WORLD DOMINATION by Lisa Hood-Anklewicz Forming in high school, recording and touring between post-secondary classes with two full length albums under their belts (and a third awaiting delivery early next year), the Meligrove Band has shown that they are a musical force to contend with. Infrequently self-defined as “better than a face infection,” the Meligrove Band has left a serious mark on the independent music scene with a trail of loyal fans in their wake and a contagious stage energy that seems to be barley containable in the venues that they play. Although they still fly beneath the proverbial media radar, these four young men keep turning heads in the music industry, exemplified by their opening slot on the Dinosaur Jr. reunion tour stop in Toronto in July. During their August tour with Cuff The Duke, Meligrove Band’s bassist Mike Small was kind enough to do a little online Q&A with Being There.Being There: You have been playing together pretty relentlessly for quite some time now. At what point did the shift from hobby to career take place, or was it always the eventual goal? Mike Small: Ha, we’re still waiting for that shift to happen! BT: Being from such a suburban locale as Mississauga, Ontario, did you find that this shaped your music in any way? MS: Maybe. I don’t think so. 90% of the bands in Mississauga play nü metal, covers, or nü metal covers. Also, two of us have lived in Toronto for a few years now, and by the time this is printed it’ll be all four of us. Some great bands have come out of Mississauga over the years, though, like the Hidden Cameras, Death From Above and Radioblaster. And I saw a Mississauga band recently called The Lava Witch; they were fantastic. BT: When you were a child, what were your “I want to be when I grow up” aspirations? MS: I think I wanted to play baseball. Or be a wrestler. It’s important not to have realistic goals when there’s still a sandbox in your backyard. |  |
Growing up in Mississauga on the fringe of Toronto, Small, Jason Nunes (guitar/vocals), Darcy Rego (drums/vocals) and Andrew Scott (guitar/keys) brought the Meligrove Band slowly in the local music scene, gaining momentum over time through word of mouth. Having been playing together now for more than seven years, the pace of their growth and the growth of their fan base has been just right according to Small. “We’re just going to keep on keeping on. I hate bands that try to chase media attention. Write good songs and people will come to you! Eventually.”
As for what to expect from the album, Small hints that it will be much different from what we previously heard from the band. “Since Let it Grow we’ve tried to write songs that really move us, and have our hearts in them and of them, rather than just sounding clever for the sake of it. We made Let it Grow trying to cram in every little overdub idea possible. With Planets Conspire it’s really about the vibe and the spirit and the je ne sais quoi. It’s big and bold and dark and playful. It’s so wrong its right. It’s the sound of us being ourselves, making the music that came out of us naturally at the time we recorded it.” Planets Conspire is scheduled to hit stores in January; however, Small says that there will be advanced copies available at upcoming live shows. “It’s coming out on CD and vinyl. And for the first time I like the photo of myself that went in there. Things are moving up!”Take Me Home - FAQ - Contact Us - Privacy Policy - Donate
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