- April 16 - London, Ontario
- April 17 - TBD
- April 18 - Kingston Ontario
- May 2 - Cornwall Ontario
- May 16 - Montreal
For more info about us see www.rivalband.com OR www.facebook.com/rivalrockband
Thanks guys, and good luck with your release!
Interview: RIVAL Speaks Out On Their New Album Down The Rabbit Hole
Hello guys, welcome to POP It Records! Could you tell our readers who stands behind Rival?
We are, Jeremy Helten (guitar and vocals), Matt Baker (guitar), Mike Chretien (Drums) and Corrado Johnston (Bass).
Can you tell us more about your upcoming album? What stands behind the title Down The Rabbit Hole? It sounds very mysterious!
Down The Rabbit Hole is a culmination of our past six years as a band. It celebrates our triumphs and set-backs through our journey in music. It represents everything we have tried to do to make a splash, both the things that work and the many more things that don’t work. Much like Alice In Wonderland, we started this adventure with no idea what to expect and it has led us on one hell of a trip.
What’s your best memory from recording the album?
It’s kind of a general feeling I would get when it was my turn to go in and record. We would always start around eight at night and go to the early hours of the morning. I remember often driving home, my eyes heavy and my stomach grumbling and feeling a sense of accomplishment. It was always worth the late hours. That and the day we recorded all the gang vocals as a band. All four of us shared a case of beer and shouted the lyrics into a single mic to fill out significant moments of many songs. It was a blast!
What was the most challenging part of creating Down The Rabbit Hole?
For me the most challenging thing about creating any album is the time it takes. From the day you decide to start recording to the actual day of release when everything is done feels like an eternity. It can be months or in our case years and during that time you can’t help but change your mind about certain things or reevaluate the merits of a particular song. It’s tough for me to stay confident through the entire process.
You have recently dropped two singles from the album “Basic Training” and “Love to Hate,” both are great heavy rock driven tunes. Is the rest of the record kept in this vibe?
For the most part, yes. However there are a handful of longer songs that go into more relaxed sections. “Brimstone” and “Ghost” come to mind. We also have one very chill song on the album called “Crooked Road” it is very Pink Floyd-esque, it kind of blends the styles of their songs “Fearless” and “Great Gig In The Sky”
Are you planning any collaborations with other artists? What’s your dream collab?
No Plans with other artist as of yet, but something I would certainly be open to. Personally I would love to write a song with John Frusiante, but I can’t speak for my band mates.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever played? Any upcoming concerts?
The best gig we ever played might be one of the smallest venues in Montreal. A dive called Barfly. We had played a few times before, but for some reason the turnout on this particular night was through the roof! The place was packed and people were dancing and singing our songs, it was great! Our album launch show is March 13 in Montreal at L'hemisphere Gauche. We also have a few dates in surrounding cities through the spring.