woodhands - Paper Bag Records

WOODHANDS
Heart Attack
MEDIA KIT 2009
For more information, please contact Dara Kartz Go Kartz Management Inc
455 Spadina Ave #212
Toronto, ON M5S 2G8
e. [email protected]
p. 416-454-0911
Check out more on the band online at www.myspace.com/woodhands
CAN Release Date April 1, 2008
US Release Date August 26, 2008
WOODHANDS
“Heart Attack”
Woodhands is an electro-pop duo with a relentlessly energetic live-show and a total
disdain for anything but balls-to-the-wall, dirty, sexy dance parties. The brainchild of Dan
Werb (vocals, synths, drum machines) and Paul Banwatt (drums, vocals), Woodhands
has gathered national press in Canada and was tagged as one of 5 bands to watch in
2008 by Exclaim! Magazine. This buzz has been built almost entirely on their live show,
which is carried out without the help of pre-recorded samples or laptops. Instead,
Woodhands create the music from scratch just like old-fashioned rock bands, and
manage to steal some of the swagger of glam rock along the way. Armed with a
decidedly unironic keytar, dirty analog synths and complex but danceable beats,
Woodhands are hell-bent on connecting with their audience and getting the room
bouncing. Combine that with an exuberant and nerd-infused sexiness, and it‘s no
wonder that they‘ve been dubbed ―as close to a two-headed indie Timberlake as it gets‖
(Exclaim!, Dec 2007).
Woodhands began as Dan Werb‘s solo bedroom recording project (culminating in a
critically-acclaimed, self-released album in 2004), but after stints in Montreal, Vancouver
(Werb‘s hometown), and Paris, he moved to Toronto. He quickly became ensconced in
Toronto‘s fertile indie rock scene as a keyboard player in a number of indie rock bands,
and in August 2006 he connected with ubiquitous drummer Paul Banwatt at a rock show.
The pair were soon playing live together, their first show being at an illegal Halloween
party in 2006, where they opened for Holy Fuck in the mud-filled and extremely
condemned Don Valley Brickworks factory. This dangerous setting may have been the
inspiration for their refusal to play shows with any kind of safety net (read: laptop).
Heart Attack is the first album from Woodhands on Paper Bag Records. There are ten
songs on it- nine absolute bangers and the one requisite slow jam. Coupled with the
band's notorious live show, all have been responsible for the barrage of cover stories
and feature articles that have focused around the band since the album's initial
Canadian release in April.
2008 ended off with some dates with the Juan Maclean, We Are Wolves, and a
Canadian tour with Cadence Weapon (anti/epitaph), with a rawkus party at POP
Montreal thrown in for good measure that featured a fun collaboration with our good
friends up from LA, hip hop duo The Knux. After a quick breather for an iTunes live
session recording that will be released in March, the guys continued their adventures on
the road all the way out to Tokyo, Japan on the invitation of Creative Man (Summer
Sonic Festival) and returned home to find themselves on a slew of "Best Of 2008"
yearend lists including "Best Electro Album" from iTunes Canada and "Most Memorable
Live Show" from MuchMusic.
WOODHANDS 2008 Tour Dates:
12-Jan Toronto, ON – Teranga
10-Feb Hamilton, ON - Casbah
15-Feb Brampton, ON - Brampton Indie Arts Festival
29-Feb Montreal, QC - Just For Laughs Studio, Art Matters Festival Opening Party
29-Feb Montreal, QC - Green Room (DJ Set)
4-Mar Toronto, ON - Wrongbar w/Sally Shapiro (DJ Set)
w/ Sally Shapiro
7-Mar Toronto, ON - The Drake (CMW)
11-Mar Austin, TX - Spiderhouse, Soundcheck Magazine Party (SXSW)
12-Mar Austin, TX - Habana Calle 6 Patio, Paper Bag Records Showcase (SXSW)
14-Mar Austin, TX - Hole In The Wall (SXSW)
15-Mar Austin, TX - Cream Vintage (SXSW)
28-Mar Peterborough, ON - The Spill
29-Mar Waterloo, ON - Starlight
1-Apr Kingston, ON - Queen St. United Church
3-Apr Toronto, ON - Wrongbar (CD Release)
4-Apr London, ON - Alex P Keaton
6-Apr Madison, WI - Project Lodge
7-Apr Winnipeg, MB - The Rocker
8-Apr Saskatoon, SK - Amigos
9-Apr Calgary, AB - The Gateway
10-Apr Kelowna, BC - Doc's
11-Apr Vancouver, BC - Astoria
12-Apr Vancouver, BC - Peanut Gallery
13-Apr Edmonton, AB - Jekyll & Hyde
16-Apr Thunder Bay, ON - Apollo
19-Apr Montreal, QC - Club Lambi
20-Apr Ottawa, ON - Zaphod Beeblebrox w/ Cargo Field, We Fled Cairo
21-Apr Quebec City, QC - Le Cercle
22-Apr Charlottetown, PEI - Baba's
23-Apr Halifax, NS - Gus' Pub
24-Apr Boston, MA - Hennessey's Upstairs
25-Apr NYC, NY - Le Royale
26-Apr NYC, NY - The National Underground
27-Apr Philadelphia, PA - The Fire
28-Apr Pittsburgh, PA - Garfield Artworks w/ Ra Ra Riot, Little Ones
1-May Toronto, ON - Sneaky Dee's (Over The Top Festival)
2-May Guelph, ON - E-Bar
3-May Hamilton, ON - Pepper Jack Café
19-May Kingston, ON - Artel
28-30-May Beijing, China - Transmit China
6-June Chicago, IL – Subterranean w/ Aleks & The Drummer
19-June Brooklyn, NY - Studio B w/ Crystal Castles
29-June Montreal, QC - Metropolis, Montreal Jazz Festival w/ We Are Wolves
5-Jul Toronto, ON - Beats, Breaks & Culture at Harbourfront Centre
1-Aug Montreal, QC - Osheaga/MEG Festival
9-Aug Whistler, BC - Crankworx Mountain Bike Festival
9-Aug Whistler, BC - Kokanee After Dark
12-Aug Montreal, QC - Apple Store Opening
21-Aug Guelph, ON – Ebar w/ Green Go
22-Aug Ottawa, ON - I (heart) Music Festival w/ Ruby Coast, Hollerado and The Gales
23-Aug Toronto, ON - Burroughs Building w/ Lioness, Vitaminsforyou
5-Sep Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle w/ The Juan Maclean, Holy Ghost
13-Sep Los Angeles, CA – On The Rox w/ The Knux
19-Sep London, ON -LOLA Festival w/ We Are Wolves
25-Sep Vancouver, BC - Richard‘s on Richards w/ Cadence Weapon
01-Oct Montreal, QC – Pop Montreal @ Portuguese Association
02-Oct Calgary, AB - The Marquee w/ Cadence Weapon
03-Oct Edmonton, AB - Starlite Room w/ Cadence Weapon
04-Oct Saskatoon, SK – Amigos
w/ Cadence Weapon
05-Oct Winnipeg, MB - The Lo Pub w/ Cadence Weapon
08-Oct Guelph, ON - Van Gogh‘s Ear w/ Cadence Weapon
09-Oct Toronto, ON - Lee‘s Palace w/ Cadence Weapon
10-Oct Ottawa, ON – Babylon w/ Cadence Weapon
11-Oct Montreal, QC –Zoobizarre w/ Cadence Weapon
12-Oct Quebec City, QC - La Ninkasi w/ Cadence Weapon
24-Oct Halifax, NS - Coconut Grove-Halifax Pop Explosion
06-Nov Hamilton, ON – Casbah w/ The D‘Ubervilles
07-Nov Kingston, ON - Grad Club w/ The D‘Ubervilles
08-Nov Peterborough, ON - Montreal House w/ The D‘Ubervilles
12-Nov Tokyo, Japan – Duo Exchange
14-Nov Tokyo, Japan – Hard To Explain Party
20-Nov London, ON – Salt Lounge w/ The D‘Ubervilles
21-Nov Montreal, QC – M for Montreal Conference, Studio Juste Pour Rire
22-Nov Waterloo, ON – Starlight w/ The D‘Ubervilles
23-Nov Windsor, ON – Phog Lounge w/ The D‘Ubervilles
03-Dec Vancouver, BC – UBC Gallery
04-Dec Vancouver, BC – Transmission Conference
06-Dec Victoria, BC – Lucky Bar
31-Dec Hamilton, ON – Pepper Jack Café
2009 Tour Dates
15-Jan Sackville, NB – Stereophonic Festival
16-Jan Halifax, NS- The Marquee
17-Jan Fredericton, NB – The Capital
12-Feb Brooklyn, NY- Death By Audio party
13-Feb New York City, NY- Webster Hall w/ Michna
18-Feb Quebec City, QC- Le Cercle w/ Creature
20-Feb Montreal, QC- Club Soda w/ Creature
21-Feb Sherbrooke, QC- Telephone Rouge w/ Creature
Some Words From The Press:
By far the toppest of my tips is Woodhands. Energetic synthy new wave 'Montreal sound', but
with added bite and more than a bit of Soulwax about it, their energetic show is the highlight of an
above-average programme. Their album 'Heart Attack', out through Paper Bag records, however,
is even better, and what M For Montreal's industry catchphrase 'export readiness' was coined for.
Their song 'I Wasn't Made For Fighting' can and should be a hit on indie dancefloors the world
over. - NME on Woodhands‘ M for Montreal showcase
If you combine recorded output with live shows, there might not be a better band around than
Toronto's Woodhands. Their set was the one instance during the night where it seemed kosher to
dance amongst a crowd of crotchety music execs. After catching them opening for We Are
Wolves at this year's International Jazz Festival and their own headlining set at Pop Montreal, it
can be safely said Woodhands are one of this country's best and most consistent live groups.
– Chartattack
Woodhands’ song, “I Wasn’t Made For Fighting,” is good enough to get a dance party started
even on a Tuesday! –Hypeful
Every so often, Canada gives us indie-pop addicts a new drug; this year it’s called Woodhands. –
Venus Line
Woodhands packed the dance floor in the half-full club and launched into Be Back Soon. It wasn’t
long before everyone started getting keytarded to Dan Werb’s geeky-club synths and Paul
Banwatt’s lively upfront drumming. – NOW Magazine
Paul Banwatt and Dan Werb bring out the crazy in young women and men only minutes into any
nighttime set I've seen them play here in Canada. –Narratives
Heart Attack’s love sexy electro jams are anything but dim-witted dance-floor fodder. With keytar
in hand, vocalist Dan Werb and his yelping Prince-like delivery lead Banwatt’s frantic live-kit
rhythms into a raw intensity rarely heard in electronic music. It’s an intense real-time approach
that hits hard and gives a whole new meaning to the term “banging.” –Exclaim
RECENT PRESS CLIPPINGS FOR WOODHANDS AND HEART ATTACK
TheStar.com | entertainment |
Woodhands: They're keytar players, not fighters
LUCAS OLENIUK/TORONTO STAR
Woodhands' Paul Banwatt, left, and Dan Werb are debating whether to verbally brawl
with rocker Danko Jones.
Woodhands gets noticed as an electronic duo that dares
to have fun
May 01, 2008 04:30 AM
BEN RAYNER
POP MUSIC CRITIC
Woodhands are in a quandary: should they take the bait and commence a verbal brawl
with notorious expat-Torontonian crank Danko Jones, or suck up their bruised feelings
and carry on, mutely pretending nothing has happened?
A pair of bookish souls already on record asserting "I Wasn't Made for Fighting," Dan
Werb and Paul Banwatt concede they have little interest in pursuing a public squabble
with a paragon of rock 'n' roll virility like Jones.
They've never even met the guy, for one thing. Still, they've felt somewhat wounded and
perturbed – mainly wounded – since Jones used his Canadian Music Week set in March
to level a pointed diss in Woodhands' direction, apparently because he harbor‘s a
resentment toward keyboards and the hated "synth-rock duos" who make music with
them and, thus, found a readymade target in a younger act – wielding that outré '80s
accessory the "keytar," no less – that was then loudly stealing some of his band's
homecoming festival "buzz."
"This is what I want to say: Danko, why you got to hate on us? Why you got to hate on
us?" says Werb, downing a late-afternoon pint with Banwatt in a Bloor St. pub. "Danko
Jones, where's the love?"
Taking on Danko is, it should be noted, a source of wry self-amusement for the
Woodhands chaps.
The challenge, after all, arises in nearly the same breath as Werb's proclamation that
he'd like to "spoon a dead fawn" in a future video.
Yes, Woodhands is funny pair. But the duo's droll, self-deprecating manner detracts in
no way from the all-business, dance-or-else! Ferocity that has come to characterize its
musical sparring during the year and a half since Banwatt's presence transformed
Woodhands from a tentative, bedroom-electronica solo pursuit by Werb into one of
Toronto's most reliable party starters.
Vancouver native Werb has steered the project through various directions and
membership configurations in his hometown, in Montreal, in Paris and the more recently
adopted staging ground of Toronto, but it wasn't until he crossed paths with "sh-- hot
drummer" Banwatt in 2006 that the "rock" would join forces with his synths.
An invitation to jam revealed a shared ability to improvise around not just each other, but
also the programmatic whims of their "third member," a drum machine. By the beginning
of last year, Woodhands had all but dispensed with its former down-tempo inclinations
and hardened into a raw, tautly grooving outlet for nascent front man Werb's lustpropelled ravings.
"I think the very idea that Paul would want into this project brought me so much
confidence," says Werb. "Just having someone else say, `this is cool. This is worth
spending time pursuing.' That immediately made me excited.
"And it was cool to meet a drummer who was willing to, in a way, remove his ego. I've
played with drummers before in a number of bands where I'd say, `Wouldn't it be
awesome to have a drum machine in this song?' And the drummer would always be,
like: `No. Terrible idea. I'm the drummer. There's no need to replace me with a
machine.'"
Last year's bug-eyed single, "Dancer," and a couple of raging Woodhands live shows
were enough to win over Paper Bag Records, whose support finally persuaded the duo
to hunker down in the studio with producer Roger Leavens last fall and thrash out the
spastic, electro-rock outbursts that would become Heart Attack.
The band nevertheless has its bristling performances, initially energized by Werb's
purchase of an id liberating "keytar," to thank for the growing core of fans it had behind it
before the album's release last month.
"I think you expect electronic bands not to engage with the audience, on a certain level,
whereas we're all about engagement with the audience.
``I think that's the `rock' thing. I don't really listen to rock music, but I see how great rock
front men engage with crowds. ... We just try to bring it as hard as we possibly can. And
a lot of it is just – well, it's cliché, but Paul and I have a ton of fun onstage."
"And offstage," concurs Banwatt. "We get along remarkably well."
Source: http://www.thestar.com/article/420108
March 6, 2008
Woodhands
BY DAVE MORRIS March 05, 2008 15:03
As a rule, people make unintentionally hilarious faces when they‘re having sex, dancing
or playing a musical instrument with great conviction. If you‘re really invested in whatever
it is you‘re doing, the odds are that your mouth is screwed up and your eyes are
squeezed shut. The distance between what you think you look like and what you actually
look like couldn‘t be bigger.
Dan Werb and Paul Banwatt, a.k.a. Woodhands, have been told before that they look
nerdy when they perform, but unlike legions of nerds before them who decided to
reclaim the insult, Woodhands won‘t accept it. Not because they lack self-awareness —?
They just reject the idea that visibly having fun and being cool is mutually exclusive.
Werb sighs: ―The arc of our live reviews, I can tell you exactly how every single one
goes. ‗Dan Werb looks like a nerd, but then they played this amazing show‘.‖
―But it‘s always sexiness,‖ Banwatt interjects. ―The sexiness of your nerdiness. It‘s not a
bad thing.‖
I ask whether they‘ve considered adopting the more detached European vibe generally
associated with, say, techno.
―Here‘s the deal. I can only do the hard sell,‖ says Werb. ―That‘s my thing. Like, I don‘t
know subtlety when it comes to presenting myself, and that informs the music that we
make. At least from my perspective. The Junior Boys do that shit so fuckin‘ well, and
they write beautiful melodies, but that‘s just not us. We‘re not super fuckin‘ cool dudes.
I‘m an extremely emotional person, in some ways.‖
―Dancer,‖ the fiery, propulsive first track on Woodhands‘ frenetic and spectacular new
disc, Heart Attack (their debut for Paper Bag Records, in stores April 1), demonstrates
this pretty convincingly. The verses of ―Dancer‖ consist of Maylee Todd from Henri
Faberge and the Adorables crooning about a gentleman whispering sweet nothings in
her ear, over Werb‘s warm-yet-squelchy synth squiggles and punctuated by Banwatt‘s
titanic fills. The chorus consists of Werb screaming, ―YOU‘RE A VERY GOOD DANCER
WHAT IS YOUR NAME? WHAT IS YOUR NAME?‖ like a man striking up a conversation
with someone while simultaneously being chased by rabid bulldogs. Of course, it‘s
based on a true story.
―I‘d never really been to a rave before. I wasn‘t on drugs or anything,‖ explains Werb
almost apologetically. The BC native had just played a Woodhands set at a rave on
Vancouver Island when he and former band member Roselle Healy (with whom he was
romantically involved at the time) decided to check out a techno DJ‘s set. ―And I just… I
don‘t know what the fuck happened, but I started screaming at her in this faux-German
accent, ‗You‘re a very good dancer, what is your name, what is your name‘ and like
dancing European-ly around her. To the point where dudes were like, ‗Is this guy
bothering you?‘ She was… embarrassed. Which she had a right to be.‖
―But the song is very sweet,‖ Banwatt affectionately points out, observing that, in the
mind of the agro Euro character, his technique is perfectly acceptable.
Before Werb and Banwatt cemented their partnership, Woodhands had gone through
numerous incarnations in Vancouver, Paris and Montreal, at times including Healy,
bassist Pat Placzek and a host of other players. What the pair call ―the second iteration
of Woodhands‖ began in January ‘07; after Werb and the Mississauga-raised Banwatt
met at Henri Faberge and the Adorables‘ Sept. 2006 CD release show at the Palais
Royale, they started playing together regularly, and their on-stage chemistry developed
quickly.
―Paul‘s drums are right at the front of the stage,‖ says Werb, ―my shit‘s right at the front
of the stage and we have an eye-contact thing going the whole time. And because we
allow ourselves to go off on tangents musically, there‘s a lot of communication. I think
that a lot of the response that people have given us has been about that relationship,
about how rewarding it is to see performers interacting like that instead of just like four
dudes on stage.‖
Banwatt adds, ―We definitely don‘t want to be in our own separate worlds when we‘re
performing. We are best friends and that translates into the show very directly.‖
But after dozens of local shows and several out-of-town dates, the duo felt like they hit a
wall, wondering how they‘d be able to go from being a local band to an international
touring act.
Banwatt describes the moment where their frustration peaked while sitting in their car
after a show. ―We were lamenting the fact that a lot of people were paying attention, we
were getting great press, great blog postings, but we didn‘t feel any closer to getting our
music out there in the way we wanted to.‖
And then everything fell into place, as things sometimes do for acts they‘ve been honing
a killer live show for months. Following their showcase at Pop Montreal last October,
Paper Bag approached them, and after some deliberation (Werb says ―We held out,
because we‘re super awesome businessmen‖), they signed and, after working out
arrangements and laying down tracks with producer Roger Leavens, started getting
ready to bestow Heart Attack on the world.
It‘s not easy to process at first, this oddly aggressive and sometimes extremely sensitive
music made on instruments generally associated with rigid structure and icy composure,
a style that Woodhands‘ earlier incarnations more closely resembled. Woodhands Mark
II isn‘t the first to bring rock‘s intensity to electronic music —? With their live drums as
well as their disdain for laptops and pre-programmed sequencing, Holy Fuck is an
obvious comparison —? But even within that template, there‘s a lot of room for
unabashedly strong personalities like theirs to express themselves.
That might mean Banwatt stepping outside the limits of rock drumming (―Electronic
music composers are the ones programming beats but they‘re often not drummers. I‘ve
always tried to rid myself of what I‘m supposed to be doing‖) or it might be Werb‘s lyrics,
which even when they‘re not openly confessional (the melancholy ―Straighten the
Curtains‖) are delivered with a visceral frustration that would make Kraftwerk fall out of
their impeccably-designed space-age studio furniture.
It‘s sweaty, it‘s sexy. It isn‘t nerdy. The ―hard sell‖ might not be cool in the disinterested
sense of the word, but it works.
―I think it was our first show at Tiger Bar in January ‘07 where I felt for the first time, it
was like a clean break,‖ says Werb. ―It was like all this long history of the band basically
became an entirely separate chapter. And from that point on, I remember coming off
stage and my voice was hoarse from screaming, and I was, like, ‗This is different.‘‖
WOODHANDS play the Paper Bag Records CMW showcase, sponsored by EYE
WEEKLY. Fri, March 7 at 12:45am with Winter Gloves (12am), Slim Twig (11:15pm),
Laura Barrett (10:30pm), Tropics (9:45pm), Huckleberry Friends (9pm). The Drake
Underground, 1150 Queen W. $5 before midnight; $10 after. CMW wristbands accepted.
Doors 8pm.
Source: http://www.eyeweekly.com/article/19857
The Voxing Sounds of Woodhands
By Tamara Holmes
Dan Werb could very well have his own action figurine, or at least a bobble head. Either
way, the Voxing synther from the Toronto–based electro super duo Woodhands should
be immortalized somehow in plastic and soon, you‘ll know why. For us, all he had to say
was…
―I work in epidemiological research,‖ reveals Werb, who, not to mention, was recovering
from a weekend shoot for a film where he stood in a field — sorry, icy field — wearing a
silk shirt. ―I focus on HIV and I track how the disease is spread between the population in
an effort to stop the spread.‖
To pause for a moment, it is important to note that, at this point, the conversation could
take one of two important topical turns. On the one hand, we‘ve got an incredibly
talented duo in Werb and band mate Paul Benwatt. Their sound parlayed through
Woodhands is electro–synth–pop fresher than a banana still on
the tree. On the other hand, you have HIV research among street drug users, and the
quest to stop the spread. With the latter being the most pressing social issue, but the
former being the intended cover story, it was lucky that Werb was game for both. After
all, it doesn‘t make for a boring ditty to find out how a rising success in the Canadian
music industry with a background in English literature and philosophy from McGill is a
disease–fighting analyst with one of the more recognized firms in the country.
―Yes, I took English lit and philosophy at McGill,‖ explains Werb. ―I then was doing some
freelance writing and did some work in publicity which I hated. A friend moved to Paris
and called me up after he got a job doing drug policy lobbyist work. He called and said,
‗hey, they need people with a communications
and English background to complete reports and do lobby work.‘ And I said, ‗Sure, I‘ll
move to Paris!‘
―So I was in Paris. I did a lot of reports and when the contract was up, I moved back to
Canada. It wasn‘t a hard decision because, before I had left, I had self–released an
album. When I was away, I got a few calls telling me how well received it was and that I
should come home and tour. This was in 2005 and I toured for three weeks before I
moved to Toronto to work more in freelance and get myself deep into debt.‖
While Werb worked (three times fast!) In freelance writing covering everything from local
topics to the life of a ―funny looking‘‖ top male model living in Japan, he held most of his
focus on the work he had been contributing to all along, HIV and its research. It was
during one related interview that Werb would meet his now–boss and join him in
Vancouver (which is incidentally Werb‘s hometown) to be trained for his current role. ―I
work with stats of homeless and street drug users and work on pinpointing why the HIV
disease spreads the way it does. The
company I work with has a progressive mandate to train young researchers, and they
have afforded me an incredible opportunity to contribute.‖
Where many musicians continue to toil away at disgruntling, safe day jobs (―I too would
not like to be a cashier at 7–11,‖ Werb asserts, for the record), this one actually digs his
day job and doesn‘t relish the day he might have to choose wholeheartedly between it
and music. Truth be told, the music is catching up
nicely as the Woodhands continue to enamor the Canadian scene, one city at a time.
And on the eve of their CD release (Heart Attack, out April 2), the duo is busier than ever
set to take their high–energy, danceable beat, passionately synth road show on a
month–plus tour.
―We‘re — or we try to be — conscious about how much equipment we have,‖ laughs
Werb, describing his stage set up which includes… a keytar! ―Since we do all our sounds
live, and nothing is recorded, it looks like a lot. I‘m aware that having more doesn‘t
necessarily make you better. Paul and I sometimes do
acoustic shows with just an organ, drums and singing. It‘s that which makes you realize
that energy and songwriting is all you need. Paul always says that, even if the equipment
broke, we‘d still be able to put on a killer show. That‘s the hope, anyway. I don‘t like
being beholden to equipment.‖
While Werb deftly crafted Woodhands‘ concept in previous versions of musical
experimentation while living in Paris, Vancouver and Montreal before collaborating with
Benwatt in August of 2006, it was Benwatt‘s contribution that brought the project to full
throttle. ―When Paul and I met, we had so much energy and could really start being
creative. It was like we really started playing. I was going through a transition time and
was having lots of personal and emotional changes. When Paul would drum, he was so
energetic. So dynamic, He brought something out of me that turned into the music,
which became a forum for catharsis. He would drum and I would start playing and
singing and screaming.
―But it‘s funny. I was listening to the album last night and I just thought, ‗man! This is so
depressing!‘ I mean, it doesn‘t feel that way in the music because it‘s so high energy and
the way it‘s delivered but the lyrics… The lyrics are definitely dark.‖
Okay, so here we took a third turn. It was simply asked that, should Werb create a new
set of lyrics today, right now, whether they‘d be as dark, considering this album turned
out high–impact and dance–worthy straight through. To both of our surprise he
answered with a barrage of truthful and funny, as well as truthfully funny statements
(most that would, in hindsight, deflate throngs of swollen bosomed groupies) that neither
of us expected to end up in print. While they don‘t need revealed (we already have a
sub–plot — HIV — remember?) it can be asserted that the Woodhands will not fall short
on new material.
―I‘m not a perfectionist,‖ sighs Werb, continuing about giving the new album a spin the
night prior. ―I‘m more about the spirit than the letter. When we recorded, I would be like,
‗Yaaaaaaaaa! That was awesome!‘ and Paul would look over at me and say what we
had to re–record and why. But I think it‘s a great album. There were a few times when I
would think, ‗whoa! That‘s me‘ and it was very weird.‖
Fans don‘t find it weird, however. While they aren‘t in Japan being funny looking top
male models, Werb and Banwatt were arguably the poster–children of 2008‘s recent
Canadian Music Week and enjoyed an incredibly well–received show. ―I used to work in
publicity. I know that drumming up press means there is a guy or girl sitting cold calling,
asking to have a band on the cover. Or at least covered, But I know that media outlets
don‘t do it unless they want to. It was very nice, this attention.
―On the flip side, we did four shows in Austin for this year‘s SXSW where no one knew
who we were. They were still great shows, though. Good turnout. We were just happy to
be there, playing in Texas, after the weather here. Not to mention, we had driven straight
from CMW for 26 hours in my Saturn station wagon. We listened to a lot of Devin The
Dude and the current touring band staple, This American Life pod casts. Lots of hip-hop,
though. I like hip-hop. And it was my iPod. And my car.‖
Source: http://echoweekly.com/printer.php?storyid=6948
ITUNES US
ELECTRONIC MAIN PAGE, “IF YOU LIKE MSTRKRFT”
MARCH 11, 2009
Sun, 08 Mar 2009
It's Montreal versus Toronto at SXSW
Dave Jaffer
For years there's been a rivalry between Montreal and Toronto, and that rivalry has, at
times, grown into a full-on feud. (We're not taking sides, though we do believe it merits
mention that the Leafs haven't won a Stanley Cup since 1967 and the Habs have more
Stanley Cup championship banners than anyone else.)
ANYWAYS, at this year's SXSW in Austin, TX, the idea of that rivalry/feud/whatever has
spawned a super-cool idea: The M For Montreal vs. T for Toronto battle. Presented by
Exclaim.ca, the daytime party/show/battle will take place on March 21 at 12:00 noon at
The Canada House at Austin's El Sol y La Luna, and will, essentially, showcase some
of the best musicial acts from both the 514 and the 416.
In the Montreal corner are trip-rockers Beast, who just scored a Juno nomination for Best
New Group of the Year, and Winter Gloves, whose tireless touring and energetic live
show is already turning heads all over Canada.
In the Toronto corner is Ohbijou, who are undertaking some furious touring of their own
this April/May, which will end with the release of their new album in June, and
Woodhands, perhaps Canada's most-loved live show ("Most Memorable Live Show of
2008," MuchMusic). Woodhands, whose cover of Eddy Grant's "Electric Avenue" is
currently doing its thing on the interweb, will be touring the States in April and May as
well. Also, if sources are to believed, they're currently working on a second album of
sweaty, dance-y, synth-pop goodness.
There it is. Two versus two. Works, right? Wrong.
There's an x-factor. It's Thunderheist, which is half Toronto and half Montreal in
composition. Thunderheist's long-awaited full-length debut drops on March 31, and
shortly thereafter they'll be headlining Exclaim!'s 17th anniversary tour. Still doesn't
explain where their loyalties lie on the TO/MTL battle, but whatever...the people who
show up at The Canada House for the daytime party are the real winners.
For more information check out: mpourmontreal.com.
Source: http://www.hour.ca/music/music_news.aspx?iIDArticle=15743&rssIDArticle=147
Single Minded: Beach Boys Remix, Malkmus Covers Dylan, Fleet Foxes Go Electro
2/13/09, 10:58 am EST
Beach Boys, “God Only Knows” [Aeroplane Remix]
This synthed-out reworking of the Brian Wilson classic shows up about 25 years too late
— this would have been perfect for some ‘80s movie wherein the dork with the oversized
glasses and the ridiculous laugh builds some kind of magic robot to save some kind of
endangered chess club, thereby winning the love of the chess club president who, as it
turns out, is a really looker when she lets her hair down.
Stephen Malkmus & the Million Dollar Bashers, “Maggies Farm” [Bob Dylan Cover]
One good surrealist deserves another: Malkmus‘s surprisingly faithful take on Dylan‘s
anti-capitalist masterpiece retains all of the original‘s snap and attitude — though we
could have done with at least one tossed-off anachronism, preferably one involving
shellfish or the equator.
Woodhands, “Electric Avenue” [Eddy Grant Cover]
Here‘s the thing about Eddy Grant: he‘s actually kind of a legendary reggae vocalist. He
actually wrote the Clash-covered classic ―Police on My Back.‖ Woodhands‘ cover of his
kitschy ‘80s one-off injects a bit of violence into the mix, scattering shards of synths
across Grant‘s tale of political and economic flameout.
Source: http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/02/13/single-mindedbeach-boys-remix-malkmus-covers-dylan-fleet-foxes-go-electro/
Woodhands, Rooftop Vigilantes, Joe & the Flying Spoons & more in
This Week In Indie
by Bill Pearis
DOWNLOAD: Woodhands - Can't See Straight (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Woodhands - Electric Avenue (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Rooftop Vigilantes - Drew Want Dino (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Rooftop Vigilantes - Copper is Free (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: caUSE co-MOTION - This Just Won't Last (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Right on Dynamite - Mantra for the Madness (MP3)
Woodhands
Toronto dance-rock duo Woodhands are back in NYC this week for the first time since
playing last summer with Crystal Castles at Studio B. I caught them when I attended M
for Montreal back in November and they were really fun live, putting on a sweaty, twoman disco party. Singer Dan Werb rocks a keytar as unironically as one can, and
drummer Paul Banwatt is a human drum machine. They also, when I saw them, brought
their own laser light show which I certainly hope comes with them this week when they
play Death By Audio on Thursday (2/12) and The Studio at Webster Hall on Friday
(1/13). For some reason I find the idea of lasers at Death By Audio hilarious and
awesome. Hopefully they'll also do their cover of Eddie Grant's '80s classic "Electric
Avenue" which you can download above.
Source: http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2009/02/woodhands_rooft.html
Jan 27, 2009
Woodhands
Woodhands is dirty electronic music duo out of Toronto, Canada. You may have rocked
out to two of their songs previously posted for some weekend jams, but I would like to
take this time to comment further on their awesomeness. Their insanely fast beats keeps
up with the insanely fast electro-synth. Their debut album Heart Attack was released last
spring in 2008 and offers one dance track after another. Their music is fast fun and free.
To match, their tracks frequently showcase amazing lyrics in which they grind every last
bit of sexual angst they can out of their vocals.
The results of this unleashing are, for the most part, gloriously sweaty, hedonistic fun.
Anyone who can hear songs like "Be Back Soon" or "I Wasn't Made For Fighting" and
not instantly start moving is dead. Their songs hold an overall vibe of dirty, sweaty fun as
echoed by their myspace profile...
"We are interested in emotional, sweaty dance floors. we want to make you cry while
you're having sex. and it'll be the best damn sex of your life. and you'll be dancing."
Enjoy...
Source: http://streetindex.blogspot.com/2009/01/woodhands.html
BLURT
December 18, 2008
Woodhands
A more electronics and effects-laden group, this duo only got to play three songs in their
30 minute set as each song lasted for quite some time. Lead singer Dan Werb looked
quite nerdy in appearance. Thick, black rimmed glasses and a keytar assisted in
completing this package; however, once he approached the mic and shouted, "You
ready for this shit," all misgivings dissipated. With just Werb and drummer Paul Banwatt
on stage, Woodhands had a grand sonic and visual show in store for everyone.
As Werb shouted and sang into the mic a laser show commenced. He could barely stand
still as he danced, worked the keytar and effects and occasionally returned to the mic.
While the duration of each song performed-"I Can't See Straight," "I Wasn't Made for
Fighting," and "Dancer"-only lasts around four minutes, Woodhands obviously remixed
their sounds and made each track twice as long. Very much in the category of uptempo,
hot n' sweaty, trance music, Woodhands got everyone dancing.
Source: http://www.blurt-online.com/features/view/241
CBC Radio 3 Announces Bucky Award Winners
Today marked the third annual edition of the CBC Radio 3 Bucky Awards. Last year's
winners included Buck 65, the Weakerthans, Emily Haines, and -surprise- Feist.
For those who aren't familiar with the infamous Bucky Awards, let me break it down for
you into three simple steps. Step 1: Canadian musicians make Canadian music for the
twelve month period of any given year.
Step 2: The staff of CBC Radio 3 selects
musicians for various categories, including "Best Reason to Learn French" and "Best
Band Name".
Step 3: Canadians vote online to decide the winners.
And, the winners are...
Best Road Trip Song
Matt Mays and el Torpedo, Tall Trees.
Although I did not call it, I
am not surprised. And I wouldn't know anyway, because I am a mere bicyclist.
Best Collaboration
Will Currie and the Country French featuring Sloan, Push
Pins.
Honestly, I hadn't heard it. So, I went to Will Currie's MySpace page and checked
them out. Not bad for Waterloo, Ontario.
Most Canadian Song
Jason Collett, Charlyn, Angel of Kensington.
I tend to see Jason
out-and-about on College Street, steps away from Kensington Market. So, when I think
of local musicians his name always pops into my head.
Best Beat
Woodhands, Dancer.
Hey, they didn't call the song Dancer for nothin'.
Obviously, there were more categories then the few that I have listed above. For the
complete list of winners click the Radio 3 link at the top of the article
The only two categories that weren't voted on was the Lifetime Achievement Award,
which was given to Teenage Head, and the Top Fan Award, which was granted to Colin
Medley.
Others winners included LIbrary Voices, the Stars, Mother Mother, and Fred Eaglesmith.
Source:
http://www.blogto.com/music/2008/12/cbc_radio_3_announces_bucky_award_winners/
ROCK SELL OUT
WOODHANDS
December, 12 2008
Toronto‘s electro-pop duo Woodhands have released a new video for their song ―I
Wasn‘t Made For Fighting‖. It‘s fun and artsy, and pretty impressive considering the
relatively paltry budgets small bands get for videos. * I wasn‘t able to embed the video,
so you can check it out here. *
The duo of Dan Werb (vocals, synths, drum machines) and Paul Banwatt (drums,
vocals), released their first album, Heart Attack, back in early April and they‘ve been
busy promoting it ever since. Included in that promotion was a recent trip to Tokyo where
the band performed their song ‗Dancer‘ at the Hard To Explain magazine party to a
groovin‘ crowd.
If you‘re lookin‘ to do a little groovin‘ yourself, make sure to download the MP3s below
and take a listen to ‗Dancer‘. If it doesn‘t make you smile, well then … I don‘t about you!
Source: http://www.rocksellout.com/2008/12/12/woodhands/
TORONTO SUN
December 14th 2008
By Jason Macneil
Some of Canada's emerging acts are heading to the Land of the Rising Sun for a fourday showcase in Tokyo next month (Nov. 10-14) aimed at pushing more Canadian talent
into the Japanese music market.
According to a press release, Montreal act Patrick Watson, Bedouin Soundclash,
Woodhands and The Saint Alvia Cartel will perform on Nov. 12 at the Duo Music
Exchange in Tokyo while the following day sees Alex Cuba, East Coast act The Trews,
The Russian Futurists and Sofia de Medeiros performing at the Oscar Peterson Theatre
at the Canadian Embassy in the Japanese city.
Source: http://www.torontosun.com/entertainment/music/2008/10/24/7186031-sun.html
NME magazine
Montreal Day Two: John Lennon VS The Beast
By Dan Martin
Posted on 25/11/08 at 06:14:43 pm
Minus 16 degree cold can‘t stop the rock at the M For Montreal festival.
Actually, it could if we had to walk anywhere, but clever festival organisers have put all
six acts on tonight’s boutique line-up in two separate rooms the Just For Laughs club, so
there’s no time to miss anything. It's a far superior line-up tonight, and we’re noticing a
definite electro-punk string running through the Montreal scene that points to plenty of
potential successors to Crystal Castles...
By far the toppest of my tips is Woodhands. Energetic synthy new wave ‘Montreal
sound’, but with added bite and more than a bit of Soulwax about it, their energetic show
is the highlight of an above-average programme. Their album ‘Heart Attack’, out
through Paper Bag records, however, is even better, and what M For Montreal’s
industry catchphrase ‘export readiness’ was coined for. Their song ‘I Wasn’t Made For
Fighting’ can and should be a hit on indie dancefloors the world over. They’re
labelmates with Wintergloves – can the two bands tour the UK together please?
Source: http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=120&p=5383&more=1&c=1
M For Montreal: Friday
11/24/08 5:10pm
by Erik Leijon (CHARTattack)
If you combine recorded output with live shows, there might not be a better band around
than Toronto's Woodhands. Their set — which went over the allotted time, but no one
seemed to care — was the one instance during the night where it seemed kosher to
dance amongst a crowd of crotchety music execs.
Vocalist Dan Werb flailed around and screamed obscenities like he had come down with
a temporary case of Tourette's syndrome, while human drum machine Paul Banwatt
provided the backbone to Woodhands' brand of analogue dance music. After catching
them opening for We Are Wolves at this year's International Jazz Festival and their own
headlining set at Pop Montreal, it can be safely said Woodhands are one of this
country's best and most consistent live groups.
Source: http://www.chartattack.com/news/63142/m-for-montreal-friday
Bill reports from M for Montreal, Night Two (Beast, Arkells, CLAASS, Misteur
Valaire & more)
Toronto keyboard-drums duo, Woodhands, were the only band to feature a laser show
and were there to make you dance. You may have caught them when they played
Studio B in Brooklyn with Crystal Castles.
Source: http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2008/11/bill_reports_fr_1.html
Transmission Day Two: All Woodhands
Storyeum
Vancouver, BC
on Dec 4 2008
Quinn Omori (CHARTattack)
The first day of Transmission's 2008 edition showcased Vancouver talent, but night two
ushered in acts from across Canada and the globe.
I arrived at Storyeum — formerly a kitschy tourist attraction that gave a crash course in
B.C. history — in time to catch Woodhands. The Toronto duo created disco-friendly
party anthems the traditional way: with real live instruments.
But while the absence of any MacBooks was refreshing, the analogue take in a digital
age wouldn't be much to cheer about if the songs weren't any good. Happily, Dan Werb
and Paul Banwatt paired some great tunes with even better showmanship and turned
out one of the best sets of the festival.
Source: http://www.chartattack.com/reviews/63787/transmission-day-two-all-woodhands
Tour Blog
Woodhands enjoys a hot apple pie touring Japan
Paul Banwatt of Woodhands tours Japan and blogs for NOW.
Tokyo is forcing me to reconsider everything I thought I knew about big cities.
I used to think that small towns force people to behave because everybody knows each
other. The anonymity of living in a big city lets people act without being forced to
consider the consequences to their reputations. The internet, I figured, was proof of how
people will act when nobody is watching (sort of like the ring of Gyges from Plato's
Republic. Gyges, a decent shepherd, finds a ring that makes him invisible, and then
turns into a plotting lunatic, sneaking into the castle, seducing the queen, and usurping
and murdering the king... simply because he can without anybody seeing him.).
But here, in Tokyo, people don't use anonymity as an excuse to do what they want. You
can buy beer and cigarettes from vending machines on the street, but nobody is worried
about kids drinking and smoking. There's over 12 million people, but the police don't
carry guns, and nobody ever seems wary of each other. It's a big city that has retained
rural values of honour and decency without compromise. I love it.
And more importantly, and completely worth the 14 hour plane ride, McDonald's here still
has deep fried hot apple pie. I swear this is paradise.
(Don't worry, I've eaten lots of authentic Japanese food... but at 5 am, after a night of
partying, McDonald's is really the only thing that makes any sense.)
Nov 13, 2008 at 12:02 AM
Woodhands' first night in Tokyo
Touring Japan
Daniel Werb of Woodhands tours Japan and blogs for NOW.
After cramming books, newspapers, and a copy of the Economist into my carry-on, and
spending $200 on an extra computer battery, it was all for naught: instead of passing the
time on a twelve hour flight from Toronto to Tokyo, I ended up sleeping for 10 hours
straight.
I should have seen it coming - when we first got to Pearson airport, I told Paul that I was
feeling murderously tired. Can you blame me? The night before had been spent driving
to and from Peterborough to play with our new best friends The D‘Urbervilles, and there
was barely enough time to shower (and no time to sleep) before heading out for a
ridiculously early morning flight.
But was it worth it? Um…yes.
There‘s something hilarious about trading Peterborough for Tokyo, though there‘s no
way to write about it without offending kids from the Peter Patch so I‘m just going to
move on.
After a two hour bus ride in from Narita airport and a half-hour cab ride, we found
ourselves at our friend Simon‘s apartment. He had warned me that it was going to be a
pretty tight squeeze with three of us sleeping there, but I didn‘t quite understand his
mirthless giggles until we got here. Holy shit! Japanese people basically live in tiny
pods.
And suddenly, we were all Japanese. I don‘t want to get into the mechanics of how it
went down, but we got our stuff in here and managed to find ways to fit around each
other, though I‘ve never felt closer to either Paul or Simon.
Here‘s Simon. He‘s a dapper gentleman.
Here‘s Paul on our first night out. I‘m the first to admit this is a pretty cliché shot, but
Japan turns you into a big cliché. On that note, we also ended up at an izakaya
(Japanese tapas) restaurant where sake was served hot and cold and where everyone
started feeling pretty tingly pretty quickly.
Right after this photo was taken Paul and I jumped into a Club Sega which is a three
storey video arcade taken to the next level. There was an entire floor of video gambling
which had as its centerpiece this bizarre glowing contraption. You can‘t see them here
but there are a bunch of marbles rolling around and coins falling into pots:
About half of the gamers were middle-aged men in suits who sat alone and smoked
while they played. Paul and I played Street Fighter IV (!) and then got into this insane
pod with a huge concave video screen. It made me dizzy and kind of sick but Paul got
pretty good at jumping around and killing robots.
For a first night in Tokyo, I think we did pretty well: we can check sake and video games
off of our list (though something tells me this won‘t be the last time we enjoy them out
here).
Last thought: on our way home, before squeezing into bed next to the boys, I noticed a
bunch of bikes and then realized how ridiculously tiny the bike locks out here are. Igor
Kenk would have a field day.
Nov 13, 2008 at 12:58 AM
Source: http://www.nowtoronto.com/guides/woodhands/2008/
Diplomatic racket
Vanessa Farquharson, National Post Published: Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Related Topics
Story tools presented by
A select group of Canadian musicians touched down in Tokyo yesterday, hoping to strut
their homegrown stuff and, in turn, capitalize on the $5-billion Japanese music market.
Industry executives and delegates from various countries around Asia will congregate in
the coming days at the Canadian Embassy in Japan, where the Canadian Independent
Record Production Association (CIRPA) will do its best to encourage cross-continental
business ventures, while bands such as Bedouin Soundclash, Woodhands, The Saint
Alvia Cartel and Patrick Watson will play concerts open to the public.
"Every band has its own journey, and it's always a little crazy and different and unique,"
said a bleary but excited Dan Werb, the Toronto-based front man of Woodhands, after
arriving in Tokyo at about 3:30 a. m. local time. "But the thing that ties everyone together
is that you need success in other markets -- so we're basically letting the market dictate
what we do and where we should be going."
This trade mission to Japan on behalf of the Canadian music industry is sponsored by
the Program for Export Market Development and the Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade, and takes place in partnership with a slew of federal and provincial
organizations, such as Heritage Canada, the Ontario Media Development Corporation
and Canadian Music Week.
An identical mission that took place last year with rock bands Broken Social Scene and
Stars was considered a big success, which is why a rising star like Werb is so thrilled to
be attending.
"We actually went to China a little while ago, and they seemed to really like us there," he
said. "The crowd was crazy -- every time I came out, they'd all yell back at me, and I'd
never experienced that before, that level of energy and enthusiasm. We picked up all
kinds of contacts and will probably go back there next year.
"Japan is obviously very different from China, but big trips like this to the other side of
the world would be highly unlikely without any kind of sponsorship."
Currently, the biggest-selling Canadian musician in Japan is Napanee, Ont., pop star
Avril Lavigne.
"We look forward to generating new business opportunities for Canadian artists and
companies in many Asian countries," said Duncan McKie, CIRPA president, in a
statement. "Not just China-- the whole region is open for trade."
Source: http://www.nationalpost.com/related/topics/story.html?id=948744
Friday, Nov. 7, 2008
Canadian music execs schmooze up to Tokyo
By SHAWN DESPRES
Special to The Japan Times
The relatively small 33 million population of Canada, the world's second-largest country in terms
of landmass, makes it nearly impossible for its musicians to maintain careers based on domestic
support alone.
News photo
Maple music: Woodhands are among the bands to be presented at Canadian Blast, a live push
for Canuck bands in Japan.
While international touring for leftfield artists was once considered an anomaly, the global
success of Canucks such as Broken Social Scene and Arcade Fire has opened the floodgates for
a seemingly endless supply of top-notch underground talent hailing from the great white north.
Looking to take advantage of the spike in interest in its nation's musical output, the Canadian
Independent Record Production Association (CIRPA) is hosting its second annual Asian Trade
Mission in Tokyo from Nov. 10 to 14, featuring live shows as well as some serious schmoozing.
"Japan is a $5 billion prerecorded music market of which 25 percent is international," explains
CIRPA president and CEO Duncan McKie. "Most commerce is still legitimate and there is little
piracy, so there's a strong potential for export."
2007's inaugural events proved to be a lucrative endeavor, generating $1.4 million in new
business and 91 deals for Canadian music companies. The upcoming mission will feature 19
imprints and industry-related businesses and nine bands, with participants selected from a list of
online applications by a panel of label execs, managers and event organizers.
"This year we will be introducing some new companies to Japan, and some will return to reinforce
relationships made last time around," says McKie. "We expect these relationships will pay off for
a long time in the future, so we aren't looking for just 'one-off' successes. For that reason, if we do
fewer deals directly, but establish more ties with Japanese companies, we will also be pleased."
CIRPA and the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo are also presenting a showcase gig for the general
public dubbed Canadian Blast, which will feature the reggae-tinged pop sounds of Bedouin
Soundclash, Patrick Watson's ethereal chamber-pop, Woodhands' eclectic electropop grooves
and Clash-inspired rockers Saint Alvia. The concert follows the embassy-sponsored Canada Wet
in 2005 (Broken Social Scene, The Dears, Stars, Death From Above 1979, Metric) and 2007's
Canadian Rock and Rule (The New Pornographers, Bedouin Soundclash, Jason Collett, Amy
Millan).
Woodhands will be promoting their debut disc, this summer's "Heart Attack," which is currently
only available in Japan as an import. When told that some over-zealous music lovers waited
several hours inside an Osaka hotel to get autographs from lovelorn, orchestral pop act Stars
during Canada Wet, Dan Werb, one half of the hard-partying duo, admits he has no qualms about
taking full advantage of Japan's unparalleled level of fandom.
"I think we are ready to be treated like superstars," he says. "The only question is how we'll adapt
when we go back to the cold Canadian winter and temperament. We are working on a list of
exorbitant demands but we can't really talk about it in print. Let's just say that it involves multiple
fans, six pounds of butter and an otter."
The self-titled debut from the far humbler Saint Alvia was released domestically in October by
Pony Canyon. Guitarist Greg Taylor is half-Japanese and has family located throughout
Kanagawa Prefecture, making their role in the trade mission extra special for him.
"Our sights are purely focused on Japan right now," says Taylor. "We'd really like to become
more than a band that visits once a year; we'd love to be able to come and play and hang out
more often."
Taylor and Werb have differing opinions on the overview of their peers that Canadian Blast will
provide concertgoers.
"I think the showcase will be a good representation of the Canadian scene, but as with any scene,
Canadian music is diverse, and you are really only just getting the tip of the iceberg," says Taylor.
Werb counters, "I don't think the showcase represents the underground scene, considering that
Bedouin Soundclash are international superstars and Patrick Watson won the Polaris Music Prize
for the best album in Canada last year. We're probably closer to the underground scene, but you
can't keep a Woodhands party quiet for too long."
A combination of government grants and bursaries, along with funding from different musicindustry organizations, is helping all involved offset the high costs of taking part in the upcoming
events. Although Canada is quite good about providing financial assistance to musicians (CIRPA
says the federal government will likely give around 20 million Canadian dollars this year, and
provincial governments also offer support), the government recently cut PromArt, a program that
helped send artists abroad to promote Canadian culture, potentially presenting an extra hurdle to
launching future trade missions.
"It was short-sighted to cancel the program without reviewing its effectiveness with the industry,"
offers Neill Dixon, president of Canada's largest international trade convention, Canadian Music
export-ready will hurt their chances of competing on a world stage."
But CIRPA's McKie is confident that the strength of the still-burgeoning Canadian scene will
ensure that quality product will continue to be exposed. Hell, if you can make it through a tour in
the Canadian winter, everything else is basically a breeze, right?
"Canadian bands are in demand," McKie states firmly. "And one way or another we'll get them to
the marketplace."
Source: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fm20081107a2.html
R2G, IODA launch music service in China
Here's a value proposition for you: a subscription music service that lets you download
88 MP3s a month for a little less than $3. And you thought eMusic was a good deal. The
catch is, you have to be in China to subscribe. And in China, music fans aren't used to
paying anything for MP3s.
The service, called Wawawa, is the latest in a series of efforts by music distributors and
rights holders to gain a foothold into the huge but piracy-plagued Chinese market. It was
launched last night by R2G, a company that heretofore had confined itself to the
wholesale side of the digital music business in China, with more than a million tracks
supplied by San Francisco-based indie-music distributor IODA. Although there are other
online music stores in China with major-label content, such as Aigo and top100,
Wawawa claims to have the largest catalog of tracks for legal downloading.
Mathew Daniel, vice president of R2G, said his company supplies licensed songs to
more than 200 service providers in China, mainly for mobile-phone services such as ring
tones. That's where the vast majority of the money is made on digital music in China. His
company hoped that one of its customers would develop a viable music downloading
service like the iTunes Store, Daniel said, but "that has not been for coming for quite a
while." So, "we decided, for the music market to progress, let's try to deliver this
ourselves."
IODA head Kevin Arnold said he, too, had been looking a long time for a way to bring
the thousands of artists in his company's catalog to the Chinese market. The opportunity
represented by Wawawa is extraordinarily exciting, he said, but he's keeping his
expectations in check. "I think of it as very experimental," Arnold said. "People are just
not used to spending money there. This will be a very interesting test. I do think that the
time is right, (and) the product offering is very tailored to the market."
Part of that tailoring is keeping the price low. "Some people may look at that and say,
`That's crazy.' But you know what, it's the most sane thing that I've seen come out of
China, in terms of actually having potential," Arnold said.
By eschewing DRM and providing on-demand streaming as well as liberal downloading
privileges, Wawawa is emphasizing customer convenience over inventory protection.
The idea, Arnold said, is to remove any of the barriers to legitimate use that might
alienate subscribers. That's not to say the companies don't care about piracy -- a big part
of R2G's business is anti-piracy monitoring and enforcement on behalf of music
publishers (among other targets, it has sued Chinese search giant Baidu). Still, the goal
is to make the service as easy to use as the search engines most Chinese music fans
rely on to find and copy MP3 files illegally, then to out-compete those sites by providing
better tools to discover music. "The way a search engine works," Daniel said, "you need
to have prior knowledge of what you're searching for. That in itself is a limitation."
It may be a mixed blessing for IODA's artists, but down loaders who use the Chinese
search sites focus on hits, not the work of lesser known indie and international
musicians. "Based on a couple of surveys that we've seen, there are many people held
back by their lack of knowledge of some of these artists," Daniel said. "One of the first
steps is to expose them to more foreign artists. We use some of the artists that they
know as a starting point and lead them further and further into the catalog."
One IODA band eager to have a legitimate sales channel
in China is Woodhands, a punk techno two-piece from Toronto that played a pair of
shows in Beijing earlier this year as part of a cultural exchange sponsored by the
Canadian government. Dan Werb, the keyboards half of Woodhands, said the band
knew no one in China, yet the shows drew hundreds of people -- a testament to how
good the support network is in Beijing for indie music. But aside from selling CDs at
concerts, the band has few options for distributing its work.
"We're not supportive of people stealing our music online, but at this point it's kind of
helping us," Werb said. Added Paul Banwatt, the drumming half of Woodhands, "If
they're not going to buy it, I'd rather they heard it than they didn't." With Wawawa,
potential fans in China will finally have a chance to pay Woodhands for their music, albeit
not much. "It's a small step in the right direction," Werb said. "It's great for us. It means
when we do go back there, if we're not selling CDs off the stage, we can at least keep a
mark there."
Source: http://opinion.latimes.com/bitplayer/2008/08/china-mp3s.html
NARRATIVES
Monday, October 27, 2008
Hottest Canadian Bands (just below the radar), 2008
Matthew from i (heart) music asked me to put together a list of the 10 hottest Canadian
bands of 2008. My thoughts, along with those of other Canadian music bloggers,
journalists, and promoters, will enable him to compile some kind of definitive list. After a
year of going out to a lot of indie shows in Toronto, keeping track of all the lesser known
(and sometimes known) bands based in, around, or passing through Canada's largest
city, and bringing you some of their music through my podcast---over 80 bands or solo
artists featured in the past 5 months---I'm ready to have a say. So, yes, just call me one
of those people.
The following bands have all had really good years. While their members may not be
able to call music a full-time career, they've all carved out a spot for themselves in the
crowded (indie) music scene in this country. Festival spots, sold-out shows, critically
acclaimed and/or chart-topping albums, (campus/CBC3) radio play, and general visibility
in the music press and Toronto's bursting-at-the-seams music community are all part of
the hotness equation. Not yet "big time" musical acts, they are on their way to getting
there. Some have made forays into the US and elsewhere, while others haven't. A few
are signed; the others wait. But all these bands were just below the mainstream in 2008,
and are now poised to become well known. (Oh, and yeah, this is a pretty Torontocentric list. Well, what can I say? I'm a pretty Toronto-centric woman.) If you haven't
heard these bands, take note and have a listen. Go see a show if you're able. Chances
are you'll enjoy yourself.
1. Woodhands.
When I'm in the mood for a crazy, sweat-soaked, jam-packed dance party, there's no
better group to turn to than the now half Toronto-, half Vancouver-based Woodhands.
Well known in Toronto even before the release of their full-length album (and 12" vinyl),
"Heart Attack" (Paper Bag) in April, the band's hit up some major US markets and a
whole lot of Canadian ones since then. And they even played a few shows in Beijing
after being flown out there as part of a Canadian cultural trade mission thing. Nerdy by
day, Paul Banwatt and Dan Werb bring out the crazy in young women and men only
minutes into any nighttime set I've seen them play here in Canada. The band has
opened for Crystal Castles and just finished off a Canada-wide tour opening for Cadence
Weapon. Dan and Paul are off to Tokyo in November as part of another musical trade
mission. Europe shouldn't have to wait too much longer.
Source: http://historyjen.blogspot.com/2008/10/hottest-canadian-bands-just-belowradar.html
The Strand
Woodhands
October 16th 2008
Lee's Palace - October 9th
By Jessica Mifsud
On October 9th, Toronto's electro-pop sensation Woodhands brought their famous live
act to Lee's Palace, acting as support for Edmontonian rapper Cadence Weapon's tour
through Ontario and Quebec.
Woodhands has gone through several line-up changes, but is now composed of synthmaster, vocalist, and keytar player (yes, you read that right) Dan Werb, and
drummer/vocalist Paul Banwatt.
In a break from the traditional drums-in-the-back-front man-in-front stage set up that
most bands seem to favor, Werb and Banwatt brought all their instruments front and
center, and faced each other instead of the audience. Not that this took anything away
from the show; it simply seemed to focus the band's energy in one place, making it that
much easier to blast the audience with intense bursts of sound.
The duo opened their set with "Breaking Up" and from there careened through several
other songs from their recent full-length release Heart Attack. While the crowd danced
their hearts out, Woodhands worked up a sweat flailing away at their respective
instruments.
Despite some technical difficulties, such as Banwatt's drum kit slowly sliding across the
floor away from him, and a cymbal that kept falling off, he looked as gleeful as the
proverbial kid in a candy store. Meanwhile, Werb kept punctuating the already energized
atmosphere with short mid-lyric screams, sounding as if he might break apart if he didn't
deflate himself somehow.
Memorable highlights of an all-too-brief set included some cameos: Cadence Weapon
walked onstage to freestyle a verse of the band's current single "I Wasn't Made for
Fighting," and Maylee Todd, who does the female vocals on the aforementioned track
"Dancer," was singled out of the audience by Banwatt to reprise those duties live.
"[Although] I love singing like a girl," Banwatt joked before inviting Todd onstage, "I even
shaved."
Her singing done, Todd left the stage to applause from the audience, and the band
finished off the night by extending "Dancer's" outro into a 10 minute long mix with DJ
accompaniment. This closed the set on a high note, with both the band and the audience
looking sweaty and tired, but thrilled to have been there.
Source:
http://media.www.thestrand.ca/media/storage/paper404/news/2008/10/16/FilmMusic/Liv
e-From.Toronto-3491942.shtml
Woodhands & Cadence Weapon @ Lee's Palace
October 10, 2008
Last night I checked out Woodhands and Cadence Weapon, who've been working their way
eastward from Calgary over the past week - together they've already made pits tops in Edmonton,
Saskatoon and Winnipeg. Now Cadence Weapon is taking Woodhands along with him for a few
dates in Quebec before he finishes up his Canadian tour all the way in Fredericton, New
Brunswick.
Woodhands took the stage at the early hour of 10pm - I say early because not even a week ago I
saw them at Pop Montreal and their set time was nearly 2am. A small and loyal legion of fans
inched its way towards the stage for their set, which was lively and energetic as always. They
opened with I Can't See Straight and tore through another ten or so songs from Heart Attack,
including their newest single I Wasn't Made For Fighting, Under Attack and Breaking Up. There
were lots of highlights from last night's show, not the least of which was finally seeing first single
Dancer performed with a female vocalist (I don't know who the cute girl who jumped up on stage
from the audience was - does anyone else? Is it the original vocalist from the album?). I've seen
Woodhands about a dozen times live now and this was the first time that drummer Paul Banwatt
didn't assume vocal duties. I kind of missed hearing his version of the falsetto
Woodhands also called Cadence Weapon out to rap on one of their songs, AND they premiered a
new song from their upcoming second album. It was instrumental and featured Paul on a giant
bongo drum that he was hammering from both sides. Who knew that Paul had Indian roots?
Certainly not me - I've been engaged in a couple of debates about his ethnicity with people
wagering Turkish, Portuguese or even Persian. There you go.
Next up was Cadence Weapon, who worked the growing crowd like a total champ - as if he'd
been at this gig for decades and not just the past three years. The past few years have been
great to him though - in 2006 he was nominated for the first ever Polaris Prize, his debut album
Breaking Kayfabe was well received by tons of music critics, and his newest album, After party
Babies has been seeing much of the same praise since its release earlier this year. Plus he's
toured with the likes of Final Fantasy and Lady Sovereign (where I first saw him!).
Cadence (can I call him Cadence?) was decked out in head-to-toe white, with a gold & glittery
screen printed Obama t-shirt (how fitting!), and he spent most of his energetic set bouncing from
one of the stage to the other. And I mean it - he was hopping on one foot, shimmying and doing
lots of grooving to keep the momentum of the show going. I especially loved his performance of
Vicarious (from Breaking Kayfabe) and an interlude of some sort set to Bittersweet Symphony by
The Verve. As I often tend to do after shows, I've been listening to Cadence Weapon's album
after party Babies for most of today.
Definitely check out both artists if you live in Ottawa, Montreal or Quebec and are free over the
next few days. If not, Cadence Weapon's tour continues on the east coast for another week!
Source: http://blog.muchmusic.com/archives/2008/10/woodhands_caden.php
Web Radio with Vish Khanna: Rockin' Mics with Cadence Weapon!
By Vish Khanna on Oct 09, 2008
My extra special guest co-host today is Edmonton, Alberta's tower of power, Cadence
Weapon! He'll be picking songs to play and we'll talk about...something. Mostly, I'm just
going stay out of his way...
Mr. Weapon and Woodhands are currently on tour together, which is an amazingly well
crafted double-bill if you ask me. They're stopping by Lee's Palace tonight and, if you're
in or near Toronto, you should check out the show for sure. It promises to be rather ill
and possibly even legendary. That really depends on what you bring to the table though,
know what I'm saying?
So, again, I uh...I have no idea what Cadence Weapon and I will be talking about today
and I don't have any questions for you really.
Um, Say, got any good mail lately? I have! Planning on going to see Cadence Weapon
and Woodhands anywhere? I am! Ever contemplate giving yourself a rapper pseudonym
to screw "the man?" I don't!
There, those are questions, right? Hope you can tune in.
Source: http://radio3.cbc.ca/
Thu, Oct 9
Critics Pick CADENCE WEAPON with WOODHANDS
With two very important elections happening within the next three weeks, you can‘t
blame the indie synth set performing at Lee‘s for getting a tad political. First up, local
electro-rap threats Stop Die Resuscitate busted out some slamming new material,
including their fevered closer Cash Advance Dance, a track about personal finance
that‘s taken on extra meaning given the recent credit crunch.
Woodhands packed the dance floor in the half-full club and launched into Be Back Soon.
It wasn‘t long before everyone started getting keytarded to Dan Werb‘s geeky-club
synths and Paul Banwatt‘s lively upfront drumming. Highlights included Werb pausing for
a ―multicultural moment‖ while Banwatt soloed on a traditional Indian drum, a guest
colaboration with Cadence Weapon, and an awesome, extended version of Dancer
featuring original guest vocalist Maylee Todd (usually Banwatt sings her part live).
Taking the stage in front of a decent-sized crowd, Edmonton MC Cadence Weapon (aka
Rollie Pemberton) was a rep for Democrat in his gold Obama T-shirt while ripping into
his angry nerd rap. Referencing another show happening that night, Pemberton busted
out some awesome self-conscious freestyle, rapping, ―What do you do when you‘ve
seen Chromeo too much? You come to my show!‖ That said, songs like Oliver Square,
Real Estate and new track Mad Graffiti had his clutch of indie rock fans jumping on
command.
JORDAN BIMM
Source: http://www.nowtoronto.com/music/story.cfm?content=165399
Woodhands @ POP Montreal 08
By Robin Sharp
October 2, 2008
This week we're going to follow a handful of Toronto musicians as they navigate the
bilingual lotus land of Pop Montreal.
Thursday morning, 1:30 AM. Montreal's Portuguese Association.
The crowd wobbled like a large, amorphous junkie. It was begging the empty stage for a
hit of filthy electro pop.
Dan Werb, a geeky little v-necked hellion, took to the stage. Paul Banwatt, his drummer
in crime, emerged next to him. This dynamic duo, with an assist from re-mixer Roger
Leavens, makes up Woodhands.
The set was long and sweaty. A cute hipster boy threw himself on the crowd about six
songs in. He was skinny but the festivalgoer‘s couldn't quite handle him; after two
minutes they let him fall to the ground. He danced his injuries away.
I chased Dan Werb down for a couple questions after the show.
BlogTO: There was a fair amount of unsolicited crowd surfing going on; do you ever get
people doing that in Toronto?
Dan: We have seen a few people crowd surf at our Toronto shows. It's mostly restricted
to Sneaky Dee's and I often think it's more the venue than us that makes people get
crazy. But maybe not. I think people can tell how much I want to crowd surf and end up
living out my fantasy for me.
BlogTO: What's the biggest difference between a Toronto crowd and a Montreal one?
Dan: After I hang with a Toronto crowd, I don't have to skulk around for a place to sleep.
BlogTO: Your name is Daniel, your band is called Woodhands...do you ever get
confused with Daniel Woodhead, front man of Spiral Beach?
Dan: Nope! He's got his own indie rock thing going on. I'm strictly electro, everybody
knows that.
BlogTO: What's your favorite French curse word?
Dan: Putain.
BlogTO: Did the stench of sweat at the end of your performance mean it was a success?
Dan: I thought I smelled great.
Source: http://www.blogto.com/music/2008/10/woodhands_pop_montreal_08/
Woodhands Video makes it in Motionographer
Posted by Carlos Weisz
October 2, 2008
Woodhands I wasn‘t made for fighting video.
If you're an avid fan of motion graphics and animated sequences, Motionographer.com
is probably on your blog roll, and if not, it should be.
In the past two years, Motionographer has grown to be one of the best online sources for
motion graphic work. From high-end to student-based work, you can surely find some
inspiration there any day of the week. As a result, the site has evolved into a great
community for artists and enthusiasts in the animation/motion-graphic industry.
A few days ago, Toronto's own Woodhands were featured with their new video for I
Wasn't Made For Fighting, one of my favorite songs from their album Heart Attack.
Director Asif Mian, plays around with time-space continuum, stylish aesthetic, and good
special FX, making the video one of the best that I‘ve seen for a while from a Toronto
band. It's great to see independent artists being able to produce such high-caliber work,
thanks to the accessibility of technology!
Even though this is a pretty awesome video, Woodhands are all about their live shows.
Don't miss them at Lee's Palace on October 9th, 2008.
Source:
http://www.blogto.com/music/2008/10/woodhands_video_makes_it_in_motionogr
apher/
Perfect 10: Woodhands
Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM
NORTHERN EXPOSURE
WOODHANDS SCHOOL YOU ON ALL THINGS INDIE, ELECTRONIC AND CANADIAN
Paul Banwatt (left) and Dan Werb bring back the new-wave days where hamming it up was
serious business.
Dan Werb and Paul Banwatt are the kinds of guys who somehow manage to be in, like, 35 bands
at one time (okay, seven). But their Toronto-based group Woodhands is the focus of the moment.
The band's second album, Heart Attack (Paper Bag, 2008), is all about awesome synth riffs,
precise rhythms and occasional Electric Six-style vocal freakouts. Check out the catchy-as-hell
bass synth line in ―Can't See Straight‖ and the pretty vocals of Maylee Todd versus Werb's
punkish blurts in ―Dancer.‖ When they're not freaking out on their instruments live, the guys also
DJ. Here are some of their favorite tracks they're spinning. — Kylee Swenson
The Carps, “All the Damn Kids”
―Jamal says at the beginning, ‗This next track is dedicated to Toronto on that Soca vibe.‘ And ‗All
the Damn Kids‘ legitimately deserves anthem status,‖ Banwatt says. ―It's unbelievably accessible
considering how raw and aggressive it is. By the end, you'll feel like you've been drafted: ‗If you
don't wave, we will leave you behind.‘‖
Green Go, “You Know You Want It”
―This song has such a great hook,‖ Banwatt says. ―A song has to be legitimately good to pull off
telling you to ‗dance 'til your death‘ and to further state, ‗You know you want it,‘ over and over.
Green Go is amazing though, and it's additional proof that little Guelph, ON has a
disproportionate amount of incredible music coming out of it.‖
Junior Boys, “In the Morning”
―This song is probably better enjoyed at home with someone who you want to spend hours
exploring naked,‖ Werb suggests. ―But before you do that, consider it on the dancefloor. Jeremy
Greenspan can whisper like no one else, and the things he is telling us sound dirty and heavenly
at the same time. With the sparse, banging drums and that synth in the background making you
go quietly crazy, ‗In the Morning‘ couldn't be better designed to make you take a deep breath and
just…feel. It's one of those rare songs that makes you realize that even if everything isn't okay
with you, the world is still doing something right.‖
The League Unlimited Orchestra, “Do or Die (Instrumental Remix)”
―In the early 1980s, before DJs got all the girls, The Human League released Dare!, and
everybody lost their minds,‖ Werb says. ―Then they released Love and Dancing, an instrumental
remix album of Dare!, and I lost my mind. This is like Daft Punk's Alive 1997 but made for total
nerds. There's something so delicious about new wave because they took it all so seriously. And I
say, why don't we honor the memory of that special time and do the same? This version of ‗Do or
Die‘ is The Human League at their most baroque. Don't be fooled by the ridiculously long,
undanceable intro. There's a major synth payoff at the end.
M.I.A., “Bamboo Banger”
―It's not so dated to be cool again and not so new as to be fresh, but I like M.I.A. a lot,‖ Werb
says. ―Paul always says that we have to write a song that gets people dancing before the snare
kicks in — think LCD Soundsystem's ‗Get Innocuous‘ — and ‗Bamboo Banger‘ is one of those
tracks. We hear M.I.A. wailing and the dude telling us to c'mon, and what do we do? We dance.
And when the drums snare kicks in, we lose our shit completely and devote ourselves to any
global cause M.I.A. wants us to. Couple that with an amazing old-style Bollywood sample, and
suddenly you're somewhere else entirely, helped along by M.I.A.'s incredible and allencompassing sexiness.‖
Midfield General, “Disco Sirens”
―This track was apparently partially produced by Justice and Soulwax, which is incredibly easy to
believe when you hear it,‖ Banwatt says. ―What excites me when I hear a song like this is the
knowledge that it's going to spawn countless remixes and people are going to explore what
makes the song special. The Calling in Sick remix sounds like glam-metal electro, but it also
pushes the song to one of the extremes that it initially suggests.‖
Ohbijou, “Black Ice”
―Too much dance music will hurt your feet in the short-term and will eventually warp your ability to
assess music in any meaningful way,‖ Banwatt insists. ―At some point, it's worth taking a break
from that relentless, pounding kick drum to listen to something that's legitimately beautiful, like
every song by Ohbijou. ‗Black Ice‘ is lush and lilting and rolls along in a way that's so lovely, I
can't do it justice in description. I can't wait until someone remixes it into a electro-dance banger!
(Please don't.)‖
The Rapture, “No Sex for Ben”
―I'm not going to bother trying to justify it by saying something like, ‗I love tasteful and well-placed
cowbells,‘‖ Banwatt says. ―This song is plain awesome. It makes me dance naked around my
room…. And I do love tasteful and well-placed cowbells.‖
UGK feat. Outkast, “International Players Anthem (I Choose You)”
―Not only does the total lack of drums for the first minute and a half greatly facilitate mid-set
mixes, but when the drums finally do come in, it's the most blissful hip-hop moment of the last few
years,‖ Werb says. ―The timeless soul sample means this song is going to stay relevant forever.
And having Andre 3000 rap over just a soul sample without drums and Big Boi rap over just the
drums equals great production.‖
Vitalic, “Repair Machines”
―Everything this French electro producer puts out makes me scared,‖ Werb says. ―There's some
kind of unrelenting, jittery energy in all his tracks. This is one of those songs that starts off
sounding undanceable until the snare hits and then…heart-pounding emotion. The vocals are
100-percent androgynous and 75-percent designed to break your heart. I think that this song is
what that blue creature should have sung in The Fifth Element…and it goes perfectly with a
cappella rap tracks.
Source: http://remixmag.com/artists/electronic/perfect-woodhands/
New Woodhands Video: "I Wasn't Made For Fighting"
September 25, 2008
Woodhands have just posted a new video for their most excellent song I Wasn't Made
For Fighting.
Asif Mian directs it and it features Dan Werb in the midst of getting slapped by a
girlfriend when time suddenly stands still. For the rest of the video he and his band mate
Paul Banwatt walk nimbly through various sets and casts of frozen characters,
readjusting their limbs and positioning them in alternate poses. The final scenes show a
completely rearranged crew in really stunning poses - I have no idea how such a feat
was achieved in post production, but it looks terrific. Dan arrives back at his original post
just in time for time to resume and to be slapped by his girlfriend again.
Source: http://blog.muchmusic.com/archives/2008/09/new_woodhands_v.php
Woodhands Tour With Cadence Weapon, D'Urbervilles
September 25 2008
By Kate Harper
Woodhands went to China earlier this year and have already done a lot of touring in
support of Heart Attack, but all the jaunts thankfully haven't given the limber lads
coronaries, as they've announced more dates.
Dan Werb (vocals, synthesizers, drum machines) and Paul Banwatt (drums, vocals) will
play Pop Montreal and hit the road with Cadence Weapon in October. They'll head out
east for the Halifax Pop Explosion later in the month and will play a few dates with The
D'Urbervilles in November.
The duo also recently shot a video for Heart Attack's "I Wasn't Made For Fighting," which
you can see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eLfpqxremM
Source: http://www.chartattack.com/news/60775/woodhands-tour-with-cadenceweapon-durbervilles
Posted on 25 September 2008
Director Asif Mian and Evaq Studios strike again, this time for The Woodhands new track, ―I
Wasn‘t Made For Fighting.‖ Packed with a style and sensibility that ranges from in camera effects
to smart usage of household cosmetics, this new Evaq offering proves that Asif is thinking one
step ahead. I was able to catch up with Asif and get his thoughts on the production.
―Taking inspiration from the lyrics ‖one more time‖ from the chorus of the song, the idea became
about repeating the events of a day and subsequently having the guys find out that they can
manipulate the (time frozen) people they are meeting again. This led to a host of ideas, situations
and visually abstracted scenes that kept escalating this idea of frozen, manipulated time. Simply,
I thought I could make exciting images using this concept/story and experimented with different
techniques. I designed all the scenes and elements … everything was based off preliminary
drawings.
As usual, I like mostly everything in camera, so a lot of rigging with fishing line, glue, tape, wire,
hairspray and custom made stands & rigs were used to manipulate people and props into the
positions I wanted. So, then the post process was a lot of stabilizing shots, rig removal,
compositing scenes and finally, color correction. The video was a combination of directing actors,
consistent lighting, art direction tricks and post refinement in order to create and accentuate this
distilled mood. Every element was integral. Thanks to everyone involved to make it come
together.‖ - Asif Mian
Director: Asif Mian
DP: Zak Mulligan
Art Director: Danny Kelley
Producer: Rich Hutchins
Production Company: Spy Films
Post Production: Evaq Studio
Editor: Tim Malieckal / Asif Mian
Art Direction & Design: Asif Mian
Lead Compositor: Asif Mian
Compositor: Jack Tiranasar
Animators: Asif Mian, Jack Tiranasar
3D Water Elements: Anthony Maynard
Source: http://motionographer.com/2008/09/25/asif-mian-fighting-for-woodhands/
Woodhands
Heart Attack (Paper Bag)
By Catherine Cole
Published: September 5th, 2008 | 9:00am
Every so often, Canada gives us indie-pop addicts a new drug; this year it‘s called
Woodhands. If Tegan and Sara‘s The Con was last year‘s opiate, then Dan Werb and
Paul Banwatt have just given us one to fly on for the latter half of 2008.
Heart Attack is this electro-duo‘s first full-length on Paper Bag Records and is one hell of
a dance machine. Starting off as Werb‘s solo bedroom project, Woodhands was
completed by blending talents with Banwatt in 2006. The two have been taking the
festival circuit by storm this year with a notable showing at SXSW, along with a handful
of huge Canadian dates.
Listening to nearly every track of Heart Attack can easily put you in ―the mood.‖ For what
exactly? ―Hot problem sex,‖ according to the duos own description on MySpace. Or you
could just imagine a sweaty basement show — whatever works for you.
One of the things that this electro band does so well is not only its sexy synth beats, but
also how they select the vocals. The opening single, ―Dancer,‖ features high volumes
along with the soft female voice of Maylee Todd. Her vocals are backed up by masculine
shouts, and the result is a lovable song by hyper boys and girls. Meanwhile, standout
track, "Under Attack," boasts the motto "Try not to use / Try not to use / You," and will
have you shouting along.
Source: http://venuszine.com/articles/music/sounds/4260/Woodhands
Woodhands - Live Footage and Interview from Silent Barn, Queens 8-16-08
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Woodhands was in town last weekend for one of Todd P's shows at the Silent Barn. The
band's debut disc, "Heart Attack", was released in Canada earlier this year (on Paper
Bag Records) and the disc was released in the States yesterday.
The band puts on a wild live show and they say on their MySpace page that their goal is
"emotional, sweaty dance floors". The band is back in the States for a show in Chicago
at The Empty Bottle on September 5th but no East Coast dates have been announced.
For anyone not familiar with Woodhands, check out I Wasn't Made for Fighting. There
are also a number of other tracks from Heart Attack streaming on the band's MySpace
profile.
During the interview, Dan mentioned that the band was just in NYC to film a video for the
"I Wasn't Made For Fighting" and the band just posted a link to a fan-made video for the
song.
Source: http://brooklynrocks.blogspot.com/2008/08/woodhands-live-footage-andinterview.html
Fence Post
Woodhands [Feature Band]
Posted by admin under Bands: W, Feature Bands
Written by Fense
Woodhands are a Canadian duo that selectively mixes female vocals (think Au Revoir
Simone), at least on select tunes like ―Dancer‖; with male ones so versatile they defy any
one (or two, for that mater) classification. Their instrumentation boasts one on
percussion and one on keytar. Heart Attack, their debut release on Paper Bag Records
was released late last month.
The band is very much like the duo at the end of Flight Of The Concords [Season 1],
with the exception that Woodhands actually writes good hype songs. The duo is male
(despite the statement above), and the majority of songs focus on male vocals. Perhaps
a better statement would be they mix nerd and hype for a sound that‘s… well… dorky
but cool.
To give you a better idea of their crowd, they‘ve played with Crystal Castles and remixed
Sally Shapiro. Songs like ―I Can‘t See Straight‖, single ―I Wasn‘t Made For Fighting‖, and
―Under Attack‖ are among their more accessible tunes—and thus, the higher points—on
Heart Attack. Even slower tunes contain unique powers; the sensual ―Straighten The
Curtain‖ is a prime example.
Listening to the album again, it‘s no surprise they‘ve played with Crystal Castles; they‘d
be the perfect opener. You can hear for yourself: ―I Wasn‘t Made For Fighting‖ is
available for stream and download below.
Source: http://www.fensepost.com/main/
Woodhands
Toronto keytar-n-drums duo Woodhands has released their full-length debut Heart
Attack on Paper Bag Records today. The brainchild of Dan Werb (vocals, synths, drum
machines) and Paul Banwatt (drums, vocals), It seems as though they've been up to a
lot - from opening for Holy Fuck! And Crystal Castles are to be remixing Sally Shapiro's
"Anorak Christmas". So in celebration of their debut dropping, we're offering up the
album opener and electro-pop assault "Dancer".
Source: http://www.thetripwire.com//news/2008/8/26/exclusive-downloadwoodhands-dancer
Concert Thu Sep 04 2008
Dancing with Woodhands
Have you ever gone to a concert expecting to see a great dance band or your favorite
electronic musician perform, and all you get is a guy in a hoodie hunched over a laptop?
True, the smoke machine wasn't as cheesy as you thought it would be, but you could
have lived without see him drink that glass of water during the set. And that video of his
cat is not making anyone dance. Translating dance music to the stage is not easy, and
you have to put forth a little effort to keep the crowd involved. Toronto's Woodhands is
full of effort and they even leave the laptops at home.
The brainchild of Dan Werb (vocals, synths, drum machines) and Paul Banwatt (drums,
vocals), Woodhands has gathered national press in Canada and was tagged as one of 5
bands to watch in 2008 by Exclaim! Magazine. Seeing that their debut album, Heart
Attack, was just released last week most of this buzz has come from their on stage
presence. Even though their sounds is pounding dance music, fast and fascinating,
while on stage they strip it down the roots of the sound. Armed with a keytar and analog
synths, Woodhands brings forth the attitude and swagger of glam rock while pounding
out their big beats.
Woodhands will be performing tomorrow night (9/5) at The Empty Bottle with The Juan
MacLean and Beau Wanzer. The show starts at 10:00pm and tickets are $14.
Source: http://gapersblock.com/transmission/2008/09/04/dancing_with_woodhands/
XLR8R Accelerating Arts and Music
August 26, 2008
Woodhands
I Wasn't Made For Fighting
Paper Bag
Toronto, ON-based duo Woodhands is all about the keytar and drum sound, which
music heads will be able to hear for themselves today, as the group's album, Heart
Attack, has just been released. They've remixed Sally Shapiro, shared the stage with
like-minded acts such as Crystal Castles, and this track is a whirlwind of synths and
beats, singing that borders on screaming at certain points, and, of course, the good oldfashioned hand claps.
Meanwhile, pick up Heart Attack today and stay tuned for news on the remix EP, as well
as a stateside tour.
Source: http://www.xlr8r.com/mp3/2008/08/i-wasnt-made-fighting
Woodhands Rock the Burroughs Building
August 26, 2008
Wicked. I forgot my earplugs Saturday night, then paid for it on Sunday. I guess that I
could have stepped away from the speakers and stopped dancing my ass off. Yet I was
compelled to stay put - likely due to the fact that Woodhands were generously bringing it
to the crowd at the Burroughes Building. I seemed to have burst some blood vessels in
one of my eyes, as well. Barring any long-term ill effects to my hearing and vision, I'd say
that those are the signs of a pretty sick set.
I actually got there early enough, in the hopes that I could catch some of the
performance by Lioness but had to leave for another event before they started. A few
people said that they had to leave too and that I probably wouldn't see them later. When
I returned, though, they were still there, drenched in sweat. Looked like I missed
something worth sticking around for.
DJ sets from vitaminsforyou and the good folks from Ukula filled out the rest of the lineup.
Source:
http://www.blogto.com/music/2008/08/woodhands_rock_the_burroughes_building
/
New Woodhands - “I Wasn’t Made For Fighting”
26 Aug 2008
Posted by Lucas as Audio
Normally, I would put off sharing a Canadian keytar-and-drums duo until closer to the
weekend. However, this new Woodhands song, ―I Wasn‘t Made For Fighting,‖ is good
enough to get a dance party started even on a Tuesday! If you dig this track, then you‘ll
want to check out their new album Heart Attack that is being released today.
Source: http://www.hypeful.com/2008/08/26/new-woodhands-i-wasnt-made-forfighting/
Woodhands' Chinese Adventure
Friday July 04, 2008
By Evan Dickson
Electro-dance mind-smelters Woodhands just got back from playing some shows in China, so we
figuring that was as good a reason as any to invite Dan Werb and Paul Banwatt over for beer,
Scrabble and hot interview action.
Chartattack: My editor specifically told me to ask what the toilets were like in China, so let's get
that out of the way right now.
Dan Werb: First of all, huge segments of the city don't have running water in their houses, so
there are these public toilets everywhere that people use and they're pretty gross. There are no
flush toilets.
Paul Banwatt: Though it depends on what you want to do there. Like, which bodily function is
involved? Public toilets aren't necessarily the worst things in the world, but if you've got a lot of
business to take care of, that's not where you want to be.
DW: You have to do the squat thing.
PB: I read that the squat position is actually better in terms of your evacuation.
DW: I'm sure it's better in terms of the cleanliness of your anus. PB: What it's worse in terms of is
dignity. DW: One of the weirdest moments was when I walked into one of those public urinals and
there was this kid with a handheld radio playing this music, taking a shit, and just looking at me.
PB: But we stayed at a five-star hotel.
DW: Throw that in there.
PB: Hey, I'm just telling people about how we roll, man. People need to know.
DW: Do they? Do people need to know that?
PB: Promoters, anyone who wants to book Woodhands, they need to know.
DW: That they can't afford us, that's what you...
PB: Pony up, man!
DW: I bought this in China. [Werb shows off a small toy dangling from his cell phone.]
What is it? Describe it to the people.
DW: You know how people get those cutesy things to attach to their cell phones?
That's a kitty-cat.
DW: This is a cute, sort of animated-type kitten doing this weird dance.
PB: It's called Sweet Private Savings Cat.
DW: Really? How do you know?
PB: That's what it used to say on the thing you ripped off. In China Dan found his inner eightyear-old, giggling Chinese girl, and she is lovely.
DW: [giggles]
Did you go on the Internet while you were there? Internet censorship is a big issue with China
right now.
DW: Yeah, I never got blocked. I went all over the place.
PB: How "all over the place?"
DW: All over the place for me are MySpace, Facebook and CBC. But this dude who was living
there said that CBC was blocked for a while.
PB: We were model Chinese citizens.
DW: I was like, "I'll respect the wishes of these authoritarian masters and check my Facebook."
Not a nest of dissent.
PB: We weren't there to ruffle any feathers.
DW: The thing is, Beijing is like 30 million people and it's relatively prosperous, I think. Where we
were, at least, there seemed to be a lot of money, so it didn't seem like people had much reason
to really hate on the government. But what was interesting was we got there right after the
earthquake. The news about the earthquake in the west was not so much about the earthquake,
but it was about how China handled [media] coverage. We were talking to a dude who worked in
news who was saying that generally what happens is you get directives from the central
government about what you can and cannot cover, like where you can and cannot go. That
happened in this case. [The government directive said,] "You cannot go to this area." But by the
time they had given that directive, all these journalists, all these people were already on the way,
flying to the area and everyone was kind of like, "Well, fuck you, we're going to cover it. We're
already here." And the government basically said, "OK," and let full coverage happen.
The funniest thing I saw — and this actually ties into the question — the one time we saw any
military dudes was after our show at Star Live. We were just hanging outside this grocery store
where, for two nights in a row, we drank beers. These military police walked by, these two dudes,
and the one guy had this cell phone that made a police siren noise. So he was walking down the
street and it was just going "Wah-ooh! Wah-ooh! Wah-ooh!" But it was just two dudes walking
around.
Did you see any other weird souvenirs or anything?
DW: We went to this crazy mall where our manager was screamed at and Trevor [Larocque] from
Paper Bag [Records] was chased down the hall by someone who was yelling, "I'll kill you." He
haggled too low a price.
Tell me about the food.
DW: Fucking amazing. Greatest shit ever. I mean, I'm a Jew. I'm going to throw that out. And
Jews from Vancouver are basically raised on Chinese food. It was like my Zion. I'm a SinoZionist, if you can believe it. But I'm not a Zionist. I'm a Sino-Zionist.
PB: Are you sure you want this on record that you're not a Zionist?
DW: Yeah, I do. You don't have to put that in the interview.
Well, it's probably going to be printed now.
DW: Come on. I hate it when bands get political. I don't want to get political.
PB: We love communism, we love democracy, we love dictatorships, we love fascism, and we
love all the political systems! We're apolitical, except we're universally political.
DW: OK, you can strike all that.
Yeah, you just said you love fascism. Tell me about the people that you met there. Did you hang
out with any locals?
DW: There was this one girl named Lua who came to our show and really liked the band and
interviewed us. She actually took us around the whole week.
PB: She works for what used to be Rolling Stone China. Now it has a new name.
DW: She was awesome. She showed us around and got us into the hip, tiny restaurants where
you're in someone's living room. She took us for massages...
PB: She also got us a second show over there.
What was the name of the place where you did your second show?
DW: D-22.
What was it like?
PB: It's awesome.
DW: It's like [Toronto's beloved indie rock venue] Sneaky Dee's, basically.
PB: And the cool thing about it is that they're really supporting their local music scene at that
place. On the walls are picture portraits of local bands that are sort of rising up. They're doing
everything they can. They've got this whole roster of bands that they kind of view as D-22 bands
that are sort of building a scene.
DW: And they're cool [bands].
PB: One of the best of them is called the Carsick Cars. They're totally amazing, like the
Ramones: punk awesome. They love their punk rock in Beijing.
DW: The vibe there was definitely... we were so used to it. It was the same cool indie rock vibe
that you get playing at all these places in Toronto and across Canada.
PB: But with their Chinese twist on it.
DW: Yeah. We should mention that we played with a duo of two Koreans who lived near the
Great Wall, only dressed in red, and who performed the most insane noise music I've ever heard.
She was like in a kimono or something and hopping on one foot.
PB: It's not to say that they're just being assimilated by western culture or anything. I think what
you feel is the same kind of acceptance.
Woodhands
Photo by Aigin Larki
Was there anything aesthetic that you noticed was peculiar to the Chinese bands or the club?
DW: Here's what I think: Music is a luxury and the consumption of music is a luxury, so if you
view it as a luxury good you get the feeling that it's something new, and people are excited about
the prospect of consuming this new luxury good that we in the west have been able to consume
for decades. Like, there was this one journalist who we were talking to who knows a ton about
music and the evolution of music and who has a radio show. He basically set himself the task of
educating his listeners about every movement in pop music since the '60s in a year, like for hours
a week, for a year.
PB: I think what got me about Carsick Cars is they take that music and they just own it. They're
not just copying it. I think there's immediacy to it when you bring in all this western culture at the
same time very quickly, as opposed to a gradual evolution.
DW: The scene is really open for that reason. Because maybe there is so much new music
coming at them that it's all relevant.
Source: http://www.chartattack.com/DAMN/2008/07/0402.cfm
Woodhands Love Chinese Food, Music And Women
Wednesday June 25, 2008
By: ChartAttack.com Staff
Woodhands, Toronto's favorite electro-party duo, just got back from playing a Canadian music
showcase in Beijing, China. Besides the Great Wall and Tiananmen Square, Dan Werb and Paul
Banwatt got an intimate look at the Chinese capital's street culture and indie rock scene. After
their showcase gig, which was organized by the honchos at Vancouver's Transmission Festival
and also included Buck 65, Champion and You Say Party! We Say Die!, the guys were
approached by a Chinese music journalist who showed them around the city. "She was
awesome," says Werb of their unexpected guide, Lua. "She showed us around and got us into
the hip, tiny restaurants where you're in someone's living room. She took us for massages..."
Most Canadians experience Chinese cuisine via all-you-can-eat buffets or Chinatown areas in
Toronto or Vancouver. For Werb in particular, visiting small, authentic Chinese restaurants was
like a religious experience. "I'm a Jew from Vancouver, and Jews from Vancouver are basically
raised on Chinese food," he says. "It was like my Zion. I'm a Sino-Zionist, if you can believe it."
Apart from the food and massages (which the two men insist were G-rated), Lua got Woodhands
a second gig at a local venue called D-22, which Werb compares to Toronto's Sneaky Dee's.
"They're really supporting their local music scene at that place," Banwatt elaborates. "On the
walls are picture portraits of local bands that are sort of rising up.
"They're doing everything they can. They've got this whole roster of bands that they kind of view
as D-22 bands that are sort of building a scene."
That's how the duo that was supposed to share Canadian sounds with the Chinese fell in love
with some of Beijing's homegrown talent. Woodhands shared the D-22 stage with a red-clad
noise duo and a punk band called Carsick Cars, with whom they were particularly impressed.
"I think what got me about Carsick Cars is they take that music and they just own it," says
Banwatt. "I think there's an immediacy to it when you bring all this western culture at the same
time very quickly, as opposed to a gradual evolution."
"The scene is really open for that reason," adds Werb. "Maybe it's because there's so much new
music coming at them that it's all relevant."
The bespectacled synth player is also enthusiastic about a Chinese electro act called Pet
Conspiracy, though not just because of their music.
"Dan liked the girl in a band called Pet Conspiracy," says Banwatt.
"Yeah, she was cute," mutters Werb.
Now that Woodhands are back in Canada, they'll play Montreal's Metropolis on June 29 and the
Breaks, Beats & Culture Festival at Toronto's Harbourfront on July 5. —Evan Dickson
Source: http://www.chartattack.com/damn/2008/06/2502.cfm
Woodhands from Toronto, free show w/ Crystal Castles
By BrooklynVegan Mike
Woodhands
Woodhands are a keytar and drums electro-pop duo that have been making waves in
Canada and are poised to take their act stateside. After a series of introductory shows
south of the border (including SXSW) Paper Bag Records have announced that their
debut record Heart Attack will be available this fall. Their quirky, frantic sound falls firmly
in the space established by label-mates Tokyo Police Club and You Say Party! We Say
Die!
Arrive early at the free show at Studio B tomorrow (June 19th). Woodhands are playing
with fellow Toronto natives Crystal Castles and there will be DJ sets by Frankie Chan
and Radioclit. Live video and other tour dates below...
Source: http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2008/06/woodhands_from.html
August 17, 2008
Woodhands "Dancer"
Woodhands are a band that I just checked out over on Myspace, thanks to an email tip.
Their new album, Heart Attack, is out 8/26 via Paper Bag and they will be playing a
Chicago show at the Empty Bottle on 9/5.
Source: http://countmeoutblog.blogspot.com/2008/08/woodhands-dancer.html
WOODHANDS INTERVIEW///
AUGUST 16, 2008 ///
WORDS: MIKEL J. MCCOY ///
PHOTOS: ANDREW HARRIS ///
Woodhands are a Canadian electro pop duo. Dan Werb (vocals, synths, drum machines)
and Paul Banwatt (drums, vocals) play the type of video game sound influenced party
starting, groove inflected, but dissident music that gets all the punk-type kids moving.
Playing their first show at a condemned brickworks factory on Halloween ‘06, Bushwick‘s
Silent Barn was the perfect venue to catch these two doing what they do best. Hyping up
the crowd with early hip-hop like call and response, while bringing the noise ramshackle
style with real drums and keyboards as opposed to laptops I got a chance to sit down
with Woodhands as they basked in the afterglow of another successful show.
So you guys have been on tour for how long? You mentioned how the two of you had
come from Canada to play this show tonight?
We do a lot of that. We‘ve gone on extended tours, like last May we were out for like six
weeks. Right now we‘re just kind of hopping. Doing a show here a show there. Right now
we don‘t have a van.
How‘s that with the skyrocketing price of gas?
Uhh, OK… I guess, on our last tour we built a nest of intimate spots. So we can just take
in a show in New York and go back. Plus we‘re actually really good at finding cheap
flights and Paul; he‘s really good at finding cheap rental cars.
Is there a central theme or idea that covers all of what you doing?
Music wise, it‘s all about getting a response, getting an emotional reaction. Dan‘s always
pushing for that, and just always trying to share him and get something back from the
audience. Not just dancing but some kind of connection. Immediacy, and being
vulnerable. I think there‘s certain strength in sharing yourself. I think when you do it
without any kind of safety net you‘re forced to just make it work, If our equipment is
breaking all over the place on stage it just forces us to make it work.
Are there any influences on your sound?
Originally I didn‘t listen to electro at all. I just decided I wanted to create music on my
own and I thought I‘d just try this crazy thing called electronic music. I went out and just
bought a bunch of Kraftwerk records, and they were a huge influence on me. A lot of hiphop also, that kind of energy really excites me. The way a good MC can make a crowd
excited even without any music. That kind of connection gets overlooked sometimes I
think.
What are the two of you digging right now? What are you really feeling music-wise,
culture-wise? What makes you smile?
Star Trek, I plan conventions. I like reading books. David Mitchell, Number 9 Dream, I
really like graphic Novels, And we‘re both really into those thick-cut creamy dill potato
chips. Those pretty much fueled our last tour
In this era of collaborations, is there anyone that the two of you would like to collaborate
with?
Wow there‘s a million artists. Every hot MC pretty much. We‘re playing a show with the
Juan MacClean in couple of weeks and I fully intend to beg for some kind of allowance
to remix, Reeceman, this rapper from Philly we‘re working with.
Source: http://www.supmag.com/checkit/archives/2008/08/woodhands_inter.html
TORO MAGAZINE
FRIDAY AUGUST 15, 2008
GARAGE BAND
WOODHANDS
Dan and Paul were late again. Well, the first time they cancelled. The boys are much in demand
these days. This time I managed to forgive them, as it was the day after the launch party for their
latest CD, ―Heart Attack.‖
Anyway, 90 minutes after our scheduled session time, a tiny station wagon crept up our tiny
driveway. I just assumed it was someone else and continued to be pissed off. They'd need to
bring along a truckload of gear and even Lara Flynn-Boyle couldn‘t squeeze into the back of that
car. Then two tired or possibly hung-over guys emerged and began to extract an entire drum kit,
multiple keyboards and amps from the hatch. Straight-up David Copperfield moves, really. Oh
yes – a white keytar came out too.
I was skeptical of what the indie-electro duo would sound like live but they quickly served me a
big cup of shut the hell up. The first track ―Can‘t See Straight‖ was incredible. Check out the
video. The second, ―Under Attack‖ was equally hot, if a little frantic and manic. Dan belted out the
words so vigorously; I fully expected to be blasted with gore and brains at any second. But I was
enjoying their music too much to express any concern – even the fake kind. He sounded really
vexed though. I believed that maybe he really couldn‘t see straight. Paul, affectionately referred to
by Dan as the Indian Jason Schwartzman (it‘s freakishly true), rocked out on the drums in his
socks. When asked about it, he said he couldn‘t imagine anyone drumming with shoes on. Okay.
I was really very disappointed when they didn‘t play ―I Wasn‘t Made for Fighting,‖ the track that
first got me hooked on Woodhands. Download it now.
Source: http://www.toromagazine.com/?q=node/17
Aug 01, 2008
IODA and R2G Partner to Launch Wawawa Music Store, Bringing Independent Music to
China's 253 Million Internet Users
In Landmark Deal, IODA and China's Largest Music Store to Offer Broad Selection of
Independent Music From Around the World to Vibrant Market for the First Time
SAN FRANCISCO, CA and BEIJING-- (Marketwire - August 1, 2008) - IODA, the global
leader in digital distribution, marketing, and technology solutions for the independent
music and film industry, and R2G, the leading digital music distribution company in
China, today announced an agreement to provide China's growing Internet audience
with access to a diverse selection of more than one million recordings of international
music. IODA's catalog will be available on R2G's Wawawa Music Store, which as of its
launch today at www.wa3.cn is China's largest digital music store. This partnership
represents the first time foreign independents have had a robust legal conduit to the
burgeoning Chinese market for full length downloads.
China's Internet users, 85% of whom listen to music online, have until now had to
contend with the limited selection of pirated music available via online search engines
like Baidu. A recent survey by Beijing-based research group Music 2.0
(http://blogs.music20.org/music20/) found that one-third of Chinese music consumers
are willing to pay for music downloads. In the study, consumers cited their current
inability to find non-mainstream music and their desire for better niche and foreign music
discovery tools as chief among the reasons they're willing to pay for music online.
Accordingly, Wawawa, with the largest catalog of legal music available in China, is
keenly focused on music discovery, convenient access and attractive pricing for the local
market. Created exclusively for Mainland Chinese consumers, Wawawa delivers all
songs in DRM-free mp3 format via a monthly subscription plan; all downloads are
permanently owned by the customer -- even beyond their subscription period.
Additionally, the service allows current subscribers to stream their downloaded music
from any location with an Internet connection. This feature provides convenient access
for the 40% of Chinese Internet users who access the Web from Internet cafes.
"Despite the undeniable potential of the Chinese market, it remains to be seen how the
music industry can successfully capture the opportunity. Wawawa opens this huge new
market to the independent sector for the first time with an offering that we believe is the
right combination of convenience, price, and content selection for the increasingly
adventurous Chinese music fan," commented Kevin Arnold, founder and CEO of IODA.
"With R2G and the Wawawa, we've found an ideal partner with the local industry
knowledge, experience, and reputation needed for long term success."
IODA's catalog will be available for Internet downloads in China exclusively through
Wawawa, supported by R2G's established anti-piracy infrastructure, a critical component
in building the foundation for economic opportunity in the Chinese digital music market.
In addition, R2G's transparent accounting system will ensure that rights holders are fairly
compensated for consumption of their recordings.
The IODA catalog represents a diverse range of music of all styles from over 50
countries including rock, electronica, hip-hop, metal, punk, indie, world, Latin, jazz and
classical. Artists represented in the Wawawa Music Store range from established
classics to modern up-and-comers, such as Bob Marley & The Wailers, San Francisco
Symphony, Thurston Moore, David Byrne, NOFX, Frank Black, Sly & Robbie, CAKE, Ali
Farka Toure, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Dennis Ferrer, Suzanne Bacca, Kenny Dope & Louis
Vega, Lyrics Born, Aventura, Blind Pilot, Woodhands and Shanghai Restoration Project.
"IODA not only has a great catalog of quality music, but also shares our belief that
offering a wide selection of music at fair prices is what music fans in China ultimately
want, and that the market is ready for it," said CEO of R2G, Wu Jun. "In the current
environment, music knowledge is narrowly defined by what's made available through
piracy. This leaves music discovery to chance, providing no guide for fans to connect
with one another and share their passion for the artists they love. R2G's partnership with
IODA will change all that."
Expanding music tastes in and beyond Beijing and Shanghai have created an
enthusiastic audience in recent years for music festivals like Beijing Pop, Midi Music,
Modern Sky & the Yue Festival. International artists have more opportunities than ever to
connect with Chinese fans, and fans for the first time have access to a wide variety of
international music downloads at compelling prices through Wawawa.
"Our label, Paper Bag Records, arranged for us to play two shows in Beijing in
May, which were both electric. Hundreds of kids danced and screamed while we
played, the crowd answering my screams with one hungry, unified screaming
voice back at me, unlike anything I had ever experienced before," recalls Dan
Werb of the band Woodhands from Toronto, Canada. "It was incredibly moving,
and you got the sense that the local music community was totally energized.
There's definitely something important developing here, and it's rooted in a
growing appetite for new ideas and music."
About IODA
IODA, the Independent Online Distribution Alliance, is the industry-leading digital
distribution company for the global independent music community. IODA provides
comprehensive services to record labels, physical distributors, and artists, including
license negotiations; media encoding and metadata management; and royalty payment
administration and reporting. The company also offers promotional support through a
dedicated marketing division and through the IODA Promonet (www.iodapromonet.com),
a promotional distribution network that provides qualified pod casts, blogs, and other
promotional sites with access to pre-cleared, legal music and other promotional assets
from IODA's labels. Founded in 2003, IODA represents a rapidly expanding roster of
over a million tracks from thousands of independent labels around the globe. IODA also
distributes independent film and video content for over 2000 titles. IODA was named one
of FORTUNE magazine's 25 Breakout Companies for 2005. The company's website is
www.iodalliance.com.
Source: http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Ioda-885215.html
Woodhands
July 5, 2008
Woodhands create the music from scratch, just like old-fashioned rock bands, but
manage to steal some of the swagger of glam rock along the way. Armed with a
decidedly keytar, dirty analog synths and complex but danceable beats, Woodhands are
hell-bent on connecting with their audience and getting the room bouncing. Combine that
with an exuberant and nerd-infused sexiness, and it‘s no wonder that they‘ve been
dubbed ―as close to a two-headed indie Timberlake as it gets‖ (Exclaim!, Dec 2007).
Source: http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/worldroutes/festivals.cfm?id=328
Hey Polaris...Whither Woodhands?
Posted June 12th 2008
By Joshua Ostroff
For the third year in a row, Canada's
music critic nation--journalists,
broadcasters and bloggers alike--have
pooled opinions to determine who
deserves to slap "Polaris Prize-winner"
on their resume and deposit $20K in their
bank account.
Modeled after Britain's Mercury Music
Prize, the goal was to shine a little
northern light on some excellent records
unfairly ignored by industry awards like
the Junos. The first year went to
deserving avant-pop violinist Final
Fantasy. Round two was handed to
Patrick Watson, a quasi-controversial
consensus pick which I, not having
personally been inside the mysterious
room of award awarding, assume was chosen based on certain jurors feeling Feist
needed neither the spotlight nor the cash, excellence be damned.
This year's prize is still in process; with the Top 40 long list released this morning based
on every voter's first round picks. Three of my top five picks made the long list--including
Holy F*ck, Shad and The Constantines, with almost all of my nearly made its showing up
as well. I wasn't too surprised that Toronto ethno-soul outfit Lal failed to appear. Though
their new album remains worthy of consideration, I'm more than happy to move Ghislain
Poirier up the rankings.
But I was pretty shocked that surging electro-rock geeks Woodhands didn't even place.
The band's singer/synther/keytarist Dan Werb and off-the-chain drummer Paul Banwatt
have been riding a wave of buzz for months, fuelled by Heart Attack, their recentlyreleased album of dirty, poppy dance anthems, as well as their wonderfully unhinged live
show.
Woodhands is exactly the kind of exciting young band that Polaris was purpose-built for.
But while they're sadly out of the running for the award, with Heart Attack about to drop
Stateside they still have a good shot at winning over the world.
The full "long list" and some footage of Woodhands in Beijiing after the jump...
Source: http://blogs.music.aol.ca/candie/2008/06/12/polaris-wherefore-artwoodhands/
Woodhands
Dan Werb talks about playing keytar, jet setting and magic tricks.
By: Wes Soltis
It isn't easy to play an instrument that is widely regarded as a joke, but Dan Werb makes
it happen. The front man of Woodhands could possibly be the only person who
certifiably shreds on the keytar. He also writes sensible yet fierce electro pop with his
band mate Paul Banwatt. Hailing from Canada, HEAVE had a chance to rack up some
long distance minutes and have a chat with Dan Werb.
HEAVE: Would you say your first show in Chicago was a success?
Dan Werb: Oh it was great. It seemed like the crowd was really into it. I guess you would
have a better idea than I would, though. The crowd just seemed so into it and they really
seemed to like Alex and the Drummer, too. They were the ones who invited us there.
HEAVE: Oh yeah, people were really into it. The dancing that was going on was pretty
rampant.
DW: Great. The crowd in Chicago was just awesome.
HEAVE: I judge shows based on how sweaty people get, and people seemed to be
pretty sweaty.
DW: I have this shirt that is my favorite show shirt because it is a nice vibrant color and
has an open neck, but the thing does not breathe. It is my favorite show shirt but I sweat
quite a bit in it. The end of it drenched me.
HEAVE: It's one of those things where you need to pick style over comfort. What was
your favorite part of Chicago?
DW: I indulged and stayed at the Hotel Blake, which was very nice. There was this
awesome book fair the next morning so we went to that. And then you have that big
library downtown that has a giant owl on it. The architecture is just so interesting.
Chicago is just a really great city. I also ate a deep-dish pizza. We were there so I felt we
had to do some touristy shit.
HEAVE: You lived in Vancouver, Europe and now Toronto. How much has the nomad
like lifestyle influenced your music?
DW: You know it is interesting because Paul and I have only been playing together for
almost two years.
HEAVE: It was a Halloween show, right? Did you dress up?
DW: Oh yeah we dressed up. Paul was a graduate from a university. The towns I lived in
helped a little in shaping my music. When I moved to Paris I was missing my girlfriend,
so I started making this angst, more emotional based music. Then I moved to Toronto
and my entire world got upended. I was going through some shit. I was trying to start
fresh, but I had all this emotion and anxiety going on inside - and when I met Paul I felt
like I was able to start expressing that in a way that felt free and immediate. You were at
the show, and what we try to do is make it feel as intimate as possible. It's all about the
visceral reaction and trying to emote to the crowd and connect with them. Toronto is full
of a ton of great musicians, so that really helped - but it was more of where I was at in
my life emotionally.
HEAVE: So when did you start playing the keytar?
DW: That started when I first moved to Toronto. It was one of those serendipitous
moments because I used to sit behind the keyboard. I just wanted to have a little more
freedom on stage, and I never really thought of myself as a front man. I grew with it and I
allowed myself to explore the idea of being a front man. Which is awesome. It's a great
instrument, man. I know it is usually the subject of a punch line, but I think we are very
aware that we can be seen as some ironic, ridiculous joke band - but I think we do it the
right way.
HEAVE: I was explaining your music to some people and said, "Yeah it is a drummer
and a guy who plays a keytar, but it's not like that at all!"
DW: Yeah, yeah! Exactly! We want to make it okay to love keytars - to love them for
what they are.
HEAVE: How did you guys team up with Paper Bag Records?
DW: They came and scoped us out. We were in a position where we didn't know a ton
about the industry. We'd been playing shows in Toronto and all across Canada and we
were starting to record. We didn't really know how to get a record deal. One day we were
sitting in our car after a show and were like, "What the fuck? How does this even work?"
Shortly after that we played in Montreal at a festival called Pop Montreal. You should go,
man. It's a lot of fun. Have you ever been to Montreal?
HEAVE: I've never been out of the United States, actually.
DW: Well, if you were going to take one trip, then I would say Montreal would be a good
place to start. It has a lot of youth and art culture. Great architecture. Anyway, Paper Bag
was there and it all started to work out from there.
HEAVE: What are the advantages and disadvantages to having two people in the
group?
DW: I would honestly say that there are no disadvantages.
HEAVE: Really?
DW: Oh yeah, we are lucky enough to be able to do what we do with only two people.
Sometimes I wish I had another pair of hands to do a little bit more. It's great because
we learn new advantages to only having two people every time we play a show. It is nice
because everything is just cheaper. We just played some shows overseas and we
wouldn't have been able to do it if we had six or so members. We also can't really have
any arguments because if it is just us two sitting in a car and we are mad at each other well we can't ignore that. We have to address it. We just get along really well and have
really started to understand each other, too. I guess that is why relationships are mostly
only between two people.
HEAVE: Your CD release show in April featured wondering magicians. What was the
coolest trick you saw performed?
DW: Oh man, I got one performed on me. He came up on stage and had an invisible
pack of cards and told me to pick a card, so I chose seven of clubs. He then asked me a
couple questions and, I'm not bullshitting you, guessed the seven of clubs. So yeah,
magicians are pretty fucking cool.
HEAVE: You covered "I'll Be Missing You" by Puff Daddy pretty briefly at your show in
Chicago. Where does that song fit in the grand scheme of music?
DW: I think it's a cultural object, you know what I mean? It isn't the greatest of songs, but
in terms of what it meant? I think it'll be remembered forever.
HEAVE: Yeah, I saw some Youtube videos that showed you covering some other rap
songs. How does that get decided?
DW: We like to keep it fresh, and I guess I mean that in the hip hop term. We've also
done some Wu Tang. We are working on a cover of that T.A.T.U song right now, "All
The Things She Said". I think we can do a pretty good version of that.
HEAVE: Who is the best live performer you've watched?
DW: Oh good question. There are so many for so many different reasons, and I bet that
sounds like I'm avoiding the question. I would say that overall it would probably be
Prince. I also saw Pharrell Williams of N.E.R.D and he was pretty good, lots of energy.
Source: http://www.heavemedia.com/interview/50/Woodhands
Drive A Faster Car
Toronto’s Electro-Pop Duo Woodhands Coming Stateside
June 3rd, 2008
Woodhands is an electro-pop duo with a relentlessly energetic live-show and a total disdain for
anything but balls-to-the-wall, dirty, sexy dance parties. The brainchild of Dan Werb (vocals,
synths, drum machines) and Paul Banwatt (drums, vocals), Woodhands has garnered national
press in Canada and was tagged as one of ―5 Bands To Watch In 2008″ by Exclaim! Magazine.
Eschewing laptops or any pre-recorded samples, the Woodhands boys create the music from
scratch just like old-fashioned rock bands, liberally swiping the swagger of glam and the raw
energy of punk along the way. Instead, Woodhands create the music from scratch just like oldfashioned rock bands, and manage to steal some of the swagger of glam rock along the way.
Armed with a decidedly un-ironic keytar, dirty analog synths and complex but danceable beats,
Woodhands are hell-bent on connecting with their audience and getting the room bouncing.
Combine that with an exuberant and nerd-infused sexiness, and it‘s no wonder they‘ve been
dubbed, ―the sex bomb Tom Jones was talking about… as close to a two-headed indie
Timberlake as it gets.‖
Woodhands began as Dan Werb‘s solo bedroom recording project (culminating in a criticallyacclaimed, self-released album in 2004), but after stints in Montreal, Vancouver (Werb‘s
hometown), and Paris, he moved to Toronto. He quickly became ensconced in Toronto‘s fertile
indie rock scene as a keyboard player in a number of indie rock bands, and in August 2006 he
connected with ubiquitous drummer Paul Banwatt at a rock show. The pair were soon playing live
together, their first show being at an illegal Halloween party in 2006, where they opened for Holy
Fuck in the mud-filled and extremely condemned Don Valley Brickworks factory. This dangerous
setting may have been the inspiration for their refusal to play shows with any kind of safety net
(read: laptop).
Drive A Faster Car missed Woodhands at SXSW but they‘re on the road all summer in support of
their debut Paper Bag Records release, Heart Attack, out. Our NYC and Chicago readers can
check them out soon (dates below). Of course, no Atlanta dates at this time.
Source: http://www.driveafastercar.com/2008/06/03/torontos-electro-pop-duowoodhands-coming-stateside/
Review
by K. Ross Hoffman
Toronto's Woodhands mine similarly vigorous, often abrasive, electronic dance-punk
territory to the likes of Austin's Ghost land Observatory and England's Does It Offend
You, Yeah? (Those are just among the more recently notable of an extensive,
overcrowded lineage). There main point of distinction being that they do it all nondigitally, with real drums, analog synths, keytars, and so forth, and reportedly recreate it
all live (an impressive feat given that they're just a duo). You might not think that such a
commitment to (frankly, pretty flimsy) 'authenticity' would count for very much when
translated to disc, but Heart Attack does maintain a sort of unrelenting grubbiness
(despite some very sharp, precise playing), which helps to evoke the breathless energy
of a sweaty, uninhibited dance party. Plus, it's just relentless: save for the brief ambient
break "Monsterdinosaur" (a waste of a decent title) and the halfway credible, if ironic,
slow jam "Straighten the Curtain," the beats barely let up for an instant, even between
songs, though they do grow somewhat more nuanced as the album progresses. The
jokey "Dancer" will grab attention with its insistent crunch and the absurd interplay
between guest vocalist Maylee Todd's cooed verses and Dan Werb's manic, aggressive
ranting (the hook, in case you can't decipher it: "You're a very good dancer!/What is your
name?/What is your name?"), while "I Can't See Straight" is deliciously menacing with its
strobe synths and stuttered breakdowns, but the really good stuff comes through in
individual moments more than entire songs. Though there are synth riffs and processed
vocal hooks sprinkled liberally throughout ("Under Attack" and "Be Back Soon" have a
couple worth remembering), the ride is mostly worth it for the unexpected groove shifts
and jammed variations that come toward the close of most tracks. "Sailboats," for
instance, starts out as an electro-pop duet with label mate Laura Barrett (it sounds
roughly like a less memorable Postal Service). Halfway through, the track gives way to a
full-on drum solo, and then a stripped down 4/4 throb, which gradually builds through
layers of synth loops into a swirling, hyperactive groove that ends the album on a high
note. As party music -- and there's little pretense that this is anything else -- it's perfectly
serviceable stuff, and more inspired than plenty of the recent output in this vein.
Source: http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:avfuxzujldde
Published April 17, 2008.
Woodhands
Heart Attack
(Paper Bag Records)
Ontario has become a breeding ground for inspired electro-pop
bands. Now internationally adored, Junior Boys, Caribou and Crystal Castles are
bleeping and remixing a unique sound that seems both familiar and totally new at the
same time. With the release of their new album Heart Attack, Toronto duet Woodhands
is poised to keep pace with this Upper-Canadian clique.
Make no mistake, this album is not meant for the iPod on rainy-day bus rides. The fact
that Heart Attack is a dance album is reinforced repeatedly by the upbeat, almost
aggressive pace that burns through songs like "I Can't See Straight" and "Be Back
Soon." Taking an organic approach, Werb's keyboards and Banwatt's percussion create
a full, driving sound that grabs listeners' hips and shoulders.
"Under Attack" and "I Wasn't Made For Fighting" are telling displays of the depth Werb's
melancholic crooning brings to Woodhands, echoing the voice of Junior Boys' Jeremy
Greenspan or Duran Duran's Stephen Duffy.
With Woodhands' album and live shows gathering media attention and a significant fan
base, their show at Gus' Pub on April 23 may be the last chance to see them perform a
sweat-soaked set here in Halifax before they become too expensive for our city.
Caley MacLennan
Source: http://www.thecoast.ca/117559.112113body.lasso?token.elistsource=1714.112113&-token.curcount=0&-token.fulllist=yes
Woodhands’ new beats
Dance-pop duo captures energy of live gigs on debut
Sandy Caetano/Metro Toronto
April 10, 2008
Woodhands isn‘t doing anything musically that hasn‘t been done before, but the dancepop duo prides itself on the energy it creates at its live shows.
The Toronto-based band, which released its debut album Heart Attack last week on
Paper Bag Records, says a shared passion for music is what drives it to infuse a sense
of urgency and energy into its lives shows.
―That‘s what sets us apart … we‘ve carved out a place for ourselves amidst the legion of
dance-rock bands that are all the rage these days,‖ explains Dan Werb, who handles the
keytar, keyboards, synthesizers and vocals.
―Where a lot of performers go soft and subtle when talking about emotional matters, we
can only go hard,‖ Werb continues. ―The things I feel make me want to scream, so I do.
The way I feel about sex and relationships is a fully emotional, cognitive, and sexual
experience.‖
There‘s no way to hide how Werb and drummer Paul Banwatt feel, so they have
attempted to harness it instead. Couple that with sick synthesizer sounds and some
wicked drumming, and you‘ve got the Woodhands recipe. Heart Attack is an electro-pop
album full of intense, raw dance floor tracks that successfully capture the energy of the
group‘s live shows.
Woodhands, which has been compared musically to Holy Fuck, Goblin, Pink Floyd,
Stevie Wonder and Chocolate Weasel, are currently on tour across Canada. The groups‘
next local gig is May 1 at the Over The Top Festival.
―We‘ve just finished our big trip down to SXSW — 26 hours straight each way — and
now we‘re readying ourselves for ... five more weeks of touring Canada and the U.S,‖
says Werb.
―We‘re in a really good space mentally. The response to our shows has been great and
people who have heard the album seem to really love it. So now it‘s time to let the world
hear it!‖
Source: http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/entertainment/article/37907
Week of April 10, 2008, Issue #651
MUSIC
Woodhands- Dance, dance, feel it all around you
BRYAN BIRTLES / [email protected]
Dance music is all about sex. From ‗70s disco, to Hi-NRG in the ‗80s, to the rise of rave culture
and the fractioning of techno genres in the ‗90s, it‘s hard to imagine a dance song that isn‘t about
sex, at least a little bit. Nowadays, electro and nu-rave are no different—it‘s all about getting‘
down and bumping‘. The secret is something that Barry White knew instinctively: lower
frequencies mean lower inhibitions, and dance has bass in spades.
Dan Werb, of Toronto‘s Woodhands, has a good handle on the sexiness of dance music. Along
with partner—uh, not that kind of partner—Paul Banwatt, Woodhands has devoted itself to
facilitating dance floor dwellers in getting their freaks on by thinking about sex, singing about sex
and having sex so that they can do the first two better. According to Werb, dance music‘s
preoccupation with sex probably stems from the fact that they both deal with guttural reactions,
instead of cerebral ones.
―When [dance music] is good, it doesn‘t hit your brain, it hits your groin. It‘s an awesome way of
expressing yourself because it bypasses all that intellectual stuff,‖ Werb explains. ―Our music is
all about immediate emotions. It‘s about catharsis and really connecting immediately to what
you‘re experiencing. Our shows are celebrations. They‘re not downers—they confirm you‘re still
alive, still a human being. It‘s up-tempo and dance-y and fun.‖
Woodhands raises the fun level of its shows by playing instruments onstage—something that, in
the past, electronic musicians were reluctant to do, whether because it added an element of
uncertainty to the show or because they simply couldn‘t. For Werb, laptop rocking isn‘t bad, but
it‘s just not for them.
―During our shows we really lock into each other and when we lock into each other it makes the
performance an intimate experience. We can explore whatever we want because there‘s only two
of us—we‘ve been able to form a relationship that‘s so keyed into each other,‖ he says. ―If a
performer has a laptop onstage, it‘s like a black box thing—you don‘t know what is the laptop and
what is the performer. They could be playing it right there with a synth patch on the laptop, but
you just don‘t know. We want our audience to know each song is being sweated out right there.
It‘s all about immediacy.‖
Being a group tagged with the ―hipster‖ label—a label that often means an audience standing
around, arms folded, with maybe a bobbing head—Woodhands had to work to get its audience to
react when the group started out, but nowadays everybody knows what to expect at one of its
shows.
―We used to get a lot of apologies—people would come up to us after the show and say, ‗Man,
that was awesome! I‘m so sorry we didn‘t dance,‘‖ Werb recounts, reflecting on the difference
between then and now. ―Our hipsters dance. It‘s hard for them to not dance at all now, we always
seem to get them at one point.‖
Source: http://www.vueweekly.com/article.php?id=8300
Listen Up!
What to rock and what to not
Jordan Bimm, Suzannah Moore
Published on April 07 2008
Editor's Pick: Woodhands – Heart Attack (Paper Bag)
Until the release of Heart Attack, Paper Bag Records had been experiencing a drought
of up-tempo, danceable releases. Here on their debut, Toronto duo Dan Werb (exSpitfires and Mayfl owers) and Paul Banwatt drop an album‘s worth of body-rocking
electro-pop that should elicit head-banging and pogo dance moves in clubs and
bedrooms alike. Banwatt‘s pulsating acoustic drums are layered with Werb‘s dirty synth
lines, but what makes Woodhands better than most are vocal parts that are perfectly
fitted to maximize catchiness. To this end, highlights include the heartfelt lamentations of
―I Can‘t See Straight,‖ the sugar-sweet guest vocals on the sometimes- agro ―Dancer,‖
and a pretty duet with fellow Paper-Bagger Laura Barrett on closer ―Sailboats.‖ But by far
the standout track on Heart Attack is the arresting floor-filler ―I Wasn‘t Made For
Fighting,‖ which sounds like Chromeo getting jacked by punks behind the Sam‘s at
College and Augusta. —JORDAN BIMM
Source: http://www.thevarsity.ca/article/3138
Very good dancers
Woodhands wants you to know their name
Published April 3, 2008
By Colin Smith in Music Previews
Pointing, groping, dancing — if Woodhands are not the world‘s sexiest band, then the
world has the wrong definition of sexy
DETAILS
Woodhands
Gateway
Wednesday, April 9 - Wednesday, April 9
Find It...
Gateway
Watching Dan Werb and Paul Banwatt (a.k.a. Woodhands), you‘d think the pair had
known each other for ages. Even walking into a Toronto pub for a bit of lunch, they seem
almost like an old married couple. They finish each other‘s sentences when the waitress
takes their orders. They discuss the merits of tomato sauce over ketchup. They fret over
the tip, and they split the tab. Onstage, with Werb working the synths and keytar
sequencer and Banwatt on drums, they are tighter than Tom Jones‘s pants and
continually feed off each other to electrify audiences with their analogue dance party.
In reality, Werb and Banwatt have been working together for just over a year. They met
in September 2006 at a CD release party for one of Werb‘s many side projects, Henri
Faberge and the Adorables, and quickly felt a connection. Before he hooked up with
Banwatt, B.C. native Werb had taken Woodhands through a number of different forms
during his stays in Vancouver, Paris and, most recently, Montreal. Back then, though, it
was a much more subdued sound. ―It‘s gone up and down,‖ Werb says of the
progression of a very personal project. ―We like to think of it as two distinct phases.‖
After meeting, Werb and Banwatt began playing shows together and by the New Year
realized they had chemistry. ―[Woodhands‘ sound] was always shifting before that time,‖
Werb says, ―and then when we met, a really clear sound and approach presented itself
to us. It was like a clarity.‖
Werb had been looking for a drummer for years to bring what he calls ―rawness‖ to the
drum-machine beats of Woodhands. In Banwatt he found a drummer that can play to the
click — follow sequenced beats live — and a drummer who feels as passionate about
the intersection of rock and electronic music.
―I‘ve always loved electronic music. I‘ve always tried to push the sensibilities of electronic
music into the rock music that I‘ve played,‖ says Banwatt, who had played with a number
of indie rock bands in Toronto before joining Woodhands. ―When I listened to Dan‘s
drum beats specifically, it was so free. Forget where snares and bass drums and hi-hats
are supposed to go, it was about putting it together to make the most powerful effect.
―Woodhands is combining those two sides of me,‖ Banwatt adds. ―Sometimes I feel like
I‘m bringing the acoustic side of it, and sometimes I feel like I‘m part of the electronics as
well.‖
After playing a string of impressive live shows over a period of months, Woodhands
caught the ear of Toronto-based Paper Bag Records with an especially raucous
showcase at Pop Montreal last October. They signed with the label, known for breaking
bands like Broken Social Scene, Stars and Tokyo Police Club, and hit the studio with
producer Roger Leavens.
―So much of this project for me is about immediate emotion, so the songs that we have
been writing have occurred spontaneously in rehearsal,‖ Werb says of the 10-song
debut album Heart Attack (out this week). With its frenetic pacing and the raw emotion of
Werb‘s lyrics, Heart Attack successfully captures the sound of their live shows, while
touching on Woodhands‘ meditative past — a past that Werb and Banwatt are constantly
moving beyond.
Source: http://ffwdweekly.com/article/music/music-previews/very-good-dancers/
Woodhands
Heart Attack
BY CHANDLER LEVACK
April 02, 2008
Toronto hearts Woodhands‘ keytar-rocking, cardigan-clad persona, and Heart Attack
measures up admirably, though you‘ll have to keep Dan Werb‘s orgasm-face in mind.
With wound up tighter than Shout Out‘s, Woodhands‘ power duo of Dan Werb (vocals,
synths), and Paul Banwatt (vocals, drums) create scrappy aggression through live
drumming and spiraling synths. Transitioning between ‘80s nostalgia and dance hall
loneliness, opener ―Dancer‖ is a manic duet between Werb and The Adorables‘ Maylee
Todd, with Werb masquerading as despotic Euro trash. Shifting into the punk ―I Can‘t
See Straight,‖ a murky chorus begs, ―Why can‘t I speak to you? I want to come home.‖
But it‘s the standout melodrama of ―Straighten the Curtain‖ that twists the soft melody of
Radiohead‘s ―Kid A‖ into thoughts strewn across a pillow, ―concerned that I should be
having the best sex of my life.‖ The boys of Woodhands might not be men yet, but at
least they‘re self-aware. Plus, you can grind to it.
Source: http://www.eyeweekly.com/music/ondisc/article/22916
April 2, 2008
I've been waiting a long time for this. My first attempt at a Q&A with electro funk duo
Woodhands was foiled by the cancellation of their second annual pool party, which was
supposed to happen last summer.
A hell of a lot has happened to Dan Werb (vocals, synths, key-tar) and Paul Banwatt
(drums, vocals) since then. Lots of sweaty shows, great press, and one very promising
record deal.
Their debut album Heart Attack was released this week on Paper Bag Records and
they're celebrating that with a "magical night" at Wrongbar tomorrow. I spoke with the
boys about their album, the release party, and selling fried chicken.
BlogTO: Why are you called Woodhands?
Dan Werb: Well, it used to be because I wanted to let everyone know that there was an
organic element to the ambient electronic music I was making.
I know Dan is originally from the West Coast. What brought you to Toronto?
DW: In a word: music. I had good friends (Henry Fletcher, Jose Lourenco) who invited
me to play in their awesome band (Spitfires & Mayflowers) and who basically plugged
me directly into the indie scene here. It's been a love affair ever since.
You've also lived in Europe, right? What city have you enjoyed living in the most?
DW: Yes, that's right. Every city I've lived in I've loved for different reasons. I would like
to move back to Europe at some point for sure. Without a doubt I can say that the city
that has shown me the most love and made me feel most at home has been...wait for
it...Toronto. And I'm not just saying that!
What do you like best about living here?
DW: People care about the stuff I do here and I know an amazing group of people who
have great ideas and the will to follow through on them. Also, it's close to New York,
Montreal, Europe, and not too far from Vancouver, my hometown.
What do you like least?
DW: That there are so few nice old buildings and streets. Also, I think people could
afford to be slightly friendlier when approached by strangers.
How great was your CMW show at the Drake? Were you nervous with all the hype
leading up to it?
DW: Umm...pretty great? I was a little nervous, to be honest. Then we started playing
and it was awesome.
Paul Banwatt: Home is always friendly, so having an even warmer reception felt
completely amazing. I'm happy it seems like we lived up to people's expectations.
How did your SXSW sets go? What's the craziest thing that happened to you guys
down there or on the road?
DW: SXSW was awesome! I think we acquitted ourselves quite well, thank you. The
craziest thing was the amount of fried chicken I consumed.
You've said that you're all about the "hard sell" when it comes to your music and
performances. If you couldn't be musicians any longer, what product or service do
you think you'd be best at selling?
DW: Southern fried chicken, because I love it so much.
Why is your record called Heart Attack?
DW: I think if you've seen us play live it becomes immediately obvious.
What can we expect at your CD release party?
DW: The most heart attacks per second ever recorded. Also, a dance party and
magicians.
PB: Plus, a brand new band called Machetes is playing their first show ever. We're really
excited about that.
Source: http://www.blogto.com/music/2008/04/call_response_woodhands/
Woodhands Sex It Up
By Brock Thiessen
In Woodhands‘ brief history, they‘ve been called a lot: sensual, groin-based, the ―twoheaded indie Timberlake.‖ All warranted, all with good reason. One fiery live show at a
time, the Toronto-based robo-pop duo has earned a reputation for encompassing all
things sexual — something they fully embrace on their new full-length, Heart Attack.
―There‘s something raw and physical in the music we play, and I think that comes off, in
some ways, as sexual,‖ says drummer Paul Banwatt. ―But we are definitely not trying to
make brainless dance music.‖
Heart Attack‘s love sexy electro jams are anything but dim-witted dance-floor fodder.
With keytar in hand, vocalist Dan Werb and his yelping Prince-like delivery lead
Banwatt‘s frantic live-kit rhythms into a raw intensity rarely heard in electronic music. It‘s
an intense real-time approach that hits hard and gives a whole new meaning to the term
―banging.‖
―With the album, we just wanted that immediacy of emotion and that urgency of not
being able to hold something in,‖ Werb says. ―Just that sense of ‗this has to be
expressed‘ — there is no holding back.‖
These balls-to-the-wall tactics are a far cry from the chilled-out IDM-styled compositions
of Woodhands‘ infancy in Vancouver, where Werb was the only constant among a
revolving cast of players. Only with the occasional slow jam does Heart Attack ever hint
at this more cerebral, pre-Banwatt past.
―Paul‘s entry into the band coincided with personal and emotional turmoil on my end that
became a new kind of on-stage persona in the way of looking at music and
performance,‖ Werb explains. ―I used to sit behind a Rhodes, and play and sing and
wouldn‘t move at all. When Paul came and I switched to a keytar, that‘s when I was
really able to be a front man. But is it the altar of my phallic energy? Let‘s say not
intentionally.‖
Source:
http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/multiarticlesub.aspx?csid2=4&fid1=30257&csid1=120
Woodhands At The Drake
Saturday March 08, 2008
By: ChartAttack.com Staff
Band: Woodhands
Hometown: Toronto, ON
Venue: The Drake
Date: March 7, 2008
Reporter: Noah Love
BACKGROUND/COMPOSITION:
This Toronto duo (and CMW EYE Weekly cover boys) has captured an electronic sound
that's perfectly of this moment and will start your party at the drop of a hat.
Grade: 93
Comment: This was just one of those sets where everything felt right. The sound mix
was generally on, and Dan Werb and drummer Paul Banwatt were so fired up that it was
impossible not to latch on to their enthusiasm. This performance capped what was
already a very fun night of music.
Source: http://www.chartattack.com/DAMN/2008/03/0819.cfm
Canadian Music Week 2008: Woodhands
Posted: March 06, 2008
by Mark Medley
Canadian Music Week
The Ampersand wanted to introduce readers to the artists playing this year's Canadian
Music Week. Unfortunately, it's not easy to find time to interview 300-plus bands. So, we
sent out a short questionnaire to everyone so they can speak for themselves.
Here's Dan Werb of electro-popsters Woodhands.
What was the first album you ever bought and do you still listen to it?
First album I bought was the Wayne's World soundtrack. I stopped listening to it about
three days after I bought it.
What is your best/worst/wackiest story from your time on tour?
I can't tell you exactly what happened, but it involved six girls, four pounds of butter, and
an otter.
Do you get more groupies than Nickelback? Why or why not?
No. See Answer #2 for reasons why.
Who are your musical influences?
Kraftwerk, Dr. Dre, and Daft Punk.
CMW will be successful if we....
...back a winner!!! Get your buzz on...
Source:
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/theampersand/archive/2008/03/06/cana
dian-music-week-2008-woodhands.aspx
LTTGOE: Woodhands
March 6, 2008
So, I got an advance copy of the new Woodhands album Heart Attack earlier this week
and it's been kicking my ass for a solid four days now.
It's a spastic, non-stop, balls out dance party. It's actually kind of tough to listen to it at
my desk without sporadically jiggling in my seat, which is why I'm super excited that I'll
be seeing the pair at The Drake tomorrow night at Paper Bag Records' CMW showcase.
Dan Werb and Paul Banwatt are the brilliant pair behind Woodhands, and
Heart Attack, their debut with Paper Bag Records (Woodhands also have a previously
released self-titled album), comes out on April 1. You can buy it directly from PBR for
just $12! Pre-order...does it.
It's always a challenge describing the way an album sounds, especially when it's got so
many varied genres and styles wrapped up in it...it's more like, the way it makes you
feel. I find myself tracking back to album meaty opener Dancer over and over. And I love
the vocals on I Wasn't Made for Fighting - "I want to do it one more time" – kind of
reminiscent of Daft Punk's One More Time. Straighten The Curtains is the only moment
of rest you get on Heart Attack - it's the album's lone down tempo track.
Woodhands are on the cover of this week's Eye Weekly (out today!). And NOW
Magazine lists them as part of their "Be Prepared" guide of CMW shows that are
guaranteed to be rammed full and limited entry. Get there early.
Expect great things.
Source: http://blog.muchmusic.com/archives/2008/03/lttgoe_woodhand.php
DISC REVIEW
WOODHANDS
Heart Attack (Paper Bag)
BENJAMIN BOLES
Woodhands aren‘t your typical indie electro duo. The Toronto-based pair eschews
laptops in favor of actually playing their synths and drums by hand, and they‘ve
generated buzz mainly through their high-energy live shows rather than bootleg remixes
posted on blogs. (These two anomalies are probably connected.)
Thankfully, they‘re living up to that promise in the recording studio, too, where they‘ve
done a good job of capturing that lovable, ragged enthusiasm. Heart Attack sounds raw
and dirty, which is a good counterweight to the cheerful, bubbling synth melodies and
squiggles. The vocals don‘t always quite hit the notes they‘re straining for, but for some
reason this come across as charming rather than grating.
Source: http://www.nowtoronto.com/music/discs.cfm?content=162394
By Rupert
Bottenberg
Woodhands
Heart Attack (Paper Bag)
The Toronto duo of Paul Banwatt and Dan Werb, who initiated
Woodhands alone here in Montreal, earned their rep by
replicating their basement-brewed electro-rock from scratch in
concert, no laptops or the like. That‘s surely honed their sense of
how a song should stick together, how to make gentle and
jarring, dirty and sweet meet. Keytars are employed with wit, not
wackiness, and the punchy beats connect. ―In the Woods‖ and ―I Wasn‘t Made for
Fighting‖ impress, but the homespun synth-pop peak is closer ―Sailboats,‖ with Laura
Barrett. 7.5/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Source: http://www.montrealmirror.com/2008/040308/disc.html
Woodhands an energetic synth duo
By JESSE LOCKE - Sun Media
Dan Werb of Woodhands wields his instrument of choice like a weapon, primed and
ready for musical battle.
The only difference between him and other rock and roll shredders is Werb's axe is a
keytar.
"The only reason I play a keytar is because I can't not play a keytar and do all the things
I do on stage," says the bespectacled founder of the Toronto dance-rock duo.
"I need that mobility and if it's a keytar I have to wield, then it's a keytar I'm going to
wield. It's a great axe."
Ah, the keytar (aka. the guitboard).
That magical 1980s artifact, first introduced by Tom Schumann of the band Spyro Gyra,
then made famous by Devo, Peter Gabriel and Weird Al Yankovic.
However, as silly as the hybrid instrument may seem to some, Werb explains he and
drummer Paul Banwatt (the other half of the duo), take their music "crazy seriously".
"There's nothing jokey about this band at all," says Werb. "We like to have a good time
and get silly on stage and all that, but our beats are relentless. It's cathartic for me, I love
screaming and yearning."
Both onstage and on their debut album Heart Attack, the pumped-up twosome do seem
to be having a blast, with the energy of an all-ages rock band, the enthusiasm of a hiphop hype man, and the chemistry of two close friends.
As it turns out, the roots of Woodhands are planted at least somewhat in all of the
above.
"We actually met for the first time at the show of another band I was in called The
Adorables," Werb says.
"I was just doing a solo thing that day and Paul played either right before or right after
me.
"We crossed each other on the stage and I said 'man, you're a really good drummer!' He
said, 'man, you're really good at synth!' I said, 'dude, we should play together.' And that
was basically it.
"It felt right, right from the start," he says.
"There were kinks we had to work out, but personality-wise, and where we were coming
from musically, just seemed to line up so well. Now, because there are only two of us
and because we play so many shows together, we can't help but get really intimate
(laughs)."
Underneath the live instrumentation and tag-team vocals of Werb and Banwatt, the hiphop element of their sound comes from the programmed beats.
"My biggest influence for beats is definitely hip-hop and hip-hop production," says Werb.
"I try to steal liberally from what the best hip-hop producers are trying to do, because for
me that's the most interesting musical world out there today.
"Also, in terms of energy, I find something so compelling about MCs. Obviously, I'm not
from the same socio-demographic place that a lot of these hip-hop guys are from, but I
like to crib their energy."
According to Werb, there are many benefits to being a two-piece, especially compared to
the seven-piece group he used to play with in Montreal.
"It was just madness," he says.
"But with two people, we try to lock in with each other to the degree that we can go
wherever we want when we're playing. That kind of thing is so much easier when there
are fewer people. If I want to go off on a crazy direction, I just look at Paul and he knows
where I want to go. If Paul and I didn't get along, I'm sure touring together would be hell,"
he says.
"But we're pretty tight, so we love it. I always wish I had a couple more hands so I could
do more things on stage, but we get by."
Source: http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/W/Woodhands/2008/04/04/5191891sun.html
Woodhands add realism to
synth
By ALLAN WIGNEY - Sun
Media
Dan Werb probably thought he
had heard it all -- from
contemporaries like Junior Boys
and Chromeo to past party
favorites like Tubeway Army and
OMD.
But amid a light-hearted 20minute conversation about the
synth-happy music of
Woodhands, the Toronto-based
duo comprised of Werb and
percussionist Paul Banwatt, the keyboardist seems particularly amused by this writer's
description of Dancer.
The lead track on Heart Attack, a dance floor-filling collection of synth-pop standouts,
Dancer pits a restrained Maylee Todd vocal against hysterical, gruff-voiced interjections
from Werb.
"Wow!" Werb says with a laugh, "no one has ever compared Dancer to Aqua before!
"But," he continues, "I think it's pretty apt. You know where our allegiances lie, obviously.
This isn't a Woodhands album; this is an Aqua album."
Well, not exactly. For one thing, Todd, a one-time regular at the duo's live shows,
contributes to only the one song, singer-songwriter Laura Barrett to another -- Werb and
Banwatt handle vocals on the remainder of Heart Attack‘s tracks. For another, for all the
album's dance-floor magnetism, confessional tales such as Straighten the Curtain offer a
tad more depth than did Barbie Girl.
Moreover, while Werb acknowledges the influence of past synth-driven projects on
Woodhands' engaging sound, he stresses the determination of the duo to explore new
musical territory.
"We didn't consciously go out there and be like, 'Let's copy this,' " he says. "I think if we
like a beat, we'll often steal it ... and I realize those are two contradictory statements. But
there never was a time when we were like, 'Okay, we have to sound like this. Let's listen
to every band that sounds like this and model ourselves after that.' We take elements
from so many genres of music to make ours.
"But I guess because we use a lot of synths from the '80s, naturally it would make sense
to think we're copying that sound, because the actual sound of the instrumentation is
similar. And if people think of us in that way, that's totally fine.
"What we're striving for is an immediate, emotional, high-energy, almost cathartic
experience -- live and on record. However that's expressed or however people want to
frame it, that's fine. As long as we get that reaction."
And in that regard, so far so good. Woodhands' Heart Attack has already shocked many
a central nervous system since its release earlier this month. And the Woodhands live
show, notable for Werb and Banwatt's no-laptops/no-sampling policy, has become
legendary.
"The music that we make and the way that we make it is kind of built out of necessity,"
Werb says of the duo's lauded approach to live performance. "I'm a keyboard player, so
it's easier for me to play music than it is for me to create samples and sequence all that
stuff. I like to be busy on stage; I like to be doing a million things.
"Doing it this way is also more interesting because we could not play identical shows,
even if we wanted to. It's out of our control, in that sense. The sound is always shifting.
There are always different synth patches; we're always going to play a little differently.
"We like that. We think it keeps it fresh. Especially when you're touring, you're playing
every night and you want to make sure that every night is something special."
Even if that means sacrificing some of that Aqua element. Or not.
"Paul has now taken over singing some of the parts Maylee used to sing onstage," Werb
reports. "And, once, somebody heard it and thought we had used prerecorded female
vocals. Paul just kind of shook his head at me. But he sounds great. He should be
proud."
Source: http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/2008/04/16/5299961.html
Sex, girls and synthesizers
Woodhands plays sexually-charged electronic music for those who like to get their
groove on
By Ruth Lloyd, Scene Editor
As Dan Werb packs up his things for a one-month tour across Canada and the northeast
United States, he discusses the ―raging bucket of emotional intensity‖ his band‘s music
has become.
It sounds scarier than it is though.
Werb is one half of the electronic group Woodhands. He does vocals, plays the
synthesizer and programs drums.
The other half of Woodhands is Paul Banwatt, who also does vocals, raps, and plays the
drums with some occasional synthesizer thrown in.
While the duo‘s music could be described as intense and emotional, it is more like a
really good high than a fight with your girlfriend.
Their use of drums, synthesizer and vocals combine to touch nerves in your body, which
are probably difficult to stimulate without the use of controlled substances.
Essentially, it really gets you going.
Musically, Werb‘s background is not in electronic, but he seems to have adapted to it
without any problem.
―I didn‘t even really listen to electronic music, never really tried it,‖ he says.
―I bought a drum machine, bought a synth and just started playing.‖
In fact, far from straining him, the electronic music he does now may even be
therapeutic, guessing from Werb‘s description.
―I started playing and screaming and instead of feeling bad it felt good,‖ he says. ―And
I‘m a much calmer person.‖
Werb is originally from Vancouver, B.C, but went looking to satisfy his musical urges
further east, originally in Montreal, when he first decided to do something different.
―I was playing in a band with seven other people, which was basically driving me crazy,‖
he explains.
―At one point I was like, fuck it, I need to do something on my own.‖
Werb says Woodhands started out as ―moody, ambient stuff…I guess you could say
intellectual,‖ but progressed with the help of Banwatt, who added his drums to the mix
after he and Werb met in Toronto.
Banwatt‘s drumming ―gets me so excited,‖ says Werb.
The two are an interesting combination of intellect and creativity.
Werb is an HIV researcher, and Banwatt is working to finish his law degree.
But they don‘t let that get in the way of what inspires them.
―I guess we‘re kind of intellectuals in a way…but all we talk about is girls and really
stupid shit,‖ says Werb.
Woodhands‘ music according to Werb, ―is very high energy, it‘s raw…there‘s definitely
an element of sex in our performance and in our song writing.
―Not that I‘m obsessed with sex, but I definitely think about interpersonal relationships
and am always thinking about girls,‖ he says.
―Experiences that I‘ve had have made we want to express myself in this cathartic way,
and I think people respond to that.‖
Woodhands performs at The Gate April 9 with Sex Party and DJ Tyler Ryan.
Tickets are $5 in advance and $10 at the door.
Source:
http://www.theweal.com/artsandentertainment/story/sex_girls_and_synthesizers/
Woodhands
Keytar Nation
By Steve Venegas
"I love hip hop," says Daniel Werb from his Toronto home-studio. Not exactly the first
thing you'd expect to hear from an up-and-coming electronic-artist. "I love the way that
that the MC can control a room, and the energy behind it all. You can really hear that
influence in our music."
This is probably just another example of the ever-blending lines between the urban
beats and the voltaic-synth sonatas that have been popping up in the music worlds as of
late. Even the Louis Vitton Don, Kanye West, has been trying his hand at bridging the
worlds of electronic music and hip hop, what with his recent collaborative effort with the
French dance-bots, Daft Punk. So now, on top of making some high energy technodance music, Dan Werb from the pan-Canadian act Woodhands is also trying his hand
at producing something in the vein of the hipper than hop.
"I listened to a lot of hip hop when I first started getting into electronic music, and I still
love all of that stuff," he says. "We definitely listen to a lot of electronic music, and that
shows in our work. Hip-hop first and foremost in terms of where I get my beats,
electronic music in terms of the arrangements that we work on. Definitely we work within
the pop music template, but while a lot of our songs are pretty intense and out there,
they're not crazy to the listener."
Originally a classically trained pianist, the Vancouver-born Werb has found himself in all
parts of the country and beyond, finding the elements that make up Woodhands today.
After leaving Van-city to pursue higher education in Montreal, he found himself in a
seven-piece band. But it was the hassle of trying to bring together so many different
musical personalities into a succinct form which really drove him to the world of
electronic music.
"It was after the headache of dealing with arranging rehearsals, and gigs, and wrangling
together reluctant musicians that I thought I wanted to make music on my own," says
Werb. "So I thought, what can I do on my own? And the answer was electronic music."
After a half-year stint in Paris, France, Werb came back to the Great White North, with
new ideas for his craft. So within the span of a week in 2003, he picked up a synth, a
drum machine, and all of the Kraftwerk albums he could handle. Now, along with partner
and co-conspirator Paul Banwatt, they're making some of the most kinetic, pulse-moving
electronic dance music in the nation.
"Having Paul join the group has been an amazing, intense and incredibly positive
experience," says Werb. "With Paul, it's very much a partnership and we fell into each
other arms musically. If you see us live, then you can see how much fun we're having
with each other and how intense an experience it is. We both play right at the front of the
stage."
And it's the live crowd response that drives Woodhands the most.
"I like to see what's happening immediately. Maybe it's shallowness on my part, but I like
to gauge immediately whether or not people are into your stuff, if you're making dance
music," says Werb. "There's one indicator of what you need to be looking for, and that's
people dancing. If you go to a really moving piano recital, people are quiet and no one
really reacts, at least the performer doesn't really know."
But along with dance music, comes dance and club culture, which is known to bring the
illicit recreational pharmaceuticals along with it. For Werb, the attitude is "to each their
own".
"In my other life, I studied drug policy," he says. "I can only take a very scientific look at
it. I don't apply morals to drug use at all. I think it's retarded to do that. Do I think that
some drugs are dangerous? Yeah. Some can be really dangerous. Do I think that some
drugs can be really bad for you? Yeah, if a larger number of scientific trials find those
results, then yeah.
"What we know about drugs, a lot of it is colored by politics and people's moral codes,"
Werb continues. "I think there is a lot of bullshit out there. I'm not going to say that
everyone should go out and take ecstasy at shows. I know for me, I can't even smoke
weed because it makes me feel horrible the next day. People have to be aware of the
limits of their own body. If you know that you have an addictive personality, then you
need to stay the fuck away from drugs."
Who: Woodhands
When: April 9th (The Gateway, Calgary)
When: April 13th (Jekyll & Hyde, Edmonton)
Source: http://www.beatroute.ca/view_article.php?sectionID=15&articleID=1393