April 13, 2010
Posted by admin in Canada Performer Archive, Indie Week Canada 2009, Indie Week Ireland 2010
Brazen Angelz
Tues. Apr. 13 - Auntie Annie's (Belfast) - 11:15pm
Thurs. Apr. 15 - Cellar Bar (Galway) - 9:00pm
Fri. Apr. 16 - The Twisted Pepper (Dublin) - 9:45pm
Sat. Apr. 17 - Baker's Place (Limerick) - 9:45pm
MAK - guitar & lead vocals
JAck D - bass, percussion & vocals
Stealth - drums, percussion & back-up vocals
Instinct. It drives humans to the edges of sanity and pushes boundaries as we fight our animalistic urges; our habitual nature in an effort to evolve. After all, it is predisposition that urges us to drink, revel, fight and fornicate. Without instinct, we would be nothing.
Still, it takes a bold will to temper impulse with intuition, fortifying need with the will to progress. Such is the case with brassy power trio Brazen Angelz. Compelled by the primal essence of rock ‘n’ roll yet discerningly discreet, the band amalgamates guttural feel with intellectual and sentimental subject matter, yielding one of the most intrinsically-rockin’ yet socially aware collection of songs on debut independent full-length Fear Is Not Respect (Brazen Angelz Productions).
“In this band, there are no macho chest beating lyrics,” laughs guitarist/lead vocalist MAK. “We’re a modern rock band.”
Hammering away at rock ‘n’ roll for well over a decade first with Capitol Records recording artists Deserters and later as a solo musician and in revered quartet Watson—now re-branded Brazen Angelz—MAK would know the essentials of true rock ‘n’ roll.
Such is the reason he, bassist/percussionist/vocalist JAck D and drummer/percussionist/back-up vocalist Stealth have redefined the parameters of current outfit Brazen Angelz to ensure that the dichotomy of being brazen but necessarily an angel is pushed to its limits.
Relocating to Toronto after 12 years of pillaging Ireland and the U.K., Brazen Angelz have set their sights on North America as the target for their uncompromising rock relayed via Fear Is Not Respect. Influenced by the primal drive and gritty substance of essential classic rock heroes such as Thin Lizzy, The Police, Deep Purple and Queen, this trinity updates the genre and kicks it into the 21st Century.
“This band is about living, observing and writing about life,” MAK continues. “That was the influence: the organic nature of rock. There never was any discussion on direction. With us it was instinctive. As an independent band, we do whatever we feel like, so every song on Fear Is Not Respect is unique. Still, there is an identifiable sound that gels it all together. Back in the ‘70s that’s how bands were, before the big labels made everything generic.”
At that, Brazen Angelz attribute their determined outlook and raucous-yet-original style to hard lives and harder playing. Notes Jack D about the band’s inner-workings,
“Fear Is Not Respect is a return to great musicianship and quality songs. It comes from various parts of us such as Stealth’s upbringing in Belfast, Ireland where you have to be tough to survive while MAK’s cautious but friendly personality is offset by his old school lead guitar playing. His roots are deeply planted in classic rock. On this album, he sounds like he’s thrown Jeff Beck, Paul Kossoff and Ritchie Blackmore in a blender and come up with something all his own.”
“JAck D is the charismatic fast talker who gets along with everyone fully utilizing his Irish charm,” counters Stealth.
“I guess he must have kissed the Blarney Stone. His bass playing is basic and strong like his hero Philip Lynott. It’s an incredible balance of chemistry in this band.”
Nowhere is that alchemy more obvious than on Fear Is Not Respect. Self-produced and mastered by Phil Demetro at Toronto’s infamous Lacquer Channel, the album is both brazen and angelic as well as refreshingly concise and cerebral. From the personal epiphany of parenthood on “Erin” and “3:01” to revealing lecherous, selfish people on “Learn," realizing ambition via “Two Worlds” and the pro-peace statement of “Where We Started From,” Fear Is Not Respect is direct, ambitious and universal.
Still, despite the well-rounded commentary on all aspects of existence, MAK pares Brazen Angelz down to its core.
“We’re a rock band,” he declares. “The sound is aggressive but melodic and there are strong hooks to the songs. The lyrics are both personal and social political. That’s what gives us more of a modern edge. Everything with us is high energy. We put out 100%.
http://www.myspace.com/brazenangelzuk
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