HOLD THE MUSTARD PRODUCTIONS: Get to Know Vancouver Alt Band Villian Villian Before They Hit the Chill House
The band has amassed a great following since their early beginnings, and they're a local name you have to keep on your radar if you hadn't already been familiar with them. They're sure to provide something different and unique to every show - and it's something that makes them such an incredible band to have on the bill of any show, with this weekend blending various unique genres and bands of all age groups to create one of the most varied shows that the Chill House has ever seen.
Villian Villian are a band that you won't want to miss out on seeing, and this weekend is the perfect time. The night is sure to be a mixed-genre extravaganza that no one in the Chilliwack area should risk missing out on.
I had the absolute pleasure of communicating with three of the band's members, with insight from multiple members at once providing even more depth and exposure within their exclusive interview. This is information that you won't find anywhere else - so don't miss out on what's below the cut!
----------------------------------
Q: First off, what is your role in the band like? Introduce yourself for those who might not be familiar with you?
A's (Jaydee Bateman, Shaun Novak, & Mikael Fyfe):
Jaydee: I'm Jaydee! I was the founder of this project alongside Michael, who plays bass!
Mikael: My name is Mikael, I play drums and am the recording engineer of the band, and usually the most keen to work on music video projects.
Shaun: Hi my name is Shaunothon and my role in the band is mainly counterpoint, harmony and drones!
Q: How did Villian Villian come to be? Tell us about the inspiration behind the band.
Mikael: It’s a calling more than an inspiration. If Villain Villain didn't exist the same type of creativity would be bursting out of us in some other way.
Shaun: Villain Villain existed before me. I was recruited by Jaydee in 2022 I think.
Jaydee : We started out as a head full of ideas and a drum machine. I've seen this band through a few full iterations, and I consider the last few years as a 'reset' for myself and the band, as we found a unique chemistry induced energy together and have our own set of rules, or lack of.
Q: How long have you personally been making music for?
Shaun: Since forever. Some of my earliest memories are of me standing by my Dad playing guitar while I sang and tapped rhythm. I started drumming when I was 8 years old. There was one day I saw a drum kit in my neighbor's basement and immediately knew this was going to be an important part of my future. My mom is a punk hippy and was very supportive, even when I was more loud than musical
Jaydee: I 've been making music since I was in high school, it's always been a core belief system of mine.
Q: What/who are some of your inspirations, and do they shine through in the music you
make with Villian Villian?
Mikael: Weird Al was my earliest musical role model, his influence is definitely present in the humor, theatricality, and musical diversity I try to bring to the band.
Jaydee: I have a feeling my influences bleed through , seeing as though most of our songs start in my head before I bring them to the others . My all-time biggest influences are probably Radiohead, David Bowie, Queens of the Stone Age , Pixies , Talking Heads , and Tom Waits. To name a few!
Shaun: Everything/everywhere. The Beatles, David Bowie, Brian Eno, Pink Floyd, Genesis, ELO, Frank Zappa, James Brown, Spaghetti Western Soundtracks, but also nature, visual art, the abstract, and drama, movies, etc. I hope it shines through me.
Q: What are some of the most important sounds and pieces of your style with the band?
Mikael: Consistency and unpredictability. I always want my drums to be tight to the beat, but also have unusual textures and weird percussion in the background.
Jaydee: I believe in soundscapes, and keeping things interesting . I think there should be something that piques your interest around every corner and space in a song!
Shaun: I don't feel like I have a "most important" piece. Whatever is needed for the spirit of the song, and that can be any sound potentially.
Q: What do you bring to the stage when it comes to sound and energy?
Mikael: Silly ferociousness! Playing music is the most fun thing to do, and I want to bring the audience along for the ride whether they want to or not.
Jaydee: I try to bring atmosphere and wonder. I want to help portray the feeling that anything could happen at any time!
Shaun: A smile. Sometimes I am locked in the flow state of my mind, and sometimes I am reaching out to connect with the audience. Either way I'm very happy to be there.
Q: What can people come to expect from your show at the Chill House?
Shaun: A power trio. Sadly I will be absent due to illness. I am very sorry. The three Villaineers who will be there rock! They’ve been working hard on the craft while I work hard on my recovery!
Mikael: A relentlessly action packed 30 minutes of songs that have distinct character, the start of our set sounds nothing like the end of our set
Jaydee: Expect a straight to the point setlist! A little less experimental instrumental detours and layers than you would normally expect , as we are playing three piece style, but we make up for that with sheer energy and control.
Q: How do you feel about performing alongside artists like Dusty Pines and Super Kawaii?
Such a blended lineup must be interesting for everyone involved.
Mikael: Love the sonic cross-pollination! Why would you want a four course meal with similar dishes?
Jaydee: We look forward to seeing and hearing the eclectic collection of sights and sounds that await us at the Chill House, to say the least!
Shaun: Diversity is best! I wish I could be there because I know it will be a night of great music.
Q: What can fans expect from the band's output in the near future?
Mikael: We'll be releasing some new songs this year (debuting 3 of them at Chill House)
Jaydee: In the near future? Singles, a couple EPs, we already have so much ready in the wings and there has been no shortage of ideas in the house of V.
Shaun: We are always writing, practicing and recording. Soon I will return from my medical journey full of new inspiration which will translate to even more artistic output!
Q: Is there anything you hope to achieve musically by the end of the year? If so, what?
Jaydee: By the end of the year we want to have played a handful of exciting, worthwhile shows, released a couple EPs, definitely some singles at the very least, and we're working on a new line of merch!
Mikael: We have dance music in our DNA already, but I want to expand the EDM flavors in our repertoire.
Shaun: Finish this wave of songs, so that we can keep our output consistent.
Q: If you could describe Villian Villian in only one word, what might that word be?
Mikael: Multidimensional, there are so many ways to look at what we do and who we are.
Jaydee: Adaptable. We've been in through so much as people, as a band. One thing we've had to do is constantly adapt to our situation or surroundings.
Shaun: Balanced.
Q: What sets Villian Villian apart from other bands?
Jaydee: I think every band believes themselves to be undefinable, and unlike anyone else, but if I were to say something, I'd say that we don't adhere to rules most bands have. (a band of multi-instrumentalists really open doors!) I think the collection of our influences and experiences makes us unique enough.
Shaun: We are full of different inspirations. Some bands connect over similar interests, but we connect over the art in general. We learn to compromise and listen to each other better all the time which I think is rare.
Mikael: We're just being ourselves, if you like our vibe then we're the world's foremost practitioners of it!
Q: What makes your live shows unique? What are some of the biggest selling points for a
Villian Villian show?
Jaydee: You won't see the same set twice, and you might not even see your favourite song! Haha I know that's not always great, but we love to keep it fresh and love to keep it moving, with little to no talking between songs. Just us and the sounds we bring with us!
Mikael: We show up with an unreasonable amount of gear and make crazy sounds right there on the spot. The sound guy usually hates us because we're complicated lol
Shaun: Our energy on stage is like a Buddhist Dinosaur in the streets of Beautiful British Columbia during a thunderstorm.
Q: Lastly, what is one piece of advice you would give to any aspiring artists out there
looking for a push?
Mikael: Embrace your weirdness! It's better to be bizarre than boring, and so much more fulfilling to be loved for being yourself than accepted for pretending to be someone else.
Jaydee: Do it for yourself, play music for you, do your art for you and no one else. The right people will see you for who you are, don't bend to the will of others and just be yourself damnit!
Shaun: Have no fear. Don’t be afraid to try new things and reach out to new and different people. Listen to others with open ears and work as a team to achieve the goals you set. Leverage your love and passion into something that you can be proud of.
--------------------------
Villian Villian will be playing a mix of brand-new and familiar material during their set at the Chill House - and you won't want to miss out on this legendary performance if you're a fan of the band; or if you're looking for a reason to get into them.
This is your chance to see one of Vancouver's finest alternative outlets live on the Chill House stage, and you'll want to stick around for the variety that will be captured throughout the entire night. It's sure to be a wild show that fans of both Punk and Hip-Hop can bond over; and you won't want to say you missed this one.
Loving all of these interviews!! Keep up all of your good work ^^
ReplyDeleteLove all of your know before you go interviews! So cool learning about each band🩷
ReplyDeleteAwesome write up followed by an even more awesome interview!!
ReplyDeleteExcellent Q/A!
Love getting to know the bands before the show. This was an excellent interview and thank you for sharing.
ReplyDelete