Tuesday, November 22, 2011

More Distortion is MORE....

Dear Studio Diary...lol
We are in day two of recording the new record. Alot going on! We are finally settled in. In the next week we will be focusing on the songs we think are the chosen singles for the record...The titles are as follows:

1) Burn
2) What are you good for?
3) Leave the light on
4) Lucky

Each song has its own vibe and we are definately trying new things on this record. So far we've done most of the drums. Bass. And will be working on the vox, guitar, more bass and drums where needed...and the little things that add character to each song. THATS MY FAVOURITE PART, weird little noises, effects on vocals or instruments etc. We are really paying close attention to the story telling in each song and making sure you feel it in every riff, chord, crash, beat, word, slide, etc. Today we found a really distorted guitar sound that fit 'What are you good for ' perfectly. It is definately one of the heavier songs on the record. You will see our many faces on this LP.

We are still going crazy thinking of titles for the record. What do you guys think of when a villain comes to mind?... the album is a celebration of our bad sides, our inner villains, accepting it for what it is and gaining strength in that.

Anyway here are some photos of our awesome production team / tech genius : Rick,James and Dave. AND... Nadia and French goofing around haha. We are also happy to announce that Jon Drew will be mixing and mastering the record. Total dream team. We are so stoked to get this in your hands and its only day two!

Stay warm tonight.
xx
L




Monday, November 14, 2011

Release me, you fool.

Hi November.

Truth be told I hate this month. Always feels like i'm in between something but this year i've taken the opportunity to actually get as much done as possible. Starting Nov 21st we are heading into Coalition Studios and recording the new ML singles. Expect a change, a good one. I'm extremely happy. We continue rehearsal for recording this week.

I'm proud of myself for being more focused this time than in previous years. I cant wait till you all hear the new music! Scratching our heads trying to come up with an album title.

On a random note:

Had the most hilarious thing happen to me recently which i wanted to share cause it was just so bizarre. The other day I was driving home and 5 minutes prior to getting into my neighbourhood i see a million cop cars zoom right past us. At this point we knew something had happened in the area. The police cars disapeared into the distance.Turing onto my street, we see cop cars...just parked...so we are simply going to pass by at this point. Then to our surprise their lights come on. We get pulled over, asked to exit the car, guns pointed at us and had cuffs put on us. HOW CRAZY IS THAT. We have no idea whats happening at this point. They later explain that there was a shooting in the school on our street, and our car matched the getaway car. LMFAO! they search everything and then clear us after 20mins. I have never experienced such a thing but couldnt help but laugh at the confusion that had just happened. Talk about wrong place at the wrong time. Thought that would make you guys laugh. Im not even fucking with you.

Have a great week.
xx
L

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

"I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too! "

Hello Bloggers.

So much for the once a week blog? haha I swear i'll get there. Want to talk to you about a bunch of random stuff recently happening in my world. Last time i blogged was right around my birthday.

First of all, Holy October! seriously fall is the best season in the world. I could never live in winter full time or summer, fall is just right. For me anyway.

I like the colours in the trees, the pumpkin spice flavoured everything, apple cider, and the anticipation of halloween. Honestly Halloween and Dia De Los Muertos is my favourite time of year. I'm sure its quite obvious. Ive always had an infatuation with the cultural aspect of it, to me its better than Christmas. Theres just something more spiritual and supernatural around this time of year. My favourite subjects. I'm in the middle of trying to decide what im going to be for halloween, last year i was a nun. I just thought it was hilarious. I mean, i was raised Catholic and I love Catholic art and rituals but i dont take myself very seriously. I believe in a bit of everything when it comes to religion. I think only you can define that for yourself.

Tonight will be a 4th attempt at costume shopping. I find it really hard now adays since everything looks really skimpy. When did halloween turn into a lingerie fashion show??...i think we are missing the fun of it now, the innocence, i wish i could go trick or treating still. What a bummer. Seriously. I do everything i can during this time of year so i feel like im super involved in it, we went to the pumpkin patch last week. We went to a pre-screening of paranormal activity 3 lastnight (which was really good, most decent horror movie franchise now adays, you have to watch the first two though), we'll be carving pumpkins soon, and we are going on a ghost walk out of town the sunday before Halloween. I forgot to mention that they previewed this crazy looking horror film lastnight called The Devil Inside. Holy Shit the trailer itself was AMAZING. Im such a kid. Total Horror movie nerd. I remember in elementary school, i actually use to hangout in the girls bathroom and wait for girls to come in and make them say bloody mary or candy man three times. Most of the time theyd run off crying. What a horror. lol SO MEAN. I would never do that anymore... actually depending on the situation....kidding!

Okay so on to grown up stuff haha...the record writing is coming together. We played indie week in Toronto this last weekend. WHAT A GOOD TIME. We met a band from overseas called the Suburbians, really down to earth nice guys and another band from here called the The Reason. We played two shows in total this past week. The first was at the Gibson Showroom Rocksmith Launch event. Very cool new guitar video game, check it out if you havent! We got to play it for a bit. Its so funny cause i was soooo horrible at it haha We ended up covering two songs which were part of the game...The Cure: Boys Dont Cry and Blur: Song 2. The guys from the other bands were gracious and kind enough to sing the woohoos on the song! it was so much fun, i felt like such a shrimp on stage cause im really short and the guys were all like 6ft something so funny. Then on the Saturday night we played at the Horseshoe for the Epiphone/ Monster Cable night. Definately my fave live venue in the city. Everything is so loud! love it! but the crowd was great, it was nice to see some old friends and make new ones. Thank you to all who came out! That'll probably be the last Toronto show for a little while since we'll have to focus on the record in the next couple of months. When the new record comes out, we will be focusing on touring south of the border, we really want to get down as far as LA! im so sorry after all these years we've really stuck to the north east side but trust me when i tell you, this record will take us down there. Be patient. Thank you for all your support for so long, I know we've made you wait long enough.

On the subject- We will be heading into the studio in November to start recording the album singles.
We'll have one ready for you in the new year. I'm also preparing for the launch of my label Splendor House Records. I've recieved some really great emails from people. Thanks for your support! I'll keep you guys in the loop when i have the site up and running, for now im just trying to concentrate on getting back to some writing notes before we head into recording. It's been so busy these last couple of weeks.

Also at the end of the month Im going to be taking part in the ShowUp Vaughan Benefit Event. I'll be one of the talent judges. Its October 27th at the RH Performing Arts Centre. Proceeds from the show will go to the Shining Through Centre for Children with Autism. Go here and see how you can take part: http://www.showup-on.ca/about.php

Anyway on that note, Happy October everyone!

I'm going to leave you (especially young ladies running the world) a trailer to a really awesome doc that's airing tmrw i believe on the OWN network. Its called Miss Representation and it was passed down to me by Mo Sandoval on facebook. Check it out here, it looks awesome!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gkIiV6konY&sns=em&noredirect=1

Happy Harvest.
-Lex

Monday, September 26, 2011

Forgive me Father for I have sinned...

Hey Lovelies!

I know its been a while since i've last blogged. I know I should blog more often. And im going to try to my hardest to get one a week done. Im wrestling my cat right now lol he doesnt like it when im on the computer typing. He knows im trying to sneak something around him and his attention time. haha

Another thing you should know about me is i can be a horrible multitasker but i'm really good at focusing on whatever i have to focus on once i decide where im directing my attention to. I guess there are pros and cons to that. I have a tendancy of disapearing for days, weeks, months..if im focused. Songwriting, catching up with family,friends. Life.

Alot of interesting things on the horizon. More then anything Im really proud of whats becoming of our next record. We are taking risks that ive always wanted to take on a record and i'm so happy to be surrounded by people that are pushing that out of us. Sometimes you get stuck in this comfort zone with songwriting and you become afraid of letting go, or what people will think, or if youre saying too much, but now i can finally say and mean that non of that matters as long as it makes us feel satisfied with the body of work. I want a record that ive completely exhausted myself into and that makes me feel victorious in my own person. With that being said the plan is to have the record out in 2012. With a single out in January if we are on schedual. Right now we have finshed putting together for the most part the ideas for the record,we are arranging the songs with R&J and heading into the studio in the next couple of months. They are honestly sounding the way ive always wanted them to sound in my head. Sometimes its hard to translate something from your mind to recording especially if you have too many ideas going on at once. Rick and James have given us that extra push that we've always needed and sense of organization in my mind.

I've also recently fallen in love with home recording - best thing ever!!! What a sense of freedom! Which reminds me, after i'm done this blog i need to record a couple of things.

I've been procrastinating this weekend since I had a birthday celebration on saturday and my mother came back from her vacation from Mexico just the thursday before. Its been a very eventful weekend! We are also in the middle of moving. Going to be living in a new townhouse with nads which im super excited about.Life is changing but life is good. Its funny but in the last year ive realized that I LOVE CHANGE. I dont know if its something my parents conditioned in me - moving homes every 3 years as a kid or just something in my spirit. Change usually scares people but i embrace it. Even if its sudden change i just prefer it. Theres nothing worse than stagnation. The easier it is for you to embrace change the easier it is to get by in life and the more you enjoy it. I can honestly say it excites me. The only thing that stands in the way of people moving forward is fear. Sometimes yes its circumstance-but you can either a) let the circumstance get to you and use it as an excuse or b) try to get through the brick wall and find your way over it, even if it hurts. I prefer b).

Amongst all the change, i've also really started getting into the lyrical aspect of the record. I've started taking on a more viscious character which is really fun. And I can almost already sense a theme in the lyrics going on. Its about our most inner villain. Everyone has one. Even the nicest people, they have an inner villain. When you hit their limit, test their patience, your inner villain will say or do something that will get that point across. I love villains, in movies, in music. Wicked Witch of the West is one of my favourites. She probably had her reasons haha. I have a villain, we all have one. And this record is lyrically a celebration of that. That we are all people with flaws, and sometimes messy emotions, bad thoughts, impulsive reactions, THATS OKAY.... BUT you can use your inner villain for something positive.Our inner villain is our fuel. That villain is courage, it's fearless, its honesty, its raw, its true to who you are, it's your truth, its your dark sense of humour. Its you.

Since my birthday just passed and I've been thinking more and more about that subject, about how everyone has two sides i had a thought: Its not about a good or a bad side and picking which side is the right one. Its about balance. Finding a balance of both if it makes you happy and surrounding yourself with people that love you for you and are okay with that. Thats my form of happiness.

It was funny cause sitting amongst my friends and loved ones on saturday night i got this sudden feeling of being so blessed knowing all the wonderful people i know. And how in some hilarious way we found comfort in being bad and hilarious together for one night.

I have this sudden feeling that everything is possible in this next year. More than ever. I dont know why.

Anyway i'll leave you on that note, since im behind on a million things including my laundry. haha


Stay positive.
xx

Lexi

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

A little inspiration...

Hi Friends,

This is blog post number two. And yes it still feels just as uncomfortable as the first one, i feel like im already saying too much lol.

Okay so whats been going on? lets see... well... we have two shows this weekend that we are really pumped about. We havent played in Ottawa and Kingston in ages and are working something out for Montreal most likely for December.

We also continue to write and think about the new record.One of the hardest and best times for a musician is the songwriting process. Its fun and its a headache. My favourite part is recording it and hearing it back. Sometimes there are songs you loved at first and then you cant stand within a week. why? i dont know. It's hard to explain but it's not complete until youre like, " okay i can live with this, it makes me feel something"...maybe its accomplishment? excitement. a rush. satisfied. I dont know. The hardest critic i have is myself. I know that i'm not the greatest musician in the world but that was never my goal. I wanted to make people feel things through lyrics.I wanted them to find strength in that.

My grandfather was a writer and a diplomat. He had a double life. I feel like that sometimes. I feel like i really knew him even though i never met him.He did what he loved but he always had a plan. Rational but a dreamer. Thats how i consider myself. I dream ALOT... i want alot. everything, actually. I can be selfish but i put alot of other people first. Big dreams, big love, full life but in the end i know whats right and whats wrong and im not willing to go against what feels right....to me. All you shouldnt either. Thats probably my biggest battle everyday in general. The two sides. Being right or being wrong. I realize that i cant have one without the other. I'm both. My grandfather would have been a kindred spirit for sure. He was killed before i even met him. With that being said...writing means the most to me. His words mean alot to me. The words.

So now.... this week i got a great surprise, it was a sign to me that i was somehow on the right track with the way people felt about the songs and THAT inspired me greatly. I got an email from a young lady named Veronica from Belleville and she explained what our music meant to her. It was one of the most inspiring gestures we've ever recieved to date. And i'm honoured she would pick one of our lyrics to carry with her for days to come..

"My name is Veronica. I'm 23 years old and I live in Belleville. I've been a fan of yours for 5 years now, when I first saw "The Constant Lover"on Much Loud- [which as you can see has had this muscially sagacious effect on me] ( well, heard "Cheap Linqustics one night randomly at a some party the year previously) when I was having one of those adult/naieve/nerotic experiences in that time of my life which now I look back on and realize I could of been a slightly disengenous.

Where I made some recent and drastic changes in my life this past year- getting out of long/appreciated relationship, moving to help out back home, being far away from family and friends for so long. I find your music just being that much profound for me as much now as it was 5 years ago.

I really hope you don't find this obsessive. Thats the last thing I want. I think that you ladies are/an amazing band/musical genuises and I feel as if you singing about me. It's music like yours that inspire the uninspiralable and people should be able to get that from music.

Please contine to create this amazing music you do. I'll be looking forward to see your show in Kingston... I think what I've been trying to say is Thank you for keeping me grounded,sane and appecitative."





Anyway I wanted to share that with all you. It made me happy. A little teary eyed not gonna lie!

I remembered I wanted to tattoo some lyrics on my wrist a long time ago. I'm too indecisive and ever changing that I dont have the balls to do it yet. But one day i'll muster up the courage to get one. I just dont know right now. Its also because i havent found something i want forever and i dont trust myself. only sometimes.

Heres for you guys in Ottawa and Kingston. Hope to see you there! We are giving out some free swag to the first person that comes with three friends to the merch table on friday and saturday night. See below for details...



And best for last of course...HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! Best dad ever!!!

love you lots.
Lex

P.S. I've decided im most likely NEVER gonna correct the grammer on these blogs. Its just WAY too much work im sorry haha xo

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

First blog. REAL BLOG.

Hey everyone,

Okay so i decided to start a blog. A REAL blog. I've been told a hundred times that I need to be a little more personal with all you. There's something I can't stand about reading blogs or posts with people over publicising their life. I really do think that some things should be kept personal and it absolutely makes me nervous at the thought of being emotionally exposed. If i'm going to do this blog thing i want to use it for some sort of good. Blogs should be for sharing positive things. Music, books, travel, memories, life lessons, quotes and things that keep you up. And even if at times the content is a bit dark it should be to inspire not to bring down.Dont you all know that misery loves company? I have an absolute fascination with human dignity and when you over expose yourself i feel like their is none left.Or maybe its just scary to me. Talking about myself and my thoughts right now is making me extremely anxious. haha


For starters: I have a rather dark sense of humour so i hope you guys will take me with an absolute grain of salt. I wanted to stay away from blogs for a long time, cause im extremely opinionated and perhaps wanted to save you all the headache haha. I'm very hard headed.

Okay well I guess I should probably tell you what i'm up to these days and how i feel about it right?

haha okay here goes....

I'm at work right now listening to Slow Show - The National, such a great song. Nada Surf is also on the playlist as well. I really do admire that band alot. Great pop hooks but always themselves. I'm not gonna lie i could REALLY use another coffee. I fear i may be a coffee junkie though so i'm sticking to water for the rest of the day. 2 cups is enough. for now.

I'm currently writing and demoing the new Magneta Lane record with France and Nads. If you've been reading our online communities we also were super pleased to announce our new production team. Rick and James of Finger 11. Great and creative, humble guys. I'm so impressed with how they've taught me to look at things in a different way in a studio. If you listen to our two bands seperately, we are completely different... but the one thing that brought us together and made us join forces for the record was the fact that we are fans of the same music. 90's music. Demoing with them has been a blast. It's like we share the same brain when it comes to the new songs. I'm excited to get into the big house studio and of course, get the record out to all of you. Getting to know them i've learned that its always the guys that are the most kind, humble and real that have the most successful music careers. I think that says alot about the way life works. Always be thankful and kind and humble with others and life has a funny way of rewarding you. Just some food for thought.

In the meantime, i've been trying to find ways to take over the world LOL joking! A friend of mine always jokes and calls me the Brain, like in Pinky and the Brain...do you guys remember that cartoon? haha classic. I dont know whether to take that as a compliment but he's pretty funny. Anyway...I decided to use my spare time wisely and start my own record label. I was gonna put it off till after this record was released but i figured i have all the tools, i learned alot in the last 8 years and felt like why the hell not!

It's called : Splendor House Records. I'm looking for 3 acts to take on right now, as i wont be able to take on more with everything thats going on with the record and home life. It's gotta be something different. Acoustic,piano, indie rock, electro, whatever as long as it makes me want to put the work into it. If you think you have something special, email me here. I'm working on getting the site up for it. I wanna hear tunes! : splendorhouserecords@gmail.com

At the label, we want to also show artists how to run their own shit and teach them about how the music industry works. For those that are young especially, you can't let people take you for a ride. I want to prepare the artists with how they handle the business side of things as well. I can't stress this enough...you have to be well informed about your craft on stage and off stage.

Anyway i have to go back to work and stop procrastinating. I'm laughing cause this is the second time I'm typing the same blog, last attempt erased everything. haha

Hope everyone is enjoying the warmth. I apologize for the run on sentances, and AWFUL grammer. Have you seen how long this thing is? if it really bothers you, then YOU correct it. kidding.
love to you all,

L