Looking Back

Well it's another new year. Before we get into some of the stuff Charge might be up to in the coming year, I thought, damn, we did some pretty awesome things in 2011.

The Defiant Ones came out in February, our first full-length album. Following up on our EP We Haven't Been Properly Introduced from the summer of 2011, the album gave us a chance to really stretch out and try a lot of different things. From the alt-punk riffage of opener "Last Door Down" to the spaghetti western bombast of the closing title track, it's wide-ranging and intense. Lithium Magazine gave it a rave review, saying we had "a rugged flare for bringing raw yet melodic sounds of alternative rock to life alongside the boisterous style of indie darlings like The National and Band of Skulls. 'The Defiant Ones' also features dynamic drum beats, punchy bass lines, jagged guitars, and haunting piano passages." ExploreMusic.com picked "Young Love" for an Indie Track of the Day, and CBC Radio 3 featured "The Real Heart". Late in the year, blogger T.O. Snob chose "Desdemona" as #4 for his Best Songs of 2011. Pretty sweet, and everyone seems to have a different fave.

We did our first real video for "Charge!!", a short and punchy take of the band sweating out the track, directed by Paul Thompson. Check it!



Jason and I got over to the UK to play some dates in Liverpool for the International Pop Overthrow, including a hilarious stint with Japanese tourists in the Cavern Pub.

Then we got to do it all over again the fall for the International Pop Overthrow right here in Toronto!

That was a pretty intense gig. I'd just had surgery for a hiatal hernia two weeks before (which you can read all about here). Sure I was recovering, but they'd made a knot out of the top of my stomach, so maybe playing was pushing it. We did have a really good show, but hoooo I was feeling that the next day!

What else happened?

We played a boat.

We played a garage.

We played a mess of club shows and wrapped the year up with a great benefit gig for Sick Kids where the bands raised nearly a grand for charity!

All in all a pretty solid year.

What's coming next? Well, that's for the next post!

I survived the Toronto IPO

Well I can now say gigging after surgery is totally possible. Recommended? No. But doable? You bet your sweet ass!

Charge played the Toronto edition of the International Pop Overthrow on Thursday, November 10th. We were in classic post-infirmary shape. I'd just had major surgery to fix a hiatal hernia, or tear in my diaphragm, two weeks before. Owen was getting over laryngitis, nasty enough on its own, but he has to keep an eye on these things, having suffered through a collapsed lung in his twenties. Yipes! Jason was totally fine, except for the fistful of tequilas he'd been handed by an overzealous fan just before his other band Clockwise hit the stage that same night. In spite of all that, or maybe partly fuelled by it, we put on a rockin' tight set. David Bash, the always affable host and organizer of the IPO events, remarked how Charge can "play any kind of pop song", something we really pride ourselves on. Sometimes we're punky, sometimes progressive, but it's always hung on a power-pop skeleton. That's just the way we roll.

I've been experimenting with playing keys as part of my set-up in the band, but this time we kept it lean and mean. Festivals are always about tight turnovers between bands, and I didn't want the added strain when not in top form. But it made the gig really free and easy for us, not having to sweat all those other parts. The stripped-down power-trio works well for what we do, and as we blasted through everything from "Charge!!" and "Last Door Down" to "Young Love" and even a wrenchingly minimal "The Defiant Ones", the audience was with it every step of the way.

Boy was I sore the next day though.

Really looking forward to our next show, playing a benefit for the Toronto Sick Kids Foundation at Lee's Palace on Friday, December 2nd. It's going to be fun. We're appearing with Toronto roots-rockers The Alter Kakers, the slick pop of Little Creatures, and the cool acoustic stylings of Angela Saini and the Residents. And another change-up for us: Owen's tied up with a different gig, so Charge will be appearing one night only with our original drummer, Zack Mykula. Can't wait to reunite with one of Toronto's great up-and-coming musicians. Seriously, Zack can wail.

We've got a great deal going for tickets for the benefit. If you pick one up direct from the band, you can get a ticket to the show and download our album The Defiant Ones for $10. Buy tickets here. A good cause, four bands, and a free album. Makes a great stocking stuffer too! Seriously, benefit shows are a great way to do something nice around the holidays. Your support makes a difference.

And by December, I should be fully ready to rip again. Okay, poor choice of words. You know what I mean. See ya there!

The long slog...

So long 2010! And what a long ride you've been...

Highlight of the year is definitely recording the best material Charge of the Light Brigade has done, our debut full-length record The Defiant Ones. It's been a long arduous process, and we switched drummers as recording drew to a close, but the end result is shaping up just fine. There's some great tracks coming, from opening rocker "Last Door Down" to the rolling pop swing of "All You Are To Me" to the epic pomp of closer title-track "The Defiant Ones". We've revisited the material from our first EP We Haven't Been Properly Introduced, and those tracks have bigger cojones now, some real hairy mojo. In a good way! We've even dug further back in the vault, polishing up earlier Sneyd pieces "Wheels Come Off" and "The Real Heart". Marc Koecher's production is superb as ever, really rich and complex, and Jason and Zack did wonderful work on bass and drums. My own writing continues to develop, along with that fragile instrument people call a voice. All in all, it's a great mess o' tunes.

Beyond that, getting out our first EP and going out with a newly revitalized band (twice) was a great feeling. Jason joining the band made a huge difference for getting back in the live world, and his half-cocked jocularity, steady playing and mad range of vocals have added a lot of great dimension to the band live.

The lowlight was definitely the great drummer hunt in the summer. Zack Mykula, a long-time stalwart playing with me, decided to move on to focus on some new projects he was getting going, just as we were finishing up the tracks for The Defiant Ones. Talk about hard to replace! Zack's a superb drummer, and an original thinker behind the kit. And wonderfully stoic and dry, one of the city's true curmudgeony best. We auditioned a good bunch of guys as replacements, and boooooyyyyy was it tough finding anyone even remotely in the same ballpark. We did meet a few really great guys, but it ain't easy when you're looking for the right combination of technical skill, hard-hitting, and someone on the same wavelength to top it off. You know, those alt-rock-prog-pop sophisticated-creative-but-restrained guys don't exactly grow on trees. After many auditions and a few near-hits, we finally lucked into playing with Owen Tennyson, the drummer for Toronto new wavers Blue Peter. Owen's worked out fantastically, bringing his own panache and outgoing style to the band.

Can't wait to get the album out, and get on with the scads of work that entails! But fuck, it's waaaay better than waiting around mixing. Sometimes, the recording process can be a huge grind, and it's easy to lose sight of what you're trying to achieve. But the beast is done, the beast lives! More details about the release coming up real soon.

Happy New Year, and bring the good times. Charge!!

The Process

It don't come easy, this creating things thing. Oh sure, slap a guitar on me and I'll write three new songs before you can say "supernumerary dishtowel". The music part, that is. But the words part, that's harder. Finding the emotion, the pattern or sometimes just the patter, the jibber-jabber that brings those threshing chords alive, that takes some serious work. And then there's working up the music, building a song that's more than some jangles and a tremulous voice.

I wrote my last blog post when we were starting work on our new EP. That was in August. It's now December. That time just got sucked up like a whirly-gig cow, all moos and spastic limbs in a tornado's tumult. Except I barely noticed the time slip away. Three months later, the work's grown, deeper, broader. What started as a 3-song demo is now a cool dozen tracks in various gestative states, this one nearly fully formed, that one a speck scarcely visible to the human eye, with all variations between. But they're not frozen, preserved, floating in jars just yet. These babies are in flux.

We're working on a track "Young Love" that's gonna be pretty cool. But damn if we don't change the opening to the song every day. Subtle variations, pulling things in and out like a manic switchboard operator. We're booked for mastering in about 10 days, and there's a crazy amount of detail to sort out, just for four little songs. Striving for masterpieces in miniature, that's the beauty of pop music.

I'm really looking forward to sharing these songs. They're epic, personal, charged and meticulous. Zack's drumming is urgent and intense, Marc's production layered and rich. If you haven't already, check out the demo for "Desdemona" at our MySpace Now if we can just glue those last corners in place, go easy on the sprinkles, and get some fucking music out there. Sweet Jesus it's about time. It's always about time.

Men at Work

Well it's been awhile, I know. Things have been seeming quiet in Sneydville. But trust me there's work afoot, under the surface, out of view. Zack's back from his tour with the Kelly Girls, and Marc's cleared the decks, and the three of us are cobbling together our new musicology. There's some new tracks coming, and a few extra surprises along the way. These are going to be some pretty wicked songs, which is all I have to say about that for now.

I'm not in the habit of posting drafts, but I can't resist posting a peep here and there. Here's a spate of lyrics to tide ya, for a number called "The Defiant Ones":

No way home
The crossroads they came
And they showed me the way
But they faded before I could see

Once we were whole
But it seems like a dream
That fades with the rain
A chill morning that beats on the glass
A face from the past

Turn your back
Just leave me alone
With the blood on the floor
My footsteps will stain every door
Through which I pass

I've paid for my crimes
And served a lifetime
But I can't forget all I've done
I've laid at your feet
And I've prayed for relief
But nothing can change what I feel
The cold steel of love

We've made our beds
Now let's sleep for all time
Drown our sorrows with wine
Forget there was even a word
Forget

I've paid for my crimes
And served a lifetime
But I can't change the man I've become
I've laid at your feet
And I've prayed for relief
There's no breaking this bond, no release
From the cold steel of love

"Fightsong" video online now!

From Paul Thompson, the director of "The Prisoner" video, comes our latest for "Fightsong". A great vid of a couple's relationship unraveling, the story's told backward a la Memento. Lensed by Juan Montalvo and shot on a high-end RED Camera, it features the full band plus a sexy debut from Deniz Reno. There's even two different cameos from Elena Vardon, star of "The Prisoner" vid. See if you can find her!

Making “Fightsong”: The Shootist’s Adventure

Alright. No shootists were involved. Although I suppose you could say I was a shootee.

We shot the video for “Fightsong” on Friday, March 13th (not being a superstitious lot). The video was a great chance for Paul Thompson and I to renew our Martini MacGuffin film collaboration. Paul shot my first video, for “The Prisoner”, and together we’ve made a few short films with him directing, and me throwing words together in a semblance of writing.

The “Fightsong” concept is pretty cool. The song’s a moody, apocalyptic love-song. In the video, we watch a relationship unraveling as a musician (that’d be me) succumbs to the trappings of success. Except that the scenes play like Irreversible or Memento, occurring in reverse. So we begin with me alone in my now empty apartment, and work our way backward through the relationship in crisis to happier days to when the couple first views the apartment together. The video’s being edited right now, but that’s what we’re going for, and I think we got it.

We had a lot of luck getting the video off the ground, and got to work with a bunch of great people and familiar faces. Juan Montalvo was our cinematographer, back after lensing our short Quarantine. Album producer Marc Koecher joined my bandmates Scott Hannigan and Zack Mykula to round out the onscreen band. And Elena Vardon, featured in “The Prisoner” video, was a huge help, connecting us up with both the studio where we shot the film (Walnut Studio), and our gorgeous leading lady, Deniz Maria Reno. A great bunch of friends and newly cast strangers rounded out our cast, and the crew was capable, efficient and a pleasure to work with. Our art director Rahema Mohamed did a wonderful job creating the apartment, with much help and driving around from Carmela Versace.

The capper was the Red Camera Paul managed to lay hands on through David Woods. That thing is a **monster**, a magnificent, gleaming black beast with a resolution vastly superior to Blu-Ray. Geeks can feast on its specs here. That camera alone will lend the video incredible cinematic depth and luster.

The shoot was long, brutal and loads of fun. Of course we blew out the power in the studio at one point, frying some fuses in a terrifying old-school circuit box. By fluke, one of our extras was an electrician’s assistant, and helped us to track down the right fuses to replace, which Carm, ever intrepid, had to source at 11pm on a Friday.

In the party and photo-shoot scenes, energy and exuberance were in abundance, fuelled by a little of the ol’ alkey-haul, natch! The people that came out fell right into the spirit(s) of the shoot, and had themselves a blast. Can’t thank them enough for being part of it.

The couple scenes played really well, too. It’s strange, falling into instant intimacy with someone you barely know. But Deniz was a beautiful trooper, and I managed my acting neophyte status the best way I knew, with fits of blazing dorkiness.

The band played great – so what if half of it was pantomime? One of the night’s many magic moments that stood out for me was a scene we shot in the wee hours, when the band was working out “Fightsong” as if for the first time. Scott hunkered on his bass and Zack took drumming notes (evincing the possibility of consciousness in a drummer!), as I played guitar and Marc the accordion. The accordion’s reedy sound drifted haunting over the strains of the track as we played together, gathered on the couch of my fictitious living room, and sang the song together. A perfect film moment, concocted, artificial, yet for a fleeting moment amazingly moving and real.

With the great contributions we got on Friday, and a generous dollop of luck, “Fightsong” will feel the same way.

Rok Boutique Tonight - The Heavens Pour Forth Their Frigid Wonder

Yeah. Gigging in the Canuck freeze is always interesting. We're playing Rok Boutique in Toronto tonight, as yet another snow-storm wallops the city. Thankfully this is a hometown gig, so not much running around, and no 401 white-out terror waiting. The show will be a bit different - we're doing an acoustic night with Ryan Christopher, so we'll be kicking off the set with a few purely acoustic numbers. Seeing as we do love it loud, though, we'll be plugging in before the night is done for that full-blown Luke Sneyd and the Deed sound.

Had a great time last night with Rob Spence on SirHijack's the Show at IndieLove.ca radio. Zack and I were in the studio, chatting about recording the Salvo EP and gearing up for what should be a frenetic spring. The best were the constant bleeps and bloops as Rob's various IM windows kept going off during the interview - that man can multitask! I should have a copy of the interview in a few days, which I'll post to the Luke Sneyd Facebook page.

Don't let the billowing frosties keep ya down! Hitch up the huskies, or just make sure there's enough juice in your iPod for that slow streetcar ride. Rok Boutique's at 200 Bathurst, just north of Queen, doors at 9pm, cover's $6.

Salvo EP Preview Vid

Yes ladeez and gents, the Salvo EP is in the can, and trickling through the virtual ether. The follow-up to All of Us Cities features five expansive and melodic new tracks. We're also introducing the live band The Deed on the EP, adding some extra bang and thump to the proceedings. Luke, drummer Zack Mykula, bassist Scott Hannigan, and studio whiz Marc Koecher are all here in this clip of our time in the studio, set to the instrumental rumblings of "Hadron and the Supercollider".

Demo of "The Real Heart" up at MySpace

Well we're **still** plugging away in the studio. It's amazing how long it can take. Especially with a couple of compulsive perfectionists in the band! ;p

I can tell you that the EP is close, but you may not see it till the new year. We've got five super-solid tracks coming together, that are 90% done, but there's a lot of finishing and finesse in that final 10%.

You can get a sneak peak at one of the songs at my MySpace page. This is a production demo of "The Real Heart". The final version will sound similar, but with new vocals, drums, bass, guitar, etc. etc. So yeah a totally different song! Nah, it'll be close. Just more polished.

I'm really enjoying working with the band, bringing Zack on drums and Scott on bass into the collaboration Marc and I have been developing over the past few years. The end result should be pretty cool. And a wee bit massive!

What the hell we're up to....

Posting's been infrequent, I know. And there hasn't been much new going up. I'm glad to say that it's with good reason. The band's in the studio again with producer Marc Koecher. Yep, we've started work on new tracks at long last!

There'll be some samples of tracks coming soon. Right now we've started work on what's either a very long EP or a very short album, depending on your point of view.... One track we've broken out live a few times called "Wheels Come Off" is a rolling romp about plans gone awry. But man it's going to sound a bit different from those first live approximations! I'm pretty excited to be back in the studio, especially working with a few new collaborators this time around. Marc's signature production will be in full effect, but I think there's going to be more oomph, more rockness igniting the epic complexity. Zack's drums are pure thunder, and Scott's bringing some great melodic bass-lines to the table. I'm babbling, but you'll know what I'm talking about soon enough.

Here's a figment of studio life....

Live at the Horseshoe

Thanks to the peeps who came down to our Horseshoe gig! It was pretty awesome of the provincial government to give everyone a holiday for Zack's birthday.... Aside from a wonky backing tracks situation, we had a solid show. Did a great interview with TorontoMusicScene.com, too. More on that later this week. Thanks to the guys from Downsview for the gear-swap! Enjoy the pics, courtesy of Marc Koecher!

Open Hearts Pics

So last night was Open Hearts, the benefit gig in support of Amnesty at the El Mocambo. Fun show. A good gamut of bands put on a great night for the intrepid souls who opted out of the usual Valentine's shenanigans. I got to break out the Sneyd band v. 2.0, which was solid as far as cherry-popping on stage goes! Lindsay's decided to follow her muse with Classic Albums Live, and Marc was down in NYC for a photoshoot, so it was up to les amis de Zack to save the day. Stepping up to the plate, one Nestor Chumak on guitar and Scott Hannigan on bass. Oh, and my trusty iPod nano to deliver some crucial backing bits. The boys delivered, as you can partially see below (Nestor's preferred spot was lurking behind a column that occupied most of stage right, hence he is sadly shotless. This time!).

After our set, Joel Lightman and his band put on a head-boppin' set of rollicking piano pop. Good stuff! They were followed by the Hallelujah Drummers, a Moroccan drum ensemble who did a brief but thumpin' good passel of percussive playing. (I know, but it was so fun to type....) then came Chris Bottomley and Brainfudge, a slow-groove funk band that was ultra-tight and dance-floor inspirational, and last up was headliners and event organizers Blurred Vision. A good time was had by all, for a very good cause.

Rehearsal Before the Drake Gig

Nothing more exciting than hauling your ass into a bitch-frozen rehearsal room early on a Sunday afternoon to crank up the noize.... This is the band pulling the set together for a gig at the Drake the next day. We were also bringing a couple of new faces around to try out for a couple of upcoming gigs the regular band folks can't do - greets to Matt & Carla! Click on the pics to check out the joy, the bliss, the pain and the glory, all in a day's work.....