By Jim Barber
Metallic is alive and properly in western Canada – particularly within the Alberta provincial capital metropolis of Edmonton, the place a small, however vibrant and demonstrably potent arduous rock and steel scene has flourished over the previous couple of a long time.
One of many latest teams to blast forth from the house of the NHL’s Oilers is the powerhouse quartet generally known as Well-known Strangers.
Comprised of guitarist Jeff Kittlitz, vocalist Amanda Kiernan, bassist Braden Sustrik and drummer Brian ‘Beej’ Jolly, the group fashioned in 2023, and has launched plenty of singles and movies of masterfully compelling steel music, that includes musical virtuosity blended with superlative songwriting chops and the spectacularly dynamic vocal prowess of frontwoman Kiernan. It’s a recipe for one thing particular, as evidenced on tracks like ‘George,’ ‘I’ll See You within the Stars’ and the magnificently badass new tune, ‘L.S.C.’
All members of Well-known Strangers are skilled and achieved veterans of the western Canadian music scene. A few of the band members hadn’t performed often for some time or had been not feeling fulfilled of their present musical enterprises however noticed the chance to type a brand new band as a strategy to re-energize and revitalize their love for music.
“Beej and I, after our earlier undertaking collectively [which ended around 2013], simply stored writing music collectively when all people else in that previous band went their very own approach. And all through the scene, he had performed in a couple of bands with Braden and for years, Braden performed in a band with my brother again within the day referred to as Compromise. So there’s been years and years of historical past between all of us,” Kittlitz mentioned.
“And that band Beej and I had performed exhibits with Amanda’s band, The Order of Chaos. And once I was first launched to her, I instantly simply liked her voice and needed to work along with her. And again then we even tried to perform a little marriage ceremony band cowl factor and introduced her in for that. As life went on, all people type of did their very own issues. However Beej and I stored going and finally Braden got here again in for an unique instrumental undertaking that we began to do, which lasted a couple of yr. After that we determined to simply preserve having enjoyable taking part in covers. None of us may actually sing, though I gave it a shot for some time. We quickly realized we needed to get singer to come back in and assist us. So we invited Amanda out simply casually. She didn’t need any dedication or something in any respect to do with bands or something. She had a nasty breakup along with her final band, so we simply mentioned to come back out and have some enjoyable. It was a pair months of jamming covers till at one jam we introduced her with an unique and it simply hit her. She fell in love with it and mentioned, ‘guys I wish to do that. I’m all in.’ After which we got here up with the title, and began writing tunes straight away, and right here we’re.”
The title Well-known Strangers doesn’t have an excellent and evocative story or byzantine that means behind it. Regardless, it’s a reputation that’s each acceptable and one which caught proper off the hop.
“It’s type of humorous. I used to be simply driving down the street at some point and I had the Deep Purple tune ‘Excellent Strangers’ on after which I regarded to my proper and there was a Well-known Donair store. And I simply put two phrases collectively as Well-known Strangers and type of considered it for a bit and realized the 4 of us, we’ve been taking part in on the scene for a very long time and I assume we’re all form of well-known in our personal approach. After which occupied with all of the individuals within the crowd and all people, however we’re all nonetheless strangers on the similar time. It’s only a factor that got here collectively in my head and once I introduced it to the band, all people received behind it,” mentioned Kittlitz.
Previous to forming Well-known Strangers, Kittlitz was doing a variety of manufacturing and engineering work for different artists. This meant when it got here time to report materials for the brand new band, he was the logical option to take the helm behind the board.
“I’ve been doing manufacturing for a very long time now and actually take pleasure in it. We did collaborate with [producer] Phil Anderson. He helped us monitor some drums on the most recent single and helped with the vocals just a little bit. For our first stuff, I additionally did the blending, however then we received in contact with Joel Wanasek and he’s in full assist of what we’re making an attempt to do. So transferring ahead, we simply wish to preserve working with him and have just a little bit of outdoor opinion, which I feel is essential,” mentioned Kittlitz.
“And it’s by no means been a difficulty with me doing the manufacturing and likewise being within the band. It’s been a pleasure writing and dealing with all people within the band. We’d do one thing on possibly the primary tune after which notice, ‘oh yeah, we must always have did this or that, or we must always have been extra diligent on that.’ And all people agrees and we simply make the required adjustments for the following tune transferring ahead. We’re all about rising and studying from one another.”
Like minded in just about each side of composing, recording and performing unique arduous rock/heavy music, together with a palpable sense of household and dedication to at least one one other as people and artists has seen Well-known Strangers ‘click on’ as a inventive unit onstage and offstage.
“Everyone’s received the identical objectives. None of us have children or households or that type of attachment. I work in manufacturing other than the band. Amanda DJs [at an adult entertainment establishment], Brian builds street instances and Braden performs in different bands and is a instructor [mostly contract work for online courses]. All of us have the pliability and the identical want and I feel all of us sense the timing is simply so proper for this band proper now. And there’s no egos. Lots of our pals have accomplished it, those we grew up listening to and respect, they’ve all gone and toured and accomplished nice issues. And I assume it simply hasn’t been our time till now. At this second we really feel one thing that we simply can’t deny. So we’re pushing as arduous as we will,” mentioned Kittlitz.
“We’re additionally having enjoyable. We’re having a variety of enjoyable. And I truthfully assume the hot button is that these boys, I can’t imagine how open they’re to any concept. And don’t get me incorrect, you’ve gotta make compromises and stuff like that, however we’re all simply open and keen to do something and the whole lot. And it’s a lot extra liberating that being in a band the place there’s a lot close-mindedness and no person need’s to attempt issues, which we’ve all skilled,” added Kiernan.
“We get alongside so properly. And I don’t assume it’s simply us. I feel all the brand new bands which might be coming collectively out of older bands, all of us simply wanna have enjoyable now. Typically you get into bands and it simply will get just a little too critical. And as Well-known Strangers will get larger, I’m certain we’ll have extra challenges and get just a little stressed at instances, however we simply wanna have enjoyable. We simply wish to play music that we love.”
One other factor that welds the band members collectively into a decent unit is that all of them perceive the significance of professionalism and a focus to element. Whether or not it’s easy methods to load out and in of a gig effectively, being pleasant to venue employees, having glorious social media, ensuring you’ve rehearsed sufficient, and making a stage look and efficiency fashion that’s interesting and memorable, Well-known Stranger is as devoted to all these points of constructing music as they’re to having enjoyable.
“We do attempt for that. For me, being away from reside efficiency for 10 years till I based this band and received again into it, I knew I needed the whole lot to be proper. I imply, I used to be on the street doing sound stuff, however not truly to the purpose now the place I’m a content material creator, and a photographer and even an actor in a way. However that’s what you’ll want to do at the present time. I needed us all to have correct outfits. I needed us all to look a sure approach and sound a sure approach. And for some individuals all that stuff possibly doesn’t appear necessary, however it is necessary and it’s all a part of being profitable. And in the case of how we glance and carry out on stage, you need individuals to go to a present and be entertained and see one thing cool and undergo a journey and stroll away considering, ‘hey, that was rad. That regarded actually cool.’ I don’t wish to be up there in simply denims and sneakers. That’s not who we’re as musicians and as a band, so let’s not painting that,” Kittlitz defined.
All of that’s effective and good, however for those who don’t have the inventive chemistry, and if the output of that chemistry is just not compelling, unique, and glorious, then you definately’ve solely stuffed in a part of the puzzle. Luckily for Well-known Strangers, the give and take, the willingness to work as a unit, to set egos apart for the nice of the tune, and the nice of the general well-being of the band, can also be emblematic of their strategy to songwriting.
“Truly, so lots of the songs began with myself and the drummer Beej. We performed in a band referred to as That is Warfare again in 2010 to 2013 and when it break up, as I mentioned earlier than, we simply stored writing and finally collaborated with Braden to get issues going. After which Amanda got here in and put lyrics to the songs, which gave them an entire new life. As soon as we determined we had been undoubtedly all in on the band, we began writing collectively. Normally it begins with me coming in with a riff with Beej and we get some concept. Braden may then throw some bass on it, and it’ll proceed to develop and develop as we jam it out. Then when Amanda is available in with some lyrics, it grows and develops extra. Components get modified to adapt to the vocals, and the identical factor with the bass line, it would get modified to mesh higher with the drums. It’s at all times rising and getting higher and all people’s throwing of their opinions and so they all get tried out a minimum of as soon as,” mentioned Kittlitz.
“And a few of the adjustments make it and a few of them don’t. However nobody’s emotions get damage. We ensure we launch a product on the finish of the day that everyone is stoked about and all of us then get behind and assist it.”
Kiernan then talked about her course of, which demonstrates her evocative storytelling fashion, highly effective use of language and imagery and a no-nonsense badass outlook that provides an emotional depth and depth to music that’s already robustly irresistible.
“Every little thing is mostly written musically after which I type of idiot round with it at residence or once we’re jamming, and produce it residence after the jam. However once more, one of many issues that excites me a lot about this band is how open we’re. We’re all very open to, like, no matter. We’ll simply jam what we really feel on a given day. Typically we’re even jamming rap or techno and we simply have a lot enjoyable with it. I really feel the important thing to us is that we’re all open to something,” she mentioned.
“Even when there’s a brand new tune being written and currently that we’ve been taking part in extra exhibits, I’ll take that new tune and we’ll truly play it and I’ll inform the viewers, ‘hey, it is a new tune, the lyrics aren’t written but. So I want some inspiration. What ought to the tune be about?’ And one time they mentioned dinosaurs as a result of we had been in Drumheller [site of one of the biggest deposits of dinosaur fossils in the world]. So I sang an entire tune freestyle about dinosaurs. And since we report our exhibits, I’ll hear again to a few of these components and really take them and work them into the songs and produce them again to the boys. It’s been such a extremely cool factor to have the boys simply let me be myself. They’re at all times inform me to go for it.”
‘L.S.C.’ is the newest single/video launch from Well-known Strangers. And it’s an epic demonstration of the band’s good potential to harness dynamics and to construct rigidity musically, vocally and lyrically.
Within the promo materials for the one, “the tune is instructed from the angle of a feminine determine who is a component human and half spider. It’s impressed by the mating behaviour of black widows the place attraction, intimacy and destruction all collide. At it’s core, it’s about obsession, energy and survival. It speaks to the emotional weight of wanting one thing that was by no means meant to be yours, and the energy it takes to tug your self again from that edge.”
For this tune, Kiernan mined her literate mind, ardour for horror motion pictures and understanding of the darker facet of human nature for a spellbinding psychological journey.
“I do watch a variety of scary motion pictures so possibly it got here from that. However we did a variety of these items in my different band, The Order of Chaos. We had a tune referred to as ‘Sexwitch’ and we did picture shoots the place I’m consuming the guitar participant alive. So all that bloody form of stuff was in my thoughts already due to my previous. And that form of stuff has at all times been a reasonably steel state of affairs, proper? And it’s wonderful what can occur once you let somebody be precisely who they’re, as a result of all this creativity and stuff is simply pouring out of me proper now. The concepts simply preserve coming, and I’ve to thank the boys as a result of they’re letting me be me,” she defined.
“I truthfully don’t know the place it got here from. Everyone at all times says it comes from elsewhere after which it comes into my mind. However for ‘L.S.C.’ I used to be simply occupied with spiders and the way they mate, after which clearly the video simply got here out that approach due to the lyrics. Like, ‘because the blood runs down my face, I tear by means of your flesh and blood.’ Individuals can put their very own that means to it, however there may be a variety of metaphors that occur in my writing. It wasn’t meant to be a giant social commentary on something, however anyone can take the tune and the video the way in which they need too, which is ideal. If I can encourage somebody to not name again that particular person, and be like, ‘f*** that man,’ I’m cool with that.
“In order that was probably not what I meant for this tune. It was completely simply primarily based off how bugs mate and the way the feminine usually kills the male after mating. However that’s the fantastic thing about music, anyone can take the lyrics a totally totally different approach and I like that. I like listening to what different individuals’s opinions are about my songs.”
Oh, and as for the that means of the letters L.S.C. … it’s to be decided. Typically just a little thriller is an effective factor.
“Some individuals have gotten fairly shut. If you happen to watch the video and also you take heed to the lyrics, as a result of once I wrote it I believed it was a reasonably steel idea to put in writing about how the black widow spider and the praying mantis they mate, then they kill. I like having enjoyable with individuals taking part in the guessing sport proper now. And the guesses are so humorous and superior,” Kiernan added.
The tune ‘I’ll See You within the Stars,’ is just not fairly so maniacally superior and gore splattering as ‘L.S.C.’ however it’s nonetheless emotionally weighty.
“I feel it was the second or third one which Beej and I had written about 10 years or so in the past, after our different band had damaged up. And we type of wrote it multi function night time. We had a little bit of an fascinating night and simply determined to play music till 5 o’clock within the morning – it was simply a kind of nights. And that tune got here out nevertheless it simply sat on the again burner for a very long time till Braden got here into the band. And as soon as he put his bass in it, it had a brand new life, however we nonetheless didn’t know what we had been going to do with it. And Amanda heard it and shortly concepts and lyrics simply began pouring out of her. However even after she recorded her components, we thought it would simply be a studio tune or simply an album tune till our supervisor, Byron Stroud [former bass player for Fear Factory, Imonolith and Strapping Young Lads] that we’re coping with proper now, he requested to listen to the tune and instructed us to place it out and do a video. So we listened to him and now it’s a factor. It’s not on the again burner any extra. That tune is a giant deal now for us,” Kittlitz mentioned.
“Persons are responding to it actually, rather well. And we didn’t assume that folks had been even going to connect with it the way in which that they’re. And it’s humorous as a result of I didn’t even imply to put in writing it. It’s about obsessing over somebody for a extremely very long time and that possibly the universe is aware of what you need and also you don’t at all times know what you need however that you simply simply have to belief your self. It simply received actually deep and loopy and it’s such an emotional tune. After recording it, I bawled my eyes out. However now once I sing it, I don’t really feel that; I really feel like I’m healed from it, that I’ve processed no matter it’s that was in my coronary heart. So, it’s neat how that tune wasn’t even alleged to occur and now it’s our most considered on YouTube and most listened to on Spotify. It does show the facility of music,” added Kiernan.
“it’s a really weak tune. I’m not used to writing stuff that’s so private, however somebody as soon as instructed me that you simply’re supposed to put in writing your experiences as a result of persons are going to resonate with that. And that’s clearly what’s taking place with ‘I’ll See You within the Stars.’ I’ve by no means accomplished stuff like that. However our Byron Stroud was actually good as a result of he is aware of we now have an entire different facet to us that nobody is aware of but. I needed to launch our blues tune instantly as a result of I’m so enthusiastic about it, however how are you alleged to go proper from heavy steel to blues? So ‘I’ll See you within the Stars’ is a pleasant little gateway into our softer facet.”
And that’s one other fascinating side of Well-known Strangers. In a day and age the place genres have gotten so slender and limiting, the band is making an attempt to keep away from hyphenations as a lot as doable, eager to have inventive flexibility and to keep away from being pigeonholed.
“We’re actually making an attempt to be open to all types and genres. And even in steel, there’s 100 totally different genres on the market. To me, I grew up in a day the place it’s simply heavy steel, arduous rock or just steel music. And there weren’t 100 totally different subsets to the whole lot. We simply play what feels good. We would like to have the ability to carry out at a present and have all people get a minimum of one thing out of it that they’re going to love,” mentioned Kittlitz.
As for efficiency, the band has plenty of dates opening for the band Grave Mass earlier than hitting the stage at Armstrong MetalFest in Armstrong, British Columbia, July 11 and 12.
“After that we’re doing Loud As Hell Pageant in Drumheller [Aug. 1 to 3] and from there we’re within the studio. We even have one other video that’s about half accomplished that we have to end taking pictures for the primary launch of our new EP, which we actually have to get accomplished this summer season. From there, we’re speaking about doing a run right down to Los Angeles and again, beginning in Vancouver after which down the strip of the coast and again. The following large factor for us is we actually wish to get to Europe or South America quickly. Each Amanda and I’ve been blessed to have accomplished some festivals in Europe and it’s only a entire different stage over there. I feel it’s the place we’d be obtained one of the best,” mentioned Kittlitz.
“I feel our largest hurdle proper now’s discovering some promoters and reserving brokers to get us these exhibits. Proper now, the whole lot’s DIY for us, so we’re hoping to fulfill some individuals who can assist out with that.”
“We wish to play each city. We wish to play each f***ing city on this planet,” Kiernan enthused.
Well-known Strangers is a band that’s totally dedicated to creating items of music with depth, that are melodically memorable, emotionally resonant with roof blowing energy. And the band members are equally dedicated to doing what is critical to unfold their steel message far and large. Up to now so good … with way more to come back.
For extra details about Well-known Strangers, their latest and upcoming releases and touring plans, go to their socials or
Jim Barber is a veteran award-winning journalist and writer primarily based in Napanee, Ontario, Canada, who has been writing about music and musicians for greater than 30 years. Apart from his journalistic endeavors, he works as a communications and advertising specialist and is an avid volunteer in his group. Contact him at jimbarberwritingservices@gmail.com.
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