ZEUS strikes supercrawl

Toronto-based rock band Zeus are one of the most exciting acts out there. If at any point in your life you were a ‘classic rock fan,’ you’re sure to dig Zeus.

And that’s not to pigeonhole the band either – for all their similarities to the rock n’ roll of yore, they’re still new, innovative and most importantly, relevant.

ANDY caught up with three of the band members (Carlin Nicholson, Neil Quinn and Rob Drake) at Hamilton’s Supercrawl on Friday, Sept. 14. The band had just got in from Toronto and it was their first time at Supercrawl. I met them behind Colbourne Stage, where we chatted over some beers.

I asked the band about their take on Supercrawl, and then what sort of festival they prefer: family friendly or adults.

“I have no preference,” said Neil Quinn, “this festival is the difference. When you involve the city… When you close the streets off… I mean, typically in a lot of smaller towns this would by definition be a family-friendly festival. You’ve got the artisan tents, you’ve got the store-fronts involved, and the local businesses are involved too.”

I wondered what it meant to the band, as working professionals, that the festival is free.

Again, Quinn had an enlightening answer. “That it’s free speaks for the local businesses and the mindset of the city. If the bands’ payment is subsidized, that speaks for the kind of ideas the town wants to promote. But if you cordon off the area and make it a ticketed event, it’s different. Take SXSW in Austin. The locals don’t necessarily care for it.”

“I’m pretty sure the locals book their vacation around it,” added drummer Rob Drake.

Neil Quinn continued, “And then [the locals] go and make a free festival to counter SXSW. [The locals] don’t feel represented. If you’re going to attend a festival, as someone who lives in the area, you’re going to want to feel represented.”

Carlin Nicholson agreed, “If you’re someone who does anything [in Hamilton], then you’d probably come.”

I asked the guys if they had any advice for those McMaster students living in the West-end bubble.

“Go downtown,” offered Neil Quinn.

Rob Drake added, “Go for a walk and smell them roses!”

Zeus’ next release will be an EP of all cover songs, date of release TBA. The EP is complete as is their next 7” in their series of singles the boys release between albums (date of release also TBA). Not to mention that the band claims to have almost half of yet another LP finished, having just released a full-length earlier this year. Pretty fitting, then, that they call themselves a ‘backlog band’.

Before all these new goodies hit the shelves, I highly suggest going out and picking up an album, either 2010’s Say Us or 2012’s Busting Vision. They’re both 5/5, 10/10, infinity/infinity.

Jacob McLean