Have you heard any good classic rock record recently? Well, I had my share while checking “Dispatch“ by the Canadian classic rock band The League of One. I got the chance to meet with the band talking about their latest album, record label, production and even the lyrical themes. Let’s find out!
- You’ve an interesting name guys! How did it come up?
WIll Maeder – I read a book when I was younger that had always resonated with me. It was about a World Government, and they were not cool, and they were called The League Of One. Figured the best way to keep it from being real was to take the name.
You guys have a unique spirit of RNR, but I am kinda confused when you mentioned your genre, I found Hard Rock on Facebook, and stoner rock on your bio. How do you classify your music?
Billy Grant – We have had more than one person doing our bios on different media, so that may explain that. As for how we classify our music is a tough question to ask to an artist, it’s Rock and Roll in the end.
- The Rev – How would you classify our music?
Well, as you said “a pure sound of RNR”. Okay, many bands these days doesn’t know the importance of signing with a record label.
- In your opinion guys; how it’s beneficial to release your album via a record label?
Willy – It was an easy decision for us, we have always done everything ourselves. Recording, promoting, touring, everything. When we had a chance to let some of those details get taken care of, awesome.
Billy – Lil Eve Records is a Ma and Pa company, literally, and that really was something we wanted.
As much as I’m big fan of your music; I wasn’t convinced with the filming of “Antz” and “Working Man’s Band”, were you on shortage of time or how the filming idea came up?
Willy – Yes to both questions, as stated before we have always been a DIY band, that includes videos. We had to make some low budget videos, with NO budget, and wanted them to look super Campy.
The Rev – We had a ton of fun making them, and hope they will help us get some video grants in the future.
- Currently, many bands avoid to risk having a long-length track as they afraid their audience get distracted while listening. Won’t think that “Koolaid and Bug Burgers“ could make many listeners feels that way?
Billy – We have always loved long songs, and have always featured longer songs on our albums. “Kool Aid and Bug Burgers” is one of my favourite songs to perform, and it just needed to be that length.
- Willy – Tell me, does Kool Aid feel like a near 10 minute song to you?
Frankly, No! I enjoyed it a lot. Well, it’s rare these days to find bands using a 12-string-guitar, which reminds me of the ancestors of rock’n’roll.
- How music arrangement and using different elements could help the music direction?
Billy – We mainly stay with the classic guitar bass and drums, but we do love to have different instrumentation in the music. Willy has been writing some songs on the piano lately, so keep your ears open for that. That alone has taken some music in a different or altered direction.
- “The Connoisseur” was one of my favorite songs. Do you follow any specific lyrical themes for songwriting?
Willy – We hit many themes in our music, depending who or how the lyrics are written. We have songs on the Dispatch record that we all individually wrote lyrics, and ones that we all wrote the lyrics as a group, which is fun with The Rev in there. They go from personal, to Weed wielding garbage dump plants.
Billy – The Connoisseur is on a concept album, Dispatch, so all the songs had a theme or followed the story on that album.
- What’s your plans for the future guys? And are you planning for festivals soon?
Willy – We have festival coming up at the end of the month, Band City Fest August 25th in Moose Jaw SK, Canada. Take some time working on some demos for the next album, more videos.
Billy – Then a tour out to the West Coast of Canada in the Fall.
