Wednesday, March 31, 2010
bored teenagers.
This week has been so hectic. Two of my final pieces are due tomorrow. For photo I think I'm just going to submit a selection of snapshots I've taken of my friends over the past little while. I've always been super into photographs that are unposed and not set-up. Some of my favorites are Ryan McGinley, Nan Goldin and Dash Snow. Everyone should google them! Their lives are fun.
For painting, our theme was mixed media soooooo I'm using photographs I've taken (close ups of the face usually) tracing them and mirroring them on canvas with just the basic line structure against super bright colors.
For painting, our theme was mixed media soooooo I'm using photographs I've taken (close ups of the face usually) tracing them and mirroring them on canvas with just the basic line structure against super bright colors.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
press 6.
I've said it before and I'll say it again -- The Paps are a record executive's fantasy come to life: Four teenage girls (including a set of twins!) who can handle their own instruments, sing on key, harmonize, and write punchy, punky power-pop nuggets that invite comparison to the old-school crash-bash sugar-buzz of The Runaways and early Blondie. The Gimli foursome have a new EP called Not Looking for Romance out today -- and they're playing a hometown release party tonight at the Gimli Movie Theatre. Not up for the drive? Be patient; they'll be playing in the city next month. Meanwhile, they were nice enough to answer my stupid questions.
---
- Who's in the band, how old are they, what do they play, and what do they do for real money?
Fiona, 19, rocks the bass and works for the music industry ... at HMV.
Jodi, 18, plays drums and works as the personal assistant to the Mayor of Gimli.
Jordan, 18, plays guitar and works the streets as a Red Bull girl.
Terra, 19, sings. You know how singers are ... always between jobs.
- Describe your music and/or sound in 20 words or less.
Power pop.
- Tell us about your latest CD or upcoming gig in 20 words.
We recorded with Brandon Friesen and Ron Obvious. It's called Not Looking for Romance. Out today.
- Why should we buy your CD or come to your gig?
Because we're in debt.
- What's your most original quality?
We're an all-girl band that doesn't sound like an all-girl band.
- What's your motto?
"I'm not going home alone tonight" ... joke.
- Complete this sentence: This band runs on ...
Vodka limes and good times.
- What are your favourite movies?
C.S. Blues: Behind The Scenes with The Rolling Stones; Madonna: Truth or Dare - Tell us about your coolest tattoos, piercings or other body mods. Don't be shy.
Terra has a large tattoo on her back -- she's accident-prone so she got an angel to watch over her.
- What is your most valued possession? And where do you keep it?
Her name's Trish. She's a porcelain doll face that hangs on the wall in our practice space to prevent fights. We draw on her a lot.
- Got any guilty pleasures?
Jon and Kate Plus 8.
- Name your favourite local musical act.
Adam T. Elvis
- Now, name your favourite musical acts.
The Clash, The Who, David Bowie, Bryan Adams, The Rolling Stones, Blondie, Arctic Monkeys, Exploding Hearts.
- Who would you be insulted to be compared to?
Other girl bands who suck/ We're constantly compared to them because we're girls.
- Tell us about your best gig.
We got to open for Guy Maddin's My Winnipeg at the Burton Cummings Theatre last summer. It was the best day of our lives ... so far.
- Tell us about your worst gig.
When we were 16 we opened for an erotic hypnotist. We weren't even old enough to be there and we didn't get on stage until 1:30 a.m. We had school the next day.
- Now describe your ultimate fantasy gig.
We would love to play in Iceland. We all have strong Icelandic roots and respect their support for the arts. We'd bring The Strokes with us.
- What's the best part of performing and/or touring?
Being able to do what you love and seeing other people get into your music. We also like to play dressup.
- What's the worst part of performing and/or touring?
Struggling to carry our gear.
- What are you afraid of?
Becoming a one-hit wonder.
- Tell us about your coolest celebrity encounter.
We got to have a glass of wine backstage with Bryan Adams. He took the photo featured on the inside of our EP.
- What's the dumbest thing you've ever done?
Hanging out at Hooligan's till 3 a.m. with an exam early the next morning.
- What's the smartest thing you've ever done?
Taking advice from our talented and beloved Ron Obvious.
- Complete this sentence: I'll know I'm a success when ...
We're able to support ourselves with our music, or we have our own show on the Disney Channel.
- Now complete this sentence: I'll know I'm a failure when ...
We have our own show on the Disney Channel.
- What would it take to make you give up music? Not that we're suggesting anything.
Amputation of ALL limbs -- because we know it's quite possible to keep going with the loss of only one or two.
press 3...4 & 5.
THE PAPS
Not Looking for Romance EP
Gimli girl group the Paps have upped the pop and downed the punk for their sophomore release. The EP still retains some of their fun, fast and fierce rhythms from their previous release with songs like “Make Up Your Mind.” However, songs like the lead-off “Here’s What You Wanted” seem to indicate the band is gradually venturing towards the pop world. The six tracks are full of catchy hooks, choruses, solos and an overall cleaner sound. It’s only really a matter of time before this talented, hardworking foursome eclipse the likes of Avril Lavigne, Fefe Dobson and other so-called rock superstars whose albums can’t do in a few full-lengths what these girls can do in a couple EPs. (Independent, www.myspace.com/thepaps) Kent Davies
Paps now de-smeared, ready for fame
It’s remarkable how much can happen in a band over two years. When I last spoke with The Paps nearly 730 days back, the fiery young powerpop foursome from Gimli, Manitoba had just released their debut EP, Love Chords, were entering their final year of high school, and had a different singer.
Flash forward to now.
A second EP, Not Looking For Romance, has just made it way into the world: a vigorous, punky five-tracker that was the end result of some nascent growing pains for the band.
Like a lead singer change-up roughly a year-and-a-half ago, a move which saw Terra Stevenson take over for the band’s original singer. “Without talking about our old singer, we just thought it was time for a change. Our new singer is amazing and she’s always giving it 110%,” drummer Jodi Dunlop explains over coffee.
“It [her vocals] suits our band more,” chips in bassist Fiona Axelsson. Now fronted by their ferociously passionate new singer, The Paps – rounded out by guitar specialist Jordan Dunlop (who is, along with twin sister Jodi and Axelsson, of Icelandic descent) – have rocked venues all around Winnipeg and Gimli, sharpening their sound and perfecting their live performance.
And, sure enough, the band’s stylings caught the ear of award winning Winnipeg filmmaker Guy Maddin, who invited the girls to kick off the festivities at the launch of his film, My Winnipeg. This golden opportunity meant a half-hour set in front of a sold-out crowd at the Burton Cummings Theatre.
“We were all nervous and everything. But when the curtain opened we couldn’t see anything, and it was like playing to no one,” recall Dunlop and Axelsson, nearly completing each other’s thoughts. “We had our own little dressing room. He [Maddin] came and asked ‘I wanna see what a band does beforehand, do you think I can see what a band does?’
He stayed for a few minutes and was so great!” Another part of the postband-infancy process for The Paps involved shortening their moniker from “The Papsmears” to “The Paps,” a smart and media-friendly move. “It was good when we were sixteen… and we weren’t thinking about radio play. [However], we’d heard that radio stations were kinda sketchy about playing us and we figured ‘The Paps’ is cool,” Axelsson says. So armed with a truncated, more-agreeable name, invaluable show experience and a different singer,
The Paps returned to the studio and recorded their second EP, Not Looking For Romance, a continuation of the uncompromising powerpop aesthetic they first introduced listeners to in 2007. The five tracks still play to The Paps’ strengths: effusive delivery, economic arrangements, and insanely catchy riffs, yet their overall sound is sharper and more mature.
But this isn’t all together too surprising, as the promising teenagers I wrote about in the fall of 2007 have grown into talented, powerpop-purveying adults.
Mykael Sopher is a fifth generation Canadian of Icelandic descent on his father’s side. If there is anything related to Icelandic music you wish to bring to his attention, feel free to email him at:
soundingicelandic@gmail.com
Back to Top
The Paps
Not Looking for Romance
Power-Pop
Sun Rating: 3 out of 5
The kids grow up so fast, don't they? Just look at The Paps. It seems like only yesterday this Gimli girl-group was calling itself The Papsmears and bashing out gritty little pop-punk nuggets between exams. Now, they've shortened their handle to something slightly more palatable -- and taken steps toward musical commerciality. This six-track EP retains their punky spirit but gussies it up with sharper hooks, bigger choruses, stronger performances and fuller production. They may not be looking for romance, but they're sure to find a few admirers with this.
www.myspace.com/thepaps
Not Looking for Romance EP
Gimli girl group the Paps have upped the pop and downed the punk for their sophomore release. The EP still retains some of their fun, fast and fierce rhythms from their previous release with songs like “Make Up Your Mind.” However, songs like the lead-off “Here’s What You Wanted” seem to indicate the band is gradually venturing towards the pop world. The six tracks are full of catchy hooks, choruses, solos and an overall cleaner sound. It’s only really a matter of time before this talented, hardworking foursome eclipse the likes of Avril Lavigne, Fefe Dobson and other so-called rock superstars whose albums can’t do in a few full-lengths what these girls can do in a couple EPs. (Independent, www.myspace.com/thepaps) Kent Davies
Paps now de-smeared, ready for fame
It’s remarkable how much can happen in a band over two years. When I last spoke with The Paps nearly 730 days back, the fiery young powerpop foursome from Gimli, Manitoba had just released their debut EP, Love Chords, were entering their final year of high school, and had a different singer.
Flash forward to now.
A second EP, Not Looking For Romance, has just made it way into the world: a vigorous, punky five-tracker that was the end result of some nascent growing pains for the band.
Like a lead singer change-up roughly a year-and-a-half ago, a move which saw Terra Stevenson take over for the band’s original singer. “Without talking about our old singer, we just thought it was time for a change. Our new singer is amazing and she’s always giving it 110%,” drummer Jodi Dunlop explains over coffee.
“It [her vocals] suits our band more,” chips in bassist Fiona Axelsson. Now fronted by their ferociously passionate new singer, The Paps – rounded out by guitar specialist Jordan Dunlop (who is, along with twin sister Jodi and Axelsson, of Icelandic descent) – have rocked venues all around Winnipeg and Gimli, sharpening their sound and perfecting their live performance.
And, sure enough, the band’s stylings caught the ear of award winning Winnipeg filmmaker Guy Maddin, who invited the girls to kick off the festivities at the launch of his film, My Winnipeg. This golden opportunity meant a half-hour set in front of a sold-out crowd at the Burton Cummings Theatre.
“We were all nervous and everything. But when the curtain opened we couldn’t see anything, and it was like playing to no one,” recall Dunlop and Axelsson, nearly completing each other’s thoughts. “We had our own little dressing room. He [Maddin] came and asked ‘I wanna see what a band does beforehand, do you think I can see what a band does?’
He stayed for a few minutes and was so great!” Another part of the postband-infancy process for The Paps involved shortening their moniker from “The Papsmears” to “The Paps,” a smart and media-friendly move. “It was good when we were sixteen… and we weren’t thinking about radio play. [However], we’d heard that radio stations were kinda sketchy about playing us and we figured ‘The Paps’ is cool,” Axelsson says. So armed with a truncated, more-agreeable name, invaluable show experience and a different singer,
The Paps returned to the studio and recorded their second EP, Not Looking For Romance, a continuation of the uncompromising powerpop aesthetic they first introduced listeners to in 2007. The five tracks still play to The Paps’ strengths: effusive delivery, economic arrangements, and insanely catchy riffs, yet their overall sound is sharper and more mature.
But this isn’t all together too surprising, as the promising teenagers I wrote about in the fall of 2007 have grown into talented, powerpop-purveying adults.
Mykael Sopher is a fifth generation Canadian of Icelandic descent on his father’s side. If there is anything related to Icelandic music you wish to bring to his attention, feel free to email him at:
soundingicelandic@gmail.com
Back to Top
The Paps
Not Looking for Romance
Power-Pop
Sun Rating: 3 out of 5
The kids grow up so fast, don't they? Just look at The Paps. It seems like only yesterday this Gimli girl-group was calling itself The Papsmears and bashing out gritty little pop-punk nuggets between exams. Now, they've shortened their handle to something slightly more palatable -- and taken steps toward musical commerciality. This six-track EP retains their punky spirit but gussies it up with sharper hooks, bigger choruses, stronger performances and fuller production. They may not be looking for romance, but they're sure to find a few admirers with this.
www.myspace.com/thepaps
press 2.
www.guttersnipenews.com
REVIEW – THE PAPS AT THE ACADEMY NOV 26
i’m gonna make this quick
gonna make this sweet
with a little innocence
tossed in
The Paps
EP release.
The Academy.
100 plus souls.
www.myspace.com/thepaps
pop on
Love Me
that’s
po(P)tential
they’re young
they’re innocent
(on stage)
they’re beautiful
and youthful
just out of high school
sisters
(twins)
Jordan on guitar
Jodi on drums
and
a band from Gimli
home of the Icelanders.
i couldn’t take my
eyes off the drummer
i love drummers
Jodi plays like ida
in The Ex-Girlfriends
but
with innocence
(she keeps her
shirt on) and yes
Jodi’s
technically
a better drummer
performance
and songs
you have those
you’ll fly to the moon.
The Paps
are passionate
their exuberance
and
their innocence
takes my heart
they’re a little
stiff
on stage
they’re
(un)
relaxed
that’s where Jodi
has it
the ease
the joy
of being in the zone
on stage
the relaxing will come
with time
with experience
Terra
lead vocals
tae kwon do
black belt
unleashing
(dynamic)
high kicks
takes me down
thinking
of Mike Koop
now of The Kicker
ex of The Bonaduces
his 100 plus
leaps and kicks
in a 60 minute
set
two songs stood
out
Love Me
Hate To Say I Told You
(needs to be on your myspace)
No
they’re not
The Quiffs
the best live band
in this city
when i returned
in 2004
and all
female
The Quiffs
inspired
so many
women
in this city
to get up
on stage
and do it!
That
’s punk.
every guy
in every band
knew The Quiffs
were the best.
most
stewed over it.
except,
The Hot Live Guys
who just
kicked it up
higher.
and higher.
The Paps,
they’re not The Angry Dragons
they’re The Ex-Girlfriends
they’re not Oh My Darling
performance and songs.
the bassist
Fiona
has a striking
resemblance
to Ida Cherry
she’s not as punk
sexy
as Ida,
she is
as beautiful
to be this young
this beautiful
this passionate
on stage
about
playing your songs
waiting for a record company
employee
to offer
the moon
(they’re still too young.)
the moon will be
always be there
take the time
to listen
and watch
bands
find anything
by The Quiffs
(YouTube and myspace)
go see Joanne
of The Angry Dragons
and American Flamewhip
go watch Jessee Havey
see the zone
feel it
and hear the songs
time is on your side.
and in a few years…
(perhaps)
The Paps
will be
as hot and
as devastating
as The Quiffs were
live.
www.myspace.com/thequiffs
or
maybe they’ll (only)
be as
ruthless
and nasty
and hard
as
The Angry Dragons.
are.
www.myspace.com/weathermanunderground
The Weatherman Underground
delivered their usual
blazing 45 minute
set
yeah,
Rene looked
uninterested
after a few songs
doesn’t matter
performance and songs!
the songs
and the power
coming from
Jed’s drumming
drives the band
and Bobby
and Johnny
always rocket.
to the moon!
they’re always
performing for the
females in the
audience
the best band
on any stage
they play
(period)
they always do it.
play it
hard
fast
loud!
they’re
always
in the zone.
and if
you don’t dance to it
you’re a fool.
you’re a drag.
now, wouldn’t it have been
The Challenge
The Weatherman Underground
on the same stage
same bill
as The Hot Live Guys
?
Rene would have been
full-on
for that.
never to be.
The Hot Live Guys
end
December 23rd
last show
at The Albert.
The Paps
The Weatherman Underground
The Academy
November 26.
REVIEW – THE PAPS AT THE ACADEMY NOV 26
i’m gonna make this quick
gonna make this sweet
with a little innocence
tossed in
The Paps
EP release.
The Academy.
100 plus souls.
www.myspace.com/thepaps
pop on
Love Me
that’s
po(P)tential
they’re young
they’re innocent
(on stage)
they’re beautiful
and youthful
just out of high school
sisters
(twins)
Jordan on guitar
Jodi on drums
and
a band from Gimli
home of the Icelanders.
i couldn’t take my
eyes off the drummer
i love drummers
Jodi plays like ida
in The Ex-Girlfriends
but
with innocence
(she keeps her
shirt on) and yes
Jodi’s
technically
a better drummer
performance
and songs
you have those
you’ll fly to the moon.
The Paps
are passionate
their exuberance
and
their innocence
takes my heart
they’re a little
stiff
on stage
they’re
(un)
relaxed
that’s where Jodi
has it
the ease
the joy
of being in the zone
on stage
the relaxing will come
with time
with experience
Terra
lead vocals
tae kwon do
black belt
unleashing
(dynamic)
high kicks
takes me down
thinking
of Mike Koop
now of The Kicker
ex of The Bonaduces
his 100 plus
leaps and kicks
in a 60 minute
set
two songs stood
out
Love Me
Hate To Say I Told You
(needs to be on your myspace)
No
they’re not
The Quiffs
the best live band
in this city
when i returned
in 2004
and all
female
The Quiffs
inspired
so many
women
in this city
to get up
on stage
and do it!
That
’s punk.
every guy
in every band
knew The Quiffs
were the best.
most
stewed over it.
except,
The Hot Live Guys
who just
kicked it up
higher.
and higher.
The Paps,
they’re not The Angry Dragons
they’re The Ex-Girlfriends
they’re not Oh My Darling
performance and songs.
the bassist
Fiona
has a striking
resemblance
to Ida Cherry
she’s not as punk
sexy
as Ida,
she is
as beautiful
to be this young
this beautiful
this passionate
on stage
about
playing your songs
waiting for a record company
employee
to offer
the moon
(they’re still too young.)
the moon will be
always be there
take the time
to listen
and watch
bands
find anything
by The Quiffs
(YouTube and myspace)
go see Joanne
of The Angry Dragons
and American Flamewhip
go watch Jessee Havey
see the zone
feel it
and hear the songs
time is on your side.
and in a few years…
(perhaps)
The Paps
will be
as hot and
as devastating
as The Quiffs were
live.
www.myspace.com/thequiffs
or
maybe they’ll (only)
be as
ruthless
and nasty
and hard
as
The Angry Dragons.
are.
www.myspace.com/weathermanunderground
The Weatherman Underground
delivered their usual
blazing 45 minute
set
yeah,
Rene looked
uninterested
after a few songs
doesn’t matter
performance and songs!
the songs
and the power
coming from
Jed’s drumming
drives the band
and Bobby
and Johnny
always rocket.
to the moon!
they’re always
performing for the
females in the
audience
the best band
on any stage
they play
(period)
they always do it.
play it
hard
fast
loud!
they’re
always
in the zone.
and if
you don’t dance to it
you’re a fool.
you’re a drag.
now, wouldn’t it have been
The Challenge
The Weatherman Underground
on the same stage
same bill
as The Hot Live Guys
?
Rene would have been
full-on
for that.
never to be.
The Hot Live Guys
end
December 23rd
last show
at The Albert.
The Paps
The Weatherman Underground
The Academy
November 26.
recent press 1.
Mike Choi
The Paps Profile
Most girls like to dress up on a Saturday night in short skirts, high heels, and hit the bar. These four girls would rather dress up and hit the stage. Upbeat drumming, catchy guitar riffs, solid bass all topped off with confident and passionate vocals are some of the things you’ll find in a night spent with The Paps. Oh, and expect to see some twins too.
“I hate the kinds of girls that take three hours to get ready just to go out to a friend’s house because there might be some cute guy there,” said Terra Stevenson, lead singer of local powerpop group, The Paps.
Stevenson, 20, takes a sip from her beer, her shoulders exposed to reveal a tattoo of a giant rose covering her entire shoulder. “Our music is aimed for people who wanna have a good time, they don’t care about impressing anybody else, they just wanna be themselves, be original people, and party hard. People like us who just wanna have fun.”
The Paps is comprised of Terra Stevenson, 20-year-old bassist Fiona Axelsson, and the 19-year-old twins, Jodi and Jordan Dunlop who play the drums and guitar, respectively.
Originally The Papsmears, The Paps were formed in Gimli, Manitoba, the hometown of the Dunlops and Axelsson. They have already recorded two EPs, their latest being Not Looking for Romance, just released last year, and have been playing shows all around Gimli and Winnipeg, getting their name know and their sound heard.
One person who heard their music was award-winning filmmaker, Guy Maddin.
“Guy saw us playing in Gimli and he was really into it. After, someone contacted us about playing a show. We were blown away. It was unbelievable and so much fun,” said Jodi Dunlop.
The girls played a half hour set for Maddin’s Winnipeg premiere of his film My Winnipeg in front of a sold-out crowd at the Burton Cummings Theatre.
Don’t be fooled by the fact that all the members in the band are female. These girls have a big sound, the attitude, and the know-how to back it up.
“We were all in jazz band; we all have so much experience with music. We can read music and record separately,” Dunlop said. “We don’t like to be considered as girl band. We’re just a band. We wanna be grouped in together with all the other bands.”
Even when confronted by people in the industry to change their look and sound to gain the immediate appeal of being a hot ‘girl band’, the girls will stayed true to themselves, never sacrificing their music for image. This doesn’t mean that they don’t look as good as they sound though.
Right now the girls are focusing on their studies, the guitarist and bassist in sciences, singer in theater and drummer in fine arts. They say they do have big plans for their music though.
“We’re all students right now, but we want to take the next step. It’s something that we all really wanna do,” Dunlop said, “We just need to wait for the time and then go for it and do it.”
Keep your eyes out for The Paps shows in the near future. They love to hang out with fans after shows and appreciate all of them, though they’re not interested in groupies right now.
“Well, we all have boyfriends, so…” Dunlop smiled as she looked at Stevenson.
“I guess that’s where the not looking for romance comes into play,” Stevenson laughed.
The Paps Profile
Most girls like to dress up on a Saturday night in short skirts, high heels, and hit the bar. These four girls would rather dress up and hit the stage. Upbeat drumming, catchy guitar riffs, solid bass all topped off with confident and passionate vocals are some of the things you’ll find in a night spent with The Paps. Oh, and expect to see some twins too.
“I hate the kinds of girls that take three hours to get ready just to go out to a friend’s house because there might be some cute guy there,” said Terra Stevenson, lead singer of local powerpop group, The Paps.
Stevenson, 20, takes a sip from her beer, her shoulders exposed to reveal a tattoo of a giant rose covering her entire shoulder. “Our music is aimed for people who wanna have a good time, they don’t care about impressing anybody else, they just wanna be themselves, be original people, and party hard. People like us who just wanna have fun.”
The Paps is comprised of Terra Stevenson, 20-year-old bassist Fiona Axelsson, and the 19-year-old twins, Jodi and Jordan Dunlop who play the drums and guitar, respectively.
Originally The Papsmears, The Paps were formed in Gimli, Manitoba, the hometown of the Dunlops and Axelsson. They have already recorded two EPs, their latest being Not Looking for Romance, just released last year, and have been playing shows all around Gimli and Winnipeg, getting their name know and their sound heard.
One person who heard their music was award-winning filmmaker, Guy Maddin.
“Guy saw us playing in Gimli and he was really into it. After, someone contacted us about playing a show. We were blown away. It was unbelievable and so much fun,” said Jodi Dunlop.
The girls played a half hour set for Maddin’s Winnipeg premiere of his film My Winnipeg in front of a sold-out crowd at the Burton Cummings Theatre.
Don’t be fooled by the fact that all the members in the band are female. These girls have a big sound, the attitude, and the know-how to back it up.
“We were all in jazz band; we all have so much experience with music. We can read music and record separately,” Dunlop said. “We don’t like to be considered as girl band. We’re just a band. We wanna be grouped in together with all the other bands.”
Even when confronted by people in the industry to change their look and sound to gain the immediate appeal of being a hot ‘girl band’, the girls will stayed true to themselves, never sacrificing their music for image. This doesn’t mean that they don’t look as good as they sound though.
Right now the girls are focusing on their studies, the guitarist and bassist in sciences, singer in theater and drummer in fine arts. They say they do have big plans for their music though.
“We’re all students right now, but we want to take the next step. It’s something that we all really wanna do,” Dunlop said, “We just need to wait for the time and then go for it and do it.”
Keep your eyes out for The Paps shows in the near future. They love to hang out with fans after shows and appreciate all of them, though they’re not interested in groupies right now.
“Well, we all have boyfriends, so…” Dunlop smiled as she looked at Stevenson.
“I guess that’s where the not looking for romance comes into play,” Stevenson laughed.
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