1.What is the name of your band and how did you come up with it?
What is your name and what do you do for the band?
Jenn: The band's name is Ariel's Attic and it came from one of Mike Olson's previous works - we thought it sounded cool. My name is Jennifer Hailey and I'm the vocalist and also assist in writing lyrics.
Bob: My name is Bob Ross (yeah, just like that painter dude), I play bass, synths and write lyrics with Jenn when she lets me help.
2.Tell us where you are based and describe the scene. How do you think where you are located influences your sound.
Jenn: [...points to Bob…]
Bob: This is a trick question for us. We’re a studio project with three members in Ottawa,Canada and one in Sarasota, Florida so I don’t think our sound is the result of the influence of our respective local scene. That said, I can speak for the Ottawa live scene and it’s a very active and vibrant one. The variety is great, whether your tastes are metal, classic rock, pop, hip-hop, or whatever, there’s a venue somewhere in town catering to you.
3.Who influences your sound that would surprise people?
Jenn: Vocally there are some techniques that are influenced by folk and pop singers. Jim Croce comes to mind as well as Cyndi Lauper with vocal jumps.
Bob: There are some more obvious influences for sure, Nightwish, Rush, we’re also very much into stuff like Savatage and even Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Speaking for myself my I’d add bands like Arch Enemy, Gojira, The Agonist. There are so many...
4.Are you endorsed by musical companies , if so who , and if not who would you like to be endorsed by?
Jenn: [...points to Bob again…]
Bob: We are not currently endorsed by any musical company but if anyone wants to give us free stuff we are more than willing to smile in front of a camera while demonstrating said free stuff ;)
5.When you started what was your ultimate goal? And how close to the goal are you now?
Jenn: For me the goal post is always moving. I initially just wanted to sing in a band that makes music that I enjoy. I like to think we've more than accomplished that. Now the goal is to get our music out there for others to enjoy ( or not ). That goal remains but the scale is always growing
Bob: [...nods in agreement…]
6.In today's digital environment it takes creative strategy to keep things moving. What creative ideas do you have to keep your band relevant over time?
Jenn: I think the digital market is really a new playing field for all incorporated in the music industry. The ability to adapt will be a part of what differentiates those who make it and who don't. So our plan is to continue to give relevant content to those who know us and those who have yet to discover us. The biggest objective has been and will always be forming an interaction and relationship with fans.
Bob: What Jenn said :)
7.We've all seen a terrible live band that is awesome on CD. Is that cool with you or do you lose respect for bands that cannot pull it off live?
Jenn: That tends to be situational. You can sound like shit but put on an amazing show and I will have enjoyed my time, or not have a ton of stage presence but sound amazing. Without either of those I would be disappointed. Unfortunately people go into shows with a certain expectation and often times if it doesn’t match their preconceived idea they consider it a bad show, even if it was spectacular in other areas.
8.Tell us your “core” are you Metal , Rock , Punk , Pop etc because people just have to categorize these days you know?
Jenn: We as a band - I believe - have decided on "symphonic metal". However anywhere between Rock n Roll to Metal would be an accurate categorization.
Bob: Symphonic metal? Progressive metal? Symphic-Progressive-Hard-Roc-Metal-Hybrid?
I don’t do genres well as you can see. What I would find very interesting would be to hear how other people would classify us.
9.This is a tough question but a very real reality, Is your band actually talented or just popular?
Many bands make it with a cliche or publicity stunts etc. Would you accept fame even if it was just because of being the “ in” thing or is it actually important to you that you gain favor with talent?
Jenn: Surprisingly simple. The guys whom I'm lucky enough to work with are very talented. I think that's a key factor in why I enjoy working with them so much. We constantly challenge one another just by working together, which is a very positive experience.
If someone gave us a truck load of money to play 3 chords and sing simplistic lyrics, I personally wouldn’t mind - however I know it wouldn’t be nearly as fulfilling as what we create currently.
Bob: Aw shucks Jenn…
10.Tell us what to expect from you live. Nothing is more boring than watching bands stare at the floor and bob their heads to music nobody but the band knows. What can your band offer in a live setting that people will remember?
Jenn: Playing live isn't in the cards right now as we're a studio project. However, if we were to perform live you could expect it to be as diverse and ambitious as our music
Bob: Unfortunately our geographical separation makes the idea of playing live problematic. The rehearsals alone would bankrupt us! Maybe someday down the road if all the right cards line up it could happen. It’s certainly not because we don’t want to.
11. What releases have you put out , When will we see something new?
Jenn: We have released one full album "Garden of the Gods", as well as a few singles. We are currently working on our second album which we're aiming for late 2020.
12. If you have videos where can we see them?
Jenn: We do have videos and you can see them on our YouTube channel.
Bob: There our channel at youtube.com/arielsattic but there’s also the YouTube Music channels, just search for Ariel’s Attic on YouTube, you’ll get a page full of results.
13.Everybody has Bandcamp , ReverbNation , Soundcloud , etc
Why do you think this is so important? Doesn't it seem like everyone is giving everything out for free?
Jenn: Right now, on the internet there are few gatekeepers. Anyone can put out their opinion and product for the world to see. This has enormous importance on a political and humanitarian scale. However, just as fantastic as that freedom can be, it can also hinder others - like creatives being paid fairly for their work. We want people to hear our music, those who really like it - I hope - will buy merchandise and albums. In the end, we're simply playing the game on the board we've been given.
Bob: There’s like nineteen million bands out there all clamoring for the listener’s attention. In the age of streaming services the goal now seems to be to get on peoples’ playlists. If your music isn’t on some kind of billboard you’re not even going to be on their radar. I may be way off on this, but that’s the analogy I make. It’s like when you’re driving down the highway and see a McDonald’s billboard you may think nothing of it at first but later when you see the McDonald’s and if you’re a little hungry you might be more likely to stop in because you subconsciously registered that billboard you saw. So I see these sites as basically online billboards. I think they need to be a part of the strategy for any band nowadays.
14.Best moment of your career so far?
Jenn: The best moment of my career so far would be the moment that I realized people actually really like our music. There's no better feeling than knowing you've helped form somebodies perspective or put their emotions and feelings into something they can relate to. It's forming those connections through any kind of creative medium that makes it all worth while.
Bob: Releasing Garden of the Gods in 2017 and seeing the reaction it got, that people “out there” thought we were pretty good and bought the album. It’s a great validation of your efforts for any artist to experience that I think.
15.Your message to the fans?
Jenn: My message to the fans is - Thank You. Your appreciation, anticipation and interaction with our music makes all the late nights and hair pulling over lyrics truly worth it.
Bob: Absolutely. We’re grateful to have you all along for the ride. Stick around...there’s more to come!
Bonus Question who do you bring back
Dime , Cliff , Dio , Lemmy , Randy
Jenn: Fuckin' Dio, bud.
(Canadian inflection needed LOL)
Bob: Gotta go with Lemmy...
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