Interview: Manic Boys and Girls Club
What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?
Neither of us can remember not playing music, so it's really hard to imagine doing anything else. I think a combination of things really got us into music. Long Canadian winters, childhood boredom, way too much screen time and music videos. Growing up, our parents not being around actually was more influential on our lives than they imagine.
What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?
We haven't been out much lately for obvious reasons. You can probably find me walking around the city listening to the endless voice memos with song ideas on my phone. Fernando lives near the bar, The Painted Lady, If he is out drinking and listening to music, it will be there on any given night.
How long has your band been around?
I mean, we're siblings... So we were technically in pre-production for this in our parents' living room at the age of 6. But we created The Manic Boys And Girls Club at the beginning of the Covid19 pandemic. We played 1 loud show in NYC right before the world shut down.
Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?
We are born and raised in Toronto. It's a city where you can be flipping through vinyl at the vintage record shop till midnight, open mic's, live venues, dj's. There is a lot of inspiration subconsciously around us. I'm sure that comes out in the music we write.
How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you?
It is never a “fun time” being in this band. We're either in an absolute state of ecstasy doing what we do, or after an off day in our rehearsal space or the studio we hate everything about music and what we are doing. This is where the Manic comes in to our name. This band is for anyone who can relate to the volatile ups and downs in our day to day. So the Club is for you if you want turn the music up and forget about life for a while.
Tell me about your most memorable shows.
This is all pretty new, so not many yet... But we played our unreleased EP in NYC to a crowd who had no idea who we were. What's better than playing to a crowd who is singing every word, is watching someone else crowd gradually connecting to what we're doing on stage. We are very much looking
forward to playing some hometown shows in Toronto very soon.
What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?
We have made our rehearsal room our stage throughout this pandemic, posting some acoustic performances online. At this point, if there is a venue and we don't out number the audience, we will be turned up to 11 no matter the venue or city.If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?
Machine Gun Kelly. Mainly for the chance to meet Megan Fox.
What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band and some advice that you would give to your younger self?
To anyone starting a band: Do it. Enjoy it. The outcome doesn't matter if you are loving the ride. And remember, there is so much sh*t on radio, do not be insecure of the music you make.
To my younger self: No ones got your back. Just do what you do, don't waste time with people who are dead weight around you.
Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?
There is song called Last Train. I think it was the first song we walked in the studio with. We were kinda lost, not really knowing what we were doing. It's a song about not being afraid to let go of everything you know, and starting from zero. Every song on this upcoming EP is pretty personal to us. Just excerpts from different points in our lives. Some high, some low.
Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?
Blacked Out is the song most people have heard of ours. It's a loud one.
What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?
I'm sure it's a thing to say “There is no right or wrong way to write a song”.. but if there is, I'm sure we do it the wrong way. It feels like we are never together, in front of a laptop, instruments in hand, ready…
I will be diving for a pen before i forget the idea, Fernando will be at guitar shop playing some guitar idea, never writes anything down, then tries to convince me and himself that it probably wasn't that good seeing as he forgot it. We hear bands go in the studio with like twenty songs and choose 10.. We will go in with 10, and come out with 11 cuz we'll write one while recording. I think we just edit and things get cut very early on.
What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?
I think there is a common theme of hope in our music. We're kids of immigrants, so that underdog “nothing to lose” mentality is in our DNA.
Do you ever have disagreements in your band, and how do you get past them?
We're siblings. Let's leave it at that.
What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?
Our second single We'll Be Fine will be released in early May. We just shot the music video in California. Two young LA film makers, minimal equipment, a friend from Toronto, and an idea. We just had to shoot fast and keep moving before getting shut down by the cops for filming with no permits.
The video was complete in 2 days and exactly how we envisioned in our heads.
Bela Ferreira
Spotify — “Blacked Out (Paul Andrews Remix)”