Interview: Village Manor
Q: What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?
A: I grew up with parents who loved music and took us to many plays (and always purchased the albums), but one of my favorites is Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide’ siting Infront of the record player pretending to be the Maestro leading the orchestra. Hard to imagine if I never had music in my life, but if I didn’t, I would be probably in the arts field, (studied commercial artist and graduate at Humber college etc)
Q: What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?
A: I actually do wall hangings, with unusual fabrics, colors and 3 dimensional styles, helps the juices flow. I also love thinking about and creating new exciting song projects.
Q: How long has your band been around?
A: Village Manor was created approx. 3 years ago, (Covid slowed everyone down, but I kept on writing and playing
Q: Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?
A: We are all based in Toronto, and being in T.O. gave us the opportunity to expand our horizons
Q: How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you?
A: Living at Bathurst and Eglinton in a historic apartment building (formerly called Village Manor) I found out that Drake and his mom lived there just when he started to act in Degrassi, so I kept the name. I felt the spirit, and the music energy when I moved in (before I even knew about Drake)
Q: Tell me about your most memorable shows.
A: Lily Frost did an interview promoting the band and our new song “Gunsaway” which debuted on Zoomer Radio last November , and it was very successful. We were also the feature at Free Times Café, and chosen as the feature for live radio broadcast at Steve’s Music, but the most memorable shows are yet to come.
Q: What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?
A: Massey Hall would be amazing and then there’s the Scotia Arena (OMG)
Q: If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?
A: Cat Stevess 😊
Q: 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?
A: Not to be afraid of failure, it only makes you more educated, better, and that gives you a tighter band.
Q: If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?
A: Take school and studying more seriously, and to really practice your musical instrument ( and to invest in real state )
Q :Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?
A: “Special One” because everyone has a special one in their lives, past or present
Q: Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?
A: “Tell Da Truth “ (5 kids, three wives, two dogs to pay for, you know I tell da truth)
Q: What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?
I’ve been writing songs and music since I was 10, and the band is so talented, that everything flows.
Q: What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?
A: Every song has a purpose, some serious, some whimsical, and some with just love as the message.
Q: Do you ever have disagreements in your band, and how do you get past them?
That is one of the best things of us in Village Manor, (we all get along even if there is a difference in opinion of a note, we work it out with a smile)
Q: What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?
Working on finishing our first Album and Special One” is debuting and streaming April 1st