Hey there guys, DJ Dizzy here, & this is my interview with the band Animal Souls
How'd you get started in music?
Without trying to age myself too much, I started playing air guitar to early Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath albums. My teenage friends in Burlington, Ontario were all into music as well and eventually as I recall, we started to jam every chance we could. Funny thing though was almost everyone wanted to play guitar so at some point I decided to pick up the bass and I haven't looked back. Those times are some of the best musical memories I have, as we all learned to play our instruments and I'm happy to say that most of us from that time are still plugging away in one form or another. I played in a few bands in those early years, but it wasn't until I moved to British Columbia in 1983 that I really started to feel like a real musician... playing six-nighters (unheard of these days) is a great way to build one's chops!
Who are your inspirations or influences?
Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath were a couple of huge influences as I said above, but there were many... Genesis, Yes, Max Webster, Rush... so many! I remember once listening to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon over and over and over one night with the headphones on... I was floored by it. I was also into quite a few new wave and punk acts, especially during the 80's/90's , such as The Pretenders, Missing Persons, Concrete Blonde, Gang of Four to name a few. I actually have quite a wide and varied taste in music, and I like to think I incorporate that into my own music.
What advice would you offer aspiring performers?
That's a good question and I don't think there is an easy answer for everyone, mostly because our goals aren't always the same. I suppose though for those that want to be better and grow at their craft, you have to put the time in and pay your dues. It's a cliche but I think it rings true. Some of us get lucky, the rest of us have to put in the work. Speaking of work, I'd also say be prepared to put in the hours promoting and marketing your music... and find a healthy balance between creating and promoting. It can, and will get discouraging sometimes so lastly, I'd say, remember who you're doing this for - you!
How do you set yourselves apart from other bands or singers?
I'm not sure if this sets me apart from other artists, because you might hear the same from lots of artists. I never write a song with a genre or style in mind. I just write what I hear in my head. The song may turn into a folk-rock piece with a flute and fiddle (Lessons of Love), or a slow bluesy ballad (Soul Dance Redux), or even a cheeky ska-like track (Travelin' Bug). It makes it a little more challenging when it comes to promoting and marketing, but that's how I like it. I don't think my music sounds like anyone else out there - not sure if that's a good thing :)
Any new gigs or albums in the future?
I just released a new single on July 1 called 'Travelin' Bug'. This is the 3rd track I've released in 2022; Lessons of Love in January and Soul Dance Redux in May were the previous releases this year. I'm busy promoting those. I'm also currently working on a new track, Midnight Sky, which is a collaboration with an amazing local singer, Annika Catharina.. hoping to release it later this summer. There are no live gigs planned for anytime soon, but I'm working on it.
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