Get aquainted with Ontario’s desert-rock disciples Bella Clava (playing a free show on Friday)

Ontario’s Bella Clava are purveyors of riff-heavy rock n’ roll, with front-woman Caitlin Dacey’s anthemic vocals providing a hooky counterpoint to the band’s alt-rock leanings. The band  have been fortunate enough to work with some big names in their relatively short time together, including legendary curmudgeon/ producer Steve Albini (Nirvana, the 1990’s),  and Mathias Schneeberger (Fu Manchu). Schneeberger recorded the band’s latest LP, Medicine for Melancholy, at Joshua Tree, California’s Rancho de la Luna studio, famous for the “desert rock” sound pioneered there by the likes of Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age. 

We caught up with Caitlin Dacey during the bands’ Canadian tour for Medicine for Melancholy, which includes a FREE show at Barfly (4062 Boulevard Saint-Laurent) on Friday, April 25. We spoke to Caitlin about growing up in Thunder Bay, desert hospitality, and try to get her to dish some dirt on Toronto.

What was it like growing up and trying to start a band in Thunder Bay?  

Thunder Bay is a small town. It does not have any specialized arts-based schools that spawn tween bands, and Girls Rock Camp didn’t exist when I was growing up. If someone was wearing a cool band t-shirt or doodled a band name on their pencil-case, that’s how you knew whether or not they were an ally. Thanks to Thunder Bay’s bitterly cold winters, much of my youth was spent inside listening to and playing music. My friend Christine and I used to jam together all of the time, we both had pianos at our houses. She was my hero because she was into really cool music and had been to Lollapalooza. When you’re in seventh grade, this seems other-worldly. We would make mixed tapes for each other and expose each other to music we loved, old and new. We were at a party one night and parked ourselves at the piano, that’s where I met Steve who picked up a guitar and joined us. I know Steve played in bands with his friends growing up, but because of Thunder Bay’s small size, we eventually crossed paths.

Did you have any local bands that you looked to for inspiration or that helped guide you early on? 

The first band I saw in a club was my older brother’s band, I thought they were really cool. They rehearsed in our basement and I used to play their instruments when they weren’t around.  There was always a bunch of girls hanging out at our house watching them practice.  I remember thinking that that must’ve been really boring for them.  I started going to a lot of all ages punk shows at the Millennium and became addicted to the energy and excitement of live music. It was a cool way to meet kids my age who were also passionate about music. Thunder Bay was a great place to see some of the best bands in Canada, since only the toughest and roughest would have the guts to brave Canada’s ice and snow-covered highways. I remember being blown away by Raggadeath. I had never heard anything like them before. Michie Mee was such a powerful front person. I was mesmerized. I bought the tape.

What were the primary influences for the band early on? Have they changed much as you’ve progressed as a band? 

With so many changes to the line-up, we’ve definitely morphed over the years. There haven’t been any conscious changes to what we’re doing, but now that we have the right fit in terms of a rhythm section, it’s finally starting to sound right!

You initially started out as a duo before forming a full band, how did that transition come about? 

Steve and I were writing songs and eager to perform them before we had found a drummer.  We certainly put the cart before the horse, booking shows before we had a band. We showed up to a gig one night without a drummer, because the guy who agreed to play with us flaked out right before the show. We decided to play anyway. Scott was at the gig and approached us after our set to ask if we were interested in a bass player. He’s such a solid player, we were thrilled when he joined. Bass is such an important element; low-end was definitely something we missed earlier on. Steve and I used to trade off on bass when recording in the studio, but having a proper bass player has definitely improved our sound.

You recorded your new record with producer Mathias Schneeberger at Rancho de la Luna in Joshua Tree  (Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age) – how did you hook up with him, and what was the recording process at the studio like? 

We had a blast recording at Rancho. Any fan of desert rock knows that this is mecca. I felt like I was in a dream the whole time. We recorded live-off-the-floor over a five day period. We stayed in Hutch’s cabin which is next to the studio. Our routine was to wake up with the hot desert sun, walk to the studio, record, walk back to the cabin at night, and relax under the stars, repeat! Jody made fresh guacamole and salsa every morning for us to feast on during the day. Dave Catching (Ed. studio co-owner) cooked us a delicious dinner. We were spoiled with great food and beautiful scenery!  Desert folk really know how to look after their guests. Dave lives at the studio, so we felt really privileged to be invited into his home. Working with Mathias was fantastic.  He is a pro who works fast. He knows the studio really well and came highly recommended by Dave. We were all impressed with how smoothly the session went. We were nervous going in, having a finite amount of time to get things done, but thanks to Mathias, we pulled it off.  He’s a really cool guy. It was fun, I wish every recording process could feel like a vacation!

You’ve been really fortunate to work with great producers so far, including Steve Albini (Nirvana, Big Black). What was recording with him like? He definitely has a reputation for being exacting in the studio.  

We really have been fortunate. Steve Albini is a truly rare specimen. Despite his many musical accomplishments, he is completely down-to-earth. He built the studio himself and is passionate about the recording arts. When someone’s love for his craft is as pure as his, you can’t help but feel inspired. Working with him taught me a lot. We had little recording experience when we made that record, but he made us feel comfortable and at ease. After a long day of recording, I figured he would be sick of us, but when we returned to the “band living area”, he was usually there watching TV. We hung out and watched nature programs and “Curb Your Enthusiasm“.  He’s incredibly intelligent and has a great sense of humour. I thought it was really cool of him to spend time with us. I might have hid away if I was him.  Much like Dave Catching’s studio, Electrical Audio is Steve Albini’s home. It was an honour to spend time there, and leaving with a record as a “memento” is a bonus.

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You’re in the middle of a Canadian tour right now, what are the best ways to kill time or blow off steam while you’re in a van all day? 

We love listening to music. I’m really into listening to podcasts, “This American Life” is one of my favourites, but most of the time we’re listening to CDs. Steve does pretty much all of the driving, so we need to keep him alert. When in doubt, play Aerosmith and he’ll drive all night. Scott is a practical joker, so his schemes keep things interesting.

What’s a typical playlist that the band can all agree on? 

Whoever’s in the front pretty much gets to DJ the trip. Steve has a weird love of cheezy country ballads. Especially when we’re driving through the states, he loves to switch the radio to a country station and sing along to the ridiculous lyrics. It’s pretty amazing how many obscure country songs to which he knows all of the words. It could be a “stupid human trick” or something.

The band has mainly made its reputation based on your live show so far – do you think people are still discovering new bands live as often as in the past, or is it mostly via the internet now? 

There are bands who put on a great show, bands who make great records and the anomalies who master both. I love to play live because so many stars need to be aligned in order to have a truly great gig, and most of them are out of your control. The people AT the show play a huge role in a great live performance. The show is one organism, greater than the sum of its parts.  The internet is a great tool for sharing and promoting what we love, but if people don’t feel connected or personally invested in something, it’s insignificant.

For people who love music, seeing a band live is part of his or her personal history. The internet is an illusion. It’s effortless and therefore more fickle. People will spend an exorbitant amount of time online reading and watching things they don’t like, because it’s effortless. It takes a lot more effort to get off your couch, head downtown, stand in lines, work your way to the front of the stage, find a clean bathroom stall….if someone loves or hates your band after going through that trouble to see you perform, at least you know it’s genuine. When you go see a band live, you’ve accomplished something.  No one accomplishes anything on the internet. By going to a show, even if you end up having a terrible time, you’ve experienced something authentic and worthwhile. You supported your music scene and actively engaged in real community. It’s like showing up to a protest or rally vs. sharing a link to an article online– your physical presence will always make a grander statement. As long as people value live music, they will continue to discover new bands at shows. Bands have the responsibility of putting on great shows so that people continue to invest in them.

Since we’re based in Montreal, I have to indulge in a little MTL vs. TO rivalry and ask – what are some of the worst aspects about Toronto? 

Firstly, we owe Montreal a big hug. We had booked a show with a sketchy promoter who really treated us poorly, leading to the inevitable cancellation of the gig. We reached out to some bands and venues that we know in Montreal for assistance in finding a replacement gig and we had one within hours. Montreal is both beautiful on the outside AND the inside. We love you.

That experience pretty much sums up every great music scene. Any city worth living in has both a seedy and savory side. If you’re uncharismatic like me, you’ll find it’s tough to fit into either.  Figuring out where I belong in Toronto has stemmed mostly from knowing where I do not belong. I had a lot of opinions about Toronto, focusing mainly on its flaws and romanticizing other cities, like Montreal, daydreaming about how much cooler life would be there…but it boils down to commitment. When you live in a city, you’re committing to it.  You’re living its strengths and weaknesses simultaneously.

It’s those terrible shows, sketchy promoters, and tough audiences that make bands more empathetic to one another. It’s a loyalty to music, not necessarily to a city, that bands recognize in each other. Hometown pride can be a great thing, but we’re all a pack of strays. That’s why touring is so wonderful, especially when people come out to see you play. You get to feel loved and leave for the next town before time and daylight unapologetically reveal your more ugly truths.

The fact that we flashed our bat signal in the sky when an evil promoter tried to mess with us and Montreal came to the rescue proves that there is an understanding among bands. We help each other out. I’m confident that Toronto’s music community would rally together and do the same for a Montreal band. The bloodsuckers that want to drain the fun out of making music know no borders, they thrive in all cities. As long as bands are stronger than them, everything is gonna be all right!

Following this tour, what can you tell us about your plans for the coming year?  

We’ve already started writing the next record! It’s funny, because by the time a record is finally released, enough time has passed that it feels like time to move on! I’m looking forward to playing Medicine for Melancholy live, touring is a great way to bring the record to life and share it with people who want to hear it. As long as we continue to get invited to play, we’ll keep going!

Bella Clava play a free show at Barfly, 4062 Boulevard Saint-Laurent  on April 25 with Sawtooth and Rosebuddy.

All current dates are below.

Avant-Garde Bar – Thurs April 24th –  Ottawa, ON
Barfly – Fri April 25th – Montreal, QC
Plan B – Sat April 26th – Halifax, NS
Plan B – Mon April 28th – Moncton, NB
Callahan’s Pub – Tues April 29th – Saint John, NB
Nirvana – Wed April 30th – Fredericton, NB
Le Scanner – Thurs May 1st – Quebec, QC
The Horseshoe Tavern – Fri May 2nd – Toronto, ON
Wasted Space – Sat May 3rd – Oshawa, ON

For more info see http://www.bellaclava.ca/