From Ottawa Ontario Canada, the Elegant Devils are: Drew James (Lead Vocals), Rob Frank (Drums/Vocals), Josh West (Guitar), & Josh Barkley (Bass/Vocals). Each member comes at music from a different angle, but leaves their own impressive mark on the sound they make. Despite coming from very different places on the musical spectrum, They embrace their unique individual parts to create music that is powerful, emotional, and fun all at once.
In this interview spotlight, I chat with Elegant Devils about their latest project, challenges, technology and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)
Rob: Were a 4 piece band from Ottawa Ontario Canada. Our style is rooted in rock, but we incorporate a lot of different elements into it. We try and do whatever is right for the song and not worry about stepping into or out of a specific style.
Barkley: We make music that blends a lot of the feeling of rock from the 70’s right up until now.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to keep going?
Rob: Creating new music and continuing to develop my studio skills is what motivates me to keep going.
Barkley: I can’t imagine a life without making music. We keep going because we’d go a bit crazy (er) if we didn’t. Making music that we love, that other people love, and getting to play it together is one of the greatest feelings in the world.
How is this new release different than previous ones? Were you trying to accomplish anything specific?
Rob: I think the main thing we were trying to accomplish or capture, was just an accurate representation of us as a whole.
Drew: To Rob’s point, I think if anyone asks what we sound like, this is the song I’d play them first. Gives the best overview of us as a band.
Barkley: Heartbreaker puts a lot of emphasis on vocals, and we were really trying to capture the feeling of being that charming individual who you can’t help but love (we may have some experience with this…)
Name one or two challenges you face as an indie musician in this oversaturated, digital music age? How has technology helped you (since we know it does help)?
Drew: Technology has helped us immensely to collaborate with each other. We’re busy guys, so being able to record a song idea into my iPhone and send it to the guys is pretty great. The flip side of that is like buying a fancy camera and calling yourself a photographer. Having the technology and having the knowledge to use it well are two different things.
Rob: Technology helped in that it gives you more avenues to gain exposure and be heard. It also is a challenge as those avenues are so cluttered. It’s easy to get lost in the static and be overlooked all together in environments like that. I think technology for good or bad really has changed the music field and continues to do so. I think the best thing any artist can do is focus on how your going to stand out in all that static. It’s easier said than done no doubt. In the end there are pros and cons to how technology has modified the music industry. It’s the artists responsibility to utilize those tools to have impact and gain exposure.
Barkley: Oh wow. So, technology has definitely helped make it easier to record our own stuff without having to drop a bunch of money up front, or cross our fingers and hope some label signs us to pay that bill. On the flip though, labels don’t really sign and invest in acts all that much anymore unless you’re already big on Youtube or other social media. And in a world where you’re fighting to get attention, it’s tough when there’s just so much, music or otherwise, fighting for everybody’s attention too.
What was the last song you listened to?
West: I’m usually quiet on these things but the last song I was listening to was I Wish by Skee Lo.
Rob: Miracle Worker by Superheavy.
Drew: In the Air Tonight by the Protomen (Phil Collins covet).
Barkley: Wash it All Away, but Five Finger Death Punch.
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
Rob: Digital is convenient and you gain access to material you may otherwise not gain exposure too. That being said, I really do enjoy full album format, Vinyl, CD, or otherwise.
Drew: If I could only take one with me on a desert island it would be MP3s. Though you can’t argue with the superior sound experience of a vinyl album, I can’t carry a record player with me.
Barkley: MP3s are awesome, because I have have my whole music library in my phone, ready to go wherever I am. But, there’s just something magical about the whole Vinyl experience, from the texture of the disc, to the smell of the vinyl, it really just sucks you right into the music.
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
Drew: I like any music service that actually pays their artists what they’re due.
Rob: Cant really top Drew’s answer.
Barkley: Tidal….. Really though, I don’t have a preference of one over the other. The streaming services are all really convenient as a listener, and all kind of bad for distributing revenue to the artists.
Where is the best place to connect with you online and discover more music?
The Band: www.elegantdevils.com is the place to visit. Everything runs through our official site (social media, merch, news, and more).
Anything else before we sign off:
Rob: We hope you enjoy the new single and take the time to visit our site and check out our other material. We really appreciate the support and thank you for giving us a spin.
Drew: A sincere thank you for listening to our song and we really do hope you like it.
Barkley: Thanks for reaching out! If you’re ever in town, let us know and we’ll join you for a drink, a laugh, and some good music.
