Catching Up with Canadian Rockers Drop Top Alibi

Photo: Jay Ashcroft

After the summer break, I'm back with an interview with Toronto-based rock band Drop Top Alibi whose single Summer Nights & City Lights will drop this Friday! 

Congrats on winning 97.7 FM’s Rock Search! That’s awesome! What did you guys do to prepare for the contest?

Thanks Krystal! It was a fun ride for sure, and honestly came rather unexpectedly. We submitted our entry very early on, and a few months went by before they announced the Top 16, so we kind of forgot about it. The morning that they did, I woke up to a number of congratulatory messages and thought, 'Holy S**t, we got in this year!'

We knew that if we got to the semi’s and had a chance to play on stage, there was a good chance we could win. We had been playing a lot and were in the midst of recording some new material. The confidence in how tight we were playing was there, so we didn’t change a single thing. Luckily for us, with the support of everyone who voted and the HTZ FM staff who scored us into the Top 8, we had a chance to let the music do the talking. It was a bit of a toss up between a few bands, and we were happy we won. I will say though, those two shows were two of the best shows we’ve played and it felt good to know that we were good enough to stand out among a group of talented bands.

Last time we spoke, you guys were working on new music in the studio- do you guys have an album release date set?


Our next single “Summer Nights & City Lights” will be released on September 20th, 2019! What happens next you’ll just have to stay in tune for.... ;)

Sometimes people can get problematic at concerts (getting too drunk/annoying/harrassment, etc.). No one likes it when something kills the show’s vibe. How do you diffuse the situation while remaining professional at your shows in these instances?


Honestly, we haven’t had anything too crazy happen yet. Sometimes we will address the fans who are moshing, especially if photographers or women standing in the front are getting knocked around and don’t seem to be enjoying it. One time, a couple of drunk folks in Streetsville started getting into it in front of the stage and we just had security take them out. Having a microphone is handy for sure. 

Ultimately, we want people to feel like there is nothing to worry

Photo: Francesca Ludikar

about at our shows and that people who don’t or won’t respect that will be removed and dealt with. If and when the day comes that someone is being harassed at one of our shows, it will be dealt with right away and if it’s something we can see from the stage we won’t hesitate to stop the show until it’s dealt with.

As musicians -who have the weirdest schedules at times- how do you guys stay mentally grounded as your band progresses?

The biggest thing we’ve all noticed is that staying hydrated and getting enough rest is the most important thing. Mental strength is much easier to have when you’re not fighting other debilitating circumstances like fatigue. It helps keep everyone’s moods level as well, which means communication is strong and tension low.




Drop Top is also made up of members who have been grinding away in the music business for almost ten years. We have earned everything by ourselves, and oftentimes by burning the candle at both ends. The biggest thing keeping us grounded, is the fact that we now have a strong platform to have people listen, and if it starts to really move along, we won’t want to ruin it with ego and addiction. Maintaining the band of brothers mentality of partnership and compromise will be important as well.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve seen at a show you’ve played so far?

The first time we ever played in Hamilton, was at an outdoor

motorcycle festival on Hess Street. We were on the last song of our set, and this astonishingly hammered dude insisted on Dylan (Lead Guitar) letting him sing into his microphone. We were mid song and this dude starts trying to muscle his way to the mic and shoved Dylan. I think his guitar got unplugged in the process as well! We sort of forced this dude away from us, and he proceeded to try and fight everyone watching. This other guy, who was also drunk, decided he’d try and scrap the guy so he started egging the dude on a bit. The drunk guy who shoved Dylan then says, “15 years for murder, and I’d do it again...” Definitely the strangest thing we’ve seen so far, and to top it off this dude got picked up by the cops down the street and they smashed all his booze. Classic.

Anything else you would like to add?

Rock n’ Roll is alive and well! We will be playing a double-single release show at Lee’s Palace October 4th in Toronto with our brothers in The Crooked. They are also releasing a new song, and you definitely don’t want to miss this party!

Thank you guys for your time and I look forward to hearing more from you!


Follow Drop Top Alibi on their social media found here!


@thatchickkrys

Interview with Dixie Dave Allen and Kayla Charlene!

Just when I thought young people these days only listened to either pop music or super-angsty tunes, it was refreshing and an honor to meet Old Time duo, Dixie Dave Allen and Kayla Charlene. Hailing from South Carolina, together they play and write Southern heritage music. In 2019, they've just released their debut album, followed by their first European tour!

Here is my interview with them:

Between the January release of your debut album In The Heart of Dixie, to your European tour in April, your schedules must have been hectic! How do you stay centered and focused?

D: I set time for everything so that we can stay ahead. It’s really important to plan ahead so that we don’t feel rushed. I set time for practice, but I also set time to relax and reflect.

K: I keep a mindset of “I get to...” rather than “I have to...”.  It takes a lot of mental work and meditation to stay positive and not be overwhelmed.

What is your favorite song on your album “In the Heart of Dixie” and why?

D: That would definitely be “Dawn on the Mountain” because that is the first song we wrote together as a duo.

K: I completely agree.

What were the highlights of the European tour?

K: We were visiting a castle in Aberystwyth- a beautiful town on the coast of Wales- and a woman jumped out of her car and said “Hey are you Dixie Dave?”. Her name was Rose, she is a fiddle player from Wales. She took us to her home and played music with us. It was the most serendipitous moment of my entire life maybe. Our favorite part of playing music is sharing folk songs with people who love what we do. I will never forget it.

That sounds like an incredible experience! You two are a gorgeous, young couple. Have people had misconceptions about what kind of music you play prior to actually hearing your music?

D: Yes. Everyone assumes that it’s bluegrass because there is a banjo and what we do is Old Time.

What do you enjoy the most about the genre of music you play?

D: I love everything about it. The way it makes me feel, the music, the history, and the fact that it’s our heritage.

K: I love how universal it is. There are songs for every emotion, but somehow I find a way to dance to even the high and lonesome songs.

If you were to go on a dream tour with any artists -dead or alive- who would you tour with?

D: Oh man. Roscoe Holcomb, Doc Boggs, and the Skillet Lickers.

If you had one message to give to your fans, what would it be?

K: Pursue what you love fearlessly and have fun doing it. Never stop growing and learning.

D: To quote Brisco Darlin from the Andy Griffith Show- “If you’ve got time to breathe, you’ve got time for music.”

Awesome! Thank you both so much for your time and I look forward to seeing what's next in your musical career!

For more on their journey, get social! Links:
Dixie Dave Allen's Instagram
Kayla Charlene's Instagram
Download their album
Watch them on Youtube


@thatchickkrys

Interview with Ben Gleason of Source!

Once upon a time, in the U.S of A, I was a merch girl for

Photo: Randy Edwards

rock bands. While on a five-week run with a different band a couple of years back, I watched Boulder, CO-based prog-metal trio, Source play pretty much every night as they promoted their debut album Return To Nothing.

Despite the band's busy schedule (jumping from releasing their latest album Totality, straight into a six-week tour they are currently on), I got the chance to catch up with front man, Ben Gleason! 


Your single “Totality” off the namesake album sounds great! What are your favorite experiences working on the latest album? 

BG: I took a vacation to my parents lake house in the summer when I was writing the album. I ended up writing a lot of the music for Embodied, The Changes, Constant and Intimacy on that trip. My parents' beautiful little cabin on a lake in the Northwoods is where I spent a lot of my childhood. It's definitely my fondest memory of creating the new album. 


Sounds like a zen spot! The current lineup of the band sounds great! How did you all meet? 

BG: I met Justin at a show our old drummer was filling in on. He saw that Georges (former drummer) left the band a year later, sent us a video of him playing and I knew he was the perfect drummer for Source. My friend Andy recommended Riley to us after Dan (former bassist) quit 2 weeks after finishing the record to join (the band) Flaw. 

When I heard Riley's solo project Lightstory, where he plays pretty much every guitar, bass and drum part, I knew he was going to take Source to a whole new level.

Photo: Randy Edwards

Sounds like divine timing was definitely at play for you guys! How do you stay mentally and emotionally balanced while keeping up with the crazy schedules on tour? 

BG: I meditate, do lots of stretching and foam rolling, shower at the gym so I feel like a person, and try to find really good restaurants to eat at. It's easy to stay emotionally balanced with my new band mates. There is very little stress these days, which I am beyond grateful for.


Yes to gym showers- because the 'Whore Baths' just don't cut it when you want to feel like a person again! What are the highlights of the band’s career? 

BG: Touring with HELLYEAH and In Flames as well as working with producer Ulrich Wild for our new record. 


Legendary! Favorite part of performing live? Least favorite? 

BG: My favorite part of performing are the moments where I feel like the 3 of us are transcending reality. Sometimes we are so connected to each other, the music and the audience, that I feel like we are literally ascending to a higher plane of existence. 

My least favorite part of performing is moving gear. We need robots

Photo: Randy Edwards

to do it for us- that would be dope.


Maybe one day there will be an app for that. If there was a food dish at a restaurant named after the band, what would be in it? 

BG: The "Source Hash" would have fried potatoes, onions, mushrooms, turkey sausage and fried eggs.


If you were to form a dream tour with artists -dead or alive- who would be on it with you? 

BG: Source and Tool, that is the dream tour. We got to open for a well known Tool tribute band and their fans LOVED us! I want to play for as many Tool fans as I can!


Anything else you would like to add? 

BG: Get our new record Totality anywhere digital music is sold, you won't regret it!

Thank you so much for your time, Ben! Have a safe and successful the remainder of the tour, and I look forward to seeing what's next for the band! 

Want more from Source? Get social! Find their social media links here!

@thatchickkrys