Autoviolet from Canada present their debut album.
The release date of the debut album of Canadian electronic, alternative rockers Autoviolet was the first of July. Now I have a chance to talk to lead singer Amy Arsenault and here is her story….
Dear Amy, this is your debut album, how were the reactions so far?
“Most of the reactions are quite all right, thank god… Most people seem to like the album. I have been reading a lot of reviews and I still find it very strange to read reviews about our first real album; it is really weird to read something about our own music. It still seems so far away, so unreal to have an album out now on the real world. It is like a fairy-tale actually. I have just read a rather mediocre review (5 out of 10 points), but it was not in English and it contained a couple of pieces of advice to improve our music. Which is rather nice and decent, or not?”
Could you explain what sort of music a listener can expect if one decides to buy the album/
“Well, it is definitely rock music; alternative rock with electronic elements and a little bit of metal and pop. So, now you know what you can expect, right, ha ha… The vocals are emotionally punctuated, sometimes rough, sometimes heavy, but never screamy! Some of the tracks are radio friendly, but most of the songs are rather rocky, so buy the album and judge for yourself!”
Who came up with the name of the band and does it have a special meaning?
“The band already existed as I joined Autoviolet, so, it is not my fault, ha ha… Actually the guys had no idea for a name of the band, so they used the dictionary and came up with Autoviolet; which is an excellent name for this band. It is a pretty cool name and it sounds really good, does it not? It also has this electronic impact that the music has, so we are quite satisfied with this name.”
Your lyrics are rather personal, so they tell a lot about yourself, does it not bother you to “tell” (actually sing of course) these personal facts to your listeners?
“Well, good question there. Music was/is therapy for me, as you know my youth was very hard; leading to drugs and alcohol abuse, so I only try to tell the truth in my lyrics. I believe that music should be honest, so I can never be too personal, right?”
Falling will be the first single of the album, why that song?
“We think that Falling is a radio friendly song and so maybe this song can open doors for us as a band. As you know the song is about a Canadian playmate which was killed at the age of twenty and it is a really gripping track, filled with emotion and good music.”
How long did it actually take to make the entire album?
The whole process took five years, so this means the composing, the recording and the mixing. It was a lot of work, but we really enjoyed it and the result is amazing. The ideas for the songs came collectively, but for all three of us the melody of the song is the most important.”
What is your goal?
“Live the life of a professional musician and eventually make a living with our music. That would be a dream come through. But is all still seems so unreal; the fact that I am drinking a cup of coffee and doing an interview with you about our album, man that is really weird. I have to get used to that.”
Are you already planning a tour?
“Yes, we are. We are putting together a live show; however we are still looking for a guitar player to join the band. Of course the album and single need to be played on the radio as often as possible, so that one can get familiar with our music. We will definitely come to Amsterdam to do a gig as I have been told that it is one of the best places to play, so…”
What is your favorite song?
“Without any doubt: Pearl! Why is rather difficult to say as I like it music wise and the lyrics came out very easily as it deals with my life at this time. Actually it is a full circle story song, so enjoy.”
Amy, thanks for your time and hope to see you in Amsterdam in the near future.
“Thank you for your interest in Autoviolet.”
Interview by Martien Koolen
Photos from Autoviolet Website
and their Facebook page