Interview With 'Rosedale'
Firstly, introduce yourselves and tell us a little bit about the band and how you came to be?
My name is Mike Liorti and I'm the only full time member of the band Rosedale. I currently just have a team of musicians that know my songs and fill in on tours. Initially Rosedale was started with some friends I grew up skateboarding with. We all listened to the same bands so I'd convinced a few to learn drums/bass/guitar. We'd go to the local music store to rehearse and write parts on all the high-end equipment. We'd have different routes for the two mile journey to the store but we always ended up taking Rosedale Ave on the final stretch. So the name just stuck. And there's a lot of cool memories on that street.
What were you all up too prior to the band, was this always the chosen path or did you have other dreams and aspirations?
I've been playing piano since I was 7 but I never really thought of music as a career. I just really enjoyed it. Up until I was about 13 I was pretty serious about going somewhere with hockey. I was playing on one of the top teams in Canada, the Toronto Marlies, and I played with PK Subban, John Tavares, Brendan Smith etc. It got pretty polluted/political so I started loosing interest. But I became a hockey referee when I was 14 and did that until I was 17. Nothing serious, just some good part-time weekend work so I could get more gear. Once I started making my own music and going to see some of my favorite bands I knew what I wanted to do with my life.
Tell us about your latest EP and why our readers should check it out.
The new Rosedale album is self titled and was released on February 23rd, 2016. I worked extremely hard on this album and, like a lot of my work, its very DIY. I recorded it at a studio that basically mentored me into the world of engineering and producing, Drive Studios in Woodbridge Ontario. So I had a good idea of how make things sound the way I wanted and a lot of time to experiment. The songs deliver a message about never giving up with references to my heroes, hardships, memories, and gratitude. It's really a record about being in a band and how and why I am the strange person I am. I'm really proud of this record and love the responses I've been getting from fans.
Have you ever come face to face with someone within the music scene who has left you awestruck and why?
I've toured with a lot of musicians and bands and honestly the most outstanding individual is the drummer I'm currently touring with, (he's also my biggest fan) Stanley Fryman. His mind is so advanced with music (he has perfect pitch) and remembering every little detail about anything. It's insane! He remembers things about the history of Rosedale that I may tell him in passing that even I forget! And he can pick up anything from listening to it one time, be able to play it right away, and sing the harmony while playing it. He's played guitar, as well, for Rosedale on past tours and is such a breeze to work with. He's also brilliantly hilarious and doesn't give a damn what anyone thinks of him. When I quit growing up I wanna be like Stan.
If we were to head out to one of your live shows what can ourselves and others expect?
Our set represents what I'm all about; hard work, aggression, nostalgia, production, and passion. It's DIY "Go Big or Go Home". 90% preparation, 10% performance. We set up a programmed light show, have automation on just about every mic/instrument- but its still very raw and punk rock. I even have little remotes to our fog machine attached to our gear so it looks epic especially in small venues. We work really hard on the live show and its in the best shape its ever been. People should expect to feel motivated and inspired to master their own craft from our show. That's the feedback I usually get from new and returning fans at shows. It's still improving, but first timers are often surprised by how all-out I go.
If you had one artist/band that you could go on tour with tomorrow who would it be and why?
If Boxcar Racer ever did a reunion tour I would literally do anything to get Rosedale a support slot on that tour. Whatever disturbing thoughts you may have from reading that... the good will outweigh all the bad given any circumstance. That perfect album changed my life and I've listened to it more than any other. I'm pretty sure they could sell out 100,000 cap stadiums every night with like-minded fans and it would just be a riot in every city. Plus I'd get to watch every second of Travis Barker's warm-up+ performance every night. Yes, I've dreamt of this scenario quite a bit.
You can spend an hour with a musical icon living or dead, who would you pick, why and what would you speak about?
I'd like to pick John Feldman's brain for an hour. It seems like he really pushes bands to be all they can to be and is very successful at it. I'd just like to show him everything I do/create and ask for his honest advice on what he thinks I should do to take Rosedale to the next level. I'd likely come out extremely charged up and somehow have even less of a social life than I already do, but I'm sure it'd be very beneficial.
And finally and most importantly is Die Hard a Christmas Movie?
I've never seen Die Hard (I've seen probably 50 full movies ever) but that is hilarious and I'm gunna say yes, and keep that in mind if I ever do see it..
Check out the video for 'Written By The Artist'
Website - http://www.rosedalemusic.net/
