By Jim Barber
It doesn’t all the time occur the way in which of us hope within the fickle world that’s the music enterprise. However generally – simply generally – exhausting work, dedication to craft, wonderful inventive abilities and blindingly apparent expertise can result in success and acclaim.
A staple on the Kingston scene for over a decade, rock band Luscious has put within the time, slogged it out in space golf equipment and made profitable forays into the massive, foreboding metropolis of Toronto getting higher with each present. Alongside this journey, the quintet constructed a repute for offering superior leisure due to a blistering reside present, a capability to write down, report after which carry out wonderful exhausting rock songs that not solely are ear wormy, however incite audiences to bop, sing and shout it out loud.
That repute for each excellence and professionalism has led, over the previous few years, to some superb alternatives for the band. This contains opening for Canadian music legends comparable to Kim Mitchell and I Mom Earth and taking part in in entrance of hundreds of individuals on the annual Empire Rocks occasion in Belleville opening for The Seashores amongst different prestigious live performance occasions. Later this summer time, they’re on the largest stage of their profession, because the band opens for American alt-rock pioneer and activist Tom Morello and one of the vital profitable rock bands of the Nineteen Eighties – Def Leppard – at this yr’s Ottawa Bluesfest on Wednesday, July 16.
Alongside the way in which, Luscious has hit the studio to report eight tracks of remarkable, memorable, melodically infused, badass rock and roll music which highlights the standard of musicianship of the quintet in addition to the compelling, powerhouse vocal prowess of frontwoman Brielle LeBlanc, the band’s charismatic and infectiously energetic co-founder and one in every of its main songwriters.
The person band members had been all younger musicians and music college students in Kingston when good luck, success and serendipity introduced them collectively in 2016. As youngsters, Brielle befriended guitarist Kurt Paquette and drummer Wyatt McMullin after they all participated within the Rock Academy program placed on by native music retailer Renaissance Music. Brielle then found O’ Handley via his YouTube channel the place he was displaying off his piano and keyboard prowess. On the time, the singer was solely 17, together with her two burgeoning bandmates across the identical age. O’Handley is just a few years older (now 32, in comparison with 26 for Brielle, Paquette and McMullin.) A few bass gamers got here and went over the band’s first half decade, earlier than they actually determined to make it a household affair by inviting Brielle’s older brother Cole, now 31, into the fold.
As a unit, Luscious shows a dynamic and versatile mixture of expertise, cohesiveness and disciplined drive that works onstage and within the recording studio, however as importantly, works offstage. Music Life Journal sat down for an old school cellphone dialog with the band to speak about their previous, current and future.
“All people has totally different influences, and behind the scenes everyone has totally different roles to play. We’ve all performed in different bands and discovered quite a lot of musical classes and life classes from these bands, which we’ve utilized right here. And I believe persona sensible, we now have somewhat little bit of all the pieces. If we had been all the identical, I don’t assume it could work in addition to it does,” stated McMullin, with Brielle including “All of us have a task collectively and I really feel like I’d be nothing with out them. I’m very grateful to have them in my life and I believe they really feel the identical.”
“All of us herald these totally different types to the band and that’s what makes Luscious the band that it’s. And we’re all there for one another, identical to good pals. We like to hang around and I believe we’ve actually bonded collectively. Since we’re opening for Def Leppard I used to be actually wanting into them and the explanations for his or her success and that’s what’s made them enormous for all this time – having that bond for years and years, many years really. That friendship, it’s extra vital than anything. It makes all the pieces simpler. We’re all pals, I’ve recognized all of them since I used to be a child.”
“All people’s totally different from a musical standpoint as Wyatt stated. If I needed to drill right down to what everyone’s good at, I’d say Kurt is a real riff machine. He’ll simply provide you with these superb riffs after which they arrive collectively so properly as songs. Wyatt might be essentially the most versatile drummer I’ve ever labored with in that he’ll play an element and 99 per cent of the time it’s the precise half we’d like, however the one per cent the place we give him suggestions, he’s very versatile and keen to work till it matches the track completely. He has no ego about these items, regardless that he’s so good. Cole is the opposite one in addition to me who has the weirdest style in music within the band. A whole lot of the much less rock and roll influences come from Cole which balances issues out properly,” stated O’Handley.
“Brielle is superb at including the lyrics to the songs. Each time we write a track, and we type of write our songs in reverse in comparison with quite a lot of different bands: we’ll simply write the music and never have any kind of lyrics deliberate out. We’ll write the instrumental portion after which Brielle will present up actually to the subsequent follow with a lyric and melody to that track. So she’s a grasp at that. And I’m only a musical idea nerd – that’s what I deliver to the desk.”
Brielle is the visible point of interest of the band, together with her boundless effervescence permeating each efficiency, she tasks the right mix of playfulness, confidence and badassery. she was meant to be on the massive stage with the seemingly easy method she will be able to join with heaving lots of humanity at massive festivals, or eye to eye with these simply a few toes away in a sweaty membership.
Initially named The Brielle Leblanc Band, the vocalist felt uncomfortable with the moniker, as a result of she was adamant that this was a band, not a undertaking for which she was the chief. In order that they selected a reputation that fits the music, one that’s barely cheeky, eminently democratic, however very rock and roll. And Luscious it grew to become.
“Visually and musically, in the event you have a look at the definition of the phrase, it type of matches our aesthetic, which is rock and roll, and our sonic picture. I all the time say we’re a contemporary interpretation of traditional rock. We’re not traditional rock. We’re not trendy rock. We’re taking a contemporary method to how we play and write the traditional rock fashion of music that we grew up with,” stated O’Handley.
“I believe we’re kind of outdated souls and we now have all these totally different influences and that kind of provides us this traditional rock really feel, however we’re a contemporary model of these influences,” added Brielle.
These influences embody the apparent ones comparable to Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin, but in addition The Tragically Hip (it’s Kingston in spite of everything!) Stone Temple Pilots, Pink Sizzling Chili Peppers, Grateful Lifeless, steel professionals like Meshuggah and Iron & Wine, in addition to Dream Theater.
In the event you comply with Brielle’s private social media accounts, she has little hesitation in broadcasting her idols and influences, significantly the enduring Debbie Harry of Blondie and Gwen Stefani – significantly her days fronting No Doubt.
“Properly, I’m all concerning the girls artists being in a female-fronted band. So I believe these influences come naturally as a result of I’m a lady in rock, and it’s actually who I’m in comparison with. However I simply love a superb frontperson whether or not they’re a person or girl. I like Debbie Harry. I like Gwen Stefani however there’s so many others I like from Gord Downie [Tragically Hip], David Usher [Moist] Scott Weiland [Stone Temple Pilots, Velvet Revolver] and naturally Joan Jett,” she stated.
The entire influences and experiences of the band members come collectively in a cacophony of creativity after they follow and after they determine it’s time to write down some songs.
“The method is somewhat totally different for each track. And in the event you actually know our music, once you hear to every particular person track you may get a reasonably good thought who was the one who began it off, who bought the ball rolling and actually deliberate out the track. If it’s a very riff-driven track, Kurt can be the one who go issues going. If was somewhat extra different sounding, you may guess it was Cole’s thought. So Kurt’s method is that he’ll deliver a riff in and we’ll kind of construct the track round it in actual time as a band primarily based on that riff,” O’Handley defined.
“Cole and I’ve just about the identical method as one another; we’ll go right into a cave and simply write an entire track after which deliver it to follow, put it on the working desk and let everyone make their cuts and do what they should do. After which Brielle, for the track ‘Alone (We Are Not),’ she totally wrote the track acoustically after which we got here in and turned it right into a rock track for the entire band. So, it type of will depend on who had the preliminary thought. However the primary factor is all of us have a hand in it.”
‘Love Little one’ is among the most emotionally resonant of the unique songs within the Luscious repertoire and has Brielle thrusting her personal ache and unhappiness out into the world for the catharsis created by such an unburdening, but in addition to let others going via heartache or heartbreak know they’re not alone.
“Once I wrote this, I used to be going via a really darkish time in my life. I don’t assume I knew on the time how unhealthy it was. Nevertheless it was throughout COVID which is a on condition that it was a darkish time for everybody. Nevertheless it was actually a low level in my life and I believe it was only a therapeutic option to write about how I used to be feeling. Clearly the lyrics and speaking about ‘the conflict dancing within my head,’ I believe additionally goes with only a basic societal perspective of seeing all of the chaos on the planet,” she stated.
“And I assumed ‘Love Little one’ was a cool method of expressing it. And we added an ideal riff to it as a result of we needed to make it a critically rock and roll track. So regardless that it has a darkish theme, it’s very upbeat and really rockin’ and every individual within the band added their elements to make it an ideal track.”
“That was one of many songs that began with the guitar riff. If I bear in mind appropriately, it was a type of when the day was finished the entire track was there. After which by the subsequent follow, Brielle had the lyrics and the track was completed. However not all of them are that fast,” added Paquette.
‘Bombshell’ is one other track that you just couldn’t think about anybody aside from Luscious creating or Brielle LeBlanc singing. It has turn into one of many band’s hottest reside tracks, with its raucousness matched solely by its melodic memorability and sing-along nature.
“That was one other Kurt riff and was one other fast one. I believe once we bought to the refrain we had been caught for only a second after which we thought, why don’t we simply play two chords and let Brielle sing the hook,” stated O’Handley, with Paquette selecting up the story.
“It’s humorous, as a result of normally I’m the one who’s saying, ‘let’s simply simplify this half or that half, ‘ and Doug’s the one who desires to develop it and add extra elements. I believe this was a type of situations the place it was the reverse, the place I used to be saying, hey let’s attempt to do all these chords and it was Doug who stated, ‘let’s simply do two chords.’”
“We needed to maintain this very rock and roll. It’s your traditional rock and roll sound. I stated this to the fellows the opposite day if folks name us a rock band, it’s due to songs like ‘Bombshell.’ That’s type of the meat and potatoes of rock and roll. And I bear in mind Cole including a very cool bass line to it which put it excessive and I simply beloved it. It’s one in every of my favourites and it went fairly fast as a result of I had many of the lyrics round for years, simply ready for the fitting track,” stated Brielle, with Paquette including that there’s some apparent inspiration from the traditional Runaways track, ‘Cherry Bomb.’
If there’s one other track which may very well be added to a time capsule as one which fully epitomizes the perspective and power of Luscious, it’s the banger ‘Hearth Me Up’ which is among the band’s earliest compositions that made it to the recording stage.
McMullin and Paquette had the riff sitting as a recording on McMullin’s cellphone for quite a lot of years earlier than deciding to see if they may do one thing with it.
“We introduced it to the band and I do not forget that there was one in every of our pals who was all the time coming to our reveals and he would yell, ‘fireplace me up!’ We thought it could nearly be like a novelty track to do one known as ‘Hearth Me Up,’ due to that. We had been taking part in the bar scene and had been at The Service provider Faucet Home [a Kingston live music venue of some renown] and we had this group of pals that will all the time chant ‘fireplace me up.’ In order that’s type of how we conceived of the thought for the track,” stated Paquette, with Brielle acknowledging that it’s most likely the band’s hottest track in a reside setting.
“They [the fans] had been an enormous inspiration for us. That track is mostly a crowd pleaser. I believe the gang actually will get into it once we play it reside. It’s simply made for that interplay with the viewers. There’s a lot power going between the band and the gang. It’s a type of moments in a present the place it simply lifts up the gang and will get folks going. And I believe that’s why we’ll all the time hold it in our units. It actually showcases who we’re and what sort of a present we do and regardless that it was one in every of our first songs, it’s nonetheless all the time actually enjoyable to do.”
it at present, it looks like it was solely a matter of time earlier than Luscious started to reap the rewards for all their exhausting work, for his or her capability to craft superior rock songs, to be so devoted to all sides of their inventive craft and for conducting themselves as true professionals. Nevertheless it isn’t all the time the case as many failed bands and artists can attest. There may be additionally a facet of getting a eager eye to see when a chance arises and the fortitude and wherewithal to benefit from these alternatives.
Any time Luscious has been given an opportunity to open for a much bigger identify act, they’ve pounced transferring effortlessly from phases in smaller Kingston venues like The Service provider and The Mansion to performing in entrance of hundreds at Belleville’s Empire Rockfest (3000-plus in attendance), in addition to bigger indoor venues comparable to The Ale Home in Kingston and The Bronson Centre in Ottawa. And now, add to that record the huge Ottawa Bluesfest, the place the gang dimension is measured within the tens of hundreds.
Luscious have put within the, put within the miles, and put within the sweat fairness during the last 9 years, treating any sacrifices and dues paying as merely the worth of doing enterprise – that enterprise being rising to the higher echelons of the music business, with out compromising their artistry, integrity or their friendship.
“We’re simply actually grateful for these alternatives. It’s essentially the most stunning feeling on the planet to carry out on a stage usually, however to carry out on these greater phases, I believe it actually matches Luscious. I don’t know, I simply really feel so emotional on the market with these guys. I’m nearly crying proper now serious about it, as a result of there have been moments after I have a look at them once we’re on the market and assume, ‘wow, it is a actually stunning second in our profession and we’ve labored so exhausting.’ However we’re additionally so grateful. I believe we had been simply shocked in any respect these superb reveals we’ve been in a position to do, and we’re simply so humbled by them,” stated Brielle.
“It doesn’t even really feel actual generally. I’m nonetheless type of scuffling with the entire course of, questioning if I’m allowed to stroll round backstage, the place can I’m going, who can I speak to. It’s all nonetheless type of registering with me, however like Brielle, I’m completely simply grateful and completely happy to be in these conditions and attempt to soak it up as a lot as I can, as a result of, you by no means know if it’s going to go away. So I wish to all the time respect it,” added O’Handley.
“We don’t take something with no consideration. We take the preparation for all this actually critically. As soon as we began getting these greater reveals, we had a good friend of ours who’s a part of the sound crew for Bryan Adams are available in when he’s not on the street to ensure we’re being offered in one of the simplest ways doable. A whole lot of thought goes into our units, the notes on what we’re going to say in between songs and guaranteeing our crew is skilled as a result of we wish to be certain that we’re making the very best impression doable. As a result of, as we’ve stated, in the event you don’t benefit from these alternatives and drink it in, and put your finest effort into it, then you definately’re much less more likely to hold it going.”
One of many first huge alternatives got here from Mark Rashotte, proprietor of the Empire Theatre in Belleville and promoter of the annual Empire Rockfest sequence of outside reveals in downtown Belleville, Ontario every July. He put Luscious on a invoice opening for the then rising band The Seashores in the summertime of 2024. The Seashores at the moment are one in every of Canada’s most commercially profitable, critically lauded and in style bands.
“He was the one who bought us on the invoice with The Seashores and it type of led to a snowball impact from there. As a result of upon getting a present like that in your resume, so long as you don’t bomb, the phrase will get out within the business and also you by no means know the place that would lead. From there we bought the present with Kim Mitchell [later in November 2024], and from that we bought I Mom Earth [at the Ale House in Kingston] after which we ended up happening with Edwin [from I Mother Earth] for a solo present on the Bronson Centre in Ottawa]. It’s like I stated, the kind of snowball impact the place you retain getting greater reveals as a result of every trip you show your self. So we felt extremely fortunate and grateful that Mark put us on that first present. I nonetheless have the cheque we bought from Empire Rockfest, simply kind of mounted above our whiteboard in our rehearsal house as a reminder that earlier than that present we had been caught doing solely bar gigs, however he bought us out of that,” stated O’Handley.
“That specific Empire Rockfest was cool as a result of Brielle, Wyatt and I noticed The Seashores just a few years in the past for the primary time after they had been the opening act [for The Glorious Sons] at Empire Rockfest. After which right here we’re just a few years later they usually’re the headliner and we’re within the spot that they’d. It was like a full circle second,” added Paquette.
So now, the band’s sights are firmly set on Ottawa Bluesfest, one of many largest musical occasions to occur in Canada every summer time, with internationally famend headliners each night. It must be a heady expertise for any younger band to see themselves on a poster or commercial with solely two names above theirs – one being Tom Morello of Rage Towards the Machine, and legendary Sheffield UK rockers Def Leppard.
“I texted my oldest brother Dan and informed him we’re opening for Tom Morello and Def Leppard on the primary stage at Bluesfest and he instantly known as me and the very first thing he stated was, ‘what the ***okay is occurring?! How is that this occurring?!’ It’s not misplaced on us how lucky we’re but in addition how loopy that is,” O’Handley stated.
Moreover making ready for Bluesfest and a handful of different upcoming reveals, work continues on new music, with the intention of releasing extra singles frequently with the potential of an album in some unspecified time in the future within the close to future. Among the different reveals embody taking part in the brand new Line Spike Pageant in Frontenac County on a invoice that features the enduring Burton Cummings, Sunday, June 29, adopted a return to Empire Rockfest on July 25 to open for legendary Canadian acts David Wilcox and Trooper.
“There’s a plan down the road to get a vinyl urgent however proper now our schedule is somewhat bit unconventional for what quite a lot of established bands do as a result of once you’re not tremendous established there’s normally stress to maintain releasing new music and have a constant move of music coming. So, I believe the plan now’s to maintain releasing singles, however then retroactively kind of amalgamate these singles into an album that we might then launch as a bodily product,” O’Handley defined.
“We’ve bought 5 unrecorded tracks able to go, and we now have two tracks which can be recorded and prepared for launch. One we’re releasing in July and the opposite one within the fall. I believe the purpose is to get a bodily launch for all these new recordings and have an precise album pressed. And hopefully we are able to try this by March of subsequent yr, which is our 10th anniversary, and have an enormous album launch get together.”
For extra data on Luscious, their new music and tour dates, go to https://www.lusciousband.com.
- Jim Barber is a veteran award-winning journalist and writer primarily based in Napanee, Ontario, Canada, who has been writing about music and musicians for greater than 30 years. Moreover his journalistic endeavors, he works as a communications and advertising and marketing specialist and is an avid volunteer in his neighborhood. Contact him at jimbarberwritingservices@gmail.com.
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