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For More on Outmatch visit:
myspace.com/outmatch
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Weightless
An Interview by
Mike Newdeck
Outmatch are a
relatively new band on the scene. They are in the unusual position of
being a well-known light in Germany but almost obscure in their home
country Canada. Their debut album ‘Weightless’ has garnered critical
acclaim from all quarters (review featured in last issue). Mike caught
up with vocalist Martin Acosta to find out-amongst other things-a little
more about the band’s affinity with Germany.
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Why the name
Outmatch?
Outmatch comes from trying to better ourselves with every song we write,
and everything we do. We are pretty hard on ourselves in that respect,
and it just seemed like a fitting name to motivate us to do our best at
all times.
When did you form?
We’ve been a band for six years now. Our first show was august 27th,
2002.
As Canadians how did you manage to become
successful in Germany?
We were working with the Bermann bros. that are from Germany,
and they happened to know someone at a record label who took a liking to
the band, so we ended up signing our record deal in Germany and
releasing there before anywhere else.
How did you become involved with the Bermann
brothers?
By chance really.. They became involved with Justin Gray in Toronto,
where we are from, and Justin introduced us and the rest is history.
Small world I guess :)
Has it been difficult adopting Europe and
Germany as your native country with respect to travelling possibly from
Canada for recording touring etc and how have you coped?
It’s fun actually. Germany has become like a second home these days. The
people in Germany have been really welcoming and supportive. Yeah, of
course we miss our families, friends, and loved ones every now and
again, but at the end of the day we're still playing rock and roll for a
living, and that's what we always wanted. It’s bliss.
Is 'Weightless' your debut album or have you
had any other releases under another name?
This is our first album. We have recorded TONS of other material, but
never officially released anything until now.
On 'Weightless' there are several co-written
songs. How did you get involved with Harry Hess?
Friends of friends really. He is a great guy, and a very gifted
songwriter and producer. We were all pretty big fans of him even before
we met him. Harem Scarem rocks!
How did Steve Bertrand (Avion /The Tories) get
roped in to contribute?
He is also a friend of a friend, and I love his voice...so
when we were recording in L.A. I asked him if he wanted to sing some
backgrounds, and he said yes :)
The Bermann brothers produce approximately half
of the album, whilst Murray Daigle handles the other. Why were the
production duties shared?
Would it not have been more cohesive to use one producer?
There are a lot of ways to make a record, and this is certainly one of
them. Stuart Brawley produced the majority of the record, and the rest
was by the Bermanns and Murray Daigle. The plan was to do it all in one
shot with Stuart, but when we got home from L.A. We had written a bunch
more songs, which we thought, deserved to be on the record, so we had to
go to plan 'b' and record them here in Toronto without Stu.
The US release was on 1st August, it's early
days but how has it been received initially by radio?
The record has not been released in North America as of yet, but stay
tuned!
Are you planning to tour in the US in support
of the album or is Europe your priority?
There is currently no tour planned in the US, but we are definitely not
ruling out the possibility. If there are people to play in front of, we
always want to do it!
How would you describe your music?
We are a very song oriented band. We just try to write the best songs we
can and we play them as best as we can. We don’t have any gimmicks or
anything like that. It’s just about solid tunes.
Is it relevant or don't you really care?
All of our material is very relevant to us. It all comes from
experiences either in our own lives or the lives of our friends and
loved ones. Music has helped us through some tough times in our lives,
and we just want to do the same for other people.
How do the band respond to criticism and
praise?
We always feel great when someone says something nice about us. It makes
us feel like our efforts are worth it. As for the criticism, we try to
just mind our own, and do what we do. Not everyone is going to like it,
and that's okay. It’s healthy. And well, I always find it terribly
ironic when someone takes the time to tell us how much we suck. That
kind of passion deserves some sort of merit! Ha-ha.
What are the plans for the band starting from
now?
We just returned from our summer festival tour in Germany, and now we
are beginning to write some new material for our second album. Which
will hopefully be the one we release to the masses ;-)
What are your plans for the UK market?
We’d love to go. There is a great, happening scene there that we would
love to be a part of. We also have some great friends there who support
us, so I think it's safe to expect a little bit of 'Outmatch' in the UK
in the near future...
With bands like The Fray and One Republic
gaining popularity in the UK has this opened up the way for Outmatch?
I think the UK has an affinity for great songs. Starting with The
Beatles and then on through the course of history. I believe that's the
reason why One Republic and The Fray are popular there. They both have
great material. Hopefully 'Outmatch' can rock out over there too someday
soon!
How old are the members of the band?
Jay & Kyle are 30, and Mike and Myself (Martin) are 23.
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The album
‘Weightless’ is currently available in Europe
For More
on the Band visit:
Myspace.com/outmatch |
