Oshawa based rock duo the Standstills are definitely not standing still.
They have been spending much of the summer touring the festival circuit, opening for some pretty big names and even went to France. They have just released “Shotgun,” the third single off their most recent EP “From The Devil’s Porch” which has produced radio hits “Orleans” and “Rise of the Fall.”
In October they will be touring with ’90s Canadian rock icons Our Lady Peace and I Mother Earth, but first, they play Whoop Up Days, Aug. 24 with Calgary’s Ten Minute Detour.The Standstills have been working hard since forming in 2008.
“We work really hard as individuals at creating great music and a great show But it really is a team effort. The record label has helped a lot and our management team do a lot behind the scenes who have really helped this to be a really exciting year. We’re really excited about it,” he said.
He said they are planning on recording a new album, though they haven’t begun recording yet.
“We’re always creating. Originally we were going to do another Ep, but discussion has changed that there is a demand for a full length. We‘d like to do a big international release here in Canada, the U.S and Europe. But we just released ‘Shotgun’ so we’re focused on supporting that,” he said.
The band is pleased to call Oshawa home. We lived in London for a while , but there was a recession years ago and everything closed down, so we wanted to get out of there. We didn’t want to live in Toronto. It’s way cheaper to live here. And we do a lot of work and rehearsing here,” he said.
He noted The Standstills will remain a duo.
“When we first started jamming eight years ago, the duo scene really hadn’t started happening. But we really just enjoying creating together,” he said.
“We’ve progressed together through clubs and bars. It’s challenging. The two of us have to play efficiently. I can’t just stop playing guitar because another guitar player or bass player will fill in. It pushes us to the limits creatively. And that’s always been our vision,” he said.
“It’s very important for us to challenge ourselves,” he said.
He said his lyrics are influenced by western movies and “badass characters.”
“I love western movies and characters. I also love blues lyrics. Sometimes I’ll put myself in the place of some of the characters and write from that perspective even if the lyrics don’t make 100 per cent sense,” he said.
They are excited to make their Lethbridge debut at Whoop up Days.
“I don’t think I’ve ever played there, at least not that I can remember,” he said, adding he wants to show off everything the band can do during their show.
“ We have lots planned. We have heavy songs and blues songs and songs with a lot of groove— all of the styles of music that we love,” he said.
“I always liked bands like led Zeppelin, who could take the listener on a journey. We want to do that,” Fox said.
“And we’ll have a 40 minute drum solo,” he chuckled.
He said the band takes things day by day.
“We have no plans. We focus on the next show and the next song,” he said.
More information can be found at www.thestandstills.com
The Standstills play the Gas King Stage in Exhibition park, Aug. 24 at 9 p.m. Ten Minute Detour begins at 7:30 p.m.
