SOMETHING'S HAPPENING--four early to mid-twenties Canadian kids with hair of shortish lengths are writing some of the sweetest new pop music of no particular genres you haven't heard for a long time. They've just emerged from their basement of white plaster dust with a self-titled cd that hundreds of folks are eagerly downloading ( www.majorgrey.com ). MAJOR GREY, tastily named after the candiest of Indian mango chutneys, is ANDREW, ALEX, ROBBIE and MARCUS, and their reputation is building. They're worth checking out!..."Truly fresh and sticking out from the heap of this town's redundant "indie pop" circle, with an album that is tightly packed with unique and intelligent pop songs with bittersweet nostalgia sprinkled all over it. MAJOR GREY constantly grows on you, a wonderful debut...." -TORONTO INDIE.COM
ANDREW HAUGHTON, 25, guitarist-singer-songwriter from Powasin (a pristine village slightly south of North Bay, Ontario). Started playing before he was ten, preferred guitar tab books over arithmetic and began creating his own chord equations. If the band business ever folded for Andrew, he’d still be able to carve out a good living as a video game soundtrack composer among other things. He’s one of the kindliest characters to orchestrate a band, he’ll rave for hours about Radiohead but has no interest in being anything but himself.
ROB GILDERMEESTER, 25, bass, met Andrew in nursery school and has been playing with him ever since. By far the tallest of the bunch, and like the rest, Rob is most comfortable in casual clothes. You won’t find him putting on one of those shiny suits before a gig. Many people think he looks like another famous bassist. The fact is, he’s quite skilled as well. He may not talk as much as his group-mates, but he’s been known to come up with a fast retort to some sexy situations.
ALEX TOPP, 22, keyboard-harmonica-backing vocals, from Toronto. Got into music as a toddler, faxing fan mail to Shane MacGowan while choosing sing-alongs with The Pogues, Mandy Patinkin, The Jesus And Mary Chain and Cats over Raffi. Alex loves Indian food so much that she named the group in honour of one famous curry condiment. She loves the scenic route and wasting time whistling at the moon. Wailing on the harmonica also pleases her to no end. She once said Sun Ra changed her life.
MARCUS CIPPARRONE, 24, drums-percussion, from Toronto. Started duelling his brother on the skins before he was in Grade 5. It’s in his basement that the band rehearses and he has more facial hair than the others. Many (including one famous TV producer) have described his drumming as “fantasticâ€, for he pushes the group along like crazy. Trouble with being the drummer is that you’re usually placed in the background, but Marcus always manages to make himself heard.
The members of MAJOR Grey are all dedicated, genuinely creative, good-looking, sincere. They won’t be pigeon-holed and look forward to the day their records fly off the shelf. Sometimes, they look into the future, and can’t believe how people from all over the world are downloading their first collection of songs. On that note, they feel that the recording didn’t cost them a penny, so “why not give it away for freeâ€.
It’ll happen for MAJOR GREY; it’s getting clearer every day. They’ve got something to say and will never say “no†to an autograph seeker.
MAJOR GREY - Clarence of the 5th Brigade
