Republic of Safety profile picture

Republic of Safety

About Me

Founded in 2004 as an utopian alternative to the dearth of imagination in our beleagured nation, from its inception the Republic of Safety made citizenship freely available. Fervent audiences from Buffalo to Brantford to Montreal responded to the call. Clothes were torn. Undergarments revealed. Xenophobes and non-dancers cowered and retreated. Within months the first 500 pressings of its Passport (2005 EP: 15 minutes of punk perfection) were snapped up, and access to their borders passionately sought. Their abundant natural resources of talent, charisma, incisive political critique and hemlines quickly drew raves from the media: from the Globe and Mail and Toronto Star to state radio CBC Two and 3.In 2006, they returned with a brand new four song CD single, the Vacation EP on Montreals Ta Da! Records (run by Patti Schmidt of the groundbreaking late-night CBC Radio programme Brave New Waves and Jeff Waye of Ninja Tune Records). Recorded and mixed by Don Pyle (of the revered Fifth Column and Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet), this second EP came closer to harnessing the feverish energy of the Republic writhing live on the floor, and featured appearances by Owen Pallett (Final Fantasy) on violin and Gentleman Reg on backing vocals.The front line of the Republic includes state agitator and lyricist Maggie MacDonald (also of The Hidden Cameras, and a critically acclaimed author/playwright) on vocals and Jonny Dovercourt (co-founder of Toronto's Wavelength series and a veteran of numerous math-rock bands) on shouting and riffage, with bassist and '06 recruit Marlena Kaesler now stepping up to the plate to sweeten the pie with her velvety vocal harmonies. The Republic's Ministry expanded in 2007 to include new Minister of Percussion, Steve Sidoli (of Ottawa and Quebexico), and saxophonist and Minister of Internet, Martin "Martron" Eckart (of electronic bike army, Special Purpose). A compact army of lovers AND fighters, RoS extract a new kind of exuberantly slutty nationalism from the most unimaginative observer, and their impact upon the more stolid institutions of Toronto and beyond is currently being felt.-- bio by Helen Spitzer (with 2007 updates from J. Dovercourt)

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 22/02/2005
Band Website: Under reconstruction
Band Members: Maggie MacDonald (voice/lyrics, 2004-08), Jonny Dovercourt (guitar/voice, 2004-08), Marlena Kaesler (bass/voice, 2006-08), Steve Sidoli (drums, 2007-08), Martin Eckart (saxophone, 2007-08), Evan Davies (drums/voice, 2004-06), Kat Gligorijevic (bass, 2004-06), Kate McGee (bass, 2004-06), Dennis Amos (drums, 2004).
Sounds Like: Wire, Gang of Four, Patti Smith, Mission of Burma, Bikini Kill, Dead Kennedys, Rocket From The Crypt/Drive Like Jehu, Springsteen, Motown, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Joy Division/New Order, The Fall, Fugazi, Billy Bragg, Archers of Loaf, Life Without Buildings, The Contortions, Crass.
Record Label: Ta Da! + RoS Issuing Office
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

Succession EP: Mail Order!

Our posthumous EP "Succession" is available for OLD SCHOOL MAIL ORDER!To make an order, please email: jonnydovercourt AT gmail.com and you will receive prompt instructions.ThanksJDex-RoS
Posted by on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 11:15:00 GMT

PRE-BORDER CLOSING PROPAGANDA

Please read what the print media of Canada have to say about the closing of the Republic's borders:http://www.eyeweekly.com/music/streetspirit/article/ 15853http://www.chartattack.com/damn/2008/01/220...
Posted by on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:37:00 GMT

EVACUATION ORDERS! BORDER CLOSING!- Last Show Ever: January 26!!

ATTENTION TRAVELERS: BORDER CLOSING AND EVACUATION IMMINENT Government to stage FINAL SHOW and ReleaseParty Saturday Jan. 26  Sneaky Dee's, 431 College St., $8 cover/$15 with CD+P...
Posted by on Wed, 16 Jan 2008 11:24:00 GMT

The Rat King Rock Opera in New York City

Hello friends, For about seven years I've been working on The Rat King, watching it slowly morph from a story, into a play, and, finally, into a rock opera involving many of m...
Posted by on Mon, 16 Jul 2007 11:58:00 GMT

I've got a Telegram

Hello,This is a brief posting to note that Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark are amazing, timeless, incredible, etc. Also, we will be playing a couple of shows with the Blow this weekend in Montreal a...
Posted by on Mon, 02 Jul 2007 16:54:00 GMT

RoS on cover of Guelph's Echo Weekly

Republic of Safety has landed our first-ever magazine cover! We are on the cover of today's issue of Echo Weekly, covering the tri-city area of Guelph, Kitchener/Waterloo and Cambrige, Ontario, in adv...
Posted by on Thu, 21 Jun 2007 12:41:00 GMT

Hello again, old friend, old Toronto

  The time of hibernation is ending and we, The Republic of Safety, have lots of new shows to celebrate with. We are also making up some new songs and recording. The sad news I must sh...
Posted by on Thu, 10 May 2007 12:09:00 GMT

ANNOUNCING NEW DRUMMINISTER!

The Cabinet Position of Drummer Has Been Filled.Republic of Safety's new drumminister is.... STEVE SIDOLI!!!Steve comes to us from the East of Ontario, from the National Capital Region of Ottawa and t...
Posted by on Thu, 12 Apr 2007 14:12:00 GMT

NO SHAME

Last Saturday's Drum Machine Show at the Tiger Bar was a BLAST. Lauren did an amazing job putting the show together, and it was the best vibe at an indie show that I (Jonny) had seen in a year or two,...
Posted by on Tue, 27 Mar 2007 21:00:00 GMT

Cabinet post of DRUMMER still open

The Republic of Safety has recently been auditioning some talented candidates for the open cabinet position of Drums/Percussion/Mad Beats, yet the ideal human has yet to step forward. Could this be yo...
Posted by on Wed, 28 Feb 2007 01:08:00 GMT