MONDAY MORNING MUSICAL MAYHEM - featuring Faiyaz Shah
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Welcome to Monday Morning Musical Mayhem: an online series that focuses on musicians, bands, artists, and whoever else in the musical industry that reaches out to us! The goal is help spread the word about people doing rad stuff in the music world! Are you doing rad stuff? Email us at brutalrealitydigest@gmail.com to be featured! xoxoxo
Another Monday has rolled in and is attempting to ruin our vibes! Never fear! We have the antidote! More musical mayhem for all! This week, we chatted with Faiyaz Shah from Toronto garage punkers Faiyaz and the Wasted Chances. They've just released a new music video and you better believe you can watch it right here on Brutal Reality Digest dot com! Enjoy!
BRUTAL REALITY DIGEST: Introduce yourself, your band, and your weapon of choice.
FAIYAZ SHAH: My name is Faiyaz. I’m the big goofie in the garage punk band Faiyaz and the Wasted Chances . Catch me wielding a hot ass oily frying pan like some angry grandma from hell.
BRD: How would you explain your band to the average Joe?
FS: Very scratchy slackers making Punk rock but like very seriously? Me and Dylan can do some insane solos in our sleep and in your DREAMS.
BRD: How has your day to day life been in Toronto for the past year?
FS: Particularly boring compared to playing shows and going to them! But mostly just waking up, having hot ass showers and making a great breakfast hash. Lots of emails. A lot of walks in High Park. COFFEE! Then playing lots of guitar and maybe recording. I’ve got a really great recording setup so I make sure to keep my skills sharp and just create a lot. Even if it goes nowhere, just going through the process in itself is rewarding. I miss all the social stuff that came with normal life that is just GONE. I still see/talk to some people via zoom/discord and online games and stuff. But generally speaking it's pretty boring. I miss the doggies of trinity bellwoods pretty bad.
BRD: Who are some of your favourite creatives from Toronto? Filmmakers, musicians, whatever?
FS: Gonna show some love to some great creatives in my my music scene. Definitely Kurtis Watson and Shawn Cosmo for filmmakers. Cosmo recently put out a hotdog video that I LOVE. Kurtis does so much great stuff everything from docs with Cleopatrick to sick Lootbag live vids. They both make AWESOME music videos. Here's some random Toronto musicians. Love Weatherboy they are very great gretsch indie jazz chord. Really dig Animatist and some angular weirdo post jazzy grooves. Glue Gun Records artists in general! Obviously love all the Lootbaggers as well.
BRD: What is a popular movie or TV show that you just couldn't get into yourself?
FS: RIVERDALE. I'm sorry for those out there that love it but I CANT STAND IT. Like with a passion. What is this glee but with Archie and some sprinkles of edgy. SO MUCH HATE. I watched the new Sabrina too and felt the same way, but still took 4 seasons of my life. What is modern life anymore geeze.
BRD: If you could start a band with any fictional character, who would it be?
FS: VENOM!!!! He's probably one hardcore ass bassist and cause he's all symbiote probably kill the drums too. You don't wanna be in a dark alleyway with venom so good luck stealing my gear! Only problem is he might eat me and my brains but hey not much different from your average shitty bandmate.
BRD: Where is the most unusual place you've played a show?
FS: Dylans got this story where his old band plays this hotbox cafe type deal to 4 peeps. After the first note of fuzz bass all the 3 stoners watching puke like in rhythm hahahah. After that they all walk out go to the bathroom and just kinda come back in every other 10 minutes to check the band kinda half assedly. The kit was also like a kids kit and Dylan and my ex bassist Mauro were TANKED drunk too. I've got some crazy stories too but I'll leave it to just one for this lil interview.
BRD: What is your favourite flavour of Old Dutch chips?
FS: Tie between Sour cream and onion/ BBQ and if the store fancy jalapeno and cheddar.
BRD: Would you rather have a robot sidekick or an alien sidekick?
FS: Robot SIDE KICK! We already have robots making pizza in Toronto so why the HELL CAN'T I GET ONE!!? We talking walking stone pizza oven BABY!
BRD: What do you hope to accomplish for the last 2/3 of this bizarre year?
FS: MORE SINGLES!!! MORE VIDEOOS!!! MORE FAIYAZ!!!! WE WANT CHANGEEE!!!
Seriously though I would love to play shows again and tour. Have my plants grow! I'm sure this sounds dumb but I wanna see this album cycle to the end. I'm such a lazy punk and I've never been this serious or put in this much work into my craft. I just wanna see it through till the end. Whatever that means?
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