interested in working on a whole album with him. “He agreed so I took a break from the studio and headed back to my home town to do some more writing and a few months later I had another five song ideas so I was back in the studio for two more weeks,” he tells me. They now had six solid songs and he needed a break from the studio at this point to rest the musical part of his brain and he headed home again and began work on the last half of the album. It took Derwood another two Alchemy Studio’s Calgary who did all the drum and lead months to get some good ideas together then headed guitar work on the album by the way.” he explains to me. back to Calgary to finish recording the album. The guys DERWOOD The guys later had the style and sound that they both worked for another week and a half together and finally wanted for the album a sound template for the rest of finished the recordings. Derwood took another short the song ideas came pretty easily. He recycled a few of break of about a week or two then drove back to Calgary his older songs that he wrote when he was playing in to spend three solid days mastering with Jeff who also a grunge band and came up with a few new ideas. “I produced the album. would later return to Calgary for two more two week Looking forward to the future of this album and what long recording sessions and I finally had a professional the band will morph into, Derwood would like to be on studio album… and yes I’m very proud of it,” he smiles. tour in the near future promoting the album although Over the years Justin has been heavily influenced they will need a bass player and a drummer as the guys by The Beatles, Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe and Ratt and currently in the band have family and work obligations. most of his time after work is spent playing with his kids, “I will be sending my album to different labels to see listening to music, playing video games and travelling. if there is any interest out there for our style of music Lead guitarist Kyle Kosedy got into playing music at the and in the meantime we’ll be playing live as much as early age of seven and everyone in his family is extremely possible in and around our area promoting the new From Canada we find classic hard rockersDERWOOD musical. “I was just around it constantly. Guitar was my album. I personally believe that with enough hard work who have a brilliant catchy hard hitting new twelve track instrument of choice and I have kept up with it my entire and touring the album will be very successful and if it is CD out now called ‘Renegade’, which runs in at around life,” says Kyle. there will be much more to come,” Derwood concludes. forty minutes long and is the band’s debut album. This Ira was lucky enough to be exposed to several Check Derwood out at www.derwood.ca album is hard rock to the core, full throttle pleasing light different musical genres as a child and growing up in https://derwood1.bandcamp.com spirited catchy tunes that are based on a classic rock a rural area the radio played fifties and seventies rock foundation. Derwood are: Derwood - lead vocals and hits. “When combined with my uncle’s collection of AC/ rhythm guitar, Justin Mercier - bass guitar, Kyle Kosedy - DC albums really cemented my love for rock. Some of LOVE N REVENGE lead guitar and Ira Dales - drums. the artists I grew up listening to and loving included the When lead vocals and rhythm guitarist Derwood was Beatles, Buddy Rich, Michael Jackson, Bad Religion and, a kid he lived on a farm about five miles outside of town George Jones to really give you an idea of how crazy and they lived sheltered lives and worked pretty hard. broad my love for music is,” he tells me. Some weekends his brother would go garage sailing and In his down time away from music Derwood is a bring home eight tracks, vinyl records and tapes that they roofer by trade and he has run his own company for the would then listen to in their tree house where they spent last ten years. He also loves building and flying model most of their off time during the summer months. rockets, and airplane’s those are high on his list of fun Soon after he bought a new Korean made fender activities. “I love hanging out with friends and doing guitar and practice amp then convinced his parents to some drinking from time to time. Long motorcycle trips get him some lessons. Derwood had been already getting are always in the back of my mind but being a roofer acoustic guitar lessons and at this point, his dad being a it’s always been hard to get away during the warm cowboy was hesitant about the switch but rock prevailed summer months. I love working on old motors, heavy for the youngster. His guitar teacher Desmond loved all equipment, cars or anything that moves or fly’s really. I From Los Angeles we find the awesome LOVE N kinds of music but he started Derwood off learning with also like building and construction projects when I can REVENGE, who have a new twelve track CD out now tapes that had three different song speeds recorded afford them and most of the time I like to be out in the called ‘Karma’ which runs in at just under fiftyminutes on them. “Every time I would move up a speed I can country away from all the busy city action. I’ve also taken long and is the bands debut album with a new sophomore remember feeling a sense of accomplishment. Looking up acrylic painting as of late and have been loving trying release planned for February 2018. back I was learning some tough material for my age, to paint mountain landscapes but it’s hard,” he says. Love N Revenge are: Damon Kelly - lead vocals, some Dire Straits, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Kyle is a drywaller/stuccoer by trade and when he backing vocals, guitars, John Lisi - guitars, bass and Vic Led Zeppelin to name a few,” he tells me. is not working he spends his time playing sports like Rivera - drums, keys, bass, backing vocals. Joining the Bass player Justin Mercier got into music back in 1990 fastball, pool, darts and all the other beer sports. Ira has live band are: Mike Ledesma - lead vocals, Greg Polcari - when he borrowed a bass guitar from his close friend always enjoyed tinkering, which when he was younger guitars, backing vocals, Raven Blakkwell - bass, backing who never played the thing and he began learning songs included taking stuff apart and (trying to) fix them up. “In vocals, Tommy John - drums, backing vocals and Johny by ear in his apartment at the time and couldn’t put it my teenage years, this moved to cars so I could get off Shandruk - FOH engineer, backing vocals. down. Drummer Ira Dales’ musical journey started early the farm and then finally into technology and computers. Music has always been in singer and guitarist Damon in life dancing to his parents records as a kid. Throughout I now run my own IT Company and still enjoy taking Kelly’s blood and it consumes every breath he takes his childhood, he was fortunate to be exposed and something broken apart and fixing it or at the very least from writing to recording to touring to all aspects of the involved in many music programs and played several learning more about how it works,” he explains to me. business side. “It’s infectious. It’s everything who I am different instruments. The band is very different from most bands and and what I do,” he smiles. After high school he played in a few bands Derwood is pleased that the other guys took on this Kelly like most artists has a lot of inspirations and and continued showcasing project. “I don’t think I would join a group promoting influences. “My musical journey has been a vision since the music that he loved as an album I had no creative input behind so for that I’m I was three years old... Motley Crue essentially is the a DJ in clubs and parties. very thankful,” he smiles. The bass player and drummer reason who I am today but my influences range from “Now I’m lucky enough to commute four hours a week just to practice with him and the entire era of melodic arena rock to Keith Urban to play again with my brother the lead guitar player. Rascal Flatts to Waylon Jennings to Kenny Rogers. True and some friends who I’ve This band is in its infancy and there will be member inspiration will always come from simply life experience played with before in changes over the years but he is very excited to be finally which is either love or revenge. It’s all about hitting that various other bands and focused on playing original music, as he has been in cover nerve to help or heal someone around the world,” he musical endeavours. Music band after cover band over for the last decade with not tells me. is and always will be a big many members wanting to create anything new.