Stabilo’s sound has evolved on ‘Happiness & Disaster’; growing from the prolific song writing talents of Jesse Dryfhout and Christopher John. Jesse’s unique vocals paint stirring and darker imagery, balanced against Chris’ brighter, gentler vocals and playing style, and tied together by the dynamic inventive rhythms of KarlWillaume and Nathan Wylie.
I met Chris at the Ramada Inn at 1030am, just around the corner from Daybreak restaurant at Church and Carlton in Toronto, where we sit down and speak about what has contributed to the success of their latest album. (Chris orders the Anastasia and consumes rather high quantities of caffeine.) Stabilo played the night before in Hamilton and he is still trying to wake up.
OC:Do you find it easy to gel musically because you know each other personally?
CJ: Definitely makes it easy! When you play that long together, you can read each other and know what the other is going to do.
OC:What about the songwriting process?
CJ: We don’t really write together. Although I think it’s changing. Jesse and I write most of the songs on the album. We write stuff, bring it to the band and flush it out and see if it will work. Usually I bring songs to the band and Jesse will say, ” your bridge is your chorus, it’s way catchier, switch it around”. Jesse and I have been playing together since 95′ so I trust his opinion.
OC: Have you ever squabbled over song lyrics to be used on particular songs?
CJ: I think lyrics are still the one thing that we do separately. However, Flawed Design (Jesse wrote), but we worked with a songwriter(Kevin Cadish) in New York and that was the first time Jesse and I worked together on a song and I guess it worked well! But, it’s difficult.
Christopher wrote Habit, Happiness and Disaster, Coffee Spills, Ordinary and Co wrote chart topper “FLAWED DESIGN.”
OC:Based on other artists success for co-writing, how do you feel about it? (After several attempts with writing with some Canadian writers, Alanis Morissette headed south and had some HUGE success when she wrote with Glen Ballard (famed producer/songwriter/ arrangers for No Doubt, Aerosmith, Wilson Phillips, Michael Jackson, Lisa Marie Presley, Bush, Shakira and DAVE MATTHEWS!).
CJ: We have always been a little hesitant to write with other people. Not sure whether it is just scared of being vulnerable. I am all for writing with other people, I figure the more people you write with the more we will grow as artists.
OC: Back in 95′ where we you playing then other than barnyard parties (from their bio)?
CJ: Coffee shops…(ever bump into Nelly Furtado?), never bumped into her.
OC: Were your musical influences the same back then?
CJ: Yes. The Beatles, Led Zepplin and older Dave Matthews. We actually learned to play acoustic guitar to Dave Matthews. The Beatles helped us out with songwriting and song structure. It’s ALL about the Beatles!
Our former tour manager(he is no longer with them), didn’t like the Beatles and every time we would turn on some tunes, he would proclaim that it was shit, but that’s not why he is gone (laughter exumes).
OC: What was your draw to playing guitar in the first place?
I guess the love of music. However, I did learn the piano first and then the guitar. I stopped playing the piano for awhile and now I am trying to relearn it.
OC: Who decided the song arrangement on the current album?
CJ: It’s very hard to decide that. We spent several weeks working on that, especially when Jesse is in Toronto and the rest of the band is in B.C. Alot of emails back and forth and eventually things worked.
OC: Why did you add your previous hit from your first album, “Everybody” at the end of this one?
CJ: Again there was a lot of discussion around that. We originally did not want to add it, but the label really wanted us to, because of the the 2 year lapse between the two albums.
Well, there is no need to jar our memories of who Stabilo is, their lead single “Flawed Design” is in steady rotation at MuchmoreMusic and you can hear it on a variety of top radio stations across Canada. If you want to check them out, they are currently on tour with rock sensation MOBILE. Nearing the end of our conversation, Chris gets a call from the band and they need him to help aid in the checkout. The overall feel I got from Chris is that he is really a laid back and down to earth type of guy, who is dependable, dedicated (hence the early am interview) and committed to the future of the band. Even if it is the simplest things, like checking out.
UPCOMING TOUR DATES
Aug 5, 2006 Ed Fest Edmonton
Jul 15, 2006 Independent Music Festival Benalto
Jul 14, 2006 Summerslam Grand Prarie
Jul 1, 2006 Cloverdale Millenium Ampitheatre Surrey
Jun 30, 2006 Funtastic Festival Grounds Vernon
Jun 17, 2006 Red River Exhibition Winnipeg