Backstage Pass - Mad Parish - Interview

ATP

For the record, who's answering the interview?

MAD PARISH

My name is Max Canuel, and I’m the bass player.

ATP

What is your band's name? How did you come up with that name?

MAD PARISH

MadParish is the name of the band. Our drummer Bobby actually came up with that one. Years ago, he was visiting his grandmother north of Montreal. While there, two of his uncles came in after their weekly trip to church (Older French-Canadians tend to still attend catholic mass). He overheard their discussion, and heard them talking about some ``crazy`` lady who was talking about the ``parish`` of St-Sauveur… Bobby put the two together, ``crazy`` became ``mad``, thus, the moniker `` MadParish`` was born.

ATP

So who's in the band and what instruments do you each play?

MAD PARISH

Right now, the lineup consists of myself on bass, Josh McConnell on vocals, Bobby Girard on drums, with Bob Eaglesham, Yannick Lortie, and Martin Dagenais on guitars.

ATP

How would you describe your sound. What makes you unique?

MAD PARISH

To me, MadParish is a mix of past, present, and future Heavy Metal. While you can probably pick up on some of our influences, it’s certainly not any kind of imitation; we definitely have our own unique sound, and we’re constantly trying to push the boundaries of metal forward. There’s definitely some prog in there, some punk rock. The triple harmony guitars really enhance and extend our sonic possibilities, as do the vocal harmonies. We try to be heavy without losing that signature melodic quality established by the band. Listen, I was a fan of MadParish years before I joined up to play bass, and were I not actually in the band, I’m pretty sure I would say just about the same thing…

ATP

What bands have influenced each of you?

MAD PARISH

I’m pretty sure you can count Priest and Maiden in for everyone across the board…
Josh: The Beatles, Jethro Tull, CCR and Gentle Giant
Bobby: Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, and King Crimson
Bob: Saxxon, Virgin Steele, Attack, Holy Dragons, and Amon Amarth
Max: Queen, Nirvana, most anything by Dio (Rainbow, Black Sabbath), Deep Purple, and High On Fire

ATP

How experienced are you on the stage, a virgin or whore?

MAD PARISH

I’d say we’re serious whores hahaha! We’ve been at this for a while, so we know the game… If you’re going to go out there and play Heavy Metal, and not give it your all when you’re up there on the stage, then what’s the point? No one wants to see meek and reserved bands at a metal show, right? We got moves, we got swagger, we sweat, and we try to kick as much ass as is humanly possible each and every time we play live…

ATP

How would you describe your shows?

MAD PARISH

Rip-roaring, raucous affairs! There are six guys in the band, so there’s a lot happening onstage! Constantly moving, we’re definitely bringing you places, whether musically or visually… Bottom line: Heavy riffs, searing vocals, screaming solos, soaring harmonies, thunderous rhythms, I mean, what more do you want? Answer: MadParish.

ATP

Tell us about your favorite show and why?

MAD PARISH

My favorite show so far was when we opened up for Skid Row this past summer 2014. We got to play on a bigger stage than we’re accustomed to, and again, with six guys in the band, we tend to be pretty tightly packed in smaller venues. We had some more space to breath, move around, jump, fart, whatever… We definitely all felt at home and comfortable on a bigger stage, and really appreciated the opportunity we got to be able to play that night.

ATP

Tell us about your worst show and why?

MAD PARISH

Oh god… This scuzzy dive bar here in Montreal a few years ago… We had no PA, one amp blew out, so two guitar players had to play out of one amp. The stage was a small, cramped recessed space that had about half an inch of water off the floor that kept giving one of the guys shocks any time he touched his guitar. We had planned an hour-long set, but they cut us off after fifteen minutes so that the dj’s could move in and play their ``sets``. Rock`n`Roll.

ATP

Tell Us About Your Dream Show, who you'd like to play with and where?

MAD PARISH

I’m a big Queen fan, so Wembley Stadium has always been a dream of mine. All those great live Queen moments that took place there, you know? Classic stuff. As for with who, well, my guess is most of the guys would want to play with the bands mentioned in question five…

ATP

Do you have a street team and how can you join?

MAD PARISH

We don’t at the moment, but we’re working on it! People can definitely check us out on our website www.madparish.com and hit us up on our Facebook page. You can stream our new album ``Procession`` for free on the site, if you like what you hear, help support the band, and get yourself the digital download!

ATP

Do you have a record label and if not are you looking for one?

MAD PARISH

We don’t, and we definitely are! Know anyone who’s interested? Hit us up!

ATP

What are your plans for the future, in a year, 5 years?

MAD PARISH

We definitely are working towards some major touring within the next year, hopefully across Canada, the U.S. and maybe even Europe. Even if only one or two of these actually happen, that would still be a great step forward for us. Five years? Maybe a few more albums, and some more touring… As long as we can keep the Parish rolling and moving forward, that’s all that matters.

ATP

Finally, do have any words on what Arm The Pit means to you?

MAD PARISH

A great resource for excellent bands you wouldn’t hear about anywhere else!