Republic of Safety

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)