Over the course of the last 10 years, Toronto band The Salads, have become Canada's leading ambassadors of fun times. Songs like "Get Loose", "The Roth Kung Fu" and "Today Is Your Lucky Day" (respectively from 2003's FOLD A TO B and 2005's BAND GONE WILD DVD – both on Maui Wowie Records/ Kindling Music / Warner Music Canada) have been heard around the world in big films*, big TV shows** and big commercials***.
Their ferocious performances that leave smiling faces and sweaty bodies behind are legendary. The inspired musicianship and rock prowess of Dave Ziemba (guitar), Chuck Dailey (bass) and Darrin Pfeiffer (drums) is boundless on stage. It should be – they've been playing together in the same band since grade 7! With singer Darren Dumas added in 1999, they had the frontman and voice that would turn this band into powerhouse that it is today.
The commercial success of FOLD A TO B meant they were in demand to tour a lot and they did; headlining clubs and colleges, and playing on bills and tours such as: WARPED, EDGEFEST, LABATT BLUE MOTEL, CITY-TV'S NEW YEARS EVE BASH, THE ICE HOTEL. The album also found them winning a CASBY, Canadian Radio Music Award, "favourite band" at The Indies among many others. They also toured Australia for the first time in 2005 supporting some Presidents of The United States of America shows to rave responses.
After those first sessions, the band got back to writing more songs, getting ready for the next round of recording, and playing more shows. They spent two weeks playing Australia in October '06. They played to over 6000 people on the Gold Coast during their Indy Car Race Weekend, and garnered many new fans and support in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. A highlight for Dave Z (guitar player) was headling the Brisbane Guitar Show. Their energetic shows even had some new fans driving 8 hours to see them in the next town! Lets call them "Salad Heads"?
On their return, pre-production with Dan Brodbeck started the very next day. In January 06, a new record of 10 songs was completed. Its tone more personal and yet universal as it touched more meaningful topics than the band had dared explore before. "Growing Up" deals with life's changes as you get older, and coming to terms with that reality. Memories of 80's thrash metal surround the concept of being happy in the skin you're in with "Individual". "Circles" is about watching the most intelligent person you know battle Alzheimer's. Trying to affect real, positive social change is dealt with in "A Better Way". The Title "The Big Picture" was a reference to their frustration with their crumbling music business realationships at the time. The band was unhappy with their ongoing battles over things like creative control with their label and management. The band were continually told to think of "The Big Picture".
After 2 years of touring The Big Picture on Warped tour, Campus shows, and festivals, the guys stepped back from their business side of the band. Together, they decided to sever ties from their label and management and once again get to work on a record they really wanted to make! Chuck Dailey says "It is fucking great to be a real band again!…There is nobody telling us who we should or shouldn't be. Just doing what feels right is kind of like being a bunch of kids in Dave's garage again, the way we started out, and its been a blast! A lot of laughs. It feels so freakin' fresh and we have been able to return to the way we started as a band. Were 4 best friends locked in a small room together. Rather than spending a lot of money on production we are simply trusting our instincts as a band… I'm so jacked to tour this new record. The plan is simple. Make the world shake their ass and smile from ear to ear!!…woop woop!!". Look out for The Salads' self-produced album recorded at Beach Road Studios (Engineered by Siegfreid Meier) in the spring of 2011.
Meanwhile, The Salads continue to bring their insane live shows to happy and sweaty crowds across Canada. Darrin (also known for his band Goldfinger) tells us "the energy I feel when playing live with these guys is unstoppable!…", Chuck adds, "Its so fun to play live in this band. You never know what will happen… we won't ever stop.".
The Salads have turned the corner and jumped some serious hurdles to get their music out to their fans. They connect with their audience on so many levels. Even a bus crashing into their rehearsal studios can't hold them back. The Salads are on a mission. They're focused on as Mista D says "having a good time, all of the time!"…"and feeling so Fine Fine Fine!".
*Eurotrip (DreamWorks Pictures) Hank and Mike (Maple)
**Queer As Folk, Hockey Night In Canada, Olympics, Degrassi, 24…
***Labatt Blue National TV Campaign, GM Canada National TV Campaign
