Music

Barry Taylor Visits Distort

by Barry Taylor

Metal fans can be intimidating. So can guys who stand well over six feet tall. Greg Below possesses both of these characteristics, yet he’s as nice a person as you’ll find in Canada’s music industry.

Below is the founder of Distort, home to powerhouse bands like Cancer Bats and the Bronx. His resume includes album releases from Alexisonfire, the Bled and the Gorgeous. You would be hard pressed to find a more genuine metal fan in Canada.

As a result of Below’s passion he’s found success and established himself as one of the Godfathers of the Canadian Metal Scene. The soft-spoken, native of St. Catherines recently took time to chat with AUX about everything from adding Comeback Kid to his label, to having Ozzy call him the Prince of Darkness.

What’s Distort all about?

Greg Below: Well, Distort started as a concert promotion company in 1997. The first show I put on was at the Opera House in Toronto with Soulfly headlining and Incubus and System of a Down as support. I was a little unsure and a bit worried on what kind of turn out I’d get. All I knew is, I was really into those bands and this was going to be a huge party. So it all started from that show. House of Blues, now Live Nation, took notice and one of the promoters there Elliot Lefko offered me the Korn show. 9000 people turned out! From then on, I promoted anything and everything heavy. I brought in Slipknot, Deftones, Quicksand, Neurosis, Slayer, Meshuggah and even smaller bands like Poison the Well, Glassjaw, Everytime I Die…

In 2002, a friend of mine introduced me to Mitch Joel, a talented writer and music enthusiast. We seemed to share the same music vision and decided to start a record label and hopefully provide a platform for heavier bands to get heard in Canada.

Have you always worked in the music industry?

GB: Yes, ever since I attended Fanshawe College. After I graduated, I interned at EMI for a few months and then President Mike McCarty took me under his wing as the in-house producer/engineer. At night, I worked as a sound tech at the Reverb.  I eventually took a job at a recording studio called FX, then later at McClear/Digital for a few years. After that, I got a great opportunity to work with McCarty again designing a small recording room for EMI Publishing and acting as their in-house producer/engineer.

Any other music related jobs?

GB: I have worked as a tour manager, sound tech, record producer/engineer, and promoter. I did a brief tour management gig with Nickelback on their first US tour.

Has the internet and MP3s helped or hurt your business?

GB: It’s hard to say, really. I do really well with digital music sales but if you are referring to illegal mp3s/downloads, I guess my feeling is when you are a young band, sharing your music freely creates awareness with people who may not otherwise listen to your music. Eventually, though I think there’s a crossover point where it starts to hurt.

Have you always been into heavier music?

GB: Is that a rhetorical question?

What’s your favourite concert moment that you’ve experienced as a fan?

GB: I don’t think I could pick just one favourite concert moment, but one that comes to mind was my run-in with Ozzy Osbourne at the first Ozzfest in Toronto. I was side-stage with Lejohn from Sevendust when Ozzy walked past and literally bumped into me. He made a barely intelligible comment about how big I was and declared he was handing over the title of Prince of Darkness to me. Sharon happened to be standing there and reminded him that he couldn’t give away his title so readily. Just one of those cool moments that sticks in your head. It is Ozzy from Black Sabbath after all.

What kind of grade would you give Canada’s metal scene?

GB: Probably a ‘C’ and not because the caliber of bands, but the lack thereof. I guess it all depends on your definition of metal band. In places like the UK where I help run a label called United By Fate, there are so many media and radio outlets that support heavy music and that helps these bands become internationally successful. We don’t have the same kind of support from radio and mainstream media here. It would also be amazing if we could recognize metal genres within the industry more, like have a special category at the Juno awards for instance.

How do you choose the bands you work with?

GB: A lot of it just gut feeling and stuff that I personally really like. I do set the bar high for performance so a band really has to live up to their Live show for me to become really interested. In heavier genres of music, it’s very important to develop a really strong fanbase because that’s [touring] what sustains your career. So your live show and chops really need to kick ass.

What’s your proudest Distort-related moment since you started the label?

GB: When I was interviewed by Barry Taylor for AUX TV? All kidding aside, this is tough to narrow down. I’d say watching Alexisonfire and Cancer Bats play Download Music Festival in the UK in front of tens of thousands of people is definitely near the top of the list. To be that many miles away from home and see a crowd that size singing all the words to their songs blew me away.

What’s the craziest rock star moment you’ve experienced since starting Distort?

GB: Answering this question may lead to divorce. Just kidding. Um…next question.

What have you got coming out in 2010?

GB: Cancer Bats have their 3^rd album coming out April 13^th and that’s a big deal for us. I’m stoked to bring Comeback Kid on the label this year.  Bleeding Through, Oceana and Periphery out of the U.S. are bands we are really excited about working with this year well.