The foundations for STRAWMAN were laid out in early 2005 when Duff answered a drummer want ad from JP and Joe in a local music magazine. It was immediately apparent that their synchronistic musical and spiritual experiences combined with a shared restlessness with the state of things would serve to forge this alt-rock trio together for years to come.
Since that rainy April day when the cornerstone for STRAWMAN was laid, JP, Joe and Duff have been developing their own unique sound, heavily influenced by a wide range of musicians: classic rockers Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, progressive stalwarts Rush and Genesis to more contemporary acts Tool, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Nine Inch Nails and Queens of the Stone Age, to name a few. Incorporating these influences with their unique mindset, STRAWMAN is proud to have coined the term DE-PROG-RAMMING rock to describe their driving sound and salient lyrics.
Just what is a STRAWMAN, and why doesn’t he have a face? “The STRAWMAN is you, and he is not you,” offers Duff, the self-proclaimed Thought Criminal of the band. “The world we live in is full of dualistic elements – up/down, hot/cold, good and evil, etc. This axiom also proves true when it comes to each one of us. We, the freemen and women – we smile, we love, we ARE – just as living, breathing people are expected to. However we also operate as businesses in the world of commerce – we shop, borrow money, pay bills and remit taxes. This is the work of each of our STRAWMEN – if you want to see yours look at your birth certificate.”
Umm….OK. So this means what exactly? Joe? “The STRAWMAN is the incorporated YOU. It does not smile, it does not breathe, it does not have compassion. It represents most of what is wrong with the world. It makes us slaves to money and has done so for a long long time now. We feel the time has come to redeem the STRAWMEN and return to an honorable existence.”
This is pretty heady stuff for a rock band, no? JP offers: “We’re certainly passionate about our beliefs, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Truly we’re a solid bunch of guys with a keen sense of humour that love to make and play good music. That said we aren’t shy to call ‘bullshit’ when we see it and you can’t help but see it…..unless you have no face…..”
STRAWMAN continues to weave its way into the social consciousness, garnering best beat accolades for their song “Are You Sleeping?” on garageband.com and to online audiences via live webcasts during recent performances. STRAWMAN’s first ever CD, REVELATION OF THE METHOD is set for release in July 2009, on Why Canned Uzi? Records. They will be aggressively promoting ROTM all through 2009, to both enlighten and entertain.
