Friends of Foes continues to increase its fan base
Local indie band tasting a bit of fame as it prepares for tour to promote new album
Friends of Foes has found that adversity builds character.
The Saskatoon indie band — comprised of Danielle Huot (vocals), Matt Stinn (guitar) and Keegan Stretch (drums) — are preparing to hit the road once again on tour with an audio assault of heavy bass and pounding drum beats with a stop in Regina scheduled for Friday at O’Hanlon’s Irish Pub.
Friends of Foes has released a full-length album, two standalone singles, and an EP since forming in 2013. The band’s most recent single, 4Walls, is their first release since Huot joined the group as lead singer last year. The song, released Nov. 18, 2016, is currently available for free download on Bandcamp.
The band’s discography, along with its penchant for touring, has increased its public profile.
“Personally, something that has been great to notice is the brand recognition,” said Stinn in a recent telephone interview. “When we first started out we would play small clubs in Calgary or Edmonton and no one would know us. We have reached the point now where when people ask us our band name it’s a name they have heard of, or they have seen a poster at the college or heard a song on radio and so they come to check you out.”
Although Friends of Foes is a trio, the music they create is made with a bigger sound in mind.
“We write everything as a fourpiece,” said Stinn. “Keegan and I met when we were playing in a punk band in 2013. We had been writing songs back and forth. We kept coming up with music that didn’t fit with that band. So we decided to get together and work on some music. We realized that this music really didn’t fit with that band and we decided to form a new group to work on that music together.
“We sat down and made a list of everyone we wanted for specific parts of the band, our wish list. Off of that wish list we got our original singer and bassist. Unfortunately, as with any band you form at 18, none of those people are around now. We have this knack of catching great musicians at bad times.”
Experiencing some bad luck with keeping a bass player, one lost to the teaching profession and another to family and work commitments, the trio has hired a bassist to accompany them on tour.
“Since Danielle has joined the band, we have noticed more people coming out to check out our new set,” said Stinn. “She adds to our songwriting and people seem to be coming out to see what we are doing.”
With just under 50 shows planned for this year, the band is working to release a new album in the early part of 2018.
“We decided to take four months off from performing and spent some time in my studio in Saskatoon just writing songs, that made a huge difference,” Stinn said.
A new song titled Sharks is a current band favourite. It’s an aggressive rock song that will lead off the new album.
“It sounds great live and we are really digging the song,” said Stinn.
“For the record that we are currently working on, all of us have been writing together.
“It usually starts with a drum or guitar idea, Danielle jumps right in and we build the songs collaboratively.”