|
|
 |
|
Junior
Pantherz
biography |
Recording,
producing, promoting and distributing your own music takes a lot of work
and that doesn't account for the hazards of booking your own gigs, doing
the P.R. and trying to avoid the inevitable pitfalls of touring on an economy
budget. None of this seems be of any concern to Saskatoon-based indie-rockers
Junior Pantherz, though. Their love of music is the only inspiration
required to release five albums in six years, tour the country continually
and dedicate their lives to creating music they love.
Lead vocalist/guitarist
Terry Mattson and drummer Arnold Van Lambalgen, have been
neighbors since early childhood. Terry's mother, who was a piano teacher,
brought a parade of students into their front room every day, somehow dragging
Terry deep into the creative world of music in the process. Not only are
Terry's lyrics predominant in the JPz songs, but his art adorns the cover
of their latest CD Death by Life, an album that provided him a
creative outlet for dealing with the reality of loss in the face of life.
Arnold,
who became an audiophile at an early age, began his drumming career hitting
whatever he could find while Terry strummed along. Throughout their early
teens, Arnold and Terry played in several bands together, frequently reformatting
and renaming until finally one name stuck. Today, besides playing with Junior
Pantherz, Arnold collects records, works for Universal Music and
hosts a weekly show on community radio.
Bassist
S.J. Kardash was classically trained on piano and upright bass.
He began playing electric bass in a local blues band whose first professional
performance was opening for Colin James and Sass Jordan
when S.J. was just 11 years old. Seven years later, after several albums,
more touring than a teenager should be allowed to enjoy and playing some
pretty impressive gigs including the Montreux Jazz Festival in
Switzerland, S.J left the band to join the Junior Pantherz.
They've
played shows with The Pixies, Modest Mouse, and The
Dears. But while the profile of these types of venues may have contributed
to the stature of their resume, the Junior Pantherz have always been content
to build their following one fan at a time. If just listening to their music
doesn't do it, watching them perform surely will.
From the moment the guys take the stage, it's apparent they're no strangers to the limelight. But there's no strutting, nor pretension on display here. No melodrama. No idle chit-chat. As they settle into the shadows, you know this is their world, and without a single word they dare you to pay attention. Those who have stood in front of the Junior Pantherz before know full well that this is just the calm before the storm.
|
|
|
