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Olympic Q & A: Brother Twang

Whistler is playing host to some well-known international acts during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, but the community is also home to some talented musicians and performers who have been tapped to perform for the thousands of visitors here for th
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Whistler is playing host to some well-known international acts during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, but the community is also home to some talented musicians and performers who have been tapped to perform for the thousands of visitors here for the Olympic experience. To make sure they aren't lost in the shuffle, Pique would like to introduce you to one such group: Brother Twang.

Names: Downtown Jay Brown on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, George Skoupas on lead guitar and backing vocals, Derek Stembridge on bass guitar and Todd Vague on drums.

 

Hometowns:

George and Derek are from Toronto, Downtown is from Hamilton, and Todd is from Edmonton, but all have called Whistler home for 10-plus years.

 

Pique: So, what's your Whistler story?

B.T.: Ours is the typical Whistler story. We all came for vacations individually and the various elements that grab everyone grabbed the Twang as well. We stay for the same reasons... living in paradise, great neighbours, everything outdoors and our commitment to seeing out the vision that is Brother Twang.

 

Pique: Your style can be loosely defined as acoustic rock, but how do you describe your sound?

B.T.: We play everything from outlaw country to instrumentals, hard-charging twangers to ferocious metal... all in a rock format.

 

Pique: Which artists have been influential in developing your own sound and musical style?

B.T.: Clutch, Iron Maiden, RUSH, Neil Young, Dave Mathews Band and Alice In Chains are but a few of the amazing bands that have helped shape our diverse and original sound into what has become Brother Twang.

 

Pique: What are your thoughts on Whistler's musical and artistic community?

B.T.: We appreciate that Whistler has been supportive of the arts and live music over the years and we have all, as a band and as individual musicians, been honoured to have played with the very best that the Sea to Sky corridor has to offer. We hope that our tight-knit community continues to thrive and grow, so that original and fresh ideas may be nurtured long into the future.

 

Pique: What do the Olympics mean to you?

B.T.: We see the Games as a chance to put Brother Twang on everyone's lips and into everyone's ears through extensive live performances in support of our newly released EP A Taste Of The Twang .

 

Pique: What events do you plan on attending?

B.T.: Work and Brother Twang gigs for all members but Todd, who will be attending many of the Upper Valley events with his family.

 

Pique: You're set to perform at Town Plaza. What is it like to have the opportunity to be a part of the Games?

B.T.: We are extremely honoured to have been chosen to play during the Games and feel that we are a great fit, as most of our tunes centre around being a proud Canadian band. From our Canadian hockey anthem, Hockey Cards, to our ode to Whistler's locals, Without A Trace, and right down to the hard-charging metal of John Candy, we are a match made in heaven!

Pique: You also had a chance to perform at Pemberton Festival two summers ago. Do you expect this to be a similar experience?

B.T.: The Pemberton Festival was a one-of-a-kind experience in the way that we got to perform alongside great bands from around the world. The Olympics will be more of a Canadian pride kind of feel, allowing us to cheer on our Olympians and display our Canadian pride right in our own backyard.

 

Pique: What do you hope people take away from your performance?

B.T.: An appreciation of our original songs, a newly-acquired love of everything Brother Twang, and one of our greatly under-priced new EPs, A Taste Of The Twang - a steal at $5 - would be sweet also!

Pique: What are your hopes for Whistler's arts, culture and heritage community post-Olympics?

B.T.: Many grants for all artists and musicians and a continued, if not expanded, growth of support for live musical and artistic performances within the entire Sea to Sky community.

 

Pique: When do you perform?

B.T.: During the Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 18 from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Town Plaza as part of the Whistler Live! entertainment lineup. Then Sunday, Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. at Merlin's, Tuesday, Feb. 23 to Friday, Feb. 26, après sessions at Monk's Grill starting at 2 p.m., and finally, Sunday, Feb. 28 at Merlin's, closing out the Olympic Games with a final après session. Then, on Friday, March 5, Brother Twang returns to the Pemberton Hotel, followed by a performance on Sunday, March 14 on the main stage for the Whistler Live! entertainment lineup, starting at 4 p.m. Finally, after the Olympic and Paralympic hoopla is over with, Brother Twang reopens Dusty's to the public with a double-header on Saturday, March 27.