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Natty vs. Trial By Fire
Sometimes old friends come back into your life for a reason. I was cruising around my Facebook one day and came across and old friend. He had a band that was playing shows in Toronto so I decided to take a look and see what they were all about. I have to say that I greatly enjoyed what I heard. I contacted him and had the chance to sit down and talk to them about their music, their upcoming recording sessions and how they think Gene Simmons is the man.
Are you ready for this? Seriously are you ready? I’m about to introduce you to Trial By Fire, and you will be blown away, so be prepared.
"Just keep going no matter what happens. If people hate you, that’s just as good as people loving you, because they are going to be talking about you too. Never let anything discourage you from your passion."
- Raif Boric: Trial By Fire
First off for our readers who don't know, can you tell us who you are and what you do for the band?
Dave: I play Guitar.
Raif: Bass and do backup vocals.
TJ: Lead Vocals.
Marc: I play the drums for the band.
Raif: Bass and do backup vocals.
TJ: Lead Vocals.
Marc: I play the drums for the band.
From what I read on your MySpace you went out a different name previously, what made you decide to be 'reborn' as Trial by Fire?
Raif: Ugh well okay. You guys are starting off good. Our previous name was Taynted, me and the old drummer had come up with that actually. Since you know things had changed and we ended up getting Marc over here. We decided to change the name as well, and henceforth Trial by Fire was born.
Dave: New people, new beginnings.
Raif: Pretty Much.
And what inspired the actual name?
TJ: I think it was the music itself.
Raif: We had actually had written up long lists, long long lists of like a thousand names, not litterly, but a couple dozen names.
TJ: Piercings with Pellet Guns was a personal favourite.
Raif: Piercing of Pellet Guns was a personal favourite of me and TJ. As a whole, Trial by Fire was the coolest name that we had come up with on the list and it fit our style.
Raif: We had actually had written up long lists, long long lists of like a thousand names, not litterly, but a couple dozen names.
TJ: Piercings with Pellet Guns was a personal favourite.
Raif: Piercing of Pellet Guns was a personal favourite of me and TJ. As a whole, Trial by Fire was the coolest name that we had come up with on the list and it fit our style.
How did you decide to peruse a career in music?
Raif: (to Dave) you want to start.
Dave: I don't know, just a passion I guess, it kind of grows on you like a fungus.
Raif: I would have to say for me it was the passion of the music.
TJ: My Dad played drums for a band called Tarkus [side note: they were a Toronto band in the 70’s] and I don't know, I guess I wanted to kind of follow in the same footsteps and have a music career that way.
Marc: For me I think I got it from my Dad. He taught me to play guitar when I was a kid and I just worked from there to the drums and just went from there. After I was done school, I just said okay I did the school thing now it's time to do what I Really love most which was music since the beginning and now here I am.
Dave: I don't know, just a passion I guess, it kind of grows on you like a fungus.
Raif: I would have to say for me it was the passion of the music.
TJ: My Dad played drums for a band called Tarkus [side note: they were a Toronto band in the 70’s] and I don't know, I guess I wanted to kind of follow in the same footsteps and have a music career that way.
Marc: For me I think I got it from my Dad. He taught me to play guitar when I was a kid and I just worked from there to the drums and just went from there. After I was done school, I just said okay I did the school thing now it's time to do what I Really love most which was music since the beginning and now here I am.
Now who writes your lyrics?
TJ: That would be me.
Okay, well then I’ll direct this question to you, what inspires the lyrics to your music?
TJ: For which song?
Anyone.
TJ: Broken, I always said if I'm going to do a break-up song I was going to do it right. So, when I wrote Broken it was just trouble at home, and you know sometimes the best way of dealing with stuff is writing it out. Whereas with some of the other songs, it's just things I see, I take in everything around me all the time, I constantly have my bag and a couple pads of paper and a few pens. And just write done whatever.
Just anything you see?
TJ: Anything I see, anything that bothers me, anything that makes me happy, that’s it.
I had one of the other girls listen to yourself recently, and she said that you guys have a sound similar to Metallica, would you say that they are an influence on your music?
(Whole band laughs)
Raif: Our buddy Dave here is a Metallica fan.
TJ: Huge Metallica fan.
Raif: So, a lot of it does get inspired by Metallica.
Raif: Our buddy Dave here is a Metallica fan.
TJ: Huge Metallica fan.
Raif: So, a lot of it does get inspired by Metallica.
And whom else are you influenced by?
TJ: That what makes it so interesting in the band, you know what I mean? Dave is into Metallica and classic rock. Myself, I’m not classic rock, but I was also growing up in grunge, listening to STP and Pearl Jam, and Marc...
Marc: For me it was Pink Floyd, The Doors and Queen, for playing drums and that’s who I patented the drum playing after.
TJ: So you kind of got a few different sounds.
Raif: IT’s all about the punk!
Marc: For me it was Pink Floyd, The Doors and Queen, for playing drums and that’s who I patented the drum playing after.
TJ: So you kind of got a few different sounds.
Raif: IT’s all about the punk!
For people who haven't seen your live show can you describe it for us?
TJ: Mobile on my part.
Raif: I guess it’s pretty energetic, both musically, you know with the more performances we’re getting under our belt the more energetic we are actually getting on stage. The more the crowd gets into it, we try to involve the crowd, which a lot of bands don’t, and so we try and get the crowd involved with us.
Marc: It’s like expanding diversity.
Raif: It’s just like feeding off each other’s energy type deal.
TJ: Poke fun at each other on stage is always a good way, you know what I mean?
Raif: Just have fun.
Marc: It keeps us relaxed.
TJ: If you can make a few people laugh, then you definitely done something right.
Raif: I guess it’s pretty energetic, both musically, you know with the more performances we’re getting under our belt the more energetic we are actually getting on stage. The more the crowd gets into it, we try to involve the crowd, which a lot of bands don’t, and so we try and get the crowd involved with us.
Marc: It’s like expanding diversity.
Raif: It’s just like feeding off each other’s energy type deal.
TJ: Poke fun at each other on stage is always a good way, you know what I mean?
Raif: Just have fun.
Marc: It keeps us relaxed.
TJ: If you can make a few people laugh, then you definitely done something right.
Which song you play draws the best crowd reaction?
TJ: Right now, latest loser.
Raif: I’ve heard Latest Loser, The Ride and Broken, are the three I always hear about.
Marc: One is very hard rock and the other is like a waltz, with grunge.
Raif: A grungy waltz.
Dave: A grungy waltz.
TJ: That’s a new one.
Marc: If you listen to it, it’s a 1-2-3 beat to it so that’s why I think people like that.
Raif: I’ve heard Latest Loser, The Ride and Broken, are the three I always hear about.
Marc: One is very hard rock and the other is like a waltz, with grunge.
Raif: A grungy waltz.
Dave: A grungy waltz.
TJ: That’s a new one.
Marc: If you listen to it, it’s a 1-2-3 beat to it so that’s why I think people like that.
The Toronto music scene is very versatile, how has it been treating you guys?
TJ: Not too bad, I think that it’s all about, not who you know, who you know, how they can help you and how you can help them. You know what I mean? If everyone works together as a community the way that should be, everybody can a little bit of something and will find that exposure no matter what level it is, if you keep on trying.
I noticed on your MySpace that you have plans to head into the studio this summer to record a full length, what can we look forward to hearing on this album?
TJ: A lot of different levels. A lot of the songs that we play now we’re written before I had even came into the band, before Marc came into the band. Those were going to be the songs on the album, but as we started writing new stuff, we started taking the some of the other stuff out and putting some of these newer ones in, and songs like Latest Loser and Heathen really define more of the sound.
Raif: Us as a whole
TJ: The sound that it’s going at, us as a whole. Some of the older stuff, there is no doubt about it it’s all Trial by Fire, but I think the longer we’re together, the more we’re writing, the more of our own sound we’re coming out with.
Raif: Us as a whole
TJ: The sound that it’s going at, us as a whole. Some of the older stuff, there is no doubt about it it’s all Trial by Fire, but I think the longer we’re together, the more we’re writing, the more of our own sound we’re coming out with.
The more cohesive you get?
Raif: Yeah.
Are you looking forward to heading into the studio?
TJ: Oh yeah.
Raif: It’s always good times. It’s hard work, but it’s good times. It’s fun you know what I mean, getting into the booth and doing your own thing. It’s good times.
Raif: It’s always good times. It’s hard work, but it’s good times. It’s fun you know what I mean, getting into the booth and doing your own thing. It’s good times.
And what are you looking to accomplish before heading into the studio?
Raif: Umm, well for the remainder of the winter, trying to get in a couple more gigs, whether it is downtown or around the area type deal.
Marc: The GTA area.
Raif: But pretty much by the summer, by June, we want to have everything done so that when we go out, there’s the CD there, if you want them you can get them type deal.
Marc: The GTA area.
Raif: But pretty much by the summer, by June, we want to have everything done so that when we go out, there’s the CD there, if you want them you can get them type deal.
What would you say has been your biggest challenge and your biggest achievement as a band?
TJ: Challenge.
Raif: Challenge.
Dave: What isn’t a challenge?
Raif: The biggest challenge for me was actually getting the four of us together. Me and Dave we’re the original two from Taynted, TJ did join in as Taynted was separating ways and then we finally found the missing link in Marc, to have that solid drum beat there. Finally we’ve got the core guys down, that was the most challenging part for me.
Raif: Challenge.
Dave: What isn’t a challenge?
Raif: The biggest challenge for me was actually getting the four of us together. Me and Dave we’re the original two from Taynted, TJ did join in as Taynted was separating ways and then we finally found the missing link in Marc, to have that solid drum beat there. Finally we’ve got the core guys down, that was the most challenging part for me.
What would be your biggest achievement?
Marc: They haven’t kicked me out of the band yet. (Laughs all around)
TJ: I think doing the demo was a pretty big achievement for us. It was finally a point where, okay we’re not doing this for nothing.
TJ: I think doing the demo was a pretty big achievement for us. It was finally a point where, okay we’re not doing this for nothing.
You got something out of it.
TJ: Yeah and I think definitely next to that was the Reverb, and the response we’ve gotten since then. Ummm in terms of hits on our MySpace and new friends. I mean it’s been wild..
The music industry is a rough one to be in, what fuels your passion to keep going day after day?
Marc: For me it was all the bands that are now legend who were rejected, multiple times, until they came across at the right place at the right time and 30 years later they are still selling albums and they aren’t together anymore. That’s extraordinary; you just have to keep thinking that.
Raif: I guess for me, it would have to be, the best way I can describe is if you go see your favourite band, like if I go see Rise Against or Alexisonfire, bands like that, when I walk out of that show it hits me on a personal note, you walk out all smiles, your gung-ho ready to go.
Marc: It’s a great feeling.
Raif: If we can get people to walk away from our shows like that.
Raif: I guess for me, it would have to be, the best way I can describe is if you go see your favourite band, like if I go see Rise Against or Alexisonfire, bands like that, when I walk out of that show it hits me on a personal note, you walk out all smiles, your gung-ho ready to go.
Marc: It’s a great feeling.
Raif: If we can get people to walk away from our shows like that.
With a smile and a bounce.
Raif: Whether fame and all that, it’s a bonus, but if you can affect people on a personal note, that’s what fuels me to keep going.
TJ: I think for me and for Dave too, Kids. I have a little boy, he has two, it definitely keeps the drive going, and you want to accomplish something for them. I think it’s also the band too; we’ve all become really good friends, and I think that’s another one of the most important parts.
Raif: You’ve got to have that chemistry.
TJ: If you become really close to your band mates, there’s no limit to what you can do. If you are just put together or your just doing it because you have similar taste it doesn’t always work. I’ve been in that situation before. This is a good place. Marc: Four investments into one investing situation.
TJ: I think for me and for Dave too, Kids. I have a little boy, he has two, it definitely keeps the drive going, and you want to accomplish something for them. I think it’s also the band too; we’ve all become really good friends, and I think that’s another one of the most important parts.
Raif: You’ve got to have that chemistry.
TJ: If you become really close to your band mates, there’s no limit to what you can do. If you are just put together or your just doing it because you have similar taste it doesn’t always work. I’ve been in that situation before. This is a good place. Marc: Four investments into one investing situation.
Any piece of advice that you received that you would pass along to another band who is just taking those first few steps?
Raif: Keep going, no matter what happens, just keep going. Just keep going no matter what happens. If people hate you, that’s just as good as people loving you, because they are going to be talking about you too. Never let anything discourage you from your passion.
TJ: Keep on writing, keep on writing, always always be writing. You don’t need a manager right away. You don’t.
Raif: You can do the first nice big chunk yourself.
TJ: You can do the lather on your own. You don’t need management until you know, you’ll know.
Marc: When the contract is signed.
Raif: When it becomes too much to handle that’s when you need help.
TJ: Keep on writing, keep on writing, always always be writing. You don’t need a manager right away. You don’t.
Raif: You can do the first nice big chunk yourself.
TJ: You can do the lather on your own. You don’t need management until you know, you’ll know.
Marc: When the contract is signed.
Raif: When it becomes too much to handle that’s when you need help.
For people interested in accessing your music is there some place they can go?
Raif: Okay...
TJ: There’s MySpace, you can see us at MySpace.com/tbftoronto, or we’re also on reverb nation, and that’s ReverbNation.com/tbfmusic.
Raif: We also have a facebook group, we’re all over the place, if you search Trial by Fire, all in small letters, and it will come up on the search with our band there.
TJ: There’s MySpace, you can see us at MySpace.com/tbftoronto, or we’re also on reverb nation, and that’s ReverbNation.com/tbfmusic.
Raif: We also have a facebook group, we’re all over the place, if you search Trial by Fire, all in small letters, and it will come up on the search with our band there.
Now here at the sound faction we are probably five of the most random people you will ever meet, and with every interview we try and ask five of the most random questions.
Raif: Oh god.
TJ: This is where it gets interesting.
TJ: This is where it gets interesting.
If Spiderman, Batman and Superman got into a fight who would win?
Raif: Superman, dude, come on.
TJ: Batman.
Raif: Superman, this is a constant ongoing debate, out of the most random questions. We always argue about this.
TJ: I’m a batman fan.
Raif: They just can’t accept that Superman is the shit.
TJ: Well they did a comic book and batman won, sorry buddy.
Raif: No, screw it, superman all the way.
TJ: Batman, Batman.
TJ: Batman.
Raif: Superman, this is a constant ongoing debate, out of the most random questions. We always argue about this.
TJ: I’m a batman fan.
Raif: They just can’t accept that Superman is the shit.
TJ: Well they did a comic book and batman won, sorry buddy.
Raif: No, screw it, superman all the way.
TJ: Batman, Batman.
You guys? Or are you staying out of this one?
Marc: it’s fun to watch them go at it.
Dave: Hard to have a comment after that last explanation.
Raif: Dave has already admitted to me over the telephone, and told me never to mention it, that superman would whoop batman’s ass any day. So that’s a two to one vote.
Dave: I’ve told TJ the same thing, only in reverse.
Dave: Hard to have a comment after that last explanation.
Raif: Dave has already admitted to me over the telephone, and told me never to mention it, that superman would whoop batman’s ass any day. So that’s a two to one vote.
Dave: I’ve told TJ the same thing, only in reverse.
Favourite dinosaur?
Raif: Velociraptor.
Marc: Pterodactyl was the only prehistoric for me.
TJ: I don’t know man; I would guess a T-Rex.
Dave: I’d have to go there, a T-Rex.
TJ: Straight up just big and nasty.
Raif: Got to go with the Raptors man.
Marc: Pterodactyl was the only prehistoric for me.
TJ: I don’t know man; I would guess a T-Rex.
Dave: I’d have to go there, a T-Rex.
TJ: Straight up just big and nasty.
Raif: Got to go with the Raptors man.
If you were a scented candle what would you smell like?
TJ: Beer for this guy right here (pats Raif on the back).
Raif: Perhaps.
TJ: (to Marc) You can field this one first, buddy. If you were a scented candle what scent would you be?
Marc: Cherries.
TJ: Cherries? I’m not even going to go there.
Marc: He can’t go there.
TJ: Coffee.
Raif: Oh yeah, coffee junkie. Get this boy a Timmy’s and you’ve won his heart.
Marc: if you asked about reincarnation it would probably be coffee.
Raif: I’d have to stick with beer. I like my beer.
Dave: I don’t even know.
TJ: Come on man.
Raif: Come on dude.
Dave: Ice Cream, I don’t know.
Raif & TJ: Ice cream?
Marc: What flavour?
Dave: Vanilla.
Raif: Plain Jane.
Raif: Perhaps.
TJ: (to Marc) You can field this one first, buddy. If you were a scented candle what scent would you be?
Marc: Cherries.
TJ: Cherries? I’m not even going to go there.
Marc: He can’t go there.
TJ: Coffee.
Raif: Oh yeah, coffee junkie. Get this boy a Timmy’s and you’ve won his heart.
Marc: if you asked about reincarnation it would probably be coffee.
Raif: I’d have to stick with beer. I like my beer.
Dave: I don’t even know.
TJ: Come on man.
Raif: Come on dude.
Dave: Ice Cream, I don’t know.
Raif & TJ: Ice cream?
Marc: What flavour?
Dave: Vanilla.
Raif: Plain Jane.
Would you rather be a pirate or a ninja? And why?
Raif: Pirates kick serious ass, I’m sorry, but pirates are just argggh.
Marc: Pirates. I like boats, I like swords, I like booze. There you go Pirate.
Raif: There you go. Drinking out of a bottle that has three x’s on it, with a sword in your hand and a pirate on your shoulder, come on seriously. What beats that?
TJ: I guess definitely a pirate, yo ho ho and a bottle full of rum.
Marc: Pirates. I like boats, I like swords, I like booze. There you go Pirate.
Raif: There you go. Drinking out of a bottle that has three x’s on it, with a sword in your hand and a pirate on your shoulder, come on seriously. What beats that?
TJ: I guess definitely a pirate, yo ho ho and a bottle full of rum.
f you could be any old school rock god for a day, who would it, be and how would you abuse the power?
Raif: I’ll let you guys start.
Marc: Jim Morrison, then I could take over the government.
TJ: I don’t want to play the same game, definitely Jim Morrison. Actually no, you know what Roger Waters.
Marc: Rogers Waters, a second for me.
TJ: What would I do to abuse my powers, ummm I don’t know man.
Marc: Just take the government it’s a lot easier, get everything all in one.
TJ: No doubt.
Raif: Dave you can go, I have no idea yet.
TJ: If you could be any rock god...
Dave: No, I don’t even know, any rock god?
Marc: Jim Morrison, then I could take over the government.
TJ: I don’t want to play the same game, definitely Jim Morrison. Actually no, you know what Roger Waters.
Marc: Rogers Waters, a second for me.
TJ: What would I do to abuse my powers, ummm I don’t know man.
Marc: Just take the government it’s a lot easier, get everything all in one.
TJ: No doubt.
Raif: Dave you can go, I have no idea yet.
TJ: If you could be any rock god...
Dave: No, I don’t even know, any rock god?
The first one that pops into your head.
Raif: For the first one that pops into my head, Gene Simmons.
Marc: Bravo.
Raif: And simply because the man is a genius. Women love him, everybody loves him.
TJ: We love you Gene.
Raif: Gene, you rock dude. Yah I would definitely want to be Gene Simmons.
TJ: How would you abuse your power, oh no, let’s not even ask that question.
Marc: Hugh Hefner would be out of the playboy mansion first off.
Raif: Dave your turn.
Dave: I don’t know. I’d have to say, this is hard to see, but Hadfield or Hammond.
TJ: Shocker.
Dave: And how would I abuse my power, every which way I could think of.
Marc: Bravo.
Raif: And simply because the man is a genius. Women love him, everybody loves him.
TJ: We love you Gene.
Raif: Gene, you rock dude. Yah I would definitely want to be Gene Simmons.
TJ: How would you abuse your power, oh no, let’s not even ask that question.
Marc: Hugh Hefner would be out of the playboy mansion first off.
Raif: Dave your turn.
Dave: I don’t know. I’d have to say, this is hard to see, but Hadfield or Hammond.
TJ: Shocker.
Dave: And how would I abuse my power, every which way I could think of.
Take over the world?
Dave: I definitely would.
Raif: Like Gene Simmons has.
TJ: Kiss Army man.
Raif: Everywhere you look you see Kiss, Gene Simmons, he rocks.
TJ: No doubt.
Raif: Like Gene Simmons has.
TJ: Kiss Army man.
Raif: Everywhere you look you see Kiss, Gene Simmons, he rocks.
TJ: No doubt.
Thank you guys again for giving us a few minutes of your time! If you want to know more about Trial By Fire, you can check out the three options the band mentions above (MySpace, Reverb Nation, and Facebook) Remember; always support your local music scene, because you NEVER know where the next big thing might come from. It might even be your own backyard.
