5 questions with the Mad Ones

by Max Jones

The Mad Ones are a rock & roll duo from Toronto, spending some time in Montreal this past week for the M for Montreal festival. Having played together for the better part of a decade, they’ve established a dedicated following in the Canadian rock scene. From a long line of heavy two-member rock bands, the Mad Ones regularly take their anger out via power chords and steady drum beats. They took the time to answer 5 important questions for Quip:

Max Jones: How much does Toronto’s culture feed your music?

MO: Quite a bit, we are both originally from separate small Ontario towns, but have lived here for about a decade. Toronto’s international culture base feeds and inspires us for sure, but I think “enables” is maybe the more appropriate term.  This city is great because of all the people that work so hard to create beauty in music and art, and that enables others to do the same.

MJ. How do you feel about promoting Montreal’s music scene at the M for Montreal festival?

MO: We feel great about it. We are fortunate to know a bunch of great Montreal musicians and are really into a lot of the music coming out of there – who isn’t? We’ve played Montreal a lot over the years as Mad Ones and in previous bands, which has always been a great time. Also we know there are very few Toronto bands in the festival, so we feel really lucky.

MJ. You have described your music as having “elements of rock, pop, punk, garage, and grunge.” Got a favourite?

MO: It’s all rock n’ roll, we just needed some more stuff to write.

MJ. Do you ever feel limited by being a two-man band?

MO: All the time, and that’s probably the best part about it. I think the most exciting stuff comes out of working within limitations and finding new ways to exploit them.

MJ. You probably get this a lot, but why are you so mad?

MO: Why not? Actually, it’s not meant as “mad” as in “angry.” I always kind of looked at it as a general term for human beings. The ones walking this planet on two legs are pretty absurd sometimes. Beyond that, I like the way it sounds.

Did you miss the Mad Ones live and uncensored this past Saturday, at L’Escogriffe as part of the M for Montreal festival?  Check them out on Friday, December 6 at The Silver Dollar Room in Toronto. Come for the anger, stay for the rock n’ roll.