Fur Eel

FUR EEL, "QUEEN CITY ROCKS" FINALIST

soul/funk/rock 'n roll

REGINA -- Well, fuck me, who would've thought Regina's Indie's rock scene was even in existence, let alone on the rise and kicking some serious ass?

Well, it is, and this upcoming Friday (March 28th), Regina's main metal/rock venue THE EXCHANGE is hosting the final round of QUEEN CITY ROCKS, where five hopeful rock troupes, each having performed against some impressive competition of local Regina talent, have just twenty minutes to impress the judges and bring home a wicked batch of prizes, including $2000 up front, a VIP pass into the Junos (hosted right here in town), and more than 350 spins on Regina's rock station THE WOLF.

Last week I had a virtual chat with Justin Sheppard of FUR EEL. We tackled some serious issues like why they deserve the cash money, what they think of the local music scene, and which would they more likely survive -- an apocalypse with zombies, or a cutthroat medieval world? Hmm...

Like a musical gin & tonic Fur Eel blends soul/funk/rock & roll with a touch of pop & R&B to create a unique sound that has been compared to "Maroon 5 partying with The Rolling Stones".

Known as Regina's purveyors of soul/funk/rock, they continue to raise the bar with their studio recordings and captivate audiences with their high energy live shows. Forming in 2010, Fur Eel -- Justin Sheppard (Singer/Guitarist/Songwriter), Thomas St. Onge (Guitarist/Co-Writer), Travis Reshaur (Bassist) and James Belle (Drummer) have evolved to transcend genres and generations of fans in a way that is garnering attention from music lovers and industry professionals alike. The band has accomplished a lot in their short time together: Showcase Performances at Canadian Music Week 2012 & Break Out West 2012. Performances at numerous events and Festivals. Radio Play on CBC Radio and 104.9 The Wolf, Live TV & Radio Performances. Selected for Saskmusic's "In Tune" 2012 Compilation. Rotations at community/college/ independent radio stations across North America. Touring Western Canada with their sights set on a Nation Wide Tour in 2013.

FUR EEL have 3 self-produced albums in less than 2 years. This year, they will be releasing 4 new EP's along with 1 major commercial release.

DROP OUT ENTERTAINMENT: First off, thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to (virtually) chat with me. Before we get to QUEEN CITY ROCKS, I've heard that you guys have been playing some pretty wicked shows lately. Tell me, how's Canadian Music Week been?

Thank you for having us, always nice to (virtually) chat! We have had a great time here in Toronto. Our shows were great, we've met a tonnne of new music industry friends and new fans...so we can't complain!

What else have you guys been up to lately?

Masterminding a way to get our music and message out to the world.

You guys have, what, like 4 EPs coming out later this year? Is there anything else that you currently have on your plate?

We have three more to release, our first one "Find Your Way" was just released on March 5th. But yes, there are many things on the go behind the scenes, but it's all so secret!

Talking now of QUEEN CITY ROCKS, how confident were you guys back in your first round while waiting for the judges votes to be tallied?

Well, we sold about 10 CD's and met new fans while we waited...so we were confident that we did exactly what a band should do...connect with people. Playing a Battle of The Bands is a bit of a strange vibe, just because what artist is "Better" is completely subjective and each kind of art should be appreciated rather than judged. But as Arnold Swarzenegger puts it, you have to go into everything you do prepared to lose, and make sure you learn something from it.

What do you think you guys have going in your favor to come out the victor of QUEEN CITY ROCKS? Or, to put it in more general terms, what is it about your music that people seem to respond most to?

I'm not sure if we have anything in our favor, to be honest. We come to a show to rock harder than our last show every time, and if the judges dig what we put out there...then cool. If not, its on to the next gig. I think people respond to the fact that our music is highly original, you can't say "oh, these guys sound like every other band on the rock stations". We rock, but we are a niche sound.

What would you do if you won, other than drink and give the world's loudest high-fives?

Thank the Wolf, all the sponsors, and our fans. Drinking would be unlikely -- I'd probably go home and try to fall asleep but fail miserably because of how excited I am. But the next thing would be looking into how to spend that $2,000.

I know that bands pretty much have an infinite amount of influences throughout their musical career, both as individual members and as a band, but could you highlight some of the key influences on your guys' work? In other words, what are the biggest influences that have had the most direct impact on the band's music?

The primitive style of Blues as well as funk runs deep in our band, but we are by no means a blues or a funk band. This is honestly the hardest question to ever answer as our influences are always changing. But really every single type of music influences us.

Tell me, being abroad as you guys have been, what do you think of the music scene in Saskatchewan/Regina compared to the rest of Canada? What would you as a band like to see change/improve?

Hmm... Well, I don't think we have seen enough of this fine country to even comment on that. The crazy thing about Saskatchewan is that, for the incredibly small population, there is a really high percentage of extremely talented people. I think Regina's scene is thriving and on the verge of some big stuff. It's incredible and quite neat to be a part of it all.

Do you guys love the Saskatchewan Roughriders? And if so, what're the chances you'll be headlining the 101st Grey Cup held right here in the Queen's City?

I think if we said no we would be risking our lives in this town, haha! YES, we love the Riders! We would be honored to play such an amazing gig. No comment on our chances, though, haha!

Lastly, and I personally think this one is the most important, which setting would you more likely survive in: a zombie apocalypse, or a cutthroat medieval land?

We already live in a zombie apocalypse, so we are surviving that as we speak. And I think we kind of do live in a cut throat world already (which I sincerely hope changes very soon), except now we shower every day and eat with forks instead of our hands.

But all seriousness aside, we would definitely do better in a Lord of The Rings battle than we would on The Walking Dead. Haha!

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So, if you're in Regina and want to kick off Easter long weekend by getting drunk and rockin out, THE EXCHANGE opens the doors at 7 pm, with the first performance at 8. Tickets are $10 at the door.

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