10 Quick Ones with MINORITY 905 – September 2018

According to a recent press release: “Mississauga, ON, Canada – Canadian Pop-Punk band MINORITY 905 has released the official music video for their single, “Soundtrack.” Directed by Miguel Barbosa, “Soundtrack” is off of their 8/24/2018 released LP, Dangerous Ambitions. Minority 905 is a Canadian pop-punk / pop-rock band. The band was formed in August 2013 by vocalist/guitarist John Aquino and currently also consists of Spasimir Vasilev (drums), Steven Wolwyn (bass/backing vocals), and Chris Goodfellow (lead guitar/backing vocals). The name was inspired by Green Day’s song “Minority” and Aquino’s hometown of Mississauga, ON, Canada (its area code is 905). Aquino identified with the word “Minority” because it embraced individuality and accepting one’s self. The band has released 2 studio albums and 1 EP.”  We get the band to discuss new music, influences, and much more in our 10 Quick Ones…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets the band put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

John: Before the first song plays there’s a little intro with a song playing in the background through a filter. People who listened to our previous album would know this was the last song “Summer Air”.

Spasimir: Throughout the album, in the drum tracks there’s a cool cymbal sound that sounds almost like a snake hissing. We made that sound by stacking a crash cymbal on top of a china cymbal.

Steven: The “Down the horizon, I’m all in or nothin’ ” hook reappears at the end of the last song “Future.”

Chris:  The ending choruses of “Run This Town” have like 7 or 8 guitar tracks running simultaneously, all providing different layers of sound to make those last moments feel really epic.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

John: When I was 2 or 3 years old I had a VCD of Michael Jackson’s best music videos. That’s what got me into music. The first time I wanted to be a musician was when I played Guitar Hero so I decided to start playing guitar for real after that. Music was more a hobby for me until I started to write my own songs when I was 17.

Spasimir: When I was in grade 6 in my high school in Bulgaria my grandma told me that the conductor of the local youth marching band was looking for new students to join the band. It was her idea that I sign up and learn drums so I did and soon after I fell in love with drumming. Eventually I got into punk-rock, metal and other genres and I knew that was the style I want to play.

Steven: I’ve loved music my whole life, but it wasn’t until I was around 8 or 9 before I fell in love with Green Day and took guitar lessons (and eventually bass lessons) when I was 10, but it was mostly just a hobby. It wasn’t until I was 15 when I decided I wanted a career in music as a professional musician.

Chris:  Video games got me into music, starting with Sonic Adventure 2, Super Smash Bros, then to Guitar Hero and Rock Band, which may sound a little lame as a starting point, but that’s where the interests began and took hold, cuz I didn’t really care about much else as a kid.  The first moment I realized I wanted to be a musician though, that came about in a really weird way: I was 13, and one day at my school, some upper-years were coming around with a sign-up sheet for a singing competition. I had never sung before anyone in my life. I had no musical background.  No ear for tune, or feel for rhythm. I wrote my name down, I don’t even remember doing it, I just remember those upper-years leaving the classroom after doing it and thinking to myself “Oh God why did I do that?”. A day later, I was asked to attend an audition that I barely squeezed by at trying to sing a Bon Jovi song that was infinitely out of my league.  The next day was the contest, and I sang Linkin Park’s “What I’ve Done” in front of about 200 people. I came 2nd place. After that performance, I knew what I had to do with my life.

3. Who would be your main five musical influences?

John: Green Day, Taylor Swift, Paramore, All Time Low, and Yellowcard.

Spasimir: Green Day, Blink-182, Metallica, Avenged Sevenfold, Rush.

Steven: Green Day, Blink-182, Nirvana, Weezer, and various Jazz bass players.

Chris:  Green Day, Jonathan Coulton, Jun Senoue, The Beatles, and Ninja Sex Party.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be?

John: I would wanna collaborate with Alex Gaskarth from All Time Low.

Spasimir: Mark Hoppus from blink-182.

Steven: Billie Joe from Green Day. He’s been around for a while and hopefully I could learn many songwriting techniques from him.

Chris:  I mean, for a Minority 905 song, probably anyone from Green Day, or Hayley Williams, I think they’re great songwriters that would do well with what we do.  If it was just me though, then Jonathan Coulton, though I’d probably just be riding his coattails.

5. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before?

John: I’m not really sure. With the new album, to me it sort of sounds like a mix of a few pop punk bands from 2004-2008. Leaning more towards the poppier groups as opposed to the heavier ones.

Spasimir: Pop-punk similar to bands from the early and late 00’s with a higher emphasis on catchy vocal hooks and interesting instrumentals.

Steven: I always say Green Day and Blink-182 to people that don’t know pop punk too well, but to dive deeper into it, I’d say it’s a mix of a lot more bands than just those two. Jimmy Eat World, Sum 41, Yellowcard, and All Time Low are all comparisons that people have made to our music.

Chris:  I used to just say “Y’know Green Day?  Kinda like that sort of.”, though that’s a little less accurate now, so I go “Y’know Green Day?  Kinda like that sort of, but also Paramore, but with a guy singing.” People maybe 50% of the time get it.  Or pretend to.

6. What’s the best thing about being a musician?

John: For me, I like interacting and talking to our fans.

Spasimir: Playing shows to big audiences who are into your music and having fun.

Steven: Interacting with fans with is really fun, and seeing the support we get from our cult following on YouTube at times can really melt my heart. I also enjoy the feeling when you’re performing and you know everybody is looking at you, especially at times when I felt invisible in high school and what not.

Chris:  I just like the simplicity of playing songs together honestly.  Playing our own songs is awesome, playing covers is awesome. I just really like the connection that comes from being united in a group and making air vibrate in a way that sounds generally pleasing to human ears.

7. When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

John: Probably not me for any of those things.

Spasimir: Chris would be the first to crack out the acoustic guitar for sure. None of the band members have cooked for the rest yet but if it ever happens I feel like it would be me doing it. Steven would probably the one getting the drinks.

Steven: Lol Spas is right on point with that one. John would probably bring Popeye’s chicken and NBA 2K if he’s willing to share. 😉

Chris:  Yeah, Spas has me pegged on that one.  I have the capacity to cook as well though!  Not that I really have any pre-memorized recipes or anything, but I am very capable at handling myself in a kitchen!  It comes with being fat and liking food too much…

8. If you weren’t a musician, what would be your dream job?

John: I would wanna be an F1 driver, or any kind of racing driver.

Spasimir: CEO of some big software company like Snapchat or Facebook.

Steven: I’d be balling the fuck out in the NBA.

Chris:  Assuming that I was allowed a “do over” and wasn’t just suddenly stuck without music, I’d probably do something in game development, or animation, I have a thing for visual art, so that’s what I’d focus on.

9. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over”?

John: I don’t think so. I think everything that has happened also happened for a reason and it’s all part of the process. I don’t think anyone has succeeded without failing first.

Spasimir: I feel the same as John on this one.

Steven: Yeah there’s a ton of things I’d love to “do over” in my life, but in Minority 905 and everything that has happened to get us here, not at all. If anything, maybe we’d take back a couple times where we worked with people who weren’t so great at what they do.

Chris:  Yeah, pretty much what those guys said.  Plenty I’d like to have done different over life, but seeing as it’s “career”, I mean, all those steps and missteps got me here, so, they’re all good with me.

10. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

John: Probably American Idiot by Green Day. It’s my favorite album of all time and one of the biggest reasons why I wanted to start writing my own songs.

Spasimir: American Idiot for me as well just because it’s one of my favorite albums.

Steven: Dookie. I’d love to watch my favorite album being recorded and how it all came to be.

Chris:  Not that the album means a whole lot to me, but, I’d love to go back and see what it was like to write and record the later Beatles albums, specifically between Sgt. Pepper and the White Album.  Even more specifically, Magical Mystery Tour. I swear you can hear the LSD in the original vinyl pressings of that album.

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Category: Interviews