A Dirty Dozen with FAMOUS STRANGERS – July 2026

Photo credit: J-Kiernen Photography

According to a recent press release: “Famous Strangers is a heavy metal band from Sherwood Park, Alberta. Rooted in the classics and built for today, the band brings together four veterans of the Alberta music scene with over 20 years of collective experience. With four singles, a music video for every release, and a debut album on vinyl dropping in August 2026, Famous Strangers is all raw power, emotional depth, and a sound that refuses to sit still. Famous Strangers formed organically after years of crossing paths in the Edmonton scene. Guitarist Jeff Kittlitz and drummer Beej had accumulated several original songs over a decade of part-time jamming. Bassist Braden Sustrik and Beej had a history in other past projects, and he was integrated into the jams around 2018. When vocalist Amanda Kiernan joined in 2023, everything clicked instantly.” We get the band to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us about your latest release. What might a fan or listener not catch the first or second time through? Any hidden nuggets only diehards might find?

Pretty straightforward rock, man. Our latest release, depending on when this interview goes out, will either be something from our new record coming out August 21st, or one of the two singles already out, “Ghosts of Men” and “As Your Leader.” As for what a listener might not catch right away, these are pretty straightforward bangers. Maybe some of the chord changes, the way certain sections move, or the solo entrances. The middle of one song really takes you for a loop if you’re not expecting it.

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

Jeff: My dad got me into music. I was born into it. As far back as I can remember, even as a little kid, I’d be sleeping on the basement floor at my dad’s rehearsals. I was really young, but I remember it, and music was just always soothing. I always wanted to be a part of it. Even in kindergarten, the question was what do you want to do when you grow up, and it was just musician. Rock star. Let’s do this. That mentality hasn’t changed.

Beej: I think I’ve mentioned in another interview that when I was super young I had a Fisher Price drum kit with all the fixings, and I used to march around banging on it. As I got a little older, grade three, four, five, I was always stuck in band class playing instruments I didn’t want to play. I always wanted to play drums. When I finally got the chance, I couldn’t stop. Before I even had my first real kit, I was banging on my mum’s ironing board because it had this raspy sound, like a snare drum. Couldn’t afford one for a while. Long time coming.

3. Is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

Jeff: The earliest one was seeing my dad play. That was my first experience of live music. From there he introduced me to bands, and I’d catch things on TV. I remember being really young when my dad needed to watch a concert on PBS, the Doobie Brothers. He let me stay up late for it and it was one of the coolest things I’d ever seen. The Beatles came in at a very young age and are still one of my all-time favorites. Growing up it was all classic rock, and then hearing “Paranoid” by Black Sabbath, “Highway Star” by Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin. And then what really pushed me into metal was “Fade to Black.” From there, the rest is history.

Beej: I used to go to a lot of concerts, still do here and there. But I remember getting these goosebumps, and this wave of sadness would wash over me watching a band do exactly what I wanted to do. Because I knew I had the caliber and the persona to do what they were doing, and I couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t up there. Now here we are.

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

We get asked this one a lot, and there are honestly too many to list. But today…

Jeff: I’d love to collaborate with Steve Vai. Just to be in a room making music with that guy would be something else.

Beej: For me it would be Chino Moreno from Deftones. Super inspiring. He’s been a hero and an idol and sort of a mentor from a distance for a long time.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and not on tour? What do you do to unwind?

Jeff: Outside of music, I just like hanging out with friends and family, my dogs. I enjoy golf. But honestly, music makes me unwind too. Even lying in bed, I’ve got a guitar next to me and I’ll just play. So it never really stops. Beyond that, good food, getting out in nature, going for a swim. There’s a hundred things you can do.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before? Is there a comparison a reviewer has made that made you cringe or disagree with?

Hard rock. We’re a hard rock and roll band with metal elements. Rooted, deep, haunting, melodic, anthemic with a lot of edge. Female fronted. For someone who’s never heard us, there will be something about it that you like, that’s the honest answer. As for comparisons, we hear Dio and Halestorm most often. As for cringe-worthy feedback, nothing really. The response has been pretty positive. There was one comment on the LSC video that was honest, an opinion, and it just wasn’t for that person. And that’s okay. I love that people share that. Doesn’t make me cringe at all.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks or gets drinks in, and who is the first to crack the acoustic guitar for a sing-along?

Jeff cooks. Bradon gets the drinks. Beej probably cracks out the acoustic drums. He’s always hitting something, always banging on something. Amanda will bust out the acoustic for a sing-along. She always likes to strum a few chords and find some cool melodies. It’s a good time.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck, and who was it?

Jeff: Watching Deftones. They’re my favorite band. You always get starstruck watching your favorite band. That would be it for me.

Beej: Meeting K.K. Downing from Judas Priest at Bloodstock. I was able to get a picture with him and say hello. It was a pleasure.

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

Dream jobs? An astronaut and a firefighter were both thrown out, and nobody was joking.

Beej: Best part of being a musician is rocking out with your mates.

Jeff: Bon Jovi said it best. “I’ve seen a million faces and I’ve rocked them all.” That’s it for me. Sharing that connection with those people, and on the internal side, with my band and anybody who gets to be a part of our art. That energy sharing is the best part. And then there’s the travel, the hangouts, meeting other bands, seeing cities and places and eating great food. It’s the best job in the entire world. Just saying.

10. What is one question you’ve always wanted an interviewer to ask? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

Nobody ever really asks about the gear we play, or gives a shout-out to the people behind the scenes, the production side, the merch side. There are so many people who help make this happen and they all deserve recognition. We’re really happy to have our team. Our webmaster and designer, Art Szabo. Our sound engineer, Tyson Travnik at Prairie Fire Pro. The people who helped put the record together: Phil Anderson (studio/tracking), Joel Wanasek (mixing), and Maor Appelbaum (mastering). Our mentor Byron Stroud. Our videographer Brad Thompson of Brad Thompson Visuals. And all of our family and friends who have shown up and helped out. We love you all and couldn’t do it without every single one of you. As for the question we’re tired of answering, the collaboration question comes up in basically every interview. And some interviews just recycle the same questions, which means we’re always giving out the same information. We had one interview that asked really out-there questions and another that was all about video games, and those were genuinely fun. More of that, please.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep, or would like a do-over, even if it didn’t change your current situation?

Those what-ifs are always in the back of your mind, but you can’t live in the past. You have to accept what it is and what it was. Those moments that happened put you exactly where you are today. No regrets. The universe has your path laid out for you, and you just go with it and make it work.

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

Jeff: The Beatles. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. To be a part of that record would be something else entirely. You’d think we’d say some banger metal album, and we love those. But the roots are the roots for a reason. That record means everything to the world, and it means a lot to us personally. It’s one of those masterpieces.

Beej: One hundred percent.

FAMOUS STRANGERS LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

Category: Interviews