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REVIEWS
MUSIC SAMPLES
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Trevor
McNevan – vocals
Thousand Foot Krutch has had a lot of encouragement since 1997, when McNevan, the band's sole original member, began the lineup. Putting out an indie record, That's What People Do, in 1997 (just re-released via the band's website), then Set It Off in 2000, the band earned hardcore fans, thanks especially to relentless touring. In the last four years alone, TFK played around 200 gigs per year with such bands as Finger Eleven, Tea Party, Three Days Grace and Econoline Crush, and have been devoting all their energies to the band for the last three years (i.e., giving up those McDonald's and gas station jobs!). And while Phenomenon is a culmination of sorts to, it's also a brand-new beginning, the band was recently voted an "up-and-comer who is ready to rock the world" in 2004 by prestigious trade magazine Radio and Records. "For the longest time, as a band we ran our own show, and it was a lot of work, but we learned a lot and developed really cool relationships with a lot of people," McNevan observes. In 2003, Thousand Foot Krutch had several labels hot on their tails, and they entered into serious talks with Tooth and Nail. "After we made a big pros and cons list, we were on the same page, had the same vision, and the label had a passion for the band and the music, so we signed," says McNevan. The label is not the only ones with passion for TFK's tunes. Many fans email and confide personal problems to McNevan, though he's the first to claim he doesn't have all the solutions: "As a songwriter, I write about how things are, and were, growing up, and the things we go through now, through my eyes. We don't know all the answers, but we're thrilled to have the chance to do this." McNevan relates that several female followers have emailed him about personally intense situations. "One wrote and said, 'this is what's going on in my life. I feel I have no one to talk to, but I feel I can talk to you. I cut myself, I do this and that, what should I do?'" McNevan and the band take that responsibility seriously. "We encourage them and I tell them what my heart is. The band has hooked up with a few groups, such as Lamplight, who deal with suicidal teens, who can further and follow up with kids who are going through that stuff. It allows us to support them, and then say, 'this person would be awesome for you to talk to about these things.' And I try to keep in touch with the kids as well," says the frontman. "It's remarkable, overwhelming, to see how many kids go through that every single day." Clearly, it's highly personal songs such as Phenomenon's "Last Words," that draw fans to TFK's emotional, thoughtful vibe and forceful rock sound. "'Last Words,'" begins McNevan, "is about someone who has committed suicide and has one chance to come back and talk to the people they love. I have this cliff where I always go and write. I sit on the hood of my car with an acoustic guitar and some candles and write. It's such a beautiful place. I was sitting there, and it was a really intense thing," he recalls of the songwriting process. "I felt a lot of the feelings that someone going through that would feel. Not myself personally," he clarifies, "as in contemplating suicide at all, but as a writer, it was a very real experience. I felt the feelings of people on both sides of the situation; it was a teary-eyed experience."
Thousand Foot Krutch consider Phenomenon, written and recorded in 2003, a transition from the more hip-hop flavored Set It Off. "We love all kinds of music, and wanted to evolve and focus in on the kind of music we wanted to make instead of being too broad. However, versatility is something we've always been a big fan of, and as a writer, I'm a huge fan of records you can listen to from the front to the back that don't have the same sort of vibe going on. We tried to do that on Phenomenon; it was fun this time around to talk about some issues, real life stuff, and also have some party tunes, and a ballad!" he laughs. TFK have managed to evolve with their original core of real writing and real rock intact. The current lineup, too, is one the band is thrilled with, and they're looking forward to adding a guitarist/fourth member. "Growing up, from a super-young age, for all of us were involved in music," McNevan recalls of the band's history. "We realized sports weren't our thing. I tried about eight different sports; I come from an athletic family. I was the oddball!" The singer started TFK in Peterborough, Ontario, a small town north of Toronto. Drummer Steve Augustine is from nearby Hamilton, and Joel (pronounced "Joe-ell") Bruyere was McNevan's childhood friend who had moved away, then years later, back in time to join the band for Set It Off. Of course, several of TFK's most-asked questions concern the title Phenomenon (and the CD's cover photo) and the band's name. McNevan, a huge film fan who has just begun writing screenplays, wanted a sort of "Matrix-style" feel to the cover art of Phenomenon to "represent a bit of a subculture of people who choose to believe in the power of the unseen." Ditto the band's name. "There's a lot of messed up stuff that we go through in life, and sometimes things happen that you can't explain, good and bad." And sometimes, that unseen "crutch" just helps you get out of a situation. So, why, then, is it spelled with a "K' instead of a "C"? "It didn't look right spelled with a 'C'," laughs McNevan. In addition to the mounting success of Thousand Foot Krutch, they also have several other impressive projects taking off. One is the side band FM Static, who actually opens for Thousand Foot Krutch at many events, has McNevan and drummer Augustine doing double duty. And with the two other FM Static members, Justin and Jeremy Smith, McNevan has formed Reakt Clothing (http://www.reaktclothing.com/store), with the band Three Days Grace as first endorsees. Augustine also has formed a production company called Stringnoise that provided sound and lights for Thousand Foot Krutch and other touring acts. While with the release of Phenomenon, Thousand Foot Krutch is just at the beginning of the proverbial road, the band is already about giving back. "We were teenagers when we started. We have been through messed-up situations, but we're almost thankful that they happened, because we learned so much. We're prepared to take the next step and excited to see what happens. We're still working really hard and playing lots of shows like we always have. But," McNevan concludes, "There have been a lot of new doors opening for us and now we have an amazing team of people who are allowing a lot of this to be possible. It's been a lot of fun!" And for TFK, the fun has just begun. 2/04 |
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