Interview – Laugh At The Fakes

By: Remington Fioraso

Laugh at the Fakes is a rock-metal group from Toronto, Ontario. The band consists of Everett Mason on guitar/vocals, Galen Weir on bass, Kevin Daliri on guitar, and Chris Avalos on drums. Laugh at the Fakes released their first full-length release entitled “Dethrone the Crown” on November 18, 2014.

How did you guys meet?

I’ve known Galen (bass player) for many years. He was my next-door neighbour in the house I grew up in. Kevin responded to a guitar add we posted last spring and has been in the band since July. Galen and I knew Chris from a previous band we were all in. So we reached out to him in August and he has been playing with us ever since.

What inspired you name the group ‘Laugh at the Fakes?’

When I put this group together, my goal was to start an uncompromising rock band. I knew by naming the band ‘Laugh At The Fakes’ that we would be vowing to stay true ourselves and to our fans. It’s not only a band name, it’s a statement that seems to be more and more relevant with every person you meet or place you go. You come across genuine people and fake people all the time.

Who are your influences?

Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Pantera, ACDC, Alice In Chains, Led Zeppelin, Guns n’ Roses, the list could go on forever but those are the main ones.

For someone who has yet to listen to you, how would you describe your sound?

We are a rock and roll band that is influenced by thrash metal. I love the songwriting of bands like The Rolling Stones and Guns N’ Roses but then I also love the riffs that bands like Slayer, Pantera, and Metallica come up with. So why not have a band that has both.

How has the reception been for Dethrone the Crown so far?

We have been getting some good press, which is something you don’t really count on. But it’s nice to get the recognition. We just have to keep the momentum going! Countdowns and reviews are subjective but you can’t help but enjoy reading them when they are complementary. Some of the people reviewing it sounded like real fans, they understood what we were going for and they really dug it. Lots of them don’t get paid to do reviews or anything, they just spread the word because they love the music.

Are there any particular songs that you enjoy performing the most from the record?

Dethrone The Crown and Got No Regrets.

What have been some of your best show memories in 2014?

Our first show of the year was opening for Ex-Iron Maiden singer Blaze Bayley, so that was awesome. We also played 2 shows at the Bovine (Toronto club) and we are definitely getting tighter with each show. We weren’t playing shows while we were recording the album, so we didn’t have many shows last year. This year we are going to take a break from the studio and just play live.

What can fans expect to see from Laugh at the Fakes in 2015?

Lots of tour dates, a couple of new videos, and some new songs.

At Canadian Beats, we like to include ‘fun’ questions to help fans get to know you a bit more.

Who are your favourite Canadian artists?

Rush and Annihilator

What is your favourite album?

Appetite For Destruction – Guns N’ Roses

What songs have been on repeat the most for you?

Heresy – Pantera, Flying Whales -Gojira, Can’t You Hear Me Knocking -Stones, Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be -ACDC.

What are your New Year’s resolutions?

Practice more guitar.

Finally, is there anything else you would like to say to your fans?

Keep laughing at the fakes. You guys rule!

Remington Fioraso

Hi Everyone! My name is Remington Fioraso. I am a graduate of the University of the Fraser Valley’s Bachelor of Arts program in Sociology, Anthropology, and Media and Communication Studies. Within my program, I focused on social media, learning about contemporary and classical sociological theory (Including Marx, Foucault, Bourdieu, and Durkheim), and communicating effectively in various modes and for different audiences (including oral communication, business communication, academic writing, entertainment media, and presentations utilizing visual media). Within my program, the question arose for many courses, “What is the relevance in the real world?” Stepping (temporarily) away from being in university, I gained an interest in Latin American development, social movements, and business. Sooner than later, I will be applying for post-grad programs to dive further into LA development and social movements to gain a theory-background in addition to a personal perspective onto the topics. In my free time, I love to travel, consume media, eat, listen to music, and write. Listening to music and writing led to my interest in working with Canadian Beats! I have been a part of the team since April 2014. A few of my personal highlights of interviews include ones with some of my favourite artists – Sumo Cyco, Madeline Merlo, and High Valley. Be sure to connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!