Interview – The Quiet Things

By: Remington Fioraso

The Quiet Things is a pop-rock band from Toronto, Ontario.  The group consists of Lauren Hawkins, Chris Mellor, Luke Fair, and Rashad Mohamed. They released their debut album, The Fall, on March 24, 2015.

How did you meet?

Luke, Chris and I met mainly through a music school in Markham; Carlaw Conservatory of Music. We still needed a bassist so we made a post on Kijiji, we caught Rashad and we’re never letting him go.

Who are your influences?

We Are Scientists, early Maroon 5 and Mariana’s Trench, Two Door Cinema Club, Brand New.

For those who have yet to listen to The Quiet Things, how would you describe your sound?

We have been described as “Hayley Williams singing for a heavier version of the Arctic Monkeys” and we feel that’s actually quite accurate. Though it’s funny since none of us are really actively listen to either of those artists.

How has the reception been for “The Fall” so far?

So far, so good. We’ve found that people have been leaning towards other songs on the album as their favourites instead of the singles. A lot of people have really responded to Alright and The Fall, which came as a bit of a surprise, but a happy one!

What were your fondest moments when recording the album?

We were very fortunate to have recorded at Cylinder Sound Studios and we basically did the whole thing in one weekend! The bonding experience was pretty great, I think we learned a lot about each other and grew much closer. Our engineers for the album were our friends Ryan Macdonald and Josh Mancuso from RTM Productions. It helped a lot that we had worked with before, so the whole weekend was very relaxed and a lot of fun!

What have been your favourite tracks to play live?

Probably Choke and Secrets.

What is next from The Quiet Things?

We’re planning to play more shows in the summer now that Luke is back from school, and to continue writing. So far we have a show booked on July 29th at Johnny Jackson’s, we’re opening for Five Of The Eyes and Fat As Fuck.

Who are your favourite Canadian artists?

Rashad: OLP, Remy Shand, I Mother Earth, Zygote

Chris: Sum 41, The Tragically Hip, Rush, Treble Charger

Luke: Sam Roberts, Rush, The Pursuit of Happiness

Lauren: Metric, The Arkells, early Mariana’s Trench.

What was the first concert you ever attended?

Lauren: Bedouin Soundclash

Luke: Rush

Rashad: OLP

Chris: Rush

What are your favourite foods?

Lauren: pasta

Luke: pasta

Rashad: sushi

Chris: sushi

What is your favourite dessert?

Lauren: anything chocolate

Luke: Cannoli

Rashad: mint chocolate or cookie dough ice-cream

Chris: Cheesecake with strawberries and whipped cream

What is your favourite TV show?

Lauren: Dexter/American Horror Story

Luke: Doctor Who

Rashad: Simpsons

Chris: That 70s show

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

Thank you for all your support and love, it means the world to us.

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!