Toronto Music Scene

By: Sheena Lyonnais

February 3, 2007 

 Dodger’s show at the Sound Academy last night proved not only that their latest album Musth is a huge hit amongst their head-banging, skank induced following, but also that opening bands can totally own a crowd.  You never would have known there was anyone else on the bill (especially not Goldfinger!) based on their energetic, overwhelming performance, but what else can you expect from a band who named their album after aggressive, horny elephants. 

They’ll be heading into the studio next month to record five new songs and they’re already in talks of playing Canadian dates on Warped Tour, Wakestock and possibly Edgefest 2 this summer.  It’s no surprise Dodger’s unique brand of “hardcore reggae” is slowly leaving its mark on Toronto and Hamilton…literally.

“Four or five people have come up to me and have had the elephant that is on the cover of the record tattooed on them,” said singer/guitarist Matt Drake after their set.  “I was like that’s awesome man, fuck you guys are die hard.  I’ll put them on guest list.  If you have a tattoo of Dodger you get in free for the rest of your life.”

  Drake and his bandmates guitarist Luke “Billy” Muldoon, keyboardist Andy Russell, drummer Stu Fazekas and bassist Ryan “Reggie” Regimbal have a DIY attitude that is changing the face of indie music today.  Like many other bands, Dodger are beginning to abandon the idea of releasing full-length albums and are instead transitioning into the online, iTunes distribution method.  

“The reality [is] that kids aren’t buying CDs as much, so we’re not worried about doing 20 song CDs anymore, it’s all about let’s do four or five songs every couple months and get them on the net and let people buy the songs and make their own records out of our stuff,” Drake said.

“So our next step is to record five songs and let people buy it off iTunes and download it, steal it, get people coming to shows.  Then in five months drop another five, so instead of waiting every two years for a record that would be 18 songs long, you’re going to get it every six months to a year, five or six songs. I’m hoping that’s the way to go because labels these days, people are losing so much money trying to fill these full-length records that in this day and age people just don’t buy.”  

    Dodger’s decision to do things this way was backed by producer Jag Tanna of Upper Left Side Music (I Mother Earth).  Between Drake and Tanna, the majority of the tracks are recorded in their separate houses.  The only aspect that is recorded in outside studios are the drum tracks.  Aside from an acoustic set next weekend at the Sound Academy, Dodger is taking a few weeks off to focus on these new songs, which will be released on iTunes shortly thereafter.

Back in 2004, Dodger played five gigs in the States opening up for Britney Spears to 18,000 to 20,000 people a night.  “It was a pretty good opportunity, over 100,000 people in the States heard our music,” Drake said.  “Britney was really nice, I have to admit she was really nice and she really liked our band.  It’s the only time we’ve ever really played the States. It was really overwhelming, but I’d do it again.”  
The Goldfinger show was ridiculously fun and upbeat, and provided a good indication of great things to come for the Hamilton natives.  Dodger has quickly become a Toronto Music Scene favourite and we’ll be watching them in the upcoming months. 

To check out music from their album Musth as well as upcoming show dates visit: http://www.myspace.com/dodgermusic
    

---

Help Promote Toronto Music Scene