Since the release of their debut album ‘F.A.B.’ back in 2013, Speed Control has been hard at work, touring across Canada and educating youth with their Rawk Camps.
The band has just released a live performance video for their new song ‘This Time,’ which is the lead track off of their sophomore release due out this fall.
Lead singer Graeme Peters said their sophomore release will be a split themed album with five songs being more "radio friendly," and the other five being “more aggressive.”
“The new album will be kind of a throwback to the early 90's mixed with the intensity of new bands like The Refused,” he said.
The songs range from love songs to “very in your face angry songs” that help the band express their feelings on issues ranging from the political landscape to the struggle of an independent band from the Yukon.
Since the energetic musicians also love to lift weights, it is no surprise that their new live performance video was filmed inside of a gym. All three members of Speed Control recently competed in the Northern B.C. body building championships.
The release of their new video also marks the start of the band's summer tour which they've named ‘Flex Tour 2015.’
The tour is a mix of the band’s regular live shows and the popular youth Rawk Camps.
During the camps, the band takes a group of kids - mostly children who have never played music before - and teach them how to play instruments over the course of three days. Once they have been properly trained, the children have a chance to feel like rock stars for the first time and perform live at the camp.
The band usually starts by breaking the ice to get through any “nervousness.”
“We start by asking the kids things like, ‘what’s your favourite colour called purple?’”
“They get confused and answer in a confused voice, ‘purple.’ And then we'll be like, ‘yeah man, you get 10 points towards bacon,’” he said.
“We then do the drum test where each kid gets to play the drums; we can pretty easily determine if a kid has a beat or not,” he said. “It's pretty essential to find a kid who can count to four steadily; more often than not, the smaller kids are the ones with the best rhythm.”
Once the drum test is done, the kids are split off into groups - the bass and keyboard players go to one room, the guitar players and singers head to another and the drummers stay near the drum kit.
“We teach the kids using unplugged instruments for about half an hour and then we come back to the main stage and we let them plug in [the instruments],” he said. “Not only is the sound amazingly loud, but 90 per cent of the time it actually starts to sound like music within the first hour of the first day of camp.”
This year, Yamaha Canada is sponsoring the summer Rawk Camps by providing brand new gear for all of the participants.
“This is huge,” said Peters. “Every kid will be able to play through a new amp and new sound-system.”
This year’s Rawk Camps will take place in Grassy Plains on Aug. 17-19, and in Burns Lake on Aug. 20-22. The final concert featuring camp participants will be held on the last day of each camp.
The enthusiastic band members are no stranger to the Lakes District. They have performed in the area many times and have helped dozens of children find their beat at the Rawk Camps.
“Burns Lake has a very familiar feel, and it has a very welcoming attitude,” said Peters. “The people there are kind, and passionate about their community; it makes us work harder to create a good place and good experience for the kids we work with.”
“The camps are fun, and full of serious rawk,” he said. “When you have between eight and 12 people, all on stage for the first time as a band, playing real rock, and playing it real loud, and having the best time ever, how can you not be excited?”
To check the video of the band’s new track ‘This Time,” visit https://youtu.be/tQw9vZCslDU
You can also follow the band on Instagram @speedcontrol to get all of their tour updates. For more information, visit: www.speedcontrol.ca