In the 307th Q&A in our Getting to Know… series, we get the inside scoop from Toronto-based duo band, Eye Steal.
“The way I bounce off the world either inspires or triggers people, there’s no middle ground for me.” Interesting, Eye Steal!
Remi Monroe, who answers our burning questions regarding the Toronto-based duo band, goes on to say, “We just want to be real and connect with the audience in a dark magic sort of way. As much as our music exudes pain, violence betrayal, there is still a sense of hope to it, you can hear it in my voice, and I know people connect to it and that’s why we need each other.” It’s worth noting, the other half of the Toronto-based duo is
Dani Blood. Like our many other Getting to Know Q&As, we get the inside scoop on the collective: genesis, goals, musical influences, and of course, current, and future musical endeavors. So, without further ado, let’s jump right into
Getting to Know… Eye Steal: Interview No. 307!
For those who may not be familiar with Eye Steal, what would you say makes you distinct or unique? How do you rock the audience’s socks off?
Remi: All my life has been a unique cliché. It’s not hard to be myself. The way I bounce off the world either inspires or triggers people, there’s no middle ground for me. I think the fans can see this, I think the fans can see my passion. I think the fans can see my life and my work and I think that’s how it’s supposed to be. I feel like these are the qualities I looked up to in other artists who inspired me throughout my childhood. We just want to be real and connect with the audience in a dark magic sort of way. As much as our music exudes pain, violence betrayal, there is still a sense of hope to it, you can hear it in my voice, and I know people connect to it and that’s why we need each other.
Okay, let’s explore some juicy backstories. How did Eye Steal form and what were some of the goals or visions you had early on?
Remi: This band has had two conceptions as far as I’m concerned. I have to note that this band started as a musical diary. Something separate from the bands I was playing with at the time. I would often record in the middle of house parties. Take some people into this dark space and let it flow or at the end of the night in these band houses where I’d retire to my room and write these sort of diary electronic songs that I really had no interest in bringing to the light. Fast forward a little bit which would seem like a lifetime, I found myself back in the Eye Steal saddle again this time with a direction, a bigger sound, an economical outlet that I knew could be human proof, thus I started to love it a lot more. Devoted a lot of my time to it, shortly after being signed to a label and releasing my first full-length album,
Burning Out, which I would consider my official start date although the history of it is much older than that, it’s darker and more twists and turns than I’d cared to talk about these days.
Let’s talk more about goals. Have your goals or your perspectives changed since first starting out? What do your aspirations or goals look like now?
Remi: Ya, my goals are drastically different. When I started music in general it was always to get signed and get the fuck out of here or get signed and just get going. But then you get signed and it’s not what you think, and you give it back and realize you have no hope, no future. But still, you carry on for the music and for the art and that’s what makes this shit so fuckin’ real. We’re not dressing up to entertain you, we’re not wearing masks or pandering to anybody. Just telling it how it is, how it was, how we think it needs to be. That excites some people and bothers others. All we see out here is music entertainers, and I guess the goal now is not to be like them. Not to be a part of the cookie cutter and to be appreciated for who we are, even if we are a little rough around the edges, we mean well we just play rough.
Everybody is influenced by somebody else. Whom would you consider some of your biggest musical influences and how are they influential?
Remi: First and foremost, I’m influenced by my grandfather. A music teacher in Hungary and an amazing violinist, extraordinary man, and musician. Besides him, I’m obviously influenced by the best. Marilyn Manson, Korn, NIN, Bright Eyes, Silverstein, IAMX, Deftones, Limp Bizkit, Psyclon Nine, I dunno, all the good shit. I think for the most part, for most of the artists on the list It’s the soundscapes. They’re all unique sounds that were obviously influenced by times before them. I like to think Eye Steal is like that, a new sound but you can still hear the influences. I don’t think anyone of these artists lives particularly influenced me as my life has been drastically different from them and for the most part, un-relatable.
Ah, the fun stuff. What’s your craziest tour story or the wackiest thing that’s happened during a performance? Feel free to be creative.
Remi: Literally something crazy happens every time we fuckin’ play. I think we’re a magnet for craziness. Keepin’ it PG, I mean I have caught Dani falling out of a cage on stage, there’s been knives, there’s been blood, there’s been laughing and crying. Not too much stuff has happened on stage. I think the majority of the tales happen after or just before play. But I mean I’m the type of guy that’s gonna die with all the good stuff, I guess you kinda had to be there.
Up until this point in your career, what would you describe as your favorite song you’ve recorded or performed live? What makes that song special?
Remi: I definitely don’t have a favorite song that I enjoy playing the most. My moods change with my song selection, sometimes I’m pulled a little here or a little there for one
Is there anything else awesome, cool, or left of center the world should know about you? Secret talents or surprising tidbits?
Remi: Ya, lots but I don’t think I owe it to the world to share.
Closing out, what is Eye Steal currently working on, promoting that you can share with us or want us to know about? We love secrets, but there’s no pressure.
Remi: Ya, we’re always cookin’ something up especially since the world has been turned back on & we’ve been a lot more active lately.We just came back from Montreal where we headlined Gothfest, opening for Aesthetic Perfection for the American Psycho tour in Montreal and releasing a new album this year.
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Getting to Know… Eye Steal: Interview No. 307 [
: Brent Faulkner, Darkmoon_Art, Eye Steal, luis2500gx, The Musical Hype, Pixabay, OpenClipart-Vectors]