DAMN FOOLS

Taking refuge with guitars, a handheld tape recorder and a collection of old LPs, Damn Fools’ song-writing journey stems from the most vintage of musical idioms: Rock and Roll, Rhythm & Blues, Soul, and Southern Groove. The band released their debut album “Off the Floor” in June of 2013. Recorded at Vancouver's iconic Mushroom Studios, “Off the Floor” unleashes a thunderous roar of crunchy riffs, bluesy lead guitar, powerfully tight drumming, thick bass, tasteful piano and organ, and soulful vocals. “We wanted our first album to really set the tone for who we are as a band. This record is an excellent portrayal of a year of preparation and hard work. It’s a solid foundation for who we are as musicians, what kind of music we like to play and the way we believe music should be recorded,” explains singer Mike Twining. It'd be hard to argue that this philosophy hasn't paid off so far - the group followed up their first tour in 2014 by being included in the Peak Performance Project Top 12, a popular radio contest/mentorship in their hometown province of British Columbia. Shortly after, they were announced to the lineup for Rifflandia 2014. Damn Fools tracked “Off The Floor” in 4 days at the helm of producer Dave Ogilvie, honouring the way bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, Led Zeppelin and CCR would have recorded in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Each song was recorded live in its entirety using an analogue 2” reel-to-reel tape machine. Each band member’s performance was captured honestly and genuinely, in the moment. In terms of roles, Mike Twining is your happy-go-lucky front man, forever burdened with the task of evoking emotion through voice. Andrew Twining is the dark-haired version of the guitar slinging Keith Richards. A bottomless well of musical ideas combined with an extraordinary sense of timing. Chris Ball, like most accomplished bass players, oozes with humility. His role as the man of low register, playing in the pocket is what he lives for. Jovan brings a perfect balance of Bonham and Ringo to the drum kit; Power infused with finesse and individuality. Mike Turner is a self-taught piano man with a head full of beautiful music and melody. And, guitarist Alex Gordon-Firing should have been a child of the 60's. When he's not wailing solos or hammering out blues riffs you'll find him spending every penny of his hard earned money on the latest vinyl box set. It is rare these days to witness a band like Damn Fools play live, where each member plays such an integral part in making the music work. Their most recent tours have taken them throughout BC, highlighted by consecutive appearances at Keloha Festival and opening for widely acclaimed Canadian rock band, The Trews. Vancouver Rock 'n Roll band Damn Fools official Facebook page - Peak Performance Project BC Top 12 Finalist #ppp2014