The Musician Spotlight Series shines a light on up-and-coming bands and solo acts creating heartfelt and original work across genres, giving them an opportunity to talk about their music, their collaborators, and why they do what they do.
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“Originally founded in Burlington, Ontario in 2010, Harm and Ease is composed of Rylan Whalen (Vocals), Danny Lopez (Guitar), John Goodblood (Bass/Guitar), and Alex Hamnett (Drums). This line-up was formed in Buenos Aires Argentina after several reiterations revolving around Rylan Whalen, and Danny Lopez, the addition of John Goodblood and Alex Hamnett proved proficient in rounding out an already brilliant basis. The Harm and Ease story is an interesting one, from reaching an international following as they took over the South American rock scene to being discovered by Gianni Luminati of Multi-Platinum and JUNO Award-winning group Walk Off the Earth. Gianni was so impressed by the band that he went on to become their manager. The band recorded and debuted their first two albums “Wonderful Changes” and “Black Magic Gold” in the bustling, artist hub of Buenos Aires before relocating their home base to Toronto, Canada. They also recently recorded a single with Grammy award-winning producer Joe Cicarelli (Elton John, The Foo Fighters, Morrissey, The Raconteurs) entitled “Nothing More Than Love”.”
Interview answers by band member John Goodblood
How did you all come together as a band? Is there a story behind the band name?
Danny, Rylan and Alex first met in middle school and quickly realized they shared a love for music together. In 2012, the band relocated to Argentina where they found me playing the blues on the street corners of Buenos Aires. As for the band name, Harm and Ease is a clever play on the word harmony. It represents the duality of life, the light and the dark, and how these forces are deeply connected and make you who you are.
What other artists or bands were your biggest musical influences on the new EP, Camino Loco?
We developed our sound a lot as writers and as producers on this album. Our influences can range from several sources such as old blues music from the 30s and 20s like Robert Johnson to modern pop top 10 music. Every member of the band brings in diverse influences and inspirations. Whatever mix we make though, it comes out as this brand of modern rock music which we can’t help but keep creating. It’s in our nature to play and sing with the visceral attitude and truth that all great rock music has.
Who did you collaborate with on the production of the album?
This album included a great cast of incredibly talented producers and engineers that brought this record to life. One of them was Tawgs Salter, who mixed and produced a few of the tracks on the album, including “Cut Me Loose” and “Steady Roll”, which are two great examples of us melding this blues rock driven sound with tight modern production.
Another two great collaborators on the album were Gianni Luminati and Tokyo Spiers from Walk off the Earth. They co-produced basically every track on the album with us and really assisted in elevating the caliber of production to where we wanted it. Also, “Push and Shove” and “Train to Oz” were recorded in B Town Sound with Justin Coop in the city of Burlington, where the band was founded. That was a nice little blessing to have on the album.
What has been your biggest career highlight so far?
About a year ago, our song “Cut Me Loose” started making a lot of noise around the world. A short TikTok clip of us playing it in Toronto went viral overnight and it sent us down a path that has really changed the game for the band. The song hit the top 10 of the billboard rock charts which was something amazing to experience. It’s recently started to become a staple in hockey arenas across Canada and the states, and it’s been surreal to see the song become part of the masses.
What can audiences expect from one of your live shows?
Our live show is a high energy celebration of life right from the get go. We believe in connecting with our audience with every note we play and sing. We want to make sure everyone goes home feeling elevated and like we had the party of a lifetime together. We’ve had some of the best times in our lives on stage and we want the same for our audience.
Where can we find your music?
Our music is available on Spotify and all major streaming platforms. You can also follow us on instagram and Tik Tok where we post all sorts of other content and do livestream chats and performances.
Facebook: /HarmAndEase
Instagram: @harmandease
TikTok: @harmandease
Twitter: @Harmandease
Website: www.harmandease.com