Speaking to 4 out of the 5 members of The Sitcom, I quickly noticed their no-jokes attitude toward their music, and their refusal to take anything else to seriously. Read the following discussion conducted in our recent interview to learn about the recording of The Sitcom's upcoming album, Beast Wars, spam, and ways to make yourself sick.

Espy: So, first off, what are your names and what do you do in The Sitcom?
Mike: Mike Ivanco, guitar.
Brent: Brent Wirth, drums.
Torren: I'm Torren Sylvain, I sing, and play harmonica and keyboard occasionally.
Brian Brian Wirth, guitar, and as of recently, management duties.
Mike: And producer.
Torren: Sexiest manager ever!
Brian: Mike sings too, and so does Brent, but they're shy.
Torren: And we have another guy in the band. What's his name again?
Brian: I forget.
Torren: It begins with, like, a P.
Mike: Stephan Bailey, bass.

Espy: So, it sounds like you guys are definitely going the DIY route, right?
Brian: For now, yeah. I mean, we've been doing it so far since we started, but we're starting to look into getting help in terms of a booking agent and management.
Torren: Actually, the do-it-yourself is really hard. We want people working for us as soon as we can get them.
Brian: Proper management anyways, from a company. I actually have a meeting with a place next week. We'll see what goes down. I think we just need someone to help keep us organized and get some better promotion.

Espy: Yeah, promotion can definitely take a lot of time. Actually, I wanted to talk more about promotion, specifically. Music really only succeeds with some sort of promotion. What sort of promotion have you guys found is the most effective for The Sitcom? I mean, naturally the Internet is a big one these days, but what in specific is working?
Brian: Well, I think right off the bat, MySpace is a big help with Internet promotion. We're also working on developing a street team, or at least I've been planning it in my head. In theory, it should work.
Torren: ...like communism. Actually, word of mouth has been working the best for me. I know too many people.

Espy: Yeah, having personal connections can be more than enough to push bands towards success.
Brian: Exactly. And spam. Spam can be your best friend and worst enemy at the same time.

Espy: Yeah, spam is always a classic form of promotion.
Torren: Who talks about spam? Its 2006.
Brian: Spam is coming back.
Torren: Really?
Brian: Yep. It's making a return in 2006, and it's back with a vengeance. I wouldn't eat any kind of meat that comes from a can.
Torren: Well, it would probably beat surviving at school on peanut butter and playing cards.
Brian: You can buy those weird sardines and tuna from the dollar store.
Mike: Your mom always ate it when she was younger.

Espy: So, should I be on the lookout for Sitcom spam in the near future?
Brian: Like Sitcom brand canned meat? Definitely.
Torren: Each can will have a part of me in it until I am fully disolved.
Brian: Each can will have a different member's face for a different flavour variation.
Mike: I want to be beef!
Brian: Bailey can be mock chicken.
Torren: Dude, I'm turkey. I'll make you tired, bitches. Don't drive after turkey-flavoured Sitcom spam.

Espy: Speaking of flavors, what are your influences as members of The Sitcom?
Mike: I have to say Legends Of Rodeo are my top influence.
Brent: Musically, I think pop-rock is one of our biggest influences, like The Beach Boys, and then later on bands like Weezer, Ozma, and Saves The Day. Although, I think a lot of jazz and blues has taken affect on our music, rhythmically. More and more we venture into more jazz and blues harmony, which has definitely crafted some new sounds.
Brian: Musically, my main influence growing up was probably Weezer. I've gone through a lot of different phases but certain things I've always stuck with. I think Saves The Day is an influence that is definitely somewhere in our music. As of recently, I've listened to the Navy album too many times. I like it a lot.
Torren: Alot of my influences are branded in my subconcious mind from when I was a kid. Things like the Cream and shit my dad listened to that I cant remember. That said, I'm still influenced by things I used to listen to like Vanilla Ice or Kriss Kross, from when I was a kid, but i just don't notice it. Currently, I think heavy influences on me are Hayden, Mike Patton, and a lot of avant-garde abtract music. Hawksley Workman definitely has a presence somewhere in there.

Espy: Yeah. Influence is usually something so hard to pin down, because so many musicians take tiny pieces from many places, often without even knowing it.
Brian: Thats very true.
Brent: Except for the "without even knowing it" part. We consciously steal melodies, rhythms, chord progressions. Anything we can get our grubby little hands on.
Torren: I used to listen to the Sister Act soundtrack. For all we know, it's influenced The Sitcom.

Espy: In some small way, I'm sure it has.
Torren: Whoopie Goldburg wrote 'From Ottawa.'

Espy: In as few words as possible, who or what is The Sitcom?
Brent: Torren. Seriously, him as a character, defines The Sitcom.
Brian: Pretty much.
Mike: Yeah, I agree.

Espy: In as few words as possible, who or what is Torren?
Mike: A menace. Lock your daughters in their rooms. Torren will get 'em.
Brian: An enigma. A man of mystery.
Torren: Well, I think The Sitcom's voice is spoken mainly through me, but we all believe in the same thing, and that's the individuality of each song. Every song is treated differently.

Espy: So, does your individuality of songs come from a natural creativity, or is the individuality one of the goals you guys aim for when writing new songs?
Brent: We just force Mike to write catchy riffs. We don't give a fuck where they come from or why, we just want more songs. Quanity over quality.
Torren: I was thinking about that the other day. I don't strive to write anything original or individual from the other songs, I just want to please myself asthetically. If The Sitcom is happy with the songs, then I think that will be communicated and expressed to our audience.
Brian: If the riff sounds anything like another song, or if it is deemed as too shitty, it is immediately scrapped and never talked about again. The Sitcom filters out the non-rock.
Torren: The Sitcom will be able to please because when we do our own thing people can appreciate it.

Espy: How did you guys come together to form The Sitcom?
Brent: Brian and Brent are brothers. Mike and Brian were friends (were). Brian asked Mikey to play music. Mikey said "no." But then Brian forced Mikey into it. Then Brian forced Brenty into it (his parents got T.O.-ed at him). Then Brian met Stephen. Stephen knew Torren. Then Stephen brought Torren and himself to practice with Brian, Mikey, and Brenty.
Brian: Brent, myself and Mike have been playing for a long time. Eventually I met Stephen Bailey at a shitty banquet hall we worked at. He had long hair. I eventually asked him to jam and then Torren was brought into the picture. He randomly wrote lyrics for our songs.

Espy: Are you friends brought together by the band, a band brought together by friendship, or just strangers with a common goal?
Brian: Definitely a band brought together by friendship.
Torren: I was introduced to the band by Steve, our bassist. I didn't know them very well, and when we first formed, we had arguments, but I really consider these dudes to know me a lot better than other people do. The Sitcom is becoming more and more of a family as we keep progressing, and I like the feeling.
Brian: I think I understand what goes on inside the mind of Torren Sylvain, finally.

Espy: I think the major advantage of most bands formed by friendship, is that not matter where they go, no matter how many bad cards you get dealt on and off the road, you still have fun. And for many independent bands, the fun is what keeps them motivated to put everything they can into each and every show.
Torren: Since I didn't know everyone in the band, my friendship really built after the art did, which is kind of weird.
Brent: Its not about fun or having a good time on the road. Its about the music. The music stands alone.
Mike: The music being good will make it fun. And if you get a response, that's the best feeling.
Torren: I think the party comes after for The Sitcom. The music comes first.

Espy: I know you guys are just easing out of the comforts of the Burlington/905 scene right now, but you've had some experience with the Toronto scene. I've often heard that the Toronto (Ontario) scene is over-populated, and hard for Western Canadian bands to tour to, because they're so easily lost in the mess of bands, and must turn around due to even less support further East. Is it hard to break out of Ontario scenes for other bands, due to an almost barren (in comparison) scene spanning 3 provinces?
Torren: It's all about the songs. Do you have singles, and are you what people want?
Brent: Thats the problem. The trend of music is so unpredictable and a lot of it is being in the right place at the right time. Material we have now may not go anywhere...but say if it was around 5 years ago or whatever it could have been huge.
Brian: The Toronto scene is definitely going to be hard to break into. It is really a diverse scene, but I think that we have a chance to fit in. We're definitely going to be playing more Toronto dates in the summer, after we are done recording and what not. It's a huge city. So many bands, so many venues. But that also gives a lot of opportunities.
Torren: Good music will come from the songs, not from the style. So long as we keep it about the songs we'll do okay, rather than fizzle off with a style.

Espy: So, let's talk a bit about the album you're recording. How far are you along, in terms of writing, pre-production, or recording?
Brian: The drums were done, but we're re-doing them.
Brent: It's a sound thing. We're recording in a new room, because we didn't really achieve the desired sound in the room we were recording in, and drum tone is essential.
Brian: The plans are that we are going to be recording the new material with Chris Veska of 11 Minutes Away. He's going to help us achieve what we want to, sonically. Most of the production work will be done by the band. I still think we need some more pre-production work, but structurally, I think the songs are solid. After the songs are all recorded, the plans are to take the recordings and mix and master them in a proper facility, which will most likely end up being Metalworks Studios in Mississauga. Unless we get some kind of funding or budget, but we'll have to wait and see for that...

Espy: When can we expect a release, roughly?
Brian: I think the proposed date is sometime in the summer, but that depends on a lot of factors. We're not gonna rush to put it out. We may end up re-recording the whole thing all over again. Who knows right now. I'd like to say summer 2006.
Torren: Really, if we're still independant or not will shape when it releases. A summer release would please Torren. If not, we might end up putting out another EP to tide people over.

Espy: It sounds like you guys are determined to do it right.
Brian: Yeah, we are determined to get the best possible sounding record out. We're not going to sacrifice quality for anything.

Espy: How will your new album compare to the Period!Point!Demical! EP?
Brent: Better. Bigger. Catchier.
Brian: I think that we've definitely got a better grasp on the sound we want to achieve. The EP was too random.
Torren: I was a virgin when we recorded it. Things are different now.

Espy: Torren, while your lyrics seem schizoid at times, they deal with relatable subjects, but in an addictively absurd way. Is there any specific influence, inspiration or method you use to achieve these results, or is it simply you?
Torren: A lot of it is pleasing myself with the lyrics. While vocal melodies and certain ways we record it are shaped by influences, generally the lyrics are me. The absuridity sometimes seems insincere to people, where it's actually up front and real. Granted, I make some references that people don't understand, but a lot of the lyrics are actually the way I speak. Some are even what I would sound like in a conversation. It's a touchy subject for me, because a lot of people take the lyrics as presented.

Espy: Your lyrics seems to bridge the gap between lunatically blunt and emotionally vague. Personally, is there something specific you are trying to get across in your lyrics?
Torren: Not really. Every form of art communicates something, no matter what it's intent. My intent is to communicate my current situation and my feelings toward it. Whatever language I use comes from who I am, and what I've been through. The lyrics are formed from the way I am, and the way I think. I think sometimes I have a certain message for people to see, but generally I don't care if they see it, so long as I see the message. I'm aware of how my lyrics are expressed to others, and sometimes there's a need to express to others, or sometimes some things I know are only directed at me, but the end result is what I think is appropriate. If something is obvious, then it is. If something is vague, then it most likely means something more to me that I don't want to express to people, but find that i need it in the song to make myself feel it more. The new stuff is more of an example of these things.

Espy: So, the lyrics to the new songs follow a similar style of writing and expression?
Torren: Yes. At some points things are obvious, at some points they are vague. At some points you can clearly see that I'm poking fun at my own feelings, and at some you can see that I'm being a harsh judge on why I feel these things. Maybe the sporadicalness of the lyrics is an expression of my personality. But yes, they do follow a similar style. I think in the new stuff, like songs such as 'White Cage' and 'Emily,' new things are revealed that I would not have revealed earlier. More personal matters, for instance.

Espy: What are your touring plans for the future?
Brian: This summer, we plan on doing some mini-tours on some weekends. "Still Can't Stop The Sketchiness Tour 2006." I know the dudes in 11 Minutes Away want to do some dates with us in the summer, so we'll party it up with them.
Torren: Frankly, I'm done school this year and want to go everywhere. I want to go to Montreal, Alberta, Dudbury, everywhere.

Espy: What cities/locations are you planning to target with your live shows?
Brian: I think that we want to reach out as far as we can and do as many out-of-town shows as possible. Definitely Ottawa, Montreal, anything in Ontario. Maybe further. It all depends what our situation is like in the summer. A lot can change in a few months. I'd love to tour cross Canada someday.
Torren: I really want to play for people who will receive us, wherever that takes us.

Espy: Which bands do you dream of one day playing with?
Torren: I want to play with Hawksley Workman...
Brent: There are a lot of really good pop-rock bands out there, like Satisfaction. They're not a well known band, but have awesome material.
Mike: Legends Of Rodeo, Save The Day and Third Eye Blind. Those three.
Brian: It would be cool to play with Saves The Day, An Angle, The Junction, Weezer. Navy!

Espy: Is there any things that bother you about the current state of the scene?
Brian: The haircuts.
Mike: I like it, but there is too much narrow-mindedness. Too much fashion-core.
Torren: Oh god. The scene. I pretend it doesn't exist. What bothers me is everyone's need to look like they did it first, when in actuality they are part of the Gap trend, but its called 'scenegap.'
Brian: Yeah, I wish there was more diversity
Brent: I like the current state of the scene because it allows a band like us to really stand out.
Torren: I'm just saying that kids in our scene protest trends like they aren't part of them, when they really are.
Brent: Thats the thing. If everyone is doing what they want to be doing, it's cool. Fortunately for us, no one is really trying to do what we're doing, so it's got it's pros and cons.

Espy: Speaking of sitcoms, if you could have any Sitcom character join your band, who would it be, and what instrument would they play?
Brian: Uncle Joey
Brent: Joey from Blossom. I would just get him to say "whoa" into a mic repeatedly, over every song.
Torren: DJ Tanner would play my wang.
Mike: Bob from Reboot
Torren: Reboot is not a sitcom. Are you high?
Brent: Dr. Phil from the Ninja Turtles. Dr. Phil was the initial voice of shredder on the Ninja Turtles, the original cartoon.
Mike: Optimus Primal from Beast Wars.
Torren: No, dude Beast Wars was not a sitcom.
Brian: Yes it was. Everything is a sitcom if you think about it.
Mike: There was so much drama...
Brent: The black ranger in Power Rangers. He had an axe.

Espy: Before I end the interview, is there anything else you want to tell the readers?
Torren: Open your body and your mind, baby, and dance to The Sitcom all night long.
Brent: There's a piano that exists that can transpose keys by shifting all the keys left or right. I'm not even joking.
Brian: Don't ever mix salt and vinnegar chips with chocolate milk. It made me feel really sick.
Mike: I am concerned with the ill tidings in the middle east.
Torren: Watch out for fat people. They're everywhere and want your money.

Espy: Thanks for your time, guys. I wish you all the best on your upcoming album and the things that follow.
Torren: Thanks dude...
Brian: Thanks for interviewing us. Props to The Music Appraisal.

www.thesitcom.ca


The Sitcom - Period!Point!Decimal! (EP) (espy)