Disband (stylized as disBand) is a Canadian reality show that was produced and broadcast by MuchMusic that arranged and permitted aspiring music acts an opportunity to garner professional A&R industry attention and achieve a recording contract. It was hosted by Sarah Taylor and Devon Soltendieck and was usually narrated by the lead singer of the featured band.
Overview Each episode featured a band that was coached by a music industry veteran and at the end performed for a panel of judges. Greig Nori "The Guru" had made appearances as an adviser, and Ralph James, Jennifer Hirst, Colin Lewis, JDiggz, Hannah Simone, Mark Spicoluk, Katie Clark, and Matt Wells had appeared as judges.
Each episode was in 7 different segments, for each day of the week leading up until Sunday, their performance day at MuchMusic Headquarters. The segments followed what the band experiences on each day, starting on Sunday. At the beginning of the episode, the band was introduced along with all of its members. The episode was usually narrated by the lead singer, although other members had done so as well.
In most cases, Greig would surprise them and arrange for them to meet up, where he would then begin coaching them. The bands would then take part in various activities such as photo shoots, meeting record labels, interviews, or writing new songs, throughout the week. Most episodes also featured the band visiting a local Toronto recording studio, such as Number 9 Audio Group or The Decibel House, for a recording session with a professional engineer. By the end of the week, they would have to perform amongst a panel of judges and an audience.
After their performance, they would head into a green room where Greig would be waiting for them. Back in the main room, the judges would deliberate and decide whether or not the band had a possibility of getting signed. However, the decision was not affected by the audience's wishes. The band would then go back into the main room, where the host would then summarize the judges' thoughts, mentioning both pros and cons of the band. After the verdict, the episode ended with the band either going back home, or got ready to take on a next step.
Episodes
Season One Episode Band Band Members Hometown Fate 1 The Homecoming Quinn Danielis - Vocals / Guitar Chris Thaung - Bass / VocalsDamien Stillwell - Guitar / VocalsDale Doiron - Guitar / Vocals Nathan Wallace - Drums Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario Thumbs Down 2 Trick Of Disaster Rafe Malach - Vocals / GuitarDave Henriques - Bass / Synths / GuitarRich So - Drums Toronto, Ontario Thumbs Down 3 Soul Plane Yui – Emcee, Mel G – VocalsGideon Litvin – Lead GuitarKevin Nanni – Rhythm GuitarAaron Mellet – Drums Toronto, Ontario Thumbs Down 4 Calicose Alana - VocalsStu - BassJeff - DrumsKeir - Guitar Thumbs Up 5 Times Alexander J. Yolevski - Vocals / KeyboardPaul Doherty - GuitarAdam Dwyer - BassMatthew Winkler - Drums Toronto, Ontario Thumbs Down 6 Cookie Couture Fran-Kay - RapperElisa - VocalsKitana - RapperStacey - VocalsJ.Beautiful - Vocals Thornhill, Ontario Thumbs Up 7 KaraMel Kara - Lead VocalsMel - Piano/Keyboard/Harmonies Toronto, Ontario Thumbs Down 8 Fancy Girls Market Keith - VocalsJustin - Lead GuitarMike - Rhythm GuitarIzzy - DrumsSteph - Bass Toronto, Ontario Thumbs Down 9 The Isosceles Project Eric - GuitarScott - BassJustin - Drums Toronto, Ontario Thumbs Down 10 Dean Lickyer Joshua Alvernia - VocalsEric Martin - DrumsJustin Bosso - BassSean Royle - Guitar Hamilton, Ontario Thumbs Up & signed to Underground Operations 11 Futures Past Basel Ricky - VocalsJason Hoeg - GuitarAlex Bruce - GuitarGarth Julien - BassMartin Wigle - Drums Toronto, Ontario Thumbs Up 12 Katie & Lisa Katie - VocalsLisa - Guitar Thumbs Down 13 sateLites Theo Vigo - Vocals/GuitarArthur Sollano - Guitar/VocalsAllen Pinlac - Drums Toronto, Ontario Thumbs Down 14 Songbird SachaTasha London, Ontario Thumbs Down 15 Chasing Amee Steve Hall - Vocals/GuitarRyan Faist - Guitar/KeysTuck - BassNathan Bulla - Drums Cambridge, Ontario Thumbs Up 16 Credible Witness Walter - Vocals/PianoMichael - Guitar/VocalsRyan - DrumsMatt - Bass Windsor, Ontario Thumbs Down 17 Hasket Joe - VocalsMikey - GuitarRyley - GuitarMatt - BassDillon - Drums Thumbs Down 18 Dog Bus "Jules MKools""Jakey MkSpankey" Toronto, Ontario Thumbs Up 19 Space Is For Stars Ryan - Vocals/GuitarBrian - GuitarGary - DrumsBrayden - Bass Thumbs Up 20 Stereos Pat K - VocalsRobby "The Queer" C - GuitarDaniel - BassMiles Holmwood - GuitarBrad Bosch - Drums Edmonton, Alberta Appeared as Turn It Up on the show. Thumbs Up & signed to Universal Music Canada
Season Two Episode Band Band Members Hometown Fate Song 1 Mean Tangerine Max Off - Vocals / Guitar Brent Weber - GuitarJesse Wilks - BassMike Carrey - Drums London, Ontario Thumbs Down, Now Signed To Drive Records/Fontana North Change 2 Syla Vale Sylvia Nguyen - Vocals / GuitarBrayden Clark -Drums Brampton, Ontario Thumbs Down Let It Go 3 Street Pharmacy Ryan Guay - Vocals / Guitar Adam Webster - Lead GuitarNate Triano - Rhythm Guitar Brandon Ventresca - BassDan Fretz - Drums Welland, Ontario Thumbs Up and Signed to Fontana North Stone, Bricks And Mortar 4 Alex Galli Alex Galli - Vocals / Guitar Kyle Merkley - Bass Toronto, Ontario Thumbs Down Truce 5 Maddy Rodriguez Maddy Rodriguez - Vocals/Guitar Johnny Simmen - Cajon/HarmoniesKyle Sipress - GuitarMatt Wilson - Guitar Dan Sadowski - Bass Toronto, Ontario Split Decision (Thumbs Up) Break Down 6 The Stiff Wires (Now All The Trendy Kids) Danny - Lead Vocals, Bass Brandyn - Guitar, Vocals Jamie - Guitar, Vocals Jesse - Drums London, Ontario Thumbs Down, Now Signed with Brightside Records Song Of The Same Name 7 Abandon All Ships Ange - Vocals Kyler - Guitar Martin - Drums & Vocals Andrew - Guitar Seb - Synth Francesco - Bass Toronto, Ontario Thumbs Up & Signed to Underground Operations, Rise Records and Velocity Records Megawacko 8 Em Em - Vocals Thumbs Down Kickin' It Down 9 Good & Broken Marissa - Vocals Jared - Guitar, Bass, Drums Thumbs Up My Mistakes 10 San Sebastian Brodie Dawson - Guitar Greg Veerman - Bass Mike Veerman - Vocals Sean Dawson - Guitar Ted Paterson - Drums Hamilton, Ontario Appeared as Pumps on the show.Thumbs Up & Signed to Universal Music Canada Wake Up 11 The Word Tonight Scott - Vocals Erik - Guitar Kai - Guitar Nickk - Drums Dylan - Bass Mylo - Keyboard (kicked out of the band during episode) Ottawa, Ontario Thumbs Down Smile For The Camera 12 Reverse Dizz - Vocals Khadjia - Vocals Taylor Evans - Vocals Toronto, Ontario Thumbs Down Over U 13 These Kids Wear Crowns Alex Johnson - Vocals Alan Poettcker - Bass/Vocals Joe Porter - Guitar Josh Mitchinson - Drums Matt Vink - Keyboard Josh "Gypsy" McDaniel - Guitar Chilliwack, British Columbia Thumbs Up & Signed to Capitol Records/EMI Break It Up
DisBand Successes
Stereos - Signed to Universal Music Canada & # 1 Song on iTunes (Summer Girl)
Dean Lickyer - Signed to Underground Operations
Abandon All Ships - Signed to Underground Operations, Rise Records and Velocity Records
San Sebastian - Signed to Universal Music Canada
These Kids Wear Crowns - Signed to EMI Music Canada / Capitol Records
Maddy Rodriguez - Nettwerk One Publishing
Mean Tangerine - Signed To Drive Records/Fontana North
Spin off A spin-off series, entitled disBand Discovered began in 2011. The series premiered on August 16, 2011. The series follows six bands trying to make it in the industry, over the course of 6 months. MuchMusic has described the series as a "rock documentary". The show features six bands; Nightbox, Colorsound, For The Weekend, Brighter Brightest, Brett Boivin, Maddy Rodriguez and Slow Motion Victory. At the end of the season, the six bands go to Showcase Day at the MuchMusic Headquarters, where they are judged by several record producers serving as judges. The series is still hosted by Greig Nori.
The first season of the series began on August 16, 2011, and finished on October 28, 2011, and aired for a total of 10 episodes.
After the series, For The Weekend released a single called Rockstar and fired one of their members. Slow Motion Victory released an EP "The War Inside", collaborated with Coca-Cola to write a song for their Open Happiness campaign, and are still making music. Nightbox was signed, and is currently on tour, and are going to be an opening act for Lights on tour. Brett Boivin graduated from high school and released an EP. Colorsound was also signed, and is currently working on their second album, while Brighter Brightest released their debut album, Right For Me.
References
External links Official Homepage