SCYTHIA | www.scythia.ca | Blogs http://www.scythia.ca/blogs SCYTHIA: blogs Sun, 02 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0700 How Scythia got started http://www.scythia.ca/blogs/how_scythia_got_started <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img src="http://scythia.ca/img/Terry_-_main.jpg" alt="" width="50" height="75" /></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #888888;"><br /></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ccffff;">If you’ve ever listened to our interviews, you’ve most likely heard a rendition of the tale of how Scythia got started. But I’m going to tell it again, in writing (therefore making it absolute and official)!</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ccffff;"><br /></span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><span style="color: #ccffff;"> </span></span></span></p> <div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 21px; color: #444444; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ccffff;">It was a late November day when my friend invited me to Koerner’s Pub on the University of British Columbia (UBC) campus to see his friend play drums in some kind of crazy fantasy metal band. At the time I was somewhat of a fledging metal head and said, “Okay! Sounds like fun”.  And so our journey began by trekking across the immense UBC campus.  I felt like a journeyman hero that had gained a level of experience when I showed up.  And then things got interesting... BOOM! 5 people all wearing strange costumes are playing this ridiculously awesome type of heavy music fused with medieval folklore.  I watched in amazement as my mind tried to grasp what was happening.  </span></span></div> <div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 21px; color: #444444; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ccffff;"><br /></span></span></div> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ccffff;">However, my mind could not grasp what was going on because there was a key element missing - a bassist! Being a rhythmically competent Savage with a cheap bass and a loud amp, I naturally approached this motley crew and offered my services as a bass player (once they were done playing of course... They were too fierce looking to talk to while they were doing their thing). That is where I met David Khan, the Warrior band leader! At the time he was wearing a blond Thor wig and an intentionally tongue-in-cheek fur Halloween costume.  But that didn't matter, I loved the music.  His guitar licks were probably the sickest and loudest thing Koerner’s pub had ever heard and his vocals bellowed like he was waging war on an ancient battlefield.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ccffff;"><br /></span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ccffff;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">So we exchanged information and I explained how I could count to 4, carry gear and write sick riffs.  A few days passed and I received an email requesting my presence for a formal audition.  It took me a few minutes to learn the audition tracks (because I am The Savage after all!).  Thus when the day came, I showed up in a cloak, corpse paint, fangs, and blue eye contacts. Obviously I fit the part exactly cause the rest of band was hollering like barbarians and clearly expressing enthusiasm.  Side note: </span><span style="line-height: 22px;">I’ve shunned most of those old costume props today but I still wear the same cloak on stage! I will never get rid of it even after 5 years!</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #888888;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="color: #ccffff;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="line-height: 22px; color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ccffff;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">And thus it was settled.  We were a complete band called Thorgen Hellhammers Orc Rampage!</span><span style="line-height: 21px;">  </span><span style="line-height: 21px;">T.H.O.R. for short.  And yes, we knew it was ridiculous but everything was done in good jest.  After a few gigs with positive reception, we decided to change the name, mostly because there was another band named THOR...and the full name never really fit well on show posters.</span><span style="line-height: 21px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 21px;">Astral Weapon, Crimson Minstrels,  Thorgen Hellhammer, Chain of Fealty, Caliburn, Grim Minstrel, Rota Fortuna, Echoes of Paradox, Fallen Jesters, and Aeon Grimoire were all thrown in the mix to be voted on, but I remember stating out that one of our songs was called “Fierce Riders of Scythia” and why not call ourselves Scythia. On April 12, 2020 we all voted and Scythia was chosen as the band name. </span></span></span></span></span></p> http://www.scythia.ca/blogs/how_scythia_got_started Sun, 02 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0700 SCYTHIA | www.scythia.ca | Blogs Deal With It http://www.scythia.ca/blogs/deal_with_it <p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://scythia.ca.hostbaby.com/img/Celine_-_main.jpg" alt="" width="50" height="66" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">Deal With It.</span></strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ok, so I've been on a few tours now, and one point that sticks out is <strong><span style="font-size: small;">Deal With It.</span></strong></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></strong></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Appreciate every experience touring brings on. Have fun. Play your best. Miss your bed. Miss your boy/girlfriend/wife/mom/dad/pet... Hangovers. Sore body. Lack of sleep. Lack of food. Lack of memory. 3am uncontrollable laughterfest. All night diner quality meals. Getting hit on. Not getting hit on. Band fights. Band jokes. Wicked shows. Awful shows. Perfect shows. Stage gremlins. Wardrobe malfunctions. Shitty bands. Inspiring bands. Fans. Creepers. Wrecking hotel rooms. Luxurious hotel rooms. Hotel rooms with bugs under the pillows. Bad news from home. Being lame and crashing early. Camping at Walmart parking lots in October. Starving. Bloating. Farting. Bathroom sounds. Band colds. Band bonding. Stinky bandmates. Snoring bandmates. Bitchy bandmates. Broke bandmates. Legendary solos. Road bordom. Running out of..... Broken strings. Broken sticks. Broken hearts. Broken ego's...Going back to work when the tour is over and missing being on the road :)</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here's some advice for musicians that feel they may need some...</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"> </p> <p><span style="font-size: small;">- don't disassemble your drum kit on stage unless you are last</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">- don't piss the sound guy off for obvious reasons</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">- singers: make sure your drummer isn't fixing his/her pedals before you scream out "2, 3, 4!"</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">- carry gear, even if you're the singer</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">- make sure your drum kit is not buried behind everyone else's gear before going on stage :)</span></p> <ol> </ol> <p> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://scythia.ca.hostbaby.com/img/306163_10150753074790291_2591339_n.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="150" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">- Celine (a.k.a. Nibs)</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><br /></strong></p> http://www.scythia.ca/blogs/deal_with_it Fri, 24 May 2020 00:00:00 -0700 SCYTHIA | www.scythia.ca | Blogs BJs http://www.scythia.ca/blogs/bjs <p style="text-align: center;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"> </p> <p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have a confession to make. Prior to the SCYTHIA tour this past April, I had never had the opportunity to enjoy a BJ. I know how unbelievable that sounds, I know. My whole life I've spent hearing stories about BJs and how good you supposedly feel afterwards. Hell, I've even seen a few BJs in public places. Anyways, several dates into the tour I noticed my bandmates slinking down a remote alley in one of Surrey's questionable neighbourhoods. </span></p> <p class="p2" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p> <p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> “Where do you go, bandmates?” Quoth I.</span></p> <p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> “We go for BJs, Jeff.” Quoth they. “Care to join us?”</span></p> <p class="p2" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p> <p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> I was torn. We had a soundcheck to attend to in Mission, but the forbidden fruit dangled lascivious in front of me. Looking over our shoulders to ensure we weren't observed, we disappeared between the meandering streets. Within a few scant minutes, we arrived at dilapidated strip mall. The BJ repository stood out like a sore thumb, a frantic logo wrapped lavishly in purple neon against the dismal urban backdrop of brick and spray paint. Hip-hop music bumped and thumbed and comely girls lounged therein. Next door to it lay a sushi shop of significant disrepute. In my nervousness, I reached for the grimy door-handle of the Japanese establishment. A large hand slapped mine away.</span></p> <p class="p2" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p> <p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> “Don't go in there,” bellowed resonant voice of Johnny Ketlo, vocalist and guitarist of OMEGA CROM. “I wouldn't recommend it.” With one final look at the paper lamps and kanji prints beyond the scummy glass, I turned in sullen defeat to meet my BJ destiny.</span></p> <p class="p2" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p> <p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Long story short, I ordered a “Sonic Soy” and a chicken panini. It was pretty tasty and reasonably priced. Now I get Booster Juice at every opportunity.</span></p> <p class="p2" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p> <p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> [Loosely based on actual events of the tour, which was a blast]</span></p> <p class="p2" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p> <p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> - Jeff</span></p> http://www.scythia.ca/blogs/bjs Thu, 23 May 2020 00:00:00 -0700 SCYTHIA | www.scythia.ca | Blogs