The Reverb Syndicate
The Reverb Syndicate is an almost exclusively instrumental "Spy-Fi" surf band from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada who have been playing since 2006. Their music is of "soundtracks to 1960s spy films that don’t exist".[1] They toured England and Scotland in 2008[2] and again in 2012, and have played at the 2007 and 2010 Ottawa Bluesfest.[3][4] They have released four studio albums; Operation: Jet Set! (2006),[5] Sputnik A-Go-Go (2007),[6] Mondo Cacti (2011)[7] and Odyssey (2015).[8]
The band created and performed in a radio drama on the Canadian campus radio station CKCU in 2006,[9][10] and have had two interviews on CBC Radio One (Sep 21, 2006 [11] - and a 10-minute interview on Nov 21, 2007 [12]).
"The Reverb Syndicate is an Ottawa band that is taking on sinister government plots using a series of high-tech gadgets, a way with the ladies, and some seriously fast automotives. [They sound like] a bunch of surfers jumped James Bond in an alley." - CBC Radio One (Alan Neal)[11]
Bassist Jeff Welch has played with Suburban Pop Project and Fan Belt Seven.[1] Each band member plays a fictional spy character on stage:[5]
- Mike Bradford (aka Agent Vic 20) – lead guitar, Theremin
- Jeff Welch (aka Agent Ampeg) – bass
- James Rossiter (aka Agent Sovtek) – rhythm guitar, keys
- Mike Rifkin (aka X) - Drums (2006-2011)
- Michael Sheridan (aka Felix Wainscotting) – drums
The band have also played shows across Canada and, on one occasion, as part of the line-up in a surf rock showcase in New York City.[13]
Track list[]
Operation: Jet Set! (2006)
- "Theme To "Operation: Jet Set!""
- "I Am The New Number Two"
- "Oil Slicks And Ejector Seats"
- "On To Checkpoint Bravo"
- "Shake Don't Stir"
- "The Code Is ********"
- "I Am Not A Pleasure Unit"
- "Zis Is KAOS!"
- "M's Lament"
- "Inlet Of Dire Consequences"
- "...And The Hero Gets The Girl"
Sputnik A-Go-Go (2007)
- "This Is Not A Test"
- "Lunar Attack!"
- "Sputnik A-Go-Go"
- "Bolshevik Boogie"
- "The Martini Cluster"
- "The Lonely Henchman"
- "La Balada de Senor Esquivel"
- "Escape From The Village"
- "Belka & Strelka's Big Adventure"
- "Theremania!"
- "Trans-Siberian Sunset"
Mondo Cacti (2011)
- "A Shadow Descends On A Dusty Town"
- "Theme To Mondo Cacti"
- "Return Of The Angry Gentlemen"
- "The Unsophisticated Señor"
- "Guadalupe's Lab"
- "Wandering Man"
- "A Plethora Of Piñatas"
- "Mondo Cacti (reprise)"
- "Worse Things Happen At Sea"
- "The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Gunfighters"
- "Los Alamos Breeze"
- "Estruendo En El Rancho"
- "Six Shooter Shuffle"
- "Mud Puddles And Abandoned Saddles"
- "Last Train To Death Valley Junction"
- "Tequila Canyon / El Gran Final"
Odyssey (2015)
- "A Typical Beginning"
- "Hello World"
- "Repeat Alpha Bravo"
- "Kernel Panic in E Minor"
- "The Good Intentions of Professor Atombender"
- "Better Dancing Through Technology"
- "Guru Meditation"
- "Malicious Compliance"
- "Impossible Intermission"
- "The Henchman's New Twist"
- "A Little Too Relaxed"
- "A Brave Face Against Insurmountable Odds"
- "Beyond the Infinite Loop"
- "Mud Puddles And Abandoned Saddles"
- "Division by Zero"
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b Sayani, Fateema. "New to the Instro-Surf-Spy Scene", Ottawa Citizen, 2006-01-05, p. C3.
- ^ Sayani, Fateema. "City soundcheck", Ottawa Citizen, 2008-08-28, p. E3.
- ^ "Ottawa Bluesfest 2007 Primer". JamBands. 2007-06-08. Archived from the original on 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-11-18.
- ^ "Ottawa Bluesfest 2007". Ottawa XPress. Archived from the original on 2011-09-18. Retrieved 2008-11-18.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Sayani, Fateema (2006-09-21). "Rock born of shoe phones, sideburns". Ottawa Citizen. Archived from the original on 2007-02-20. Retrieved 2008-11-18.
- ^ Sayani, Fateema (2007-11-22). "Reverb Syndicate a space oddity: Sputnik A-Go-Go is a timely tribute to the satellite launch". Ottawa Citizen. p. E3.
- ^ Simpson, Peter (2011-09-14). "Reverb Syndicate Play for Punk Gods and Have a New Disc". Ottawa Citizen. Archived from the original on 2012-07-08. Retrieved 2012-05-19.
- ^ Unknown, Hunter. "The Reverb Syndicate releases Odyssey". Storm Surge of Reverb.
- ^ Wigney, Allan. "Have Peter Gunn Will Travel". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved 2008-11-28.[dead link]
- ^ Crockard, Caitlin (2006-09-22). "Spying On The Reverb Syndicate, Twelve34 And Centretown Wilderness Club". chartattack.com. Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2008-11-18.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Interview". Ottawa Morning. CBC Radio One. 2006-09-21. Starts at 5m30s
- ^ "Interview". All In a Day. CBC Radio One. 2007-11-23.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Crockard, Caitlin (2007-11-29). "The Reverb Syndicate Debut Spy-In-Space Concept Album". chartattack.com. Archived from the original on March 16, 2012. Retrieved 2014-04-26.
External links[]
- The Reverb Syndicate official website
- Musical groups established in 2006
- Musical groups from Ottawa
- Canadian indie rock groups
- Canadian instrumental musical groups
- 2006 establishments in Ontario