Accent Guitar Studio

They are only three 16-year-olds but they’ve already built up a loyal following that many have compared to the Beatles’ frenzy, with throngs of young fans crowding to their shows and after-show meet-and-greet sessions.
And the Maz Band recently returned from a major concert tour of Costa Rica, where they experienced a week-long media frenzy usually reserved for the likes of Jenifer Lopez.
With a laugh, Maz Band singer Maz Artang pointed to a clipping from a La Nacion (Costa Rica’s national daily, circulation 820,000) which has a large colour photo of the boys and feature story about their tour, alongside a small brief photo of Britney Spears: “Our photo is bigger than Britney’s – I like that,” chortles Maz.
Josh Harder and Jon Van Mil join in the laughter, in the backyard of Harder’s family home. They’re gathered there to do a little rehearsing – in between servings of barbecued salmon prepared by Josh’s mother, Janet – and to talk about their experiences.
The camaraderie is also warm, as the boys’ parents are all very supportive of the Maz Band – Jon’s father, Ben, is the sound man, and their guitar teacher, Terry Armitage, is the manager and they accompanied them on the Costa Rica tour.
Maz attends Johnston Heights Secondary in Surrey and Jon attends Fraser Valley Christian High School, while Josh attends Rick Hansen in Abbotsford.
“Maz and I got to know each other about a year ago through our music teacher, Terry Armitage,” said Jon.
“And a friend recommended Josh as a good drummer” said Maz. “So we hooked up, had our first practice a year ago and played every day all summer.
“When we started I had written about six songs, and we played oldies like Johnny B. Goode and Summer in the City. Now I’ve got about 11 songs of my own plus about 25 songs by Coldplay, Jet, and so on.”
Their style is very melodic – Maz has a very pleasant tenor voice and a gift for a writing catchy melodies and intelligent lyrics reminiscent of Coldplay, only without the piano that marks that band. He fills in admirably on guitar though, and Jon and Josh are highly competent on their instruments too.
They have a three-song CD, led off by a song called A Kiss, and they also have a DVD of this song which they filmed here in Bradner along the old Inter-Urban railway tracks and at the Lion’s Gate Studio in Vancouver. The latter was put together in time for the Costa Rica tour, which was arranged by Maz’s father, Majid, and Iranian-Canadian businessman who recently launched a new publication in Costa Rica.
The tour was part of a major anti-drug abuse campaign sponsored by Manjid’s publication, Compre yvenda, and Maz wrote a song especially for this called Broken Promises. The tour was very well-received and the boys were proud to support the cause, but on the other hand they don’t want to be pigeonholed and wish to be appreciated for their music. This they’ve done.
They’ve been very busy, playing free gigs at local elementary schools, and they offer positive messages to the kids along with games like “name that tune” and “man versus machine.” They’ve been rewarded with packed gyms and they’ve sold as many as 150 CDs at one gig (2,000 copies sold so far, and a new CD is in the works).
While all of the schools were initially somewhat leery about inviting the Maz Band to perform for the students, “without exception the principals have said ‘come back anytime.’ The schools now know what they’re getting and they’re good role models,” said Jon’s father, Ben. They also performed at the Grade 7 Leadership Conference.
“The buzz is awesome at our gigs and we’ve had 12,000 hits on our website,” said Josh.
The Maz Band will be playing at a special event for skateboarders, July 16, as part of the B.C. Summer Games. They’re also hoping to get a slot at Abbotsford’s Agri-Fair this summer, as well as touring the Interior, and are hoping for a European jaunt this winter.
The band’s website is www.mazz-band.com and includes a downloadable version of the song, A Kiss.

MASTERS OF MENACE
Strapping Young Lad Is The New Raging Bull!
Guitar Player Magazine, December 2006
By Deirdre Jones

To say Strapping Young Lad is intense in like calling a Maui sunset “pretty.” The description may be correct, but it doesn’t even begin to cover the details. Not by a long shot.
The band’s sixth release, The New Black[Century Media], shows that SYL is still a few million light years from mellowing out. The new album is a frenzy of over-the-top, in-your-face musical rage that celebrates uber-metal clichés while simultaneously clawing far beyond them.
The brainchild of Canadian vocalist and guitarist Devin Townsend–who first gained public attention as the vocalist for Steve Vai’s Sex and Religion album and tour–SYL blew open the industrial-metal genre with 1995’s Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing. Townsend played most of the instruments on the band’s debut, but a more collaborative lineup was established for 1997’s City – a release many metal fans consider to be one of the heaviest albums ever recorded.
But while SYL can rightly claim “innovator” stature for is extremely aggressive, polyrhythmic keyboard-driven metal, the band has not rested on its reputation, or mired itself into a stylistic mud bath. The New Black, for example, ricochets between genres–even launching some jazz- and classic-rock-like moments–with depth and intelligence, courtesty of the punishing, melodic, and textural guitar craft of Townsend and co-guitarist Jed Simon.
Your Albums are so brutal and dense.
TOWNSEND: This is actually some of the most listener-friendly, least complicated material I’ve ever done! Alien, for example, was an impenetrable mass of technicality. The New Black is a record that works for the Ozzfest crowd, but it’s as caustic as we’ve always been. It’s ugly, but it’s fun.
So what’s up with the clever, but extremely sarcastic lyrics?
TOWNSEND: On the surface, I wanted The New Black to sound like a big rock and roll party, but, thematically, it’s about how banal and stupid the whole thing is. I love music, but there’s no glamour or mystery to the music business.
I’m curious as to what kinds of experiences forged your ability to produce such a creative, unique, and uncompromising sound?
TOWNSEND: [laughs] I’m a nerd! I mean it–every-thing I do is drawn from a musically geeky background. I started playing when I was four years old, and I devoured every single music opportunity my schools offered–vocal training, choir, guitar, tuba, jazz combo, honor band, and so on. To this day, I still love to listen to Broadway musicals like Paint Your Wagon, Phantom of the Opera, and West Side Story. I didn’t get into heavy music until later. The change came about when I saw a Judas Priest video, and realized how revolted my parents were. I also learned a lot about audio production, touring, and what I wanted–and didn’t want–in my music from working with Steve Vai when I was 19.
What about your influences, Jed?
SIMON: My inspiration is from the ‘70’s. Aerosmith and Cheap Trick were huge for me, and Kiss’ Alive! changed my life. Then I discovered Exodus, and how they just kept getting heavier with each record. My industrial-music insights are from being a member of Front Line Assembly. I enjoy musical aggression. I’m an amalgamation of styles, but I also believe in keeping music simple. Tom Petty is my hero for that regard.
It’s important to note that I was originally a drummer, and drums are still my favorite instrument. I think it’s helpful to hear things from a percussive perspective, and this is why I really appreciate food rhythm-guitar playing.
Given that Devin is the band’s visionary–and he is definitely capable of doing an album by himself–what role does collaboration play in SYL?
SIMON: There’s a fair amount of give and take. For example, I’ll sit at home, compose my 30-second masterpieces, and then subject my work to the band’s musical “HEPA” filter. Devin is the main guy, but, in the studio, we do get to show our personalities, and I think our musical ideas blend really well.
TOWNSEND: I am a control freak, so I’ll typically show the band songs that are almost complete. The members can build some parts on their own, but I have a lot of ideas of how I want things to be.
What gear do you use to get such a huge sound?
TOWNSEND: I’m playing a custom ESP Horizon 7-string baritone. It has a mahogany body and neck, a maple top, and EMG-81 pick-ups. My amp is a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier loaded with EL34 tubes. I tune down pretty low–my lowest string is tuned to G, and then it’s fifths all the way up. I use big, 0.72-gauge pizza-slice-style InTune picks, because I love having a lot of pick under my fingers.
SIMON: The Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier with EL34s is absolutely the core of my sound. My guitar is a custom ESP V-shaped and I’ve been using a Silver Machine Automagic Wah, because it has such a huge sweep. I also have a Rocktron delay pedal, and I use the large triangle Dunlop picks. As far as tunings go, I’m all over the map.
As aggressive as you are musically, is there any band that strikes fear into your heart?
TOWNSEND: I’m really a very calm person! I’ll even listen to various music-for-meditation CDs, ambient bands like Zoviet France, and dance-pop acts such as Denmark’s Aqua. But, in our world, I’d have to admit that Meshuggah is the best metal band on the planet. They are so profoundly good it’s depressing.
Any indication what the next evolution of SYL might be?
SIMON: At 42, I’m the grandpa of the band, and I’m set in my ways. I want to get back to my roots–old thrash metal with no keyboards.
TOWNSEND: In the past, anything from the Young Gods and Sigur Rós to Stravinsky and Mozart would be a big influence on my sound. But now, I’m finding myself going back to players like David Gilmour who say so much with just one note. So far, though, I’m just taking some time off. I put my guitar in the closet after I got home from Ozzfest, and I’m not going to pick it up again until I have a renewed lust for it–and a whole new set of influences. Who knows? Maybe nature will inspire me. After all, it’s the ultimate technology.

PASSING THE TEST
There’s something new on the electric guitar scene.
By Melanie Minty (various source)
Date: Unknown

Ever since guitars became plugged in and amplified, the emphasis too often seems to be made with volume rather than quality of tone or achieved with technique. Few guitarists took formal lessons and just picked it up as they went along. Strum a few chords, crank up the volume, and send out enough vibrations to make the floor feel like there’s a minor earthquake happening.
There have always been choices in music training, and some electric guitarists and bass players have had actual music training. Now there is, for the first time in Canada, a formalized syllabus and examination system just for these modern strings.
These exams were formulated in 1992 by the director of the Registry Of Guitar Tutors and recognized by the London College of Music in London, England. The Electric Guitar Examination Syllabus, in eight grades, takes twanging out of the basement and gives a foundation for solid music training and recognition of skills achieved.
Terry Armitage, of Surrey’s Accent Guitar Studio, has been teaching guitar for 20 years. He is responsible for establishing the syllabus in Canada, and 14 students recently completed the first-ever exams for electric guitar in this country. Armitage is excited about the syllabus and says it “has more to do with being a real musician” than just playing scales. Students learn the different styles as well as the technical stuff like scales. If you are paying for the lessons, you may as well learn the real thing.
Tony Skinner, of England’s Registry of Guitar Tutors generated this new concept in electric guitar instruction and examination. Just like the Royal Conservatory which sets standards for violin, voice, piano, and classical guitar, the RGT has created a system of examinations for electric and bass guitar players in order to make their skills more widely recognized in formal music instruction. There is much more emphasis on modern guitar playing, rather than the “classical” mode of the Conservatory.
With great success of RGT in Great Britain, Skinner was interested in establishing the syllabus in North America. Armitage traveled to England, connected with Skinner, and these two enthusiasts merged their dreams and ambitions.
Skinner found Armitage to be eminently qualified to get the program under way. The first set of exams, completed Dec.28, were a success and the next schedule of exams will be in the spring. It was so much fun, they decided to keep doing it.
Seven-year-old Sam “the Man” Biagioni of Surrey was the first person in Canada to take the electric guitar exams. He was the youngest candidate to take the exams – and received the highest mark in Canada. It’s a great way to start, and lovely to get some recognition for the dedication and work. Armitage’s students range in age from five to 65. While most are school age, he also has a psychiatrist and former Mountie learning all the refinements of electric guitar. There’s a future here for this work, and all I can say is, it’s about time.
If you’re interested in elevating your guitar playing a notch or two or want more information regarding the Registry of Guitar Tutors and its affiliations with the London College of Music, contact Armitage at 588-4326, or by e-mail .
The RGT has a UK web page at . RGT will also be available at Vancouver’s Music West conference in the spring. And won’t we just be proud to say the first foray of RGT in North America was right here in Surrey.

PRE-TEEN PERFORMERS
Band of 12-year olds making noise on Surrey music scene
Sheila Reynolds of the Surrey/North Delta Leader
Friday, November 19, 1999

Signing autographs for fans twice their age and performing regularly at public events, the guys of Millennium IV have stars in their eyes.
Wearing baggy T-shirts in various tones of gray, and sporting shorts in November, the four musicians appear to be your average, run-of-the-mill rockers.
And they are – except for the fact that all the band members have yet to enter high school and can readily remember their age still in the single digits.
Craig smith, Jeff Revill, Nick Biagioni, and Mazeyar (Maz) Artang are Millennium IV, a local band of 12-year-olds that seems to be gaining more popularity with each outing.
Although the guitar-toting pre-teens have been together for fewer than nine months, they’ve landed numerous gigs, including playing for a sold-out crowd at a Fleetwood pre-teen dance and performing for you people at Nights Alive in White Rock.
“They said ‘let’s just give these kids a shot’,” says Jeff, referring to the White Rock concert. “Then we blew away.”
“They thought we were so cool when we played our surf tunes,” adds Nick.
One of the band’s first appearances was at the New West Music Conference in Vancouver – an important annual event for the local music industry. And they’ve also hit the airways, as CBC Radio has picked the band for their live afternoon broadcast that airs across the province.
The band members are under the direction of Terry Armitage, founder of Accent Guitar Studios in Surrey, and instructor to Maz, Craig, and Nick.
While Nick and Maz have been playing guitar for five years, Craig’s been plucking bass strings for a year, and Craig has been a drummer for the past two years. All three guitar members have participated in the London College of Music/Registry of Guitar Tutors Examinations.
Armitage assembled the guitar players because of their similar musical tastes, and invited drummer Jeff to complete the group. He believes the budding musical bonds are valuable.
“It’s very easy to play on your own,” he says. “But it’s hard to play with someone else… you have to deal with each other’s problems.
“This is great because they can all grow musically together.”
The brood of fresh-faced guys is hesitant to call themselves role models, but they seem to know what they’re doing is positive.
“It shows that kids can get together and do something,” says Nick, who attends Fraser Wood Elementary along with Jeff.
Despite their age, says Armitage, Millennium IV’s audience is not limited. The fact that they’re signing autographs for fans in their later teens is testament to that.
“There’s some that are in Grade 12,” says Nick proudly.
“It feels good because it feels like people like you,” adds Maz.
The band has penned one original song, and have two more in the works. Writing songs ranging from rejecting drums to more typically teen topics like in-line skating, and complementing them with surf tunes, their music appeals to a wide audience.
Milennium IV is set to record a demo CD before Christmas, followed by a possible music video for their rap/rock tune Walkin’ Away.
And after that?
The consensus seems to be to go on tour, perhaps across Canada, perhaps internationally, maybe opening for a successful band or even being the lead act themselves.
“I’d really like to have a big stadium concert,” says Maz, while band-mate Craig says he’d like to meet some other rock groups.
“And,” adds Nick with a glint in his eye, “meet girls!”