The City Feels is an indie rock project created and fronted by Toronto-based musician Andrew Champion. He has just released his brand new EP, The Great Now – a collection of songs that tell a personal story of perseverance and follow-through. We caught up with Andrew to chat about the new songs, his biggest influences, and all things The City Feels.
From The Strait: Tell us about the new EP, The Great Now.
Andrew Champion: The Great Now came about back in 2021. I just moved to Toronto, it was the beginning of summer, I found myself walking around the city often and feeling inspired by the whole vibe of the city. I remember id be walking and just thinking of ideas for lyrics or songs, then id go home and demo them out. Some worked, most were good practice. I decided I wanted to create my own record on vinyl, just of my own music. So I started the process of creating the EP.
I remember it was my wife Liliana who came up with the idea for the title of the EP. We were talking about how the feeling of now can be so overwhelming, you have so many ideas you want to do at once and where do you begin? All you can do is act in the Now and start Doing. I personally like to go outside, put on my favorite music to start to get my motivation to start doing. The Great Now is my response to that feeling. This EP is very much inspired by my love of Bruce Springsteen, Indie Rock, and 80’s New Wave.
From The Strait: What is unique about the EP as a whole?
Andrew Champion: I think what makes the EP so unique is more of a personal thing for me. I was able to have the help of so many friends of mine from all parts of my life to make this EP happen. Chris, Jeff, and Ray I had played with in bands back in Highschool and I did some of my first touring with them. Shaun and Mike used to tour with me in a band for years in my late teens to early twenties. Kaleb, Lucina, Alex, Eduardo and Gavin I met all once I moved to Toronto. But the biggest thrill and most personal part for me is that I got to have my wife and my son on the EP. All of these people mean a lot to me.
From The Strait: What can you tell us about the focus track, “The City Feels (like home)”?
Andrew Champion: “The City Feels (like home)” was inspired by the feeling I had when I was walking around the west end near Trinity Bellwoods and everything hit me all at once. I love Toronto as a city and I love the people in it. I feel more at home here than I have anywhere else I have ever lived outside the town I grew up in. I guess you could say it’s my love letter to Toronto.
From The Strait: What made you first want to become a musician?
Andrew Champion: I started going to shows when I was 14, I remember I went to a local punk festival held at a lodge at a town park in Rochester, New York where I grew up. I saw a local pop punk band called One Year Nothing and they blew my mind. I wanted to do THAT. My friend Zak Litwak was with me, his dad was in a cover band and he had a lot of amps, a PA system and a drum set in their basement. So I bought a bass and hopped on vocals, Zak hopped on guitar and we got a few of our other friends together and we started a band. I haven’t stopped playing/writing music since.
From The Strait: Who were your biggest musical influences growing up, and how do they differ from your current ones?
Andrew Champion: Growing up my influences were a lot of pop-punk and emo bands, everything from Green Day and Blink 182 to Saves the Day, The Get Up Kids and Taking Back Sunday. Now I am more into classic rock and indie bands like Bruce Springsteen, Sam Fender, and The War on Drugs. But don’t get me wrong, I’m still a pop punk/emo kid at heart.
From The Strait: If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 4 albums would you want with you?
Andrew Champion: This is super hard! I know my list will change next time you ask me so for now, I’ll go with what’s in my rotation at the moment:
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts
Taking Back Sunday – Tell All Your Friends
David Bowie – ChangesOneBowie
Jimmy Eat World – Bleed American
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Check out The Great Now EP from The City Feels!
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