Our next Niagara Spotlight is on a band that we’ve been spinning at FTS for years – and with a killer new EP just released, it’s a great time to get their songs on your radar. We caught up with Chris of REMOTE REMOTE to chat about the music, what he’s listening to, and the new EP, I’m Okay, You’re Okay.
From The Strait: First off, introduce yourself – what’s your band name, and where in Niagara are you from?
Chris: REMOTE REMOTE, originally from the Metropolis of Niagara Falls, Ontario…
From The Strait: Tell us a bit about your music, and how you got started.
Chris: The project started in 2021 as a songwriting exercise (and a means to actually learn how to use Logic Pro) during Covid-19 lockdowns. I would sit at my computer and just… write. Riffs, vocal melodies, hooks — basically anything to get out of a creative rut. At the time I had no intentions of showing anyone anything I had written for this project, but my girlfriend at the time heard the 4 or 5 songs I had put together and thought they were cool… so I released some of them. That would have been around Summer 2022.
It didn’t actually become a “band” until summer 2024, which was an absolutely excruciating wait.
From The Strait: What are some of your favourite bands and artists?
Chris: I have to be honest, I’m in a bit of an Oasis phase right now (for obvious reasons) but my listening always falls back on the GOATs: PJ Harvey, Sonic Youth, Nirvana, Sloan, Babes in Toyland, early Foo Fighters (mostly the Self Titled record) and similar (there’s too many to name). Basically if a member of a band wears a flannel shirt, they’re in my rotation.
From The Strait: What other Niagara-based acts are you listening to lately?
Chris: Albert Hofmann’s World Peace Project just dropped the best record this scene has ever heard a few weeks ago. Would recommend.
From The Strait: Tell us about the new EP, I’m Okay, You’re Okay.
Chris: We recorded the EP with Davis Maxwell in Dundas (and he played drums on it). It’s three songs that have been around for a while (Sores, All About You and Pouring from the demos record) and a new one (Even When) that was written basically the day-of recording!
It was a pretty gruelling schedule — 2.5 jam-packed days of recording and a day (and a bit) of mixing, so there wasn’t a lot of time to think about what we were doing or have the “does this sound good, etc?” conversations — just wall-to-wall recording and building as much as we could in a short period of time (taking breaks only for pizza, basically).
We went in with (a very ambitious) 7 songs, recorded 5 and ultimately released 4. There’s an extra song kicking around (fully recorded, mixed and mastered) that may or may not get released at some point.
I’m really proud of the hard work Owen, Davis and I put into it. Especially Davis who pulled double duty being a badass engineer AND learning the songs basically the day-of. It definitely doesn’t sound like a 2-day record…at least to my ears.
From The Strait: If our readers were going to listen to you for the first time, what song should they start with and why?
Chris: Starting with the new version of Sores from the new EP ‘I’m Okay, You’re Okay’ would be my recommendation. It’s my favourite (because of Davis’ drum parts). If you like powerful drums (like I do), he delivers.
From The Strait: What’s next for you? Any shows or new music on the way?
Chris: REMOTE REMOTE is always evolving and morphing. Sometimes there’s a band, and sometimes it’s back to just me. It’s not really clear how realistic it is to make any long term plans… I just like making music and hope to continue as long as possible (whether that means cutting little demos where I play all the parts in my living room or going to the studio and knocking out some “real stuff” like this EP with my friends).
From The Strait: Drop some links! Social, streaming, anywhere for people to find you and dive right in.
Chris: You can listen to RR on all major streaming services and on Bandcamp: https://remoteremote.bandcamp.com/
