Bio:
“We’re not anti-guitar, but we’re interested in exploring rock music that’s not exclusively driven by guitar riffs. You have to re-invent the way you write when you purposely omit the biggest element in modern music,” Holden Daniels says. “It makes you focus more on groove and energy, as opposed to guitar riffs all the time.”

Edmonton rock duo My Sister Ocean has created their own niche inside the overcrowded Modern Rock genre by not using any guitars for a majority of their songs. “We tend to use guitars like most bands use keyboards – for texture and ear candy, but not as a main element. In doing so, we’ve been able to create music that’s more rhythmic and sub-sonic than we used to when we had guitarists in previous bands,” the band’s drummer Eugenio explains.

“It can be limiting, but it’s forced us to re-evaluate what makes a song a song, and what we want to accomplish as songwriters,” adds Holden (as he prefers to be called).

The result: a blend of Nine Inch Nails, Beck, and Smashing Pumpkins, but without guitar.

Some people have even called it "Dance-Grunge," but whatever the comparisons and labels may be, there is an undeniably original sound that seems to evolve with every new song (check out the demos in the Free MP3 section for proof).

Drug abuse, child abuse, neglect, hate, bumbling presidents, car crashes, overcoming fears, realizing dreams, and falling in love are just some the lyrical content listeners will identify with in the band’s songs.

The decision came in 2005 to proceed as a duo after realizing that as a trio or four-piece they were simply another “rock band” in a world full of Radiohead, Nickelback, and Coldplay clones. New successes came very quickly to the band after the switch. They released 2 EPs in Edmonton in 2005 and 2006, and started to get feature airplay across Canada. Then the band signed a distribution deal in March 2007 and released Nucularboy in July 2007. Album sales have been steady in Western Canada and airplay has gone from receiving features here and there, to Top 25 chart positions in some areas of the country.

A video for the single “Don’t Change The Station” was well-received on YouTube and garnered feature spotlights MuchMusic. Most people are very surprised to learn that the video was directed by the band frontman, Holden.

The band also had some coveted time-slots in music festivals in Western Canada including NestFest (Edmonton), the Kokanee Freeride (Jasper) and Meltdown (Grande Prairie). Opening slots for Danko Jones, Social Code, and Ten Second Epic have helped the band win over new fans at an impressive rate. The band also won 1st place in two Battle of the Bands contests in their hometown, and showcased at Canadian Music Week 2007.

The self-produced album has received some killer reviews, including a 4-star rating in the Edmonton Journal and a 5-star rating in YouthInk Magazine. The band was also mentioned in Avenue Magazine as one of Edmonton's "bands to watch."

Holden also received an endorsement deal from Gallien-Krueger Bass Amps (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tool, Guns and Roses) in February of 2007 after the company was impressed with the band’s unique sound.

Fans and critics alike are consistently impressed by the band's live show - they have more energy as a duo than the average 4-piece. In fact, a recurring statement in emails to the band from critics is "Why aren't you guys signed yet?"

Like a pebble in a pond that eventually becomes a wave, the band has started small and focused on aiming for what they wanted. Their experiment has led to more success in the last year than they’d seen in any previous band. The wave is getting bigger every day. Wanna swim?

Cliché analogies are another strength of the band.

Holden Daniels
The multi-talented and charismatic singer/multi-instrumentalist is responsible for most of the songwriting and ALL of the production of My Sister Ocean's material.

Born to an unwed teenage mother, and subsequently raised by a variety of good and bad influences, Holden's unique upbringing still inspires the lyrical content in most of his songs. Holden bought his first guitar at age 13, and coincidentally he met his birth father for the first time exactly one week later, not knowing that he had been a professional musician touring the US for over a decade.

Holden also directed the band's video for Don't Change The Station, which was done on a shoestring budget but still managed to get featured on MuchLoud and tons of YouTube fanfare.

In addition to being the charming and always entertaining frontman of rock duo My Sister Ocean, he's also the president of indie label Brass & Mud Records, as well as a successful producer working with other Canadian artists; it's a wonder how he manages to spend time with his wife and child (and baby number 2 due in June 2008).

Holden in endorsed by Gallien-Krueger Amplifiers (Tool, Guns n Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers).

"I feel lucky to be involved in the arts and climbing the ladder without selling my soul - which is tempting as hell sometimes," says Holden.

Eugenio Pacileo
Eugenio was showing impressive chops on the drums at an early age, and his virtuosic ability on the drums is witnessed at every live show.

Eugenio is a 2nd generation Italian-Scottish Canadian, and originally hails from Calgary, Alberta - home of the famed Calgary Stampede and also the shooting location of Superman, which may explain his fascination with superheroes.

Eugenio has toured Canada with several different bands as an 'in-demand' drummer, and currently resides in Edmonton, Alberta, where he has also done some modelling work.

He met Holden in 1995 at MacEwan in the Music Program (Majoring in Performance) and is a founding member of My Sister Ocean.

"Playing with Holden is so rewarding. We go back so long and know eachother so well, the musical chemistry is undeniable," says Eugenio.

Early History
The name My Sister Ocean was first used in 1997 to name a recording project involvig long-time friends Holden and Kevin Kossowan. The new CD-R burning program asked for a name and they thought of it on the spot - playing on the names of some of their favourite Canadian bands: Our Lady Peace and I Mother Earth.

The name was first used at a live show in November 2000. The band line-up consisted on Holden, Eugenio, Kevin Kossowan, and Kevin's cousin from Vancouver, Jamie Kossowan. The band released a 4 song EP locally called Butterfly that sold 400 copies in a few months.

Jamie moved back to Vancouver and My Sister Ocean was a 3-piece from mid-2002 until March 2005. The band became mainstays in the Edmonton music scene, playing every venue at least once and sharing the stage with some impressive acts. The 16 song release "Diary Writing and Bedtime Stories" in 2003 was an impressive blend of modern and classic rock, showcasing Holden's and Kossowan's songwriting skills and the band's impressive musicianship. Major labels flocked to the band around this time period but ultimately no deals were struck.

In March 2005, Kevin resigned amicably from the band and Holden & Eugenio decided to proceed as a duo. The Silverwave EP was released locally (Edmonton) in May 2005, followed by the Beautiful Failures CD in 2006. In 2007, they signed a Canadian distribution deal and released the best material from both previous releases, as well as two new songs, on the 12 song CD NUCULARBOY (in stores now).

The band saw their stock rise in 2005 when they became Sonic FM's 2nd "Band of the Month" in August, and went on to win several contests, most notably The Regional Radiostar National Songwriting Competition and the Kokanee Freeride. In 2007, the band opened for Social Code, Ten Second Epic, and Danko Jones, among many others, and was featured on XM Satellite and commercial stations across Canada.

No comments posted yet.. why not be the first?!