Metalworks Studio in Session With Moneen

Metalworks Studios welcomed Moneen last month. The band was here to record exclusive material which will be released on iTunes. Coincidentally, this session marked almost exactly, one year since Moneen recorded their newest record, The World I Want To Leave Behind.

Kenny Bridges, vocals and guitar, said, “Yeah, it was a weird kinda anniversary for us. Over the last while I’ve built a lot of friendships at Metalworks and I really like the people. It’s great that Wayne and Brian got to do the session.”

Brian Moncarz who co-produced and engineered The World I Want To Leave Behind, once again assumed the producer’s chair for this live session. Wayne Cochrane, a Metalworks Institute graduate, who was Second Engineer on, The World I Want To Leave Behind was involved in this live EP too. Cochrane said, “Having been a fan of the band since they formed, I really enjoyed getting to know the guys and working with them on both projects.”

Moneen originated in Brampton, Ontario more than a decade ago (1999) after another band called Perfectly Normal dissolved. Bridges describes the band as, “loud yet quiet, happy yet sometimes angry, atmospheric yet controlled and weird and spacey.” They released their first two albums on Smallman Records and, later signed to Vagrant Records. Bridges recalled that was a big deal, because there’s a sense of community when someone makes it in Canada. “It felt like we put a notch on the tally for Canada as a whole,” said Bridges.

In January 2000, Moneen went on their first tour, driving 30 hours to Edmonton to play their first show. Bridges said he had to borrow money from his father to buy the van. At the time his father didn’t understand what his son was embarking on. When they returned from their one-month tour, Bridges returned the borrowed money to his surprised father. “Then he understood. He got it. That’s the moment I’ll always remember. Getting that validation from your father is a very important thing,” said Bridges, and then added jokingly, “And sometimes that comes in the form of cold hard cash!”

Bridges says it might sound strange but he likes imperfections. Some of his favourite pieces of music are ones where, “you can tell a guy just sat down with an acoustic guitar and just played and maybe his voice cracked. Those are the moments that people remember. It’s magic. It’s a little magic thing,” commented Bridges.

“This was our second time now recording in Studio 1 of Metalworks  and I love that room. It’s just a really, really good atmosphere in that place,” added Bridges.
Cochrane felt much the same way about the session. He said, “There was a lot of good energy and teamwork on the live session just like the album and it comes across in the mixes.”

Cochrane graduated from the Audio Production Engineering Program at MWI in 2006. He interned at the studio, then became Assistant Engineer and now is a Staff Engineer. In his three years working at the studio he’s worked with bands such as Metric, Arkells, Cancer Bats, Protest the Hero, Tokyo Police Club, The Midway State, and Placebo to mention a few. He’s also worked with numerous bands as a part of the Master Tracks television show, filmed at MWS, broadcast on Aux TV.

As Bridges prepares to become a father he says, “The whole world is going to change for me in a few months. So in five years if I’m still able to play music, you know even if I have to be holding a child in my arms, that’s what I’m going to be doing.”

Moneen begins their European tour March 23, 2010.