Interview with Dave Rideout from Dear Love

 

Vocalist Dave Rideout from Dear Love, an alternative/rock band from Toronto, Canada, took the time to sit down and answer some questions about the band, his influences, and life outside of the music.

How did you all meet?

“I moved from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Toronto around four years ago now. All my life I had been involved in music so when I arrived, I immediately began my hunt for new musicians to work with. I happened upon a wanted ad for a band seeking a vocalist, applied and auditioned. We clicked, and after some shuffling around, I asked my long-time collaborator and guitarist, Marty, to come from the East Coast and join us. The rest is history!”

Describe how you discovered your talent and love of music.

“As a young child, my parents involved me in music lessons. First on piano, and then as I got older, Saxophone. My woodwind career peaked with an amazing tour in Cuba I did as part of a musical exchange program for young jazz players. Soon after returning from that I graduated to high school and took an interest in rock music. I met new friends and started a band; first as a drummer but soon migrating up to the lead singer role. All the while I was relentlessly spinning the alt. rock giants of the day: Our Lady Peace, Matthew Good Band, Incubus, Silverchair, RATM, Mad At Gravity et al. These groups played a huge role in my development as a rock artist, and elements of each found their way into my own songwriting approach – from the cryptic, poetic approach to lyrics, to the intricate riffs and rhythms.”

Who are your biggest musical influences?

“These days my tastes have migrated further from my rock-fixated younger days. Over time, and given that I’m not prodigal in any technical sense in terms of my singing or playing ability, I became fixated on wordsmithing and the intricacies of composition. I’ve developed an interest in other genres, like electronic and hip hop; where I felt the allure of complex arrangements, new sounds I’d never heard and the endless possibilities presented by computers, synths and drum machines. These haven’t manifested in Dear Love’s sound (yet), but I spend a lot of my solo time practicing my hand at production, and absorbing new lessons in rhythm and sonic from these styles. If I were to name a few artists who I’m most into: Radiohead, Bjork, James Blake, FKA Twigs – the list goes on”

Who/what are your biggest non-musical influences?

“Solid question. I have all sorts of influences from all sorts of disciplines. Literarily, I admire authors Kurt Vonnegut (Slaughterhouse 5) and Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club/Choke). Artistically: Banksy, Floria Sigismondi, Lawren Harris. Graphic Design-wise: Jacqueline Casey. In film: Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream/Black Swan), Chris Nolan (Momento/Interstellar), David Fincher (Seven/Fight Club), Spike Jonze (Her/Adaptation). In acting: Bryan Cranston, Christian Bale, Jared Leto, Leo DiCaprio.

More broadly, I enjoy minimalism, liberal politics, futurism, poetry, conciseness and philosophy.”

Given the choice, which type of venue would you prefer to play: large or small? Why?

“Large or Small – doesn’t matter, as long as it’s full!”

What are your favorite things to do when not making music?

“When I’m not making music, my other big hobby is photography. You can see some of my pro and casual shots on my instagram: @thecartographer. Otherwise, I watch Premier League soccer, ride my bike or hang with friends and fam. Also, enjoy traveling but haven’t done too much of it lately.”

Favorite show on Netflix?

“The two best things on Netflix are still House of Cards and Breaking Bad.”

Favorite Dear Love lyric?

“My lyrics for our song STOP ME.”

You also have a passion for photography; what are some of your favorite subjects to photograph?

“I shoot most anything really. The thrill of photography for me is mostly in the geometry of it all. I love finding the lines, angles, depths, light and shadows in the world around me. Most recently, a friend of mine who is also a professional photographer has been teaching me how to capture people, so I’ve recently jumped into that and am really enjoying it.”

How excited are you to be opening for Econoline Crush?

“We’re opening for Econoline Crush tonight here in Toronto. It’s a pleasure to be doing so, as I remember their band quite well from my younger days. They had been on one of the renowned Big Shiny Tunes compilations, so it’s an honour to play alongside an act I used to listen to on the regular. Earlier this year we opened for another well-known band, Hawthorne Heights, and it looks like we may have some interesting opportunities coming up that I can’t yet talk about.”

You have tweeted about depression. Has it had any influence on your music?

“Absolutely it has. In fact, anxiety and depression are, without a doubt, two of the driving forces behind my artistic impulses. Writing, or even just creativity in general, is a catharsis for me – given that my brain is going 1000 mph all of the time. Songwriting, photography, performing, etc, have all been amazing ways to purge that energy. Art makes life easier to understand.”

What’s next for Dear Love?

“Can’t say just yet, but we’re always looking for new opportunities! Folks can keep tabs on us on our facebook page.

You can find me on twitter as well: @daverideout”