You gotta love Barrie. It is important that you always maintain a minimum of one friend/acquaintance in that whopping metropolis, because it is guaranteed to happen. You will inevitably wind up there and it is likely that you won't be prepared. But when it does occur you will need to make that one call, to your one friend, who will accompany you to have more than one drink.

Unfortunately, Evan (bassist) is the only member Fox Jaws that does not live in Barrie. He is not that friend/acquaintance for me.

We met up at Sneaky Dee's for a beer or two. Also, I wanted discuss the upcoming show as well the album they are currently finishing that will be released through Nevado Records.

Although not an original member, having grown up in Barrie, Evan has known his band mates for some time.

"I've been a member of Fox Jaws for about a year and a half I suppose, but I've been friends with everyone for a very long time. If you play up there [Barrie], there's not a ton of teens or early twenties making music, so eventually everyone gets to know everybody. So, I think I've played in bands with half of the band right now, and done side projects with the other half."

After releasing Goodbye Doris over a year ago (to many positive reviews) and playing gigs throughout 2008, Fox Jaws has been taking some time off from the Toronto indie scene to focus on the new album. Having listened to Goodbye Doris, and then putting it on my ipod so I can listen to it more, I am looking forward to the second release from the band.

"I guess we started tracking it in July, then Brandon -our drummer- got married this summer and that put a hold on things. I started at a new school this year, with a new degree, so I became busier. Dan [guitar] had a kid, his second child I should say, so I mean... life gets in this way. That might be a bad way to put it. Life happens."

See, Evan's just replacing the word "shit" with "life". I pointed it out to him.

"Well, you just do your thing and enjoy your life. That's what has allowed us to come into music. Because those things that happen give you your subject matter and allow you to find joy in pain."

The record is scheduled to come out sometime in April. Then, they plan on doing two mini-tours in the summer -one Eastward and the other Westward.

"Yeah, we're not even sure it'll even be just be one album. I don't want to go into double album territory, but when we sat down and had a listening session it almost sounded like there were two albums being made. One that was a little more raw and one that was a bit more softer, mellow, and refined I guess. It might turn into an album and an EP. We'll see, I guess."

Evan, as mentioned before, is the only member of Fox Jaws living in Toronto, and makes the trip to Barrie -on average- three times a week. He doesn't mind it, which is a testament to his commitment to the band.

Fox Jaws will be playing Sneaky Dee's on January 23rd, alongside Modern Boys Modern Girls and Amos the Transparent. It will Evan's their first time at the venue.

"Yeah, it's really quite amazing. Fox Jaws with its various members in various reincarnations have probably played every venue under 500 in Toronto -we're not really Kool Haus or Opera House sized yet- but not Sneaky Dee's."

Not Sneaky Dee's ...yet. On January 23rd that all changes.

Photo by Anton Volek