Roll of the Dice is a short interview format with a variable amount of questions. A Pair of dice is rolled and the total, between 2 and 12, is the amount of questions we can ask. All questions are given to the interviewee(s) at once, and no follow-ups are allowed. The interview may be lightly edited for content and clarity.
Preparing for the release of their debut self-titled EP in June, Ottawa’s The Space Between have already made big waves across Canada. The three-piece are about to extend that reach and begin their ascent to globally renowned. Before the band gets too big for TGEFM, we were able to grab a few moments with TSB to chat about the new EP, what’s next and what artist’s are keeping them excited.
What was the process like in fleshing out the EP and bringing it to life?
(Maryn) This EP has been in the works for quite a while. The songs have been through so many iterations, it’s hard to keep track! Some of them have been written and fully formed since pre-COVID, while others came to us shortly before we went into the studio, but ultimately we still tried to make sure that they all fit the same overarching theme.
(Tom) We recorded our EP at Audio Valley, in Ottawa, with Steve Foley. It was my first time in a recording studio, which was a pretty daunting experience, especially recording first, but when we got there it naturally came together. The songs were recorded over a week and by the end of it, we were super excited to show people what we had created. It was a really awesome experience.
The world has been going through some shit over the last few years. What effect, if any, have the cultural (and/or political) landscapes of the last few years had on your music and what impact have you noticed those landscapes having across the live scene?
(Maryn) I think the biggest effect it’s had on our music is really our release timeline. The band started forming originally in 2019, but because of the events of the last few years, we’ve had to change our plans a bit. Overall, I think it was positive to get some more time before coming out to the world, despite it not being exactly what we originally wanted; we were able to prep everything way ahead of time and plan out exactly how we wanted to introduce ourselves.
(James) It’s definitely been a frustrating few years with lots of things happening that are so far outside our control. I think maybe a little bit of that anger and helplessness has seeped into our music a bit. However, we are coming out on the other side and it’s nice to see live music coming back. However, I think it’s important we bring it back the right way, not necessarily the ‘old way’. It’s not a competition; support each other, respect each other, and be professional.
One of our obligatory questions in these interviews also tends to be the one I have found most important on a personal level. Who are some bands on your radar that TGEFM readers may not know about, but you think they should know about?
(Tom) Mammoth WVH has their second album coming out this year, we are really excited for that. We also went to see Three Days Grace in Montreal in November last year. The Warning opened for them and they were an incredible all-female heavy band.
(Maryn) A popular, but niche one, is TOOL; they’re a band favourite and a personal influence of mine. While they’re not small-time by any means, they do one specific thing that not everyone might’ve been exposed to before. We take a lot of inspiration from their music and the way that they push the boundaries of rock as we know it.
(James) Mastodon! Everyone should be listening to them. Also Mammoth WVH‘s debut album was devastatingly beautiful, do yourself a favour and listen to the whole thing.
Not to put the cart before the horse, but what’s next for The Space Between after the release of the EP?
(Tom) We have already started writing and recording our first album, and are hoping to be able to show the world more of our music later this year and next year. We are also planning a few more shows, including a Halloween festival here in Ottawa. We’re putting this together, with some incredible local bands playing, to raise money for OrKidstra, an Ottawa-based charity whose goal is to “…provide kids the opportunity to learn essential life skills through playing and singing music together.”
(Maryn) We’re super excited about that Halloween gig. We’ve been putting it together for a while, and there’s still a lot of work to do, but we think it’ll be a great showcase of Ottawa’s talent. We’ve also got a few out-of-town dates booked for the fall, including one in Toronto and one in Kingston, so we’re excited to start playing to some new audiences.
Thank you again for your time, before we finish up, was there anything we missed or that you’d like to put more focus on?
(James) Our Debut EP comes out Friday, June 23rd! Then on June 24th, we’re having our release party at Cafe Dekcuf. We’ve also got a few singles available for streaming, so check us out if you haven’t already!
Bad Dad (occasionally called Ed) has been on the periphery of the punk and punk-adjacent scene for over twenty years. While many contributors to this site have musical experience and talent, Ed’s musical claim to fame comes from his time in arguably the most punk rock Blockbuster Video district in NJ where he worked alongside members of Blanks 77, Best Hit TV and Brian Fallon. He is more than just an awful father to his 2 daughters, he is also a dreadful husband, a subpar writer, a terrible dresser and has a severe deficiency in all things talent… but hey, at least he’s self-aware, amirite?
Check out the pathetic attempts at photography on his insta at https://www.instagram.com/bad_dad_photography/
