By Amanda Hu
With the Calgary music scene packed-to-bursting with promising new groups, success can come quickly and unexpectedly to a band that shows obvious talent. Since Jane Vain and the Dark Matter’s participation in the inaugural Sled Island festival last year–opening for frontwoman Jamie Fooks’ idol Cat Power–the band is starting to hit the big time. The band is now scoring shows, becoming a staple in the Calgary indie music contingent and preparing for the release of their first album, Love Is Where The Smoke Is, slated for Tue., Jan. 22.
“I was so excited about [opening for Cat Power] when I found out about it that I couldn’t convince myself it was actually going to happen,” says Fooks. “She’s my hero and then I was playing with her and I didn’t expect to, ever, in my life. I haven’t even released an album yet and it’s really crazy to be at this point and have already opened up for my hero and have gone on tours and signed to record labels.”
Jane Vain started with Fooks in her basement playing with recording software to get through a tough spot in her life in 2004. Though not setting out to make songs, they started to create themselves, leaving her with over 40 tunes to choose from. The album was recorded by Fooks, guitarist and member Dillon Whitfield, various musicians from the Calgary scene and programmed beats.
Fooks considers the album her key to emotional release and a healthy new take on life.
“When I started on it, I had little to no emotional experience,” she says. “I shut myself off for such a long time that I didn’t know how to deal with other people, being in band, being in a relationship, friendships. All that stuff was kind of a foreign concept to me. It’s been a lot of crazy stuff in the past four years, like learning how to manage a band, learning how to manage myself and my own emotions.”
Throughout the band’s journey towards success, Fooks cites Calgary’s indie music powerhouses as a great source of support and considers the scene as groundbreaking as any. With groups like Woodpigeon and various other Mark Hamilton projects leading the way for new bands, things are morphing from a musical battlefield into one big happy family.
“[Mark is] kind of teaching by example and kind of encouraging everyone to treat everyone else with respect,” she says. “If that kind of support system wasn’t available, I don’t think I would be experiencing the amount of success that I am now so early on.”
Fooks adds that Sled Island did a lot for local bands, giving them experience playing for bigger crowds and pairing them with bigger acts.
Jane Vain is now expanding past the drum and bass beats recorded for a discman to include more members and more live instruments. Until recently, the band was a four-piece with the addition of Britt Proulx and Jzero Schuurman. Schuurman left the band and they welcomed Sean Dicey, Jared Larsen and Marcus Lake. Fooks says that with the band being somewhat of a revolving door, there are some creative hurdles to overcome when preparing for the album’s promotion.
“Right now, we’re trying to get as close as possible to the album performance-wise because, a lot of time, there are all these variables that make it a very difficult process,” she says. “I think it will be better for the new stuff because the band will have more of a part in writing the album.”
Jane Vain and the Dark Matter will continue to work out the kinks as they go on tour to promote their CD. With praise already ringing for the upcoming release, Fooks and the band can definitely look forward to more success.
Love is Where the Smoke is available Tue., Jan. 22 at fine music stores. The CD release parties are Thu., Jan. 24 and Fri., Jan. 25 at Broken City.