Adam and the Amethysts

Adam and the Amethysts
Origin Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Genres Indie, psychedelic
Years active 2004–present
Labels Pome, Kelp
Associated acts Miracle Fortress, The Luyas, Sunset Rubdown
Website adamandtheamethysts.com
Members Adam Waito
Rebecca Lessard[1]
Scott Johnson Gailey[2]
Jordan Robson Cramer[2]
Past members Keiko Devaux
Rory Seydel
Katherine Peacock[3] Jessie Stein
Nathan Ward

Adam and the Amethysts are a Canadian indie rock band formed in Montreal in 2004. The band is fronted by Adam Waito, a former member of Miracle Fortress.

History

Waito was born in Manitouwadge, Ontario, raised in Thunder Bay, Ontario and moved to Montreal in the early 2000s. He co-founded Telefauna in 2004, an indie-pop band whose influences included Devo, Justin Timberlake and Os Mutantes.[4] Telefauna played the Pop Montreal festival three times, and opened for artists including CocoRosie, Annie and Holy Fuck. After releasing Their 1st EP in 2005 and the Under the Underground Water/Bamboo Shoot single in 2007, Telefauna went on hiatus.

Waito's side project, Adam and the Amethysts was launched with the release of Amethyst Amulet 10 June 2008 on Pome Records.[5] The album was an ode to Waito's home town, referencing 60s pop, Neil Young[6] as well as contemporary indie rock. The album was championed by the National Post, Toronto Star and Now.[6] Adam and the Amethysts were also launched as a live band, touring with Miracle Fortress and The Luyas and featuring keyboardist Katherine Peacock (of Telefauna, Mussaver and the Coal Choir), drummer Nathan Ward (of Miracle Fortress) and Jessie Stein (of the Luyas).

Waito joined Miracle Fortress after the release of that band's first CD, Five Roses.

Besides playing in several of Montreal's most important emerging bands, Waito is also an amateur scholar of vintage Canadian Psychedelic rock,[7] and has written about the topic for music blog Said the Gramophone.[8] He has also spoken on a panel on songwriters at Pop Montreal's Symposium along with Canadian psych-folk songwriter Elyse Weinberg.[9] Waito is also a prolific visual artist who is primarily known for his Montreal gig poster art.[10]

After the release of Amethyst Amulet the band underwent some lineup changes while continuing to play shows and festivals in North America including Pop Montreal, Canadian Music Week, South by Southwest,[11] as well as opening slots for Land of Talk,[1] Mew, and Chad VanGaalen.

The band's second album, Flickering Flashlight, was released on 4 October 2011, on Kelp Records.[12] The song "Prophecy" from this album was featured on the soundtrack of Curfew (2012 film) which won the 2012 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film.[13]

Discography

Footnotes

Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Daniel Sylvester. "Land of Talk / Adam & the Amethysts Black Sheep Inn, Wakefield QC April 10". Exclaim!. www.exclaim.ca. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 National Capital Rock. "Conference Content". Wayback Machine. natcaprock.blogspot.com. Archived from the original on 6 September 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
  3. ↑ Benjamin Boles (27 July 2008). "Think About Life with Adam and the Amethysts, Miracle Fortress and Ruby Coast at Sneaky Dee’s Rating: NNNN". Now 27 (48) (www.nowtoronto.com). Retrieved 18 January 2011.
  4. ↑ Martin Horn (1 December 2006). Telefauna's Music Incorporates Every Member's Tastes | CHARTattack "Telefauna's Music Incorporates Every Member's Tastes". www.chartattack.com. Chart (magazine). Retrieved 18 January 2011.
  5. ↑ Library and Archives Canada. "AMICUS No. 33975327". amicus.collectionscanada.ca. canada.gc.ca/main_e.html. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Disc Review: Adam & the Amethysts - Amethyst Amulet (Pome)". Now 27 (41) (www.nowtoronto.com). 12–19 June 2008. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
  7. ↑ "Adam & The Amethysts: Shine a light". Hour (magazine). hour.ca. Sep 15, 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  8. ↑ Sean (27 November 2008). Said the Gramophone: A Preliminary Guide to Vintage Canadian Psych Pop "A Preliminary Guide to Vintage Canadian Psych Pop". Said the Gramophone. www.saidthegramophone.com. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
  9. ↑ Pop Montreal. "Conference Content". Wayback Machine. www.popmontreal.com. Archived from the original on 27 October 2007. Retrieved 27 October 2007.
  10. ↑ "Interview: Adam Waito". Drink and Draw Montreal. drinkanddrawmtl.com. 13 February 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  11. ↑ "Cobertura especial SXSW 2012 « Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. www.rollingstone.com.mx. 21 January 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  12. ↑ Kelp Records. "Conference Content". Wayback Machine. www.kelprecords.com. Archived from the original on 6 September 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
  13. ↑ "Music". curfewfilm.com. Retrieved 1 May 2013.

External links