Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
Laurie Normandin: Lead Vocals
Anthony Lalla: Lead Vocals
Jona DhePaganon: Guitars
Joe D’Adamo: Bass
Marco Leclerc: Drums
For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to ERA 9? How long has the band been around?
Lalla was in a band called All Day Dreamers and Laurie had started her own band called Red Emery. Era 9 has existed since 2011 and was originally called Vice Versa.
What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?
The number 9 represents liberty and positivity. We are a new era of music that isn't just for one person, we cater to all who opens themselves to it! We value creative freedom in music and we promote open mindedness and imagination. Hence, ERA 9.
Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?
We all take part in the writing process. Every one of us has ideas and we all have our input and opinions elaborating on these ideas. What inspires us most is usually how we're feeling and what we're going through in the moment. Whether it's struggles, love, heartbreak, anger, or society, etc, we all have emotions and stories to tell.
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
It's more of genres of music that inspire us most, rather than just bands. The core of our music will be hard rock, with heavy riffs, but we enjoy changing up the basic usual structure of songs to an EDM/Trap type of structure.
Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?
I guess we can all say that with our love for music at such a young age, we knew that we were born for this.
What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect
Usually we’ll do a full body stretch before getting on stage, some vocal warmups, and maybe a couple of shots of whiskey to calm the nerves.
What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?
The biggest highlight of our career is probably winning a Sirius XM competition, getting us to perform at the 100th anniversary of Canada’s Grey Cup Festival.
If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
Because our musical genre spreads across the board, we'd love to work with artists ranging from Drake, Sia, and Skrillex, to Bjork, Jonathan Davis, and Chester Bennington. We'll even go as far as collaborating with Hans Zimmer!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
We've been writing new material and gearing up to take over the world in 2017. Make sure to follow us on all social networks @era9official and join 9gAng now at www.era9.com to receive updates on upcoming tours, and release dates of new music.