Lotus Child
Encyclopedia
Lotus Child was a Canadian indie rock
band formed in 2003 from Vancouver, British Columbia
, Canada
. The band members were notable figures in the Canadian music scene after the release of their second record “Gossip Diet” in 2006. Zachary Gray, the singer/guitarist and Tom Dobrzanski, the keyboardist/producer/singer were the founding members of Lotus Child, but the group’s increased popularity came with the addition of Peter Carruthers on bass and Miles Bruce on drums.
, Jason Priestley
, and Muse
. In 2003 Gray and Dobrazanski joined Shaun Connery, Karl Von Beckmann, and Bradley Dean and started performing in local Vancouver venues. They released their first record – a self titled EP in 2004, and continued to play local sell-outs at venues such as: the Mesa Luna
Nightclub, The Backstage Lounge, and The Media Club. Audience reaction was very positive, and Lotus Child became a popular part of the Vancouver indie scene that began to spread across Canada. Lotus Child had a rearranging of band members, and so with the addition of Carruthers and Bruce to the original duo the band began working on their second album.
, who has worked with groups such as Tegan and Sara, The New Pornographers and 54-40. This album was recorded in two Vancouver based studios: Warehouse Studio and Vertical Studios, and it features a blend of sing-along harmonies, piano interludes, and catchy guitar riffs.
Many of the tracks on ‘Gossip Diet’ include politically charged lyrics, which Dobraznski explains is because the album is “about the gossip industry and their consumers manipulation of famous people for their own satisfaction… and it’s a frustrated hissy-fit in reaction to government nepotism” (Mah, 2006). The album’s single, ‘The Archaeologists’ has an upbeat tempo that carries through the entire track; however the lyrics take on a more serious and political tone. Following the release of ‘Gossip Diet’, Lotus Child went on a busy Canada-wide tour that included openers for bands like Apostle of Hustle, Mother Mother, Memphis and events such as NXNE and Canadian Music Week.
Lotus Child have opened for such Vancouver-based bands as Marianas Trench
, Hey Ocean and The Painted Birds.
Gray and Dobrzanski are now part of the band The Zolas
.
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band formed in 2003 from Vancouver, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The band members were notable figures in the Canadian music scene after the release of their second record “Gossip Diet” in 2006. Zachary Gray, the singer/guitarist and Tom Dobrzanski, the keyboardist/producer/singer were the founding members of Lotus Child, but the group’s increased popularity came with the addition of Peter Carruthers on bass and Miles Bruce on drums.
History
Zachary Gray and Tom Dobrzanski have been collaborating together since they were teenagers in the British Columbia Boys' Choir. Gray and Dobrzanski were inspired by artists like Smashing Pumpkins, Jeff BuckleyJeff Buckley
Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" Buckley , raised as Scotty Moorhead, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was the son of Tim Buckley, also a musician...
, Jason Priestley
Jason Priestley
Jason Bradford Priestley is a Canadian-American actor and director. He is best known as the virtuous Brandon Walsh on the television series Beverly Hills, 90210, a role which catapulted him to recognition in the early 1990s....
, and Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
. In 2003 Gray and Dobrazanski joined Shaun Connery, Karl Von Beckmann, and Bradley Dean and started performing in local Vancouver venues. They released their first record – a self titled EP in 2004, and continued to play local sell-outs at venues such as: the Mesa Luna
Mesa Luna
The Mesa Luna was a Salsa club and restaurant located on West Broadway in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The Mesa Luna is notable for being "Western Canada's only All Age/licensed concert venue." Utilizing a wristband ID system, the club was able to host minors as well as serve...
Nightclub, The Backstage Lounge, and The Media Club. Audience reaction was very positive, and Lotus Child became a popular part of the Vancouver indie scene that began to spread across Canada. Lotus Child had a rearranging of band members, and so with the addition of Carruthers and Bruce to the original duo the band began working on their second album.
Gossip Diet
In 2006, they released ‘Gossip Diet’, which sold thousands of copies and garnered positive reviews. . A Georgia Straight review stated that, “this intelligent, immaculately arranged, piano-infused alt-pop…befits a disc put out by a major label (or at least a decent-sized indie), so it's surprising that this is a self-released effort” ( ). A major contributor to this album was producer Howard RedekoppHoward Redekopp
Howard Redekopp is a Vancouver, British Columbia-based Canadian music producer/mixer/engineer.In 2009, Rolling Stone ranked one of Howard's projects, The New Pornographers' Electric Version, #79 in the "100 Best Albums of the Decade".-Discography:...
, who has worked with groups such as Tegan and Sara, The New Pornographers and 54-40. This album was recorded in two Vancouver based studios: Warehouse Studio and Vertical Studios, and it features a blend of sing-along harmonies, piano interludes, and catchy guitar riffs.
Many of the tracks on ‘Gossip Diet’ include politically charged lyrics, which Dobraznski explains is because the album is “about the gossip industry and their consumers manipulation of famous people for their own satisfaction… and it’s a frustrated hissy-fit in reaction to government nepotism” (Mah, 2006). The album’s single, ‘The Archaeologists’ has an upbeat tempo that carries through the entire track; however the lyrics take on a more serious and political tone. Following the release of ‘Gossip Diet’, Lotus Child went on a busy Canada-wide tour that included openers for bands like Apostle of Hustle, Mother Mother, Memphis and events such as NXNE and Canadian Music Week.
Band members
Zachary Gray and Tom Dobrzanski began their musical careers in the British Columbia Boys' Choir, and together they started writing simple guitar and piano songs, and recording them on Zach's father's 4-track player. Tom Dobrzanski graduated from the University of British Columbia with an honours degree in business, and then studied audio engineering at CDIS and the Vancouver Film School. Not only is Dobrzanski the pianist and vocalist in Lotus Child, but he also has been producing music since 2001 and is known as a musical engineer, producer, composer, and multi- instrumentalist . Dobrzanski owns and manages Vertical Studios, where parts of ‘Gossip Diet’ was recorded.Lotus Child have opened for such Vancouver-based bands as Marianas Trench
Marianas Trench (band)
Marianas Trench is a Juno-nominated Canadian pop punk band from Vancouver, British Columbia, formed in 2001. They have released three full length albums, the most recent titled Ever After, released on November 21, 2011...
, Hey Ocean and The Painted Birds.
Gray and Dobrzanski are now part of the band The Zolas
The Zolas
The Zolas is a Canadian progressive rock band based in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are signed to Light Organ Records. The core of the band is duo Zachary Gray and Tom Dobrzanski , with other musicians supporting them live and on record.Their debut album, 'Tic Toc Tic', was released in 2010...
.
See also
- Music of CanadaMusic of CanadaThe music of Canada has influences that have shaped the country. Aboriginals, the British, and the French have all made unique contributions to the musical heritage of Canada. The music has subsequently been heavily influenced by American culture because of its proximity and migration between...
- Music of VancouverMusic of VancouverVancouver, a city in British Columbia, is one of the major cultural centres of Canada. The music of Vancouver is diverse, representing the many peoples that live in the city, ranging from classical and modern avant-garde orchestras and composers through a wide range of pop, rock, rap, jazz, world...
- Canadian rockCanadian rockCanadian rock describes a wide and diverse variety of music produced by Canadians, beginning with American style rock 'n' roll in the mid-20th century. Since then Canada has had a considerable impact on the development of the modern popular music called rock...
- List of Canadian musicians
- List of bands from Canada
- List of bands from British Columbia
- :Category:Canadian musical groups