The words bloody, brilliant, and bright are the best I can choose to describe Eye Steal. This Canada based death electronica act is working hard to create mind warping tracks for your ears. Recently we had a chat with Eye Steal in which we discussed influences, the studio, and more. LJ DeWitt: Where are you from? Eye Steal: I’m from Toronto. LJ: What's your opinion on your local scene? Eye Steal: When I was growing up I was into hardcore, grindcore & screamo bands, and the scene was amazing. As I got older and separated from genres I realized what a bunch of fucking bullshit most people are. A lot of our music scene is made up from washed up Canadian hillbillies and little Gino promoters. It’s like a repressive society out here; very cliché, very un-accepting. The further away from Toronto you go, the more hillbilly and segregated the music becomes. I often shit where I sleep. LJ: Is there a story behind the band's name [Eye Steal]? Eye Steal: Absolutely. First of all, this band started as a digital diary. It was a side project from the current band I was in, Night of the Snakes. It became something for me to write myself reflectively; basically do drugs and write and record without any boundaries at all. No genre specifications and no guidelines, and I didn’t have to write lyrics with having the fans in mind anymore as I did in my previous hardcore and metal bands. It became my private oasis. Anybody who has done lots of drugs will tell you that staring into somebody’s eyes can be one of the most fucked up situations. Either good or bad. The eyes are 100% a window to your soul. Eyes have the ability to steal what and from who whatever you want. So I guess that name came from that whole idea of tripping out and getting those weird eye contact either super funny or super tweaked out fucked up moments. LJ: Who's the band trouble maker? Eye Steal: I’ve been the trouble maker in every single one of bands. Mostly due to the fact that I‘m not scared of my own opinion. But a lot of the times could attribute to the drugs and alcohol. A lot of times I’m in trouble and I’m having fun so to pick the most troubling moment, really depends on who you are and how you take it. If sitting in a police station is trouble for you well I found some fun in that. LJ: What's the worst trouble he's ever got himself or the band into? Eye Steal: It would probably be when we were playing the Opera House one night and while the band was loading the equipment back into the van after the show outside, I decided it would be a good idea to take the keys and jump in the van and take off doing about 110 down Queen Street blasting “Red Lights” while my band was chasing me in another car. I eventually drove down a one way street and as I was trying to reverse, an undercover cop reached into the driver’s side and very smoothly like a martial artist turned the ignition off and grabbed me and threw me out of the car and threw me onto another parked car on the street. The first thing I remember him saying was, “You’re fucking wasted”. My response was, “I just wanted to buy smokes.” Mind you, I’m wearing a cut off shirt with big bold letters that says “norm says drink”, with a picture of Norm from Cheers. Then, he threw me into the back of a Cruiser. At this point, I was still holding on to a quarter of weed in my socks. But before I took this van for a joy ride there were few events that attribute to my wild goose chase. I had been sitting in the van at first just rolling a joint when some random chick jumps in and without saying a word starts making out with me, then she jumps out of the van and runs back across the street to her friend. I see them walk away, and then my manager jumps in. Now my adrenaline is pumping like crazy; I didn’t even finish rolling the joint before I peeled out of the side of the Opera House. Now I bet you wanna know what happened to the weed. So, driving to the police station I managed to squeeze out with my feet the quarter bag of weed up threw my sock and out threw my tight pants using only my right foot, because my hands were handcuffed behind me. This whole time I was having a conversation with the police officers. This was also quite entertaining, but maybe for another day. I managed to squeeze the wet weed and gum it just under the foot shield in the back of the Cruiser and was so lucky that it stuck there. I remember being really pumped at that moment. Once we got to the station, it was the same old strip search and good times. The moral of the story is you can do bad things and get away with it. #storiesfordays. LJ: If you could write a song with anyone, dead or alive, real or fictional, who would it be? Eye Steal: That’s a good question. There are a lot of names that go through my head, but honestly, choosing one, it would be pretty cool to write a song with Marilyn Manson. LJ: Out of all the songs you've written so far, which is your favorite and why? Eye Steal: I’ve yet to write my favorite song because I like them all more or less. But when I write a new song, I guess it kind of becomes my favorite song for a minute until I write another one. So I guess I’m always chasing my favorite song. LJ: What lyrics, of your own or someone else's, would you like written on your tombstone? Eye Steal: "When I come back, you will know". LJ: Can you give any insight towards what you're currently working on? Any new tours, new songs, or new merchandise in the works? Eye Steal: I’m in the studio as we speak recording my second demo. I’m simultaneously working on a new music video that I directed and cut. I kind of went on a short hiatus as far as shows go, 'cause I was doing way more drinking than artist expressing. But once the new EP drops, I’ll definitely be looking to hit the road again. LJ: Finally, is there anything you'd like your fans to know? Eye Steal: Yeah, speak up and if you’re a bitch or someone you know is a bitch; stop.
e. Tamara Grant