Interviews: Famous Strangers

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Heavy Metal band Famous Strangers from Canada. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name? Did you plan it, or did it just come about?

It just came out like that. Jeff Kittlitz was driving around one day, listening to Deep Purple’s Perfect Strangers on the radio. He was sitting at a stoplight, just enjoying the tunes, and then he looked up and saw a Famous Donair sign. Something clicked inside him that day, and he put it together: Famous Strangers. So it really just came from Deep Purple and some delicious donair shops. Thanks, Deep Purple and Famous Donair. He also thought it was cool because we’re all famous in our own little way, within the scene, but we’re also strangers, brand new to each other. So that’s pretty neat. I love how the universe works that way.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

We’ve all been born and raised in this genre. It started out with bands like The Beatles, which, back in the day, was the gateway to metal, wasn’t it?…. Perhaps Black Sabbath will get that credit. And it goes from there. Pink Floyd, then that drags you into the grunge stuff like Nirvana, Alice in Chains, and Smashing Pumpkins. From there, it’s the gateway to Metallica, Pantera, and of course, it keeps going, Opeth, Slipknot, and for the boys, SNFU, The Smalls, and Comeback Kid. We were lucky enough, all of us, to have music influences at a really young age. And the second you go to your first show, that starts the foundation of where we are now.

It’s not just a genre to us, it’s our metal family. It’s our way of life. It’s just who we are. Little did I know, sneaking into shows when I was sixteen, that those people I met I would know forever, still to this day, and we’d all be one big happy metal family. So I feel like we didn’t choose the genre; it chose us, and we’re thankful for it. We’re also exploring more than just metal nowadays. We’ve all played metal for a really long time, twenty-plus years, decades, so we’re definitely genre-bending and trying to mix it up a bit.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

The boys, the three of them, Beej, Braden, and Jeff, all literally grew up with each other in Sherwood Park. All three of them are from Sherwood Park, and they’ve mingled and played in a lot of bands together, like Sleeping Girl and This Is War, so many bands. It’s really cool. And Jeff’s brother, Ryan Kittlitz, also known as Junior, was in a band called Compromise with Braden. So they’ve all known each other for a really long time. Lifelong friends.

Then there’s me. I knew them through the metal scene, more like an acquaintance, but I’d seen them around the shows and at parties for a good couple of decades, too. It’s kind of neat how, especially the older generation, we’re all mixing it up now, starting new bands with different members from this band and that band, all coming together. You never knew that you’d be standing beside someone at a show, or partying with them, and then one day, twenty years later, you’d be together in a band that feels really good and has kind of taken off a little bit. It’s really exciting. The universe is so cool. Anything can happen.

4. What is each band member’s favorite band?

I feel like Jeff would say, Judas Priest. And The Beatles, In Flames. Maybe a couple of the boys will say The Smalls. Of course, we all love Tool. The list can go on and on. Deftones, Arts Major, Misery Signals, Strapping Young Lad, and let’s throw in Sepultura. I’ve named a lot of the same bands in other interviews, so I’m trying to mix it up this time. Cradle of Filth, and so on and so on.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

I feel like this is the same for any artist. Every single day, there’s inspiration, huge inspiration. A lot of it definitely comes from going to a show. Going out to a show isn’t just great for being with your friends and for your mental health; it’s also great for networking and for looking at other bands, especially in different genres, because you can look up at that stage and just go, wow. Last week we went to see Art’s Major, Braden’s other band, and a band that opened for them, 36?, from Calgary. They inspired me, and not just musically, their outfits, their lights, their stage presence, what they had on the stage. We get so much inspiration from a show.

We also always get inspiration from our daily lives, from events happening all around the world, to what’s happening in your community, to what’s happening on the inside of yourself. Inspiration and art are literally everywhere. Lately, I’ve been writing all from personal experiences, which is super vulnerable and difficult and challenging, but also kind of easy, because you’re just pouring it all out onto paper. It’s your experiences, and you’re putting what you feel on the page.

6. Where was your last gig?

We had a hall show here in Edmonton at Alberta Avenue, on 118th. It was so fun and so amazing. We built it from scratch, and we’re so thankful for everybody who helped us out that day. We had Darkened Skies, Repulse Reprise, and Oceans Under Stars play with us. All our bartenders, our security, and Prairie Fire Productions, who ran the sound and built the incredible stage. And all the incredible people who showed up. We sold hot dogs, and we had our liquor guy, Tyler, there, thank you. We’ve all played that hall when we were really young, so it was really cool to bring back an old-school hall show. It was definitely nostalgic.

7. Where would you like to play?

I’ve been seeing that Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, so that would be incredible to play. But we all want to play everywhere in the world. We want to travel around the whole world and play every amphitheatre, every arena, every bar, every venue, because there’s something special about each one. Brixton Academy is absolutely incredible.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

We’d always be honored to feature with anybody, in every genre out there, because every single time we have a show and play with another band, it’s just so amazing and fun and inspiring. There’s so much talent out there. A dream opener would for sure be a band like Tool. WASP is coming to town here in Edmonton, so maybe count our lucky stars, maybe we’ll hop on that one. I think we’d pair really well with bands like Halestorm, Spiritbox, and Lacuna Coil. It’d be a riot to open up for Yungblud, Judas Priest, and a billion more. Iron Maiden. It’s just all the bands, everyone.

9. Whom would you not want to play with?

I feel like we want to play with every band out there, but it is a downer to play with bands that are rude and bring negative energy, people who don’t appreciate how far they’ve come and where they are. I know that when you’re on tour, and you’ve been on tour for too long, been there and done that, it’s easy to forget where you started and where you came from. But people who don’t appreciate their fans... I can’t name anyone, because we really do want to play with every single band out there. It would just be hard for me to be around negative people. Anyway, love. Love is the answer.

10. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tips for beginners on how to beat it?

I feel like you never beat the stage fright. That excitement and nervousness are always going to be there. Before a show, I really don’t like it; it’s the anxiety and the hype, but the second my foot hits the stage, it all goes away. So it’s worth it. Waiting to play is the really difficult part for me.

I try to keep drinking my water. I do my best to meditate, even though that’s not always easy. I definitely have to talk myself off the ledge in my head the whole time, pumping myself up with positive self-talk and self-love. If there’s a way you can lose yourself somewhere before the show, whether that’s taking a walk or going behind the merch booth to sell your stuff so you’re distracted, that helps. And it’s good to get your heart rate up, jog on the spot, jump around, do some easy warm-ups.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

I’d have to say all bands, but specifically the bands I’ve known and watched from the very beginning. I’ve toured with Unleash the Archers basically my whole life, with my old band The Order of Chaos, and with Into Eternity. We’ve been playing with that band for twenty years, so I’m honored to say I got to see them from square one. They’d show up on tour every night with their van breaking down, and watching their hard work pay off is something that is just so inspiring. I love them so much, I’m so proud of them, and they deserve it. It also makes you feel so close to success, because when you know people who are getting it done, it inspires you to think, hey, I can do that too. So shout out to Unleash the Archers. You guys deserve every bit of what’s going on, and I’m so proud of you. We’ve had a lot of good times and a lot of tours together, so it’s a beautiful thing to watch where they came from and where they are now.

And like I said, any show I ever go to, even if I’m not into the band, I find inspiration and something to love. It’s art, and art goes anywhere. I’m inspired every time, no matter what band.

12. What’s the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

I’m not sure if it’s the weirdest thing, but I definitely had a guy say he would follow me to the depths of hell and back. That’s sweet. I’m honored. When I was with Into Eternity, we signed some guy’s leg, and I didn’t believe him when he said he was going to tattoo it on himself the next day, but he did it. That’s pretty rad. This isn’t weird, but a girl bought my belt off me one time. It was a cool belt, and I regret selling it. I’m sure as we keep going, I’ll have some more stories for you.

13. What do you think of your fans?

They’re the only reason we exist. Without them, we are nothing. You are our lifeline, our heart, and our soul. You all are making our dreams come true, and we are honored for that. I hope you all realize how worthy you are as people, as human beings. You are worth it, and you are amazing, and don’t ever forget how important you are. You are perfect just the way you are. Please, just get through today, you’re going to make it, and I believe in you. Remember your worth. Remember how incredible you are. That’s all I want to do with my music: inspire people and make them realize how amazing they are, and how much I love them. I could write a whole novel about that question.

14. What do you think of our site?

It’s very well organized. I like how easy it is to get around. You have everything in sections, and it’s very well put together, with all the information right there, front and center. So thank you so much to you and your company for your epic website, and for letting us be a part of it. We are honored and overwhelmed with excitement.

15. Anything to add?

Famous Strangers just wants to let you know how grateful we are to be a part of this epic journey. We are going to do everything in our power to travel the world, spread our love, dig deep into people’s hearts and souls, and hopefully make their day better. For me, music is life. It really helps me get through my day; it’s the soundtrack of life. We’re so honored to be a part of such an incredible experience. Music has changed so many lives for the better, and we appreciate people like you, who give bands a platform and give fans a place to go to get updated on news and music. Without you, a lot of bands wouldn’t have the ability to get where they need to be. So thank you so much for your time, and we love you.

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