Photography: Vanessa Tam
Vancouver’s music scene is experimental, lively, and constantly changing. Encompassing all those traits and more is the band Smash Boom Pow. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to see them perform their punk rock tracks for the X PEAK Performance at Fortune Sound Club. Wearing a sequin jacket with attitude and a sarcastically offensive shirt about butter knives, brothers Ulysses and Zane Coppard graced the stage with their audacious presence.
The beating of the Zane’s drums harmoniously combined with the Ulysses’s high vocals and harsh lyrics, guaranteeing an impressive introduction. As the music changed direction from upbeat cynicism to lugubrious symphonies, the performance itself molded perfectly with the transformation.
The spirit of the crowd was a mix of awe and fascination; their released soundtrack was certainly an understatement compared to Smash Boom Pow’s live energy!
So, what exactly do the brothers have to say about their own music?
Ulysses: Well, we’ve been playing music together for ages, since we grew up in the same house. I was singing a long time before I realized that I wanted to be a singer. But I was terrible for a long time. I knew I wanted to sing before I was any good at it. Some people have a lot of talent as singers immediately, and I really had to work on it. And I still do. I have to sing everyday. I like to think of Bruce Lee, that I can work a little harder each day.
Zane: I think a big part of it would be our dad, he was so supportive and he forced us to make music. At a certain age, it was just like, what do you want to play? Just do it. With Smash Boom Pow, I want people to feel inspiration. So when they see it, they believe that it is possible, that they can do it. I really hope that music nerds will get into this.
Ulysses: Performing live is great; it never goes according to plan. Musically, you might have an idea of how you want it to feel going in, but if you’re up on stage and you’re not feeling that way with the audience, you have to adapt, and we really like that. It’s not just a copy and paste situation.
Photography: Zhamak Fullad
And what are their future plans for Smash Boom Pow?
Ulysses: We are really excited about the PEAK contest. If we win, we’ll be playing for the Commodore Ballroom, which will be amazing. Vote for us here!
Zane: We’ve also been working on a lot of new music. The sound of the new album will definitely be different from the current album. It will be a little more polished, less messy.
Ulysses: The first album felt really organic. I don’t know if you notice, but it moves around a bit tempo-wise, which is not that typical for recordings. This new one is more recorded to a steady tempo. We used different programs, a different engineer coordinator. So, everything about it is a totally different sonic quality.
Zane: We want to keep doing that, using different techniques and seeing where we can go with it. Keeping it really fresh.
Ulysses: We as a band try different things instrumentally, and different set ups on stage all the time.
Zane: There’s no limit.
So, other than rocking it on stage, what other super-talents would these two venture into?
Ulysses: I would fly. For sure I would fly – who wouldn’t fly?! Like, it’s the obvious choice. You can go anywhere really quickly, you could jump off anything and see everything from up top. It would just be good all around. Wait, no, my real one is that I would never sleep.
Zane: I was going to say that. I would definitely never sleep.
Ulysses: That would be the best super power ever –I would get so much stuff done! I know people who just have four hours a night and they’re good. I hate them for that because I want that. For me, if I sleep six hours three nights in a row, I’ve got to do nine for the next few days or I just can’t function.
Want more than just onomatopoeias from Smash Boom Pow? Check out their Facebook, music, and website