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Weak at Best
enjoying success and all that comes with it
by Sharon Achtemichuk and Lisa Mrazek
The Carillon
You might have seen them this past summer sharing the stage with many big-name bands on the Vans Warped Tour, or possibly even voted for them in the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands where they placed sixth out of 2600 other bands. Perhaps you saw their showcase special on MuchMusic a couple weeks ago on a show called Going Coastal. Maybe you saw them on one of their tours through Canada or the US; or perchance just witnessed them playing in Regina or walking around the campus of the University of Regina. They are the fast-rising Regina-based band, Weak at Best.
Speaking two-on-one with the band’s drummer, Danny Elder, we caught a glimpse into the lives of these rising stars. What started as a couple of friends just having fun Danny and Jim Demeray (lead guitarist/singer), playing together in grade ten led to the beginnings of the band. Searching for a bassist, Elder and Demeray came across Devan Sperlie, the third band member. Over the past three or four years, they have written and recorded all of their own music into a compilation for their first CD that was released last spring, and their second album, due to be released sometime in February of this year. Their first CD may have only been released last year but it was recorded two years before, when the guys were fresh out of high school. Their previous songs illustrate the carefree, fun times of the average teenage boy. However, Elder comments that the second CD is more serious in nature…but still loads of fun.
Their new CD reflects some of the trials and tribulations the guys have encountered over the past couple years, dealing with family, friends, relationships, careers and just life in general. They want to show that they, along with their music, have come a long way. Producing their second album is Blair Calibaba, known for his work with bands such as Sum 41, Gob, Filmmaker, Choke, Brodie and By A Thread. The band also recently signed a contract with Gig Records from New Jersey.
Being part of an established band is not all glitz and glamour. Elder revealed to us a few of the difficulties the guys encounter with their time-consuming careers. He spoke of trying to maintain a normal life despite the hours spent writing, recording, practicing and touring. Demeray and Sperlie are both taking classes at the University of Regina and Elder is part-owner of Off Axis, a boardshop located in the east end of town. The guys also find it difficult to create time for their other friends, family and girlfriends…sorry ladies, Demeray and Elder are both unavailable. However, they love what they’re doing and are extremely content with the outcome of all of their hard work. Though they should be very proud of themselves, considering that they have accomplished so much in their lives already, one can see that there are still many more successes to come in the future.
What’s next for this melodic power punk band? Well, they are on tour right now with Junction 18, a punk band from the Boston. Weak at Best hope to keep growing in their careers and make their music well-known. However, the fame that comes with being a big-name band is something the boys want to do without.
According to Danny, “we love what we’re doing and do it because of that love. The day that it’s not fun for us anymore is the day that we would stop playing as a band. We love the fact that fans are listening to our music and enjoying it.”
After meeting with Elder is it plain to see that these down-to-earth guys are just as friendly and fun as they seem to be on stage.
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