Courtesy of Arif Ansari
We don’t mean to navel-gaze. We really don’t. But when we call Kevin Stebner to talk about his new post-hardcore band Prepared we can’t help but banter about the forthcoming departure of Fast Forward Weekly. “It’s really perplexing” he says. “I feel like it’s a huge embarrassment for this city that we don’t have a viable alt-weekly. For a city that tries to pride itself on [its cultural] relevance it seems super backwards.”
He’s right. For all the big game Calgary talks about its cultural power it’s still incredibly difficult to sustain yourself in the arts world. And that struggle isn’t lost on Stebner: He’s a veteran of Alberta’s music scene constantly forming bands (see: solo chiptune project Greyscreen emo act Stalwart Sons and haggard folk act Cold Water whose debut LP arrives this spring) managing labels (as with Revolution Winter and its counterpart cassette imprint Bart) and shaping festivals (as with Ghost Throats and Choose Yer Own).
Stebner is without editorializing one of Calgary’s most enterprising artists. Yet for his ambition he admits he struggled financially in 2014 — and those frustrations and being “the hardest up I’ve ever been for money” are the inspirations behind Prepared’s songs. “I haven’t done anything with Bart [his cassette label] in a year mostly because I’ve been poor which is what those Prepared songs are about” he says.
“Normally if there’s a project or band [I’m interested in] there would be nothing that could stop it. But last year I never had that option. There’s lots of frustration in these songs. It’s like how a lot of American literature is about how the American Dream is a lie. No Americans get Nobel Prizes for literature because their literature hasn’t progressed past that idea.”
With Prepared Stebner may be coming to the same idea that so many American writers did: That thrift and enterprise aren’t the sole keys to success. “I went to university I work hard and I’m intelligent but that’s not enough. I still eat pasta six times a week.”
Still Stebner’s frustrations have resulted in some of the most ebullient music he’s ever made. Stebner says he never stopped writing post-hardcore tracks after Stalwart Sons disbanded but Prepared’s tracks eventually took on a life of their own: While Stalwart’s songs were cold and spacious Prepared’s tracks are speedy dense and driven by intertwining guitar melodies. There’s a palpable vitality in these tracks that in tone differs from Stebner’s work in Cold Water.
“Since Stalwart fizzled Cold Water kind of became more important to me” says Stebner of his other project. “But I never lost the itch [to play emo and post-hardcore]. With Cold Water I could get sad but I needed an outlet to be angry.”
Yet Stebner’s anger seems more pointed than ever both musically and lyrically — chaotic skramz this ain’t. Rather Prepared’s tracks are controlled explosions of melody and dissonance delivered with simmering frustration: Tracks like the Smiths-referencing “There is a Light that Goes Out” “Saving for a Damage Deposit” and “Young Millionaires” are simultaneously invigorated world weary and yes angry. Tellingly one of the band’s forthcoming releases will be an EP called Young and Poor.
“It’s revelling in the absurdity of it all” says Stebner. “But I don’t want [the lyrics] to be misinterpreted. It’s not like that super-tired trope that hardcore’s dealt with for 30 years. A lot of hardcore is like ‘You did this to me! You hurt me! How could you do this!’ But that sentiment’s such a joke to me. You’re looking to the world with blame as opposed to looking at the world with absurdity.”
Stebner cites the influence of Italian emo on Prepared but the band’s energy is a result of its members. The addition of Tel Fyr guitarist Will Bjorndahl and bassist Joey Cliff adds a layer of sonic density to the mix while drummer Ryan Kennedy (of Damages Wake and Cold Craving) keeps the band speedy and propulsive. For the four-piece sonic chemistry came quick: They’re all longtime friends and Kennedy has produced much of Stebner’s music in the past.
Kennedy had nearly quit playing music until he was convinced to join Prepared. “He sold his drums and kind of quit but then he got the itch and we encouraged him to get back into it” says Stebner. “In order for the band to happen it was dependent on Ryan playing drums.”
With a drummer secured Prepared’s songs came together quickly. They’ve already recorded eight tracks which will see release soon spread across three 7-inches: A split with Newfoundland-Toronto act Veneers will come first followed by the aforementioned Young and Poor EP followed by another to-be-determined split. “Those guys are hardened musicians and we’re at the point where we’ve been in bands so long that we know how the game goes.
“You just gotta get it done: Get your songs perfect and practise them a million times until you can go anywhere and rip the heads off of anyone.”
And that friends is the Stebnerian way.
PREPARED perform on Saturday February 28 at The Palomino.
