The Riot Police are a 5 piece alternative rock band based out of Ottawa, Ontario. The band has played shows all over Ottawa, including Capital City Music Hall, The Live Lounge, Irene's Pub, The Tulip Festival, Folk Fest, and Bluesfest. They have also played gigs in Toronto, and the Ottawa Valley. The members of The Riot Police are Alex Boyd, Ian Sabourin, Nick Jones, Stuart Gordon, and Taylor Harris.
"The influences are entirely different for the Riot Police, a band of teens (mostly) that has been playing shows around Ottawa for four years and now has a debut CD, Those Days.
I ask Alex Boyd, who sings and plays bass and keyboards, what type of music they're trying to make.
"We're aiming to be on Live 88.5," Boyd says, referring to the alternative station in the city. "That's the type of music we want to play." (The last five bands played on Live 88.5, as of 7: 46 p.m., Sept. 13, according to the station's webpage: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sloan, Rise Against, Foo Fighters and Cage the Elephant.)
Riot Police are, Boyd, Ian Sabourin, Nick Jones, Taylor Harris and Stuart Gordon. They're all between 15 and 20 years of age.
The album was produced by Mike Goyette, who co-wrote all 10 songs, and the music is alternative power pop - just what you'd expect to hear on Live 88.5. Boyd mentions Maroon 5 as an influence, and the effect can be heard in tracks such as Losing You and Believe Me.
They've been playing in clubs and at festivals, and I ask Boyd what he's learned. "Don't be a dick to the sound guy, because that never helps anything." And, with a sigh of experience, "he is in control of the whole show, and he can make you sound bad or he can make you sound sweet."
Sound advice, indeed. Those Days is available at Compact Music stores (owned by Alex's dad and the band manager, Ian Boyd) on Bank Street.
