Category: Musician Interviews

We recently caught up with Jeff Gutteridge, an indie musician from Lindsay Ontario known for his work with “Looking for Heather” and his recent journey into making his first solo record “Dark Country”. In this interview, Jeff shares insights into his creative process, the journey of selecting songs for his solo record, and the challenges of balancing band dynamics with personal expression. He also discusses the intricacies of recording, producing, and promoting his music, offering valuable advice for fellow indie artists.

Indie Distributor: Thanks for jumping on. The whole point of this is to get a deeper insight from indie musicians about their experiences in the recording process and the creative process in general. What can we learn collaboratively from these experiences as individual musicians and as part of a band? Clearly, you’ve released a new record, so I wanted to ask a couple of questions about that. What was the thought process behind selecting the songs that went on the record, knowing you’re in “Looking for Heather” but also working on a solo project?

Jeff Gutteridge: Well, it started about a year ago when Jay and I, my partner in “Looking for Heather,” were working on new material for that project. We determined what was going to make up the record that we have coming out later this year or early next year. There were a bunch of songs left over that I liked, which we decided wouldn’t make it to the next “Looking for Heather” project. But I felt they still had merit. I don’t want people to think of them as leftover songs; they just weren’t a good fit for the “Looking for Heather” project. Jay and I both agreed I should record them, similar to his solo project. So, that’s what it stemmed from—collaborating on “Looking for Heather” leads to solo records because, why not? We have the songs, and someone might like them.

Indie Distributor: Yeah, no, absolutely. The record is great. One thing I sometimes get asked about solo work is how you decide what fits or doesn’t fit. I know it might be a hard question to answer.

Jeff Gutteridge: No, it’s very true. When we were putting the “Looking for Heather” record together, we had a specific sound in mind. The songs just didn’t fit. It’s harder for me than it is for Jay because he doesn’t sing in the band much. He does backup vocals and occasionally lead vocals. Being the singer and songwriter, people might think the solo work sounds like “Looking for Heather” anyway. Naturally, it’s going to do that because it’s coming from the same voice. But I tried to do different things with this record to make it distinct from a “Looking for Heather” album.

Indie Distributor: Do you find that lyrically, the solo songs fit more with what you’d prefer as your solo statement rather than a band statement?

Jeff Gutteridge: Yeah, that’s a big piece of it. I tried to write these songs differently from what I’d do with “Looking for Heather.” With the band, there’s more collaboration and input from the other members. With the solo project, it’s exactly how I want to do it, without filtering through other opinions.

Indie Distributor: So, are the musicians working with you on the solo record the same as those in the band?

Jeff Gutteridge: The solo record was played almost entirely by myself. I did all the drums, guitars, and vocals. I had a bass player come in because I don’t consider myself much of a bass player. It wasn’t Jay, not because he couldn’t do it, but because we didn’t want it to feel like another “Looking for Heather” project.

Indie Distributor: For sure. So, did you work with a producer, or was it mostly self-produced?

Jeff Gutteridge: It was all done by me. I have a studio in the house, and I’ve been doing this for almost 30 years. It doesn’t cost me anything, so I can just fly down to the studio and start recording whenever I want.

Indie Distributor: There’s sophistication in the production, which is impressive. Is this your first solo release in this way?

Jeff Gutteridge: Absolutely. I’ve never done a full solo record before. I did a single back in 2021, but the idea of a solo album has been there for a while. This was the right time to do it before we start working on the next “Looking for Heather” record.

Indie Distributor: Was there anything you would have done differently in the recording process, or did everything come together as you envisioned?

Jeff Gutteridge: I took a “less is more” approach with this album, trying to capture the vibe of a band playing live. There are some scrappy elements I might have cleaned up if it were a “Looking for Heather” album, but I wanted to keep it raw and real.

Indie Distributor: You shot a video for “Sometimes You Know the Truth.” Why that song, and what was the process like?

Jeff Gutteridge: That was the first single. I wanted to show that this is still a rock project. We shot the video in an empty field near my house, aiming for a desolate, desert-like vibe. Jay shot the video; he’s into production work and does all the “Looking for Heather” videos as well.

Indie Distributor: Who was the woman in the skull mask?

Jeff Gutteridge: That’s my kid. We have a history of them being in the videos, so it’s a tradition we carried on.

Indie Distributor: How are you promoting the record, and is your approach different from “Looking for Heather”?

Jeff Gutteridge: Probably the same, though I’m not putting as much effort into it as with “Looking for Heather.” I’m trying to play it live with a band and experimenting with vinyl. Prices are coming down, so I thought it was a good chance to try it. I used Precision Pressing in Toronto for the vinyl, and they were great to work with.

Indie Distributor: The vinyl isn’t standard black, right?

Jeff Gutteridge: No, it’s recycled vinyl, which creates a cool colour pattern. Each one is a little different, which I thought was neat.

Indie Distributor: Through this process, what advice would you have for indie artists looking to take the plunge and do their first project?

Jeff Gutteridge: Have a plan. Know your end goal and plan out your timeline. I sort of went through this blindly, but more planning would help—like a 30-day, 90-day, 6-month, and 12-month plan.

Indie Distributor: It’s consoling to hear that some decisions were made after the fact and that you didn’t have everything mapped out. Who did you use for distribution?

Jeff Gutteridge: I’ve always used CD Baby. They’ve been great to work with.

Indie Distributor: Thanks for sharing your experience. It’s a great record, and more people should hear it. Any upcoming shows you want to mention?

Jeff Gutteridge: The next show is in Peterborough at Erban on June 27th, 2024 with Nate Silva. We also have some shows planned for the fall, and I might do some solo acoustic shows in July and August.

Indie Distributor: Keep us posted on the dates. Thanks for your time, Jeff!

Jeff Gutteridge: Absolutely, man. I appreciate it. We’ll talk soon. Cheers.

Dressed to the nines and delivering a sound that’s just as sharp, Toronto’s The Lookout Service has quickly carved out a space for themselves in Toronto’s rock scene. 

Stergios Kalochoridis and Robert Ragazzo—the dynamic duo behind the music—have been making waves since 2018 with their electrifying performances and a sound that’s both titanic and intensely personal. 

With Stergios on vocals and guitar, and Robert bringing the thunder on drums, they’ve become known for their ability to captivate audiences, weaving powerful lyrics with soaring riffs into a musical experience that demands attention.

Their recently released album “The Gambit” features a wide spectrum of their writing ability, and displays their sheer, raw talent that translates through the studio as thoroughly as their live performances. 

Recently, The Indie Distributor had the chance to sit down with Stergios to dive deeper into their latest record and what the journey to its creation has been like.

As a band, had you worked with other musicians or has it always been the two of you? Also, how long have you been creating together?

Stergios Kalochoridis: The Lookout Service was formed in 2018, while I was attending the University of Toronto studying International Relations. Needless to say I didn’t pursue my studies and started looking for people to play and write music with. After a couple years and lineup configurations, the band was solidified as a two-piece and we began gigging all around the city wherever we could, and continue to do so today. We got the “Lookout” for our name from a pickup line that old blues and rock and roll musicians used to yell before they would bust out into a ripping solo or rhythm section, and we added “Service” because we wanted to serve that rock power that those musicians pioneered. 

What’s the concept of the Gambit as it relates to your record? How does chess fit into the mix for your story?

SK: Since right around the time we started preparing for this record, Rob and I have enjoyed playing chess to pass the time before gigs. When it came time to start thinking of a name for the record, we thought that “The Gambit” would be a fitting title because it represents a chess move that requires sacrifice in order to get the upper hand and a better position. This record for us in many ways was a huge sacrifice, to try to get us a “better position” in our music scene. We have also stuck to a black and white aesthetic since the inception of the band, so it all seemed very fitting. 

Chess also appears as the theme in the video “Rough Around the Edges”—tell us about shooting that video.

SK: The Rough Around The Edges video concept came to us on the way back from a gig. We were brainstorming ideas for music videos and we already had the chess concept in mind. We thought it would be interesting to play a chess game where the pieces were not inanimate, and played by people. It would allow us to depict the emotions of the pieces, about the decisions made by the two kings – played by Rob and myself. We tried to recreate “The Immortal Game” – one of the most famous recorded chess games ever played (played in 1851) and it can also be found on the chess board on the cover of the album!

Did you end up working with Luc Chiasson for your singles as well as the full album?

SK: We recorded the entire album with Luc Chiasson back in January of 2023! Just goes to show how long we were prepping for the release!

Was this your first time working with a producer for your music? 

SK: We’ve actually always worked with a producer to record our music. Rob and I both never really got into recording our own music. Working with Luc is always exciting and new, and we like to try new things to keep the creative process as open as possible. 

What are some of your favourite stories from the recording process?

SK: In the month that it took to record the album, we had a lot of fun in the studio. We got to rent out the entire studio for the month and could come and go as we pleased, stopping and picking up whenever we wanted to. We laid down all the drums first, then guitars and finally vocals. We had a bit of a hiccup towards the end of recording the album when Luc’s interface just completely died, and he had to go and completely rewire a new one in. We managed to get it done though! 

Was there a piece of equipment, old or new, that became the MVP during the recording process? How did it influence the sound of the album?

SK: My main 2017 Tele is featured on pretty much every song. Like most guitarists, everyone has their number 1, and for me that guitar just sounds the best. I love Big Muffs for fuzz tones and an OCD (Fulltone) for dirty overdrive, but the one pedal that opened up some cool new avenues for me to explore on this record was the Danelectro Backtalk pedal – a reverse delay. I used it on the bridge of Daffazank and I Am The Dragon to add a dystopian vibe that I just couldn’t get from regular delay pedals. 

So far, you have released a series of singles, and this time you went full album. What was the thought process behind that decision?

SK: Looking back I think we wanted to release an album so we could finally have a big body of work out publically for people to go and listen to. We chose to do four singles over four months – to create hype around the album before its release. I would’ve maybe even spread the singles out a bit further in hindsight, but that’s something maybe worth looking into for the next body of work. 

How are you monetizing the record?

SK: Selling vinyls!! Old school baby!

What advice do you have for other indie musicians out there who are in the recording process?

SK: Get yourself a good producer, it’s better than trying to record yourself and not getting your ideas across. It’s scary creatively and financially, but it’s totally worth it. Whatever you do, just make sure that you are consistently giving it your best.

Info about the Gambit album, tour and tickets can be found on their website http://thelookoutservice.com/