Thunderheist, Great Lake Swimmers React to Juno Nominations

Posted on Mar 4th 2010 2:30PM by Jonathan Dekel
Comments

Generally considered a showcase for big-name pop and rock stars, this year's Juno Awards nominations featured a surprising amount of quality indie music in the major categories. Canada's equivalent to the Grammys managed to offset nominations to such obvious artists as Nickelback, Hedley and Justin Bieber with ones for indie heroes Metric, k-os and Thunderheist, as well as hip-hop's self-made superstar Drake, in some of the bigger categories.

"I just got back from New York and coming home and being appreciated is, well, I'd cry if it didn't cause wrinkles," Dance Recording of the Year nominee Thunderheist's Isis gushed to Spinner. "I'm flattered, I'm excited, I'm pumped. My dad and my mom are gonna be stoked. I might get a new car!"

The Junos also managed to honour some of Canada's up-and-coming indie talent, gracing bands such as Springsteen-worshiping blue-collar rockers the Arkells, experimental Broken Social Scene spin-off the Happiness Project and melodic folk rockers Great Lake Swimmers, with first time nominations.

"I wasn't expecting it," the Happiness Project's Charles Spearin said of his Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year nod. "When I started this album it was just an experiment, I didn't even think it was going to get released. Then it got released and it's taken on a life of its own, I'm excited to see where it's going. Currently, it's taking me to Newfoundland."

While Spearin had been nominated before as a member of Broken Social Scene, Great Lake Swimmers' Tony Dekker sees his band's nomination, for fourth album 'Lost Channels,' as long overdue appreciation.

"We've been working really hard and it's great to be recognized for that work," Dekker said of his band's Roots and Traditional Album of the Year: Group nomination. "We've been touring our butts off and getting this project off the ground for a long time. It's nice to be noticed."

Hamilton based rockers the Arkells -- nominated for New Group of the Year alongside a slew of emo and novelty groups -- echo Dekker's sentiment.

"It's been a hell of year touring and travelling around. It's a hell of a thing to look back on," beamed multi-instrumentalist Dan Griffin. "It's a huge achievement for the band."

"We made it to the Junos," lead singer Max Kerman cuts off his bandmate. "and we're going for the gold!"

The Juno Awards will be broadcasting from St Johns, Newfoundland on April 18 on CTV.