Beautiful Unknown Happy To Make Rent

Toronto foursome The Beautiful Unknown have a hectic summer ahead of them. Speaking from Port Credit, Ont., singer Tom Barlow is drowned out by the noisy sound check behind him.

"We're playing a show here on Friday night, so we're just getting ready. Sorry, let me find a quiet spot so I can hear you."

That Friday night show, part of Mississauga's Waterfront Music Festival, takes place a day after the band's North By Northeast showcase. Ever since turning heads with their 2006 Canadian Music Week performance at The Drake in Toronto, The Beautiful Unknown have taken every opportunity to get their music heard, particularly at local festivals like S.C.E.N.E. in St. Catharines, Ont. and the Kingsway Street Festival in Toronto.

"I love playing outdoors," Barlow explains. "Why would anyone rather be inside in a club when you could be out in the sun with a bunch of people who really want to be there? I mean, it'll be November soon. And besides, you get to play to someone else's audience."

It seems to be paying off, since a growing number of people are singing along at The Beautiful Unknown's shows.

"We released an EP before this album [Riot In The House Of Ruin], and you can tell who owns that and knows the songs," says Barlow. "But there are a few more every time, and the club's a little busier than last time. Momentum seems to be growing, and that's encouraging."

In an especially smart move on their label's part, The Beautiful Unknown played the hell out of Calgary during Juno week, with mischievous results.

"Our record label [Arrive Entertainment] is based in Calgary, and they suggested we should play Calgary while the Junos were happening," explains Barlow. "The show was great.

"A couple of guys from the Stampeders [football team] showed up and got on stage with us. I guess being on a sports team is a lot like being in a band, that whole team spirit. And it's kind of like being married, without the sex.

"We also partied with a bunch of Juno nominees and winners in a hotel suite, and it was great because we got busted. The jazz performers were really excited about that, you know, these middle-aged flutists and violinists were like, 'We haven't had this happen since high school,' said the flutist."

Legally questionable shenanigans aside, the band are also dealing with the more serious question of how to ethically distribute their music. Barlow pondered the issue in a November MySpace blog entry. "The question is; how do we get our music to people in a fair, efficient and environmentally positive way," he wrote.

After much debate, Riot In The House Of Ruin is now available on iTunes and Cdbaby.com.

"We bought a duplicator instead of making a 10,000-CD run," says Barlow. "CDs are ultra-toxic, and we wanted to avoid making an unnecessarily large amount of copies, and any shrink wrapping.

"They are made to order. There's also a vinyl version for those who want it, because that's something you keep. Vinyl has real collectable artwork, unlike a CD sleeve. The CD goes on your iPod and the rest becomes garbage."

That said, predicting the future of CDs, digital distribution models and the roles of record labels isn't something Barlow is concerned with. "I don't know what direction the industry is headed in, and I don't really care," he says.

"Too many artists are concerned with that. I think if you have a great live band that blows people away, then who cares. People will come to your shows and buy your T-shirt and you'll always be paying rent. Even if it is for a shithole."

You can check out The Beautiful Unknown here:

June 12 Toronto, ON @ Hard Rock Cafe (NXNE)
June 13 Port Credit, ON @ The Waterfront Music Festival
June 14 Grand Bend, ON @ Grand Bend Music Festival
June 29 St. Catharines, ON @ S.C.E.N.E. Music Festival
Sept. 6 Toronto, ON @ Kingsway Street Festival