UN: Cannonball is a fairly new band, with only a demo under it's belt. Let's go through a history of how the band came together. Were any of you guys inolved in other bands?

Josh: Well see it's a funny situation. First off about a year ago, Jason and I had the idea of starting something real hard and tough (there was nothing like that in Toronto at the time) so we recorded a song called Take Back and posted it on a couple message boards. The thing is, we didnt tell anyone it was us. We said we were some band called Cannonball from Harlem NY .. and it turned out we got a really good response. So then we recorded another and it kinda went from there. Jason is in the toronto band The Kill Decibel and I havn't done anything previously. As for the rest of the band there really isnt much of one right now, it was only jason and I on the recording, but we are playing a show coming up and have some temp members doing it with us. The drummer (Caleb) is in the band Mare (Hydrahead Records)

UN: So would you like to find permananet members to fill up the line-up? Is it hard to find people into this style in Toronto?

Josh: Muscians seem hard to come by in Toronto for some reason. I'd like to get permanent members, but I dont know how serious it could be, unless we got a good break I guess. Jason is super busy with The Kill Decibel (about to release their first full length soon) and school etc. and so am I. I would like to see it come together though, that's for sure.

UN: The demo has a surprisingly heavy and tight production. Did you guys spend a lot of time recording the demo? It's only a demo and it sounds better then a lot of the hardcore albums released by albums these days.

Josh: Thanks, the demo was actually recorded in Jasons basement. He's got a pretty good setup and really knows his shit. He's recorded a lot of other bands there such as TKD, and Violent Minds. We honestly didn't spend that much time doing it either. I mean the music isn't that complex so it's pretty easy to get the song in under 5 takes.. I'm really happy with the turnout of it, sounds better then I thought it would.

UN: One thing I find refreshing about the band is that the band is heavy, yet doesn't subscribe to any of the current trends. You won't hear any of the Swedish death metal sound creeping in yet it's still very heavy. Did you guys pretty much know that you wanted to play heavy hardcore right from the start?

Josh: Yeah, tottally. That was the whole point of starting cannonball ... to make real heavy music. Sometimes the breakdowns make me laugh .. we try and make them as slow as possible. I dunno I think it's funny. There are a lot of new "toughguy" bands popping up in the scene right now though, and i dont think it'll be very long before it's actually concidered a "trend."

UN: Do you think that with Throwdown becoming so popular these days it might attract the wrong people to the scene? They are on Ozzfest for fucks sake!

Josh: Yes and no. I mean, look at hatebreed. They're one of the hardest bands out there right now, and they're huge. On movie soundtracks now and shit. A lot of the newjacks that come into the scene now don't really know what its about and think it's just like another korn show ...... well it's not. On a few occasions I've seen them doing more harm then good ... try to slam dance while kids floorpunch and shit ... then fights break out. I think it's cool that more kids are getting into heavy music, but I think a lot of them need to open their eyes, learn to have more respect, and not run their mouths.

UN: Yea, it seems like hardcore isn't as exclusive as it once was. It still makes me want to puke when someone calls Limp Biskit hardcore in reviews though....

Josh: Because that's what the media thinks hardcore is. Bands like Madball and 100 Demons arn't running videos on mtv and getting radio play, but who knows what will happen in the future. Hardcore is getting a lot bigger now, and is branching into a lot of other things. Look at hazen st., they're on good charlottes record label, and Freddy Madball is in it. It's not my thing completly and I like Madball a hell of alot more, but that's still cool.

UN: I don't really like using the typical influences question. But one band that I hear a lot of in Cannonball is Ringworm. Would you say they had an impact on you guys?

Josh: Honestly, no. I don't exactly hear the influence to Ringworm much ... but whatever, Ringworm are a rad band.

UN: Well, then let's take that this way. Who do you think that Cannonball sounds like?

Josh: We're influenced by a lot of bands. If you listen to the song 'Green Nightmare', it covers like 3 or more different styles of hardcore. Theres the typical tough guy stuff that could be compared to Full Blown Chaos, or Shattered Realm, there's an awesome old school breakdown that compared to the lockin' out bands from Boston, and then there's a thugcore part that could be compared to No Retreat or Skarhead.

UN: That's actually funny that you mentioned No Retreat because I was reminded of them as well. I think they were totally underratted.

Josh:Yeah, No Retreat are good. Alot of thoe BFL bands are good. I was really into the new Built Upon Frustration cd.

UN: So would you say that Cannonball exists more so to play hardcore music that you guys love and not really worry about being an original band?

Josh:Yeah exactly. its pretty hard these days to be completly original, every band has influences, and is going to have similarities to someone else in a way. unless you're doing something completly retarded like polkacore, it's hard to be completly original.

UN: I think more bands need to have attitudes like this. There are only so many chords and riffs. The whole multi-genre approach just gets a bit too out of hand.

Josh:Yeah, I really dont worry about it much. Our breakdowns are tottally generic and I dont give a fuck. It's hard to have a breakdown that isn't open chords, chug chug chug. I don't worry about it ... unless we're rippin someone off note for note.

UN: I don't really agree with the boring breakdowns. Man, some bands use the SAME riff in all of their songs! They just chug the E in the same rhythm. It's ridiculous.

Josh:Yeah .. I think we chug C, haha. But there's only so many different variations you can do really .. it's a hard call.

UN: Here's an easy one. Where exactly did the idea to use the name Cannonball come from? It does fit the bands style though. It's simple, and after all a Cannonball is heavy.

Josh:Jason and I were driving on the highway one night and were just thinking up stupid names, then I said cannonball. we thought it sounded hilarious so we decided to use it. I didnt really think of the 'heavy' aspect of it .. I was thinking about a show and doing cannonballs into the crowd (like off a diving board) so I guess that's where it came from.

UN: I think that is all of the questions I have, So let's end with this. How can people get a copy of your demo? Would you encourage people to download it?

They can download it, of if they see us at a show, grab one off me. They can download the whole thing at :www.hxcmp3.com/cannonball