Forget fame and fortune, it’s all about the fans

STORY AND PHOTOS BY VANESSA GILLIS

Look Here Junior played at the Corktown Pub in Hamilton. From left, Michael Stuglik, Dan Morris-Rice, Brennan Prescott, and Kevin Healy.

In the music industry, success is usually measured by fame and fortune.

But, for Look Here Junior, it is about how many people come to the shows.

“We have a really supportive fan base.  If we could just have a base like that in Canada and most cities we go to that would be success for me,” said 22-year-old Kevin Healy, who plays guitar and lead vocals for the band.  “If we can go to a show and have 20 or 30 people at each venue, that’s enough for me.

Drummer Brennan Prescott, 22, said making money with their music is not a priority, but they still need to make a living from it.

“It feels good to have people respect what you do, and they show that by coming to your shows and buying your CD or T-shirts,” said Prescott.  “But in order to do that, you need to be able to get by, so that’s where the money comes in.”

The band members pay for their expenses themselves through their “band fund” because they don’t make much money from their shows.

Look Here Junior is made up of Healy and Prescott, as well as guitarist Michael Stuglik, 22, bassist Dan Morris-Rice, 26, and saxophonist Andrew McGuire, 21.

The band formed in 2007 when Healy and Prescott were in grade 9 together at Abbey Park High School in Oakville.

Morris-Rice followed the band around and was a huge fan before he was asked to join.  “I was a fan before I was in the band,” he said.  “I didn’t even know the titles [of the songs], I just played them.”

Healy said Stuglik joined the band after several “jam sessions” because he really enjoyed Stuglik’s sound.

McGuire, who went to elementary school with Prescott, was asked to play the saxophone for one of Look Here Junior’s songs.

Healy said he enjoyed McGuire’s sound so much that he began writing more songs incorporating the saxophone.

Healy studied sound engineering and producing at Recording Arts Canada, which allows the band to record most of their music themselves with their own equipment.

This saves them the high cost of using a recording studio, but Healy said they still take advantage of opportunities to use a studio.

“When we record at home we can do whatever we want,” he said.  “But at the same time, it’s a bit stressful making on-the-fly decisions about your own music.  It’s good to have that third perspective.”

The band enjoys their status as an indie band, and Prescott said they’re better off without a recording contract.

“Lots of bands these days are making better progress and having more success being an indie band,” he said.  “They don’t have to pay all of these people who make them change their music.”

The band holds most of their practices in Healy’s mom’s basement, which they call “Mamacita Studios.”

Look Here Junior doesn’t have any specific aspirations for the band’s future, they just want to keep playing their shows and growing their fan base.

“We don’t really want any superfluous items,” said Healy.  “Maybe just a roof over our head and beer in the fridge.”

To hear more samples of Look Here Junior’s music, visit www.soundcloud.com/look-here-junior.