Let's get the name out of the way. In 2004, a group of indie musicians in Toronto got together to play experimental music and, in the free-wheeling spirit of the scheme, named the project Holy F---, except they don't use the dashes.
The plan was to play a few wildly experimental and not-at-all constructed sets — as in, using toys and sound effects from their laptop computers —and maybe record an album. It was a side project, for fun, and the profane name looked funny on posters bearing the typically pretentious names of other experimental rock bands. Who cares about a little expletive anyway?
Magazine editors, for starters.
“We get asked about that a lot, because, how could you not?” said keyboardist Graham Walsh. “We don't put a lot of emphasis on it. This sounds stupid, but we're not trying to make any statement by it. We've had the opportunity to change the name, but we were, like, ‘Why? F--- it.'”
True to its intent, Holy F---'s name has led to a series of interesting scenarios, the best being in 2008 when the band played a South by Southwest Festival party in Austin hosted by bubbly TV cook Rachael Ray. “It was pretty fun, actually,” Walsh said. (They arrived too late for the food, though.)
In the early days, Holy F---'s name would've been changed to appease mainstream media, but Walsh said their abilty to use the name while playing major music festivals, releasing albums on the Young Turks label (The XX, White Rabbits) and still be written about in magazines is testimony to the shifting culture of the music industry: call yourself what you want — just record a popular album and draw an audience.
And Holy F---'s name isn't nearly as outlandish as its music. The rapid beats, menacing bass, electronic beeps and bops plus a dash of guitar mix to create an instrumental cacophony of intriguing, dancable songs.
The band's third album “Latin,” released in May, is a continuation of Holy F---'s mission to create fun experimental music. This isn't to say Holy F--- has not evolved. In its early years, the band's music wilder, less predictable and not easily translated between stage and MP3 player.
“We were more improvy and jammy,” Walsh said. The band's first shows were “free-for-all noise,” he said. Several songs on Holy F---'s self-titled 2005 debut album could simply not be translated for performance. As the band's lineup solidified — Brian Borcherdt, Matt McQuaid and Matt Schulz are the others — and shifted to full-time-band status, Holy F--- has tried to make its last two albums more apt for shows.
“Now, we definitely have in mind that we want to be able to play the songs live,” he said. “That's important to us.
“Still, as much as I like seeing bands live, I'm a little disappointed when they basically play the CD. I like that we can play these songs and mix them up a little.”
More importantly, Holy F---'s riotous beginnings played out in the recording of the first two album — both were recorded during several quick appointments in studios between shows, and were disjointed by an ever-changing lineup.
“Latin,” Walsh said, is the the band's first album to be recorded in planned, concentrated sessions, with a single lineup and focus. “This one feels a little more together,” he said.
