Interview: Living the Dream with The OBGMs

By: Daniel Gerichter (@ZenDonut) –

The oOohh Baby Gimme Mores (The OBGMs).

Right now, scores of Canadians are discovering The oOohh Baby Gimme Mores (The OBGMs) for themselves in a very non-traditional way. Not through club crawls or on the festival scene, but through a new Budweiser ad that entirely flips the tables of the rock and roll narrative.

Thinking they were part of an indie documentary, the band had gotten through playing a sound check and were preparing for (what they believed to be) a modestly sized crowd at Bud Music House. What they got instead was the true, stadium rock treatment – a packed house, a full-on light show – the works. At NXNE, organizers told the band (again, in front of a live audience) that they were officially invited to join Kanye West, Tiesto and more at Philadelphia’s Budweiser Made in America Festival. We got a chance to chat with guitarist and frontman Densil McFarlane, drummer ColanthonyHumphrey, bassist Joe Brosnan, and synth player Jemuel Roberts about the rock and roll dream, their new album and much more.

Is Toronto THE place for a Canadian indie band getting its start? Is there anywhere else?

Humphrey: Absolutely.  Toronto is it.

Brosnan: Montreal has a really good scene as well and of course, Vancouver. There are also some guys I know tearing it up in Lethbridge.

Roberts: The thing about Toronto is, everyone’s got the same dilemma. It’s like “which of the 15 awesome shows happening all over the city at any given time should I go to?” There’s just that much going on – always.

Take us through what was going through your mind when the story from the Budweiser commercial unfolded?

Humphrey: Really, we didn’t know what was going on. This girl – who was one of the bartenders – she came back and she was trying to lead us through this door.  And the door didn’t seem to open on our side; so, at first I’d say confusion on our part (laughter).  Before we walked on, we were thinking of just getting on stage and outdoing the soundcheck we did earlier. Originally, we were supposed to be playing for maybe 30 people or so?  But we had no idea when we walked out there that it was going to be this explosion of lights and this enormous crowd.

From my own perspective, it feels like it flipped the experience on its head, making the music as much of a spectacle for you as it did for the crowd.

Humphrey: Exactly. As musicians – I mean, a lot of people don’t talk about it, but we’re givers (laughter). And we got every bit as much as we give from top to bottom, so that was amazing.

On the topic of NXNE – Do you think it puts artists on the same platform as SXSW?

McFarlane: I would say yeah absolutely. NXNE is an amazing event where you have bands from all over the world joining together in one place. You put it in a city like Toronto, which already has an incredible music scene and culture. It absolutely gives fans a chance to see bands they wouldn’t otherwise have too many chances to see in venues those bands may never have had the chance to play. For us, we loved being able to play Bud Music House, where they announced that we’d be playing the Budweiser Made in America Festival – which was AMAZING.

Humphrey: Another thing about NXNE, I totally agree with Denz. It also allows you to network and meet like-minded people who are just so inspiring.

It seems like it’s this creative mishmash. People are getting together with ideas that have changed the music industry and maybe even the world in a little way.

Humphrey: More than just a little way. Music is universal. Not only that, but at these festivals, everything ends up going worldwide.

Brosnan: Not only that, but also these festivals always have tons of seminars, where musicians get to talk directly to other musicians on all kinds of important topics.  We’ve seen “how to write a hit single” and “how to promote online” as topics and I think those sorts of talks have already changed how artists go through their whole creative process.  And that’s how it’s all changing the world.

You guys use social media to let fans in on your creative process. What’s something about your process fans might not know about?

McFarlane: We do things as a team. We’re brothers, but like anyone we have our brotherly fights. I mean I hate these guys generally (everyone laughs). And that’s because this stuff doesn’t happen overnight – it’s a labour of love.

Brosnan: Sometimes, whenever we’re struggling to come up with something new, we’ll rotate instruments. I’ll mess with Joe’s keys and maybe he’ll screw around with the bass. It just gets the energy moving differently. I mean, we’re going to end up like the Beatles one day any way (everyone laughs).

At the NXNE Bud Music House gig, they announced you were going to be part of the Budweiser Made in America Festival. What was your reaction then?

Humphrey: I think when they mentioned that; my first reaction was to jump on (Dave) Bookman’s back.  It was pure elation.

Roberts: They’re actually filming a documentary on it, so I was thrilled to because I know they’ve got a history of not just having an eclectic mix of music, but having some pretty great Canadian artists on-board. Really covers all the bases.

Humphrey: Interestingly enough, my girlfriend was going to take me last year for my birthday and at the last-minute we couldn’t go. I’d say this is WAY better.

Roberts: We’re absolutely grateful for the experience.  We want to thank Budweiser, Soundworks and Anomaly for that.

Who’s at the top of your list to see at Budweiser Made in America?

Roberts: I really want to see this band called Cherub.

McFarlane: Yeezy’s a no-brainer.

Humphrey: Uh, Cola seconds that. But I also have to see Chromeo and Pharrell.

Roberts: I can’t wait to see my homegirl Grimes. She’s just the coolest. But also that hologram of Freddie Mercury that they’re going to have.

Do you plan on changing your live set at all for that larger crowd?

McFarlane: You know what? Our show is typically very interactive. We’re going to be as engaging as we always are and make sure that the Budweiser Made in America crowd remembers who the OBGMs are. Not changing a thing.

Moving forward, do any of these experiences change your sound at all?

Roberts: Well, different experiences will definitely be reflected in our future songwriting process, but as it stands, they’ll be hearing us as that indie band that just happened to come across a great opportunity. I guess we’ll see what happens on the next album.

You’ve got a new album coming out September 12^th. What are two of the most important things you want people to know about it?

Roberts: Well, firstly it’s our debut album. We put so much of our souls into this – it truly has become a labour of love.

Humphrey: Also, the album release is actually being released on my birthday, which is the best. gift. ever.