Converse Cool Meets Toronto Punk: An In-Studio Interview with Brutal Youth

By: Daniel Melfi –

Brutal Youth.

Converse invited Aesthetic Magazine to visit Toronto’s Noble Street Studios during a unique Converse Rubber Tracks session with Toronto punk band Brutal Youth.

Converse launched the Converse Rubber Tracks (CRT) program in 2011 from a state-of-the-art music studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, setting up pop-up studio sessions in cities across North America, including Boston, Toronto, LA, San Francisco and Mexico City. Since 2012, CRT has helped record over 300 artists from around the world with free studio time and a foundation of support to introduce their music to the world. In addition, CRT have produced a live show at the end of each pop-up week; each show features a headliner and a handpicked opening band from the pop-up studio sessions. On Nov. 21^st, CRT ended the Toronto pop-up with a show at The Opera House featuring Deafheaven and opener Programm.

Toronto’s second studio session is the second this year, after a stint in August, and featured an array of fresh local talent including Look Vibrant, Ain’t No Love, Raz Fresco, and Familiars.

Brutal Youth set-up shop at Noble Street and the band was happy to talk about their CRT experience. In Toronto, Converse has had a difficult time getting the word out—which is a benefit to the bands playing there. “It was really quick, I heard back within three weeks,” says frontman Patty – who goes by first name only.

Noble Street studios is among the most prestigious studios in the city, boasting records from A$AP Rocky, Drake and the Tragically Hip. For most up-and-coming acts, it’s an opportunity few will experience. “The sound is just incredible, we would never have been able to afford this without this awesome chance,” says bassist Kyle. “Nothing we will record after this will sound as good as the tracks we’ve laid down today,” adds Greg, founding member and lead guitarist.

Lead singer Patty says that the band isn’t playing the same music, instead taking full advantage of the studio time to keep working on their sound, “We’ve sort of come into our own, it’s a little more melodic now. It’s changed, it was more abrasive before,” adds Kyle.

Converse Rubber Tracks has helped record over 300 artists from around the world with free studio time and a foundation of support to introduce their music to the world.

The sound hasn’t only changed because of the music or studio, the band itself have been a growing presence in the Toronto punk scene, and heading on more tours in the future.

“We’re originally from Newfoundland but you just can’t compare the number of shows between Toronto and St. John’s,“ says Greg. Since their move to Toronto, the band has come out with two albums and is planning for a third.

“We’re hoping to get back in the studio in January,” says Patty, “We are considering releasing something on a newer, larger label than the current handshake agreement.”

The band is currently signed to My Fingers My Brain records out of Guelph, Ontario; “Hopefully the upcoming shows will help with that record in January,” adds Patty.

“We might not get paid a lot,” says Greg, “but to travel the world [if we can] and play music, we can’t complain.”

Combined with a European tour in a few weeks time, the band have a lot to look forward to, “This whole experience, the ride as a band, has been nothing but positive,” says Kyle.

Patty reflects on the experience, “For me, I just think it’s really cool that we can come here and play and do whatever we want. For the brand to give back to the scene like this, it’s really cool—especially the free shoes!”

The frontman goes on, “This is my favourite thing to do with my favourite people and for a brand as big as Converse to help us out like this is a great opportunity.”

The only thing the band has to do is to stay safe, mentions one of the band members leading to a group chuckle; Patty tore his ACL earlier this year and needs to get surgery. “We’ve been focusing more energy into the crowd since I hurt my knee and I love seeing them so pumped-up like us,” says the high-intensity vocalist, “I was running up a wall and when I jumped down, the floor gave out.”

After a few more laughs the band gets back in the studio to lay down vocals. The band is heading to Europe and then the studio so expect new music from Brutal Youth in 2015.