artist ASK

ASK, formerly A.S.K. – Another Saturday Knight, formed in Toronto in 2006 as an art project by Windsor native Chad Howson, “I had a plan to create music, paintings and lyrics that ask questions and simultaneously showcase them to the public.” A.S.K.’s first show was at Taloola Café in late December 2006 featuring Shawn Ladd and Chad Howson as a duo with Alex MacArthur soon joining the band as bass player. In March of 2007 the band acted as opening support for their comrades The Locusts Have No King. Chad Howson moved back to Windsor in August 2007 and worked to solidify the line-up in preparation for the first record  (A.S.K. – Another Saturday Knight). From 2007 through 2009, A.S.K. performed over 50 shows between Windsor and Toronto, self produced and released their debut album, hosted a half dozen art shows of ASK/mixed media paintings/drawings from Chad Howson and released a DVD  (the Big Visit) featuring 3 music videos and a full live performance of their debut album.

The name change came in late summer of 2009 after band members solidified and a new sound and vision was formed. “We vacillated over names, but ultimately felt that the name and concept is what we are.” ASK has had many styles in their time, traveling from Outlaw/Indie/Folk-Rock to the sharp Indie/Alt-Rock of their first record. The new release Future Communication boasts an ultra-modern musical projection of what has been described as Post-Grunge/Art-Rock. Future Communication’s production team was composed of a veritable who’s who of the Windsor scene including the aforementioned Adam Michalczuk, Mark Plancke of Shark Tank Pro as well as Chad Howson himself with mastering form Toronto’s Phil Demetro at Lacquer Channel.

One thing Chad Howson knows how to do is work with the area’s finest talent. Over the years musicians who have performed live and/or recorded with ASK include: Luke Pelotte, Adam Michalczuk, Stephan Svetkovich, Liam O’Donell, Pietro Caira, John Oleynik, Joey DesRoaches, Trevor Malcolm, Shawn Ladd, Max Marshall, Gary Clarke, Nancy Drew, and Alex MacArthur. Chad Howson’s spirit for collaboration and co-operation transcends music and into art with his frequent work with FUZE an improvisational live painting project that operates publicly at area festivals and events. These experiences have given Howson to further explore painting with more confidence as he has worked as an illustrator for the majority of his artistic career.