biographical info
Drawn together in 2007, by their love of music
and a common vision to forge their own musical path, Mike Hargreaves
(vocals), Sasha Appler (keys/trumpet), Ryan Frith (bass) and Stefan
Cvetkovic (drums) formed MICHOU. Displaying a refreshingly
light-hearted outlook and not taking themselves too seriously, the
Windsor-bred quartet adopted the slogan “It’s Nice to Michou,”
embracing a fun-loving approach to everything they do.
What
started as a Hargreaves solo project, soon became something bigger when
Appler, Frith and Cvetkovic joined to help fill out his musical vision
on the live stage. As a “band”, the individual members seemed to tap
into a well of creativity resulting in an effortless, collaborative
approach to making music. In 2007, Michou released its first EP Medea,
followed by a debut full-length titled Myshkin in 2008. A single and
video for the track “Control” had some notable success airing on XM The
Verge, and on MuchMusic. The band hit the road that Fall attracting a
sizable and loyal fanbase wherever they performed.
Michou soon
caught the ear of Michael T. Fox, a composer signed with EMI Publishing
Canada who was instrumental in the development of Down With Webster
during his management tenure with the band. As a successful songwriter
working with the likes of Die Mannequin, Kyle Riabko (Spring Awakening)
and various Canadian Idol artists, Fox knew Michou had something
special and quickly signed the band to his label Green and Gold, an
imprint of Platinum-selling label Distort, distributed by Universal
Music.
Playing over 100 shows in 2009 alone, Michou got a break
when they received a grant from Manitoba Film and Sound to record
Cardona in May 2009 at Empire Recording with Phil Deschambault and
engineer Tony Katsabanis. Mixed by Eric Ratz (Billy Talent, Cancer
Bats), Cardona is set for a March 2010 release, with a national tour to
follow.
Although Michou strives to not take themselves too
seriously, they certainly take making music seriously. Hargreaves’
lyrics deliver strong emotive messages, deconstructing the human
condition. Infectious melodies are delivered with honesty and passion,
and the band’s charisma onstage is impressive enough to entice the
interest of people like Jack Ross, VP of the Agency Group. However, it
is the sincerity and sense of humour in which Michou relates to their
fans that seems to fuel their ever-growing popularity.
With so
much coming together, pretty soon they’ll see more sparks and with a
little bit more listening, I swear Michou will reach your heart.