artist The Blood Lines

"Anyone in need of a heart-thumping, fist-pumping anthem should check out The Blood Lines..." "...Dense group vocals occasionally wraping thunder in velvet."
-See Magazine (Edmonton, AB)

Our story begins in late 2005 as S.J. Kardash, finding himself without musical partners for the first time since he was ten, begins teaching his sister Maygen how to drum in hopes of starting a band. Meanwhile Paul Ross is following leads from town to town collecting an arsenal of amplifiers and miscellaneous noise makers like a determined soldier preparing for war. Barrett is sitting on a couch.

At this point in time, The Blood Lines had not yet crossed paths. However, a mutual friend, Chris Laramee would soon be the catalyst in the equation, frequently prompting Paul and S.J. individually to play together. After hearing this enough times, S.J. had an idea; he decided he should play with Paul Ross. Hearing this story from her brother, Maygen exclaimed that the same thing was happening to her. The soundman at her place of work, named Barrett, had been insisting she play with his brother and as it turns out his brother was also named Paul Ross.

Saskatoon is a small city and to use an old cliche, it's a small world - but one cannot shake this coincidence. So, a rendevous was arranged - It was instant chemistry. With Paul on guitar, S.J. on bass and Maygen on drums - Barrett, who had always played drums, assumed the role of keyboards. The quartet wrote several songs in a matter of hours and the excitement was palpable. The drum lessons continued and Barrett continued to practise keyboards, but something wasn't quite right. One day, the group realized Maygen was a pianist and Barrett was a drummer and all was made right with a game of musical chairs. In March of 2006, the Blood Lines were made.

The band quickly acquired a strict work regiment. The day the band was named was the same day the internet domain (www.thebloodlines.com) was purchased. Within 24 hours, before even having a set together, the band began booking a tour for June 2006. The band knew that if there was a deadline in place, they would be forced to be ready. The members worked hard, writing and rehearsing and in May, The Blood Lines played their first show ever to a packed room in Saskatoon. They recorded a full-length album over the course of the next week, before playing their second show ever opening for Constantines and Chad VanGaalen. The assembling, stamping, stuffing and numbering of 1000 cardboard CD cases was completed just in time for the band to leave on tour a few days later.

There was a collective sigh of relief...

The tour was a success. The venue the band played in New York City instantly invited the band back to play during CMJ in November – a festival which has helped launch the careers of bands like U2, Arcade Fire and Radiohead. In November, the band was hailed as one of the best things to come from CMJ and Montreal band, The Dears invited The Blood Lines to open its entire western Canadian tour.

"Move over Arcade Fire and Stars and all you trendy Arts+Crafts bands. From Saskatoon in Saskatchewan come the future of alterno-pop-rock on their self-titled debut. One of the very few good things to come out of CMJ this year"
-Harris Radio (New York, NY)

The Blood Lines’ debut album charted as high as #1 on some college radio stations and was given four stars by Eye Weekly in Toronto. Their song Modern Science was awarded “most played song” in November on XM satellite radio station, The Verge and the band has been a featured artist on XMU and CBC Radio 3.

"One of the hottest new rock sensations..."
-See Magazine (Edmonton, AB)

This is only the beginning of the story. Now, The Blood Lines are beginning work on a new album and planning many exciting things for the next chapter in 2007.

Stay Close.

S.J. Kardash Bass / Vocals
Paul Ross Guitar / Vocals
Maygen Kardash Keyboards / Vocals
Barrett Ross Drums / Vocals