Press Release
In this section you will find all the press releases that have been put out about my band Harbinger or about different projects I have worked on that I would like to share with you. You will also find some articles, reviews and features that have been published that I thought might interest you.
2010 – Avril
Presse release - April 15, 2010
The end of Scarlet Sins is a new beginning for the young and very talented Elie Bertrand. Elie auditioned for Scarlet Sins in 2007 at the age of 17 and rocked hard with the band for the next two and a half years as their drummer. Since the November 2009 announcement that the band was breaking up, her fans have followed her YouTube channel for updates. She posted a vlog entry hinting that she’s got plans in the works for something new, but until now she’s kept the details quiet.
What’s the big news?
Elie and Scarlet Sins founder and lead guitarist, Cristina Bishop, are forming a new band. “Cris and I are especially close and we missed each other so much. We’re really excited to be reunited” says Bertrand.
“We’re not going to do the girl band thing. We have another great guitarist, Bradley Bishop, who is a good friend, and we’ve started writing and are recording demos.” The new band will have more of a hard rock focus than Scarlet Sins. “We’re working on some songs that are soft and some heavier, but definitely rock.”
So how did this new collaboration come about? “I think we kind of decided when Cristina and Bradley were over in Montreal for New Year’s Eve.” says Bertrand. They came down to my place to party it up for the new year. It had been two months since I’d seen Cristina and we jammed together. It was just easy. We had to do this. We didn’t even really think about it. It just happened.”
Soon after, bassist Jean-Philippe Bourgeois joined the band. Another close friend (like a brother says Elie), Jean-Philippe is a wicked musician who has toured all over North america from a very young age.
Right now the band is rehearsing and auditioning vocalists. Influenced by their interest in politics and events happening on the world stage, they decided to name the band Harbinger. “The word meant everything. We’re messengers of truth.” says Bertrand with conviction.
It’s hard to say when the band will be ready to tour but fans will get a chance to see the group together soon. “I was invited to perform at the Cape Breton International Drum Festival in May, so that will be our first official appearance together. I definitely want them with me.”
Elie also shared her current practice focus. “I want to have a little more heaviness to the riffs, to my playing. So I got myself a Demon Drive double pedal. They’re amazing! I was so happy when Pearl sent me a pair. I stopped seeing anyone I knew and just played. I have no more friends.” (she laughs) “I’ve been working a lot on double bass and more polyrhythms. I’ve been listening to Chris Adler and watching a lot of DVDs, Tomas Haake as well. I’m trying to go more in those directions with definitely more double bass than we had in Scarlet Sins. I’m practicing about 4-5 hours a day.”
We also talked about her cover of Drop it Like it’s Hot on YouTube. She had her fans wondering if maybe her new direction was Hip Hop. “I would love to play Hip Hop! Music is art. Like painting, you don’t use only one color. I would love to play it at some point...do what Travis Barker did playing remakes. It would be really cool. I actually have a friend in Toronto with whom I’m working. We’re collaborating on one of his songs. But it’s just for fun, nothing serious at this point.”
On the topic of being a female drummer, Elie shares her frustration about the fact that many people are still surprised to hear a women with skills. “I had a conversation about this just last week. Someone made a comment on one of my YouTube videos that I was a girl playing drums. It really annoyed me because there are all these awesome ladies out there playing. So how can this still be an issue in 2010? When I was in school in the beginning playing drums I always felt like I had to work twice as hard as the guys and I didn’t feel I got the same recognition. That feeling eventually went away, maybe because I stopped caring about what they thought.”
She went on to say that some believe that female drummers get way more credit than they deserve simply because they’re a novelty. “That might be true on a promotional level, but you still have to prove yourself once you get noticed. I feel like I have to prove myself all the time. On a professional level, peers aren’t the ones making those comments. It’s either people who don’t know much about music in general, or people in the industry behind the scenes. Often that’s where stuff happens that I feel is unfair to female musicians, not just drummers. People assume it’s not going to be good if you’re a girl band.”
Elie’s excitement about her new band is irrepressible, but reflecting on the end of Scarlet Sins she says “It was sad that we had to make this decision, but we did what we had to do.”
Watch for more Harbinger news from Elie in the months to come on SeeJaneDrum.com. We can’t wait to hear what comes next for this gifted drummer and we wish the band the best of luck.
Learn more about Harbinger and connect with the band with these links:
• Band website: http://www.harbingerofficial.com
• Twitter: @HarbingerNews
• YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/HarbingerTV
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Harbinger/100917199951659
• MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/HarbingerOfficial
Event listing for the Cape Breton International Drum Festival
Auditions are currently underway for vocaists. Inquiries can be made at harbingerofficial@gmail.com
The end of Scarlet Sins is a new beginning for the young and very talented Elie Bertrand. Elie auditioned for Scarlet Sins in 2007 at the age of 17 and rocked hard with the band for the next two and a half years as their drummer. Since the November 2009 announcement that the band was breaking up, her fans have followed her YouTube channel for updates. She posted a vlog entry hinting that she’s got plans in the works for something new, but until now she’s kept the details quiet.
What’s the big news?
Elie and Scarlet Sins founder and lead guitarist, Cristina Bishop, are forming a new band. “Cris and I are especially close and we missed each other so much. We’re really excited to be reunited” says Bertrand.
“We’re not going to do the girl band thing. We have another great guitarist, Bradley Bishop, who is a good friend, and we’ve started writing and are recording demos.” The new band will have more of a hard rock focus than Scarlet Sins. “We’re working on some songs that are soft and some heavier, but definitely rock.”
So how did this new collaboration come about? “I think we kind of decided when Cristina and Bradley were over in Montreal for New Year’s Eve.” says Bertrand. They came down to my place to party it up for the new year. It had been two months since I’d seen Cristina and we jammed together. It was just easy. We had to do this. We didn’t even really think about it. It just happened.”
Soon after, bassist Jean-Philippe Bourgeois joined the band. Another close friend (like a brother says Elie), Jean-Philippe is a wicked musician who has toured all over North america from a very young age.
Right now the band is rehearsing and auditioning vocalists. Influenced by their interest in politics and events happening on the world stage, they decided to name the band Harbinger. “The word meant everything. We’re messengers of truth.” says Bertrand with conviction.
It’s hard to say when the band will be ready to tour but fans will get a chance to see the group together soon. “I was invited to perform at the Cape Breton International Drum Festival in May, so that will be our first official appearance together. I definitely want them with me.”
Elie also shared her current practice focus. “I want to have a little more heaviness to the riffs, to my playing. So I got myself a Demon Drive double pedal. They’re amazing! I was so happy when Pearl sent me a pair. I stopped seeing anyone I knew and just played. I have no more friends.” (she laughs) “I’ve been working a lot on double bass and more polyrhythms. I’ve been listening to Chris Adler and watching a lot of DVDs, Tomas Haake as well. I’m trying to go more in those directions with definitely more double bass than we had in Scarlet Sins. I’m practicing about 4-5 hours a day.”
We also talked about her cover of Drop it Like it’s Hot on YouTube. She had her fans wondering if maybe her new direction was Hip Hop. “I would love to play Hip Hop! Music is art. Like painting, you don’t use only one color. I would love to play it at some point...do what Travis Barker did playing remakes. It would be really cool. I actually have a friend in Toronto with whom I’m working. We’re collaborating on one of his songs. But it’s just for fun, nothing serious at this point.”
On the topic of being a female drummer, Elie shares her frustration about the fact that many people are still surprised to hear a women with skills. “I had a conversation about this just last week. Someone made a comment on one of my YouTube videos that I was a girl playing drums. It really annoyed me because there are all these awesome ladies out there playing. So how can this still be an issue in 2010? When I was in school in the beginning playing drums I always felt like I had to work twice as hard as the guys and I didn’t feel I got the same recognition. That feeling eventually went away, maybe because I stopped caring about what they thought.”
She went on to say that some believe that female drummers get way more credit than they deserve simply because they’re a novelty. “That might be true on a promotional level, but you still have to prove yourself once you get noticed. I feel like I have to prove myself all the time. On a professional level, peers aren’t the ones making those comments. It’s either people who don’t know much about music in general, or people in the industry behind the scenes. Often that’s where stuff happens that I feel is unfair to female musicians, not just drummers. People assume it’s not going to be good if you’re a girl band.”
Elie’s excitement about her new band is irrepressible, but reflecting on the end of Scarlet Sins she says “It was sad that we had to make this decision, but we did what we had to do.”
Watch for more Harbinger news from Elie in the months to come on SeeJaneDrum.com. We can’t wait to hear what comes next for this gifted drummer and we wish the band the best of luck.
Learn more about Harbinger and connect with the band with these links:
• Band website: http://www.harbingerofficial.com
• Twitter: @HarbingerNews
• YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/HarbingerTV
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Harbinger/100917199951659
• MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/HarbingerOfficial
Event listing for the Cape Breton International Drum Festival
Auditions are currently underway for vocaists. Inquiries can be made at harbingerofficial@gmail.com
Presse release - April 13, 2010
HARBINGER Featuring Former SCARLET SINS Members To Make Debut At 10th Annual Cape Breton International Drum Festival, Now Seeking Vocalist.
Former SCARLET SINS members Cristina Bishop (guitars) and Elie Bertrand (drums) have resurfaced with a new band, HARBINGER. They will make their debut at the 10th Annual Cape Breton International Drum Festival in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia on May 22nd. Guitarist Bradley Bishop and bassist Jean-Philippe Bourgeois round out the band, the search for a vocalist is currently underway:
“It came together over New Year’s. We were in Montréal and feeling the high of a new city, a new decade,” said guitarist Cristina. “We’ve always had a lot of chemistry as musicians and friends, and working together made so much sense.”
Having spent many hours jamming during downtime from other projects over the last few years, the transition to songwriting was natural.
“I really feel like there’s a great level of sincerity and heart happening here,” said Bradley. “Something I’ve been longing to hear in music for some time.”
Harbinger will make its first official appearance at the Cape Breton International Drum Festival in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia on May 22, 2010. Dubbed “Year of the Legends: Celebrating 10 Years”, Harbinger will share the stage at Savoy Theatre with drummers Roxy Petrucci (VIXEN), Carmine Appice (VANILLA FUDGE, BLUE MURDER) and Chad Wackerman (FRANK ZAPPA) to name a few.
“It’s a huge honour for me to represent Pearl and to play alongside so many legendary players who’ve influenced me,” said drummer Elie. “It’s a really cool first gig for the band and I’m really looking forward to showcasing our songs.”
Auditions are currently underway for vocalists. Inquiries can be made at harbingerofficial@gmail.com.
For more information on Harbinger, visit their website at HarbingerOfficial.com.
HARBINGER Featuring Former SCARLET SINS Members To Make Debut At 10th Annual Cape Breton International Drum Festival, Now Seeking Vocalist.
Former SCARLET SINS members Cristina Bishop (guitars) and Elie Bertrand (drums) have resurfaced with a new band, HARBINGER. They will make their debut at the 10th Annual Cape Breton International Drum Festival in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia on May 22nd. Guitarist Bradley Bishop and bassist Jean-Philippe Bourgeois round out the band, the search for a vocalist is currently underway:
“It came together over New Year’s. We were in Montréal and feeling the high of a new city, a new decade,” said guitarist Cristina. “We’ve always had a lot of chemistry as musicians and friends, and working together made so much sense.”
Having spent many hours jamming during downtime from other projects over the last few years, the transition to songwriting was natural.
“I really feel like there’s a great level of sincerity and heart happening here,” said Bradley. “Something I’ve been longing to hear in music for some time.”
Harbinger will make its first official appearance at the Cape Breton International Drum Festival in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia on May 22, 2010. Dubbed “Year of the Legends: Celebrating 10 Years”, Harbinger will share the stage at Savoy Theatre with drummers Roxy Petrucci (VIXEN), Carmine Appice (VANILLA FUDGE, BLUE MURDER) and Chad Wackerman (FRANK ZAPPA) to name a few.
“It’s a huge honour for me to represent Pearl and to play alongside so many legendary players who’ve influenced me,” said drummer Elie. “It’s a really cool first gig for the band and I’m really looking forward to showcasing our songs.”
Auditions are currently underway for vocalists. Inquiries can be made at harbingerofficial@gmail.com.
For more information on Harbinger, visit their website at HarbingerOfficial.com.
Presse release - April 12, 2010
Montréal, QUÉBEC – Former Scarlet Sins members Cristina Bishop and Elie Bertrand, together with guitarist Bradley Bishop and bassist Jean-Philippe Bourgeois, have announced hard rock project Harbinger.
“It came together over New Year’s. We were in Montréal and feeling the high of a new city, a new decade,” said guitarist Cristina. “We’ve always had a lot of chemistry as musicians and friends, and working together made so much sense.”
Having spent many hours jamming during downtime from other projects over the last few years, the transition to songwriting was natural.
“I really feel like there’s a great level of sincerity and heart happening here,” said Bradley. “Something I’ve been longing to hear in music for some time.”
Harbinger will make its first official appearance at the Cape Breton International Drum Festival in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia on May 22, 2010. Dubbed “Year of the Legends: Celebrating 10 Years”, Harbinger will share the stage at Savoy Theatre with drummers Roxy Petrucci (Vixen), Carmine Appice (Rod Stewart) and Chad Wackerman (Frank Zappa) to name a few.
“It’s a huge honour for me to represent Pearl and to play alongside so many legendary players who influenced me,” said drummer Elie. “It’s a really cool first gig for the band and I’m really looking forward to showcasing our songs.”
Auditions are currently underway for vocalists. Inquiries can be made at harbingerofficial@gmail.com.
For more information on Harbinger, visit their website and social networks:
www.harbingerofficial.com
Twitter@HarbingerNews
YouTube
Facebook
MySpace
For more information on the Cape Breton International Drum Festival, visit the official site: www.capebretoninternationaldrumfestival.com
Media inquiries:
Harbinger - harbingerofficial@gmail.com
Cape Breton International Drum Festival
Bruce Aitken – t: 902-727-2337 | e: bruce_cbidrumfest@yahoo.com
Montréal, QUÉBEC – Former Scarlet Sins members Cristina Bishop and Elie Bertrand, together with guitarist Bradley Bishop and bassist Jean-Philippe Bourgeois, have announced hard rock project Harbinger.
“It came together over New Year’s. We were in Montréal and feeling the high of a new city, a new decade,” said guitarist Cristina. “We’ve always had a lot of chemistry as musicians and friends, and working together made so much sense.”
Having spent many hours jamming during downtime from other projects over the last few years, the transition to songwriting was natural.
“I really feel like there’s a great level of sincerity and heart happening here,” said Bradley. “Something I’ve been longing to hear in music for some time.”
Harbinger will make its first official appearance at the Cape Breton International Drum Festival in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia on May 22, 2010. Dubbed “Year of the Legends: Celebrating 10 Years”, Harbinger will share the stage at Savoy Theatre with drummers Roxy Petrucci (Vixen), Carmine Appice (Rod Stewart) and Chad Wackerman (Frank Zappa) to name a few.
“It’s a huge honour for me to represent Pearl and to play alongside so many legendary players who influenced me,” said drummer Elie. “It’s a really cool first gig for the band and I’m really looking forward to showcasing our songs.”
Auditions are currently underway for vocalists. Inquiries can be made at harbingerofficial@gmail.com.
For more information on Harbinger, visit their website and social networks:
www.harbingerofficial.com
Twitter@HarbingerNews
YouTube
MySpace
For more information on the Cape Breton International Drum Festival, visit the official site: www.capebretoninternationaldrumfestival.com
Media inquiries:
Harbinger - harbingerofficial@gmail.com
Cape Breton International Drum Festival
Bruce Aitken – t: 902-727-2337 | e: bruce_cbidrumfest@yahoo.com
2009 – June
Presse release - June 25, 2009
Scarlet Sins’ Elie Bertrand
Hello, Modern Drummers! I’m writing to you live from the T Dot, a.k.a. Toronto. I just came back from a wicked rehearsal. We just finished writing a few songs. I’m so stoked to go into the studio! Second album on the way, woohoo!
Let me introduce myself. My name is Elie Bertrand. I play drums in a hard rock/metal band called Scarlet Sins. I’ve been playing ever since my parents got me my first drumset at the age of five. Luckily, they’re also musicians, so they’ve always supported me and introduced me to different styles.
Throughout the years, I learned various styles (funk, blues, rock, Latin, and all that jazz), but always loved rock. I got my first professional gig at the age of fourteen. It was an old rock and blues band. We played everything from the Rolling Stones to Z.Z. Top, Janis, and Susan Tedeschi. It was awesome. I had so much fun with them. I also filled in on some corporate gigs.
I finally met my girls on MySpace (thanks, Tom, I owe you one!) when I was seventeen. Right after prom, I moved from my hometown, Montreal, to join Scarlet Sins on 07-07-07 (lucky). Since then we’ve released our debut album, which was really well received all around the world; made it onto the 2009 Grammy Awards short lists four times; opened for Mötley Crüe; shared the stage with several talented female and female-fronted bands such as Vixen, Iron Maidens, and Benedictum at Seattle’s Power Box Festival; and toured a lot here in Canada. Now we’re writing our second album, getting ready to go back on the road and conquer the world! Yay!
I play a black-sparkle six-piece Pearl Reference kit. I love this baby! (I got a 20x22 kick–OMG! Best decision ever. Thanks to my drum tech, Johnny Rowe, for the idea!) I also use Sabian cymbals. I change my setup all the time, but right now I use an AAX XPlosion 18" (my favorite crash ever), 14" AA Metal hats, a 10" HHX splash, a 19" AA medium thin crash, a 20" AAX Dark crash (so heavy, so sweet), a 19" V-Vault crash, 14" AA Rock hats, and an 18" HHX Chinese. Also, I use the Evans drumheads (G2 coated and EQ3) and Los Cabos drumsticks (3A white hickory).
Hit me up on MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, or whatever else…and we’ll talk about drums! Thanks for reading my blog. It’s an honor to be featured in Modern Drummer!
Take care, drummer freaks! TTYS!
Love,
el
Scarlet Sins’ Elie Bertrand
Hello, Modern Drummers! I’m writing to you live from the T Dot, a.k.a. Toronto. I just came back from a wicked rehearsal. We just finished writing a few songs. I’m so stoked to go into the studio! Second album on the way, woohoo!
Let me introduce myself. My name is Elie Bertrand. I play drums in a hard rock/metal band called Scarlet Sins. I’ve been playing ever since my parents got me my first drumset at the age of five. Luckily, they’re also musicians, so they’ve always supported me and introduced me to different styles.
Throughout the years, I learned various styles (funk, blues, rock, Latin, and all that jazz), but always loved rock. I got my first professional gig at the age of fourteen. It was an old rock and blues band. We played everything from the Rolling Stones to Z.Z. Top, Janis, and Susan Tedeschi. It was awesome. I had so much fun with them. I also filled in on some corporate gigs.
I finally met my girls on MySpace (thanks, Tom, I owe you one!) when I was seventeen. Right after prom, I moved from my hometown, Montreal, to join Scarlet Sins on 07-07-07 (lucky). Since then we’ve released our debut album, which was really well received all around the world; made it onto the 2009 Grammy Awards short lists four times; opened for Mötley Crüe; shared the stage with several talented female and female-fronted bands such as Vixen, Iron Maidens, and Benedictum at Seattle’s Power Box Festival; and toured a lot here in Canada. Now we’re writing our second album, getting ready to go back on the road and conquer the world! Yay!
I play a black-sparkle six-piece Pearl Reference kit. I love this baby! (I got a 20x22 kick–OMG! Best decision ever. Thanks to my drum tech, Johnny Rowe, for the idea!) I also use Sabian cymbals. I change my setup all the time, but right now I use an AAX XPlosion 18" (my favorite crash ever), 14" AA Metal hats, a 10" HHX splash, a 19" AA medium thin crash, a 20" AAX Dark crash (so heavy, so sweet), a 19" V-Vault crash, 14" AA Rock hats, and an 18" HHX Chinese. Also, I use the Evans drumheads (G2 coated and EQ3) and Los Cabos drumsticks (3A white hickory).
Hit me up on MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, or whatever else…and we’ll talk about drums! Thanks for reading my blog. It’s an honor to be featured in Modern Drummer!
Take care, drummer freaks! TTYS!
Love,
el
Presse release - June 22, 2009
SSCARLET SINS – Let Us Prey (Chapter 3)
Montreal-born drummer Elie Bertrand is the push that made Scarlet Sins move.
Taking nothing away from her bandmates of course, who recorded the debut album with the very capable John Pacheco (Fall And Divide) behind the kit as a session drummer, but Bertrand’s entrance solidified Scarlet Sins’ direction and enabled them to take their music to the next level. The fact she was a mere 17-years-old when she auditioned (in 2007) mattered very little once the band heard and saw her in action
“Well, I didn’t tell them how old I was, but I didn’t lie either,” laughs Bertrand. “They didn’t ask me at first so I didn’t say anything. I think it was Cris that finally asked me how old I was so of course I told her, and I guess the girls weren’t expecting anything from me because I was so young. I mean, John was playing drums before I was even born (laughs). But I’m here, so I guess the age thing really wasn’t a big deal. I sent the video of to them of me playing, and then I drove down to Toronto with my dad for the audition, so they never made a big fuss about it.”
Bertrand reveals that, like bassist Tanya Nicklaus, she wasn’t looking for a band. If anything, she can blame her father for getting the ball rolling.
“It’s kind of weird how it happened. My dad saw that Scarlet Sins was looking for a drummer and he played me the music just for fun, and I really liked it. So, Tanya and I exchanged emails and that’s really how it started. The thing was, my future was kind of planned out because I knew where I was going. I was accepted to the best college for music in Quebec (Cegep Saint-Laurent in Montreal) – picked as the top drummer in the whole province, which was wicked – but when I met the girls I just didn’t care anymore. I loved the girls, I loved the music, the girls knew where they were going, and it just felt right. It felt like I had to be part of it.”
“It’s funny because prior to knowing Scarlet Sins even existed, in the back of my mind I knew I wouldn’t go to college,” Bertrand adds. “At least not as things had been planned. My parents were cool with it because they’re musicians as well, and at one point my mom was making a living making music. They still want me to go back to school – I got The Lecture and all that (laughs) – but they’re really supportive. I’m very lucky to have that, for sure. They’ve always been there for me. My dad drove me down to Toronto twice for the auditions and helped me move down here. It was hard, but I think they knew it was the right thing for me. I think they knew that if they said no I’d just do it anyway.”
While vocalist Sylvya NuVynska can be considered Scarlet Sins’ seasoned veteran, having done several years on the circuit with Surface Underground, Bertrand cut her teeth as a live performer at an age when most girls are concerned with coordinating their newest outfit with their favourite chewing gum.
“I was really lucky in that my parents are musicians, so I was surrounded by musicians growing up. I started playing drums ‘professionally’ in bars when I was about 14, so I gained a lot of experience by doing that. I think that’s a major reason why I’m able to play in Scarlet Sins, and I don’t think I’d be at the level I’m at if I didn’t have that experience. There’s so much to learn before you feel comfortable on stage, and the other girls had been together for so long, but my background gave me what I needed to do this.”
According to Nicklaus, an added requirement for Bertrand joining the band outside the personal chemistry and musical ability was trading her native French for English as her first language. At least for band-related activities.
“Oh yeah, that was brutal (laughs). That was even before I moved. I did my audition, got the gig, a couple weeks later I flew down to do a photo shoot, and after 24 hours of this lady playing with my hair Tanya tells me ‘We’re not speaking French anymore because you need to practice your English.’ It was hard but it was good, and I think she did the right thing.”
Not that French is taboo in the Scarlet Sins camp. Bertrand and Nicklaus do interviews in their French as required and the ladies have been known to fall back into the language in party situations. Out of necessity…
“We just do it to piss off Sylvya (laughs). Cris speaks French too and Sylvya used to hate French class in school because she had horrible teachers. Our new soundman is also French Canadian so it’s pretty hilarious when we get her going. She’s my big sister, I have to make her life rough. That’s in my job description.”
Despite being a trained musician, entering the world of Scarlet Sins and metal in general was an eye-opening experience for Bertrand. You wouldn’t know it by listening, but in some ways she had to go back to square one and approach the drums as a new discipline.
“To be honest it was a big challenge,” says Bertrand. “I come from a funk and pop rock background, I didn’t even own a double bass pedal before Scarlet Sins, so it was a lot of work. I practiced the songs on my own for a good three to four months before we rehearsed together, and then the four of us rehearsed for a full month before our first show together. I’d never, ever played anything like Scarlet Sins’ music before so it was really hard, but at the same time I wanted to make the songs mine. The process that I went through, I played the songs exactly how they were recorded and then with time I put some of me in there. The biggest challenge was to keep the essence of the album while I was doing that.”
Was it intimidating at all having a finished album in your face as an example of what the band needed in a drummer and realizing you had to follow Pacheco’s example?
“No, because I’m not like that,” states Betrand. “I think I can do anything, I wanted it, so I just went after it and did my best. When I really want something I work for it, so I didn’t have any doubts, but I definitely had to change my enire lifestyle. I had to start working out just to be able to keep up and do the full set; I run 5 km every day just to be able to play drums, not because I like it (laughs).”
Now a seasoned Scarlet Sins veteran, Bertrand is focused on the writing for the band’s all-important second album. She echoes Nicklaus in stating that fans can expect something bigger and brasher than the debut now that they have a hand in shaping the new songs.
“We’ve written a few songs that just came together from jamming and fucking around after some wine (laughs). Some of it has been really random but it’s worked out really well. I’d only ever written songs in school in the context of a class project, so there was a formula that you used. It kind of sucked the way math does. Real life is different. We’re not writing pop music so there’s a different approach, and I was actually worried about that, but things have turned out really well. I love the new songs and I’m really excited about the next album. We’ve been listening to a lot of Lamb Of God and Killswitch Engage so that’s going to show in the next album for sure. Also, I come from a different background than John, so that’s going to show as well. It’s going to be wicked.”
- “metal or die” photo by Alexandra Feuchtinger
- Elie and Sylvya photo by Darko Danic
- glamour photo by Miz Monday
- live photo by Carl Begai
SSCARLET SINS – Let Us Prey (Chapter 3)
Montreal-born drummer Elie Bertrand is the push that made Scarlet Sins move.
Taking nothing away from her bandmates of course, who recorded the debut album with the very capable John Pacheco (Fall And Divide) behind the kit as a session drummer, but Bertrand’s entrance solidified Scarlet Sins’ direction and enabled them to take their music to the next level. The fact she was a mere 17-years-old when she auditioned (in 2007) mattered very little once the band heard and saw her in action
“Well, I didn’t tell them how old I was, but I didn’t lie either,” laughs Bertrand. “They didn’t ask me at first so I didn’t say anything. I think it was Cris that finally asked me how old I was so of course I told her, and I guess the girls weren’t expecting anything from me because I was so young. I mean, John was playing drums before I was even born (laughs). But I’m here, so I guess the age thing really wasn’t a big deal. I sent the video of to them of me playing, and then I drove down to Toronto with my dad for the audition, so they never made a big fuss about it.”
Bertrand reveals that, like bassist Tanya Nicklaus, she wasn’t looking for a band. If anything, she can blame her father for getting the ball rolling.
“It’s kind of weird how it happened. My dad saw that Scarlet Sins was looking for a drummer and he played me the music just for fun, and I really liked it. So, Tanya and I exchanged emails and that’s really how it started. The thing was, my future was kind of planned out because I knew where I was going. I was accepted to the best college for music in Quebec (Cegep Saint-Laurent in Montreal) – picked as the top drummer in the whole province, which was wicked – but when I met the girls I just didn’t care anymore. I loved the girls, I loved the music, the girls knew where they were going, and it just felt right. It felt like I had to be part of it.”
“It’s funny because prior to knowing Scarlet Sins even existed, in the back of my mind I knew I wouldn’t go to college,” Bertrand adds. “At least not as things had been planned. My parents were cool with it because they’re musicians as well, and at one point my mom was making a living making music. They still want me to go back to school – I got The Lecture and all that (laughs) – but they’re really supportive. I’m very lucky to have that, for sure. They’ve always been there for me. My dad drove me down to Toronto twice for the auditions and helped me move down here. It was hard, but I think they knew it was the right thing for me. I think they knew that if they said no I’d just do it anyway.”
While vocalist Sylvya NuVynska can be considered Scarlet Sins’ seasoned veteran, having done several years on the circuit with Surface Underground, Bertrand cut her teeth as a live performer at an age when most girls are concerned with coordinating their newest outfit with their favourite chewing gum.
“I was really lucky in that my parents are musicians, so I was surrounded by musicians growing up. I started playing drums ‘professionally’ in bars when I was about 14, so I gained a lot of experience by doing that. I think that’s a major reason why I’m able to play in Scarlet Sins, and I don’t think I’d be at the level I’m at if I didn’t have that experience. There’s so much to learn before you feel comfortable on stage, and the other girls had been together for so long, but my background gave me what I needed to do this.”
According to Nicklaus, an added requirement for Bertrand joining the band outside the personal chemistry and musical ability was trading her native French for English as her first language. At least for band-related activities.
“Oh yeah, that was brutal (laughs). That was even before I moved. I did my audition, got the gig, a couple weeks later I flew down to do a photo shoot, and after 24 hours of this lady playing with my hair Tanya tells me ‘We’re not speaking French anymore because you need to practice your English.’ It was hard but it was good, and I think she did the right thing.”
Not that French is taboo in the Scarlet Sins camp. Bertrand and Nicklaus do interviews in their French as required and the ladies have been known to fall back into the language in party situations. Out of necessity…
“We just do it to piss off Sylvya (laughs). Cris speaks French too and Sylvya used to hate French class in school because she had horrible teachers. Our new soundman is also French Canadian so it’s pretty hilarious when we get her going. She’s my big sister, I have to make her life rough. That’s in my job description.”
Despite being a trained musician, entering the world of Scarlet Sins and metal in general was an eye-opening experience for Bertrand. You wouldn’t know it by listening, but in some ways she had to go back to square one and approach the drums as a new discipline.
“To be honest it was a big challenge,” says Bertrand. “I come from a funk and pop rock background, I didn’t even own a double bass pedal before Scarlet Sins, so it was a lot of work. I practiced the songs on my own for a good three to four months before we rehearsed together, and then the four of us rehearsed for a full month before our first show together. I’d never, ever played anything like Scarlet Sins’ music before so it was really hard, but at the same time I wanted to make the songs mine. The process that I went through, I played the songs exactly how they were recorded and then with time I put some of me in there. The biggest challenge was to keep the essence of the album while I was doing that.”
Was it intimidating at all having a finished album in your face as an example of what the band needed in a drummer and realizing you had to follow Pacheco’s example?
“No, because I’m not like that,” states Betrand. “I think I can do anything, I wanted it, so I just went after it and did my best. When I really want something I work for it, so I didn’t have any doubts, but I definitely had to change my enire lifestyle. I had to start working out just to be able to keep up and do the full set; I run 5 km every day just to be able to play drums, not because I like it (laughs).”
Now a seasoned Scarlet Sins veteran, Bertrand is focused on the writing for the band’s all-important second album. She echoes Nicklaus in stating that fans can expect something bigger and brasher than the debut now that they have a hand in shaping the new songs.
“We’ve written a few songs that just came together from jamming and fucking around after some wine (laughs). Some of it has been really random but it’s worked out really well. I’d only ever written songs in school in the context of a class project, so there was a formula that you used. It kind of sucked the way math does. Real life is different. We’re not writing pop music so there’s a different approach, and I was actually worried about that, but things have turned out really well. I love the new songs and I’m really excited about the next album. We’ve been listening to a lot of Lamb Of God and Killswitch Engage so that’s going to show in the next album for sure. Also, I come from a different background than John, so that’s going to show as well. It’s going to be wicked.”
- “metal or die” photo by Alexandra Feuchtinger
- Elie and Sylvya photo by Darko Danic
- glamour photo by Miz Monday
- live photo by Carl Begai
