On July 17th, Bad Breed released their second album, The Bad Breed in Ferocious Love on Lizard Snake Records.
The Toronto-based, six piece, funk, rock, garage, soul band are influenced by Curtis Mayfield, Betty Davis, The Meters, Stevie Wonder, and Led Zeppelin. Coming in at eight tracks, the album incorporates rock, funk, and soul influences together. Bad Breed are Katherine Wilson, Maylin Ortega, Oscar Tang, Mark Hundevad, Brea Scott, and Mike Gribben.
Gribben, vocalist, lyricist, and drummer, has played with The Killer Elite and Grasshopper, and he's had a tough year. The album takes themes of personal tragedy, all the way through to the other side of spectrum, embracing love and joy. This record also marks the return of Gribben performing on drums, having given up the instrument due to anxiety.
The group has no "lead singer". The with lead vocals changing based on the strength of the individual and the best fit with the songs. This combination makes for endless vocal possibilities.
Below is the premiere of their acoustic version of make me prove it.
"This record begins with me facing the sobering reality of the death of my best friend and partner of 30 years. Coming out of an extended period of depression and despair where I thought nothing could possibly change, suddenly this love and joy presented itself and I was able to accept it into my life and it changed everything." -Mike
Thanks to Mike and Brea for sitting down and doing a round of 5 Quick Questions with us.
Bad Breed 5 Quick Questions
"I reached out to Katherine first when I just had an idea for one song. She and I sat in her apartment and wrote As Promised together on her keyboard. Our voices just sounded so great together and the experience was so easy and rewarding that it just turned into a partnership for the project."
Cuban-born Maylin Ortega brings an effortless funk to the bass and vocals. Her boundless positivity influenced the project heavily.
"Connecting with Maylin for this project really brought a lot of things into focus. She's a positivity coach and so much of the way she lives her daily life ended up seeping its way into the album."
Oscar Tang is an exceptionally talented guitar player who specializes in blues and R&B.
"I've played with Oscar for about 20 years and collaborating with him is so simple and exhilarating."
Mark Hundevad plays vibes, piano, and keyboard on the album. He's got a rich history in the Toronto jazz community.
"Mark did amazing work on this album. He came up with a gorgeous introduction to As Promised. I was really into the idea of having jazz represented on this album as well because there's just so much joy in what these guys play."
Last to the fold was singer Brea Scott.
"One of my best friends is an English teacher and Brea used to be one of his students. We got introduced I found out she could sing and she just fit in so well with everybody. She's another ray of light. She's just got so much energy and she's just a joy to be around and she fits with the rest of our voices perfectly." - Mike
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