This time on NAS 10 Questions we get to know Upwood Avenue. Many of us are already very familiar with the legend that is Ed Corrado, a Canada-based artist who has featured many a “Time” on the NAS Top 20 and is a long-standing member of the community, however, it may have slipped under your radar that he is back now with Upwood Avenue along with Piero Minelli and let me tell you, these “Two Souls” (You see what I’m doing, right?!) are bringing the indie soft rock vibes with clear influences like Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, and The Clash to name but a few. They have also re-released the above-mentioned classics, so be sure to add them to your rotation.
Please go check out their awesome newest track
“Sunday Morning Fight (About Saturday Night)” which is also available on NAS playlists.
Link To New Artist Spotlight Playlists:
https://www.newartistspotlight.org/playlists
1. Tell us a little about where you are from and what you are currently doing.
Piero: Originally born and raised in Toronto but I’m now currently living in Port McNicoll. Balancing playing live with like-minded musicians and staying creative with the original music.
Ed: We were both born in Toronto on a street called Upwood Avenue, Piero moved away when he was in his late teens. We have kept in touch and have been in numerous bands since.
We’ve been keeping busy recording and playing as much as possible.
2. What inspired you to start playing and making music?
Piero: I guess it could fall firmly into the category of teenage angst. When I first became “aware” that music was going to be an important part of my life, it was rebellious and it was able to speak to the things that were happening inside of me. Also, it was a way to be accepted by a large amount of people without actually seeking out acceptance.
Ed: Nothing ever moved me like music could. When I am down I can put a song on and I feel better. This was doubly important when I was young because being a guy it was hard for me to share my feelings. Through playing music I could express what I was feeling.
𝟯. Who are your biggest influences?
Piero: The Clash, Pete Townshend, Peter Gabriel, The Beatles and Pink Floyd to name a few
Ed: I’m on board for all of them as well.
4. What are your goals in the music industry?
Piero: My biggest goal would be to get people to listen. In today’s society, people’s attention span has been reduced to how quickly they can scroll down a page. So my main focus has to be to get an audience’s attention.
Ed: It used to be to take over the world but Aging has mellowed me, I want to have as many people listen to our songs as possible. So I’d like all 7.951 Billion people on Earth to hear them. As I said age has mellowed me.
5. Tell us about your creative process when you make new music.
Piero: In my personal experience it usually starts out with a lyric sung over a melody. It’s one of those things where if it sounds good, the song pretty much writes itself. Sometimes I find myself unable to write the lyrics fast enough because they’re flowing from my mind so quickly. That’s when I know I’ve got something worthy of exploring further
Ed: Yes, sometimes it just trying to focus it so it’s in a kind of order and sometimes it’s like forcing a square peg into a round hole. Both work.
“…do not create music for anyone other than yourself,”
6. What is your all-time favorite song?
Piero: Oh my! There are too many to list. I’d have to say London Calling by The Clash, Baba O’Reily by The Who, I Am The Walrus by The Beatles and Dogs by Pink Floyd Ed: Piero nailed it for me as well but I’ll add Bakers Street by Gerry Rafferty. That guitar lead is the pinnacle for me.
7. What is the best advice you have either given or received in terms of music?
Piero: Best advice I ever received is twofold, do not create music for anyone other than yourself, and always think big.
Ed: I read this from Eddie Van Halen and it’s perfect so I thought I’d steal it. ‘keep paddling through. Don’t stop and don’t let the audience know you made a mistake. Or, smile and do it twice, then people will think you meant it!’
8. Proudest accomplishment?
Piero: To date, our song “If I Was God”
Ed: My proudest accomplishment is always the one I’m currently working on because it embodies my latest growth and creative evolution. So, if you want to know what my proudest achievement is, you’ll just have to wait and see.
9. Just for fun! What’s been your most embarrassing moment so far?
Piero: Not bringing a second bass guitar to a show and then breaking a string on the only bass I have available to me.
Ed: Completely blanking on a song, and waiting for my brain to kick back in. That was brutal.
𝟭0. Tell us about your lowest and highest points in music so far.
Ed: Lowest point was probably at the beginning of releasing music when no one seemed to care, but that is just a matter of hanging in there and realizing that you have to find your niche and not expect friends to fill that for you.
Piero: My highest point was listening to our song played several times on a local radio station. That’s something I never thought I’d ever hear
Ed: That was a pretty amazing feeling. Being of an older generation radio was always the Everest. If you ever got on radio you’ve made it so to hear our music being played multiple times on radio was exhilarating.
Stream “Sunday Morning Fight (About Saturday Night)” now
https://open.spotify.com/track/1mw9rMpGKLTK87W4T0w2j7?si=2101de6a13ba4e95
and follow their socials
https://www.facebook.com/UpwoodAvenue
https://www.instagram.com/upwoodavenue
https://www.tiktok.com/@upwoodavenue
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