Dame guitarist Alicia Stead, a new addition to the band, was twelve when she got into music and started to play really heavily. The track was ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’ off of Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’ album.
You think it might be odd hearing that such a recent album had an early onset infulence, but the girls of DAME are barely breaching their mid-teens.  Stead says she also  “like[s] a lot of Stevie Ray Vaughan and a lot of blues stuff and some classic rock.”  She is also a fan of  Queen and Led Zeppelin of course.  Her band mate drummer Kayla Faye mentions how the group members  parents had a huge impact in that, “because growing up that’s all we listened to.” Faye recalls  childhood memories, “I remember going on long road trips and just listening to like the sound of Simon and Garfunkel.” The girls’ friend, lead singer and bassist, Katee Lee, explained that she likes anything Pink Floyd,  and is a fan of their ‘Animals’ record.  Lee became interested in music thanks to her father figure Dennis Fox, (whom the group penned the song  ‘Intervention’ about) and was taught the bass by her brother Nick, (the guitarist of the rock band Dali Circus). The members of DAME are still growing up.

Last year at the 4th Toronto Independent Music Awards, the band took home awards for Best Alternative Rock Band and Best Song (tying for “Intervention”, which was the title track off the group’s EP and ‘Cyclops’).  They worked on the tracks with Haydain Neale of Jacksoul.  Lee and Faye agree that working with him “was a blast” and “he definitely was an incredible teacher and exceptional role model,” informed Lee.

When listening to such tracks as ‘Bad Weather Friend’ or ‘Intervention’ the technique of imagery is noticeable. The style wasn’t there from day one. “We did try around,” explained Lee adding, “that’s what Haydain did, he trained us.” He helped us find our direction”.

The trio’s musical education came in handy on May 3, when more than 200 people gathered for a benefit held at The Revival Bar to support continuing the education of students in Tanzania. Aside from Dame, the event in question for the Brighten Our Future campaign featured the band “Pop Cherry”, musicians, “Andrew Cole” as well as “Doug Horner” and Matt Easter’s U2 tribute band Us20 according to Emily Mallett, the International Director, for the cause.  She spoke about whom else was on hand that evening.  Tamsir Seck, followed by advocate for South African orphans, singer & Juno nominated songwriter Glenn Marais.

Four years ago Mallett went to Tanzania and met Thadeus Mutarubukwa who at the time was a staffer for World Vision. Mutarubukwa oversees the Bukoba based Gerladina Orphanage and Education Centre that he began. The night of the concert $5,000.00 was brought in and the organization is still accepting funds according to her.

The money will be doing a lot of good.

“Last year, through external fundraising, we were able to register over 100 children in school and provide these associated materials; however, this year, the money for the associated materials and also for those continuing to secondary school is running out - so I decided to organize a big fundraiser, to keep these children in school,” explained Mallett who was introduced to the group by “a mutual good friend.”

She thinks highly of the group and refers to “Lee’s voice (as) simply remarkable - she has amazing strength and passion when she sings - and her band are the perfect compliment to that power. Katee, Kayla and Alicia are three really talented people”.

Mallet, described the first Dame gig she ever went too saying,” I was left speechless…literally!”

The band may have changed a member but Faye, considers that as the start of a“ new beginning” with Lee agreeing.  Earlier in the interview the drummer for Dame discussed last year’s events.

“We won the awards and then we lost our original guitarist but luckily we found Ali.  We strongly believe everything happens for a reason. And things are moving along pretty smoothly now and things are working out great.” After the loss of Dame’s guitarist, Faye and Lee looked for the perfect replacement over a period of  “three or four months,” Lee explained as she described that time as “hectic” and later said that she and Faye “went through a hard time.”However, Faye tells how they “kept it together just kind of writing some ideas”. The majority of the time was spent searching out the new member. “Mostly we were looking for guitarists who fit the part and just auditioning them”.

So how did Stead join the group?

The remaining members of Dame put together an advertisement, which she answered.  informed Faye. Lee and she took a trip up to Stead’s home where they visited with her according to Faye. During this time the girls, “jammed out and it fit so perfectly together,” she said.Upon meeting they composed an acoustic piece, according to Stead who pointed out that, “We wrote right away.”  She believes during “the second or third practice we wrote a song called ‘Customers of Crime,’ explained the guitarist. 
According to Lee the group had “almost” finished composing the song after that one practice”. While Stead didn’t seem to have any trouble fitting in, a few of the aspects of life as a band were new.“I had never been really in an original band before,” she explained though according to her she had previously been in band that played covers. Stead also had not penned material. “It was kind of different to jump into a band that’s already starting to go somewhere and to start just like writing songs because I’ve never written before”, she admits.
Dame has recently won The Search For The Next Cutting Edge Band on April 24 of this year and will be performing on the main stage of the Cutting Edge Music Festival at Bingemans Fun Park, in Kitchener early in August.  Swing on by www. cemf.com for additional details and announcements.

“Winning the whole thing was obviously pretty cool,” says Stead about the experience    noting “There were a lot of great bands there so it was definitely a real tough competition, but it was fun too. “However it could be said that while Dame was victorious a few weeks ago the most recent champions are the children who will be supported by the dollars brought in by the Brighten Our Future event and the paying concertgoers.

Mallett referred to the group’s set as “definitely a crowd pleaser”, before concluding that “The reaction of the crowd to Dame’s performance was very reminiscent of when I first saw them - mouths wide open in awe and a rapturous applause”.  During the evening the group not only played their own music, according to Mallett but also what she said was a “brilliant cover” of Hendrix’s ‘Little Wing’.

Dame seems willing to help benefits take flight.  They have done a great deal of charity events, including several for breast cancer and consider it important to further causes.“We have people coming out from all over Ontario coming to support us, I mean the least we can do is play a benefit show and you know not get any profit from it but at least we see smiles on peoples’ faces because it was a great show, great turnout and we raised lots of money for whatever cause we were playing for and it just really brightens your day knowing that you did something good for other people,” remarked Faye after Lee said, “the event’s going to be a great way to raise money for people who deserve it. They need it.”

To find out more about the Gerladina Orphanage individuals can look up both www.gerladina.com, and www.brightenourfuture.org according to Mallett

“There is a Facebook group called ‘Friends of Gerladina Orphanage in Tanzania.’  I also encourage people to get in touch with me directly as I am always working on events and am able to point those interested in the right direction,” she said. Mallett was also pleased with the band’s views regarding giving back to the community and gave her thoughts on labeling youth.

“These stereotypes simply aren’t true,” she explained when discussing Faye and Lee comments regarding assisting the organization. “Both the girls and their fans have been incredibly supportive of this initiative.” She later said, “I am further inspired by Dame’s enthusiasm and compassion for this cause.” One of the ways Dame has gotten the word out according to Mallett is by using “MySpace and Facebook pages”.

To be kept up to date on Dame, logon to www.myspace.com/dameband or join them on Facebook- keywords Dame Brampton.

When asked about the importance of viral marketing to get musical material out to listeners’ when bands are not really that well-known and just coming up,  Stead said, “The promotion (of) the internet is so huge” with Faye agreeing with her and pointing out that ‘”specially with things like Facebook, you can keep people up-to-date with literally a post of everything about your music.”

One of their fans happens to be George Stroumboulopoulos both of The Hour and The Strombo Show. Dame has been a guest on his radio show and he has mentioned the band and raved about Lee’s singing ability on television. In January of last year the band was featured in a segment for ET Canada and two years ago another publication compared them to Rush, which Faye calls “a big name to look up to”, referring to the popular Canadian band.  “We are a three piece but Rush, man, that’s a big friggin’…world’s best drummer (Neil Peart) in a lot of peoples’ opinions.”

Three years ago Dame won the Brampton’s Best Band award when Lee and Faye were in their early teens and last year they won the Brampton’s Citizens Arts Acclaim Award. 
Their song, ‘Intervention’ was featured in a trailer for the Apoxalipstix comic book created by Ray Fawkes. The group’s management discovered the possible opportunity   after reading the paper, according to Lee.  “She found him and sent him an email about us. They contacted us immediately to play at the launch party”.

When thinking about the people in their lives that have helped them succeed Stead and Lee mentioned the assistance of the group’s parental factor. “Couldn’t have been done without them,” says Lee adding “who would take us to the shows? Who orders t-shirts?” Stead agreed, adding “and the support from all friends and family”.  Earlier during the conversation Faye said, “We definitely need everybody else’s support not only the music,” later on brought up “the fans.”

Lee believes Dame  “are very blessed to have an ever growing support team. People see our show or hear our music and almost always contact us to see if they can volunteer to help us in any way. They really dig the music (and) want us to succeed.  Our fans are amazing.”  Later, both girls thanked them ”for the support and wait for more (music)”, they said.

So how do the ladies envision the next year? Both Faye and Lee have thoughts on this matter with both agreeing that an album is a goal of theirs. “Writing an album and recording it,” says Faye while Lee believes that having “even a new EP right now you know” she mentioned, “ would be really cool to go tour for like three weeks in summer-just go with the band on the road, but at the same time we need to get focused on getting new material with Alicia and getting back (to) top notch”.

The band is aware that they need to get things together before they can go out especially this early in their career because if something’s not right, “you got to fix it right away” said Faye while Lee agreed.

They also noticed the careers of musicians such as Led Zeppelin front man “Robert Plant,” (whom all three would like to meet); Faye and Lee acknowledged that the group influenced them into getting into music.

Plant, age 60, won the Grammy along with Alison Krauss for their record ‘Raising Sand’. The joint project also won additional awards at the 51st annual ceremony.   “Doesn’t matter man,” says Lee when asked about Plant’s impressive win despite his age.

“Well, (The Rolling) Stones are like that right too. They’re still like going crazy, that guy’s (Mick Jagger) going to die on stage. That’s awesome. I want to die on stage,” she says.

“That’s how I want to be- just like, playing until my death bed,” says Faye with Lee agreeing and saying,  “That’d be so awesome.” Later in the interview, Faye summed up the feelings Dame has about what they do when she said, “I’m going to play music until I possibly can’t anymore”.

So for fans that may be worried about the music style changing you need not worry too much. “We have a good mixture of influences coming together to bring us a fresh new sound”, Stead pointed out. Later she asked Lee her opinion, “The music’s going to be a bit different right?” with the lead singer commenting,  “but not too different, just a little bit with a cherry on top”.