Green Calico

Story

Green Calico is a new project by multi-instrumentalist composer Justin Guzzwell. Originally from Newfoundland, Justin relocated to Montreal in 2010 after receiving a Bachelor of Music in Theory and Composition. He spent the following years in creative exploration, performing in various alternative and experimental music groups (Syngja, People On Pause, Blasted), while expanding his boundaries through other collaborative efforts (the "New Spring" multi-disciplinary residency in Iceland in 2017). A multi-faceted musician and piano teacher, he was shortlisted for the Gonzervatory in 2017 (a creative workshop/residency hosted by famed composer and performer Chilly Gonzales), and had the opportunity to adjudicate the junior piano competition at the 2018 Kiwanis Music Festival in central Newfoundland (where he performed as a kid). The summer of 2019 was spent touring across Canada with Syngja, something they almost delayed until 2020 (and are grateful they didn't), promoting their album "Echoing Rose". In fall 2019 Justin co-composed the soundtrack for the documentary "Sister's: Dream & Variations". Green Calico has emerged as Justin's primary output for self-produced solo material (he has previously released 6 DIY solo albums under his own name), while the world of performing musicians continues to restructure and reimagine itself

Profile

• Musician
• Producer
• Songwriter
• Beatmaker

Instruments

• Beatmaker
• Piano
• Keyboard
• Singer

Genres

• Electronic
• Indie
• Electro
• Pop
• Synthpop

Influences

• Lee "scratch" Perry
• Lafawndah
• Syd Barrett
• Chilly Gonzales
• Bjork
• Kraftwerk
• Charli Xcx

Equipment

• Midi
• Yamaha Cs5
• Casio Keyboard
• Izotope
• Logic Pro X
• Baby Grand Piano

Languages

• English
• French

What is music to you? What does it give you?

Primordial void for cathartic expression and emotional exploration

What is your music dream?

Finding a balance between creating and eating

If you could change the world - what would you start with?

No one goes unfed, no one goes unheard

Which is the most memorable song from your childhood?

every song from "Bad Hair Day" by Weird Al

Who are your favorite musical artists or bands?

Lee "Scratch" Perry is my musical and spiritual guru

What inspires you to make music?

There is endless inspiration when you breath and observe the world around you

What is the message you want to send with your music?

Do what you love and love yourself

How do you feel when you perform in front of an audience?

Scared and excited

How do you see the musicians’ reality nowadays? What could be improved?

Constantly undervalued and exploited. I'd like to see more opportunities for performing musicians that don't include bars and weddings, and more access to resources within the music industry for independant artists.

What do you think of Drooble?

We'll see! (day 1)

What frustrates you most as a musician?

Nobody can agree on whether or not music should be free, or for a small fee, and rarely for a liveable wage.

Do you support your local scene as a fan? How?

Go to shows and always pay, never ask to be on the guest list (anymore), never take advantage of the pay-what-you-can model.

What qualities should a musician nowadays have in order to get their music heard by a larger audience?

Objective perspectives and access to resources to make quality recordings at home

Share some awesome artists that we’ve never heard of.

Lafawndah, Backxwash

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