Ongoing History Daily: Before Billy Talent

December 30, 2021 Alan Cross 0 Comments 0 min read

Before Billy Talent took off, they slaved for years trying to get something going. Years ago, they went by the name Pez and although they played gigs and recorded demos, there was absolutely no guarantee that they were going to achieve any kind of success. Everyone prepared for normal lives by getting jobs or going to school.

Guitarist Ian D’Sa enrolled in the animation course at Sheridan College in Oakville. At one point, he was offered a job working for Electronic Arts, the video game people. The problem was that the gig was in England. Taking the job would have meant quitting the band. He couldn’t do that, so he turned it down.

People thought he was crazy–but these days, Billy Talent songs can be heard on Electronic Arts games. Nice symmetry, huh?

Yesterday’s post asked about your hearing.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

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