Getting Candid with Canor: Q & A with Alex Hiner
Canor.
A: Me (Alex Hiner), Collin Kleinman, Andrew Bordeos, and Nick Medina.
I was born in Redondo… have also lived in Palos Verdes, Torrance, and now Lomita… went to South High and Shery. Collin is from Redondo Beach, and attended Redondo Union High School. Andrew grew up in Torrance and Carson, and attended North High. Nick, although originally from the South Bay, spent a few years in Tennessee, but is now back at the beach and attending Palos Verdes Peninsula High School.
I play guitar and sing, and I write the songs and lyrics. Collin plays drums. Andrew plays guitar. Nick plays bass.
Q: What is Canor?
A: I’m never sure how to answer this question… I’m not good with genres. I don’t like them too much, to be honest, but I guess we’re rock… or alternative, perhaps. My grandpa [Hal Hiner] considers us rock ‘n roll; and he definitely knows his stuff, so maybe we should just go with that.
Canor is the Latin word for melody.
*Hal Hiner worked with several rock and roll legends, including Led Zeppelin.
Q: Why is Canor?
A: Because I enjoy it.
Musically, I write stuff that’s fun to play. Lyrically, I talk about life, feelings, experiences, desires. Putting all that into words is a great way to take a step back and sort things out. It’s therapeutic in a sense, and motivating at times too. In the end, especially after the rest of the guys add their parts, it’s music that if I heard playing somewhere I would want to listen to.
And really that’s what I strive for. I’m not trying to be catchy, or get on the radio – you can tell when music’s written with that in mind, and that’s cool, and I like a lot of pop music, but… I don’t know, that’s just not our concern… We play music we like… If other people like it, and tap their toes, or can relate to the lyrics, that’s awesome! And if they don’t, it’s fine, because at the end of the day we’ve still created something that we enjoy and are proud of.
Q: Where is Canor?
A: Our first EP was released last summer [2010] and is simply titled “vol. 1.” When we initially went into the studio we decided we wanted to do a series of three EPs… Our logo we were using was three squares: a blue one, a pink one, and a green one, and it seemed like a cool way to tie-in to that [series of three idea]. We had fourteen songs under our belt, and thought it would be neat to just release a bit at a time… let people get to know us through compact, easily digestible chunks….
The second EP, which has five tracks, is “vol. 2,” and will be out this summer 2011. “vol. 3” also has five tracks, and is already recorded as well. That should be out this fall. We’ve already got plans for an LP next year, and I’ve written about eight songs for that so far.
Q: When is Canor?
A: We normally play about two shows a month, but we’ve been booking less lately in order to focus on the new songs and recording. Our next one will be May 20 at AMPLYFi, out in Hollywood… really cool venue, definitely looking forward to playing there again.
Q: How do you feel about the music scene in the South Bay?
A: It’s alright, but it’s very saturated… It’s fun though.
Q: Are there enough supportive venues for local live music?
A: I think there are enough, yeah; but there’s definitely room for more.
Q: Is the public receptive, interactive, and supportive? Are they hungry for new music?
A: Back to the saturation… despite everyone’s hunger, I sometimes feel like there’s so much going on that a lot of good stuff goes unnoticed. Snacks can spoil your appetite, ya know?
Q: Is it difficult to find a fan base in the South Bay? Which demographic makes up the majority of your fans?
A: Same [saturation] answer as previous question, basically.
Locally, it’s mostly people our age [~17-21] or a bit younger. It’s really interesting though; online and in different areas, we’ve got a few people in their 40s and 50s listening to us. It’s pretty neat.
Q: What’s the best part of being a band in South Bay? The worst?
A: Well, it’s the South Bay… It’s California… We’re where a lot of artists elsewhere in the country, even the world maybe, wish they were… We’re thirty minutes from LA, the entertainment capital, and there’s a whole lot of history with music around here… It’s fun and exciting, and I definitely feel fortunate to be here.
But again, because it is such a “place to be,” I often feel like it’s hard to stand out in the crowd or be noticed amongst the sea (no pun intended) of other artists out here doing their thing.
Canor is an alternative independent rock ‘n roll band from the South Bay. Their debut EP, “vol. 1” [the blue EP], was released last summer and features Zach Bozeman of South Bay’s Temporal Love on bass. It will be sequentially followed by “vol. 2” this summer. They perform May 20 at AMPLYFi in Hollywood, but keep a lookout for South Bay shows to support their new release. You can listen to Canor on DirtyHippieRadio.com and download their debut EP for free. Support local music and local music will continue to support you.