It’s about time the West Island got a Wake-Up Call

Don’t worry about setting an alarm clock for any of these guys, because the West Island rock band Wake-Up Call, made up of four members all under the age of 20, is already buzzing across Montreal’s musical radar.

Then again, if you think that it’s all fun and fame, no work, for four teenage males from the suburbs, Franki Gaudio, Brendan Lucas, Jonny Saltarelli and Mark Cheung, trying to make it big in the music industry; then consider this your personal wake-up call.

The young band has already played at a handful of charity events, rocked a few battle of the bands competitions, enraptured their growing fan base at Bar le Syndrome and is set to perform at The Plaza Theatre on Aug. 30, as well as Bar St-Laurent2 on Sept.12.

All this deserved hype for a couple of busy musicians whose journey humbly began working the sweet 16 music circuit.

They’ve since been featured on CTV’s Entertainment Spotlight and have released six demo songs, propelled by youthful ingenuity and passion that they haven’t let lax for a second.

“We’re our own managers, kind of,” said Cheung, “most of the promoting is done by us. We all contribute. It’s a group effort.”

The band’s original members, Gaudio, 17, a drummer, and Lucas, also 17, a vocalist and guitar player, have been jamming together since the age of 14, as Grade 9 students at Pierrefonds Comprehensive High School. A smart addition to their musical mix was Saltarelli, 18, with his complimentary knack for guitar, forming a trio that would remain so for some time. Then a year ago Cheung, 17, who used to play classical music but has since been converted to bass guitar, joined in to round out the group. “I took one for the team,” joked Cheung.

“You don’t hear many bands like us, with heavier riffs and softer vocals,” Saltarelli said.

The band believes it’s their distinct sound that makes them different from other young bands that verge more on pop. Though, the band does agree that a certain degree of pop always prevails in the more commercial side of the industry, and has influenced them to a lesser degree.

Each member has a different story about how they fell in love with music, but they share the same value of wanting to take their punk rock band as far as they can go. Lucas claims that having his mother’s acoustic guitar around the house since a young age has definitely influenced his passion. “It came to the point where I had to make a choice between buying an ATV or a guitar and amp,” Lucas said. You can imagine which he chose. Saltarelli came from a less musically inclined background, “No one in my family plays,” he said. Gaudio gave up the trumpet in his early teens, when he saw Lucas on the drums, knowing almost instantly that he wanted to play them. And Cheung, as mentioned, exchanged classic for rock.

So what’s the difference between the Wake Up Call that just started out, and the band that is now paving a path and recognizable name for themselves? “We take things more seriously now,” Gaudio said, alongside his grinning band mates.

To check out Wake-Up Call and sample their music, visit www.myspace.com