Hey Ocean! It's Easier to be Somebody Else

Breaking into the music industry is no easy feat. Getting acknowledged is not as easy as just playing a few shows here and there; there’s always the aspect of writing good songs, building a fan base and taking risks.

Local Vancouver band Hey Ocean!, who’s been part of the music scene for about three years now, agrees with the difficulty of getting somewhere, especially in a place like Vancouver. “Vancouver can be a tough city to break out of because of how removed it is from the rest of the country,” the band explains. Hopeful though, Hey Ocean! also muses that “in the next few years we’ll definitely see a major contribution to Canadian music from the West.”

Undeniably, Hey Ocean! is poised to become one of those bands to get out there and make local music known. With their recent sophomore release of It’s Easier To Be Somebody Else, filled with the band’s unique blend of funk, soul, pop and indie, Hey Ocean! is definitely heading somewhere fast, not that they haven’t made progress already.

Hey Ocean! originally began as nothing more than a casual musical relationship with singer-songwriter David Beckingham, and vocalist Ashleigh Ball. Later, joined by bassist David Vertesi, and Dan Klenner on drums, the foursome took their music to the next level. Driven by hard work and a persistent passion for music, the band created their own label, Pop Machine, and self-released their debut album, Stop Looking Like Music in 2006.

Hey Ocean!’s persistence has paid off. Opportunities such as streaming regularly on CBC Radio 3 continue to arise for these dedicated musicians as they are always looking ahead. “We never really chose any kind of direction aside from moving forward, getting better and not limiting ourselves,” says the band.

Hey Ocean!’s advice for young bands starting out? “Tour, tour, tour. You learn so much about your own band and your own songs after playing them for different crowds. You can’t kid yourself, this is a working industry and you have to be prepared for some long hours with little reward other than the fact that you’re doing something you love,” they advise. “Also just try to improve. No matter what happens you can always feel great about how far you have come individually, even if your band is having a hard time. It’s important to celebrate those little victories along the way.”

For a band as talented and accomplished as Hey Ocean!, it will be no surprise if they take over the Western music scene in just a few years.