Doomed Confessionary: Carl, Dominic, David & Martin (Technicolor Blood)
Photo by Nadine Trudel
Technicolor Blood is a four-piece heavy psych/space rock band hailing from Montreal, Canada.
Drawing on a roster of veteran rockers from a cross-section of scenes, Technicolor Blood formed in 2017 and features Martin Dupras (Scat Rag Boosters) on vocals, guitar and synths; Dominic Leclerc (The Aversions) on bass; Carl Bédard (Dutch Oven) on drums; and newcomer David Hardy on guitar.
Having previously released a pair of 7-inch singles and a rather poorly timed self-titled 12-inch EP smack in the middle of the pandemic, the space rockers are back with their heaviest and most lysergic effort yet, »Evolution Now«, scheduled for release on April 25th, 2025 via Le Backstore Records.
Sometimes aggressive, sometimes soaring, Technicolor Blood deliver fuzz-riddled riffs, tremolo-fueled heavy-psych effects and inspired synth work which recall a strange hybrid of Hawkwind meets Chrome.
Can you please say a few words about your band?
Carl: Technicolor Blood is a heavy psych/space rock band we put together in 2017. We each carried very different baggage from our individual involvement in an assortment of very different sounding groups over the years, ranging from super heavy stoner rock, upbeat aggro punk to primitive garage rock. I didn’t actually know these guys before, but we’re all kinda music nerds, so the chemistry came pretty easily. At any rate, it was clear from the get-go that we were all eager to try something new, and so the more lysergic elements quickly began creeping into our jams, and I guess that’s how our sound was born.
Dominic: I’d define us as a rock and roll band with bits and pieces of psychedelia, punk rock and space/stoner rock in the mix.
Martin: I was into the garage scene for a long time and wanted to try something else. I wanted to dig the vein of space rock. Chrome (Damon Edge & Helios Creed) for instance had a big influence on me, but I didn’t want to mimic them. Being original is important to me.
David: I joined the band three years ago to replace the previous guitarist. It was a first for me, because before playing with Technicolor Blood, I was actually a fan – I probably caught most of their shows. I’ve been making music with Martin (vocals and guitar) for about twenty years now, mostly in garage rock projects with a sixties vibe. So when the opportunity came up to step in as lead guitarist for a band I already loved – and in a style that was way different from what I was used to – it felt like a golden chance I couldn’t pass up.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
Carl: Being at this stage of our lives entails all sorts of responsibilities: careers, kids, partners, etc… As a result, it can be a bit more of a challenge for some to commit the necessary energy for a project like ours to move forward. At one point, we were faced with the realization that one of our founding members was unable to invest the time and effort that was expected of us all, and so we had to make the difficult (and rather unpleasant) decision to oust him from the group. The silver lining of course is that David then made his way into the band, and let’s just say he’s been a very apt replacement!
Dominic: I’d definitely say the departure of our previous guitar player and the arrival of our new one.Having to kind of restart from scratch, but it was worth it because we became a strong unit in the process.
Martin: Jamming without beers!
What can you be most proud of so far?
Carl: While we’ve traditionally opted for a bit more of a lo-fi approach to recording in our practice space, we ultimately decided to somewhat step out of our comfort zone, and spring for a few days in the studio with Ryan Batistuzzi, while putting together our new LP »Evolution Now«. Not only was it a fantastic experience, but the record sounds great, and is easily our crowning achievement, as far as I’m concerned.
Dominic: We were also asked to participate in a short film project a while back, and produced 9 full songs that were used in it. The music ranges from the usual “Techblood-style” rock to some kinda weird “space-disco” and electronic moody pieces. It was actually a really enjoyable and meaningful task for the whole band.
David: For me, it’s the care we put into crafting each song and our obsession with detail. Every track is like a piece of fine craftsmanship – we sometimes spend two to three months just working on one. I’m also really proud of the grind, the discipline we bring to rehearsals. We meet up every week without fail. We’re driven by the passion to create something unique and uncompromising.
What was your biggest regret?
Dominic: I’ll just quote the awful PLATINUM BLONDE from their elusive and only punk single: “I got no regrets, I give you my cigarette!”
Martin: No regrets at all.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
Dominic: We’ve had the chance to play the famous Ottawa Psych Fest twice, and it is always a blast. Last time we played with Canadian legends Simply Saucer, that was something!
Carl: I’ll definitely always have a thing for the time we opened for Acid Mothers Temple here in Montreal. The whole night was excellent, but seeing guitarist Kawabata Makoto pose for photos while wearing our shirt after the show was kinda the cherry on top, and definitely made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Ottawa Psych Fest gigs have always been a great time as well!
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
Carl: I am shocked that auto-tune hasn’t died a slow, painful death yet. Oh, and hardcore kids still doing the kung-fu style dancing… That’s some of the lamest shit ever.
Dominic: That one stupid person alone can trigger the closure of a legendary, century old venue (Just look up La Tulipe in Montreal).
Martin: I’m too old to be surprised anymore!
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
David: I’ve got pretty wide tastes. Lately, I’ve been spinning Magick Potion’s album that dropped last November quite a bit, along with bands like Peth and Ufomammut. I’ve also been diving deep into krautrock-influenced stuff these days – bands like Camera and Minami Deutsch are on heavy rotation.
Martin: Essentially kraut music, stoner rock, 60’s garage psych and Bitches Brew era Miles Davis.
Carl: The music I listen to is all over the map, but as far as heavy music goes, I’ve been going through a little bit of personal 90’s revival as of late, revisiting old favourites from the likes of His Hero Is Gone, Neurosis, Dropdead, Citizens Arrest, Spazz, Union Of Uranus, etc… For better or for worse, it seems like very little music hits me as hard as the stuff I was into as a teenager.
Dominic: I’m all over the place. Recently dove into this British 77 punk band called The Shapes and realised they had another single besides the one I already had! Damn! Now I’m on the hunt for it. I listen to Annette Funicello’s records a lot, and I must say that: “Annette’s (really) got the hits!” Found a bootleg copy of the Moving Sidewalks album (Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top’s late 60’s psych band) and it’s killer.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Dominic: If YOU like your music, other people will too. Do it for yourself, not for others.
David: It’s never too late to make music and play in a band. And it’s important to talk to people and build real connections with other bands.
Martin: Practice!
What are your guilty pleasures?
Carl: There’s no such thing as a guilty pleasure as far as I’m concerned, but it probably isn’t super cool for me to admit here that I love 80’s pop music, and am really into watching hockey!
Dominic: I’m a fan of early Madonna and Mylene Farmer, and proud of it. No guilt.
David: Sometimes I listen to muzak playlists on YouTube – the kind of music you’d hear in supermarkets, department stores, or elevators back in the ’60s and ’70s. That stuff weirdly makes me feel safe, like nothing bad can happen while it’s playing.
Martin: Natural peanut butter.
Can you say something more about the current music scene in Montreal?
Martin: Montreal has always been a great city for underground music, but it has felt lethargic, if not boring to me these past few years. Hopefully, there are a few bands who keep the flame burning. I guess we’d be among them…
Carl: I don’t really share Martin’s pessimism in this matter, to be honest! I feel the city has a really broad array of really excellent bands. There are way too many to mention, but a few personal standouts (off the top of my head) would include: Lüger, Population II, USA Out Of Vietnam, Fever Visions, Sick Things, Positive I.D., Dopethrone… all worth checking out, and the list could go on for a while!
David: Personally, I’d add a couple of favorites to Carl’s list – The Death Wheelers from Quebec City, with their killer biker heavy metal vibes, and Destruction Derby, a hardcore thrash metal duo from Montreal that I absolutely love.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
Carl: Well, I don’t think any of us are planning on setting foot in the United States any time soon, so we’ll probably just stay focused on hitting cities in Quebec and Ontario for 2025. A nice European jaunt would definitely be the ultimate goal, of course. Hopefully someday.
David: In the very near future – you can catch us on April 26 for our album release show!
What are your plans for the future as a band?
Carl: Although there’s still a long way to go, we’re working hard on arrangements for our third record, and it’s shaping up to be our most ambitious effort yet… although I doubt we’ll be hitting the studio for at least another year or more. Aside from that, we’re working hard on building relationships and playing more shows throughout eastern Canada, while juggling all of our individual outside commitments. Taking part in more substantial tours or leaving the country are things we’d like to eventually accomplish in the long term.
Martin: Playing outside Montreal, touring, creating music and producing albums.
How can people best support your band?
Carl: As far as I’m concerned, this is definitely a passion project, and not driven by money in any way, so I just want people to enjoy the music, and come out to shows, if they can. That said, record and t-shirt sales do help cover things like gas or the cost of recording, so far be it for me to discourage people from buying our stuff!
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Martin: Keep yourself together, listen to original music, stop following assholes and maintain a critical spirit.
Carl: If the culture you crave doesn’t exist where you live, don’t be afraid to create it yourself. Start a band, publish a zine, do a blog, book shows, make posters etc… Don’t wait for others to do it for you.
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well