Unrestrained by any boundaries of genre, Red Deer indie band Ashley’s Rejekts will be launching a bold new single via a release party at The Krossing May 26th. The show kicks off at 9 p.m.
“We knew each other through mutual friends, and then I jumped onboard about five years ago and here we are,” recalls lead singer Ashley Sarty of the early days of the band members joining forces.
For Sarty, there’s a lengthy family history of being passionate about music.
“I’ve got a lot of ancestors on the one side who were maritimers who loved playing music and spoons and guitars and such. Myself - I didn’t get huge into the learning of it until I was in my early 20s. I also have a sister who is very musically talented and who also inspired me with getting into it.
“So I started kind of later in the game - but I always enjoyed singing! It wasn’t until being asked to be in the band that I kind of got the confidence to do more.”
Early influences musically ran the gamut from Janis Joplin and the Cranberries to Joan Jett.
She has carried those influences to her own style and delivery into the band, which cleverly melds alternative rock, metal and punk into their own thoroughly unique sound.
Prior to starting with the band, Sarty was and still works as a hairdresser and is also now a mom to three sons, so she certainly has her hands full.
But life has a way of offering inspiration to musicians no matter what can be the focus of a particular day.
“I think the hairdressing part of it has really helped me in writing music and singing because I enjoy people, and how everyone has a different story.
“In the salon I worked at for 15 years, I was always kind of a performer,” she said with a laugh. “I was always talking to everyone, getting everyone laughing - and I was always comfortable in the kind of situation involving everyone.”
There was certainly stage fright when she took to performing, but she began to relax when she learned to not be so critical of herself and to just enjoy the journey.
“The more I just relax, enjoy it and sing my little heart out, everything gets easier and better. Pushing yourself outside of that comfort zone is scary, but at the same time it’s so rewarding.”
Meanwhile, during the upcoming event in Red Deer, there will also be a 50/50 draw for prizes that include local artwork as well as a limited amount of free digital downloads of Lick the Boots in support of the women who suffer in Central Alberta - 50% of the money made in the 50/50 draw will be donated to the Central Alberta Women’s Shelter in Red Deer.
In early 2018, their earlier single Shameless was also added to the soundtrack for the motion picture Cor Values.
The tune has also has helped them hit number one on Reverbnation Charts in their local region numerous times.
Both Shameless and Lick the Boots were recorded at Calgary’s Echo Base Studios under the direction of producer Casey Lewis.
“It was a lot of fun. Casey did so much to help us get that hard rock sound that we wanted, and he helped build the songs in the ways that we wanted to hear them.”
With that bigger, more polished and professional sound, Sarty is confident of greater things to come down the road as Ashley’s Rejekts continues to break new ground and share their tunes with a growing audience.
“From all of this, we are hoping to get ourselves a (bigger) fan base to help support in the building of a full-length album or an EP,” she explained of the band’s plans for the future. In the meantime, dropping singles from time to time is a great way to continue to generate momentum and excitement about what this talented group has to offer.
“It gives everyone a taste of our music. And you can kind of read what the audience is liking. It also helps you get a feel for the genres you want to get into. We do dabble in different genres, but we do know collectively as a band what we like to do for our sound,” she explained.