It was by chance that we came across Welland, Ontario band Street Pharmacy, but boy are we glad that we did!  Forming in 2006, the  band consists of Ryan Guay (vocals/guitar), Nate Triano (guitar), Brandon Ventresca (bass) and Danial Fretz (Drums). The sound? Infectious hip hop-reggae-rock that contains a little something for everyone. We caught up with lead singer Ryan and drummer Dan right before they went onstage at Tattoo Rock Parlour on January 15th to discuss music, collaborations and a character named Rudy…

iheartthemusic: You have two albums out already: Self-Prescribed Feel Good which was released in 2006 and Free Delivery which was released in 2007. You are about to release your third album which was recorded in Cuba. What can we expect from this one?

Ryan: We actually plan on releasing two albums this year: a full length

album called A Perfect Convenience and a reggae/rock concept album called The Legacy of Rudy that we did in Cuba. The Cuba album is very different from anything we have ever done – it’s all acoustic with Cubans playing horns and bongos. I wanted to tell the story of the original rude boy through song and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to explore this concept. We’ve created this story about what made this guy, Rudy, such a dick. The first song on the album is called “No Major” and it is about how Rudy’s mother (who is a prostitute) puts him on the doorstep of a drunkard to be raised.

iheartthemusic: So essentially you have created a soundtrack to what could be the musical of Rude Boy?

Ryan: Yah, exactly! I don’t know where it really came from, I just thought it would be a cool idea. You see, in the 1960’s the term rude boy, or rudy, was used to describe juvenile delinquency, so my idea was that there must have been an original person who was named Rudy who had all these problems that made him who he was and that’s what this album is about.

iheartthemusic: When can we expect these next two albums to come out?

Ryan: We’re hoping to release The Legacy of Rudy in the spring sometime. A Perfect convenience has been put on hold because we just did a track with some old school hip hop artist.

iheartthemusic: That’s right, you guys recently collaborated with A-Plus from Souls of Mischief.

Ryan Guay

Ryan: Yah, it was totally unexpected. I was in university and then all of a sudden I have A-Plus’s cell phone number in my phone which was crazy to me! I remember when I got their album 93 ’till Infinity and it didn’t leave my CD player for a good eight or nine months. I could recite every line off of it. I love hip hop, which is odd because I’m a guitar player and a singer but I have always had a soft spot for hip hop. That’s where the lyrical flow comes from – just old school hip hop which is primarily what I listen to.

iheartthemusic: So when A-Plus approached you about working together, how did you feel?

Dan: Well we use a hook from The Pharcyde in the song “Welcome to the Street Pharmacy” so our original thought was that we were going to get sued. So when Ryan called and said A-Plus called I was thinking, “Oh crap!”

Ryan: We got a sample cleared from The Pharcyde – that’s all legal and shit. So what happened was A-Plus saw the video for “Welcome to the Street Pharmacy” and decided to contact us. It was his publicist Dayna who found my number and called to let me know that A-Plus wanted to work with us.  I was like, “you’re full of shit.” I’ll never forget

Dan, Ryan, Kimberlee & Emer

that moment because I was having a really shitty time. I was in my fourth year at university and had all these credits and it sucked, and this girl totally screwed me over. I mean this one was bad – all the other ones were bad but this one was the worst. Then I get a call on my cell phone and I look at it and it’s a 510 or 232 number, something out of California, and I’m like, “what the fuck?” So I pick it up and the next thing you know it was A-Plus’s publicist and then there it was. Boom!

iheartthemusic: So lets get this straight, you see an ex and then A-Plus is calling you on the phone? I’m thinking this girl should be kicking herself!

Ryan: Their publicist, Dayna, called actually, and then from there it took off. I was in complete shock. I was actually sitting in my van when he called writing a 30-page thesis for history. The first time I ended up meeting A-Plus was in New York City and I was actually shaking! He said the coolest thing to me though. He said,  “I see myself working with Street Pharmacy, therefore I will work with Street Pharmacy.” So that was when I was like, “oh my god this is really happening!”

iheartthemusic: What’s next for you guys?

Ryan: The single with A-Plus is supposed to be coming out soon – he’s working on getting it done right now. Souls of Mischief are actually on tour right now and we are hoping to go on tour with them at some point. I would love to get with an agent and just fucking tour. It’s so hard to get out of where we are from [Welland] because it’s so small. I also want to make another five records because I have them pretty much done. A Perfect Convenience, this new record we have coming out after The Legacy of Rudy, is I think one of the better ones, it’s got more edge.

iheartthemusic: Ok now for some Toronto-oriented questions. What’s your favourite place to listen to live music in Toronto?

Dan & Ryan from Street Pharmacy

Dan: I really like Horseshoe TavernEl Mocambo. but my favourite place to play so far has been

Ryan: Yah Horseshoe is cool. My favourite venue to play has been Lee’s Palace because it felt like we were playing at a venue in Welland – we also were able to ship a busload of people to the show!

iheartthemusic: Favourite place to eat in Toronto?

Ryan: I would like to call attention to the greatest place I’ve ever eaten a sub, its called Bon’s Submarine, the greatest turkey sub ever. Bon I love you, I don’t know who you are but you make the greatest subs!

iheartthemusic: That’s a great plug, maybe you will get subs-for-life! So what are you listening to right now?

Dan: Right now I’m listening to Slightly Stoopid and Jason Aldean – I like country.

Ryan: Yah, we are one fucked up band. None of us listen to the same music. Right now in my CD deck is probably Smashing Pumpkins Siamese Dream, which Dan hates! That’s my favourite album of all time actually.

iheartthemusic: If you could collaborate with anyone who would it be?

Dan: Rage Against the Machine has always had a huge influence on me so probably someone from Rage.

Ryan: I’m a Smashing Pumpkins fan and he’s a Rage fan. Actually, working with Wu-Tang would be dope, if I could work with RZA I would be fucking stoked. Those guys are unreal! Also if I could work with A-Plus, Billy Corgan and somebody from Sublime all in one shot I think I might die.

iheartthemusic: Any Canadian collaborations?

Ryan: I would like to do something with Alex from illScarlett. We just opened for them and they were really nice guys. Jay from Bedouin Soundclash would also be up there.

iheartthemusic: Well there you have it: hometown boys, with a sound that will surely leave you wanting more. Check them out on their MySpace:

http://www.myspace.com/streetfarmacy

The guys before the show!