Movers and Shakers Interview with Drop Top Alibi

Published by: Dillon Kivo

Tell us your name and a little about yourself.

“Drop Top Alibi,” is a Canadian Rock n’ Roll band from Toronto Ontario, that prides itself on being an electrifying live experience reminiscent of the “glory days” of rock music. We have had the pleasure of working with industry icons such as Gilby Clarke (formerly of Gn’R and Heart), Norwood Fisher of “Fishbone”, and most recently Michael Hanson (formerly of Glass Tiger). The band also had the pleasure of being named iHeart Radio’s 97.7 HTZ FM Rock Search Winners for 2019, which has helped kick start the bands’ presence on commercial radio in Canada. Previous winners of this contest who have gone on to have success include “The Glorious Sons,” “The Trews,” and “Finger Eleven.”

What exactly does your company do?

“Drop Top Alibi” is a performing and recording Rock n’ Roll band. The experience of working in the studio and on the road touring with Gilby Clarke taught us a lot about what it means to be a hard-working and successful entertainment machine. Working with decorated songwriters like Michael Hanson, gave us the ability to create pieces of work that can capture the attention of large groups of people, from all walks of life. The goal now is to get our music to as many people as we can and give them a live and intimate experience they’ll never forget. Ultimately, leaving them wanting more and making them come back the next time to see it.

What were the biggest challenges you have faced and how did you overcome them?

Apart from the few characters in the business who have been a major help to us, we have had a hard time finding reliable and trustworthy people to work with. There are a lot of people in the music business who are really good at selling themselves, by not getting into full detail what their involvement in anything truly was. For example, someone says to a young band, “hey I’ve worked with L. Stu Young and Prince,” but really what they did was get coffee and lunch for everyone and didn’t get to spend much time around the process. There’s value in working your way up from the bottom, absolutely. The issue is that there are people out there, who will take that selling point and make it sound like they were much more present with everyone. Rubbing shoulders and offering insight to Prince, not just getting his sandwiches. Just as an example.

We’ve been lucky enough to have a few great mentors along the way. Mentors who were interested in working with us because they liked us, not because they needed the money. Being a sponge around those people, and trying to learn the difference between blowing smoke and the real deal has been extremely helpful, but also extremely difficult.

What piece of advice do you wish someone had given you at the start of your career?

We could write an essay for this one! Getting straight to the point, however, always remember why you gave this industry a shot in the first place. Don’t lose sight of that in the business side of things. Don’t buy a sales pitch at face value. People whose work doesn’t speak for themselves are really good at selling themselves, face to face with young and inexperienced artists or bands. Do not be afraid to go against the grain, no one in this business knows what’s going to happen next. Stay true to yourself and your vision. There are people who can help, and it’s always good to be open to points of view and suggestions, but this is ultimately your art.

Who are your biggest influences and people you admire and why?

Musically, “Drop Top Alibi” is heavily influenced by bands like Led Zeppelin, Soundgarden, Queens Of The Stone Age, Aerosmith, and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. From a personal standpoint, Gilby and Norwood have been massive influences on us. Gilby played in Guns n’ Fuckin’ Roses, but is without a doubt the most laid back, put your boots on every morning and do your work person we’ve come across. He’s in a position to do whatever he wants, and when he commits to you, he’s all in and does his work to the best of his ability. It’s impossible to not learn what a respectful way of presenting yourself truly looks like. Whether he’s playing for a hundred people or one hundred thousand people, he’s still Gilby.

Norwood’s story and the story of Fishbone has taught us a lot as well. His insight into how important it is to stay your own course, build good relationships and just keep on that grind really helped shape our approach to our own brand and band. Norwood has always been willing to offer praise, and critiques as he sees fit. Hearing him talk about his own experiences, and what he learned going through what he did over the years, has taught us invaluable lessons we’ll never lose sight of.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are?

Our families, friends, and fans have been everything we ever could’ve hoped for. “Drop Top Alibi” is always greeted with praise, support, and encouragement. Without them, we would not be where we are today.

What do you see as your greatest success in life?

So far, the greatest success for “Drop Top Alibi” has been winning the iHeart Radio’s 97.7 HTZ FM Rock Search Contest. This accolade has opened up a lot of opportunities for us and has given us the ability to establish new lines of communication with people who have the power to help get our sound to a lot of people.

Our greatest success would ultimately be, taking our Rock n’ Roll machine around the world, and sharing it with as many people as we possibly can. Whatever comes of that, will be decided by the people we meet along the way. One thing is for sure, they’ll never forget us once they see us.