Tell us about your band including your history, where you are from and how you started?
Eric Stirtzinger, Algernon Friolet, and Jay Hogle met as kids in Kitchener, Ontario. Years later, they ended up in high school together. While Al transferred to a school in Kincardine, Eric and Jay started jamming together in a band called The Surge. It was during Al’s time in Kincardine that he discovered his passion for writing and playing music.
It wasn’t until after high school that Eric, Jay, and Algernon started jamming together, which ultimately led to the creation of The Royal Streets. Shortly after The Royal Streets began recording their first tracks, Jay left the band to work on projects in the local metal scene, recording early EPs for hardcore bands like Colourless, Trapped in Thought, and Guide Nevada.
After a successful run with The Royal Streets, which included two studio albums, coast-to-coast tours, and multiple festival gigs (Jasper Folk Festival, Pop Montreal, and a spot in the 2014 Osheaga lineup), Algernon decided it was time to part ways.
Post-Streets, Al was looking to start writing again and linked up with drummer Cody Hache, who had previously sat in on some jams with The Royal Streets. Then, adding Jesse Wiseman and Matt Code, the four of them formed the new band, Flowers for Daniel. Jesse had been playing bass for over a decade by that point but had recently begun learning cello. The four members decided to really lean into that, making the cello a key aspect of their songs. Roughly a year later, with a gig on the horizon, FFD found themselves short a bass player. Al reached out to Jay to see if he’d be interested in playing the gig. The timing was right: Jay happened to be looking to get out of the metal scene, and the fact that he and Al had a history made the transition easy.
After a year and a half, countless gigs, and a successful Canadian East Coast tour, the FFD boys felt like there was a piece missing. They would see Eric at shows and occasionally inquire about him potentially joining the band as a guitarist/vocalist. They eventually convinced Eric to play a gig with them at Starlight in Waterloo. After a few jams and an explosive show, Eric’s passion for being on stage was reignited, and he was in. With the missing piece of the puzzle now in its place, everything finally felt right and resulted in the Flowers for Daniel you saw then.
How did you come up with the band name?
The name Flowers for Daniel has a handful of significance. Daniel was the name of a beloved family member who was lost too soon; it is Algernon’s middle name, and the author of the novel titled “Flowers for Algernon” is named Daniel Keyes. Little coincidences like these surround us in life.
With every tragedy come signs that remind us how precious life can be. Whether you believe these signs are coincidences or not, it’s healthier to embrace the possibility that the fallen are still with us in a way. The name Flowers for Daniel is an opportunity and a reminder to keep memories alive. This may not always be easy to do, but as long as we surround ourselves with positive peers and spread that positivity to others, we are respecting the way our lost ones would have wanted to live. If you don’t make an effort to turn your darkest hours into motivation, you’ll waste precious hours of life grieving. Live your life and love your music.
Do you have any recorded music available for fans?
On Apple Music and Spotify, you’ll find their 2016 EP titled “Smoke Signals,” featuring the original lineup of Al, Cody, Jesse, and Matt Code. There are also three newer singles: “Leather and Fishnets,” “Little Birdies,” and “Growing Pains,” with their then-current lineup. For those who prefer a little visual stimulation, a few videos can be found on their YouTube channel.
How would you describe your music?
Definitely Alt-Rock, but there’s a varying degree of intensity to it. They've got everything from Jack Johnson to a Kings of Leon feel. They tended to build their sets around songs that would get stuck in your head and get you moving. A slow, steady sway, a punchy chorus, and by the end, they hoped to have you fully vibing.
What makes your band/music stand out from others?
Jack Johnson was a huge musical influence on Al’s introduction to songwriting and gave him the motivation to get into songwriting himself. JJ’s lyrics and complex flow were something he would listen to tirelessly. ...Listening began as a type of therapy for Al - an awesome way to calm his nerves. However, what started as a passive therapeutic release turned into a love and respect for everything related to songwriting and expression.
The fact that they all grew up in different genres of music played a big role in that. Algernon had a heavy singer/songwriter influence. Eric came from an indie/alternative background. Jesse took inspiration from folk and pop music. Jay came out of the metal/hard rock scene, and Cody had a heavy pop-punk influence. Despite everyone having a vastly different background, all these styles blended together really well to make Flowers for Daniel. They felt that because of the vastness of their musical spectrum, they offered something for everybody.
Aside from the fact that they were in a band together, they were all friends before bandmates, which made for an amazing dynamic. No one was afraid to speak their mind or make comments about how someone else could perhaps improve a part of a song. There was a lot of respect and appreciation for what they all had to say. Also, they had a cello.
What do you like to do outside of music that contributes to the music?
They all had physical outlets that they associated heavily with music. It ranged from physical activity like working out, running, basketball, and snowboarding to completing different labour intensive projects around the house. Some of them even enjoyed eclectic activities such as knitting blankets. They shared the passion of going to concerts where they weren’t playing and were attending simply to enjoy the show and feel the energy of the crowd.
Name your two biggest musical influences and why?
Jack Johnson was a huge musical influence on Al’s introduction to songwriting and gave him the motivation to get into songwriting himself. JJ’s lyrics and complex flow were something he listened to tirelessly. This resulted in him memorizing almost every song. Listening began as a type of therapy for Al—an awesome way to calm his nerves. However, what started as a passive therapeutic release turned into a love and respect for everything related to songwriting and expression.
This newfound love set Al on a path where he soon found himself researching and studying every Jack Johnson verse, chorus, and bridge. He wanted to understand word choice, phrasing, melody, and the balance of metaphor and realism. All of which Jack Johnson excelled at. By the time Al was in high school, he had memorized the majority of Jack Johnson’s lyrical catalogue and, as a writer, had created an abundance of original work.
Life offered them many different inspirations. The majority of them went through a pop-punk phase at some point. Others had a metal phase, and ultimately, they all agreed that rock and alt-rock from the '90s on was at the core of their inspiration. The direction and musical feel they wanted to continue heading in was pulled directly from their best memories of festivals and music experiences. They would have loved to have their shows and music provide their audiences with the same joy and energy that their influences had on them.
Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs?
Typically, what happened was Al would come to them with a basic structure/chord progression and lyrics. They’d listen to it a few times and see what kind of vibe they caught, and then they all just jumped in whenever they were ready. Sometimes this resulted in a full song in a few hours, and other times they had to “shelf it” for a few weeks/months and then revisit it.
The themes and topics stemmed from an array of life experiences. There were fictional stories, life experiences of those around them, and of course, good old-fashioned feelings. From song to song, the format and theme varied. Some songs could be based strictly on a past experience. Some were unrelated events that expressed a feeling. Some involved mixing real experiences with a made-up or unrelated event to tell a story in a whole new light.
What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Have you been able to overcome the challenge? If so, how?
Finding the time to dedicate to the band while still maintaining their respective careers and responsibilities. It came down to carefully planning ahead to avoid conflict. Sometimes that meant sacrificing other plans to make a gig work, or even to get them all in the same room for a rehearsal. At the end of the day, they were all passionate about the band and would make things work however they had to.
What current projects are you working on at the moment?
They had a lot of songs that they’d been playing around with for a while then. Though it had been difficult, they had been able to narrow it down to a select few for their upcoming EP. They felt these four tracks were a cohesive collection and sounded pretty damn good. They were planning to have a single coming out that summer. Readers would hear from them soon ;).
Band Members (at the time of publication):
Algernon Friolet - Vocals, Guitar
Eric Stirtzinger - Vocals, Guitar
Jesse Wiseman - Cello
Jay Hogle - Bass
Cody Hache - Drums
Apple Music: Flowers For Daniel
Spotify: Flowers For Daniel
YouTube: Flowers for Daniel Music
Contact / Booking: flowersfordaniel@gmail.
