
The group name: Billy Talent
Date of creation: 1993
Formation place: Toronto, Canada
Structure:
Benjamin Kovalevich
Dzhonatan Gellant
Ian D ‘ Sa
Eron Solovonik
Discography:
Watoosh! (Pezz) (1998)
Billy Talent (2003)
Devil In A Midnight Mass (Ep) (2006)
II (2006)
Live From The UK Sept./2006 (2006)
Billy Talent II (2006)
666 (2008)
The biography:
It is possible to consider as the group birthplace Meadowvale and Streetsville – nearby city districts Missisoga (state of Ontario). In 1993 Benjamin Kowalewicz and Jonathan Gallant were a part of group “To Each His Own” where Gallant played a bass guitar, and Kowalewicz on the shock.
Then Kowalevicz has passed to a vocal, and its place was occupied with Aaron Solowoniuk. Later guitarist Ian D ‘ Sa has joined them. So there was group “Pezz”.
In 1998 the group has let out the first album under the name “Watoosh!” (It is written down in studio “Great Big Music”), but in a year musicians have faced the legal problem connected with the right to the name of group. The matter is that in Memphis (the State of Tennessee, the USA), already there was a pank group with the similar name, let out the first record in 1990.
Canadian “Pezz” the claim with the requirement of payment of indemnification in 5 thousand dollars USA the American sound recording company BYO Records which at that time co-operated with American “Pezz” threatened.
As a result the group name should be replaced on “Billy Talent” (the name Ben Kovalevich has offered), in honour of one of heroes of the novel “Hard Core Logo”, written by Michael Turner. Gradually “Billy Talent” found the increasing popularity.
Their songs became more similar to pank fate and the previous creations (initially musicians played the style, close to hip-hop) sounded much more aggressively, than. In September, 2001 there is a single “Try Honesty”, promoting success of group.
Now to it pay attention not only listeners, but also the large sound recording companies of Canada. As a result musicians have signed the contract with “Atlantic Records” and “Warner Music”, and the album “Billy Talent” leaves in the autumn of 2003, it is possible to tell, the first under the present name of group (as “Watoosh!” It is let out under a name “Pezz”).

For “Try Honesty” not less successful singles “The Ex”, “River Below” and “Nothing To Lose” have followed. With 2004 for 2005 the group spends the period to tour on cities of Canada, the USA and Europe.
In June, 2006 the album “Billy Talent” in Canada gets the status 3x Platinum, but in the United States no big success has. On June, 27th, 2006 in musical salons of Canada there was a next album – “Billy Talent ll”. It made amazing success: for a week it has been sold 48 thousand copies, and the release has risen on tops of the Canadian charts.
Soon it receives a rank 2x Platinum (in Germany the album is not less popular and gets the status gold). Some months prior to release on the Internet there were some songs from an album, and the best responses had time to receive “Devil In A Midnight Mass” and “Red Flag”.

The album amazes with the originality and a variety: aggressive music is replaced by melodious refrains, the lyrics alternates with a philosophic problematics, optimistical – with gloomy… Since March, 24th, 2007 “Billy Talent” spends the first round on three cities of Australia: Brisbane, Melbourn and Sydney. Now the group has located in Toronto.
It is a little from the author: the Musical collective exists already almost 15 years, and at the same time “Billy Talent” absolutely young group which gradually wins hearts is perceived as still. I cannot tell, than precisely: whether melodies of songs, whether concerts on which musicians always act alive and charge spectators energy and positive emotions, or it is simple the charm.
Personally several days have sufficed me after I have heard for the first time one of songs “Billy Talent” and, to tell under the truth, it has occurred not too for a long time: only six days ago. Perhaps, in Russia for the present there are not enough admirers of creativity of this group, but I hope that shortly them becomes hardly more!
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