About Down With Webster
Down with Webster is a Canadian rap rock band from The Beaches area of Toronto who signed with Universal Motown in April 2009. The band first achieved commercial success with the release of the 2009 EP, Time to Win, Vol. I which consisted of the singles "Rich Girl$", "Your Man" and "Whoa Is Me". Their major-label debut album, Time to Win, Vol. II featured the track "She's Dope". The 2014 follow-up album Party for Your Life included the songs "One in a Million" and "Chills." The band has been nominated for Juno Awards, MuchMusic Video Awards and Canadian Radio Music Awards.
Down with Webster originally started as an instrumental jazz band that was formed in a music class at Glen Ames Senior Public School in 1998 by band members Patrick Gillett and Tyler Armes. They, along with the original members of the band, quickly named the group toward the end of class after the beloved titular character from the 80s sitcom Webster, who is played by Emmanuel Lewis. Following a victory at their school's "Battle of the Bands" competition, the group was joined by Andrew Martino and Martin "Bucky" Seja, students from Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts, and other members who attended Malvern Collegiate Institute. As a jam band, they made reggae, funk and jazz inspired music in Armes' father garage. Hip-hop elements were incorporated into their music once Seja became a part of the group and rapped along with Gillett, who also brought an influence of blues rock to the band.
The band released a six-track CD-R EP titled The Reverb Session July '03. This release was primarily sold at concerts in 2003 and 2004. Hype man Kyle "Kap" Fairlie, a former actor whose voice work includes roles in the Nelvana series Redwall, Franklin, Babar and Rolie Polie Olie, and the film The Little Bear Movie, and rapper Cameron "Cam" Hunter would later join the band's lineup. In 2007, the band released their debut independent self-titled album.
As long as any of us can remember, all we wanted to do was make music. While we came from different backgrounds, found inspiration from different influences, and developed different styles; we were united by our love of music. It's the reason we saved all of our money to buy albums, memorized every word, learned each chord, bass line and beat. It's the reason we spent all of our time together writing, playing and producing in a garage. It's the reason we sleep in the studio and live on stage… Every show is a party and we dare the audience to have more fun than us .
–Down with Webster
The group built a following through their energetic shows. Jill Langlois of Chart recounted their performance at Canadian Music Week in March 2008: "...the band exploded onto the stage and never slowed down or stopped. Words will never really describe the Down With Webster experience." She described them as "flashy and obnoxious, but fun and loveable". In June, the group was named 'Best Unsigned Artist in Canada' by Rogers Mobile and received a recording prize worth $25,000. After facing years of rejection, they captured the attention of music executives including musicians Gene Simmons and Timbaland, who wanted to sign the band to their respective record labels. The former had aspirations for them to appear in a reality series to grow their audience as well. According to Timbaland, "That group is the most amazing and creative, innovative group that's going to come out in 2010." Ultimately, they signed with Universal/Motown. The band's debut gold-certified EP Time to Win, Vol. I was released on October 6, 2009. The lead single from the EP "Rich Girl$", which sampled the Hall & Oates track of the same name, peaked at No. 21 on the Canadian Hot 100. In the fall of 2009, they opened for Forever the Sickest Kids on the Cheap Date Tour.
The follow-up single "Your Man" peaked at No. 12 on the Hot 100, and was certified double platinum in digital downloads by the CRIA. The first headlining tour, WINTOUR I, had the band tour Canada and the United States in January and February 2010. The tour started in Halifax on January 7 and ended on February 1 in Vancouver. The band also opened for Timbaland on two dates in February on the Shock Value II Tour. They were nominated for 'New Group of the Year' at the 2010 Juno Awards, losing to Arkells. Additionally, they received nominations for 'UR Fave: New Artist' and 'Pop Video of the Year'. at the 2010 MuchMusic Video Awards. The third single "Whoa Is Me", was released on June 15, 2010, and peaked at No. 13 on the Canadian Hot 100. Over the summer, they played at festivals such as the SCENE Music Festival, the Ottawa Bluesfest and the Sarnia Bayfest, where they opened for the Black Eyed Peas. After finishing the Streets of Gold Tour with 3OH!3, the band would "lock ourselves in the studio for a couple of months" and finish their forthcoming album. The tour was completed on November 24, 2010, at Albuquerque, New Mexico. They then performed at the pregame show for the 98th Grey Cup. In December, they won the 'Online Artist of the Year' at the 2010 Canadian New Media Awards.
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