Breach of Trust scores a hat trick at awards

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Breach of Trust, a hard rocking group of four musicians, who are being compared to Rush and Pearl Jam, have burst onto the mainstream Canadian music scene after years of hard work.

But it was the Canadian Aboriginal people who came to honor them on Nov. 23.

Their second recording, "Songs For Dying Nations" earned honors for Best Songwriter, Best Group or Duo and Best Rock Album at the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards held at the Casino Rama Entertainment Centre.

Three members of the band, lead singer/guitarist Marty Ballentyne, drummer, Billy Aubut, and bassist/vocalist, Zane Kryzanowsky, hail from LaRonge, Sask. Breach of Trust's newest member, Colin Cheechoo, is a member of the Moose Cree First Nation of Moose Factory, James Bay, Ont.

Breach of Trust released their first recording, an EP titled "Dead Issue," in 1995 and "Songs for a Dying Nation" independently before record giant EMI signed them on and re-released "Songs" after re-mixing it and adding lyrics sung by Cheechoo.

All four band members are seasoned performers who have been plying their trade for years. These boys are a tight, professional act, that Toronto-based Much Music recognizes as a band that's going places.

"Much Music has been very supportive of us, and we're getting some feature play on radio stations across the country and some Aboriginal stations are playing us too. [Songs For Dying Nations is] getting it's due, and [these awards are] very cool," said Ballentyne.

Marty Ballentyne was chosen several years back as a national Aboriginal youth role model. Ballentyne comes from a mixed cultural background, both Aboriginal and European. He is an articulate individual with a deep and passionate respect for his Native heritage and culture. Ballentyne is especially passionate about the need to preserve First Nations languages as integral components of Aboriginal culture and heritage.

During one of the band's three trips to the podium, Ballentyne paid tribute to the band members' children.

"Some of us have some children and they're at home and we miss them very much, so we want to dedicate all the things we do tonight and all nights to our children.

"We want to thank all of you because you've been really great and we feel very welcome here. We want to thank all the people of this territory for making us welcome as we traveled here to be in your presence tonight."

Colin Cheechoo (known as "Cheech") has an extensive family history of music and stage performance. He is the son of Juno nominee and Canadian Aboriginal Music Award winner Vern Cheechoo. Colin is at least the third generation of the Cheechoo family to find his passion in playing music.

"This is beautiful. It's a first time for all of us and we're really enjoying ourselves. We're following in the tradition of music in bringing home this award. This is the second release for Breach of Trust and the first one that I'm on, but this was our first nomination, and we won," Cheechoo said.

When asked about the band's lyrical style, Ballentyne explained it this way, "Our songwriting process is about being as truthful, passionate and honest as we can. The way we write, the way we arrange the music and the lyrics are all a process where we're just trying to celebrate our group and the individuality of the members of the band and the sound that we create when we're together."

Asked about the title of their CD "Songs for Dying Nations" and whether or not he thought First Nations were dying, Ballentyne was evasive.

"I don't know. What do you think?

"I think that one of the things that music can do, and one of the things that anything creative can do, is to get people thinking about things. So I don't know. I know what I was thinking, but I don't want to impose my thoughts on anybody. I would rather just let people decide for themselves. If you look around tonight I would say that we are far from over. I love who I am and I love where I come from and I love all the things that I still have o do to honor my bloodline and where I come from."