The Sun Harmonic is a three piece rock n’ roll band. Guitar, bass and drums, always recorded live-off-the-floor in the studio. The 7th full-length album is set to be released in 2025, ushered in by the first sing-along single “Homesick.” Indie veteran and frontman Kaleb Hikele, with rhythm section Dave Skrtich and Ian McLennan, are old friends and seasoned Canadian musicians. The Sun Harmonic has transformed the pseudonym started in 2009 as a solo outfit, bringing a faster, louder sound to the stage and recording studio. Following six solo albums released under the stage name, the trio’s upcoming album is a bold collection of raw original songs demonstrating folk, punk and hard rock influences from the band members. The trio has taken to the stage at Winnipeg’s Festival Du Voyageur and London’s Western Fair, recent recipients of 2024’s FCLMA award for Ontario Independent Recording Artist.
With “Glory Days” out now, we took some time to hear from The Sun Harmonic. Read below to learn more about The Sun Harmonic, the story behind “Glory Days,” and what’s to come.
Hi! Let’s start with how did the band’s name come about?
Kaleb Hikele (Lead Vocals/Guitar): Hi! Good question. I was in music college, Seneca College at York University, in late 2008. I had just moved to the city of Toronto and knew almost nobody, lived in a shoebox room on the 3rd floor of a weird commune house of about 10 people. I wrote a lot of new music in that room, enough to bring to a studio in 2009, but I wanted a new stage name instead of Kaleb Hikele. All I remember is sitting at my 2008 White MacBook (RIP) and typing out some ideas into the jot notepad. The Sun was there, the thought was to refer to music as the sun that my life revolved around… And then The Harmonic Sun was there, in a moment of truth I reversed the words in my head and typed out The Sun Harmonic. Sixteen years later, we’re still talking about it and I don’t regret it!
What city are you all from, and where are you all based now?
We are 100% Canadian. So 2/3rds of the band are born and raised in St. Thomas Ontario! Land of Jumbo the Elephant Statue. Kaleb and Ian grew up there and sang in the same show choir as kids, Colla Voce. Dave grew up in Stoney Creek and met Kaleb in the early 2010’s at a show downtown Toronto. Kaleb and Dave still live in the big city, Ian moved to Kitchener (Google our Mary Street Sessions videos shot in his living room) and is now taking shelter up north in Ontario!
When and how did the trio form?
We were a duo for years before Ian showed up with his bass to make a trio. Dave and I drove around Ontario, even to Montreal, to play as a guitar and drum duo for many years. But it wasn’t Jack and Meg White, it was more like Neil Young without a bassist (haha). Acoustic guitar and drums. We had fun! Those years workshopped many of the songs we play today, it was the groundwork we had to do to get the band up and running… The trio came together in 2017 or 2018, I think? Our first recordings as a band were In the Forest (group vocals), Flying over Saskatchewan (guitar, bass, drums debut) and then our It’s All Okay, Thanks to You EP from 2020! The upcoming full-length album is our first as a band in the studio.
How would you all describe your group’s sound to readers who may not be familiar with you all?
Wholehearted Rock and Roll with a folk twist and a splash of soul.
Who are some of your band’s main musical influences?
I would say we influence each other, in the jam space or studio, knowing each other’s musical tastes or approaches. Our personalities influence our songs as much as our musical influences do. But speaking on behalf of myself (Kaleb here): The Beatles (of course) and all of their first solo albums. Beethoven. Billie Holiday. Jeff Buckley. Motown. Thrice! Those are my own inspirations that keep me going, no matter what genre of music I’m making myself…
What’s one of the proudest moments of your band’s music career so far?
Flying to Winnipeg in the middle of the winter, February 2020, to play in a festival tent opening for Charlotte Cardin (before she was huge). It was -40 degrees outside. The pandemic hit a few weeks later and it was the last show we played for years.
What would you all say are the greatest lessons that you’ve all learned so far?
Don’t give up. And, find the right people. Some people will never like you or what you do, who cares. Find your people.
Now onto ‘Glory Days.’ What inspired this song?
Driving a furniture delivery van in the middle of Mississauga. I think I was picking up a van full of pillows that day to deliver a patio set? I started singing to myself while I drove, I did that often while working (I still do) and this song was the soundtrack to my drive. Simple as that. I’m glad I remembered it. Likely recorded a clip on my phone, which I should try to find…
What is ‘Glory Days’ about?
It’s about yesterday, today and tomorrow. It’s all perspective, isn’t it?
What was the creative process like when making ‘Glory Days?’
The song adapted to it’s environment, let’s put it that way. I first wrote it in my head as a melody, then played it on an acoustic guitar with the capo on 6th. A quiet folk song turned into a louder rock song when I took the capo off and found out I could arrange an E flat minor introduction to kick off the song. That’s when it really took off!
How long did it take to complete ‘Glory Days?’
Well, about 9 years since I wrote it. 5 years since we recorded. The glory days kept slipping away from me! But I’m glad we released it when we did. It sounds like a protest song against Trump’s authoritarian regime, or against the Gaza or Ukraine wars, or the impending doom of climate change, but the truth is it’s about whatever you want it to be about! It’s topical to your time and your situation.
How did the music video for ‘Glory Days’ come about? What was the vision for the video?
I told the guys that I wanted to make a music video of us playing our instruments. The old school rock video where you watch a rock band play the song, you know? From the Much Music/Punk Show days, when I used to stay up to watch it on the ol’ television as a teenager. So we brought lights, instruments and a camera into a rehearsal space on Geary Ave in Toronto. Played the song a million times, shot it ourselves, took it back home and edited the video myself with a Final Cut Pro free trial. Voila!
What message or messages do you all hope fans take away from ‘Glory Days’ and your band’s music in general?
Personally, I just hope to inspire people to believe in themselves and follow their dreams and passions, as I always have, and specifically influence other musicians… My favourite thing is hearing that I’ve inspired someone to be creative, or to finish that song they can’t finish, etc.
What’s next for you all? Are you all working on any upcoming projects, or do you all have any upcoming shows that we should be on the lookout for?
Yes, we hit the stage Friday November 7th at VenueXVenue Festival in London Ontario! Oh! And we’re working on writing and prepping our next studio album, full of loud, fast, punk and rock tracks that we’ve written together as a trio. Good stuff! All the while finishing the current self-titled LP (where Glory Days is picked from) coming in late 2025.
Where can we follow you all on social media?
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesunharmonic
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sunharmonic
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SunHarmonic
Bandcamp: https://thesunharmonic.bandcamp.com
Website: https://thesunharmonic.com
Before you all go, let’s ask you all an off-topic question. What album would you all bring on a deserted island?
Ian: Harvest.
Kaleb: Grace (but, I’d also sneak in a copy of Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus).
Dave: United States Navy Test Frequency Catalogue Volume 3.
Thank you all for the great interview; wish you all much continued success!
