Dan Cleary and Tim Brown are two members of Edmonton-based heavy metal powerhouse Striker. As they approach two decades in the music industry, the guys discuss their DIY recording roots, the reality of independent record labels, and conquering the European metal festival circuit. From winning a Juno Award mid-pandemic to their 2024 stylistic evolution on Ultra Power, learn how these Canadian metal veterans maintain longevity by prioritizing brand authenticity and pure, unadulterated fun.
ep35 Striker just wanna have fun
released March 5, 2026
1:40:43
https://www.striker-metal.com/
http://instagram.com/strikermetal
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU67S5jpv-oENDrjRZEcmuA
Takeaways
Striker, Canadian metal, longevity, independent labels, music industry, Juno Award, touring, band dynamics, Edmonton music scene, metal genres, band dynamics, authenticity, new music, fun in music, advice for bands
hosts: Glen Erickson, Alexi Erickson
Almost Famous Enough website: https://www.almostfamousenough.com
AFE instagram: https://www.instagram.com/almostfamousenough
Almost Famous Enough Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1o1PRD2X0i3Otmpn8vi2zP?si=1ece497360564480
Almost Famous Enough is a series of conversations centered around the music industry, pulling back the veil on what it really means to “make it”. Our podcast features guests who know the grind, who have lived the dream, or at the very least, chased the dream. Through these conversational biographies, truth and vulnerability provide more than a topical roadmap or compile some career advice; they can appeal to the dreamer in us all, with stories that can teach us, inspire us, and even reconcile us, and make us feel like we made a new friend along the way.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
03:26 Meet Striker and Origins
05:40 20 Years of Metal Longevity
11:09 DIY Demos and First Deal
16:05 Edmonton Scene and Europe Breakthrough
27:52 Fame Myths Touring Reality
40:30 Junos Get Canceled
41:43 Does A Juno Matter
44:21 Pandemic Tour Limbo
45:59 Band Nearly Breaks
50:48 Ultra Power New Vibe
01:11:24 What’s Next And Drummer
01:18:14 Fill-In Drummers Policy
01:19:11 Advice For New Bands
01:20:01 Fun Over Money In AI Era
01:21:38 DIY Skills And Self Investment
01:24:41 Post-Fame with Alexi