Artists are reflections of their environment and Startlefish are no exception. The band come from Northern Ontario which is a place of extremes. Winters are cold, summers are hot, and this dynamic environment has shaped the sound of Startlefish. The music of Startlefish's ranges from acoustic and delicate to dense and electric.

The band is comprised of Craig West (bass, lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Shayne Wigglesworth (guitar, vocals), Ed Young (drums, guitar, vocals) and Jason McBride (guitar, keyboards, vocals, bass). Startlefish was founded in 2003 and have released two full length albums, Regretfully Yours in 2005, followed in 2006 by The Debtor’s Heart, which was very kindly described by a local journalist as “the most accomplished work to ever come out of Northern Ontario.”

Craig plays aggressively, often treating the bass like a lead instrument while Shayne is a master of texture whose specialty is creating soundscapes with effects and unusual chord voicing. The sound of Craig and Shayne's untraditional styles form the basis of the band's sound. Ed is both a precise and powerful drummer, and Jason is the extra set of hands, filling in the gaps where needed.

On stage or in the studio, Startlefish strive to create memorable songs and intense performances. Most of the band’s songs are reflections on personal experiences. You won’t find many political songs or love songs in the Startlefish catalogue. You will however, find songs examining loneliness, life in a world that’s moving a bit too fast, estrangement, and the sorts of things that grind away the core of a person’s soul. Textured, moody, and melodic, Startlefish write songs about raw human experience. All done with a nice melody of course! (read less)

Artists are reflections of their environment and Startlefish are no exception. The band come from Northern Ontario which is a place of extremes. Winters are cold, summers are hot, and this dynamic environment has shaped the sound of Startlefish. The music of Startlefish's ranges from acoustic and delicate to dense and electric.

The band is comprised of Craig West (bass, lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Shayne Wigglesworth (guitar, vocals), Ed Young (drums, guitar, vocals) and Jason McBride (gu... (read more)