Five Minutes With: Vancouver Country Band Pistol Whip The Devil

Vancouver-based band Pistol Whip the Devil (PWTD) has been making significant waves in the local music landscape, captivating audiences with their distinctive sound and energetic performances. The group has quickly established themselves as a formidable presence on the Canadian music circuit, earning coveted spots on lineups alongside some of the country’s most celebrated artists.

Their growing reputation has led to impressive performance opportunities, sharing stages with Canadian country music heavyweights Dallas Smith and The Recklaws, as well as American country star Tanner Adell. Their versatility is evident in their collaborations across genres, having been featured alongside rock favourites The Sheepdogs and country veterans Doc Walker. The band’s resume continues to expand with performances supporting rising stars Tyler Joe Miller, Jojo Mason, Mark Ledlin, Cache Creek, and Canyon Riders, demonstrating their broad appeal and musical adaptability.

Pistol Whip The Devil

Name:

Pistol Whip The Devil

Genre:

Country Rock, Redneck Rock

Founded:

Started playing with this crew professionally in 2023 after the idea for the new group was kicked around during the pandemic.

# of Albums:

Working on our first one. We have 2 singles out now and will have 3 more out by the end of the year and we’ll release a deluxe version of the EP with some bonus material.

Latest Album:

Devil In Me

Latest Single:

City With One Red Light

Latest Video: 

Favourite musician growing up:

The raw talent of Kurt Cobain, you can hear his mind formulating their sound through the first few albums, until the perfect album, Nevermind, was finally brought to life.

Favourite musician now:

I honestly couldn’t give you a proper answer, there is so much talent across so many genres I have an appreciation for. If I had to choose someone from my genre and today I would probably say Chris Stapleton.

Guilty pleasure song:

I love hip hop and one of my favourite jams while driving is King Sh*t – Yo Gotti ft. T.I.

Live show ritual:

I can never eat before a show, but I have a hot totty to settle the performance nerves and a classic green Monster Energy drink – whatever is in it settles my vocal cords perfectly.

Favourite local musician:

Gonna be a tie between Cache Creek and Canyon Riders, bringing back the great rock of the 70s. The guys are all immensely talented and have bright futures ahead of them

EP or LP?

It’s a singles market, which I think is great for musicians. We follow a “song is god” mentality, each song has its own rules and rhythm. So it’s nice to have the freedom to write one song and give it its moment without having to make sure it fits into a whole album concept.

Early bird or night owl?

Night Owl 10x over. I get it from my mom. We used to hang out together when everyone else went to sleep, and it definitely helped prepare me for burning the candle at both ends being a musician at night and having a day job.

Road or studio?

The bandmates will probably tell you the road and it definitely is a lot of fun, but I absolutely love recording music and the “studio magic” that only happens behind those big heavy doors. IYKYK but to sum it up in one line – you think you’re going in with a finished and fully arranged song but you most certainly aren’t.

Any shows or albums coming up?

New Single Devil in Me just came out.

Where can we follow you?

Facebook | Instagram | Contact

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Rapid Fire Local Questions:

What is your favourite local restaurant?

Pinkys on Main. Local Kitsilano.

What is your favourite street in your city and why?

Main Street – great restaurants and connects to all the other great locations in our city.

What is your favourite park in your city and why?

Stanley Park – right in downtown and great beaches.

What is your favourite music venue in your city?

A lot of great venues in Vancouver have left, still one of the great remaining spots is The Commodore, however, the Roxy still finds a way to steal a few nights from me.

What is your favourite music store in your city?

Long and McQuade could possibly be the best music store on the planet. Their setup is musician-friendly.

 

About Emilea Semancik 279 Articles
Emilea Semancik was born in North Vancouver. Emilea has always always wanted to work as a freelance writer and currently writes for the Vancouver Guardian. Taking influence from journalism culture surrounding the great and late Anthony Bourdain, she is a recipe author working towards publishing her own series of books. You can find her food blog on Instagram: