"I am dearly beloved, but so are you and we’re not alone – life – love – death is our story, ride to hell, ride to glory," sings Rob Higgins in Dearly Beloved’s first single "Manifesto." Influences from 70’s UK punk to early 80’s pop to Detroit rock and roll give this Toronto band a touch of uniqueness.
Formed in early 2005, Dearly Beloved includes Higgins (lead singer and bass), Niva Chow (vocalist), Damon Richardson (guitar), Alex O’reilly (drums) and John Pogue (guitar). Higgins and Richardson played together in Change of Heart and O'reilly played with Higgins in Doctor. The rest of the band have also worked with each other in various other projects before joining Dearly Beloved. They are a group of talented friends who came together to help Higgins make a record and in the process became a family. "There is an ambiguous identity at work here, both a solo artist and a band – all in one," states Higgins.
The band’s debut, You Are the Jaguar, was written, produced and recorded by Higgins at Orange Studios and in his home studio Phoebe Street. "The prettiest sounding moments on the record are the darkest in terms of subject matter, and the most brutal and sonically punishing moments are actually the happiest. Simply put, its survival art, and it's fraught with all the inherent conflict and turmoil that comes with that." "The Butler Routine," "Acquiesce (These Times Are Underrated)" and "Perils of Snap Decisions" are great examples of those moments.
Rob also produces for other artists including recent projects for Sticky Rice and Sometimes Why. With Geddy Lee as his uncle, Higgins was fortunate enough to grow up going to Rush concerts as well as spending time around some of the best. "I got to hang with them in the studio, studying every move, analyzing their songwriting," he recalls. "I went on tour with them, studied every gig." Since his early teens he has been playing drums and bass in different bands. Having played in Change of Heart, Doctor and Our Lady Peace, he is now putting all his passion for music into Dearly Beloved.
You Are the Jaguar is not a traditional solo album; it documents life experiences from the perspective of one man yet is buoyed by the generosity and love of close friends. That bond is evident when you see this group live and is also an essential ingredient in making Dearly Beloved stand out from the rest. As Higgins describes, "It's chaos tempered with love and delivered with great fury."
