Biography

F&M is a gently sardonic, dark and hopelessly clever art-folk band with a sound that can be described as Natalie Merchant sipping Bordeaux with Leonard Cohen in a group home run by Nick Cave.

Beginning in 2002 as Ryan Anderson’s 48 hour experiment in self-recording, the band has matured to include songstress / multi-instrumentalist Becky Anderson and Bryan Miot Reichert (lead guitar). Ryan prefers to think of himself as “experience-trained.” He believes in the cocktail-napkin method of song-writing: a brilliant idea could hit at any moment and he has never written two songs the same way. Becky acquired formal music training on the pipe organ, but is mainly self-taught in piano, accordion, guitar and cymbeline. Her songwriting is rooted in deep academic longings and she completed a Masters in Soviet Russian Rock Music Culture. Bryan is fondly considered the “&” of F&M. He is formerly trained in jazz and sound engineering and recorded and co-produced F&M’s two studio albums.

F&M have shared the stage with the likes of Painting Daisies, Chris Wynters, Stabilo, Emm Gryner, Kensington Prairie, Ann Vriend, and other great acts. Recent accomplishments for F&M are being awarded a RAWLCO Radio 10K20 Grant (2009), showcasing at the 2008 Western Canada Music Awards, participating on CBC National Radio program GO!, charting nationally on the college charts and CKUA, regional media reviews, supporting environmental awareness with ACTV, and live radio opportunities. F&M is versatile. F&M is never afraid to go quiet.