Written by Johnny Papan


It’s been well over a year since punk-rocker turned country outlaw Troy Ounce made a dynamic shift in his sound and repertoire. While Ounce, who experimented with many genres including pop-rock, electronic and noise-punk, seemed to find comfort in country music, his personal life was becoming anything but comfortable.

Ounce was put on a “path of destruction” after breaking his arm, leaving him unable to play guitar for several months. The self-destructive tendencies were further amplified when Ounce’s fiancé left him. As a result, the eccentric, upbeat, fun-loving artist was being driven into darker days with drugs and alcohol at the wheel.

The experience of Ounce’s last year was documented on his latest EP Little Bit of Heaven on the Way. He briefly discusses the record via Q&A. Read below.

Rekt Chords: You recently dropped your new record Little Bit of Heaven on the Way. Can you explain the meaning of this title and let me know what the title track is about?

Troy Ounce: It's a breakup song about trying to hold on and remember the good times while on a path of self-destruction.

The cover showcases you sitting in the corner with your head in your hand, looking almost... defeated. What's the story behind this photo?

During the recording of this EP and the promo shoot, I felt completely defeated. My fiancé had just left me and a month before that I had broken my left arm. During that dark time, I was drinking a lot. Thankfully those rough times are behind me now.

You recently broke your arm which has taken an effect on your guitar playing. Can you talk about this a little bit?

The first couple of months were difficult but as time went on things have gotten better. It has now been nine months since the accident and I can play all my songs except for a few lead riffs. The only thing that bothers me is that I lost 10% of the range of motion in my arm, but I have hope it will come back one day.

Over your career, I've seen you experiment with many different sounds and projects. From noise punk to pop-rock, are you planning to continue experimenting or have you found a definitive home in the country sound?

I have definitely found my flow when it comes to my solo project and playing with The Alley Cat Drunx but I do like to keep things exciting by playing in other bands.

What would you say the album is about overall?

Pain and self-destruction.

What is next for Troy Ounce?

I am playing a live stream show soon at Redrum Records in Coquitlam. The date hasn't been announced yet but I will share it on my Instagram and Twitter as soon as it is.