Michael Rault got his start in music playing in local punk bands, such as The Nightshades (with members of Let’s Dance and the Dance Floor Disasters) and the Morellos (with now notable solo performer Eamon McGrath), while simultaneously falling in as a guitar player with the Rault Brothers Band alongside his Dad and Uncle, Lionel and Ron Rault.
In June of 2005 he ventured out on his own with his first self titled “Michael Rault and the Mixed Signals” CDR EP. The album became a minor local hit, and the band caught a break in being featured at the third and final Ruckus Compilation release, and their locally popular song “Numb” was included on the accompanying disc.
Rault kept up the group’s momentum by releasing their second CDR EP in February of 2006. The disc, which was entitled “Edmonton’s Newest Hit Makers”, garnered rave reviews both locally and abroad.
Edmonton’s Vue Weekly and Calgary’s Beatroute Magazine listed the EP as one of the top releases of the year and Paul Martin of the UK’s Shindig Magazine proclaimed, “Rault and his cohorts produce a great basic garage sound, which all garage heads worthy of their salt should check out.
They are clearly worthy of a label signing and deserve to have their songs more widely heard." Running on the steam heat generated by his current release, Michael was a featured artist on Luka Symons’ “Nightcap” on CKUA Radio in May of 2006, and that same year he was invited to play at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival, as well as the Syncrude Next Generation Arts Festival (also known as Next Fest).
For their next effort, the Mixed Signals teamed up with Juno Award nominated producer Nik Kozub (Shout Out Out Out Out, Veal, The Cleats) and created a three song CDR single entitled “Sure Are Fun” which was released in December of 2006.
Again, the release received much positive attention from the Alberta music scene, as it rose to number six on the CJSR FM charts and also enjoyed radio exposure from CKUA. Michael and his band were included in Beatroute Magazine’s best albums of 2007, and CJSR announced that “Sure Are Fun” was one of the most played albums of that year, and again the Mixed Signals graced the stage at Syncrude’s Next Fest.
In 2008, Rault began performing as a solo, armed only with his guitar, amp, and a tambourine which he tapes to his foot. This format successfully translates his distinctive brand of roots rock and roll into a more minimalist presentation, with great effect.
Since the transition Rault was included in CKUA Radio’s “U-22,” a special which focused on young Alberta song writing talent, and he continues to appear as part of the U-22 concert series. He was featured at 2008’s Alberta Sessions at Calgary’s Engineered Air Theatre in the Epcor Centre, and had his performance broadcasted nationally by CBC.
Due to the new excitement generated by Rault’s solo shows The Mixed Signals were chosen by Edmonton’s Sonic 102.9 FM to be their Band of the Month for March, and the band reunited for a few shows in March and April.
Rault played the Edmonton Folk Music Festival for the second time, as well as Next Fest for the third straight year, which was also broadcasted by the CBC. He’s now finished his first solo EP entitled “Michael Rault – CRASH! BOOM! BANG!,” which is set to be released in mid October.
He has since toured across Canada alongside Doug Hoyer. Contact Michael Rault at [email protected], through myspace at myspace.com/michaelrault, or through Sonic Bids at sonicbids.com/michaelrault.
