Bio

Laj’s heartfelt songs seamlessly meld together elements of rock, folk, and country, without straying too far from the power-pop roots that give the tunes a certain joie de vivre, with nods to tunesmiths like Nick Lowe and Paul Westerberg. The narrative weaved together by Laj’s powerful yet unpretentious lyrics tells the tale of the Northern Ontario kid trying to find his way south, ultimately to Montreal, by way of Sudbury, North Bay, Toronto, and everywhere in between, with stories of finding love, cross-country tours, and broken-down vehicles, but ultimately retaining a strong sense of humour and hope which lies within memorably catchy hooks and intertwining harmonies between Laj and bassist Jeanette Dowling.

Ever since falling in love with rock 'n roll at 9 years old after listening to a Beatles cassette, Laj has been (for the most part) obsessed with the genre. Things got a little deeper when he discovered the Undertones & Teenage Head in a box of 45's that was to be discarded in a local radio station’s trash from a renovation in the early 90's. That led him to a whole new world consisting of punk rock and underground music. Years went on, with Laj searching continuously for different laneways of music found within the towns and cities he’s lived in. Being fascinated with and learning to live life through his record collection, some may say he's a dreamer - but he would not necessarily agree to that. "I'd only be dreaming if I was found to be sleeping through all this, but (maybe unfortunately?) it is a reality and a way of life for me." It sure has been. Laj and his band The Looks have played over 1000 shows all through North America. "It's crazy to think of it now but we've been all over the place on the continent, I haven't even been on a plane yet and apparently there's a whole different world out there," Laj smirks.

 

"Dany Laj writes the kind of tunes full of yearning: for love, for commitment, for purpose, for getting the hell out of town. Fortunately he wraps this angst in the kind of tuneful confections that make fast friends on one spin." - Big Takeover Magazine

"Dany Laj And the Looks are becoming a tour de force in the world of power-pop and old school rock’n’roll and deserve to be heard by a much wider audience."  Louder Than War

"Combine all of the best ingredients of Power Pop into a 60's Blender in the Garage and press repeat." - "Boris" Boden (aka The Secret Weapon on Woody Radio)

"I've been on the Laj train since 2017 and am pleased to find many of my favorite tracks here such as "Sweet Pretender", "Mister Screaming Attitude", "Hold For Love", and the terrific 2018 single "Left To Right One". I've also discovered a couple of old gems in "I Know You Want Out" and "Best Thing In Town" that have immediately ascended to my favorites list. While "power pop" broadly describes this band's music, I've always appreciated how Laj has never limited himself to a specific genre. He's a singer/songwriter first and foremost, and his songs reflect the influence of everything from punk to folk to indie rock to classic pop & rock and roll. There's more than a little Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello in his musical DNA!" - Faster And Louder

For booking and all other inquiries please contact eric@wearebusybodies.com