After their upcoming show on Saturday, May 23rd at the Mod Club, Five Blank Pages will cease to be a band. After being together for over seven years, playing hundreds of shows, these Toronto indie rockers have collectively decided to pack it in and move on.

But what kind of crazy, earth-shaking event could have led to this unfortunate ending? Murder? It's probably murder. But just to confirm, I met up with Noyan Hilmi (guitars, vocals) at Nirvana. We talked of the band's demise, a new (but final) EP, and some of the memorable highlights from over the years.

"Right up until a couple years ago we were going really strong, playing tons of shows, and having a really good time with it. The last couple years it has gotten really difficult to balance the things we want to do as a band with the things we want to do in our personal lives. More and more it seems that there is no longer a balance and it just seems like it's time to close the book on the band. I'd rather go out on a somewhat high note than just let the band fizzle and fade away."

The high note he is referring to is their Mod Club show this Saturday. It's an all-ages event and is part of Toronto's Over The Top Festival. There will be former members playing with them and some sort of horns and strings arrangement as well. Oh No Forest Fires will be opening.

"I want to celebrate this, rather than it be a sad occasion. I'd rather just turn it around and make it a celebration of everything we accomplished, everyone we've worked with, and just have a really good time."

FBP have released a final four song EP, Young Glow, which I found slightly odd. Normally, a band releases an EP to create buzz, and to help book them shows. But if this is the last show they'll ever play, then why spend the time and money?

"This is something we just wanted to do as a parting gift for people. These are songs that we had been working on for a while, and we really like these new songs. We did some demo recordings and they turned out a lot better than we anticipated. It just seems like the right thing to do - to have people hear them. It's like a good-bye."

But what if people go crazy and need more FBP after this? Will they give into public demand?

"No. I don't really see that happening."

I asked Noyan to describe three highlights over the band's seven years together:

1) "The records that we put out, we always put out the way we wanted to. They sounded the way we wanted them to and we worked with who we wanted to. So, the recorded music is definitely one."

2) "Going out to the Halifax POP Explosion in Fall, 2006. That was super-fun."

3) "I'm really proud of our last CD release party. It was easily one of our best shows ever. We pretty much sold out the Horseshoe Tavern. There was a great vibe, and great energy to it. I'm hoping that this show at the Mod Club outdoes that."

Photo by Daniel Novisedlak