The Yage Letters got their start in Fanshawe's music industry arts program to learn about the industry, only to decide they wanted nothing to do with mainstream music anyway.

“The mainstream is getting really generic,” said guitarist, Bilay Badoe.

The band, consisting of Badoe, Andrew Hill and J.J. Gallo — both on guitar, bassist Cam Core and drummer Michael Marucci, has been together since 2006. Their new line up involves bassist Bobby Ryan and drummer Luke Soppelsa of Extinct or Alive, who's filling in as drummer for touring.

The band's third album, Incoming Yage, is a departure from the generic. While it was produced by Shawn Lefebvre and Mike Turner, former lead guitarist of Our Lady Peace, the album ironically avoids being too manufactured, said Badoe.

“I don't think it's a more professional sound — that's what's wrong with music today,” he said. “Everyone's looking for a more polished, professional sound.”

“We played with tempos, rhythms, time signatures...it's more in-your-face.”

Hill added that Incoming Yage has a “different vibe in general” and it's “a lot heavier” than their previous releases, which included an EP and their 2008 album, Hieroglyphics.

The band's focus has always been on the artistry of their music rather than being a huge market success.

“The band as a brand — I am strongly against that,” said J.J. Gallo. “We went to school to learn the music industry (but now) we just want to make good music, make good art.”

They glean inspiration not from Billboard's top 10, but from underground artists interested in “developing a full art scene” like the Loft From Hell in Montreal and Keith Hamilton of the band, Hamilton Trading Co., said Badoe.

So who are they playing for if they're not looking to mainstream audiences?

“People who want to listen to music and get something out of it,” said Gallo. “Anyone who sees art as a progressive form.”

But despite the seriousness of maintaining artistic integrity, the boys are always having fun, like experimenting with certain guitar tones — “We do things that are fun for the listener and fun for us playing it,” said Gallo. They incorporate fun into their song names too.

Inspired by four cartoons — South Park, Looney Tunes, Reboot and The Simpsons — every song name is a quotation or situation from those shows, reflective of the silly parts and even dark, heavy parts of the album.

Sticking it to the mainstream — one cartoon character at a time.

The Yage Letters were in London on Friday, February 12 at Moon Over the Marin. You can check them out on MySpace at: www.myspace.com/theyageletters.