Remember how that Icarus guy flew too close to the sun, had his wings melt, and drowned in the ocean? That doesn't actually happen every time to everyone. We have proof in the form of three real artists who, individually and with others, have executed megaprojects intact and lived on to tell every candid detail.

BARRY WALSH (Embassy MTL, embassymtl.com) is an OG Montreal skate guy, steward of the city’s skate scene, and co-saviour (along with Marc Tison and crew) of what Thrasher magazine has called one of ten zones every shredder needs to skate before he or she dies. Yes, we’re talking about “the Big O.”

SEAN FOSTER (Sean Foster & the Vaqueros,seanfosterandthevaqueros.com) was the vocalist part of Edmonton modern punk band 7 & 7 Is, and that band happened to have been the first outside indie music group to noise make on the island of Cuba back in 2007.