Blue Rodeo's Greg Keelor is an analogue guy in a digital world.
The guitarist records on old-fashioned equipment at his farm, doesn't like e-mail and refuses to own a computer.
"I've got enough distractions in my life as it is, I don't know how a computer would affect my life," he says over the phone -- one of the modern conveniences he is thankfully willing to embrace. "Gadgets are something that can be obsessive. I've got enough to obsess on."
Keelor's disdain for high-tech toys is a reflection of his band's philosophy.
For 17 years the Toronto group has consistently produced solid, roots-oriented rock without worrying about the rest of the finicky music industry.
"We've been lucky we've been able to be fairly independent of the revolving door of radio trends and pop trends," Keelor says. "The roots music thing in Canada has always sort of been there; there's always been a subculture, a strong tradition of songwriting and putting the music together that way."
On the band's new album, Palace of Gold, Blue Rodeo expands its collective vision by recording with a horn and string section.
Keelor and songwriting partner Jim Cuddy decided to record with the Bushwhack Horns and Planet Soul Strings to keep things interesting, he says.
"It's a bit more bang for your buck. The Molson Amphitheatre is a big shed, and we'd decided to do something different," he says.
Palace of Gold was recorded at the band's new Toronto studio, the Woodshed, so time wasn't an issue when laying down tracks. They had free rein to make the kind of album they wanted to.
"Nothing was really done until we did it. We had rough ideas of stuff, then we sat down with these people and did the arrangements," Keelor says.
Although Keelor and Cuddy have been writing together for two decades, penning such hits as Til I Am Myself, Try and Diamond Mine along the way, Keelor doesn't think their songwriting skills are improving as the years go by.
"I think we've maybe learned a few tricks and done a few things right but I think we're just a bit of a fluke," he says earnestly.
The band -- which also includes bassist Bazil Donovan, drummer Glenn Milchem, organist James Gray guitarist James Gray and pedal steel guitarist Bob Egan -- has brought the four member Bushwhack Horns with them on their current tour.
"Tours sort of break up the winter quite nicely. You're travelling in Victoria and it's 45, 50 degrees and you go over the mountains and it's -50 degrees. And in the Prairies you never know what to expect, but in Winnipeg we know it will be cold," Keelor says.
Blue Rodeo is playing soft-seat theatres in Canada but still play bars in the United States, which Keelor doesn't mind.
"I like playing bars, it's fun to play for drunks," he says. "When we first started moving to the soft-seaters we told the crowd to bring mickeys because even though we were playing bigger venues, it's important to get drunk."
