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 Sloan. |
Can’t believe it’s been 15 years since Sloan first entered our collective Canadian indie rock consciousness.
Chris Murphy, Patrick Pentland, Jay Ferguson and Andrew Scott, the original and current four members, are pretty much household names for those in the Can-rock know.
Their eighth studio album, Never Hear The End Of It, hits stores Tuesday and the band hits Lula Lounge the same night for their CD release party.
In this fickle, pop-star based musical climate, how the hell do four frumpy mop-tops from Halifax stay relevant?
“I don’t think we’ve ever threatened to become irrelevant,” says drummer/guitarist Andrew Scott. “We’re a pretty traditional rock band. It’s not like we’re trying to reinvent ourselves every time we put out a record. Ultimately, we’re trying to make records that we, ourselves, can stomach.”
Despite its whopping 30 tracks, the new record is not a double CD, but it will be available as a double vinyl album. It was entirely self-recorded and self-produced at the band’s own studio, with each member doing some songwriting.
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They probably would have made more money releasing it as a double CD — but then, this is Sloan. It’s not like they’re big on bling.
“People think we’re rich; well, actually, I’m pretty broke,” says Scott. “You can get blue in the face wondering if you’re going to be able to pay the mortgage, but you’d do that in any career.”
Scott says the band’s “greatest success” has been keeping the same four members, all of whom are now Toronto based.
They all live downtown, but they rarely spend much time together outside of the band.
Maybe that’s how they’ve kept it together for so long.
“We’re very seldom part of each other’s lives outside of the band,” says Scott. “It’s not like we’re The Monkees and all live in the same house and have f---ing pillow fights all the time. We’re all beyond that stage as a band.”
Expect them to play mostly new stuff at the CD release party. After the Toronto show, they’ll head “home” to Halifax to open for the Rolling Stones next Saturday.