Ten years into their career, Montreal Rocks spoke with Ewan Currie, lead signer and guitarist of Canadian rock n rollers The Sheepdogs who will be playing the Corona Theatre on January 29th, along with Beat Cops. They will be touring the new album Future Nostalgia.
Montreal Rocks (MR): So your show at the Corona on January 29th will be the first show of the year back in Canada after your UK Tour. How is the reception in the UK vs Canada?
Ewan Currie (EC): We play to smaller crowds, no doubt, but we are more of a cult following over there. Those that do come out really love it, they love rock-and-roll in the UK. I’m really looking forward this upcoming trip. So much of my favorite music came out of that country. I always say that America invented rock-and-roll, but the Brits perfected it.
MR: You will be back in your home turf for many Canadian dates after the UK tour.
EC: Yes, we have about 6 weeks back in Canada.
Sheepdogs Tour Schedule: http://www.thesheepdogs.com/tour.php
MR: Obviously your musical influences are clearly good time rock-and-roll. What is it about that time period that draws you back?
EC: You said it man, the good time thing is the feature. I like to analyze music with my brain and all that, but what it comes down to is how do you feel on a visceral level as soon as you hear something. My favorite music is the one that as soon as I hear it, I say: “Whoa, what is this?” That tends to be your Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Beatles, The Allman Brothers and all that kind of stuff. We are very aware of that feeling, the immediate visceral, guttural, not overthought type of music and that is how we go about making our music.
MR: You posted at one point that one of the albums you have on your wall is Joe Cocker to keep you inspired. What other artists that you have on your wall?
EC: I have three in a row above my couch. I have Joe Cocker’s “With A Little Help From My Friends”. He looks like such a freak in it, it’s awesome. I also have Elton John’s “Rock of The Westies” who also looks like a freak. He looks disheveled and like a degenerate. In between them I have Duke Ellington, who looks very well coiffed and wearing a nice jacket. Duke Elington is more like a great arranger, a great composer, a classic jazz guy. I kind of like having those three dudes because they are bad asses and they site above me when I’m hanging at my place.
MR: Elegance between times of being crazy.
EC: Totally. Music should be wild and crazy but it should also be calculating and clever.
MR: If you could choose a band, dead or alive to have reunion tour, which would it be?
EC: Probably Led Zeppelin circa 1969/70, with Bonham, before Robert Plant blew out his voice. Also The Allman Brothers from that era 1970/71. To see those bands play live, at that point in time, would be something you would never forget.
MR: You can’t mention the Sheepdogs without mentioning the Rolling Stones cover. Describe the difference between the gig right before that cover, and the first one right after. What changed?
EC: I don’t think it was as clean a break between those two. There was the whole publicity swirling around the whole competition itself. It was all bubbling up around that time, but it did give us a ton of attention and a lot of people became aware of us and could check us out. It definitely took us from playing for tens of people to hundreds, if not thousands of people.
MR: You did pay your dues. It wasn’t like you were an out of the blue band. You put in a lot of work before that moment.
EC: Yes, we definitely did a lot of years…we still pay our dues! We are not on easy street by any means now. Dues are like taxes…we are still paying them.
“Dues are like taxes…we are still paying them.”
MR: I was looking at that Rolling Stones cover and it was pretty bleak. There was the death of Amy Winehouse, Rupert Murdoch scandals, the failures in Haiti… in contrast your music is so feel good. Do you feel that music can soothe someone when they are facing tragedy and hard times?
EC: Absolutely. Whenever I think of my favorite music, I imagine myself having had about 3 and a half beers and half a joint. Then it’s this beautiful, wonderful warm nostalgic feeling of kicking on the jukebox with your buddies. Music is a force for good. I absolutely believe that it’s as important now then it’s ever been with all that has been going on in the world.
MR: I guess you can call it an escape.
EC: Yeah, for me definitely it’s escapism.
MR: We were talking about paying your dues earlier. There is a story of how Sylvester Stallone didn’t want to get a job, because he felt it would put him in a state of complacency and he would lose his hunger to live his dream of acting. What did you have to give up to go from small time Saskatoon band to what you are now?
EC: I worked as a bartender, which is a pretty easy job. You are basically just hanging out. I didn’t feel it made me complacent. When you work a regular job, it makes you appreciate the hell out of getting your chance to play. I still remember playing a show with my buddy, when we first started. We had worked all week long, finally the week-end was here and we were going to play a show. He was like so stocked. He hadn’t been in a band in months, it was his first show and he just couldn’t be any more excited.
MR: A release of all that pent-up creativity I guess.
EC: It’s a pretty damn good job. Obviously at times it can be a wear, you play a million shows in a row and some of the luster goes out of it. At the same time, most people would trade positions with us, so you better have fun with it.
MR: Many people talk about goals in January. What would be one thing that would be amazing for the Sheepdogs in 2016?
EC: The big Canadian tour is the main focus. We want to make sure we go out and crush it every night. I’m really happy at how the ticket sales are going for this tour. I take this as a win that years after that initial media attention that so many people want to come see us play. That just tickles me. We are just making sure that we are still kicking ass. To be honest, even though this album just came out, I’m trying to demo songs for a new album. It’s the same old story, play live, try to do well and make a new record.
MR: There are a couple bands that have crossed your paths, like the Black Keys and Kings of Leon which is a thread that flows through your story. Thinking about the opening bands that have played with you over the years, which are the ones that stand out, that you respect?
EC: John Fogerty really impressed me. We toured Australia with him. He is in his sixties, but he sounded incredible. He took care of his voice over the years and didn’t go overboard with the partying. That’s something I’ve taken to heart, the fact that he can do it at that level for so long is really inspiring. It’s one thing to be doing this in your twenties but to be signing at age sixty and having written so many good songs…
MR: It’s taking this not as a party but as a lifestyle that will go on for a long time, hopefully.
EC: Yeah man, we all like to party, but unlike what Eddie Murphy says, we can’t party all the time.
MR: You are also big into sports. Anything else you guys are into between gigs?
EC: I definitely like sports. I follow football, baseball and basketball pretty closely. Blue Jays, we are all definitely all about that run last summer. My dad was a big Expos fan, so I grew up enjoying the Expos when Montreal still had them.
MR: Unfortunately, we don’t anymore, but you never know. Your personal Instagram feed, has all these amazing albums that you are posting up as you listen to them. That’s a great idea!
EC: Yes, over my journeys, I’ve collected a lot of records. Going through them and also having a record of them while I’m away helps me from buying the same record twice. I have a few doubles, but I usually give them to my brother.
MR: Yeah, going through the same thing myself.
EC: It’s easy to do, you just forget that you already have a copy of “Eat A Peach”.
MR: Anything special you are looking forward to in Montreal?
EC: Last time we played Quebec City and Montreal we had a great show and we were really blown away at how good the French crowds were. Just this wonderful energy and amped up crowds. When you come on stage and immediately get hit with energy, you just know that you will be able to give it all back. That’s what I’m looking forward to.
MR: For myself, The Corona is one of my favorite venues and we look forward to having you play there at the end of the month.
EC: Absolutely looking forward to it, can’t wait to get to Montreal.
Tickets for the Montreal show are available here.
Interview – Randal Wark
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