Canadian rockers The Trews clearly love our country. They’re currently enjoying their second visit in 12 months with four solid weeks of local shows. I caught up with the band’s guitarist John-Angus MacDonald to chat about these gigs, The Trews’ new album Hope & Ruin, and why he loves Australia.
You’ve just kicked off a month-long stint in Australia. How are your shows going so far?
Good. We’ve had some great crowds so far and I feel like it can only get better from here. It took us a few days to get in the groove – we played our first show the day we flew in from Canada – but we feel like our internal clocks have now been reset and we’re ready to rock.
How do Australian audiences differ from the ones back home?
Not that different really, especially due to the huge number of Canadians turning out every night! I feel like our two countries have a lot in common which one of the reasons that I think we could have a good career here.
You were only just here last September. What encouraged you to come back so soon?
Back in the fall we feel like we caught a glimpse of what could be down here and wanted to get back soon to explore it further.
You’ve enjoyed real success in Canada, so it must be almost like starting over to come here where you don’t have that profile. What inspired you to try to crack the Australian market?
True, it’s a little like going back to our early club days in Canada but we feel that in order for the band to have longevity we have to break a few other markets. We can’t just have Canada or they’ll get sick of us!
Since you’re here for a month, are you planning on doing any sightseeing? What do you want to see?
Our drummer Sean and I have taken up surfing which has been great. I’d also like to tour the Opera House, climb the bridge, go to the zoo, swim with sharks … you know, the usual.
You’re preparing to release your new album Hope & Ruin in April. What can you tell me about it?
Hope & Ruin is a bit of a departure from some of our previous work. I think it’s a more intimate record. It draws the listener in rather than demand its attention. We’re quite proud of it. It was recorded mostly live off the floor at a studio in rural Ontario that is owned by one of our favorite bands, the Tragically Hip.
Will Australian audiences get a sneak peek at the new songs?
We’ve been playing at least two or three songs from the new record per night. Since we’re doing a five day circuit the idea is to vary the set every night so that by the end of the week we’ve thrown in every new song in one way or another.
Clearly your performances are something special as you’ve recorded two live albums: one acoustic and one electric. What can Australian music fans expect from your live shows?
It’s high energy. We definitely like to use it all up and save nothing for later … there’s no time for later!
I believe you started your career as One I’d Trouser. The Trews is certainly an improvement, but where did this name come from?
In our juvenile high school garage band days we went under that moniker and became well known in our home town of Antigonish, Nova Scotia. To make things simpler, and less perverted, we shortened it to Trouser. On the eve of releasing our first EP another band called Trouser came to us and threatened to sue. We had no idea they even existed, so we hastily changed it to The Trews which means the same thing as trouser but also has a double entendre to it. I like the ring of it.
Once you leave our shores, what’s next for The Trews?
We go home to Canada to release and support Hope & Ruin all over North America. Should be a hectic year to say the least but we’re very much looking forward to it.
Remember there’s still time to enter our Trews competition. Two lucky winners will score a double pass to the show of their choice, a copy of the band’s current album Friends and Total Strangers, a badge and a sticker. Simply click the link for all the details. If you don’t win you can still catch the band at the following shows.
9 March 2011 – Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills
10 March 2011 – Sandringham Hotel, Newtown
11 March 2011 – Old Manly Boatshed, Manly
12 March 2011 – Bridge Hotel, Rozelle
13 March 2011 – The Brass Monkey, Cronulla
17 March 2011 – The National, Geelong
18 March 2011 – Cherry Bar, Melbourne
19 March 2011 – Cherry Bar, Melbourne
20 March 2011 – Cherry Bar, Melbourne
23 March 2011 – Annandale Hotel, Annandale
Image used with permission from Revolutions