OcrtoBer 12, 2005

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THE CaprRE ¢ 10

Canadian Talent “The Trews” Rock The Wave

Andy Bulman

Contributor

Canadian band and recent ECMA award winners “The Trews” along with their relatively unknown opening act “The Novak’s” rocked the wave last Friday for the second time in a year.

The Trews, after an amazing summer of touring were back to promote their new album “Den of Thieves” I got to catch up with lead guitar John Angus Macdonald before the show and grilled him on the Trews career highlights, new album, drugs and hanging out with Nickleback.

Q. So what would you guys consider to be your career highlight, Winning an ECMA, being a much music award nominee, playing at UPEI...?

A. Well playing at UPEI for sure but I think opening for the Stones this past summer is a close second. We’ve had alot of great gigs these last few months, we opened for (Robert) Plant too. That was fuckin Cool.

Q. Tell me about opening for the Stones, how did that happen?

A. We heard that they were giving a small show, and bugged our manager for tickets. We were on the way to a photo shoot and our manager called and was basically like couldn’t get you boys any tickets, but you’re opening the show. We were high fiving each other and jumping up and down. It was very cool.

Q. Something that I thought you might say was a highlight was the fact that your song “I’m not ready to Go” was the most played single on Canadian radio in 2004. Do you think that a band can suffer from overexposure?

A. I think A. Yah we that a band did fifteen can defiantly shows for b e them and overexposed. they threw I don’t think us a huge that we’re party on there yet. our last But there night. It was a time was crazy. last year, We almost when our missed our song would flight the

come on the radio and we would have to turn it off because it would be irrating to listen to. It’s still a rush though to hear your songs on the radio, any band that says it isn’t is lying.

Q. Why did you guys decide to name your new album, Den of Thieves?

A. Basically because we run around being crazy, it just kind of relates, and fits into the theme of our last album.

Q. You guys have toured with some big names, including Theory ofa Deadman? What do you think of their music?

A. No comment.(laughs nervously)

Q. You used to tour with Nickleback, any thoughts on their music?

next day. They’re very hospitable guys.

To be honest they’re not in my collection. I think that Chad really writes from the heart though. They may be a band that suffers from overexposure. I think that if they just had a gold record instead of a platinum record they wouldn’t get slagged so much because they are a good band.

Q. What bands do you like? What bands do you not like?

A. This year there was a lot of great records put out. ’m really happy about the state of Rock an Roll right now. The White Stripes are amazing, Oasis’s new album rocks and a lot of the old guys put out some great stuff this year.

The New Rolling Stone’s cd is just great. I really love Paul Mcartney. I fucking hate Motley Crue. They have shitty music and they’re just a bunch of morons with bad attitudes who put partying before music. They just didn’t make good music. They’re just party animals.

Q. So do you guys party a lot on the road?

A. Our first year of touring, I was drunk every night, but you can’t keep that up, too many mornings feeling like that, you just can’t maintain that and you’ re just not doing your best. So yah we party but we don’t party every night. The Novaks just asked us that earlier.

Q. Do drugs play a large role in the Canadian rock scene? A. Yah there is drugs. But then drugs are everywhere. I get way more university students wanting to do lines with me then musicians. I think Coke’s making a comeback, not that it ever really went out of style but its definitely becoming fashionable again. It’s not a good drug. I don’t condone that shit. Coke is bad. We’ve smoked our fair share of pot though.

Q. On that note, when was the last time you guys did something illegal?

A. A few hours ago. We got kicked out of that Cari Complex. We were abusing the water slides.

Q. Now that your band has experienced some success, do you find people treat you differently?

A. Yah, I mean you’re famous, people think you have money, you definitely get special treatment, you stay grounded by

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