ROYAL CANOE

(From top-left going clockwise)

Matt Schellenberg – Keyboards, Vocals

Matt Peters – Vocals, Keyboards, Acoustic Guitar

Brendan Berg – Bass, Keyboard, Vocals

Derek Allard – Drums

Michael Jordan – Electronic Drums

Bucky Driedger – Electric Guitar, Vocals

“Royal Canoe is a band, armed with falsettos, guitars, effects pedals, drums, basses, tambourines, shakers and a six-keyboard super-weapon. Royal Canoe play lyrically sharp pop songs that move people and make people move.”

I want to start off with my favorite video from Royal Canoe (so far) that defies the laws of physics in the best ways possible – This is “Bathtubs”, off their album, Today We’re Believers:

Bathtubs

Q&A With Royal Canoe’s Bucky Driedger

Noah: Between Co-op Mode and Today We’re Believers there’s an evident change in music style. What influenced the change in this direction?

Bucky: The main difference was the fact that CO-OP Mode was mainly a project of Matt Peters, before the rest of the band came along. As a group we were able to pick out the elements we loved from the older material (falsettos, electro and acoustic rhythms etc) and hang onto those while adding all our various voices and tastes to the sonic palette.

N: For most of this winter (and now into the summer), you’ve been hibernating to write and record new music. How would you describe your upcoming album?

B: Some people have been asking this question and it feels difficult to articulate. We are so lost in our little insular recording/writing bubble right now that it feels hard to talk about it relatively. Some things remain the same: tons of keyboards, lots of weird sounds, vocal effects and big rhythms. Trying to make songs with lots of swagger and attitude that also connect on a gut/heart level. I’d say maybe the new stuff feels a little more raw, sonically and emotionally.

N: One very iconic element in some of your songs is the involvement of an octave pedal to sing both low and high simultaneously. What first influenced this choice?

B: It was a total fluke that it became an integral piece of our sound. Matt had this old Boss vocal transformer pedal lying around the rehearsal space when we first started writing music together. It had never been used, but when we were writing Nightcrawlin’ we thought the low octave would fit really well with the vibe and content of the song. So we had the main beat going and drone note playing to keep pitch and Matt singing along, writing melodies with this vocal pedal. That pedal now gets put on guitars, keyboards, vocals, really everything. It’s magic.

N: Are there any new tricks you guys have utilized on your upcoming recordings we can look forward to (and if so, would you be willing to tell us a bit about one or some)?

B: Well, we’ve added one new keyboard (MOOG Minitaur) and a handful of new pedals and effects. So we’ve expanded our sonic options. Other than that, we spent some time sampling bits of vinyl and other recordings and manipulating them through effects, then turning those into beats or sounds to add flavour to the songs. Our most powerful tool, I feel, has just been amount of hours logged together. We are quicker to learn how to play the songs live together. And not necessarily quicker in the writing/recording process, but more focused. We have a better collective idea this time around of what we want to do. And lots of that was unspoken.

N: (This question goes a little ways back) In November of 2013 you guys had some terrible luck. While on tour in Chicago, your van was broken into; laptops, passports, and personal items were stolen. You’d started an indiegogo fundraising campaign with a goal of $7800 to help replace the stolen gear, and within 24 hours of launching, you’d surpassed that goal! What were your initial thoughts of how the fundraising campaign would go? When you reached your goal so quickly, did this bring on any new realizations or provide any insight regarding the status of your band?

B: This was very overwhelming. We had tentativeness about going to our fans like that and asking them for money, but we were in a jam and couldn’t see our way out. The response was unbelievable. More than being able to replace our stuff was the amazing feeling that so many people gave a shit about us and the music we make, enough so that they donated their money to keep things going. Because of that we were able to dive right into making this album. Our fans are really passionate and active. I love that so much.



[A pretty cool postcard I got from supporting them in their campaign!]

N: “Today We’re Believers” has one of my favorite album covers ever (which I have framed on the wall in my music room). How did this come to be your cover art?

B: Thanks man! This cover art was a collaboration between a UK based artist named Danny O’Connor and a designer from Winnipeg named Chris Samms. We were searching for something that was colourful, vibrant and loud, but also housed a really human connection. Thus the face hiding in the bursts of colour. It felt like a good representation of the music we were trying to make. Bold and vibrant, but the ability to provoke an emotional connection. We ended up using two of Danny’s paintings, one on top of the other and making some slight tweaks to fit with the overall design vision.

N: Royal Canoe has released many amazing music videos and had the chance to work with some great directors. One video that took me a bit by surprise was “Exodus of the Year”, directed by Matthew Rankin. The video gives people a taste of what Winnipeg is, although it may not be what some are expecting. What kind of feedback have you received regarding this video? Is there anything you’d like to personally add about Winnipeg?

B: Winnipeg is home. It will always be home, no matter how much we are away. Inevitably, your home shapes who you are and the art you make. Winnipeg was a really big part of the identity on the last record and our feelings about the city seemed to permeate the sound and lyrics. So it felt fitting to work with Matt Rankin, who has explored Winnipeg and the weird relationship its inhabitants have with it in lots of his work. Some people thought we were knocking our city. But that’s not the case. I think Rankin said it best, he wanted it to feel like “the Winnipeg we carry around in our hearts. It’s both sad and beautiful, frustrated and triumphant.”

Exodus of the Year

N: There’s a common element I’ve noticed in several of your music videos – the man in the red balaclava. I’ve noticed it in at least 3 of your videos (I think). Is there a story to behind this character?

B: The balaclava guy was the brainchild of Mike Maryniuk (who did our videos for Nightcrawlin, Hold on to the Metal and Button Fumbla). It started during our first video shoot ever (for Nightcrawlin) and we wanted the extras to be extra winter-y. Mike had the idea to throw these orange balaclavas on everyone. It’s become this weird recurring character. It’s some faceless, winter-land clone dude that needs Royal Canoe to survive.

During our last show in Minneapolis, as soon as we started our first song, this guy put on an orange balaclava and wore it for the whole set. That guy is awesome.

Nightcrawlin’

N: Today We’re Believers was released on my birthday, which was a great gift to receive. Thanks for that! When can we expect the next album to come out?

B: Hahah. Happy Belated Birthday! Any time I try to predict a date I am always wrong, but I’ll do so anyways. I promise it won’t be on your birthday this time, though. You can expect a new album in the first half of 2016, with songs starting to trickle out before this year is up.

Well, you did say you’re always wrong…

N: What’s your favorite cover song that you’ve played at shows?

B: Playing Destiny’s Child’s Jumpin, Jumpin with the ladies from Chic Gamine singing was pretty huge and fun. But we once played all of Side B of Abbey Road in a festival workshop with Hey Rosetta! We each learned alternating songs and never practiced together. We just jammed the transitions. It was really, really fun.

N: My blog is all about exposing people to new music. What one song would you recommend everybody listen to right now?

B: Ava Luna – PRPL

I loved reading about what Bucky had to say and appreciate the time he took to respond! They’ve provided some great insight into who Royal Canoe is, and what is yet to come. I can guarantee the moment any new music surfaces I’m gonna be all up in that, and make sure I cram it down your ears! Along with Today We’re Believers, Royal Canoe have released several other mini-masterpieces for your enjoyment: – As previously mentioned, check out Royal Canoe’s first CD, Co-Op Mode to get a taste of Royal Canoe’s roots.

Back in 2012, Beck released sheet music including 20 songs called Song Reader. Check out Royal Canoe’s release of Song Reader including 7 tracks. – One of Royal Canoe’s special releases was Purple & Gold, containing two songs: “Show me your eyes” which later was released once more on Today We’re Believers, and “Summersweat”, as well as remixes of both songs. Check out “Summersweat”, a song that belongs in your special Barry White playlist:

Summersweat

I’m gonna share just one more song from Royal Canoe, but you have to go check out the rest. It’s pretty much a law. Thanks for reading and listening!

Button Fumbla