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Interveiw
Thursday, June 6 was a night of firsts for Canadian superstars, Our Lady Peace. It was not only the first time the band has played in the Garden State in over a year, but the first time they've been here with their new guitar player and songs from their upcoming album, Gravity. If the crowd reaction was any indication, all the changes the band has made since their fourth album Spiritual Machines, are welcome. Guitarist Steve Mazur was cheered on, through out his performance. (He was chosen from among thousands to join the band after sending in an audition tape, after Mike Turner quit the band.) OLP let the fans come in out of the rain to watch them do sound check, then mingled with them. Later that night, they proceeded to play a 30 song set list! Before the show, Planet Verge sat down with drummer Jeremy Taggart, to get an inside look at the new Our Lady Peace. **Joelle
PV : How is touring in America different from in Canada?
Jeremy: It's not really that different in terms of people. In terms of culture, there's not really that big of a difference. It's just the size of the crowd.
PV: Do you ever wonder why America has not embraced you as much as other countries?
Jeremy: I think it's because we haven't had as much radio or video play. In terms of numbers, it's pretty much the same. We just tour so many more cities with a third the amount of people. Like 2,000-3,000 people instead of 8,000-15,000.
PV : Do you consider Gravity to be your best album to date?
Jeremy: Yes. I think it's the most potent record we've made, the most simple, siphoned version of all our previous work and ideas. Our maturity level is a lot higher. The musicianship is a lot higher. The song writing is a lot more immediate.
PV: Do you think it's because of the change in guitarists?
Jeremy: No. I think it has more to do with working with Bob (Rock) and being in a different environment and a different mindset. The guitar thing is more evident in the live show.
PV : Did recording in a peaceful place like Maui add to the overall feel of the album, or did you already go there with the songs, planning to make them simple?
Jeremy: We went there wanting to try something different. We knew it was going to be different, we just didn't know how different and if it was going to be for the better or for the worse. It turns out that it was definitely for the better and very east to be in that environment after one day. It was just simple, working with Bob. The level of creativity in the room was amazing.
PV : You've been doing a lot of radio festivals with other bands. What were some of the standout shows?
Jeremy: Washington was a really good show. Hopefully tomorrow in Phillie will be fun.
PV : Duncan said this is a new chapter for the band. What do you see in the future?
Jeremy: It's too difficult to tell the future, obviously. I think were really content right now, as a band. We're really excited and feel revitalized. We're just gonna enjoy what we're doing now. That's playing as much as we can, wherever we can.
PV : Is this Steve's first band?
Jeremy: Well, he's been in a few bands before, but this is his first major band.
PV : Was it hard to adjust to a new member?
Jeremy: Not at all. Not him. Adjusting to him is easy cause he's such a great musician and great person that it's totally inviting. Were at a level now we've never been because of Steve. It has a lot to do with Steve and I think it's very welcome.
PV : Since Steve is from America, did he move to Canada to be closer to everyone?
Jeremy: He lives on the West coast (of America) but he's been spending more time in Toronto just because he's had the time. We've been rehearsing all the time. Instead of going home for three days, he just stays in Toronto to work on the stuff.
PV : What were some of the strange things that happened while recording in a studio built on ancient burial grounds?
Jeremy: Bob's recording studio in Haiku, Maui is on a cemetery. They built it on a cemetery not realizing. I guess a bunch of jerk missionaries up the hill didn't tell anyone there happened to be a lot of dead people underneath the building. When they were building a part of the house, they found a coffin. There was a lot of weird feelings and a lot of sounds and strange things going on during the recording. Evidence that there's something more than just the people in the house.
PV : How was working with Bob Rock different from your previous producers? Did anyone co-produce Gravity? We know Raine co-produced Spiritual Machines.
Jeremy: Bob did everything. We were all involved. Raine was very involved. There's a great relationship with them. Bob definitely took the lead and directed everybody. It got to the point with Arnold (Lanni, who produced SP) that Raine was doing his own vocals at home and stuff like that. I think we definitely needed somebody to take care of everybody. It was great. As most people can hear, Raine singing on this record is probably his best ever and that's got a lot to do with Bob helping. That's what he does best. He gets the best performance out of everybody. That's what happens playing with Bob.
PV: Where did most of the inspiration behind the album come from?
Jeremy: The environment. Maui had a lot to do with it. The changes that happened had a lot to do with it. I think it was the mindset. After a few days, we were just simplifying so many things. That was the accompany of mind. Were gonna make things easier to swallow.
PV :Does everyone contribute to writing the lyrics?
Jeremy: Raine writes the lyrics.
PV : Are there going to be any other singles besides "Somewhere Out There"?
Jeremy: Yea, definitely. We don't know for sure. There's possibilities of six or seven songs that can be singles off this record. So that's a good problem to have.
PV :This album seems more like Americas style. I don't know why they don't like you guys here.
Jeremy: I think it just happens to be. When it happens, it happens. For some reason, it hasn't happened to us in the bigger scape of things. But because it hasn't happened in a big way-we've been around for ten years now-and it hasn't effected us. We still keep making records. Of this is the one, this is the one. You know?
PV : How do you feel about music on the Internet?
Jeremy: I think its cool. I think its great. Its fine that people have an opportunity to try different things and find out about different bands and if they like it, then they'll go buy it.
PV: Do you worry about it effecting your album sales?
Jeremy: I'm sure it effects it at some point. But, I think its good that people are excited about music. Music is so stale right now that I don't blame kids for wanting to download the record. They get so frustrated buying a record and saying it sucks. They don't want to have anything to do with the band. So, that's why people don't care anymore. They go out and spend $15-17 on a record and they bring it home and hate it.
PV: You've worked with Pearl Jam before and filled in for their drummer during the filming of the Spider Man video. How do you feel about side projects?
Jeremy: With anybody? Possibly, I don't know. I have a lot of friends who are musicians. I'm sure I'll do something with somebody eventually. I'm so busy with the band I haven't had time for the opportunity.
PV : You've been mugged and Duncan had a cancer scare. How have these occurrences effected the band?
Jeremy: That's life. When you're in a band for this long, things like that are bound to happen. Bad days and good days. Some days are worse than others. It's just made us feel like more of a family because we've had so many things happen.
PV: What bands have influenced you?
Jeremy: I grew up listening to bands like The Who, Led Zeppelin and the Beatles- a wide variation. I listen to all kinds of music. I listen to lots of hip hop. I really like Outkast. I like the new Eminem.
PV : When did you realize you wanted to be involved in with music?
Jeremy: My her played drums in a jazz band in the 60's and 70's. I grew up around it. I knew I was gonna play something, I just didn't realize when I was gonna start. It was a very musical household, without being forceful. It was just there. It was kinda the taboo thing in the house. It was something that you might not want to do 'cause it didn't really work out for my dad. To be a jazz musician as a career, is not the smartest decision to make. You don't make any money doing it and you're working all the time. It was upsetting for my parents in the beginning. It was "Oh my God, he's going down the path of darkness." But, it turned out pretty good, so they're happy.
PV : Did you go to college at all?
Jeremy: No. I started with the band when I was 17, so I didn't have a chance to go to school.
PV : Is there one moment that defined you as a band?
Jeremy: No. I think it's not one moment, but several years.
PV: On Spiritual Machines, "Life" was noted as the positive song. This album seems to have a few more. Is that because of September 11?
Jeremy: We started recording at he end of September. There was obviously a big change in the world that had happened. I'm sure it effected it in some way 'cause everybody felt the positivity toward each other once it happened. I don't think we meant to. We've always been reflective of what's around us, rather than getting on the soap box and preaching to people.
PV: Were you worried to tour here at all?
Jeremy: No, not at all.
PV: What is like on the road like for Our Lady Peace?
Jeremy: Pretty boring. Nothing exciting. We try to get real crazy every once in a while, but it doesn't really work out. We're trying to break the shell. We've played here like four times. It's a great place to play. There's not a lot of things to do around and it's always cloudy, though.
PV: The original release date for Gravity was June 11, the same day as Korn's new CD. Did changing it to June 18 have any to do with that?
Jeremy: No. It was changed because we weren't ready with art work.
PV :Do you have a favorite song to perform live?
Jeremy: Not really. It kinda varies. We have seven or eight that are really fun to play. The others are just kinda fun to play. It changes. Sometimes an old song can be fun. Sometimes a new one can be fun.
PV: Have you had any weird experiences with fans?
Jeremy: Not really. The people that come out to our shows are pretty cool, level headed people. It's usually more at the festivals where we see really crazy stuff, but it's not even that wild.
PV :How did you come up with the name of the album?
Jeremy: From "Somewhere Out There." We were fingering through ideas and Gravity made sense.
PV: How did the concept for your previous album, Spiritual Machines come about, using the book When Computers Exceed Human Intelligence?
Jeremy: I like to think of it as an album that stands completely on it's own. You don't need a book to read to get it. A lot of people were led to believe that you did. Looking back, maybe it's a sad thing-people thinking, 'Oh, I gotta read this to get this"- but it's totally not that at all. I've never read the book. Mike read the book. We started talking about it. Then, Raine wrote a verse or tow in a song about some of the ideas and it kinda snowballed into three or four songs on the record, that have that type of feel. The opinions expressed in those songs are loosely tied together with Ray's (author) ideas and some of the things Raine was saying. Raine was relying on human faith and spirit, where Ray doesn't really believe it exists as much. Ray was saying it was a chemical thing in the brain-a reaction-that faith is more of a reaction to fear or happiness. There was a lot of weirdness there. We were trying to open up a conversation idea. We weren't trying necessarily to get someone to read the book and live by it at all. We were just saying, "Here's something to talk about." Whether it's what you believe or not, it's interesting.
PV : Are you incorporating a lot of the new songs into the set?
Jeremy: There are seven or eight in the show.
PV : Since the album's not out yet, how are fans responding to them?
Jeremy: They know almost all of them already. So thank God the Internet's here. They've downloaded them already. Let's just hope they buy the CD.
Source:planetverge
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