Hedley Answers Fan Questions

Uncontrollable shivers bordering on hypothermia is what comes to mind when I think of this past January 24^th – spending more than 8 hours outside in minus 30 degrees Celsius weather will do that to a girl, especially one who is still more vain than she is willing to look like the abominable snowman in a snowsuit.   Yes it was cold, bitterly so, but nothing was going to keep me away from Crescent Street that Saturday afternoon … even if it was for an NHL All-Star Weekend event.

I’m no hockey fan, but I am a music fan and that evening, two of our favourite Canadian bands were taking the stage in the outdoor concert event of the season – granted, the ONLY outdoor event of the season … who in their right minds holds an outdoor concert, mid-January, in QUEBEC???? – during which headliners, Hedley, and opening act, The New Cities, would give a show like no other.

For the few who are unfamiliar with  the band, “Hedley is a Canadian pop punk band comprising lead singer Jacob Hoggard, who placed 3rd during the second season of the reality TV series Canadian Idol in 2004, Tommy Mac on bass, Dave Rosin on the guitar and Chris Crippin on drums. Their debut single “On My Own” reached number 1 on the Canadian Singles Chart and the follow-up “Trip” peaked at number 11. The singles “On My Own”, “321″, “Trip”, and “Gunnin’” topped the MuchMusic Countdown. Their last single off of the debut album, “Street Fight”, was successful on both the MuchMusic Countdown and the Canadian Singles Chart. Their first single from their new album “Famous Last Words”, “She’s So Sorry” achieved success on the MuchMusic Countdown.”  ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedley_(band)) On May 19th, 2009, the band will unleash their US exclusive masterpiece, NEVER TOO LATE.  This US debut includes, seven #1s from their two double platinum Canadian releases.

Some of you might be wondering why I spent 8 hours freezing my tail off when the show was only about 3 hours long.  Well, let’s say that my lack of forethought that day didn’t only extend to the wardrobe department.   Our interview with Hedley was scheduled for around 3pm and as usual I was running a little late.  Quickly I scribbled down the number of the label rep I was to call when I got on site and headed out the door.  The problem with being in a hurry is you tend to be a little careless and the last four digits of a phone number can easily go from 1234 to 1243 as you write them down.

To make a long story short, after two and half hours of trying the wrong number, leaving a message with another rep asking them to contact the Hedley rep so he could contact us, we finally connected with each other only to be told that there was no time in their schedule to do interviews at the late hour.

Devastated doesn’t quit cover it.  Because I had made a careless mistake and as such missed an opportunity for the magazine certainly, but more so because as part of my research, I had signed up to the band’s message board and asked the fans to forward me the questions they had been wanting to ask the boys.  So many had sent us their questions and well wishes that I was embarrassed and saddened to have to go home empty handed.  Never one to give up, I pressed on and another few minutes of professional begging later, I managed to convince the rep to find us a spot, any spot, and was told that if anything opened up, he would call me back.

So, outside we waited, taking a 20 minute break to warm up inside The New Cities trailer while we did that interview and finally, at around 8pm, my cell rang.  If I hurried, I could get a five minute window with guitarist Dave Rosin.  Rushing past security, I made my way into another trailer that was jam packed with band members, techs and friends, all trying to stay out of the cold, and its with chapped, blue lips that I sat down at a small table with Dave hoping to cram as many questions as I could in the little I was allotted.

DAVE: Hey!  How’s it going?

CONFRONT: Good how are you?  My name is Angel by the way.

DAVE: Angel!  Dave!  Nice to meet you.  Have we met before Angel?  You look familiar.

CONFRONT: No we haven’t but I seem to have a familiar looking face.  I get that a lot.

DAVE: You look cold.

CONFRONT: I know.  I’m totally shivering right now.  I’ve been freezing my butt off outside since this afternoon.  This is crazy weather for an outdoor show.

DAVE: It is.  When we went for dinner I went out and bought a pair of long-johns.  It’s the one thing I forgot.  We played [Mont] Tremblant back in December and we all got prepared.  Tom got new boots.  Chris has a brand new hat that’s keeping him warm and I have long-johns now.  So we are going to be ready.

CONFRONT: Cool.  While I was prepping for the interview, I went on your website because I figured you guys have done so many interviews in Canada that the same questions must get repeated all the time and to avoid that, I wanted to ask the fans to send me some of their questions that they have for you.  I’m going to try and go as quickly as I can since we don’t have much time and as you can imagine, they had a lot of questions for you and I want to go through as many as I can.  The first question is from Jessica in Toronto who asks: What was the worst thing that’s happened on stage and how did you fix it?

DAVE: Well, actually, Tom got kicked off the stage one time by Jacob one time.  Well multiple times but one time we were in Blue mountain which is a ski resort and we were playing an event at the hotel and during one song Tom got kicked off the stage and hurt really bad.  So we had to take a time out and all that.  But other than the human factor we were able to get back to everything.

CONFRONT: Zaz wants to know what your reaction to the detractors is?  What do you say to those who say your music is too pop or too commercial?

DAVE: That’s fine.  They can make the music they are making and you know what?  There are a lot of fans in Canada who know what we are doing and support us and the emotion we put into it and that’s pretty much all we can do.  We write and record together we put our heart and souls into it; and a good song is a good song.

CONFRONT: Icecreamgrrl asks: Will there be a concert DVD in the future?

DAVE: Absolutely there will be.  And I want to ask her what her favourite flavour of ice cream is.  Mine is Cookies and Cream.

CONFRONT: Lynley from Montreal wants to you the finish the sentence…  The first is: I’ve never…

DAVE: I’ve never peed my pants though I’ve wanted too.

CONFRONT: (laughing) Classic.  I would never…

DAVE: I would never turn my back on a friend.

CONFRONT: I can’t live without…

DAVE: I can’t live without music.

CONFRONT: If I could do anything I would…

DAVE: If I could do anything I would probably time travel.

CONFRONT: (laughing) very nice.  In twenty years you will be…

DAVE: In twenty years I will be older than I am now.

CONFRONT: Quite insightful.  The thing I will never forget is…

DAVE: My bike-lock code from grade seven.