The Barenaked Ladies

written by Melissa Payette

It has been over two decades since the Barenaked Ladies (BNL) first made their appearance on the music scene, in 1988.  Today, the four members of this long-time Canadian band are stronger than ever with a brand new album released on March 30^th, 2010.  In the past twenty years, the four musicians have been through highs and lows but they’ve come out of it on the other side happy with their achievements.

In early March, I had the amazing opportunity to talk on the phone with their drummer Tyler Stewart.  We talked a little bit about the bands’ past together, but we mostly focused on the newest release and how it came to be.

Recently, BNL lost one of their founding members, Steven Page, when he decided to part ways with the band for his own projects.  Although this could have meant the end of the Barenaked Ladies for good; the remaining four members used their experiences to create a new record together which they named: ‘All in Good Time’.

Being a fan of BNL myself, I was very excited to talk to Tyler about their most recent effort and the inspiration behind it.  I was equally eager to have the chance to hear stories from the band’s past and how the Barenaked Ladies made it through more than 20 years together while remaining so incredibly successful.

I started off by asking him what his expectations were for the album’s release.  I was very curious to learn how the band overcame losing one of their members and how it might translate into their music.

“We’re very excited!  The album has been done since August.  The title of the album is kind of a reflection of that.  It should probably be called ‘It’s About Freaking Time’!  We’ve been sitting on this thing since August so we’re very excited to have it out there and get some feedback.  Show the world the new four-piece Barenaked Ladies” Tyler explained with a laugh.

Along with their brand new album, the quartet has been gearing up for a three month tour across Canada and parts of the U.S.  Although BNL is not new to the idea of leaving home for months on end and playing shows every evening; there is always a lot of prepping involved, both mental and physical, that need to be made.

“Aside from the psychological elements of men in our forties getting ready to sleep on a tour bus for the next four months and trying to anticipate the aching back and all the other diva-like complaints that come with being a man in his forties not in his own bed; we’ve been rehearsing the songs and preparing riffs and ideas for exciting moments on the stage: essentially putting our heads together and coming up with one heck of a show” Stewart told me about how they prepared for their tour.

I also asked Tyler whether the band had any pre-show rituals that had stuck over time.

“You know, we kind of just look at each other and say the word ‘show’.  It’s short hand for ‘have a good show’ but it’s the classic male thing, right? You could just grunt or pat each other on the butt or that kind of thing.  Something that doesn’t require a whole lot of communicative thought.  We like to eliminate all of the superfluous stuff and focus on what matters, so we just look each other in the eyes and we just say ‘show’ “ .

Following that idea, he also told me that although not every single BNL show was absolutely amazing, they never had a bad one because they always want to impress their fans live:

“I think it’s a Hallmark of Barenaked Ladies.  Something that we really are committed to:  great live shows.  It’s the most fun part of the job.”

After talking about the group’s touring rituals and habits, I went back to the new record, ‘All in Good Time’.  The album is BNL’s eleventh and possibly the most anticipated yet.  Their first single titled “You Run Away”, is very different from what fans are used to hearing.  The song is much more intense and emotional.  Both lyrics and the music video reflect the new direction the band has taken with this newest release and I questioned Tyler as to the different places the band had pulled inspirations from this time around.

“The song, it’s about the end of a relationship essentially.  Obviously that was something that was on our minds when we decided to move on without Steven and it certainly formed the song, but it’s not entirely about that” he explained.

Tyler went on by clarifying that the song is also about the universal idea of disappointment when a relationship comes to an end, even after trying to work things out; something that practically everybody can somehow relate to.

As for the music video that goes along with the song, it was an amazing technological feature, which was completed by a good friend and director of the band called Phil Harder.  Stewart described Phil as a “very whimsical guy and also very creative”, who came up with the idea of filming the entire music video with a 35MM digital camera, normally used to take pictures only.  The difference between the 35MM they used and a classic professional one can barely be noticed while watching the clip.

When we discussed the rest of the songs on the album, Stewart was beyond enthusiastic while speaking of them:

“Well it’s one of those things where [the songs] are all newborn babies for us!  We’re really, very excited.  Also, because the record was made at such an interesting and pivotal time for the band, it was a really uniting time; a time of coming together and also of intense creativity.” He said when I wondered which songs he preferred.

He carried on with that thought by adding:  “We’re known for our energetic and upbeat songs and there’s obviously a few of those on the record, but there’s also some more emotional and textural songs on this record.”

As for a favorite off ‘All in Good Time’, Tyler told me that if he absolutely HAD to pick, it would be a song called ‘4 seconds’ because it’s so weird he just loves it.

Almost all people who have turned on their radio know at least one classic Barenaked Ladies song.  Most likely it would be “If I Had a Million Dollars”, but other famous singles include:  “You Could Be My Yoko Ono” and “One Week”.  Throughout all the crazy lyrics over the past years, it’s difficult not to wonder where on earth songwriter Ed Robertson gets all his inspiration from.  With the change of sound on their latest effort, I wondered where exactly they pulled ideas for songs from.  Stewart had a lot to say on this topic.

“I think we’re inspired by the things that happen to us and the things that we observe.  I think that in terms of musical inspirations, it’s very vast.  This group has a ton of influences” he started by saying.

“I think between all of us we probably listen to all music.  It makes things really interesting in the directing room because we can put a selection of all of our tunes on and have an incredible listening experience.  It’s pretty amazing.  I think that in terms of the vast musical power of the group, inspiration can come from anywhere, any given day”.

One of the examples from ‘All in Good Time’ that Stewart gave me was in relation to a song called “Every Subway Car”,  which is about a graffiti artist who declares his love for a girl all over the city in bright and vibrant colors.

“Initially Ed wrote the song in an opening line that said: “All night long I love that song.  I know you do too”.  And he’s talking of course about the Lionel Richie classic “All Night Long”.  So it was a song about two Lionel Richie fans falling in love” Tyler carried on about the influences behind that song in particular.

I was amazed at how original the song was and yet how it was something right out of everyday life at the same time.  It just goes to show that true musical talent lies in being able to find those little every day things that can become something fans can relate to, enjoy listening to, or both.

It’s very rare to come across a group of musicians who stay together and continue to write music so successfully for such a long period of time.  That being said, after we spoke about the album, I asked Tyler what was the most important lesson he had learned over the years that helped keep BNL together.

“Respect for different points of view and respect for different ways of doing things.  Because when you live in a small confined space, whether it’d be a tour bus or a dressing room or an airplane or a rehearsal space with three or four other guys; you have to learn how to give them space.  Give yourself space and give them space and that’s based on respect and respecting people’s personalities, their needs and their wants and giving them the respect they deserve.  I think that’s the most important thing I’ve learned in over twenty years”.

After joking around a bit about other interesting lessons that he had been learning over time, I asked Tyler what the most rewarding part about being a musician was.  He was very genuine with his answer and gave me the impression that he truly appreciated how he had gotten to where he is now.

“Getting to work with all kinds of incredibly talented and creative people.  And to me that starts within my own band.  The three guys in my band, well, even Steven, over the first twenty years of the band; they’ve all been incredibly creative and interesting people.  And getting the chance to collaborate with such talented individuals is absolutely the best part of the job” Tyler said proudly, thinking back to all the opportunities he’s had throughout his career.

He went on with his drift, adding:  “It’s astounding the talent that people have.  Getting to share that and be a part of that, to me, is a dream come true”.

My next question for Tyler Stewart was if he could offer up any good advice for up and coming artists out there.  He advised that the most important thing a band who is trying to make it can do is to be good live.

“You know what you offer, you can deliver every time and it’s undeniable:  it’s not some smoke and mirrors trick” he depicted about why being a good live performer was so important today.

I couldn’t agree more.  After all the concerts I’ve been to over the years, if a band performs really well, I will really fall in love with their music.  However, if I love a band and see them live but they don’t astound me, I won’t be nearly as impressed.  So I definitely conquered with Tyler on that matter.

My last question for him and maybe the one I’d been anticipating the most was to ask him was about his career highlights.  Even though I didn’t think it was something that would be very easy to answer, giving all they have been through, I asked Stewart if he could pinpoint his favorite moment with the Barenaked Ladies.  He began by telling me a couple stories from the best memories he could think of on the spot:  Playing to a sold-out Madison Square Garden in New York City, playing with and later meeting Neil Young and performing in front of eighty thousand people at the Glastonbury festival in 1998. The drummer ended his list of best moments by telling me that “the mass of humanity is quite incredible”.

The Barenaked Ladies have had without a doubt an amazing and prosperous career to-date and it’s not anywhere near over yet.  They have become one of the most recognized Canadian bands of their generation and continue to write music that people from all ages can connect to.

Don’t forget to check out their brand new album, ‘All in Good Time’, which is in stores now.  If you would like to find out more about them, visit any of the following links:

www.myspace.com/barenakedladies

www.barenakedladies.com

If you’d like to read my full interview with Tyler Stewart, you can read it by Clicking Here