Preview
GOB
Monday, November 24
MacEwan Hall
The Skull Skates shirt that guitarist Theo Goutzinakis sports in the "Give up the Grunge" video seems to be the only proof that Gob has any attachment left to its hometown. After all, lead singer Tom Thacker lives in New York and admits he’s out of the loop as far as what’s going on in the Vancouver music scene. More importantly, after listening to their latest album, Foot in Mouth Disease, it’s obvious they’ve traded in their West Coast boarding anthems for a sound designed to break out of the confines of their native land.
But who can blame them? After six years of being MuchMusic sweethearts and cranking out some of the catchiest pop-punk tunes in North America, they couldn’t seem to crack the CanCon rut. So they’ve headed west.
"Japan is the place that has really taken off for us," says Thacker. "It’s like our biggest market now. I mean, I hate to talk using industry terms, but that’s what people say. It’s awesome there. We really love going there. It’s so cool. It’s sort of like our new Canada."
Recognition in the land of the Rising Sun and fanatical music fans happened just in time, too. Gob came dangerously close to succumbing to a bad case of THS (Tragically Hip Syndrome), a career-crippling disease that prevents successful Canadian acts from cashing in their fame chips elsewhere. Even though Gob is a platinum-selling hit factory that’s been headlining sold-out tours north of the border, it’s their opening acts that tend to explode Stateside, as in the case of Sum 41. Even Vancouver’s Black Halos (albeit on a smaller scale) were able to build a substantial fanbase south of the border.
Although Thacker respects the aforementioned bands, he’s not so kind about other unnamed groups. However, he wisely chalks up his band’s situation to the current music industry system.
"Sometimes it’s frustrating when a really shitty band that writes crappy songs becomes really popular," admits Thacker, whose band recently signed to Arista Records. "Someone is spending a lot of money to promote that band and get that band in everyone’s face.
"We have people working for us and I think they’re doing a good job but it’s just a different thing. When someone decides they’re gonna put $5 million behind a band, it (international fame) happens."
But he doesn’t let undeserving fairy-tale success stories get him down. Furthermore, Thacker believes any band’s success is all relative.
"There are tons of bands that are making great music that don’t sell that many records," he says. "I think that we’re fairly lucky to be in the position we’re in – we sell several thousands, tens of thousands and over a hundred thousand records, so we’re pretty fortunate. But then again, there are friends of ours that are selling upwards of a million records."
Foot in Mouth Disease may not be pushing units in the seven-figure range, but it is getting attention in some unlikely U.S. cities. For instance, Gob tends to get a lot of radio play in Detroit and Hartford, neither of which are well-known hubs for SoCal influenced radio-friendly bands.
Foot in Mouth Disease, produced by Mark Trombino, whose credits include Blink 182 and Jimmy Eat World, showcases a more mature band, relying less on snotty punk vocals and more on accessible American pop-rock guitar riffs. Despite a heavier concentration on six-strings, Gob’s knack for melodic catchy hooks are still there, especially in "Cold Feet," where Thacker pleads "My love/ Come to me/ Come around I’m lonely." But don’t be fooled by the seemingly sentimental lyrics because it’s not long before the group’s wacky sense of humour can be heard in the next couple of lines: "Have socks/ I can smell you on them."
Same goes for the latest single, "Oh! Ellin." Despite being a heartfelt I-want-you-back love song, the video is one of Gob’s signature slapstick comedies.
"That was supposed to be something different," says Thacker. "I think it was a good video, but it was supposed to be a little dirtier and a little more tense."
Tense? Hard to imagine, considering it’s a spoof of a heated tennis match with Thacker taking the piss out of John McEnroe’s temper tantrums and the ever zany Goutzinakis playing Thacker’s very hammed up opponent. However, as with the case of Gob’s career path veering off to Japan until the rest of the States catch on, inadvertent absurdity just seems to be another element that is out of the band’s control.
"With videos and artwork, we don’t always want to be perceived as jokers," insists Thacker. "I don’t even think Theo does. But it always works out that way. I don’t know how it happens. It just happens with us. Like every photo shoot, we end up taking our clothes off at the end of it. That’s just the way Gob goes." |
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