>>PREVIEW
THE NECKERS
Friday, May 19
Broken City
The Neckers have always blasted out the kind of rock ’n’ roll that you play to lure someone off the ledge and through the window. It’s the soundtrack to good times, a rootbeer float with two straws and dancing the night away with the one you love.
While the quartet has been one of the best kept secrets in Calgary for years, they’ve released an album that ought to get the ears of outsiders and industry folks tingling. Love and Infection, their third LP, could only sound better if it came on a thick slab of vinyl. Although playful as ever, the band is growing up (drummer and vocalist Brendan Tincher is about to become a proud father) and they have a mature sound to match.
Under the direction of their rock ’n’ roll soulmate, producer Jason Solyom (front man of Vancouver’s Spitfires), Love and Infection is an irresistible album that petulantly struts 11 timeless gems filled with juicy hooks and lyrical sass.Recorded over one weekend last August, the band was lured to Solyom’s home studio in Abbotsford, B.C., to be one of his experimental projects. It turns out that Solyom is a veritable genius behind the knobs and The Neckers are princes of spontaneous compositions. Tincher, Bil Hetherington (vocals), Jim Blood (guitar) and Steve Elaschuk (bass) marvel at the way the album came together.
"(Solyom) was every bit as excited as we were," recalls Tincher. "In the studio, he was giddy. He was like, ‘oh man, this is like old Alice Cooper.’"
Hetherington, who delivers a staggering vocal performance, had his parts down in two hours flat. Solyom later comments, "It was one take, every song – there’s hardly any overdubs, he banged right through the whole record."
After hollering "I trust you" over his shoulder, Hetherington split to see a Dinosaur Jr. gig and left his capable bandmates to finish their parts. Tincher, Blood and Elaschuk steered the album above the usual gritty garage rock parameters to melodic heights, giving an incredible platform to show off his talent.
"Sometimes I can get carried away trying to be a crazy vocalist," says Hetherington, shyly smiling and citing the Stones, Dylan and Paul Westerberg as inspirations. "For my lyrics, I’m a one-shot guy – 10 minutes, not much editing. If there’s something really embarrassing, I may try and change that, like, ‘baby, you’re everything I’ve always wanted.’"
Elaschuk cringes.
"Jim’s lyrics are always about the baby and about the girls," adds Tincher. A wide grin appears on Blood’s face and we exchange a high five.
"They’re Beach Boys lyrics," says Tincher. "I love them."
The last song they recorded during their session with Solyom was the fourth cut, "Share Secrets." Hetherington wasn’t certain if the song would fit The Neckers, but it has quickly become the favourite among friends and family. During the recording of the song, Elaschuk laughs that the band had Hetherington down to his boxers in the sweltering vocal booth. Hetherington doesn’t remember a thing.
"He blew his voice, it was awesome," says Tincher, mischievously assuring his band mate that he has the video footage.
Despite shredding his vocal chords, Hetherington is the first to say that Love and Infection is the easiest thing he ever did (for two hours of work, dear Bil, is it any wonder?). Solyom says the band is one of the best he’s ever recorded. While The Neckers have never wanted to be rock stars, they admit that they really want to get signed. With songs like theirs, the time is ripe. It’s evident that The Neckers have paid their dues and are poised to reap the rewards.
THE NECKERS’ TOUR DIARY, PAGE 66
"Sleep Deprivation" by Steve Elaschuk
"We had to get the first ferry (from Victoria to Vancouver) in the morning, so we get there and we’re almost the first in line. We parked (on the ferry) and everyone passed out cold in the van. We woke up to a guy knockin’ on the window. We were the last people – people had to go around us to get off the ferry. They unloaded the whole ferry around us and waited. The ferry crew was so good about it, they were like, ‘Are you guys OK? Are you sure? Are you awake?’ As we’re leaving, the whole ferry crew was lined up on the off ramp clapping.
We totally slept during the unloading of a whole ferry. How can you not wake up to the honking? Seriously, we were in the way of everybody trying to leave. Somebody must’ve honked. We were so out cold and in completely uncomfortable positions – people were curled up in pretzels trying to get comfortable." |
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