‘The fact I don’t have a regular band is kind of a blessing’ — Snailhouse mastermind Mike Feuerstack

The words “one of Canada’s hardest working musicians” seem to have lost meaning in the age of monotonous press releases and relentless promotional jargon. However, in the case of Mike Feuerstack, the words barely hold the weight of his ethic.
    A member of Canadian indie stalwarts The Wooden Stars and Bell Orchestre, among a host of other projects, Feuerstack also creates his own solo music under the moniker Snailhouse. Don’t be fooled into the idea that because he writes the music on his own, it sits solely in the world of singer-songwriter. While he has played many shows on his own, he prefers the world of collaboration, previously working with a laundry list of Canada’s best: Wintersleep, Julie Doiron, Great Aunt Ida, Arcade Fire and Calgary’s Aaron Booth and Chris Vail.
    “It’s a pretty organic thing,” remarks Feuerstack. “You meet people all along the way that you relate to both musically and personally, and I just try to keep all those relationships alive. That’s one of the reasons for making music: the great journey of starting with something that’s very introspective and personal, and sending it out into the world with the help and collaboration of other people.”
    Feuerstack describes the process of working with local musicians as “purely practical,” as he couldn’t afford to take a band with him on the road. However, this roadblock has become part of the appeal and growth of Snailhouse.
    “The fact that I don’t have a regular band is kind of a blessing,” Feuerstack explains. “It’s nice to come into a town and know the musicians I’m playing with are talented enough to pull it off with one or two rehearsals, while breathing a whole new life into the songs.”
    This life, evolution and growth of his songs is something Feuerstack feels extremely passionate about. 2001’s The Opposite is Also True explores what a song can be without having a definitive recorded version of the track by providing listeners with two completely different versions of each song. While the new album he finished mixing just two weeks ago follows the more traditional convention with just a single version of each song, Feuerstack is excited to hear how these songs can be reimagined and reinterpreted when he comes to Calgary, where he will be joined onstage by a local backing band arranged by Vail.
    “You have to respect the life that the song wants to take,” he says. “In Snailhouse I might be the one who chooses the songs and makes the big decisions, but when I invite people to contribute to it, it becomes completely collaborative at that point. It’s like I get to hear my own songs for the very first time every time I play them.”