But that’s the benefit of having been in a band for over a decade and playing the same songs together. Playing them is like breathing. We know that we know the material, and everyone’s been practicing the songs off on their own. It’s just a matter of dusting them off together. But I can’t really answer what it’s been like, because we haven’t done it yet.
Do you think you’ll have to dust off the nerves, too?
Once you’re on stage, it’s great. I looked at our guitar player after the 15-year reunion, and he said, “I don’t remember the last time I had this much fun.” And I laughed and said, “Well, that’s interesting, because you hate everybody and everything. You’re a grouch, so that’s a pretty big statement for you.”
We also liked the fact that, you know, we’re literally all between 50 and 52. So we’re up there in age compared to King of Foxes, or Olivia Rose — she’s a baby! And I kind of laugh because, we joke around and act like adolescent boys in the rehearsal space. But we also fit right in on this bill because we played shows in the late 90s with Barenaked Ladies, we toured with 54-40. So I don’t think we stand out on the bill because of our age — we stand out on the bill because nobody’s heard of us for a long time.
So if he’s the grouch, who’s the Diva, and who’s the Funny One?
Well to be clear, he wears “grouch” as a badge of honour — I’m surprised we didn’t call him Oscar along the way. The most flamboyant one, and the most prolific of the band, is definitely Lyle Bell. He’s started other bands, he’s an album and poster designer (Bell has been nominated for multiple Junos for his album-design work), a photographer and videographer. Maybe “workhorse” is the better term.
So does that make you the Cute One?
Oh we’ve never had a Cute One. Or a Popular One. I was probably the Whipping Boy — the high strung guy who has ADHD. I’m very detail oriented and high strung, so I would always be the guy who advanced the show and settled it to go get paid. If I left it up to those other guys, we would never get anything done. They’re brilliant songwriters, but I used to joke that they couldn’t tie their own shoes.