In 1992, several Newfoundland musicians got together and released their first recording. Aggressively folky, without apology, these hyperactive, full-tilt performers set out to reflect the unique world-view of their island’s spectacular musical heritage with their self-titled debut. Since then, Great Big Sea has basked in their own success with seven award-winning (Canadian) releases, gradually becoming one of Canada’s leading musical exports. Incessantly touring, they’re shooting for additional success on this side of the border with their current US tour.
We spoke recently with lead singer and GBS co-founder, Alan Doyle, who was in Virginia and relishing his time in the American South. Coming from so far north, Doyle is always a bit amazed at where the south actually begins. Hailing from Petty Harbor, not far from provincial capital St. John’s, he explains, “We’re so far north, we think Boston is the south.” Warming to his topic, “Last week we were in San Francisco. Did you know San Francisco is further from (our) home than if we were in Moscow? Vancouver, in our own country, is further than Paris,” he continues.
All this talk of geography is important to GBS as their music reflects Newfoundland’s remoteness and its unusual musical sensibilities. From another interview, band member Bob Hallett explained, “Being isolated for 500 years means that the musical culture here is very distinct and well-preserved.” Doyle explained that his own musical influences began with “traditional Newfoundland music from my folks. St. John’s is a real sailor town,” which explains the group’s fondness for sea chanteys, jigs and reels.
“Southern England and Ireland is where our music came from. Not too much from Scotland.” There’s also musical influence from France and Portugal. “The accordion is the most popular folk instrument, from the French influence,” according to Doyle. “You could compare the east coast of Newfoundland with Nova Scotia. Settled by the same people at roughly the same time,” he opined.
Due to the varied influences, band members play a variety of instruments, from bouzoukis to tin whistles and from accordions and bagpipes to trumpets and tambourines. First is Doyle on vocals, guitar and percussion. Next is Hallett with vocals, fiddle and mandolin. Bass player Darrell Power has recently departed after 10 years and has been replaced this year by bassist Murray Foster. Finally there’s Sean McCann, on vocals, guitars, bodhran and tin whistle. Summing up, Doyle says, “We all sing. Unlike Scottish music, we’re not fiddle-based. We’re acoustic, not electric. We do have a drum kit.”
The band is touring to support their most recent CD, titled Sea of No Cares, a delightful if rambunctious stew of pop, Celtic rock, and their usual mix of dirges, chanteys, reels and sing-along folk. Not averse to drum loops or sampling, the group shows a commendable, adventurous spirit. The first tune, the title track, has a lilting, rhythmical rock sound while the next cut, “Penelope,” is a sad reggae-ish elegy about a Jamaican woman doomed to be poor, far away from her Jamaican home.
The entire recording, though not a concept album, fits together astonishingly well. Band members play a huge grab bag of instruments yet never artificially insert the wrong instrument for flashy effect. If anything, they create a rootsy, organic sound with infectious fun percolating throughout the tracks.
The actual recording of No Cares was interesting in terms of how and where it was recorded. “We always record in St. John’s, sometimes in some radical places. But it has to have a look at the harbor,” Doyle confirms. “We recorded in factories, a school, and office space. Like we mentioned in our liner notes, we recorded all over the place, including an old upholstery store, a creepy abandoned school and Sean’s living room.”
Perhaps due to their recording style and varied locations, this is a delightful, bouncy, robust, feel-good CD, but Doyle claims “I’d rather do 500 concerts than a record. Oh yeah, we’re a live band.”
He expands on the topic, adding, “Recording can be exciting, but it can be boring. It is becoming more appealing, however. I’m producing an album for a friend — but it never holds a candle to live playing.”
Discussing the band’s early stages, he explained, “We played in Europe long before we played in America. We played in England, Scotland, Wales, Germany and Denmark. But our first six months we played exclusively in Newfoundland. Our first big obstacle was to get off the island. Our trips to Europe started with festivals. We had some early gigs with the Chieftains. Then it was America in 1996, just in clubs, like in Boston, for maybe 40 people. Last time we played the same place, a year and a half ago, it [the club] sold 2,600 tickets. Yeah, we’re heavy into touring.”
Their concerts can be lively affairs too, since they prefer the live setting as opposed to that of a studio. From soaring harmonies to bawdy pub songs, GBS takes its audiences on a wild ride. Doyle explains, “The culture we come from is one of involvement. It’s not a recital. It’s a celebration. We’re more (or less) facilitators. For Great Big Sea and our audience, it’s something you “do.’ It’s not something you see or watch, like a concert.” (Think Pogues with less beer and more folk, but just as intense. Perhaps more like the Clancy Brothers from Ireland.)
GBS is not four Gordon Lightfoots and it’s not a Canadian Kingston Trio. It’s a group of Newfoundlanders that have a strong connection with their unique homeland and want to share it with exuberance, wit, style and grace.
Great Big Sea will perform at the Neighborhood Theatre on Tuesday, September 23, at 8pm. Tickets cost $15. For more info, call the theater at 704-358-9298.
This article appears in Sep 17-23, 2003.
