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Sloan: Online and Underground
By Jillianne Hamilton
(10/19/09)

Sloan formed in Halifax back in 1991. Almost 20 years (and 11 albums) later, they're still rocking out and continually perfecting their craft. Although they've since relocated to Toronto, Sloan is without a doubt one of the first bands to put Atlantic Canada on the rock-'n-roll map. Chris Murphy answered some questions concerning the band's current stuff and the good old days of Halifax's developing music scene.

So, this summer was a little rough for the band. How’s that collarbone doing, Chris?
It’s doing pretty well. I opted for surgery because I couldn't have just left it. I needed it to be strong so that I could carry the weight of a bass over that shoulder. It took longer than I wanted to get the surgery but it was non-emergency surgery and that’s the way it goes but I am happy that the system works the way it does.

The first album came out in 1992. You recently released a free mp3 download of, “Take It Upon Yourself” via Twitter. How do you think the Internet (and social networking sites like Twitter) have affected the way you guys personally interact with fans and the music business?
That’s a Patrick question. He and our manager/babysitter character Mike Nelson speak on behalf of the band via Twitter. It’s definitely more important than I give it credit for. Patrick is really our publicist now. (Thanks Patrick.) I am less concerned about my inability to use social networking sites in a band context than in the context of the huge generation gap I am creating between me and my son. He will no doubt be all up into that crap.

How do you think free mp3 releases are good for a band?
Can’t hurt. Seriously, it seems recorded music has become the promotional tool through which bands sell their live show and other non-downloadable merchandise. I grew up buying records and I want to make records but I suppose I have to swallow the concept that this is not necessarily the way it will be done going forward. I know very little about current trends and nothing about future trends but I am certain I will be swallowing more and more concepts I don’t like or understand.

Speaking of this mp3 release, does that mean fans should be expecting a new album soon? Can you tell us anything about that?
We have a 5 song EP essentially ready to go. I know of 2 or 3 possibilities for the title but since I am unsure I will have to refer to it as being as yet untitled. There is a song from each of us as well as this free song “Take It Upon Yourself” so I get the extra song. We continue to record in similar conditions to Never Hear The End Of It and Parallel Play. We recorded it in our rehearsal space with a guy named Ryan Hasslett, who worked in some capacity on both of the last 2 records.

Picking between the albums produced between 1992 and 2008, which one are you guys most proud of? Which album was the most challenging?
+ Smeared: I used to be embarrassed of it but now think it’s dated but with good songs.
+ Twice Removed: I like it but people like it so much I’m over it and I hated making it.
+ One Chord To Another: Made for cheap on our own, sold the most. My favourite story.
+ Navy Blues: Made when we had the most momentum. Fun to make for me.
+ Between The Bridges: A continuation of Navy Blues. Maybe my weakest contribution?
+ Pretty Together: Never mentioned by anyone. Seems like a dream/blur.
+ Action Pact: People tend not to like it so I defiantly defend my contributions.
+ Never Hear The End Of It: so fun to sequence I want all the albums to be double.

Have you guys seen this web comic, starring the band? What do you think of it?
I saw this 4 or 5 years ago. It’s awesome. It’s funny. I look skinny. I am flattered to be the subject matter to someone’s art/hard work.

Although the band is now located in Toronto, Halifax is where everything began. What do you think of Halifax’s current music scene?
I am not an expert on the Halifax scene. In fact I know very little. I hear a few things through people I know from there but the truly cool and hip things are not on my radar. I’m sure it’s awesome? I knew a lot about the music scene in Halifax between 1985 and 1995.

How do you think your music has changed the way people view other Maritime music?
Who knows? A lot of people probably thought that the music being made in The Maritimes or The Atlantic Provinces was predominantly traditional Celtic music. They were right and it was the music that the music industry out there was trying to promote kind of as a branch of tourism but our music wasn’t a part of that.

Everybody is cool since the internet but Halifax had a lot going for it in the late 80’s and early 90’s when we were coming up. There are so many universities and therefore students not only from The Maritimes but a lot of cool kids came to school from other parts of Canada and NSCAD was always so friggin’ cool. CKDU was amazing. Greg Clark and his Flamingo Productions were happening and various record stores like Track Records… all this gave birth to the explosion of original music in the late 80’s and early 90’s. We kind of waltzed right into an already existing infrastructure of sorts.

None of this had to do with traditional/Celtic music. In fact I really hated that kind of music as a kid. To the credit of the East Coast Music Association, they tried to include Sloan and some of our contemporaries even though I always felt like we didn’t belong. We would get nominated every year in multiple categories but routinely went 0 for 5 on awards night. I never minded but my mother was not impressed. Over the years, the ECMA’s propped up a bunch of crappy rock bands and gave them the awards. It really seemed like a joke. Jeers to such bands as _____! Anyway, these days, artists like Joel Plaskett are the big winners at the awards show and he’s a real rocker so it all worked out.

We have received a ton of validation over the years. I really don’t mean to say we didn’t receive our due. In fact, we stole too much attention away from the amazing rock bands of our era and the era before us was completely ignored. The Jellyfishbabies were the best band in the world to me in 1985. Check out jellyfishbabies.com. I am in picture #8 of the home page tucked away third from the right, jealously looking on.

(Photo courtesy of Sloanmusic.com.)

Related links:
+ Sloan (@ ECO)
+ Sloan (website)
+ Sloan (MySpace)
+ Sloan (on Twitter)

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Jillianne Hamilton is a writer, blogger and a lover of indie music, funny movies, artsy things and the color red. She is studying Journalism at Holland College, had an internship at the Truro Daily News, is currently an intern at the Confederation Centre of the Arts. To contact Jill, visit her website.