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June 20th, 1997
ROCKERS IMPORT SUCCESS TO U.S. The Flint Journal
By Shawn Humphrey
Contributing Writer
It's been a gradual rise to acceptance for Barenaked Ladies, and
Ed Robertson, the band's guitarist, has no doubts about the recipe for success.
"For us the growth has been mostly word of mouth and touring,"
he said in a recent telephone interview. "We were just on (TV's
'Beverly Hills 90210') and for the first time radio is playing us."
Robertson is very confident about the band's concert
Saturday night at Pine Knob. "It's been the most success and appreciation
we've seen south of the border," he said. "We're finally making some headway in the U.S.A."
It's been a mostly uphill battle for the band from Toronto, whose
original members include co-founder and singer Steven Page, drummer
Tyler Stewart and bassist Jim Creegan.
Pre-production of 1995's "Born on a Pirate Ship" album was
temporarily derailed by the exit of keyboardist Andrew Creegan,
Jim's brother. And although this weekend's show marks the band's
second headlining appearance at Pine Knob, such lofty billing hasn't always been the case.
"This has been a complete reversal for us," Robertson said.
"Four years ago we were the kings of Canada, and we would play to
4,000 people in London, Ontario, then drive across the border and
play to 400 people at the State Theater in Detroit."
Times have changed, thanks in part to the widespread
support of a growing fan base on the Internet and a
single featured on the hit TV show "Friends."
"When we play those border towns in Canada, we
hardly get any audience at all now," Robertson said. "But we sell out Pine Knob."
With the recent release of a live album, "Rock
Spectacle," featuring newly anointed keyboardist Kevin Hearn,
the band hopes to tap into the same enthusiasm for it's
particular bouncy form of alternative rock, known for quirky humor.
"I feel like we're on the cusp of something," Robertson said optimistically.
I'm most pleased with having interviewed Ed Robertson, and
actually saw him and the rest of the band back stage at Pine Knob,
the following year. Steven was playing with his kid; I sat
maybe two tables away from him and Robertson. I should have said
something, but I didn't want to interrupt their private time. If I
weren't a journalist, I would have. With the journalist cap on, it is
sort of an invasion. Unfair, but there's life.
I don't like the way this article came out. It should have been a touch more
personal, not rude personal, but more like... How do you guys get along? What do you
do in your down time?
Stuff like that.
Instead, I asked business
questions and he acted very business-like.
I sense I missed a lot on this one. Oh well. At least
I got to meet them when they were the "next big thing".
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