Even during a global pandemic, with bandmates spread across the globe — including Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. — the members of The Dreadnoughts were still determined to record together in a studio, like always, at least one more time.
“We were pretty committed to doing things in the studio, but the reality is that the modern world is making this a lot easier, and our insane geographical spread is making it more likely that we’ll try to do the next one more remotely,” says vocalist Nick Smyth. “It’s just kind of silly, financially, for the climate, and for a lot of other reasons, to fly people a third of the way around the world to play a mandolin part into a microphone.”
The results of those sessions can be heard all over the band’s fifth and latest LP, Roll & Go, out now via Stomp Records. But the band did make an exception with the guests that make cameos across the album, in part because there were quite a few.
“Yeah, since some people can’t be flown out, we had a lot of guests,” he says. “Among others, Jamer (Turnip) from our sister band The Surfin’ Turnips did vocals on “Cider Holiday.” Accordion maestros Alex Meixner and Carl Finch contributed to “Vicki’s Polka,” and Shawn Ostafie of Edmonton’s own Ukrainian folk rockers, Millennia, did hammered dulcimer on the instrumental “Tuika.” It was so amazing to be able to get these people on the album. The songs absolutely went to a new level.”
Written during the early stages of the pandemic, you can hear a lot of fear and trepidation on this album, but the band is still just as defiant and at times raucous, churning out their brand of Celtic punk rock. The title track is a perfect example, and also happens to be one of the band’s best songs yet in an already solidly impressive career.
“We knew we wanted to call the album Roll & Go, and since I’d always wanted to write an anthemic, movie-soundtrack, Hans Zimmer-type song, this seemed like the perfect opportunity,” Smyth says. “But the phrase itself is just a sailing term for casting off and getting underway and I was sitting in my little apartment, cut off from my friends and started thinking about comradeship and what it means to me… i.e., a frigging lot, and the song sort of came out.
The band’s fourth album, Into the North, was out less than six months when COVID slammed the world shut, putting the band’s future in question.
“It shut down all of the plans. We had to hit the reset button and ask ourselves what we could realistically do,” he says. “Also, the album would have even potentially been out in 2021 if it weren’t for the vinyl shortage caused mainly by Jeff Bezos and Adele. Seriously, look it up.”
A year later the record is finally out, and the band are left their homes across the globe to finally start playing live shows once again.
“Our identity and inspiration have always been built around the live show. Without it there really is no Dreadnoughts, no matter how many songs we record or release,” Smyth says. “So, playing last night in Calgary, for example, was so wonderful. The crowd went nuts, and they were already singing along to the new stuff. That’s what every musician dreams about, and we are thankful for it every time.”
The band will continue to play shows in their strongholds, but long-range touring is probably off the table, given job and family commitments.
“One of the things that’s kept us going over the years is that we haven’t sacrificed our entire futures and lives for this one project,” says Smyth. “We’ve built careers and families, so the band is still fun and rewarding. Whenever some kid in Rio de Janeiro or Athens sends us a sweet and semi-desperate message asking when we are going to play there, I find it very touching, but it’s also kind of insane that bands are expected to go literally wherever in order to tour. I always want to tell these kids the reason there will be a Dreadnoughts in 2033 is that we aren’t killing ourselves doing long, crazy tours in shitty vans in order to break even.”
Watch the video for “Problem” here:
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Photo courtesy of Union Label Group
