ISSUE #43 MMUSICMAG.COM SPOTLIGHT Chris Crisman Matt Barnes BARENAKED LADIES Toronto’s premier smarty-pants popsters ditch stress and enjoy the job Tyler Stewart, Ed Robertson, Kevin Hearn, Jim Creeggan “I’VE DONE ENOUGH HAND-WRINGING in management or at the record company getting everything ready for the ideas in my career to last me a lifetime,” declares happy. There was always some little shadow we’ve drawn out. They’re always working Barenaked Ladies’ frontman Ed Robertson. of pressure in the writing process. This is ahead of you, so we can all just be creative.” “I’ve come to the confl uence of being the fi rst time I didn’t feel that at all. I just felt Robertson recalls one creative confi dent about what I do and also not giving like, ‘I’m good at what I do; I just need to do moment recording “Narrow Streets.” Brown a crap what anybody thinks about what I do. it and not worry about it.’” suggested a guitar part for a solo section. That allowed me to just feel free. I’ve never The band tapped producer Gavin “But I said I wanted it to be something more written as fast and as effortlessly as I did Brown (The Tragically Hip, Metric), who interesting than just ‘insert guitar solo here,’” on this record.” worked on 2013’s Grinning Streak, to helm he says. Stewart suggested he could do Robertson is talking about making the process. “It all works so well because of a vocal scat, and Robertson went along the Toronto pop-rock band’s 14th studio the team Gavin has—from the engineer to the with the idea. “So we set up a mic, and album, Silverball. The anxiety that he and lead editor,” says Robertson. “We’ll have a he improvised this scat. Kevin walked into the band—Jim Creeggan (bass), Kevin discussion about a song and say we need the studio and said, ‘Did you just do that Hearn (keyboard, guitar) and Tyler Stewart a texture—should it be a wind instrument or with your mouth?’ Ty said yes and Kevin (drums)—experienced was a result of raised should it be an accordion? Do we need to suggested doubling it on guitar. expectations early in their career. come up with some sort of mandolin line “So we got this vocal solo doubled on “When you achieve the level of success here? When we’ve fi nished the discussion the guitar, and it sounded so awesome. We we did, it comes with a lot of subconscious there’s a mandolin tuned, there’s an were all laughing and high-fi ving and I said, pressure,” he admits. “Sometimes it was just accordion miked and ready to go, and a local ‘Do you know what we just did? Our job!’ about trying to impress friends, family, our fl ute player on tap. Gavin’s team is listening That’s what we get to do.” fans or our peers, or about making somebody and scurrying around in the background —Linda Laban ZZ WARD On her latest EP, the bluesy pop-rocker lets the rhythm take the lead ZZ WARD HAS SOME PRETTY COOL PARENTS. Growing up in Oregon, the 29-year-old singer, songwriter and multi- instrumentalist discovered the blues through her dad, who let her sing in his band. Her mother, meanwhile, is a Led Zeppelin fan from way back, and she loves rocking out at her daughter’s shows. “I’ll ISSUE be#43 like, ‘Mom, M MUSIC don’t dance & too MUSICIANS crazy,’” says Ward, whoMAGAZINE just released her new EP, Love and War. Ward’s mom might have a hard time controlling herself when ZZ and her band bust out the new stuff. Co-produced by Ward and S1—a studio whiz known for his work with Madonna and Kanye 22 MARCH/APRIL 2011 M MUSIC & MUSICIANS MAGAZINE M mag 43.indd 22 4/18/16 4:23 PM.