Formed in Nova Scotia back in 1997, The Trews became one of Canada’s Top-40 best-selling acts. After the release their first studio album in four years, The Bloody Light – and following October’s one-off UK show in London – siblings Colin (vocals, rhythm guitar) and John-Angus MacDonald (lead guitar, backing vocals) talked to Classic Rock about the band’s past, present and future.
What does The Bloody Light add to The Trews’ catalogue that its seven predecessors did not?
John-Angus MacDonald: For many different reasons the older one gets, the harder it can be to make new music. Unearthing that batch of tunes that does it for everybody is a steep hill to climb. It took us a few years to get this material together, but I truly believe the album adds twelve very strong new songs to our catalogue.
Carolina – pronounced Carol-leena – is a wonderfully uplifting slice of music, with lots of harmonies.
Colin MacDonald: Where we come from on the East Coast of Canada there’s a wonderful tradition of kitchen parties where everybody sings, so that stuff comes naturally to us. In the band’s early days we used to make money busking with our four-part harmonies. It’s something people love about our band.
The album’s winsome ballad Beyond The End And Once Upon A Time projects a welcome ray of optimism in these difficult times.
CM: One of the nicest things anyone ever said about The Trews is that we write uplifting songs without ever being cheesy. We want to leave the listener with a sense of hope, without being trite.
We have Monty Python’s The Meaning Of Life to thank for your band name.
CM: Yeah. My first band was One Eyed Trouser Snake, and when I started this band with Angus and Jack [Syperek, bass] it began as One I’d Trouser, then just Trouser, and The Trews. But it all stemmed from Monty Python.
Last year The Trews played Highway Of Heroes on Juno Beach in Normandy, France, for the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasions. Was that emotional?
CM: It was the most significant gig of our whole career. We tried not to let the moment get too big [in our minds] before we did it. It was one song in front of what felt like the entire world, including Prince William. The Prime Ministers of Canada and France were there in the front row. It went well, but it was pretty stressful.
Following October's show in London, what about a full British tour?
JM: We always love coming to the UK, and it had been around eleven years since our last visit.
CM: That Camden gig was about dipping our toe back in, and of course we want to come back for a second, bigger run.
Back in 2007, The Trews were one of the groups nominated for Best New Band at the Classic Rock Awards. Are you satisfied with the progress you’ve made during the interim?
JM: ‘Satisfied’ is a tough word to use. Obviously, our career has been primarily in Canada, and we maintain a high level of success here. But we still have an eye on the prize.
The Bloody Light is available via Known Accomplice/Cadence.
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