Interviews
Canadian Music Week Spotlight: Mark Berube & the Patriotic Few
- by Dan
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Add to del.ico.us.(2008-03-04)
Dan: One of the busiest and hardest working men in music took a few minutes to answer some questions TWM had for him, days before Mark Berube and the Patriotic Few grace the stage at Holy Joe's for CMW on Thursday, March 6th at 12:00 AM.
Dan: So let me get this straight: you either play with Mark Berube & the Fugitives, or Mark Berube & the Patriotic Few. Is this indicative a potential split personality, or does it just depend on what sort of mood you feel you'll be in when it comes time to book shows?
Mark: Ha, it definitely indicates a difficult juggling act :). Mark Berube and The Patriotic Few, my solo career more or less, has always been the main focus for me, and The Fugitives (not Mark Berube and the....) are a side project that has taken a life of its own. The Fugitives is music/spokenword group. I'm kind of the principle songwriter and the other two are performance poets(Brendan McLeod and Barbara Adler), but we all dabble in each others' genres. The newest addition, Steven Charles, used to play in my solo project band in Vancouver and he is hands down one of the best and most versatile musicians I've ever played with. I've more or less been juggling both the last 4 years.
Dan: Ever had any thoughts of a Fugitives vs the Patriotic Few string of shows? That would be wild!
Mark: We've done shows together and they've usually gone over very well. Haven't considered a tour just yet.
Dan: What main benefit does band like yours get out of playing a festival like Canadian Music Week?
Mark: Well, these things are always tricky. I've seen them be very productive and I've seen them extremely unproductive and feeling like a cash grab. Really, the festival gives you a slot and that's it. The rest is up to you to get the right people in, pay the band, do the research of who should check you out to open more doors. You do all the pre-work possible, then hope for the best and just do your thing as best as you can. It's just another show (as if every show is the last one) with a potential to have some key industry players in the crowd. Then hopefully you don't turn each other off and maybe you can help each other.
Dan: What is your favourite festival you have ever played?
Mark: I'd have to say my favourite so far was the Vancouver Folk Festival last summer. I was blown away by so many performers and got to perform with Kevin Breit, The Be Good Tanyas, Kellylee Evans, and Hawksley Workman. It was a trip. Learned a lot that weekend. And most amazingly, all these luminaries were very down to earth, warm and friendly. No divas or egos. It was inspiring.
Dan: I've been hearing/reading that you are hard at work on What the Boat Gave the River, the follow up to What the River Gave the Boat. What is the status on the record, and when might we be able to get our hands on it?
Mark: Well, we've started pre-production, have posted two of those sessions on myspace and if all goes as planned, it will be done by the end of May, tracking wise. Then just the mixing, mastering and pressing. So hopefully by early summer it will be at least ready, and then I'll figure out a release date. I have to say that I haven't been this excited about an album.
Dan: Has it been natural trying to write/record a record that sort of follows up very closely on your last record, with a new crew of musicians to work with?
Mark: I've actually been amazed how everything has fallen into place so easily and quickly. The writing process was fantastic. I've never really approached two albums like this before, and it was really nice because it gave a focus from the outset, which made for a more productive and efficient creative process I feel. This also is largely due to the amazing musicians I have in The Patriotic Few. Patrick Dugas on drums, Jesson Moen on bass, and Marie-Michelle on cello, and they all sing. They are a powerhouse when they play together.
Dan: You travel back and forth between Montreal and Vancouver. What have you found to be different, in both a positive and negative way, about your time in Montreal as opposed to Vancouver?
Mark: Yeah, it has been kind of crazy the last couple of years. It more or less all started back in 2001 when I moved to Montreal and lived there for a year. When I went back to Vancouver, it was always my intention to eventually come back to Montreal. There are a lot of reasons why Montreal is very good for me. The arts scene is very vibrant. It's easier to tour to big centres. The players who live here come from all over the country and are very very good in general. And I'm half quebecois and really love the fact that I can live both sides of who I am, the anglo and the franco side in a five minute walk down the street. I feel really at home here. Vancouver, on the other hand, was a great place for me to get my feet wet all those years ( I mean artistically) and the community out there is extremely strong and supportive. I miss the community and family, but as a city, I'm loving Montreal. And, I don't mind the winters. I was born in Manitoba, I love the snow crunching under my feet and the many sweaters make me feel bigger than the waif that I am.
Dan: You take the stage at 12:00 on Thursday at Holy Joe's. Will it be mostly new material, a mix, or mostly older? And do you intend to check out any other sets that night or while you are in town?
Mark: I'm going to try and check out Dan Mangan's set earlier in the evening for sure. He'll be playing with my old touring partner and musical comrade Michael-Owen Liston. We drive in from Montreal that day and have to head back the next, so it's going to be a bit of a quick trip. Our show will have a lot of the material from the new album, but will definitely make sure the old stuff is well-represented. We're all looking forward to stoking some fires in Toronto again. Thank you for the interview Mr. Wolovick.
Dan: Thanks for taking the time to do this Mark, we appreciate it!