Music

STREAM + Q & A: Author Michael Barclay on the Have Not Been the Same tribute comp

by Sam Sutherland

Have Not Been the Same is the best book ever written about Canadian music. It should be required reading for our children, part of the same curriculum as Téléfrançais and Voyage of the Mimi. An exhaustive, complete, and essential tome, it explores the “Canrock Renaissance” of 1985 to 1995, a time when it suddenly became cool to come from Canada and listen to bands like Eric’s Trip, the Nils, and the Rheostatics.

The book received the ten year anniversary treatment earlier this year, updated and reissued by ECW Press. At its relaunch, co-author Michael Barclay announced a tribute compilation, to be released later in the year, featuring current Canadian indie acts covering the legends featured in the book. That album, Have Not Been the Same – Vol. 1: Too Cool to Live, Too Smart to Die, is now available through Zunior, and is every bit as fucking awesome as it sounded like it would be.

Check our conversation with Michael Barclay below, and stream two songs from the compilation — The Burning Hell’s take on Men Without Hats’ “Pop Goes the World,” and Great Lake Swimmers covering the Grapes of Wrath with “What Was Going Through My Head.”

AUX: At what point in the process of putting together the new edition of Have Not Been the Same did this compilation idea emerge?

Michael Barclay: Almost at the beginning. I knew there was so much amazing music made the last 10 years by people who had told me how much they enjoyed the book and/or the artists in it. I wanted to pay a different kind of tribute to the artists in the book, some of whose records are now out of print, or are otherwise in danger of being forgotten by the next generations. I wanted the music discussed in the book to feel alive, not just museum music. On an entirely selfish level, I also wanted the reissue of the book to be more exciting; it can be a bit hard to get media and readers interested in something that came out 10 years ago, so I wanted a current component.

How did you start the process of assembling it?

I asked musicians I knew personally, that I’ve developed relationships with independent of the fact that I interviewed them once or gave them a good review. I’m incredibly blessed to know so many talented people. And they’re all invited to my house for dinner anytime, if they haven’t been over already.

Who was the first artist to agree to participate?

I sent out an initial email as a feeler to ask advice about such a project, wondering hypothetically how people would feel about it and if I would be on the hook for studio time, etc. I got a flurry of responses right away from people like Great Lake Swimmers, Geoff Berner and Jim Bryson that didn’t even answer my questions: they just said they were in and told me what song they were going to do. I figured that was a good sign.

Which song surprised you the most?

I love what Selina Martin did with The Tragically Hip’s “Grace, Too.” It sounds absolutely nothing like the original, and illuminates the lyrics in ways that I don’t think the original did. I also love the fact that one of the best singers on the album picked a song with a two-note melody. The first time I heard it I didn’t know what to make of it or if I even liked it — usually that’s a good sign that I’ll eventually love it, and I do. I was also surprised by Veda Hille’s version of Circle C’s “Odette.” Though I know the album that song is from, I didn’t remember the song at all. I think her performance is absolutely stunning.

On a whole other level, Kevin Drew’s version of Bob Wiseman’s “We Got Time” surprised me because I honestly wasn’t expecting him to do it; he had a very busy year and I’d kind of written him off, but he emailed me out of the blue one day with a finished track. Also, Corb Lund took months to respond to my initial email; his track squeezed in there at the last minute, and it’s amazing.

Were there any songs you anticipated including that fell apart for one reason or another?

Several. Owen Pallett was going to do Jane Siberry; apparently he has it arranged and everything, but he’s been really busy lately with some commissioned work and sent his sincere regrets. And Handsome Furs were very excited to do a Skinny Puppy cover — which apparently they’d been discussing before this project came up — but their new album just came out and they’ve been touring like crazy. There were other people who were very interested but also had busy summers. I’d love it if those artists recorded those songs anyway, whether or not another I put together another volume like this.

What’s the best track here? C’mon. You have a favourite.

What is this, Sophie’s Choice? I quite honestly don’t. I think the whole thing is fabulous—and I usually hate compilation albums.