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Jim Cuddy On Blue Rodeo’s Past and Future


they’ve been on the scene since the

they’ve been on the scene since the mid-1980s and their country pop sound

mid-1980s and their country pop sound

mid-1980s and their country pop sound has been pleasing listeners ever since

has been pleasing listeners ever since

has been pleasing listeners ever since hi I’m Rebecca Brayton and welcome to

hi I’m Rebecca Brayton and welcome to

hi I’m Rebecca Brayton and welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking

watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking

watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking with Jim Cuddy of blue rodeo about what

with Jim Cuddy of blue rodeo about what

with Jim Cuddy of blue rodeo about what the future has in store for this iconic

the future has in store for this iconic

the future has in store for this iconic Canadian band

what can we expect in the future from

what can we expect in the future from rodeo well we have a kind of an

rodeo well we have a kind of an

rodeo well we have a kind of an important anniversary next year so 25

important anniversary next year so 25

important anniversary next year so 25 years since outskirts came out

Gregg’s gonna remix bring up we have

Gregg’s gonna remix bring up we have some archival stuff from that period of

some archival stuff from that period of

some archival stuff from that period of time so while I’m out touring its makes

time so while I’m out touring its makes

time so while I’m out touring its makes me nervous he’s going to be there remix

me nervous he’s going to be there remix

me nervous he’s going to be there remix in all this stuff so we’ll see it we’re

in all this stuff so we’ll see it we’re

in all this stuff so we’ll see it we’re gonna do is remaster and add to or

gonna do is remaster and add to or

gonna do is remaster and add to or change the first five

then we will make another record next

then we will make another record next year I think in the same manner we made

year I think in the same manner we made

year I think in the same manner we made five days in July

five days in July

five days in July Kota Gregg’s farm get the truck set up

Kota Gregg’s farm get the truck set up

Kota Gregg’s farm get the truck set up in a way that’s comfortable for for him

in a way that’s comfortable for for him

in a way that’s comfortable for for him and for us and then do that

now I know there’s been some rumors

now I know there’s been some rumors about Blue Rodeo and Greg leaving the

about Blue Rodeo and Greg leaving the

about Blue Rodeo and Greg leaving the stage and I kind of think you want to

stage and I kind of think you want to

stage and I kind of think you want to clear that up for us you know it’s not

clear that up for us you know it’s not

clear that up for us you know it’s not like we’ve been been secretive about

like we’ve been been secretive about

like we’ve been been secretive about this greg has had really bad ear

this greg has had really bad ear

this greg has had really bad ear problems and as of last September he

problems and as of last September he

problems and as of last September he couldn’t even be on a stage we came back

couldn’t even be on a stage we came back

couldn’t even be on a stage we came back from the tour in the United States and

from the tour in the United States and

from the tour in the United States and he was his ears were so sensitive that

he was his ears were so sensitive that

he was his ears were so sensitive that he he could had to stay home and just

he he could had to stay home and just

he he could had to stay home and just not have any loud sound so that

not have any loud sound so that

not have any loud sound so that condition has really eased just with

condition has really eased just with

condition has really eased just with rest and with the you know just staying

rest and with the you know just staying

rest and with the you know just staying healthy the Winnipeg folks vessel wanted

healthy the Winnipeg folks vessel wanted

healthy the Winnipeg folks vessel wanted us to do five days in July in its

us to do five days in July in its

us to do five days in July in its entirety and in his sequence so we said

entirety and in his sequence so we said

entirety and in his sequence so we said okay let’s do that and let’s those are

okay let’s do that and let’s those are

okay let’s do that and let’s those are quieter songs and they’re easy for Greg

quieter songs and they’re easy for Greg

quieter songs and they’re easy for Greg to participate in so we reconfigured our

to participate in so we reconfigured our

to participate in so we reconfigured our stage set up and made a quieter on stage

stage set up and made a quieter on stage

stage set up and made a quieter on stage we did that whole record and that became

we did that whole record and that became

we did that whole record and that became the beginning of a very very enjoyable

the beginning of a very very enjoyable

the beginning of a very very enjoyable summer we relearned all those songs even

summer we relearned all those songs even

summer we relearned all those songs even though we’ve been playing them for years

though we’ve been playing them for years

though we’ve been playing them for years we’ve been really crunching them down by

we’ve been really crunching them down by

we’ve been really crunching them down by playing too loud and so we kind of found

playing too loud and so we kind of found

playing too loud and so we kind of found that groove again that we had then

if we want to do a louder song which we

if we want to do a louder song which we do occasionally we have Colin Crips who

do occasionally we have Colin Crips who

do occasionally we have Colin Crips who plays in my band

plays in my band

plays in my band come and play guitar and Greg will go

come and play guitar and Greg will go

come and play guitar and Greg will go offstage so I think that’s what people

offstage so I think that’s what people

offstage so I think that’s what people are responding to is that is that Greg

are responding to is that is that Greg

are responding to is that is that Greg seems to leave the stage and they don’t

seems to leave the stage and they don’t

seems to leave the stage and they don’t know why even though you know what like

know why even though you know what like

know why even though you know what like I said we’ve been very open about his

I said we’ve been very open about his

I said we’ve been very open about his ear problems it’s just volume it’s not

ear problems it’s just volume it’s not

ear problems it’s just volume it’s not it’s not that he doesn’t like those

it’s not that he doesn’t like those

it’s not that he doesn’t like those songs and this is not that he’s too

songs and this is not that he’s too

songs and this is not that he’s too egocentric to be on stage when he’s not

egocentric to be on stage when he’s not

egocentric to be on stage when he’s not singing I’ve heard the funniest rumors

singing I’ve heard the funniest rumors

singing I’ve heard the funniest rumors but it’s just that it’s too loud I can’t

but it’s just that it’s too loud I can’t

but it’s just that it’s too loud I can’t imagine there being any divas in the

imagine there being any divas in the

imagine there being any divas in the rodeo Oh Greg’s a diva don’t get me

rodeo Oh Greg’s a diva don’t get me

rodeo Oh Greg’s a diva don’t get me wrong but he’s not that bad a diva

I thought it was interesting when you

I thought it was interesting when you were talking about you know finding new

were talking about you know finding new

were talking about you know finding new subtleties in in the music by you know

subtleties in in the music by you know

subtleties in in the music by you know how being forced to play quieter and

how being forced to play quieter and

how being forced to play quieter and coos tickly and stuff like that five

coos tickly and stuff like that five

coos tickly and stuff like that five days in July was a record that

days in July was a record that

days in July was a record that transformed us as a band we did it as a

transformed us as a band we did it as a

transformed us as a band we did it as a just a just a toss off project we just

just a just a toss off project we just

just a just a toss off project we just wanted to do a an acoustic record but

wanted to do a an acoustic record but

wanted to do a an acoustic record but what we discovered was we discovered

what we discovered was we discovered

what we discovered was we discovered that at a quieter volume the poly

that at a quieter volume the poly

that at a quieter volume the poly rhythms mattered more so that the little

rhythms mattered more so that the little

rhythms mattered more so that the little internal rhythms really matter because

internal rhythms really matter because

internal rhythms really matter because you can hear them and feel them and

you can hear them and feel them and

you can hear them and feel them and everybody plays off

we played that record for a couple years

we played that record for a couple years and then we just started incorporated

and then we just started incorporated

and then we just started incorporated into our set as we gradually

into our set as we gradually

into our set as we gradually incorporated it into a louder bigger

incorporated it into a louder bigger

incorporated it into a louder bigger stage set those particular nuances in

stage set those particular nuances in

stage set those particular nuances in the rhythm especially got flattened out

the rhythm especially got flattened out

the rhythm especially got flattened out you can’t hear them anymore if you’re

you can’t hear them anymore if you’re

you can’t hear them anymore if you’re just playing sold-out it’s so going back

just playing sold-out it’s so going back

just playing sold-out it’s so going back to that record and listening to it and

to that record and listening to it and

to that record and listening to it and thinking we are not as groovy as that

thinking we are not as groovy as that

thinking we are not as groovy as that band anymore we are way more meat and

band anymore we are way more meat and

band anymore we are way more meat and potatoes rock and we need to get back to

potatoes rock and we need to get back to

potatoes rock and we need to get back to that that was a really really important

that that was a really really important

that that was a really really important rediscovery for us and we it’s funny

rediscovery for us and we it’s funny

rediscovery for us and we it’s funny that what we thought at the time was

that what we thought at the time was

that what we thought at the time was there’s an enormous impact from quieter

there’s an enormous impact from quieter

there’s an enormous impact from quieter music if it’s the right platter music

music if it’s the right platter music

music if it’s the right platter music doesn’t have to be stillness it can be

doesn’t have to be stillness it can be

doesn’t have to be stillness it can be rhythms at a quieter volume that still

rhythms at a quieter volume that still

rhythms at a quieter volume that still are you know very arousing they just

are you know very arousing they just

are you know very arousing they just don’t have to laugh so it was good it

don’t have to laugh so it was good it

don’t have to laugh so it was good it was a good rediscovery

with what you credit your lasting

with what you credit your lasting success you know trying to figure out

success you know trying to figure out

success you know trying to figure out why people like you is impossible

why people like you is impossible

why people like you is impossible however we’ve really tried to be loyal

however we’ve really tried to be loyal

however we’ve really tried to be loyal to the people that like it you don’t

to the people that like it you don’t

to the people that like it you don’t have to travel the see us we’re gonna

have to travel the see us we’re gonna

have to travel the see us we’re gonna come where you live

come where you live

come where you live so we travel a lot to people I think

so we travel a lot to people I think

so we travel a lot to people I think that we came along at a time when

that we came along at a time when

that we came along at a time when Canadian music was just being embraced

Canadian music was just being embraced

Canadian music was just being embraced and we caught people at a time in their

and we caught people at a time in their

and we caught people at a time in their lives that when they were you know they

lives that when they were you know they

lives that when they were you know they were at university or they’re in their

were at university or they’re in their

were at university or they’re in their first job where they really lay into

first job where they really lay into

first job where they really lay into high school I think we became something

high school I think we became something

high school I think we became something for them not just us but other bands of

for them not just us but other bands of

for them not just us but other bands of our of our generation became bands that

our of our generation became bands that

our of our generation became bands that represented to them a discovery and and

represented to them a discovery and and

represented to them a discovery and and would the soundtrack of their new lives

you try to play well we you know we try

you try to play well we you know we try to keep ourselves and shape to do it we

to keep ourselves and shape to do it we

to keep ourselves and shape to do it we don’t rely on just our old music we try

don’t rely on just our old music we try

don’t rely on just our old music we try to keep putting on their music you know

to keep putting on their music you know

to keep putting on their music you know if those factors are the ones then we

if those factors are the ones then we

if those factors are the ones then we had something to do with it but

had something to do with it but

had something to do with it but otherwise we get

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