Jul. 01, 2009 - Issue #715: The Bestest of Edmonton 2009
Matt Mays
El Torpedoed: Matt Mays keeps the ship afloat
What came as a surprise to some earlier this summer was actually a much
needed change for Matt Mays. In early June, when the Halifax
singer-songwriter announced that he and his acclaimed backing cohort, El
Torpedo, were disbanding, questions arose as to what Mays upcoming tour would
hold. Would it be a one-man acoustic show? With a different band? A new name?
And what brought about the sudden shift?
"A few different things," says Mays, explaining that a couple members of El
Torpedo were moving on in their personal lives, trying to support kids and
wanting to go back to school. "We were bumping heads a little bit—it
was time. I wasn't happy. I think I was just craving a change and I didn't
really know it. It's one of those things that was bubbling under the surface
and when you finally realize it, you feel a lot better."
With the departures of bassist Andy Patil and guitarist Tim Baker, Mays had
to do some quick rearranging. Though El Torpedo's Adam Baldwin and Jay Smith
stayed on the roster, Mays decided it was time to drop the old moniker and
start fresh. To accompany him on this summer's cross-country tour Mays called
on some pals from back in the day, from before he became a household name in
Can-rock. It was announced at the same time as the disbanding that bassist
Serge Sampson and guitarist/pedal steel whiz Dale Murray would enter Mays'
fold.
"The guys on tour now are really great players and good old friends. I've got
two of my old buds from the Guthries playing, and our drummer Damien
(Moynihan) is insane. He's just amazing and blowing me away," Mays explains.
"I'm having a really good time, it's all so fresh and new. The essence is the
same, we're just having fun and playing and with some different people now.
I'm going by my own name, playing whatever kind of music and doing this or
that."
For a guy who's turning 30 this year, it might seem like he's hit "The
Crisis" a little early. But Mays assures that he's in a good place, a better
one now than he has been of late.
"I spent a lot of time in New York City last year, and in California for a
bit —I was doing a lot of travelling and thinking," he says. "I'm
feeling more creative than I ever have. I don't even know where I'm going
next, all I know is that I'm feeling content.
"That's the main thing: the main thing is keeping the main thing," he
chuckles. "That's contentment for me right now. I've wrung my 20s clean of
everything. I feel great. I'm in a great relationship right now, I've met
some really great old friends. I've had a great last 10 years. I like the
lines on my face, you know, because most of them are from laughter or
sunburn. I'm embracing it fully."
And for a man who's just getting used to the idea of stepping out from behind
his guitar, he's taking new habits in stride. "My guitar amp broke for the
first show we did, and I ended up singing the whole time. It was this sweaty
tavern show, and I had a great time," Mays says. "It's really different, now
I'm playing some songs in the set now without my guitar, and I'm comfortable
enough to do that. Life is funny, you know. Yeah, I feel a bit
naked—but that's kind of hot, isn't it? I felt really liberated."
V
Sat, Jul 4 (9 pm)
Matt Mays
With Dustin Bentall
Starlite Room, $21
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