Canada is not Canada. We are not the country we think we are.
If you work hard enough I don't think it's possible to just repeat what you're doing.
You know, Prime Minister Trudeau's got me. His work with First Nations. He's got everybody. He's going to take us where we need to go.
The only criterion we used in doing cover material was we wanted to do songs that we wished bands would play when we went out. We were doing Yardbirds and Rolling Stones cover songs-which is not any big deal, but where we were from, all we were getting were Top 40 bands.
It's time to listen to the stories of the Indigenous; we are blessed as a country to look to the wisdom of a really old country.
I want my kids to be good. I want them to be safe and have a great, long life. And take what they need from me and leave what they don't. Definitely leave what they don't.
We're not building a nuclear reactor here. We're not drilling a mile beneath the surface of the ocean with no plan in case something goes wrong. This is making music, this is melodious air and people can hear what goes into it.
When you're opening for someone, there's no pressure.
I've always kept a notebook in my pocket, I've always written stuff down since I was a kid.
To become a country, and truly call ourselves Canada, it means we must become one.
Canadians can be funny.
Music brings people together. So my function in anything I do is to help bring people closer in.
I haven't written too many political lyrics. Nor have I written any pro-Canada lyrics, any kind of jingoistic, nationalistic cant... That stuff doesn't interest me and I don't even know if I could write that if I tried because I don't really feel it.
I always like to have a glimmer of hopefulness, even in collapse.
I've always liked R.E.M. because, like so many things I like, they exude a warmth; I like to think that we do, too.
Even as a kid, I don't think I bought into a lot of the mythology about Canada.
I think the health of our water is tied to a lot: the health of our communities, hence our economy, the health of our basic human rights.
We used to tie a skipping rope to a pitchfork and try to spear big carp. We never got one. My kids love that story, very 'Lord of the Flies.'
We did reach a wider audience with 'SNL,' but it's hard to know what attracts people to your band in the long run.
Ultimately with our band, it's word of mouth. It seems to be the largest cause of The Hip outbreak - if we can align ourselves with a virus.
