The Glorious Sons are a a hard working rock ‘n’ roll band that play music because it’s in their blood. They recently finished a national Canadian tour with bands The Trews and Airbourne and recently released their debut full-length album entitled The Union via Black Box Recordings.
The band is also set to start their tour of the U.S.A. in February which will see them playing 30 cities as part of their From Birth to Burial Tour.
The boys chatted with us about tour life, the new album, and all the things they love about Toronto.
Congrats on your recent new album The Union. Tell us about the making of it.
Recording The Union was a blast. The guys at Catherine North have beer on tap, and we were living at the studio, so as you could imagine, we were pretty drunk and inspired. There’s always a little stress that comes with putting the finishing touches on songs, especially when they’ve been the only thing you’ve thought about for the past two months. But if you can embrace the creative puzzle of songwriting, and you don’t mind the pressure, you can learn a lot, and have a lot of fun doing it. All in all I’m very happy with the way the album turned out, and I can’t wait to get back in and start recording again.
Who does the songwriting in the band? Do you split the duties when it comes to arranging and writing individual parts for live shows?
The songwriting is distributed pretty equally in the band. I do bring a lot of the ideas to the table, and I probably think about the songs more than the other guys. But the songs don’t become Glorious Sons tunes until every last member puts their touch on it. We have four guys who can sing and create melodies, and the Instrumental chemistry between everyone is great. We basically get into the band room and jive, and whatever comes out is what we play.
You recently finished a cross Canada tour promoting The Union. What was a highlight and lowlight?
Touring has always been bittersweet for most musicians I know. On the upside, you have very little responsibility, you get to play sold out shows and watch people go nuts, you can drink on week nights and you get to live your dream. On the other hand, it’s hard being away from your loved ones, it’s mentally tough, and spending your time in an rv with eight other guys can be quite uncomfortable. I think there’s a learning curve that you go through on you first tour, and I decided then that I wanted to dive into this lifestyle head first. And since, it has been pretty easy to occupy and keep myself happy. One distinct high point for me came a few days ago in Kelowna. It was a great show, and the people were acting all sorts of crazy and it helped me and the guys tap into a whole new energy. I suppose if there was a low point, it would have been when the generator died and we could no longer play NHL on the bus. But other than that it’s been a good drunken journey.
Does your tour vehicle have a name?
We call it “The Nest”. It gets so dirty with all of us living in here. Between bowls of Kimchi, my water and piss bottles, the beer and the cigarettes, there’s really no way to keep it clean for long periods of time. So we called it “The Nest”.
What’s your proudest moment as a band? Proudest moment off stage?
Personally, the proudest moment came for me at Catherine North. My father was visiting and we had finished a take of “Amigo”, and I looked at him and he was all teary eyed. He knew how much that song meant to me, and he knew how hard we’d worked. To see him respond in such a passionate and proud way reassured me that I was doing the right things, the right way. He’s always been the optimistic voice in my life. And it meant a lot to see that kind of emotional reaction from him. Other than that were all pretty proud of what we’ve accomplished and humbled by the reaction of our fans on any given night. The last three years has been a whirlwind of momentum and wild times. And to know that we’re keeping that momentum and keeping our heads is something to be proud about in itself.
How long have you been a band? What keeps the fire going?
We have been a band for about three years now. We’ve got five really hungry guys who live wiring music and being creative. There is no real trouble “keeping the fire going”. We are doing what we love, and the industry we work in happens to be very rewarding and fun. If we weren’t doing this, we would be working or contractors or mowing the lawn at The Township. It’s safe to say, if a “fire” was to go out. We’d find a way to start it again pretty fast.
If you had to collaborate with one toronto band, who would it be and why?
Teenage Kicks. We are really good pals with both Pete and Jeff, and I admire them as musicians and songwriters. I would love the opportunity to get inside of Pete’s head an watch him work. He is nothing short of a genius, and I would love to experience working with those guys.
Top 3 artists that have inspired you in your life?
Bruce Springsteen, ACDC, Jackson Browne.
Favourite place to eat in Toronto?
We like to drink at The Rhino. We like Electric Mud, The Drake.
Favourite thing about the city?
I love the diversity of Toronto. It is very big, and there are many different cultures and scenes, yet there is still a very strong sense of community. Everybody loves there sports and everyone is into the cities artists, whether they be, painters or poets, writers or musicians. Sometimes it can be to big for me, but a very cool city nonetheless.
Favourite hang out in T.O? The Rhino.
What is one thing people of each member that people don’t know about you that they wouldn’t expect?
Gunner has 5 different types of hair on his body.
Packer is packing serious heat
Jay drinks Michelob Ultra
Chris loves buying air soft guns. He has 30
I have Psoriasis covering 30 percent of my body
Rapid Fire:
Sneaky Dees nachos, Hey Meatball spaghetti or a superfood salad from Fresh? Sneaky Dees
Queen or College St? College Street
Trinity Bellwoods or Highpark? High park’s alright. Never been to Trinity
Early bird or night owl? Night Owl
Road or studio? Road
What’s next for the Glorious Sons?
We will be embarking on an American tour, and releasing Heavy in the States. And then I’m sure we will be recording again and touring some more. Like always were just gonna put our head down and keep working.
Keep up to date on their website. The Glorious Sons perform December 18th at Lee’s Palace with Toronto’s own Gentlemen Husbands and The Mohrs as part of 94.9 The Rock’s “The Night The Rock Stole Christmas. Online tickets can be purchased here. Physical tickets are available at The Horseshoe Tavern, Rotate This & SoundScapes.
