edmonton journal artical

deniedjunkie · Post by **deniedjunkie** » 1/28/2003, 11:27 am

EDMONTON - This is how it looks: Our Lady Peace records an experimental album, Spiritual Machines. It doesn't sell. So OLP decides to make a straight-forward rock disc. Guitarist Mike Turner doesn't like the new direction and quits. The band finds a replacement in Steve Mazur, finishes the album, then enjoys the biggest single, Somewhere Out There, of its 11-year career.

That's one of the many theories lobbed about since news broke of Turner's departure in 2001 and Gravity's release last June. But frontman Raine Maida says Gravity wasn't just an adverse reaction to the intellectually minded Spiritual Machines. Since 1997's Clumsy, OLP has always wanted to make a record like Gravity, full of confident guitar solos, Maida says, but Turner couldn't deliver.

"After Spiritual Machines, we weren't sure about our future," Maida says of the Toronto band which brings its current cross-Canada arena tour to Edmonton tonight.

"Everyone was burned out and in our hearts, the guitar player issue was serious.

"We needed a guitar player who was better than everybody or could take charge with his own playing. We never really had that (with Turner). In all the songs I used to write, I always wanted them to have more guitar. But it never worked out when I brought them to the band."

To be fair, a switch in guitarists wasn't the only key to Gravity's success. OLP also went with a new producer. After four albums with Arnold Lanni, Maida says it was time to work with someone new. OLP picked Bob Rock, the man behind Metallica's self-titled smash, also known as The Black Album. "Even Arnold said we needed to try someone else," says Maida. "He's still a dear friend and an incredibly talented producer. His time will come."

Maida also had to make some changes of his own. After a lot of prodding from Rock, the moody songwriter abandoned his use of obtuse imagery and wrote his most direct lyrics ever. He went from lyrics like: "I'm teething on the answers you're saving /How are you going to make me understand," to: "We laid underneath the stars /Strung out and feeling brave."

It was far from a simple adjustment.

"It was a pain. I wrote all the lyrics on this record and when I went to sing the songs, Bob would say, 'What are you talking about?' I tried to explain the song and he'd say, 'That sounds cool but from what you're singing, I have no clue that's what you're talking about.' I was like, 'So?' I told him I'd change a word here or there, but conceptually I wouldn't change the song. It started a rift between the two of us," says Maida.

"Finally, we had to sit down and he told me about the Metallica record he made and how he challenged James Hetfield to simplify his lyrics and thoughts. It caused me a lot of a stress. I couldn't sleep for three weeks. I ended up having to fly back to California because I got shingles (a nerve infection). I thought I was dying. My whole side was numb. I couldn't eat."

Maida recovered, obviously, and after conquering his resistance to Rock's advice, managed to overhaul some of his lyrics, including the words to Innocent.

"It used to be Arrogant and the lyrics were much more snide and sarcastic. Bob liked the melody but he thought if I said arrogant, I'd be limiting the people who might connect to it. So he wanted me to rewrite it," says Maida. "I've had that song for two years and lived with it. It's really hard to go back -- it's like trying to repaint a picture. It was really stressful. I'm actually surprised I was able to do it. That's the first time I was proud of myself musically. For me, it was like changing the lick to Satisfaction but still liking the song."

Despite the emotional and physical turmoil of Gravity, Maida says he enjoyed working with Rock -- and wants to do it again.

"He's very passionate -- sometimes even more than us -- and it kind of fuels you," says Maida. "It's just knowing what he's done and his background, obviously you trust him. So it was pretty easy to make this record. We felt we became a rock band right away."

OLP plan to work with Rock later this year. For now, Maida is excited to sing for his Canadian fans. He's proud of Gravity and wants to document OLP's northern tour. Lucky for him, the band's Edmonton and Calgary shows will be immortalized in a live DVD recording.

First Nickelback goes for the local video treatment, now OLP. What's going on?

"Our fans out there seem to have just a little more energy," says Maida. "You don't have the attitude of Toronto or Vancouver. It's just always been amazing. Hopefully, that energy will transfer onto tape

i would just like to know what the vancouver attitude is?

starseed_10 · Post by **starseed_10** » 1/28/2003, 11:35 am

.............. interesting.

hopefully the old lyrics come back.

I AM ME · Post by **I AM ME** » 1/28/2003, 11:38 am

probably not seeing as how we all know Bob's View on the old lyrics :freak:

superboots · Post by **superboots** » 1/28/2003, 11:41 am

Even Arnold said we needed to try someone else," says Maida. "He's still a dear friend and an incredibly talented producer. His time will come."

I find that interesting.

starseed_10 · Post by **starseed_10** » 1/28/2003, 11:47 am

Raine knocks on Mike wayyy to much. Mike is a damn good guitarist

nelison · Post by **nelison** » 1/28/2003, 12:11 pm

he is very talented, but I guess they felt Mike just didn't progress anymore... kinda like what they did to Chris way back when...

We are all Arrogant... :lol:

now that would be interesting

Oh well Johnny know's that he'll be famous
he live's in his father's basement
better than Lennon and Cobain
and much cooler than they'll ever know
and while he know's that he'll make it in Vegas
His music will be contagious
He'll be bigger than you and your tasteless
mind and you your useless soul...

emily · Post by **emily** » 1/28/2003, 12:14 pm

hah... i like that rendition. i wonder what the song woul've been like,.

starvingeyes · Post by **starvingeyes** » 1/28/2003, 12:15 pm

he's so full of shit. like any of the 4 previous records were absent on guitar playing... jesus.

every time that guy opens his mouth in the press it makes me like him even less. it's getting hard for me to even listen to them because of this shit.

dumbandjaded13 · Post by **dumbandjaded13** » 1/28/2003, 12:18 pm

LOL, great lyrics :lol:

I just think it will be very interesting to see where this next record goes with Rock as producer again... Unlike their last five albums, im afraid it will sound very similar to one of their past albums, Gravity

lora · Post by **lora** » 1/28/2003, 12:18 pm

xchrisx wrote:it's getting hard for me to even listen to them because of this shit.

that's exactly how i feel.

starseed_10 · Post by **starseed_10** » 1/28/2003, 1:05 pm

yup .. same here. i havent listened to them much since the summer cause of what theyve done

. Even the clumsy era music doesnt feel the same.

starvingeyes · Post by **starvingeyes** » 1/28/2003, 2:15 pm

it makes me sad to listen to them and think of how excellent they were compared to how much they suck now.

OLPGoose · Post by **OLPGoose** » 1/28/2003, 2:19 pm

Emily wrote:hah... i like that rendition. i wonder what the song woul've been like,.

WAY better than what we have now, for sure. that actually made me feel way better. because i always remember raien talkign baout how he had that song for os many eyars an di was wondering hwy THAT osng?! you know...i personally cants tand it. im sure raine's version was way better. it kind fo sucks that he changed it because bob rock said more people woyld relate to it if he change dit to "innocent" isnt the point to have people relate to the music you are writing, rather than write music based on what people will relate to. down with bob rock.

areusad831 · Post by **areusad831** » 1/28/2003, 2:27 pm

all these articles are the same and many just take quotes from another article and twist them around. I am sure Raine does not feel that harsh towards Mike. I hate reading articles about bands in the press. It would have not been an OLP article without mentioning Nickleback.

Does anyone know if Lanni produced F11's new album or they left him too?

emily · Post by **emily** » 1/28/2003, 2:34 pm

OLPGoose wrote:WAY better than what we have now, for sure. that actually made me feel way better. because i always remember raien talkign baout how he had that song for os many eyars an di was wondering hwy THAT osng?! you know...i personally cants tand it. im sure raine's version was way better. it kind fo sucks that he changed it because bob rock said more people woyld relate to it if he change dit to "innocent" isnt the point to have people relate to the music you are writing, rather than write music based on what people will relate to. down with bob rock.

slooow dooownnn...

ajk · Post by **ajk** » 1/28/2003, 2:37 pm

areusad831 wrote:

Does anyone know if Lanni produced F11's new album or they left him too?

F11 is not working with Lanni. They are worked with Johnny K in Chicago. He's the producer for Disturbed. And it's showing too. Their new songs are a departure from their older stuff.

areusad831 · Post by **areusad831** » 1/28/2003, 2:46 pm

man everyone left lanni :neutral:

i liked greyest of blue skies i guess so much for their next album being similar to it.

ajk · Post by **ajk** » 1/28/2003, 3:05 pm

areusad831 wrote:man everyone left lanni

i liked greyest of blue skies i guess so much for their next album being similar to it.

I was actually a bigger fan of TIP. The greyest of Blue Skies was pretty damn cool too though.

If you want an idea of what the new F11 sounds like go download their two "newest" track Slow Chemical (that was on the wrestling soundtrack) and Sad Exchange (Daredevil Soundtrack).

I'm not sure if you've heard them, but that's the new sound of Finger Eleven. Scott isn't singing nearly as much, he's yelling a lot more.

On another note... OLP rocked last night in Calgary. That was by far the best show i've seen out of them since they toured Naveed.

OLPGoose · Post by **OLPGoose** » 1/28/2003, 4:12 pm

*lsows down*
why am i slowing down?

emily · Post by **emily** » 1/28/2003, 4:50 pm

because you cannot type.