Here is an interview and photos I found online with Raine and Duncan from War Child.
Selena Mann interviewing Raine Maida, and Duncan Coutts.
All photos by Celeste de Muelenare, Toronto.
by Selena Mann
(Toronto)- It was a rainy Thursday afternoon on October 2 2008, not the kind of weather people like to be outside in. Nevertheless, there was a crowd gathered around the popular rain jacket-clad Canadian band Our Lady Peace, in front of 1 BCE Place.
This event was truly out of the ordinary as normally famous bands are not seen “busking for change”, as it said on a sign accompanying the band. They played singles such as ‘In Repair’ and ‘Innocent’ for the crowds that surrounded them.
Our Lady Peace traveled from 1 BCE Place to Union Station and then finished off at 1st Canadian Place; these are just some of the locations at which they played. They were among many other bands that participated in the one-day event in Toronto, raising money for War Child Canada. People were encouraged to donate money at these performances in the city as well as online to the site:
www.warchild.ca/buskingforchange.
War Child Canada is a Toronto-based humanitarian organization that specifically delivers aid to children in countries where wars are occurring.
Lead singer and guitarist of Our Lady Peace, Raine Maida became involved in War Child in 2001 alongside his wife, singer Chantal Kreviasuk. The two of them went on a trip with the organization to Iraq to help deliver aid to poor and displaced children. The couple was also involved in One X One.
“I’m very passionate about this charity and knowing the founders because I put a lot of faith in those people,” Maida said.
Maida said he supports War Child specifically because 90 per cent of the money raised goes to destitute children in war-torn countries. He was also a part of last year’s street performing campaign and this year he brought his band along with him.
“We believe whole-heartedly in what War Child is doing,” drummer Jeremy Taggart said. The band also made clear that they were not doing this for marketing purposes.
”If we had no record coming out for two years we would do it,” he added.
Our Lady Peace expects to release their seventh album in early 2009.
“We got a mature honest good sounding record,” Taggart said.
Bass guitarist, Duncan Coutts smiled when asked about the album. ”It’s the very first time that it’s self-produced which is that we did what we wanted to do.”
The first single is called Burn, Burn. The album is still in production and the band members made clear that there were no favourite songs as of yet.
“I love it, I think it’s our best to date,” said Maida, grinning.
Some other artists who performed for this event the same day were Liam Titcomb, Brian Melo, and Neverending White Lights.
All photos taken by Selena Mann for Warchild