Interview – The High Dials
Indie rockers The High Dials have been building a solid following for a while now and, with their fifth album finally ready and a successful tour with fellow Montrealers Besnard Lakes just wrapped, we felt it was a good time to quiz the band on how things are progressing…
BL – With over a decade since your debut album, how do you feel the band’s sound had developed over that time?
THD – It’s changed a lot. No one should make the same music for ten years. The music has to change as you change, if it’s going to be authentic. I can still relate to the band’s earliest stuff, but obviously a lot of life experience and new discoveries have happened since then. And we know how to produce records now. Our sound has widened out a lot since the beginning but it still makes sense as a body of work to me.
BL – What music were you listening to growing up and how do you feel that has influenced The High Dials?
THD – My parents played a lot of country and folk albums from the 70s, some classic 60s stuff too. In my teenage years I discovered the Kinks, Beatles and then 80s British bands like the Cure and the Smiths. Eventually I got into English indie like the Wedding Present, Ride, Boo Radleys. Soul music was a major revelation for me later on. I guess it all blends together in some way. I don’t think about it much when I write anymore, I have my own very personal vision which I try to articulate and which feels like me.
BL – Where did the band play together in a room for the first time?
THD – So many members have come and gone. Robbie and I remain. We probably played music together for the first time around 2002.
BL – What one song would you say represents the band’s music best?
THD – I can’t really say because the band has evolved so much over the years and we go off on different tangents.
BL – How do you feel your home town of Montreal has influenced the band?
THD – It’s quite cheap to live there so that makes a musician’s lifestyle possible. It’s also a city kind of outside mainstream north American culture so that may encourage bands to do their own thing, not identify with whatever trend is happening.
BL – Are there any upcoming Canadian bands you’re excited by at the moment?
THD – There’s a band in Montreal called Seoul that I like. Does Blonde Redhead count? I think they’re from Montreal, or lived there for a while. I guess Leonard Cohen can no longer be considered up and coming.
BL – How have your shows with The Besnard Lakes been? Do you feel the two bands compliment each other well?
THD – Yeah, I think it works well even though we are pretty different. There is some overlap in attitude and influnces. We share a sense of humour and laughed a lot too.
BL – When can fans expect new material?
THD – Our new album “In the A.M. Wilds” will be out very soon! We just recently released the Desert Tribe EP
Thanks to the band for taking the time to answer our questions.
To be a part of the making of the new album and get music first check out the band’s page at Pledge Music HERE
Live photo – Steph Colledge