In February 1991, Jay Ferguson took to the stage alongside Chris Murphy, Patrick Pentland and Andrew Scott in the cafeteria of the Nova Scotia School of Art and Design. Five songs later, the show was over, but Sloan’s 20-year rock ’n’ roll road trip was just getting started.
Now with 10 albums to their credit, a handful of Juno nominations and a dedicated fan base that puts them alongside the likes of the Tragically Hip and Blue Rodeo on the iconic-Canuck band-o-meter, the Haligonian foursome, now based in Toronto, continue to turn out their own unique, pop-rock blend to charm critics and wow the masses. Their latest, The Double Cross, arrives May 10. A tour is imminent.
Buoyed by the still-catchy song “Underwhelmed,” on their first EP, Peppermint, Sloan got very big, very fast, says Ferguson recalling their first tour into southern Ontario. “Those first tours in ’92 were pretty chaotic and fun, all sort of Lee’s Palace–sized places, jam-packed,” Ferguson says. “It happened for us so quickly, and it was just so exciting. It’s kind of cheese ball, but it was like our dreams were coming true.”
Sloan signed to Geffen Records and released their debut full-length album Smeared, followed by Twice Removed, a record that marked the end of the band’s “major label” experience. But, on a positive note, Twice Removed is often cited as one of the band’s best and was ranked 14th in Bob Mersereau’s book The Top 100 Canadian Albums — one notch ahead of the Tragically Hip’s breakout album Up To Here.
Plans are in the works for a Western tour leg starting this month, followed by an East Coast jaunt including Toronto. Although Sloan is still Sloan 20 years later, a marked difference could be found backstage where the little Sloan offspring often congregate to watch their dads rock out.
“Everyone [except for Ferguson, let it be known] is deep in kids under 10 years of age,” Ferguson says. “Backstage at summer shows is definitely more like Romper Room.”
The 12-track album recorded at the band’s Toronto practice space contains nary a dud — catchy melodies, clever lyrics and ultra-poppy, foot-tapping goodness throughout. The only song that might be considered a true departure is the Ferguson-penned “Green Gardens, Cold Montreal.” This welcome anomaly is a stripped-down acoustic pop number that shows true depth and appreciation for the age-old gems of Simon and Garfunkel.
“I recorded it that way for fun, and I liked it a lot more than sort of the full band arrangement,” Ferguson says. “I’ve always been into acoustic pop music — Simon and Garfunkel, Nick Drake, Scott Walker — things that are played on acoustic but not meant to sound country or folky.”
The Double Cross continues the band’s successful formula of creative anarchy with all members writing songs and swapping instruments like they were hockey cards. It might be different. It might even be the one thing that has kept mainstream success at bay. But it works for them. “Honestly, the crass answer to our longevity is that we split the money four ways and the band stays together,” Ferguson says.
“It is like a marriage, and marriages breakdown due to money. With us, everybody is in the same boat. Nobody is a millionaire, and nobody needs a part-time job to pay the mortgage. It is also an artistic outlet for everyone. We all sing, write and contribute on the same level.”
For more information go to www.sloanmusic.com.