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Listening to the catchy, infectious and Juno Award-winning garage rock riffs of the Sam Roberts Band, it鈥檚 hard to imagine that the act鈥檚 leading man actually began his musical career playing classical violin.
鈥淚 picked up the violin when I was about four,鈥� Roberts said. 鈥淎s a kid they said I had to choose an instrument, so that was something I chose to play. I sort of gravitated toward the violin. I played classical music until I was a teen.鈥�
Things changed when his friends lent him an amp and he picked up an electric guitar for the first time.
鈥淚 was never destined to be a concert violinist,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 could play in front of people with a guitar, but I wasn鈥檛 comfortable at all playing violin to an audience.鈥�
Despite that stage fright, Roberts never gave up the instrument, though.
鈥淚 still play every day, but it鈥檚 more private,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 play strictly classical, and I kind of like that the two worlds are separate.鈥�
Born in Montreal, Roberts formed his first band, William, in 1993, but changed the name to Northstar in 1996. Although popular in the local indie-rock scene, the band broke up in 1999 and Roberts鈥� bandmate George Donoso went on to success as a member of The Dears. That inspired Roberts to rededicate his time and energy solely to music, and he soon recorded his homemade demo, Brother Down.听
In 2001, Roberts recorded and independently released the EP, The Inhuman Condition, which led to a contract with MapleMusic Recordings. Soon after, Roberts鈥� new band was signed to Universal and released the breakthrough LP, We Were Born In A Flame.听
Several albums later, Roberts has racked up platinum records, No. 1 chart rankings, multiple Juno Awards, critical acclaim and an impressive fan base in Canada and around the world. But despite all the success, Roberts says he still tries to focus solely on the music.
鈥淚 was never completely ignorant of the fact it wasn鈥檛 going to be an easy thing to have a career in music and I couldn鈥檛 expect a happy ending,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o we never forgot the lessons learned along the way.鈥�
One lesson he learned was to avoid taking any thoughts of making 鈥渢he next big hit鈥� into the studio.
鈥淭here鈥檚 always a flash to that kind of thinking,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut there are repercussions to every decision you make, so you have to keep that kind of thinking out of the creative process.听
鈥淩ight now, I鈥檓 feeling a real sense of freedom and lack of inhibition in terms of the songs I want to work on and how I intend it to sound.听
鈥淎nd the band has never been closer,鈥� he added. 鈥漈he years aren鈥檛 necessarily kind to bands and can pull you apart, but we鈥檝e been lucky and I鈥檓 fortunate to play with people who are committed to the music we are making.鈥�
He鈥檚 also learned to appreciate life on the road, away from family, while on tour.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an indispensible part of the career,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou have to embrace it, and know it is part of the life. You draw inspiration from being so far from home. This summer we鈥檝e been playing a lot of festivals and have been from Pittsburgh to PEI from one day to the next. Festivals are different from a regular tour, which follows a set route. You鈥檙e all over the place with festivals.鈥�
But Roberts said he does enjoy playing the festival circuit, and looks forward to performing at the 老澳门六合彩开奖记录资料 Valley Music Festival on Saturday, Aug. 9.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very eclectic lineup in 老澳门六合彩开奖记录资料, which is the mark of a great festival,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to compare with the energy of a festival. You鈥檝e got this sea of humanity who鈥檝e sacrificed sleep and comforts to be there, so you鈥檝e got to give people the best you have, because they are living through this whole experience.鈥�
Hear the best Sam Roberts has to give on Aug. 9 at 6:40 p.m. on the Tantalus Stage at the 老澳门六合彩开奖记录资料 Valley Music Festival.
For more information on the band, go to samrobertsband.com and for more on the festival go to squamishfestival.com.
