by Stan Ashbee
Former Barenaked Lady Steven Page is criss-crossing back and forth across the country with a variety of band formations performing material from his solo career, along with classic BNL hits.
“That’s what keeps it fun and exciting. Some of them are full rock band-type shows, then I’m doing some symphony shows, and then the core of them this trio formation we’re doing in Medicine Hat,” Page explained.
Page and company perform at the Esplanade Friday night at 8 p.m.
Page noted the upcoming gig will be an intimate show, especially with it being a three-piece formation, along with his trio mates Craig Northey from the band Odds and Kevin Fox.
“It gives a lot of room for us to spread out, but they are two of my favourite people, as well as my two favourite musicians and collaborators. I’ve worked with both of them, both Craig and Kevin separately a ton over the years. Craig has co-written a lot of songs on my solo record list including my last one and co-produced it with me. Kevin is the first person I called after I left Barenaked Ladies and we’ve been playing together ever since. It was a duo, so with this record we decided to merge our superpowers and make this trio and it’s just been a blast. We play everything from ‘Gordon’ era of Barenaked Ladies all the way up to my latest solo record,” he said. Page’s latest solo effort released last year is entitled, “Heal Thyself Pt. 1: Instinct.”
Page added it’s been great doing the symphony shows, as well. Earlier this month, Page performed with the Red Deer Symphony Orchestra for the “Great Canadian Songbook: A Canada 150 Celebration” concert, which included a collection of Canadian classic hits.
“It’s nice to be included in stuff like that,” he said. “Doing a few of my songs, as well as Leonard Cohen songs.” Page will be performing another symphony show at the end of the month in Ontario and after that he hopes to line up more for next season.
“With Barenaked Ladies we did some symphonic shows and we had arrangements of our songs with different symphonies like the Toronto Symphony and the Boston Pops and so on,” he said, adding other projects have continued in the symphony vein and will continue on.
Page said with Canada celebrating 150 years he will be doing a show in Vancouver with his fellow musical cohorts from Odds.
“I play with them a lot. They’re my backing band and we will do shows where they start the show and then we do a set together and then I’ve got this other project called the Trans-Canada Highwaymen, which is myself, Craig, Moe Berg from Pursuit of Happiness and Chris Murphy from Sloan. The four of us tour with instruments and play each other’s songs. Chris will play drums on ‘I’m an Adult Now’ and then I’ll play drums on let’s say ‘Underwhelmed’ or something like that. It’s really fun. It’s just four guys kind of the same generation playing each other’s greatest hits,” he said.
According to the Canadian singer and songwriter, part two of “Heal Thyself” is basically done.
“I still have some finishing up to do on it on a few last tracks and then just to get a proper release date set up, so I have a deadline to start to work towards. I don’t work well without a deadline,” he admitted.
Aside from recording albums and touring on the road, Page wrapped up filming for the TV food show “Chopped Canada” this past summer, which aired over the holidays.
“I watch all those shows. That’s kind of my TV junk food,” he said.
He added the experience was just as hard and stressful as they make it out to look on TV. “And I won. So, I can’t complain,” he joked.
Page also hosted the reality TV series “The Illegal Eater,” which never got renewed for another season.
“That series itself isn’t going to happen anymore, which is kind of a drag because it was a fun concept and I thought the show worked really well. But, I’m working on some ideas with a production company for maybe another limited series kind of thing,” he said.
Page has had 25 years of on the job training, as far as doing TV and talking to cameras.
“Doing a travel and food show was not a stretch because that’s essentially what touring with a rock band is — you travel around the world and eat. Doing a TV show about it, was almost second nature,” he added.
--taken from: Medicine Hat News
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