Don鈥檛 bring a folding chair to watch the headline act at Richmond鈥檚 Canada Day celebrations, otherwise the band鈥檚 front man might have something to say about it.
The multi-talented Big Sugar take to the main stage about 9 p.m. on July 1 and the band鈥檚 founder, vocalist and guitarist Gordie Johnson, is promising a true 鈥渞ock show.鈥�
鈥淒on鈥檛 bring a deck chair or anything; I want to see everyone on their feet,鈥� Winnipeg-born Johnson told the Richmond News last week, from his base in Texas.
Big Sugar 鈥� a five-piece blues and reggae rock band, which has earned over its 30 years a glowing reputation for 鈥渢hundering鈥� live performances 鈥� is used to spending their Canada Days on stage, having headlined or supported at festivals across the nation over three decades.
鈥淚t鈥檚 actually become (a day) for rock shows, so we鈥檝e been playing Canada Day for a few decades; we鈥檝e been playing the national anthem everywhere, including Capitol Hill and at race car events鈥hat鈥檚 what gets us the gigs!鈥� laughed Johnson.
And although the band has played many times in B.C. over the years 鈥� they perform an annual gig at the Commodore in 麻豆传媒映画鈥� they鈥檝e never hit the stage in Richmond and definitely never been to Steveston.
鈥淏ut we do like to get out and get our feet on the ground wherever we are to taste the coffee and the food,鈥� Johnson said, asking what kind of town Steveston was. 鈥淚 like the sound of it, so will definitely check it out.鈥�
Many rock bands 鈥� by the nature of the beast 鈥� live a lifestyle that doesn鈥檛 conform to the Monday to Friday, 9-5 routine most of us have come to expect.
However, a quick resume of the life and times of Big Sugar tells a story of a group that has been served and digested a soup ladle more than its fair share of 鈥渃hallenges鈥� during its storied lifespan.
Slammed by band member defections, an aborted album, mental illness, addiction and even the death on stage of its drummer, Walter 鈥淐rash鈥� Morgan, in 1995, Big Sugar has weathered many a severe storm.
鈥淟ife has thrown us all some curve balls and, I鈥檒l be honest, some of it has been a bit of a struggle,鈥� said Johnson, whose wife, Alex, joined the band on stage recently from her previous managerial role.
鈥淥ur public life looks all rock band and glamour, but life is not like that. The fact that we鈥檙e not dead is actually amazing.
鈥淭here are times when I鈥檝e woken up and thought, 鈥榳ow, another day, nice, I wonder what the weather is today.鈥� Cos, I perhaps didn鈥檛 really expect to see that day or something; I鈥檓 not sure I expected to always get to see that day.
鈥淏ut now, life is really sweet, man. Our kids are growing up, we have a clarity and purpose that wasn鈥檛 there before; the kids share our love of music.鈥�
It took Johnson a 鈥渇ew years to purge鈥� his personal demons of the past.
鈥淎t some point, a person kind of caves in and substances and terrible habits come into play. You can look at yourself in the mirror and you don鈥檛 recognize that person.
鈥淲e鈥檝e come through a lot of darkness, thanks to a lot of love and a love of music. I think that shines through when we鈥檙e on stage now; we鈥檙e very thankful for where we are.
鈥淲e鈥檝e definitely had an upsurge in energy (lately) and in our quality of life.鈥�
Johnson said the relatively frequent turnaround of band members over the decades keeps their sound, and himself, fresh and driven.
鈥淭he people we have in now, man, we鈥檙e inspired to be in each others鈥� company all the time,鈥� he added.
鈥淎nd making a lot of music with my wife, it improves the quality of your life, you know. Our music has always been more about the interaction with the others around you on stage.
鈥淪o, with the nature of the band having many changes over the years, there is a different incarnation each time.
鈥淭here are Jamaican, Mexican and Cuban influences in there and we each respond differently to it, so it keeps it exciting.鈥�
Johnson and Alex have just co-written their latest piece, which, he says, has a 鈥減articular flavour; I think it鈥檚 the most rhythmic piece we鈥檝e written yet.
鈥淭he stories and lyrics in there are very positive and forward-thinking, I think that reflects where we are right now.
鈥淲e are not a garage band who kind of stick together and come out and play the same 20 songs they wrote together.
鈥淓veryone (in Big Sugar) comes from a different background. If someone from a reggae background is playing, we all kinda play our songs with a reggae vibe, it鈥檚 kind of cool.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not about playing our hits exactly the same all the time and I doubt we鈥檇 get it right anyway. It鈥檚 much more organic than that.鈥�
