Interview: Top selling Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies set for Leeds gig

Interview: Barenaked Ladies on tour in the UK - and they're coming to Leeds in one week...
Still going strong - Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies who hit the number one spot in the Billboard charts with One Week.Still going strong - Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies who hit the number one spot in the Billboard charts with One Week.
Still going strong - Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies who hit the number one spot in the Billboard charts with One Week.

"It's very surreal to think that a song you wrote in your basement is still being played around 1,300 times an hour round the world," said Ed Robertson, vocalist, guitarist and founding member of multi-platinum band Canadian band Barenaked Ladies who are coming to Leeds next week as part of their long-delayed UK tour.

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The song in question, One Week, was the opening number of their four-million selling album Stunt in 1998.

Ed Robertson, vocalist, guitarist and founding member of multi-platinum selling band Canadian band Barenaked LadiesEd Robertson, vocalist, guitarist and founding member of multi-platinum selling band Canadian band Barenaked Ladies
Ed Robertson, vocalist, guitarist and founding member of multi-platinum selling band Canadian band Barenaked Ladies

When released as a single, it took Barenaked Ladies to the number one spot in the Billboard charts in the USA.

For that reason - and the fact they were also responsible for the theme tune for hit TV sitcom The Big Bang Theory ("it makes me cool in my kids' eyes," says Ed) - Barenaked Ladies can still fill venues across the world, including shortly Leeds Beckett University and the Royal Albert Hall in London.

"We have played the Albert Hall before," said Ed, "but that was 14 years ago, maybe more. We've played everywhere in the UK, from Wembley Arena to King Tut's Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow."

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"We are from Scarborough in Ontario. We always thought we were underdogs.

"It was incredible to be recognised by the Canadian Music Hall of Fame a few years back.

"To be among all those great artists was mindblowing."

One legend who has declared himself a fan of the band in the past is Sir Paul McCartney.

To this day Ed can't quite take it seriously.

"I watched all of the new Get Back documentary about The Beatles recently.

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"I said to my friends "I've lived every moment of that film in my own life.

"When Paul said we were one of his favourite bands a while ago, singing the praises of our harmonies, I thought "aw oh, Paul's back on the LSD," Ed jokes.

Rare among bands, after more than three decades the line-up of Barenaked Ladies is still largely from the early years - or nearly.

Along with Ed, bassist Jim Creggan, drummer Tyler Stewart and keyboard player are all long-time members.

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As great bands go, Barenaked Ladies are a nice bunch, prone to supporting good causes and being up for anything a bit different or a bit silly, even.

The hard part is summing up the band's music, this interviewer profers to Ed over the phone.

I tell him I can detect bits of Green Day, rap, the Beach Boys, a good sense of humour, The Who and Violent Femmes in the band's eclectic back catalogue.

At that last alt-indie band's name I can almost feel Ed's ears pricking up down the line.

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"These are all our influences. We are all fans of those bands, especially Violent Femmes.

"We've been tough to categorise, we just follow where each song takes them."

Renowned for the energy of their fantastic live performances, Barenaked Ladies are a band that feel in very way forever young except, perhaps, in terms of their own name.

Ed admits that, even though it all seemed a tongue in cheek as a teenager back in the 1980s, it's not something that his older, wiser self he would think of doing now in the times of culture wars.

"There's been a collapse in context since then," Ed said.

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"It's not sexist but I probably wouldn't choose that name now.

"It's the idea of an 18-year-old, not someone who is 51."

Ed clearly still enjoys being an integral part of this much-loved pop-rock known for their wit and intelligence as well as big hooks.

Last year saw the band emerge from lockdown to release a new album - their 16th to date - which won their best reviews since their peak era of the early Noughties and albums such as Stunt and Maroon.

After all the hits, accolades and occasional zany experience that come with being a major rock band, Barebaked Ladies are in a good place in 2022.

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Ed himself thinks the album in question, Detour de Force, which contains excellent tracks such as Good Life and Big Back Yard, is as good as it is for that very reason.

"What make it good when we make new records is that we now have a big, loyal fan base.

"We don't have to try to have hit records.

"We still do it because we love doing it.

"I still like writing new songs and I love being in the studio.

"But I love playing live most of all.

"Live shows are the heart of this band."

Barenaked Ladies play Leeds Beckett University on Friday, March 25.