The Alternative Star.com

Gob

Eight years ago, my source for new music came exclusively from Much Music. It’s how I discovered pop punk acts like Blink-182, MxPx and of course Canada's very own Gob. On their first recent month long tour of Canada, I had the chance to catch their set at the Royal Albert Arms and they certainly didn’t disappoint. I didn’t know what to expect, as pathetic as this sounds it was my first time seeing Gob live but their set totally made me feel like I took a step back into my youth and at 18, I’m not even old in the first place.

 They played all their hits: “No Regrets,” their cover of “Paint It Black” by The Rolling Stones, “Oh Ellin,” “What To Do” and “For the Moment.” They also performed the uncensored version of “Give Up the Grudge,” the one with ‘Give up the grudge, shut your fucking mouth!’ that Much Music never played. The sing along was nearly deafening for “I Hear You Calling” and the last song of the night “Soda” was great even though you totally knew they were saving it for last.

Of course it’s not to say the new material didn’t get a good response. While much slower, “Wake Up” still has a super catchy chorus and Theo even attempted to get a little dance party started on stage. “Underground” is a great tune too and it shows the band certainly has matured over the last 15 years.  Overall though the band sounded great and was amusing, whether Theo and Tom were having guitar duels or talking about dicks in between songs. They definitely lived up to my high expectations, making it totally worth staying up until 1:15 AM to catch their full set when I have class early the next morning.  

Also, before the show I met up with the band’s frontman Tom Thacker, mainly to discuss music videos, their current tour and plans for the future. Thanks to Lisa Da Silva for setting this up!

The tour you guys are on is almost over now, what has been the most memorable experience?

Tom: It’s hard to say what has been the most memorable part because it’s been a lot of fun. I think just getting out; this is the first tour we’ve done that’s been a month long. Ever since I’ve been playing guitar with Sum 41, we’ve kind of just done a weekend, a week, two weeks and that’s it. Just being out for a month, it felt really good being able to play all the time! We haven’t really had that opportunity to get tight like a band like that so it’s been really cool. In many ways it’s been cool just hanging out in the van and rockin’ together, it’s great!

Have the shows been having a good response from the fans as well?

Yeah, it’s been awesome! We’ve been playing about 8 of the new songs, not every show but we’ve been switching up the set with them because we want people to hear them. Most of the shows have been sold out too so that’s great!

Awesome! The first time I ever heard Gob it was through Much Music and music videos. I’m assuming you feel like music videos played a pivotal part in your career.

Music videos have definitely played a pivotal part in our career. Before we made our first video for “Soda” we had no interest in making videos. The record label wanted us to make a video and we were like ‘OK, this is going to be the idea. We’re going to build a ramp and jump our bikes off into the lake, film it and you’re going to pay for it’ and they were like ‘OK.’ So we did that and it sort of became a hit video. So after that we kind of figured we could do anything we wanted in a video and have fun and we felt differently. We instantly changed our minds about music videos. I mean we’re all film fans as well so it makes sense to make videos. Though, when you’re touring it’s hard to get your head in the game for making music videos. It’s sort of the last thing on your mind.

Do you come up with the concepts as a group or it is usually just one of you with the idea?

It really depends. After the first few videos we started submitting them to production companies and they’d give us ideas too. Basically whoever had the best idea, whether it was a director or one of us.

Much Music has started ditching music videos altogether though; what are your thoughts on that?

Yeah. Back then they played music videos a lot more. MTV was the ones that didn’t play music videos and now Much Music went down that route. Overall though, I don’t think it’s bad, Much Music embraced us and we kind of came around.  When they started playing our videos we realized Much Music’s not that bad, we kind of thought of it as this lame MTV thing that plays shit all the time. They had a lot of specialty shows, there was The Wedge and I don’t know how long that shows been around but it’s always played different styles. I still think they do have that show and it’s the best one on Much Music. Of course there is still way more reality TV but there is still the Wedge too.

Which ones were your favourite to shoot?

The last song was actually really cool. It was mostly just silhouettes and it was very easy but came out looking cool. We’ve had fun doing pretty much every video. The two previous ones were a little stressful because we didn’t have a director so I had to stand in as director. “Soda” was a really fun one too of course because we got to jump in a lake!

Speaking of your single, do you believe in ghosts by any chance?

I don’t think I believe in ghosts but a lot of people do. Especially when we were writing and recording the record we were in our bass player’s house He’s got a big house and everyone said the place was haunted and that is sort of how the idea for “Banshee Song” came about.

Muertos Vivos came out in 2007 so I’m wondering; will you be releasing any new material in 2009?

Yeah definitely! I always write, once we decide to sit down and make a record we always pick from the ideas we have. But yeah, we definitely want to get started on it, like pretty soon. Though we have some other things in the works, I’m going to produce a record by another band for a couple of months and I’ve got some Sum 41 things coming up but after that we should be starting on something new. And we want to put out a new single too! We feel there is more that needs to be heard off our latest one.

Can you say which song you’ll release as a single at this point?

That’s secret for now!

How about which band you’ll be producing?

They’re called Floodlight and they’re from Vancouver. It’s already to go; the songs are all there, it’s going to be awesome!

I also recently came across an article which said you were considering solo work. Do you expect some of it to surface this year?

I’ve kind of tossed the idea around the past few years or so but I haven’t done it. But I do have a ton of stuff though I don’t know when they will be released. I have a lot of other things going on right now.

 What’s it like going on the road with Sum 41?

It’s a little different. I’m definitely friends with them and really close to them but we were friends with them over the past 8 years. They opened up for us before anyone knew them and then when they blew up they brought us on tour. I think they really wanted to have someone that they knew well. I know they had auditions but they asked me to play anyway. It’s the same type of thing. We’re going to Japan and Guam so it should be exciting!

Lastly, Gob has been a band for 15 years now and that’s a long time. Is there any specific memory that stands out to you, perhaps as a favourite?

That’s a hard one; there are so many things that have happened. I think it’s just starting a band and thinking no one’s ever going to come to your shows, buy a CD or anything but when you realize that is exactly what is happening. I just feel really blessed to be able to making music for a living, it’s not really a moment but that is the main thing.

Written/Transcribed by: Deborah Remus