From the Victoria Times Colonist
Published: Thursday, January 10, 2008
Go -- Blue Rodeo plays Victoria; rock's wimpy young 'uns leave Cuddy bemused
Are today's young rockers naught but a pack of mewling wussies? It makes you wonder, especially after a chat with Blue Rodeo's Jim Cuddy.
The singer-songwriter spoke recently of inviting a "young band" to open for them at Ontario Place. The fellow managing the would-be opening act pointed out a problem. His wet-behind-the-ears charges had another gig the next day, a seven-hour drive from Toronto.
Blue Rodeo offered to hire a bus to help out. But the manager declined the opening slot, explaining his crew might become fatigued.
Such an un-rock 'n' roll attitude riles Cuddy, 52, phoning from Toronto.
"I thought, I don't get it. How could you turn down the opportunity to play for 10,000 people because you're afraid to be tired?"
Cuddy performs with Blue Rodeo in Victoria on Sunday, part of cross-Canada tour finishing March 1 at Toronto's Massey Hall.
He said his band worked hard straight from the get-go after forming in 1984. Back then, playing club after club, the group counted the hours between gigs, not the miles. Sometimes, after a road trip, they would drop off their original drummer, Cleave Anderson, directly to his postman's route with no sleep between stage and mailboxes.
"I still have this Protestant work ethic toward music and towards this band," Cuddy said. "I'm very glad we've always been the type of band that wanted to work. I've always seen the benefits of working. We're a better band because we played so much.
"That flows through everything. We don't ever do anything haphazardly. We put our heart and soul into everything. That was just a method of working and a method of seeing ourselves that we established at the very beginning."
The tireless energies of Blue Rodeo resulted in the release of its 15th album in late 2007. The tuneful, hook-happy Small Miracles finds the veteran act sounding fresh and enthusiastic. True to form, Cuddy's compositions tend toward the upbeat ("Summer girls they sure are fun/Get so golden in the sun," he sings on Summer Girls) while those of Greg Keelor, the other principal songwriter, are darker ("Call me a liar/A coward and a cheat," from It Makes Me Wonder).
Cuddy says the disc, already gold in Canada, is selling more briskly than other recent efforts. While the roots-country-rock band still gets air-time, these days Blue Rodeo is heard more frequently on adult contemporary than rock radio. In order to target new fans and garner publicity for Small Miracles, the group played a series of busking gigs in Toronto. People strolling by Union Station, museums, food courts and even hospitals were surprised to see one of Canada's most famous bands tumble out of a van and play the street.
Amusingly, a few fans even wondered whether Blue Rodeo had fallen on hard times.
Cuddy said: "Some people actually thought we were trying to make a living. I think some people were scared, like, 'Oh God, what's happening here?'"
Like any long-running act, Blue Rodeo has experienced ups and downs over almost a quarter of a century. On a personal level, Cuddy had a serious health scare two years ago. A polyp in his throat affected his singing so badly, he was down to "like five or six notes."
A successful operation rejuvenated the singer.
"I feel like a big car with a brand-new engine ... or make that an old car with a brand new engine," he said with a laugh.
He described the various phases of being in Blue Rodeo. At first, a young Cuddy was thrilled with the rock 'n' roll lifestyle: the excitement and the parties. Then it became more purely about the music. And then, he confesses, there was a period during which he considered it more or less a job. However, over the past five years, Cuddy said he has enjoyed being in the band as much as ever.
Recording two solo albums -- The Light That Guides You Home (2006) and All in Time (1999) -- helped instil a whole new level of affection for Blue Rodeo. Going out and creating another band for his solo endeavours made him appreciate what he already had.
"Now, it's simply [that] I really enjoy going out and playing with Blue Rodeo. I like the preciousness of it," Cuddy said.
"Blue Rodeo is a big deal compared to our solo stuff. So it's nice to be in a big deal."