Artist Profile: Eddie Orso part 2

Here we have, part 2 of my interview with Eddie Orso. To read part one click this link or scroll down the page.


You've got the one album then, 3 years ago, how do would you say you've grown from then til now?

We've grown so much. That first record took a year to record because it was so not together. We've grown so much in the last couple years. It's been crazy it's a totally different act... it's been a long ride. A lot of that has to do with touring. Once we got on the road we really learned out to sing with each other. Hear other musicians from all over Canada, hear their songs, you come back really inspired. Once we got out there we learned a lot. This next album is going to be mature sounding compared to the last one.

What kind of direction musically are you taking compared to the last album?

The last album had only one relationship song. The rest of the songs were.... "Town that I've Known" which is about a band.... Scribbled out Man, Don Kerr, Paul Linklater, Doug Friesen, a band we absolutely loved, and I always thought they should be huge, they should explode, but it never happened. So that song came out. Songs like Land and Tide and Hometown Down Heart which are environmental, and Working man, which is about me moving from Kitchener to Toronto to play music. There were songs about that way of life, those things, and the new album hones in on personal relations, that's the He Said She Said thing.... Our last record there is not one Bridge! We were getting it mastered by Joa Carvello, we said Joa did you hear anything funny about the album? He said no... We said, there isn't one bridge! He started thinking about it and was like... "There isn't a bridge!". It's weird. So the new album has bridges!! Lyrically it's more mature.

What are you listening to these days.

Bruce Springstein, Nebraska. Levon Helm's Electric Dirt album. Nina Simone. I've been getting into a lot of Gord Downy. His lyrics.. I'm not a huge Tragically Hip fan, but lyrically some of his stuff really opened my eyes to writing,. Some of the stuff off of Day For Night, and Trouble in the Hen house. I really like his lyrical expression.

Really? Is it his Imagery or phrasing, or something in particular?

I just like how he's not so upfront with his lyrics all the time. I'm left going "I don't know what that was about, but it was awesome". I don't know... You hear songs and it's clear as day what is going on, but he disguises his lyrics... the song Flamenco, off of Trouble in the Hen house... I just love it.

And you're a big fan of the Band, you mentioned Levon Helm, and you had told me before that you had the chance to see Levon Helm at his farm. What was that like?

It was amazing. I got to meet him. he was playing inside his house, so he has this big screen TV that's pushed to the side. It was amazing

So he played and was there an opening act?

Yeah I don't know who they were. He had a ten piece band. He had Little Sammy Davis Jr. he has a guest each week. Elvis Costello will come up.

That would be amazing.

I got to meet Robbie Robertson before too.

Oh where did you meet him?

We did a private gig, a private celebrity gig. And we got to meet a whole bunch of.... it was more actors and actresses. There were a couple musicians there, I got to meet Marilyn Manson...

Weird!

yeah, it was during the film fest.

How do you get a gig like that?

Ah, it's kind of a long story. Through our producer... we got really lucky. So I got to chill with Robbie Robertson. he'd actually heard our song "Be Back Someday", I remember seeing him kinda watching us. And this was a small party. A house in Toronto. After the song, he came up and said, "Did you write that song kid?". I said yea. He said "It's really good, Keep it up" I was freaking out!

You feel like a kid?

Yeah it was insane. Afterwards he asked what we were doing. We'd just finished the record, were promoting and stuff, so I asked him what he was up to. He said "Oh, working with Eric Clapton". I had to laugh. It was cool.

That must have been pretty exciting. I can't get the image of Robbie Robertson and Marilyn Manson hanging out at the same party!

With Marilyn, I was sitting on this bench, we were taking a break from playing. I was talking to Shelley, and someone sat beside me, I didn't think about it. Shelley kinda looked at me, eyes wide open. So I turned around and it was Marilyn Manson! I was like... What the Fuck? It was crazy.

To be a fly on a wall for their conversation. So you don't have any Toronto dates on your mini tour?

we will. We're going to do a big band show, we just haven't finalised it. That'll be during the recording processes. We'll be playing those shows then into the studio. From the end of September to November, we'll be recording. Huge launch in January. We'll do a night in Toronto, playing the whole album. I'd like to play it front to back.

Well, that's good. I'm excited to get out to see you again.

We're just waiting... I don't know what venue to do it in. The Rivoli was great.

That's a great venue. Who were you playing with, the last show?

The Undesirables. There my new favorite band. It's just a Duo, they've been doing it for years. Sean Cotton and Corin Raymond. Sean plays the acoustic, Corin just sings. He's very dramatic, influenced by like, Tom Waits and the Band, such entertainers. Check em out for sure, and if you check them out, I'll be there!

Check in tomorrow for This Week in Toronto! Peace.