October 19, 1999

Live

The Distance to Here Radioactive / Universal

little bit more. This time Live outdid

esthemselves. In the wake of millions of records sold to

=the departure of Secret

Live is one of those capti- vating bands who say much more than simpiy meets the ear. Each time their ratchet- ing tunes are played again, a listener hears something a

f@Samadhi, it was going to be

The truth is that The Distance to Here is undoubt- edly the bands most power- ful work-to-date, giving an already popular band a cult following. At the Tibetan Freedom Concert ‘99, they proved this while keeping a deluged crowd pulsing through a rainstorm in south- ern Wisconsin. Previously, they had made a wet crowd forget the rain in Washington

of “Lightning Crashes.” Frontman Ed Kowalczyk claims that “the pinnacle moment of any artform, including rock and roll, is that instant when the artist inspires the audience to a greater vision of life.” When listening to The Distance to Here, a listener feels drawn into the music and relates to it on a personal level. This is important because Live has

Over The Edge Page 9

a bit abstract. Close your eyes and you'll understand. The short story? The

Distance to Here excells expectations of Live and proves the enormous talent and staying power of the band once again. A calm emotional mix which gets right to the listeners soul, Kowalczyk still refuses to close his eyes lest we close ours.

ofa hard sell to try and rival audiences expectations of

By Michelle Dubuc

A couple weeks ago | had a chance to chat with Sean Ashby, the lead singer and guitarist for Jack Tripper, who opened for | Mother Earth October 7th at the Munk bar. Sean, and fellow Jack Tripper Brian Minato both play for Sarah McLachlan, and in the past Sean has been seen playing for the likes of Ginger and Wild Strawberries as well. Here’s what he had to say.

Q. How long have you and Brian been working together as _ Jack Tripper?

A. Since 1995.

Q. How would you describe Jack Trippers sound?

A. I'd say indie rock - it’s a not-too-slick-kinda- pop band. Its not restricted to that though, we have ele- ments of pop, metal, even country.

Q. Who are your major influences?

A. That really changes as we evolve. Originally it was classic rock - Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, all that. Now its more Elliot

Smith, and Built to Spill. There’s a big Beach Boys thing on _ the album-albeit it kind of a “bastardized’” version. Q. What was the Lilith Fair experience like for you? As amanI| mean? A. It was really good actually. | had the expe- rience to see amazing singers everyday, like Emmylou Harris, and Bonnie Raitt. At first you don’t really know what to make of it, it’s a little strange, but you get used to it. | did kind of want to go to Ozzfest afterwards though.

Q. What has been your best concert experi- ence?

A. Um, well, there’s been lots. Lilith Fair as | said was great. We did a show with Spiderbait and the Killjoys in Van, that was a good show. We had the opportunity to open for Alanis Morrisette with Dinosaur Junior, and I’m a huge fan of theirs, so that was pretty amaz- ing.

Q. What was your worst concert experience?

A. Well, once while on stage | got up on a guys

DC, when lightning did crash after a performance of a most inspirational rendering

An interview with a Tripper

shoulders and fell for- wards into the monitors and off the stage. That hurt a lot, and | felt pret- ty stupid afterwards. | was in a totally obscure band at the time, so thankfully no one remembers.

Q. Is the first time you've played PG?

A. To tell the truth, | really won’t know until | get there. | don’t think so, but when you tour around and you’re in the same little clubs every night, you get kind of disoriented.

Q. What are the origins of the name - are you guys Three’s Company Addicts?

A. Well, we like it for that, plus just for the “tripper’ part - we have kind of an old Pink Floyd “druggie” sound, so it fits. Besides, with a funny name you can’t take yourselves too seri- ously, you keep concen- trated on the music and that’s what you want to be doing. You're not restricted musically; you are free to go in any direction. |The only problem with it is that sometimes you may not

always tried to relate real life through their songs, although sometimes they come across

be taken seriously enough.

Q. Are you aware that there is another band by the name of Jack Tripper in Northern California?

A. Yeah, we're not sure what we're going to do about that. | think we might have to give them a call. There is definite- ly a controversy brewing there.

Q. Is Jack Tripper just a short term project or is it

something you plan to work with indefinitely? A. Oh, definitely long term. We're going to make it the biggest we can make it.

More Tripper on Page 13

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