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Fucked Up
Post-Polaris
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by
Shain Shapiro
February 18 - 24, 2010 |
One of the most misunderstood bands in Canada is Fucked Up. The Toronto–based hardcore band, whose name confuses people more than their music, have quietly become of the our country’s most impressive success stories, despite aggravating anyone without a sense of humour. Already the band has signed to Matador in Europe, arguably one of the better independent labels out there; won the Polaris Music Prize for their glorious full–length The Chemistry of Common Life; and given a virtual voice to Canada’s burgeoning hardcore scene, one that often suffocates under too much roots and rock and roll. And with all this success, the septet has treated each accolade graciously, including using the $20,000 prize money they earned for winning the Polaris to assist a plight that goes unnoticed in Canada: investigating the disappearance of hundreds of Native Canadian women. Despite a series of setbacks because of their moniker, Fucked Up has developed into a uniquely Canadian export; complicated, full of heart and burgeoning with creativity. “We try to give a certain amount of money to charity every year,” explains lead guitarist Mike Haliechuk. “Last year we did the David’s Christmas 7–inch, which raised about $6,000, and the year before that we threw a benefit show in Toronto that did about $4,000. We’ve been really busy with touring this year because we do the band full–time now, so the Polaris thing just felt like a no–brainer for us. It was a really good and easy opportunity to kick start another money raising thing for us, which has led to use supporting this new initiative.”
But a core question remains. What was it in 2001 that took the band on the journey to adopt Fucked Up as their name? While the Toronto hardcore scene has an uneasy relationship with anything corporate, a trait Fucked Up embodies in its desire to keep its interests in–house and independent, Fucked Up sounds like a stretch for anyone, something that Haliechuk agrees on, looking back at the past decade of guiding the circus. “When we came up with the name we were all in our early 20s and were trying to be rambunctious punks,” explains Haliechuk. “It still suits us, but we’re a very different band. One thing that hasn’t changed is that we don’t really set out goals that are clear cut. For the album, we just wanted to make a record that was different than our first one, which I think is the case. We aren’t really a goal–oriented band, but we get a lot of things done just because we work a lot, and get a lot of opportunities handed to us. We just wanted to make a big cohesive record, but didn’t have anything more specific in mind with that. Everything that’s happened now with the record is kind of just a nice surprise.”
This album, The Chemistry of Common Life, has been lauded globally as the best hardcore album of 2009, even earning the band a few cover shots with NME, still the rag that defines cool in the UK. This led to the band consistently going overseas to promote the record, leading to it being adopted earlier across the pond than at home. Yet, it was a critical darling from the onset, one that critics adored, despite the public not noticing. Only when the Polaris Music Prize was launched did the two sides marry, giving Fucked Up the legitimacy at home they have enjoyed overseas throughout the release of the record. “For most of the time we’ve been a band, we have succeeded earlier outside of Canada than in,” replies Haliechuk. “When we were a DIY–hardcore band, we were big in the U.S. and small in Canada. When we started getting more mainstream attention, we were big in the UK and passé in North America. Finally after we got some bigger coverage in Europe, we started getting interview requests in Canada. We’re probably where we should be in Canada and Toronto now though. We’ve still never done a Canadian tour really, so it’s not just a situation where we think Canada is behind in some way, it’s more so that we’ve just focused on other places because we like travelling. I mean we’ve played shows in small Chinese cities, but never in Newfoundland or London, Ontario.”
But all this should change soon, with the coming release of more material, including another 7–inch and a 12–inch titled Year Of The Ox. After this, the band plan to go back into the studio for album number three, which should be ready by 2011. Fucked Up are always working, always grinding. And this work ethic is why they are at the level they are, a decade into their career. Haliechuk, describing the songwriting process, comments on its democracy, as everyone is involved from start to finish. “One of us will usually come up with a kernel idea for a song, either a strong verse or chorus, and then the rest of us will flesh the song into a few parts or sections,” adds Haliechuk. Then we’ll link all the parts together in the studio and put the rest on top. It’s like in a family – one person goes out an buys some ingredients, then they fiddle around with a few more ingredients together, and then somehow it all just comes together in the oven. After we’ve recorded the songs Damien (lead vocalist) or I will write the lyrics and we’ll go in a few weeks later to do vocals, more guitar stuff and then mix. And it goes from there.”
But now, Haliechuk is enjoying past successes, including the Polaris victory and the upcoming release of more boutique items, a pattern Fucked Up excel at. They only have two full–lengths, but dozens of releases. It’s part of the hardcore aesthetic and the message with Fucked Up. “I think a lot of people think that we’ve had success in spite of the name, but I still feel that the name has helped us,” concludes Haliechuk. “It’s a neck–out situation; I think people respect that. Otherwise we’d just be some other hardcore band with a tough sounding name. It’s helped us reach out to larger media I think, counter intuitively, because I think people get excited when they can put us in their magazine, because of the name.” P
[SHAIN SHAPIRO]
Fucked Up (Toronto, ON)
w/Leatherface, Yesterday’s Ring, Orphan Choir, Sinking Ships.
@ L3 Nightclub, 6 James St. St. Catharines.
Tuesday, February 23, 7 pm.
lookingforgold.blogspot.com
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