They say that if a folk band can make it in Toronto, they can make it anywhere. After four months on the road promoting their album Every Child a Daughter, Every Moon a Sun, Toronto band The Wooden Sky recently returned to the city to play their biggest hometown show ever at the Phoenix. The band has been around since 2003 and their sound has developed through the years into a relaxed, country-tinged brand of rock that is set apart by lead singer Gavin Gardiner’s crooning vocals. Prior to their show at the Phoenix, The Varsity sat down with the leader of the alt-folk quintet to talk about the Wooden Sky’s new record and gain some insight into the band’s latest album.
The Varsity
What was the inspiration for writing your last record Every Child a Daughter, Every Moon a Sun?
Gavin Gardiner
Gavin Gardiner. BERNARDA GOSPIC/THE VARSITY
Kind of just getting older and learning a lot more. It’s funny because the more you learn, the more you realize you don’t know anything. [The album was inspired by an attempt] to understand the way that other people see the world and exploring that idea, kind of like empathy in a strange way. Sort of like getting to the realization that you just might never know.
The Varsity
Is there an underlying concept that links all of your music or has your songwriting changed as time has passed?
Gavin Gardiner
Everything in your life influences how you write and for me, it’s a continuation of myself. As I change, the writing changes.
The Varsity
What’s the writing process like for you guys? Do you work together or do you usually come up with things on your own and then share with each other?
Gavin Gardiner
It’s a bit of both. Usually, I’ll work on the song for a while and then bring it to the band and we’ll flush it out. Sometimes, I’ll just have a little idea and we’ll just work on together. There [are] a few songs on the record that we actually wrote fully together, but most of the time I start up the spark… One of the coolest things about being in this band is that any idea I have that’s worth pursuing comes back a lot better than I started with after the guys get a hold of it. That’s what you want in a partnership.
The Varsity
I heard that during one of your shows in Toronto, you guys ended up bringing the whole audience into an alley. Do you feel that playing live brings another energy to the music?
Gavin Gardiner
Totally. [Live shows are] a very different experience for us and the audience, and the songs change. It’s a bit tougher in Toronto because the shows are bigger, so it’s harder to take people out into the streets, but that was a pretty fun one. We try to make every single show special by doing something different. We did something like that in Saskatoon by playing in a five-foot pickup truck outside the venue, which was pretty fun.
The Varsity
Which artists have most influenced your music?
Gavin Gardiner
Oh, there’s lots. That’s the beauty of music, it’s such an expansive thing. And just when you think you know it, you find something new that blows your mind. The first thing that actually really got me into music was actually Richie Valens; [I] got really obsessed with La Bamba and I just wanted to play guitar, you know, it looked so cool.
The Varsity
Has actually being in the music business changed the way you perceive your musical influences?
Gavin Gardiner
You sort of listen and evolve your opinion, but that’s the beautiful thing about it. The nicest thing is just sort of understanding what they were going through when they were writing [their music], and you to relate to the song in a different way, which is what makes music so powerful… [It’s] like reading a book versus watching a movie, you allow your imagination to take you places.
The Varsity
What do you see yourself doing in the new year?
Gavin Gardiner
The plan is to make a record in the new year and we’re supposed to be back in Europe for a couple weeks in the spring. We’ve been touring so much that I think everybody’s just ready for a little rest. And then who knows? Hang out with my friends, my dog, my girlfriend. Make some new music. Just go home and be creative.
