Hot on the tail of their surprise E.P. drop at the end of August, (Paradise Alone) the story continues with those hard-working Canadians The Sheepdogs announcing another E.P. Hell Together coming out this November 7th.
Hell Together is the second release on their own newly minted label Right On Records, celebrating their independence with a fresh approach to releasing music, The Sheepdogs demonstrate again their eschewal of the traditional album cycle, delivering this second E.P. this year.
The multi-platinum and four-time JUNO-award winning quintet, who are celebrating their 20th Anniversary this year, recorded this new set of songs in Toronto at Taurus Recording this last summer. Produced by frontman Ewan Currie with Thom D’arcy (a long-time collaborator who worked on Changing Colours and Outta Sight) as recording and mixing engineer.
“We’ve been busy this year” states bassist Ryan Gullen, “The road is a big part of what we do but we don’t want to hold ourselves back from continuing to release new music. With launching our own label, the goal is to always be releasing new music at a much quicker frequency. When we could, we hit the studio in Toronto between shows and threw down these songs on record. A bit of a different vibe from Paradise Alone but also in the same spirit. This new way allows us to experiment a bit more and just go for it on songs when the inspiration hits.
“It was good coming back to work with Thom. We did it because we needed to do something that was quick and convenient, but it was good.” Explains Ewan “The time apart was good for us, and there are pluses and minuses to being down south versus Toronto. We got along really well and worked really quickly. Thom’s a guy I’ve worked on many things for many years with and one thing that’s good about us is that we both learned from all the work we do, either separately or together. And we really grow from it. Every project you learn something and you apply it in the next one. All music is information and growth and getting better. It’s an education and we never stop and we keep getting better as a band.”
…And that’s The Sheepdogs all over. Still raising their own bar, twenty years on. Still looking for the next thoughtful detail. Still writing songs that feel timeless – songs to fall in love with. Now with the power to release what they want, when they want, you might say they’re just getting started.
Check out the first single from Hell Together “Handle My Biz” visualizer >>> HERE
Ewan states: “We do work really hard. We tour a lot of the year, and you know, we’ve always been self-reliant, even being on a major label, out of necessity to be honest. Which means you have to wear a lot of hats and do a lot of work, in the studio and on the road. You just gotta hustle.”
“I keep hustling just to handle my biz” Ewan singles in the new single – and you can understand why, he explains “When I read about my heroes, they made a lot of money off of record sales and things, but it’s a different world now and you do have to handle your biz in that regard.
Not just music too, but in life. Sometimes it just feels overwhelming with all the shit you got to do all the time. So you’re just bangin’ out a to-do list… I’ve had a busy time the last couple years and I’m just staying on top of everything. I don’t remember coming up with that line, but for some reason that’s what came to mind.“
Ewan continues, “We’re lucky to be musicians and do this for a living but it is definitely a lot of work. It’s all a balance. I respect hard work and I think there’s some real intrinsic and extrinsic reward, but also I don’t want to go to my grave being like what did I work so hard for? I want leisure and that’s more than just long hours in the studio and playing shows all the time.
It’s a bit about striking a balance. As much as we say music is a pursuit of expression, we’re also trying to make money and a living. I gotta Handle My Biz.”
The Sheepdogs have just finished up an extensive U.S. tour in support of their new E.P. Paradise Alone. Bassist Ryan Gullen “It was great to be playing all these new songs to folks all across the US right after it’s release.
Very excited to have another round of fresh music to kick off this next run in the EU and UK. There’s a real magic in having fresh songs to jam on a tour for new audiences”
The Sheepdogs full tour dates HERE
Nov 09 – Santiago de Compostela, ES @ Outono Codax Festival – Sala Capitol
Nov 10 – Madrid, ES @ Sala Mon Live
Nov 11 – Barcelona, ES @ Sala La Nau
Nov 13 – Munich, DE @ Strom
Nov 14 – Dresden, DE @ Beatpol
Nov 15 – Berlin, DE @ Frannz
Nov 17 – Hamburg, DE @ Bahnhof Pauli
Nov 18 – Aarhus, DK @ HeadQuarters
Nov 20 – Stockholm, SE @ Debaser
Nov 21 – Oslo, NO @ John Dee
Nov 22 – Copenhagen, DK @ Loppen
Nov 24 – Groningen, NL @ De Oosterpoort
Nov 25 – Utrecht, NL @ TivoliVredenburg (Pandora)
Nov 26 – Cologne, DE @ Luxor
Nov 27 – Paris, FR @ Badaboum
Nov 29 – Porthcawl, UK @ Planet Rockstock
Nov 30 – Bristol, UK @ Strange Brew
Dec 01 – Manchester, UK @ Band on the Wall
Dec 02 – Glasgow, UK @ Oran Mor
Dec 04 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
Dec 05 – London, UK @ Islington Assembly Hall
Pre-order Hell Together HERE
“I think these songs are some of the best we’ve ever done and we’re really excited for you to hear them!” – Ewan Available on 45 RPM Vinyl (both limited edition Green, and Black) and CD
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