As any good storyteller knows, there is nothing as more satisfying than bringing a story to life.
In the case of The Carlines, singer-songwriter Sjoerd Meyer had a collection of songs he wanted to structure and develop. He enlisted fellow Victoria musicians Esme John, Mitch Farley, and David Parfit – and the rest, as they say, is history. Although the band formed in 2012, all four members of The Carlines have previously played and toured with a number of other BC artists and have been well versed in the local music scene.
The band released their debut EP Still The Sun Will Rise earlier this year. In support of the release, The Carlines are currently on a Western Canadian tour with a show in Vancouver this Sunday November 23rd at The Railway Club.
We learned more about The Carlines’ musical inspirations, recording process, and touring highlights through an e-mail Q&A with Meyer.
Q: What was the first song in your memory that inspired you to pursue music?
Sjoerd Meyer: Oh wow, that’s a tough question, it’s so long ago. I grew up listening to a lot of older country folk from the 60’s and 70’s, my mom had this large collection of records by artists like Dylan, John Denver, Cat Stevens, etc. Up until the age 13 I lived in the Netherlands, so there was this kind of mysterious appeal to artists being from a distant world, and I remember really liking the english language and being very interested in the sound of it.
One significant song that stands out is ‘Thank God I’m A Country Boy’ by John Denver. Besides the song title I didn’t understand what the lyrics we’re saying. I just mimicked the sounds of the words and learned the whole thing on guitar, and it was the first song I performed live at this local small town talent show. It wasn’t until I moved to Canada that I learned the real words of the song.
Q: The four of you played and toured with other local musicians prior to forming The Carlines. Have those experiences had an effect on the band?
A: Definitely. I think there’s a bit more of a ‘let go’ attitude. When you’re a bunch of kids in their late teens, you start your first band and you’re like: ‘We’re gonna make it huge, this is it, and if it isn’t everything will come to an end and I won’t know what to do with my life!’ We’re all a bit (or a lot.. haha) older than that now and have done a bunch of different things musically, so we know what we like and don’t like and what we really enjoy about music. Probably the biggest positive effect is that nobody is playing the music to serve their own needs, push their own styles, or show off their chops. Everyone is serving the music and the songs for what they are and what they need, that makes for good music.
Q: There is a strong sense of storytelling in The Carlines’ music. Are there any storytellers, music or non-music wise, who have influenced you in the past and present?
A: This goes back a bit to the music I listened to as a child, I was a real sucker for country music, especially because it wasn’t the mainstream or ‘cool’ thing at the time in the Netherlands. There’s a lot of storytelling in those songs, like Johnny Cash, he’s all about the stories, I love(d) those songs. Funny thing is, I didn’t know English then and would only get a hint of what they’re about, but I think it’s just in the structure of the songs and how it comes out with the melody and stuff.
There is this old poem out there by Alexander Pope, I think it’s called ‘Simple Life’, I found it in this book of old English poems. It really resonated with my own experiences and finding a balance between being a born and raised farm kid and the city life in my later years. Our song ‘Simple Life’ from our EP is pretty much a rewriting of that poem put to music.
Q: The Carlines debut EP, “Still The Sun Will Rise”, was released earlier this year. Was there anything that came out of the recording process that came as a pleasant surprise?
A: Probably the most pleasant surprise was our song ‘Heart’. When we were initially going through tunes to put on the record and our regular repertoire, it wasn’t anywhere on the map, my band members didn’t even know about it. I had written it but the musical structure of the song was quite different, I liked the lyrics but it just wasn’t quite working so I forgot about it. It was David Parfit who said that we should have some songs with a bit more depth and reflecting on life’s struggles, all our other songs were to happy! We reworked the song and it turned out to be our strongest track. There’s a Youtube video out there of me performing the old version with a couple of friends, it’s quite different but you’d see the resemblance.
Q: What are the highlights of touring Western Canada?
A: Well, there’s a lot of cool things about it for sure. A big part of it is that all of us get along well, so there has been conflict issues or anything like that, all four of us are pretty laid back and considerate of one another. That sets the template for having a good time for sure. There’s definitely some highlights that stand out; Western Canada is very beautiful, whether it’s the green west coast, the arid climate of the Okanagan, the awe-striking mountains of Banff National Park, or the empty plains of Southern Alberta; it’s all very beautiful. It’s great to see friends at our shows, friends who we otherwise don’t get a chance to see very often. We also love watching ‘Adventure Times’ in the van on our night drives.
Q: If you could narrow down a message that you would want your music to convey, what might that be?
A: I think our main goal is for the listener to get engaged in the music, to lose themselves, and to find something in which they can relate with respect to their own lives. I’m not sure we have a deliberate message, but more of a theme. That theme would be joy, hope, and happiness in the midst of life’s struggles, whatever that may be.
Photo credit: Al Smith
For more information on the band and their upcoming tour dates, head over to: http://thecarlines.com.
