Interview With Out of Order

Those who are reflected in your music?

I grew up listening to a lot of UK 82 and Oi music from the early ’80s. That sound is always reflected in the music we make. The urgency and rawness of early ’80s punk rock and Oi! music is definitely the mortar which we construct a lot of our music. But there are a lot of different influences too though. Everything from soul music to folk music to metal, thrash and hardcore. A lot of different genres find their way into our sound. It really depends on the song and the hook.

Tell us an anecdote that happened on tour, before, during or after a show.

I always like to tell the story of the time we were supposed to play in Las Vegas. Let me start this by saying Vegas can be a very evil place if you let it. We had driven about 12 hours in the scorching heat to get to Las Vegas for the gig that day. Drinks were already flowing before the sun went down. We showed up at the venue in time for the gig. We were supposed to borrow a drum kit, as we were coming from Canada and had made arrangements in advance. The problem was that the band whom we had planned to borrow a drum kit refused to share it. We were not happy about that and our drummer got up on stage, took the microphone and told the band off in the middle of their set. We had already been paid but the bar wanted the money back because we were not going to play. So we grabbed our gear and bolted for the van, hoping to escape with the money. We threw ourselves in the van and headed out of town towards Hollywood, where we were supposed to do a radio interview the next morning.

What we didn’t realize is that there was nothing in between Vegas and Hollywood but a vast expansive desert. We wrongly assumed that there would be a hotel on the road where we could crash for the night and get a few hours of sleep. Instead, we were met by a vast desert of nothingness. We were exhausted from having travelled already so long to get to Vegas earlier in the day. The sun was just starting to creep over the distant horizon when I spotted an old abandoned gas station with what appeared to be a rather withered tree behind it. Thinking that the tree could provide a modicum of shade when the sun would bear down on us, I parked the van, stumbled out and fell asleep on top of my tent. I awoke about an hour later only to realize that this lone tree for hundreds of miles had also been used as the highway toilet for what I can only assume was years. Disgusted, we dusted ourselves off and made the trek to Hollywood just in time for the radio interview. That night, we slept very peacefully in a beautiful house in the Hollywood hills owned by the lovely lady who had interviewed us on the radio earlier in the day. It was the Ying to our highway toilet Yang and a funny story in hindsight, but man was I tried for the show in Pomona that night. 

Who is the best band to have opened for one of your shows?

We have played with so many great bands over the years. We always enjoy playing Vulgar Deli from Montreal. True Grit, from Toronto, were a great band that played with us a few times almost ten years ago. Having the legendary UK82 band, The Violators, open up for us in Manchester was a definite highlight. They were great and I later became friends with their singer Jori who sadly passed away recently. As far as opening for bands, my favourite gig has to have been The Crack in 2017 in Stoke-on-Trent. That was such a fun night with everyone in the entire bar arm in arm, covered in beer, singing loudly the iconic songs from The Crack. Such a good night and we are honoured to support them.

What are the names of the bands that each member has already been a part of?

Our tour drummer Andy, has played in Bad Assets and The Cryptics. Joel, our guitarist, used to play in a rockabilly band called the Hellhounds before he joined Out of Order. 

Which lesser-known groups do you recommend us to listen to, emerging ones if possible?

I have been checking out a band called Bullshit Detector from Texas. The Enforcers out of Calgary as well. We recently played with a great band, Zero Tolerance, in Newcastle Upon Tyne who were really worth checking out. Soifersonne form Munich are terrific, as well as Bovver Bailey from Liverpool and The Kingsway Flyers from Stockport. I am a huge fan of St. Louis’ Hard Evidence and listen to the Battle Ruins from Boston religiously. Locally The Beta 58’s from Kingston and C.I.D.B. as well as Guttrot from here in Montreal are worth checking out as well. A new band called Kapharnaüm from Granby should be on a lot of people’s radars too. 

Have you ever been to Saguenay?

I have never been to Saguenay. I have always wanted it to go. I was close once when I went on a road trip up to Baie-Comeau but never got to stop in. From what I can tell, it looks like one of the prettiest places in Quebec and we really can’t wait to come to check out the town and the scene there. 

Do you prefer your poutine with cheese curds or shredded?

Come on… I have been in Montreal long enough to know the answer to that question. Putting shredded cheese on poutine is the equivalent of putting ketchup on a steak. Curds all the way. No debate.

Scott Maracle

Writer: Patrice Belley

Correction: Val Girard