The liberating shift into co-op mode

Waking Eyes frontman Matt Peters discusses his new band, Royal Canoe, and the future of the Eyes

Waking Eyes frontman Matt Peters is debuting his new project, Royal Canoe, this weekend at The Park Theatre. Timothy Joel Dyck

Things have been changing a lot for Matt Peters.

Since 2001, he’s become a familiar face to Winnipeg audiences as the red-haired rocker from local success story The Waking Eyes. But during the long writing and recording sessions that produced the Eyes’ last record, 2008’s Holding on to Whatever It Is, Peters began working on another project entirely: Royal Canoe.

In 2007, he recorded Co-op Mode – his first album under the moniker – with a wide range of local musicians including Tom Keenan, Jo Snyder, the other members of The Waking Eyes and more.

“It started out as a recording project, really,” Peters, 29, explained over the phone last week from one of his favourite hangouts: The patio at Bar Italia.

“It’s really just about writing songs with people that I love making music with or think would be interesting to write with – sometimes people who aren’t even musicians.”

That collaborative style of songwriting is why he called the album Co-op Mode.

“It’s all about getting together with somebody, meeting and seeing what sort of bizarre material we can produce.”

Peters’ one-two punch approach to songwriting, equal parts humour and pathos, recalls the work of classic storytellers and old country folklore.

“I think we’re trying to give [the songs] some humanity – I always strive for that in songwriting. Like if you’re telling a story, even if it’s about something horrible, you always want to find some tenderness there, something when you listen to it, it maybe breaks your heart a bit.”

When asked about how he would describe the sound of the band, Peters responded that it’s definitely pop with a lot of danceability to it.

“At the end of the day, I want the songs to be fun,” he said. “Even if it is something serious, there’s some joy involved. I do like darker lyrical subject matter, but at the same time I want there to be some sort of release.”

I think there’s a good possibility that [The Waking Eyes will] do something in the future, but it’s not set in stone.

Matt Peters, musician

Peters’ new-found focus on Royal Canoe comes as a result of the decision The Waking Eyes made before summer to take a break.

In order to perform the songs live, Peters assembled a group of musicians that includes his Waking Eyes bandmate Joey Penner; Bucky Driedger and Matt Schellenberg of The Liptonians; and drummer Jeff Bruce of The Nods. The five will play their first show together Sept. 12 at the Park Theatre.

And although Co-op Mode has yet to be released in any official capacity, Peters said the second record is “about 90 per cent recorded already.”

He adds that the new focus on this band does not signal the end of The Waking Eyes, who garnered a steady stream of critical acclaim with Holding on to Whatever It Is and were recently nomintated for two Western Canadian Music Awards.

“We all sort of felt like it was time to take a breather, and then when we’re all feeling like it’s time again, we’re gonna get back at it. I think you could say that Steve [Senkiw, drummer] has officially left the band. But as far as the rest of us go, I think there’s a good possibility that we’ll do something in the future, but it’s not set in stone.”

Peters isn’t anxious about it.

“I have to be honest—it is sort of a liberating feeling not having [Waking Eyes obligations] there. Not to give it a negative connotation, but now I’ve been able to do a lot of producing and a lot of projects I’ve wanted to do for a while and haven’t had the time to do.”

Published in Volume 64, Number 2 of The Uniter (September 10, 2009)

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