Notes
If you find your Bow Valley listening experience has been a little short on power tool input, you’re in luck.
After something of a hiatus, Edmonton five-piece The Uncas are back on the road and will put their high energy, thumping rockabilly show on the Ho’s stage.
The Uncas are Mark Feduk (vocals, guitar), Sean Brewer (vocals, guitar, power tools), Adam Rachinsky (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Louis Bouchier (vocals, lap steel, guitar) and Khamserk Yawnghwe (drums).
“It’s going to be a bit of a reunion,” said Feduk, who did this interview in his car to listen to an Oilers game on the radio, Thursday (Nov.6). “Not a reunion of the band, but a reunion of us and people in Canmore.
“We used to play at the Ho quite a bit, and it was always one of our favourite places. Some of us took a bit of a break a couple of years ago to have kids and that kind of thing, but now we’re getting back out there and doing some shows in Alberta.”
The Uncas formed in 2001 and madly went about their rockabilly business through to 2007, before taking a break. Influences include the man in black, Johnny Cash, as well as Hank Williams, The Band, early Rolling Stones, etc.
“We did a lot of cool things,” said Feduk. “We were on MuchMusic, we toured coast to coast, played big clubs like the Railway (club in Vancouver) and Horseshoe (tavern in Toronto), did the anthem at an Oilers game, opened for Corb Lund. There were a lot of good times and shows and one of our favourite stops was always Canmore, it was always such a party. We were even on a jukebox at the Ho.”
These days, The Uncas, all of whom add vocals to the band, and all of whom pretty much dabble in other projects as well, have a few unreleased songs in hand and are working on new material with a new album in mind.
“A few of us have multiple projects,” said Feduk, whose other interest (along with Brewer) is Red Ram in Edmonton. “But when we get together, it’s just so much fun and we’re all best friends and we though two years is long enough to not play much together.
“Our shows as The Uncas have been few and far between, but I think we’re actually better musicians now, more solid.”
When it comes to songwriting, Feduk said Brewer pens about half of the band’s material, while the others round out the offerings on material. “Once in a while someone will bring a finished song to the band, but usually we work on them together to flesh them out.”
With the possibility of a new album in the offing (to follow Sunny Uncas and Drop the Ball), The Uncas are taking a fresh approach to getting back on the road.
“It’ll never be as intense as it was,” said Feduk. “For a while we were real road warriors, doing long tours, travelling everywhere. I’d love to, but I doubt we’ll get back to that point again.
“And it’s weird, 10 years ago when we got going, Corb Lund was too. Now, there’s a whole wave of indie, roots-y music that’s really caught on. There are country roots, it’s folksie, it’s what we’ve always done.
“We still put on a good show, we have as much energy as ever, and we were always known for our antics and jumping around on stage. Sean will sometimes get a Skil saw going and cut up an amp or something, or use a power drill through his guitar.”
Whether getting out more frequently as a band will catch on or not remains to be seen. Feduk said he’d love to get to cross-Canada tours, “one can only hope. Who knows what’s possible if things turn up right.”
