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USHER NOT AFRAID OF CHANGING

Author: Mike Devlin
Source: Times Coloist (url)
Date: November 13, 2003

No matter how many times David Usher re-invents himself, it seems his fans still can't get enough of his action.

Usher, the former frontman of Moist, has sold more than one million copies of his music to date, both with his former band and as a solo artist. What's more, during his decade-long career he's been at the core of 11 Juno Award nominations, four of which he's won.

To say he's one of Canada's most decorated musicians is an understatement. Yet to his credit, Usher is worthy of kudos simply because he refuses to play it safe. Each of his three solo records sound only vaguely similar to each other, a character trait that again drove him creatively on his latest effort, Hallucinations.

"I never have a goal, sound wise, when I start," Usher said during a recent interview from Toronto. "I always find it counter-intuitive to decide what kind of record you're going to make and then go out to make it. I usually change the recording process to try and make it sound different so that hopefully the result will be different."

For the purpose of Hallucinations, Usher didn't merely change his usual recording process - he adopted a whole new way of looking at the studio.

The tech-savvy record, which relies as much on drums loops and synthesizer effects as it does guitars, was recorded over four weeks in three studios with three co-producers.

The ability to bounce around various studios was invigorating, Usher says. But more importantly, it allowed him to follow his new artistic direction. "It's constantly refreshing. It changes up the way you're viewing it. The music you're working on in one studio is always going to reflect that done somewhere else."

Including Usher, four of Moist's five members appear on the record, which has again prompted rumours about a long-awaited reunion. Usher says it most certainly will not happen.

"Many bands after a certain period find it hard to retain a friendship as well as a working relationship. But we've been able to do that. We all like working together a lot, and we're all really good friends.

"I don't think any of us feel a real desire to make another Moist record at the moment, so that's where we are."

Usher's new music proves that a reunion of his former rock band is less than likely. The 37 year-old performer has even outgrown the sounds on 2001's award-winning Morning Orbit, which featured the rock staple Alone In the Universe.

Usher, however, is quick to defend his new musical direction. "Some people are very averse to loops and digital recording, or they're very into that. I don't really care. You should be able to steal from anywhere. If you want to use pots and pans that's fine, but if you want to slave over a software sampler to tweak it that's fine as well."

Faithful fans will be pleased to hear that on stage, Usher and his sizeable band - guitarist Tim Welsh, keyboardist Kevin Young, bassist Jeff Pearce, drummer Troy Feener, guitarist Gerry Finn, and singer Julie Galios - ditch any frilly musical appendage and get back to basics.

"I like using guitars just as much as I like using samplers," Usher says with a laugh.

IN CONCERT
Who: David Usher with Pilate
When: Saturday, 7 p.m. (early show)
Where: Upstairs Cabaret
Tickets: Sold-out

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