waterfront festival

DAVID USHER PERFORMS AT THE WATERFRONT FESTIVAL

Author: Hayley Butler
Source: Online Pioneer
URL: www.thepioneer.com/july14_davidusher.htm
Date: July 14, 2001

With the release of his second solo album just weeks away, Canadian alternative rocker David Usher performed at the Waterfront Festival and showcased the new material.

Morning Orbit, Usher's most recent album, has all of his fans on the edge of their seats waiting for its release on July 24.

"Making this CD was much more of a journey for me to really craft something over a long period of time. I like this record a lot but time will tell," said Usher in a telephone interview from Toronto on July 11.

Usher, a Kingston native, played Friday night at the Waterfront Festival in Victoria Park with a new band he collaborated with on Morning Orbit.

"The band and I really try to reconstruct everything from scratch, so because we are building the songs from the ground up, we're also creating an energy within the band. It's come together really well and I am looking forward to tons of touring," said Usher.

With Usher's other band Moist on hiatus for the time being, he is taking time to really promote his most recent work and concentrate on getting it out there to the public.

"I am basically focusing on this record until I am done touring. The band and I are planning another album, but it is too early to tell what it will be," said Usher.

Usher's first solo CD Little Songs, was well received by fans and critics alike, however, Morning Orbit carries with it a whole new spectrum of songs for Usher.

"The production of this album was much more intense, and the process of writing and rewriting was much longer as I was trying to find a sound I really wanted to bring to light on this record. There are a lot more samples on this record compared to Little Songs and I have brought in a lot more influences I think," said Usher.

While acknowledging the Waterfront Festival is very much a family-oriented affair, Usher said he never changes his shows to cater to his audience. "If they're coming to the show, they are coming to a rock show. So no, I don't change my show," he said.

Snow, who is also playing at the Waterfront Festival, has collaborated with Usher on one track of his new CD. Usher also brought in Gord Sinclair from The Tragically Hip, Jeff Martin from The Tea Party and Jag Tanna and Bruce Gordon from I Mother Earth to play with him on his new album.

"There are a whole bunch of different influences on the album. I really drew from a broad group of friends to come play and work. I am turned on by a lot of different kinds of sounds and a lot of different kinds of artists so I've tried to bring in friends that can bring those things out on the record," said Usher.

Usher, who is a fan of many different types of music, also said that he finds the state of the Canadian music scene today interesting.

"You know, you have a lot of different types of music going around, like you've got Bran Van 3000 doing what they do, and people like Sum 41 doing what they do and all different types of bands doing different types of music so, I think it's really healthy," said Usher.

Usher will be spending the next while touring and promoting his new release which he says he can't wait to do.

"It's a pretty strange time when you are releasing a record, it's a whole different thing, but I'm not taking it all too seriously," he said.

"It's all fun, so I'm having a pretty good time."

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