When we catch 54-40’s guitarist Dave Genn at home in Vancouver, he and his bandmates are just hours away from finishing up a new record.
“We are just doing the last couple sprinkles of pixie dust to finish off the record,” he says. “It should be totally done, with a bow on it, by tomorrow afternoon.”
It’ll be the Canadian alt-rock band’s 16th studio record.
Formed in 1981 in Tsawwassen, BC, 54-40 is entering their fifth decade as a touring band. They’ve had four platinum records, one gold record and multiple earworm hit singles.
For their latest record, they headed to Porto, Portugal.
“When you’re in a band that’s been together as long as 54-40 has, you have ways of doing things, so we are always trying to change up our methods,” Genn says. Sometimes it’s producers they work with, sometimes the themes they write about, or in this case, the environment they record in.
“The environment affects the music,” says Genn. “Being in this incredible European city, it really coloured the entire experience and the music.”
Their last record, West Coast Band, was a unique one. Recorded remotely during the pandemic, the songs are all about each band member and the band itself. The deal was it all had to be literal, no metaphors or figures of speech.
“It’s really a gift for the fans, an inside look at the culture of the band. We think it’s hilarious. It was certainly a strange record for the band,” says Genn.
“This new record is a far more straight-ahead riff rock record, played live off the floor in a room together, just like rock records were meant to be made.”
Creativity is key to the band’s longevity, says Genn. “We have always felt that if we aren’t a creative entity, continuing to write and record, then what’s the point? Then we’re just a jukebox.”
“I don’t think there are millions of people beating down the door for a new 54-40 record but that’s not what it’s about to us. The process of creating is a reward unto itself.”
The band will be in Calgary to play the Calgary Stampede at the Wildhorse Saloon, July 4.
Genn, who played with the Matthew Good Band before joining 54-40 in 2003, says he has played a show at Stampede every single year of his career.
“Stampede’s super fun,” Genn says. “People are there to have a good time. They’re not thinking about work tomorrow. We love it.”
For more information on the band and their summer touring, check out their website. And for those of you who like to play ahead, they will be in Medicine Hat in November!
“West Coast Band” from their most recent album of the same name:
