It’s not often we get the chance to interview every single member of a band at once. Particularly not a nine-person group!
Recently, however, we caught up with all nine Edmontonians that make up Secondhand Dreamcar. Just about to hit the stage in Grande Prairie, they filled us in on everything happening with this rapidly-rising Albertan supergroup.
Going strong for nearly five years now, they were recently nominated for a Juno Award (Blues Album of the Year) for their debut record, Answer the Call. They’ve also been nominated for three Canadian Blues Music Awards.
“It was surprising but ultimately wonderful,” says Dana Wylie, lead vocals and keys, of the Juno nomination.
“As a band, and a band as big as we are, it’s a lot of hard work and it’s a hustle. Something like this lends an air of legitimacy that makes everything we’re trying to do a little bit easier.”
It all started in 2021, when several of the musicians were brought together to create a house band at Soho YEG.
After a few weeks, it started to dawn on them all that their music was sounding great. And they were having a lot of fun. Maybe they were a band!
Time would confirm this. Since then the group has added a full horn section and is busy ripping out their original blues and soul on stages across Alberta.
Their second album, Get Ready, is nearly finished. Recorded and produced at Riverdale Recorders, the studio co-owned by band member and producer Harry Gregg, it brings their explosive signature sound to a whole new level.
“I think we were pretty conscious about finding ways to up our game a bit,” says Gregg. “We were more in-depth with the sonic exploration we did in the studio. We’ve also gelled quite a bit more since the first album since we’ve been playing so much.”
“The songs are stronger, the band is stronger, the recording is stronger. We’re all really excited about it.”
The band is on an exciting upward trajectory but keeping their feet on the ground. Their main goal?
“Sustainability. We want to keep doing what we’re doing,” says Wylie. “To find a way to grow is good, for a lot of reasons, but to do it in a way that is sustainable means that we can keep doing this for a long time.”
Since we had all nine together, we asked each musician what they love about being a part of Secondhand Dreamcar.
Dana Wylie, lead vocals, keys: “It’s a huge gift, this band. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime gift to have it come together the way it did and I’m grateful for it every day.”
Peter Felice, trombone: “I absolutely love playing and writing for Secondhand Dreamcar. Being the youngest member of the band, I find it really keeps me on my toes and it’s forced me to do a lot of growing as an artist. I’m really appreciative of that.”
Rooster Davis, organ: “I love that I just get to show up and rip on the Hammond organ with these guys, I don’t have to worry about very much except for just playing as well as I can and keeping up. The band is just absolutely beautiful to listen to on stage, I just absolutely love it.”
Harry Gregg, bass: “I get to make music with a bunch of people who are really, really good at making music and who are also really good at being humans and being my friends. It’s a special thing and I’m very grateful for it.”
Dave Babcock, saxophone: “This band is greater than the sum of its parts. It’s a big band, a big sound, which is very rare. And the fact that there are three horns makes it rather unique in today’s landscape. I think that’s a great thing. It’s just wonderful being a part of it.”
Jamie Cooper, drums: “I absolutely love this band. It’s something that’s been missing in my life and this career, having a project like this where I’m writing music with my friends and putting new music into the world that I’m super proud of. Performing with this group is just one of my favourite things to do.”
Kyle Mosiuk, guitar: “I love this band for a lot of reasons. It’s an amazing creative outlet. We all write together and everybody in the band is such a killer musician. We have the most amazing vocalist in all of Canada: Dana Wylie is incredible. I’m just proud to be with all these people who push me to be better every time we play. They’re just all my best friends and I love them.”
Chad Murphy, guitar: “With this band, everybody brings their A game all the time and everybody is exceptional at what they do. It forces you to be better and it gives you a creative space where you can do that with people who you really care about and trust, who trust you back.”
Bob Tildesley, trumpet: “I am very grateful and honoured to be playing with Secondhand Dreamcar. Edmonton has a deep and profound musical community and I think that is expressed synergistically in this band. Each member of the band, although having different musical backgrounds perhaps, brings their ideas and personalities into the band to create something bigger than the sum of its parts.”
Secondhand Dreamcar has shows coming up in Calgary on April 18, Edmonton on April 19, Lloydminster on April 20 and Red Deer on April 21. All details can be found on their website.
“Answer the Call” from their debut album of the same name:
