Not much has been heard from Fredericton favourites Grand Theft Bus over the past couple of years. The dynamic rock group has been laying low since the release of their 2008 record Made Upwards but is very much still alive and kicking.
“We have been laying low, especially compared to what we have done historically in terms of touring and making new music,” Grand Theft Bus bassist Graeme Walker states.
Having built their reputation on the strength of their live show, the group established and continues to receive support here in the Maritimes as well as Western Canada.
Grand Theft Bus, made up of Walker, Bob Deveau, Tim Walker and Dennis Goodwin, toured rather heavily throughout Canada and the United States between 2000 and 2008 but over the past couple of years, family commitments have kept band members closer to home.
Walker himself has two children while one of his band mates has a child on the way. Couple that with the fact that drummer Deveau is making his home in Toronto these days and it was inevitable that the amount of work the band would be taking on would surely decline.
“We have been together for ten years and the first seven or eight of those were spent on the road. And as much as we would love to continue playing for people everywhere, life happens. In some ways, it has been nice because it has taken off some of the pressure of the constant recording and touring cycle.”
Walker says that a new Grand Theft Bus record is definitely on the horizon. The group got a start on a few songs during a period that the band members spent at a cabin in St. Andrews last summer and have also been sharing song ideas back and forth on the Internet.
Walker says that on past efforts, the band has been accustomed to heading into the studio, banging out their songs and packing up. Since they are no longer able to do so however, recordings have to be planned out a little more.
“I don’t know how long making this next record will take, says Walker. “I do know that there are still some good songs waiting to be recorded so the process will take as long as it takes. We’re pretty relaxed about the whole process.”
Article published in September 24, 2010 edition of the Times & Transcript