With six studio albums and more than a half million records sold in Canada alone, Vancouver rock band Hedley is showing no signs of slowing down. The group has virtually dominated Canadian radio over the last 12 years, producing a seemingly endless stream of hits including “For The Nights I Can’t Remember,” “Perfect,” “Cha-Ching,” and “Kiss You Inside Out.”
Hedley returns to Moncton on Monday April 11 in support of their latest full-length effort, Hello, a record that the band claims they have wanted to make their whole lives.
From his home in Vancouver, Hedley guitarist Dave Rosin tells The MusicNerd Chronicles that the band has always aimed to have their studio records reflect who they are at the specific moment of time that they are recording. While it has brought the groups down a couple of different paths over the last 12 years, he insists the band has willingly travelled those roads.
“At the band’s heart, we are still very much a rock group. Songwriting within the band is a constant evolution, however” he says. “Our tastes and flavours are always changing, which ends up being reflected in our records.”
Rosin credits Hedley vocalist Jacob Hoggard as the primary catalyst for the group’s creative evolution.
“Jacob has this uncanny ability to just pull a song out of thin air; that’s where he goes to find comfort. Hello is a very personal record for him. For him, writing these songs was about as honest and open as he could get. I think it gets scary for him sometimes, but he’s also comfortable enough in his own skin to be so honest in his songs. It was challenging to follow him down through some of those spaces, but we’ve also found that when you feel you’re treading new ground, it can also be very exciting. It is important that we never stop pushing ourselves. Luckily, our fans have faithfully followed us, which never ceases to amaze us,” Rosin says.
To his last point, Rosin knows all too well that, when it comes to the music business, nothing is ever guaranteed. People’s musical tastes can change as quickly as the weather in the Maritimes, meaning just because a band finds success with one specific album or series of singles, it isn’t necessarily an indication of future success.
Hedley is a band that takes nothing for granted, and is not shy about letting their fans know how much their support has meant to them.
“With each album we’ve made, our fans have always been willing to grow with us. The success we’ve seen is basically what every band dreams of happening: forging meaningful connections with their fans. We are still here today because of them. It’s cliché to say, but it’s the truth,” Rosin maintains.
“Growing up in Prince George, I remember hounding the guys from I Mother Earth for their autographs. It meant so much to me as a fan to just have those few minutes with the group, and I think it is that perspective that each of us bring to Hedley. We’ve never shied away from taking the time to talk with our fans after our shows.”
Rosin suggests that one of the most remarkable facets of Hedley’s career has been the manner in which the group has consistently transcended age groups and familiarity levels. He insists that the band’s fanbase is a wildly diverse one and that, on any given night, the group welcomes attendees that might be seeing Hedley for the first time, or on the other end of the spectrum, has seen them play every time they have visited any given city.
“We are lucky that we see everything from kids going to their first concert, to people on a date, to others that have seen us 35 times before. If someone is laying down their hard-earned money, we want to be sure they are leaving the show tired, but with a smile on their face,” he enthuses.
“It’s just so humbling, knowing we have made a career out of doing something we love. When I started playing guitar in my bedroom, I never could have dreamed that one day I would be able to support my family and see the world in the process.”
What: Hedley, with special guests Francesco Yates and Carly Rae Jepsen
When: Monday Apr. 11, 7 p.m.
Where: Moncton Coliseum, 377 Killam Dr., Moncton
Tickets range from $35 to $75 plus service charges. Advance tickets are available at the Coliseum Box Office, by phone (506) 857-4100 and online at tickets.moncton.ca