When Kingston indie rock band PS I Love You released their 2010 debut record Meet Me At The Muster Station, the duo, comprised of members Paul Saulnier and Benjamin Nelson, were taken on a ride far beyond what they ever could have expected. Media outlets all over the world praised the group’s debut, which in turn helped grow, leading to tour dates all over North America, Europe and Asia.
The group’s newest record Death Dreams was influenced by the significant amounts of touring that the band did in support of their debut. While on the road, Saulnier experienced recurring dreams that ominously centred on his mortality, hence their newest album name.
PS I Love You will be performing in support of fellow Canadian indie-rock band Death From Above 1979 at the iRock on Thursday, Nov. 8. The show starts at 8 p.m.
Asked if the group has already exceeded any expectations that they may have had prior to the release of Meet Me At The Muster Station, Saulnier says that he and Nelson are simply grateful to have been given the experiences that they have been so far.
“I don’t think that I will ever make sense of the success,” the soft-spoken Saulnier notes. “I think that we are both rather happy to be in the place we are where our music is received so positively. At the time of …Muster Station, the success was a surprise. And honestly, it still is in a lot of ways.”
The natural inclination for some bands after they experience some level of success is to turn in a completely different direction, which can sometimes stand to alienate some fans.
Saulnier says that he and Nelson didn’t necessarily go into the making of Death Dreams with any specific agenda. They simply let the songs lead the way as opposed to feeling as though they had to deliver …Muster Station Part 2.
“I think that we both really just try to focus on the songs. We never really took any kind of success into consideration when it comes to writing new music.
“Playing live is still a very exciting thing for us. I have a growing, sickening need to perform in front of a crowd,” Saulnier laughs. “If I go a long time without playing a show, I find I can get depressed.
“Playing these shows with Death From Above 1979 are good in the respect that we are playing bigger venues. But playing a good show gives you such a great feeling, especially when you play a good headlining show.”
Article published in the November 2, 2012 edition of the Times & Transcript