Our Lady Peace hit Lethbridge
By Joseline Gionet
The name comes from a poem by Mark VanDoren but fans have their own interpretations of Our Lady
Peace.
"The name of the band is open to all levels of interpretation but only if you want them to be there. The
same goes for our music, the deeper levels of meaning are there but only if you want them to be. We
aren't going to beat people over the head and tell them what our music means," said Mike Turner,
guitarist for the band.
Our Lady Peace played to a sold-out crowd at the University of Lethbridge Zoo on Tuesday, March 4.
The other members of the band include Raine Maida, vocals, Jeremy Taggart, drums, and Duncan Coutts,
bass and keyboard.
They have gotten into some trouble because of the name of the band. A customs officer in the United
States stopped their van and asked where they were going. It was explained they were a band, with the
proper Visa's, returning for a show. When the customs officer learned of the name of the band he got
angry.
"He was like totally serious saying that we thought it was funny making fun of the Catholic church and
the Virgin Mary and we were like no, it is from a poem. We didn't know if he was going to let us in,"said
Turner.
Their new CD is entitled Clumsy, which the band members thought had positive connotations.
"Everyone is bitter and angry and they have this angst nowadays, but they donŐt know what they are
angry at. When someone says something, people can tend to automatically take it as a slight but if we say
that person isn't trying to be mean, they are just a little clumsy, the word gives the inherant ability to
forgive and so we liked it," said Turner.
The band has toured and played concerts with Van Halen, Sponge, and Bush X. Their first CD, titled
Naveed, sold half a million copies in North America alone.
Playing for a student crowd is a mixed blessing according to Turner. Students don't always take the
music as seriously as the band would like. They are more often there to have a good time and the music
may only be a background.
They were scheduled to make an appearance in Lethbridge before but lead vocalist, Raine Maida, slipped
a disc in his back and had to be taken to hospital in Calgary, so the show was cancelled. The band
doesn't want fame and fortune. Their highest hope is they will write a few songs that outlive the band.
"When you hear the Beatles singing stuff like Hey Jude and that you know the song is just a classic and
that it will go on for much longer than the band."
The band keeps aiming higher in their music. Their next CD will be better than Clumsy, says Turner.
Musical talent and ideas keep growing and expanding and the band will continue to evolve. The band
plays next in Louie's Pub in Saskatoon.
