Alberta Cross gave 2009 one of its best rock albums with their debut, 'Broken Side of Time'. Harry Guerin talks to bassist Terry Wolfers about the record and their plans for the follow-up.
Harry Guerin: I've looked at the list of bands you've supported - Oasis, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Dave Matthews Band, Mumford & Sons - and it seems like you're completely fearless. You'll play with anyone.
Terry Wolfers: Oh yeah, definitely. I think that's the good thing about our music: it can fit in with a lot of different... from the Oasis crowd to the Dave Matthews crowd to Black Rebel [Motorcycle Club]. We just look on it that an opportunity to play with any great band is amazing for us, and we just go and do it.
HG: You recorded 'Broken Side of Time' in fits and starts, so it's amazing that it sounds so coherent. I was very impressed with how strong and epic-sounding all the songs were.
TW: I think that's something with Petter's [Ericson Stakee, singer] writing and his vocal melodies and the way that he's not a typical guitarist. He messes around with tunings and will play big chords a lot. It's just a natural way - when we did the first ep 'The Thief & the Heartbreaker' every tune seemed to come like that.
HG: Have you got much stuff ready for the next album?
TW: We've got a couple of tracks ready. We haven't really had much time since we've pretty much been out on the road. For a period after [recording an album] you don't want to work on songs for a while. When you go out [on the road] the last thing you want to do is sit down and start working on a tune. But it sort of goes the other way when you've been out on the road for so long, you just think: 'New songs'. Petter has started writing again now and I hear ideas coming up all the time. We've been lucky enough to use Dave Matthews' studio down in Virginia and every opportunity we get now we're just going to go down there for a few days and start working on new material.
HG: It sounds like Dave Matthews has really taken you under his wing, picking you as the support for his European tour.
TW: I had a chat with him the other day and thanked him for letting us use his studio and taking us on tour. And he said it's a pleasure to be in a position where when you hear a band that you think are amazing that you can actually do something for them. At a much smaller level I hear artists in a bar [and want help them].There's a girl [Arum Rae] who's got a band called White Dress and they're based down in Austin. The woman is just a phenomenal singer and an amazing songwriter and when I find the time I would like to get in and produce some tracks with her and I've spoken to her management about her possibly supporting us on our tour. So at a much smaller level it's so nice to do that for someone who comes along and gives you a bit of passion again for music.
HG: You've also supported Guns n' Roses. How strange an experience was that?
TW: It was at the old [legendary club] CBGBs [now the location of designer John Varvatos' new boutique] which was amazing to play at anyway. This fashion designer [Varvatos] has taken a real shine to the band [Alberta Cross] and he's a really nice fella and such a huge fan of music and I think as soon as he had the opportunity to get that space he grabbed it. I known he and Axl Rose are good friends and I think Axl Rose said: 'Let's do something at CBGBs in New York' and he set it all up.
I didn't know until I got there [about Guns n' Roses playing] and there was a band up on stage. I didn't recognise any of the musicians and I was like: 'Oh, is there a band on before us?' And the guy who was working there just turned around and laughed and said: 'I don't think that Guns n' Roses are going to support you. That's basically Axl's new band and they're going to be playing after you'. So that was a little crazy.
HG: I've watched the acoustic session you did for Rolling Stone's website. It's fantastic how well your music works in that form.
TW: A lot of the songs all start acoustic. A credit to Petter, a great song would sound great with him sitting just down with an acoustic on his own singing it or with a full band. Any great tune you can strip it back to its barest and it'll still be a great tune - sometimes even better.
HG: And I think you will really grow that sound and there will be a big jump from 'Broken Side of Time' to the follow-up.
TW: I think we're really excited to get back in the studio. I think the next album is going to be a cracker and do a lot for us. We've toured so much that we're all desperate to be creative again and go to the other side.
'Broken Side of Time' is out now on Ark Recordings. Read the review.
