I was recently introduced to the music of The Noisy Locomotive, a folk trio hailing from Ottawa. Ben, Trevor, Corey and I sat down together to discuss their most recent album ahead of their upcoming Ottawa Folk Festival appearance on Thursday September 11th 2014, on the Valley Stage at 7pm.
The group released their first album The Noisy Locomotive, Vol. 1 & 2 this past June. According to Ben, “The album was recorded in 2 chunks. The first session was in January and we did a second in March.” Trevor added, “We did a mini tour to release the album, 6 shows. We recorded what we were digging at the time. We’ve been playing lots. It’s been a steady summer.”
At times it was hard to keep up with them, obviously eager to talk about their recent release. Ben continued, “We made a point not to refine it too much. We do things at our own pace.” Trevor quickly chimed in, “The originals we recorded, it captured a moment in time.”
“We recorded it live off the floor with a couple mics. It was a minimal setup,” Trevor shared. Ben added, “We wanted to retain that live feel.”
I asked about their creative process. Trevor mentioned they’ve “been learning music from other people, playing a lot.” Noted Ben, “Through that you just write. It fleshes out very naturally. Trevor and Corey are brothers. We’ve all known each other so long, we’re in each others heads naturally.”
Having spent some time in Montreal, a couple of the guys have now returned to Ottawa. Trevor mentioned, “We lived in Montreal for a few years. Now that a couple of us are back in Ottawa, the separation gives us some space, but still allows us to be around each other. We were attached at the hip for a long time.”
It was then that I got a bit of a lesson on the folk scene, which was cool, as it’s not a part of the local music scene that I am very familiar with. According to Trevor, “Traditional songs are very important. It’s all about learning through tradition,” to which Ben added, “It’s a very oral tradition.”
Typical venues you might find the guys playing, as a group or with others, include the Lafayette, Raw Sugar, Pressed Cafe, as well as Kaffe 1870 in Wakefield. According to Trevor, “We’re selective about where we’ll play. We need a quieter room. House parties are something that is growing as well.”
And for the near future, Ben said “We’re scheduling some more shows. We’re hoping to record again in the fall, applying for festivals. We also have a weekly gig starting at Hooch on Rideau.”
“We’re fortunate to have been keeping busy,” said Ben. “We’re always around in the community playing with different people. There’s not much we’d shy away from,” added Trevor.
I enjoyed our chat. If you’re at Folkfest, be sure to check them out! It the meantime, check out some tunes on Bandcamp.
The Noisy Locomotive at the Ottawa Folk Festival
Thursday September 11th 2014
Valley Stage – 7pm
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