Handheld – Live at 25

By starrymag | September 16, 2024

By: Lisa Steinberg

 

 

Q) Happy 25th Anniversary to the band! What does it mean to you to still be appreciated for making music?

A) It’s great we are just a bunch of punk kids that started playing together since elementary school. So, to still be doing all these years later is amazing.

 

Q) Who were some of your musical influences when you were growing up?

A) NOFX, Face to Face, Lagwagon, Bad Religion, Screeching Weasel

 

Q) You have a celebratory album out now Live at 25. Why was it so important for you to go back and highlight some favorite Handheld singles?

A) We owe this selection of songs to our guitarist Joel [Countryman].  He was about to get married and handpicked this setlist as part of his “bachelor party,” which just ended up being our 25-anniversary show.  So, we really wanted to showcase all of our best songs on each of the releases throughout our discography. These songs are so old and have changed so much over the years that it was a good chance to have definitive versions of our classic songs.

 

Q) The songs on the album are compiled from a performance at a small club in Canada. How did you work out the set list you wanted to feature?

A) It was fun to do, as we hand selected from every release the best songs and played them in chronological order as part of the set list.  Something that we’ve never done before so it was rad to be able to play the old to the new all in one set.

 

Q) Which song(s) that you all performed for Live at 25 were important for you to make sure to revisit?

A) “Once Again” was very important and we opened with that one.  As it was the FIRST songs we ever recorded and the first song off of our first release.  Years later we went and revisited and re-recorded it with a few extra lyrics.  So, it was great to start with that one, which started as a look forward, but now the lyrics were updated as more of a retrospective.

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

A) Depends on who is writing that particular song. Could be music, a melody or a lyric idea.  Our last full length our singer Andy did some major deep dives on various topics around Canadiana.  He would basically write the lyrics and bang out the basics of the song on piano.  Then, Pat would take that and run it through what we call “The Punk Rock Machine” where he turns the melody and piano into a full out punk song.  Then, the boys come in and write the REAL guitar and bass parts and the whole things shapes up from there.

 

Q) How much of a hand do you have in the production of your music?

A) None, God writes these songs through me. But really though, we DIY a lot of the production ourselves on the last bunch of records. On A Canadian Tragedy we did all the engineering and production ourselves and then just sent it to get mixed and mastered.  On the live record similar approach, we just set up a shit load of mics ourselves and recorded the set. Then, we sent the whole thing over to our good friend Matt Gauthier to mix and master it.

 

Q) What do you think it is about Live at 25 that makes it a must grab for all fans of Handheld?

A) Well, let’s put it this way – if you’ve ever air-guitared to one of our tracks or tried to mosh in your living room, this album is for you. It’s like a greatest hits album but with the raw, unfiltered energy of a live show where anything can happen – and often does.

We captured the chaos, the sweat and the sheer joy of being back on stage after all these years. This album is us, unpolished and loud, just the way you remember. Plus, we packed it with tracks from across our entire discography, so it’s like a crash course in Handheld history with a side of “we’re still here, still loud, and still playing faster than we probably should at our age.”

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

A) Quebec – Hands down our favorite Province to play in.  Always great fans and well received.  Also, best Poutine!

Cambridge – We’ve always had a special place in our hearts for Cambridge.  The scene here has supported us since day 1, and we have many friends that we’ve kept over the years.  Some have even joined our band.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

A) Drake.

 

Q) What artist/musician are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

A) The Beatles lately because I never really grew up listening to them.

Pat – I’ve been listening to a lot of Samiam lately.  Just some of my favorite song writing that holds the test of time.  From their first album to their latest the songs are so good and have such great lyrics and melody.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) To everyone who’s been blasting our tunes and coming to our shows – thank you, seriously. You’ve kept us going and, honestly, we’re still shocked anyone remembers us after that 14-year hiatus. We thought we’d come back to an empty room, but here you are still screaming along with us.

So, what we want to say is this: Keep playing our records loud enough to annoy your neighbors, keep coming to the shows, and keep reminding us that growing up is overrated. We’re just as stoked as you are to see what the next 25 years bring—assuming our backs hold up!”