Well, kids, it's time to pour out a 40 of Molson or Labatt's or whathaveyou to the end of Barenaked Ladies as we knew it: Steven Page, after arrest on drug charges, getting divorced, and acquiring a 20-something girlfriend (not necessarily in the that order) has left the band he founded 20 years ago.
Was it the drugs? Was it the pixie-coiffed Yoko? Was it because Steve's always been an independent little cuss? Apparently, he's already got projects out the ying yang...
Ed and the rest of band will still be going on as BNL. And while Jim, Tyler, and Kevin are all capable singers and partners to Ed on stage, nothing beats the StEd harmonies and chemistry.
"Call and Answer," "What a Good Boy," "Break My Heart," "War on Drugs"? All gone from the set lists. No one can belt like Steve. On the other hand, almost all their recent singles have Ed on lead, so clearly someone doesn't see him as marketable, or something.
Oh yeah, I'm uncool like that - I dig BNL. True their last sorta double album thing wasn't quite up to snuff, but it still had some gems. And in the seven (7 - true)* times I've seen them it's always been a good show. And it's sad to see this band of sardonic, personable, regular-looking guys become Behind the Music fodder. **
And let me say, that my disappointment (rather than despondency - they're just a pop band, folks) shouldn't imply that I dislike Ed's voice or songs. On the contrary, "Light Up My Room" and "If I Fall" are incredibly beautiful and in my BNL top five for all time.
Good news? It looks like there's gonna be a 20th anniversary box set and the release of Jason Priestly's doc Barenaked in America on DVD, finally.***
Ah, well. They'll always have Scarborough...
(Okay, Warner pulled the original video that showed the bleak fall of suburban Toronto set to a Bruce Cockburn soundtrack ... at least Steve has a beard!)
*I actually pulled out the ye ol' ticket jar and counted just to make sure.****
**Actually, they've already got a Behind the Music ep but the most dramatic aspect was Kev's cancer. No drugs, no girls, no break-ups.
***(Yes, I do own an official VHS copy.)
****Yes, I keep my concert tickets, my theater tickets, and a few special movie tickets. The oldest? Lollapalooza, July 6, 1996, Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, Ind., featuring the headlining duo of Metallica AND Soundgarden (just a few months before they broke up and Chris Cornell ceased to sing anything interesting). It was awesome.
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