NO SLOWING DOWN
30 years on, the Pikes keep rocking
As the name suggests, the music industry is a business. A strong contributor to finding, achieving and maintaining success in this industry, is the ability to treat it like a small business. Although creativity and talent may lay the groundwork for progress, it’s a keen sense of everything involved with a business — from organization to paying taxes — that provides the most benefit.
For Don Schmid — drummer and a founding member of nationally recognized Saskatchewan rock band The Northern Pikes — it has been this mindset that has helped the band continue to flourish as bandmates celebrate the 30th anniversary of their major label debut Big Blue Sky. The band began a 27-date cross-Canada tour on Oct. 12 in St. John, N.B., with a stop scheduled for the Conexus Arts Centre on Nov. 22.
The tour will give fans the opportunity to witness the meticulous record keeping of The Northern Pikes on a large screen behind them as they play.
“We’re trying a bunch of new things, like video production, on the stage for the very first time,” notes Schmid. “We have a mixture of 30 years of band footage and hundreds of hours of footage. Back then we filmed everything including our lives on the road. A lot of it is comical and the fans seem to really love it.”
Joining Schmid for the tour are bassist Jay Semko, guitarist Bryan Potvin, and singer Kevin Kane from The Grapes of Wrath. Kane is filling in for Merle Bryck, who stepped away from touring with the band in 2006.
The band is currently touring in support of Big Blue Sky (SuperSized), which was released on Oct. 6 by Universal Music Canada. The groundbreaking debut album, featuring such hits as Teenland, and Things I Do for Money, was given the super-sized treatment of a lavish triple LP format and two CD set + digital. Alongside a threecoloured vinyl box set for the truly dedicated fan, the super-sized edition of Big Blue Sky includes the 10 original album tracks, 10 previously unreleased demos and a full-length exclusive live show from September 1986 recorded at the legendary Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto.
While many bands would reserve this moment as a final farewell, The Northern Pikes have taken this opportunity — their first national tour since the early 2000s — to kick-start what could be some of the most successful and hardest working years in their career. Recognizing a need and backed by a strong business acumen, their return to the stage has also prompted them to put some long-term business plans into place.
“After 33 years, we’re trying to line up everyone on the same page,” states Schmid, “All of our records are coming up on their 30th anniversary and we also have a new album in mind for 2019. After all this time, we now have a five-year plan in place and actually have a game plan for our future.”
By and far a Saskatchewan success story, Schmid is quick to note a few simple suggestions when asked if he can share any advice for the next generation of musicians trying to make a similar splash in an ever-changing music business.
“As cliche as it sounds, we’re all responsible for our own destiny,” Schmid says. “At the end of the day it’s up to the artist to steer their own ship. As for us, we’re going to keep moving forward — we still feel we can make our best album yet.”
All of our records are coming up on their 30th anniversary and we also have a new album in mind for 2019. After all this time, we now have a five-year plan in place and actually have a game plan for our future.