The Nylons singer ready for retirement after 40 years
After almost 40 years and more than a dozen studio albums, the members of The Nylons are calling it quits. Canada’s preeminent a cappella group includes original member Claude Morrison, along with Garth Mosbaugh, Gavin Hope and Tyrone Gabriel. Lynn Saxber
Q How did you arrive at the decision to wind down the group?
A One of the things that precipitated it was that one of our group members, Garth Mosbaugh, is moving to Australia so that creates difficulties. Not prohibitive, but we are approaching 40 years. There’s no dishonour in calling it a day after that length of a career. Personally, I welcome the opportunity to go and do some travelling. As much as I’ve travelled with The Nylons, there are more places I’ve never been and always wanted to go. It’s time to smell the roses while I still have a sense of smell. It’s been a great career, a great ride. We’ve been living the dream for almost 40 years.
Q The Nylons have been able to return to communities multiple times over the years. What’s your secret? How do you keep fans coming back?
A We endeavour to rotate the material and pull stuff out of mothballs that we haven’t done in a while. Or to do stuff that we’ve never done, period. Even at this late juncture, we’re still putting out new stuff. We have an album, Skin Tight, that many people have not seen us do live. A lot of places haven’t seen us in four years, so that will make it new. We just didn’t want to go back with the same-old, sameold so we wanted to make it special. And part of doing that was coming back with new material.
Q Have you seen a shift in audience demographics over the years? Are young people discovering
the music?
A When you’re around for 40 years, the audience ranges from grandchildren to grandparents, and everyone in between. It’s always been a pretty broad demographic; part of that is just the nature of the music. It’s very human. And because we have a lot of fun onstage. We enjoy ourselves, and it’s not in a self-indulgent way. If we’re not enjoying ourselves, neither will the audience. We take the music seriously, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We laugh. No two shows are alike. The music is very tight, but between songs, we do it off the cuff. It’s not scripted, not a cookie-cutter show. It never was. It keeps it fresh for the audience and certainly for us. And we have a comfort level onstage that we can do that. We have a trust in each other. We love improvising a lot of stuff. We can be very funny.
Q Have you been reflecting on your career?
A Oh God, my memory is not what it once was. Somebody suggested that I should write a book. I’m the last remaining member of the original Nylons. I’ve given it some thought. Maybe I’ll give it a try during the downtime between the many places I want to go. It’s a big world out there and I want to see it while I’m physically able to. I’m 64. I was 26 when this began. It’s been wonderful.
Q What do you recall about the beginning of The Nylons?
A It was almost like we were swept off our feet and taken on a wild ride. It took us on a magic carpet ride, and that ride lasted almost 40 years. It is remarkable. We kept going and doing what we’re doing, and suddenly you turn around and go, look at that distance of time. Where did it all go?
Q The Nylons have a solid fan base in the LGBT community. How important has that support been?
A It’s one more demographic element that’s kept us going. The gay community was behind us from the word “go.” In fact, our first promoter originally pitched us to the gay community. Word of mouth became a buzz, and that buzz became infectious and spilled over into the mainstream community. We were immediately touring across the country before we had even recorded an album. And because we had already toured nationally, our first two albums went gold in weeks, then platinum. It all happened so fast. We didn’t get a chance to say, “Whoa what’s happening here?” It was exciting. Every day something else new was happening.
Q Will you miss it? A I’ll miss aspects of it. I’ll miss
doing the shows. We’re not retiring because we don’t like doing the shows. The show is, and always has been, the payoff.
Q You mentioned travelling. Where do you want to go? Any other plans for your retirement?
A South America, South Africa, Europe. I’ve been to many places in Europe, but I’ve never been to Spain or Ireland, and my family is Irish. Another thing I thought I would like to do is tennis. I love playing tennis and I haven’t picked up a racket and hit a ball in anger in at least 10 years. I was thinking I would go to a tennis camp. Or learn to speak Spanish. That sort of thing; pursue endeavours that I haven’t had a chance to do yet. You just don’t stop learning just because you’re retiring. In some ways, that’s where learning starts because now your time is your own.
Q Your health is good?
A Yes, and I think this is a good time to do it while my health is good. Some of the ambitions and hopes and plans I have are predicated on my being in good health. You don’t want to wait until you can’t walk anymore. You feel sentimental, but in a bittersweet way. We’re not at all weeping on each others’ shoulders. It’s been great. It’s a much longer career than many, many artists have managed to sustain. It’s been a good run, a long run, and I’m thankful for all of it. It’s been a huge education for me. It’s been more than a lifestyle, it’s been a life.