Second time around for Mavericks
Musical innovators win new fans
The Mavericks When: Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Where: Festival Place, 100 Festival Way, Sherwood Park Tickets: Sold out
It was really only supposed to be a brief reunion.
Maybe a few dates around the country, an opportunity for The Mavericks to briefly reconnect with the fans and each other after eight years apart, but no more than that. Singer Raul Malo was riding on a successful solo career, guitarist Eddie Perez was recording with the likes of Dwight Yoakam and George Strait, while drummer Paul Deakin, former pianist Jerry Dale McFadden and bassist Robert Reynolds had formed a loosely configured roots supergroup of sorts, called Swag. That all changed once a few of the original members sat down for supper together and really talked it over.
“Raul said to me and Robert, ‘You know, it seems disingenuous to just go out and play the hits,’ ” recalls Deakin, enjoying a few morning hours off in Saskatoon before The Mavericks pack up and head down the road to Regina and then on to Sherwood Park. “He had some songs that he had played for (label head) Scott Borchetta of Big Machine Label Group, and Scott pretty much gave us the keys to the castle and said ‘Whatever you make, I will put out. No restrictions.’ Which is good because they don’t really work with this band.”
Between the time when The Mavericks formed in 1989 and broke up in 2004 they had managed to make a career out of ignoring any restrictions. As Deakin wryly points out, the band snuck under the wire during a particularly bland time in Nashville, bringing Tex-Mex, Western Swing and old-time country together with an unapologetic love of Roy Orbison. The hits weren’t huge, but they were indelible: O What A Thrill, Dance the Night Away, All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down.
When they finally came to a halt, it was more because of burnout than anything else. Well that, and a realization that they weren’t making what they should have, financially. While they were diligent in attending to the musical side of things, they tended to leave money matters to their managers, which turned out to be a bad idea.
“There was one year where we grossed somewhere around $6 million, and at the end of that year we all had to take out loans. Our manager, however, made a lot of money.” Deakin laughs. “We watch that stuff now.”
When the band took Borchetta up on the studio time in 2012, they came up with their most far-ranging album yet. In Time (released almost one year ago) had plenty of the usual Tex-Mex and Cuban influences, but they also dallied with polkas and tangos. If Borchetta was hoping that time had mellowed the band’s streak of musical experimentation, he was wrong.
“There was never any thought of moulding any of it for country radio, though the label really did give it the old college try attempting to get songs on there. They’ve been good to us.”
Deakin doesn’t seem to be particularly bothered. In Time got rave reviews, and while they didn’t get the hot single that all labels pray for, the album did peak at No. 8 on the country charts. There are plenty of bands that do fine touring the country and playing to their followings, and with the rise of Internet radio, groups are now finding their particular niche audiences.
“We played at Jazz Fest in New Orleans last year and there were lots of people who didn’t know us. The promoter said that it was the best show they had that year, and they booked us for the coming year, which they rarely do, book a band twice in a row. I’m bragging now, but it’s fun to play when you’re not preaching to the choir, and acquiring new audiences. I mean, that’s how the band started. We did shows opening for Marilyn Manson in South Beach (Florida), and played punk clubs doing Patsy Cline songs.”
What was supposed to be a short reunion tour has now become a full-time occupation for the band. Malo has taken time off to write some songs, and a new album is tentatively planned for 2015. They’ve been playing to soldout shows across the continent, and Deakin has noticed that in the two years since they reassembled, the audience has increased by a good 20 or 30 per cent.
“I guess we’re looking at another 20 years of a career again. God willing and the creek don’t rise, of course.”