Petunia and the Vipers play the BlueShore Financial Centre for the Performing Arts at Capilano University Tuesday, June 23 at 8 p.m., as part of the North Shore Jazz component of this year's TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival. Tickets: $25/$23.
Petunia and the Vipers is a rockabilly band that thrives on the challenge of tossing other musical flavours into the mix.
Whether it's sprinkling Latin spice over a country blues tune, or infusing gypsy fervour with a rockabilly standard, the group's goal is to keep the audience guessing and well entertained.
Frontman Petunia is an acoustic guitar-slinging, modern-day Johnny Cash, or maybe Jimmie Rodgers, complete with those high and lonesome lyrics that cut to the heart of the matter.
The North Shore News caught up with the veteran musician - where else - on the road, just outside of his hometown in the rural Ste-Dorothée district of Laval, Quebec. Petunia's mom Carol is also in the car, on speakerphone, and he suggests asking her a question. Carol compliments Petunia by saying she enjoys her son's shows, but politely adds the sadder tunes are not to her taste.
When asked if his sometimes-mournful music ever weighs heavy on him, Petunia offers a pensive response.
"I asked the same question about Hank Williams, and I said, 'Do you think he sang himself to death?' And my friend, who's a bit older and wiser said, 'Yes I think he did.' So, it's probably true: if you overemphasize the bad things in life it feels like your life is getting worse," says Petunia.
A common theme running through Petunia's lyrics relates to living life on one's own terms - fearlessly and without regret. And he practises what he preaches.
Petunia cut his teeth as a musician busking every major street corner, subway station and park bench in Canada and New York City.
"I don't think I've been as good a guitar player as I was then, just playing three or four hours a day," says Petunia "And you have to play loud to be heard. It's often been said: if you can play for one person and keep them entertained, then you can play for thousands. Playing on the street gives you those lessons."
Petunia even wrote a song - on a napkin, no less - inspired by busking on the streets of Toronto, called "The Ugliest, Bitterest, Coldest, Dreary Place I've Ever Seen."
You would think putting that song out there would incite anger in Torontonians and perhaps have him blacklisted, but they actually request the song at Petunia's shows.
"All the time. They love it, because it's true. The words in the song ring pretty true," explains Petunia, who deep down truly likes Toronto.
Petunia put together the Vipers in 2004 by repurposing some musicians that backed great Canadian rockabilly singer Ray Condo before he died. The band then paid homage to Condo by recording a song for him called "Rock on Down the Line."
Petunia, who once opened for Condo during a New Year's Eve show in Vancouver, said it was a thrill to play with the world-class musician.
These days there are about 30 different Vipers, with their own set of musical talents, across the country that Petunia can call on when he travels to a town for a show or to record an album.
"It's fun, as long as you are open to new things happening," explains Petunia of playing with different artists. "It's always a different set of ingredients, like you making a new cake every time."
Petunia, however, will be playing a one-man show while he is back at home this week, which he says will be a more liberating experience because he can sing off the cuff. And not that Petunia's bragging, but he knows upwards of 600 songs.
"Sometimes, you just open your mouth and the whole song comes out, and sometimes just one line; it's all muscle memory," he says. One song Petunia won't soon forget is his personal favourite, "Mercy" from the Vipers 2011 self-titled vinyl release. Sophisticated and straight to the point, the essence of "Mercy" has been described by the band as sensual, romantic and very danceable. The song captures the timeless human struggle to live a good life and presents an overriding theme of redemption. "We all need a little bit of redemption," says Petunia. But when pressed for more details on what he needs redeeming from, Petunia is coy with his response: "Life's a long road - there's a lot of things that come up." Next up for Petunia is a performance at Capilano University on Tuesday as part of the North Shore Jazz 2015 series and in partnership with the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival. Then Petunia will hit the road again for awhile, playing shows in Los Angeles, the Prairies and Europe - where he will undoubtedly find inspiration for a new album.
