Hi, we're the Sam Roberts Band. Ask us anything.

What inspired the line "I just lost my virginity to a girl who won't remember me," in the song DEAD END, and the character of the song in general? I lost my virginity to a prostitute, have a generally sad existence, and that is one of my favourite songs & has always stayed with me. Just curious about the story behind it. Thanks! Love your work.

Wow! Thank you for the unfiltered revelation of your early sexual exploits...Dead End was indeed written from a similar perspective,a low-point, minus the prostitute, but with the idea in-mind that things couldn't getter any shittier. It was right before things finally started to happen with the band , but I couldn't see that far ahead and figured that this was a hole I wasn't going to be climbing out of any time soon. Every time we play that song, I try to go back to that state of mind, to remember how it felt so that I do whatever I have to do never to go back there again!

So stoked for this AMA! I've had the pleasure of seeing you perform in Lac La Biche, Hamilton, and Halifax and you guys always put on a hell of a show.

Sam, in the past you have done some collaborations with k-os, including guest vocals on the song Valhalla. During this particular tune, k-os references your first full length album (We Were Born in a Flame) in the second verse.

My question is about I Feel You, the first single from Collider. Was the lyric - Chaos reigns in Atlantis - a subtle tribute to k-os and his album Atlantis: Hymns for Disco? Or just an awesome coincidence?

Anyways, thanks for creating consistently stellar music guys. I'm counting down the hours till Lo-Fantasy comes out.

You're the first person to ever mention that one! Well done and thanks for paying attention...

a) Can you really busk on the street with no one recognising you? And did Grant ever end up replacing the guitar?

b) What are your favourite album(s) from last year?

c) What album(s) are you looking forward to this year?

d) Who do you think is underrated right now, that more people should be listening to?

e) What are your favourite places to eat on tour?

a) Yes. No. (but it was a prop) b) Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, Asphodells, Big Black Delta, The Besnard Lakes, Boards of Canada, David Bowie c) Ours d) Us e) We love BBQ down South, and a place called Raymond's in St. Johns NFLD

Hey guys! Long time listener, first time commenter. Sam, my older brother has always told me that he was in the 3rd grade with you and that you pulled down your pants in front of the class. I need to know, is this story true?

This is entirely possible and yet somehow I have suppressed the memory...Ah to be young and free again

Hey guys, big fan since the EP! 1.The few released tunes from the new album sound incredible! What was the inspiration for the album name? 2. Favourite beers?

Can't wait to buy it next tues!

1)Lo-Fantasy comes from"Low-Fantasy"- a literary genre in which a world, with the same rational rules as our own, still allows for the influence of magic to play a part. The songs are populated by characters like Shapeshifters, Metal-skinned avatars, myth-inspired prize-fighters...but their struggles take place in our world, one we have experienced and can identify with. Maybe the idea is that we live with our gaze focused on the details, on what is right on front of our faces and ignore the possibility of a wider reality. 2) London Pride and Guiness

Hey there!

Big fan of Sam Roberts Band. Just a question:

What was the hardest thing before you got noticed? So I guess pre-Inhuman Condition. Did you struggle to get popular? Where did you play? How did you fill your fanbase or make a name for yourself?

I guess those are all mini questions inside a grand question.

Thanks! Have a good day

Working shitty jobs. We struggled for many, many years to get noticed as the SRB and/or playing in other bands. When starting out we would play in Montreal as much as possible. Gotta get a name going in your hometown before anywhere else. After that, anywhere they would have us. - Nuge

Thanks a lot for doing this. I just wanted to say that you guys were the first live show I ever saw, you came to Kitchener, Ontario with The Rural Alberta Advantage and absolutely killed. It remains one of my favourite concerts of all time. I just wanted to ask how playing in the states compares to playing in Canada. I assume that Canadian content laws gave you more exposure in Canada and I wonder how that affects your tours in the states where that initial boost never happened. Thanks again!

Edit for second question: If you guys could tour with any band ever, who would that be?

Wow. Thanks for the compliment, glad we were your first. Playing in America is not too much different than playing in Canada, just smaller crowds usually. Have to say, no matter where we play the crowds have always been fantastic. We're lucky. - Nuge

Sam, Nuge, Eric, James, and Josh,

I just wanted to say thank you for your music and for the relentless effort you pore into your writing, recording, and live shows. I don’t know what it quite is about your music, but it hits me like no other. It’s brought me closer with my brother and given me some awesome times with friends seeing you in concert. I’ve seen you twice now, at Massey Hall in 2011 and this past summer up at the Kee, which was some of the most fun I’ve ever had. Thanks for doing this AMA, and I’m beyond ecstatic for the release of Lo-Fantasy!

As for my question, you guys have had some amazing opportunities to perform and work with some other amazing artists, including The Tragically Hip, which is my other favourite band. Like The Hip, it seems as though you guys are always looking to grow musically and deviate from your comfort zones, creating amazing and unique albums. I was wondering how you approach these opportunities to learn from other great artists, and perhaps what is one of the biggest lessons you have gained from these experiences. Thanks SRB, and best of luck with the new release!

The Hip gave us our first and, to this day, most important lessons in how to be a good band. On our first tour together, we watched them side-stage every night, as they delivered one great performance after another. Never slowing down, never-mailing it in...That's why they are still such a potent force out there and that's where we hope to be years down the road...

Hey, I wanted to say that I first heard your guys' music a few months ago, and I loved it. I stil haven't really gotten much into your music though. Where should I start?
Also, can you give a sort of history, a brief biography of Sam Roberts band, like how it started, how your sound has changed over the years, any difficulties you experiences along the way, etc.?
Finally, do you have any advice for an aspiring musician like myself?

P.S. Sam Roberts has one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard. I have a ton more questions, but I have to get to English class now!

Maybe you should start at the end and work your way backwards...That way you don't have to interpret our records in terms of an evolution and hopefully can let each album stand on it's own merit, belonging to its own time and place. The band started in high school and we didn't catch a break for the next ten years or so! I wrote a song called Brother Down while living under a friend's fooze-ball table and it somehow caught-on on Canadian radio and we've been holding on for dear life ever since...If you are an aspiring musician you need to develop a thick skin as quickly as possible! You are going to be told "no" a lot and you have to be able to maintain a firm grip on your creativity in the face of sizeable odds. Good luck in class!

I love your music so much!!! Chemical city is amazing. When are y'all doing a show in dallas?

Hope to be in Dallas real soon. We'll be at SXSW in Austin in March if you wanna make the trip. - Nuge

Hey SRB! What is the greatest form of dedication you've ever witnessed from a fan?

That's tough one, but in the interest of not encouraging crazy, its always flattering when we meet someone who's traveled somewhere far from home to see us! JH

Favourite thing about Montreal?

The pristine roads, the low taxes and the mild winters. - Nuge

Hey, thanks a lot for doing this. Big fan from Victoria, what was the Rock the Shores lightning experience like for you guys?

Also, thanks for coming back last summer and putting on an awesome show!

Scary and annoying. We never want to cut a set short, but I guess if we were gonna die, better pull the plug. So nice that Rock The Shores asked us to come back last summer and finish what we started. One of the best crowds we've played for in a long time. - Nuge

Which band member writes most of your songs and how do you go about starting to write a new song?

That would be Sam. He writes all of the songs and most of the music. - Nuge

Huge, huge fan here from Chicago. Already bought my tickets to see you (again, again) in March.

Currently streaming the new album and super stoked for it already. Loving Lo-Fantasy.

Questions for you:

a. How has your approach to your music changed as you've gotten older?

b. What place have you not played yet that you really want to play?

c. Favorite places to eat in Chicago while you're here?

d. What was the silliest fight you ever had between bandmates while on the road?

Hey there, there's no conscious shift in how I approach writing songs from one album to the next but I will say that it feels as though I'm less bound to expectation (whether from myself or the outside world) to follow any one musical path in particular. In other words, I write what moves me in the moment rather than weighing the meaning of one direction vs. another. While we were making Collider, I ate the breakfast tomatillos everyday for six weeks at "The Bongo Room" in Bucktown. Jimmy once had a serious blow-up with a tele-evangelist over the phone, it cost him $200, but he got to hear the voice of God

Hey guys, I'm a huge fan. You've influenced me greatly as a musician and I thank you for that.

My question is to Sam, what song of yours is the most meaningful/personal to you?

A new song called Golden Hour cuts pretty close to home...Thanks for the question!

guys. wheres the buffalo ny tour date????

Soon! we would never leave Buffalo out of a tour...Spread the word

Please don't ever stop playing Mind Flood live! It fucking jams!

We won't. Thanks! - Nuge

Hi Sam Roberts Band!

1) What were the results of your inquiry into the location of all the good people?

2)Favorite relatively unknown artists?

3)Not a question, just want to say that you guys are a Canadian gem and we should be celebrating your success, not the orchestrated buffoonery of a talentless 19 year old. I have recommended and promoted the Sam Roberts Band since Brother Down.

Edit: I can now see that question #1 is lame, so I want to switch it. Here goes: Who's a better surfer, Sam Roberts or Matt Mays?

1)Buffalo NY 2)The Horrors (only unknown to some...) 3)Thank you for the kind words!

Revised 1:Dave Nugent 2: Ils Dansent Avec Les Genoux 3: Ah, thank you -EF

Hey guys - listening to the new album stream on Paste and really like what I hear so far. Quite stoked for the album release show in Toronto next week. Sam, back in 2006 I interviewed you for the Lakehead student paper. My last question for you that day was about "Hot Metal Streaking Down The 401." You said it was just taking a little rest and would be back one day. Any chance it's going to get awoken from its slumber any time soon?

The problem is we never recorded it and I'm not sure we can remember how to play the whole thing...Especially not the 20 minute version

[deleted]

Thank you for your support. Glad to hear that we were able to help you get through some tough times. Music does that for us too. Stay cool Cluckieduck... See ya again soon...

Would you ever play Diagnosis: Evil at a concert? That song fucking rocks! Keep on playing live shows =:3

I still practice the leads on guitar. It is a wistful, sad, and lonely endeavour. EF

Ha! Diagnosis:Amazing that you bring that old chestnut up! I haven't played it since the old Northstar days, but I'm told an attempt was made in Ottawa right before I came back into the fold, so 2002 or so. Who knows, maybe one day. JH

You guys are incredible. Been a huge fan for years. Was really sad to see you are not playing Sasquatch this year! Any plans to do a tour and come back to victoria? We really miss you. Rock on, you better believe ill be buying the new album. Thanks for your passion and incredible music.

Thanks SL33MANS, Sasquatch is one of our favourites-had a great time there in 2011. We'll %100 be touring and hitting Victoria later this year-looking forward to it! See ya out there! J.T

Next year, pester Sasquatch to put us on the bill...Thanks in advance for your hard work!

You guys make me proud to be Canadian. Your music is catchy and makes me wanna move. I guess if I had to ask a question I'd ask this, if you guys were American and made the exam same music but just started out in the USA, do you think you'd be bigger and have more exposure. I only ask because I've never understood why you guys are not bigger considering the quality and catchiness of the music you put out.

Thanks for the question...Hard to say, we may have become bigger or we may still be completely unknown. Either way, if you have the chance to make music for a living in any form, take it before it's gone!

Hey guys, really looking forward to the new album!
Any great tour stories between you guys and Matt Mays? I'm from Halifax, so I had to ask! Hoping to see SRB in Halifax 2014!

There are many. Here's one. We were playing together in Ontario somewhere and Matt and the guys decided it would be funny to let off some stink bombs on stage during our performance. It was atrocious. We were all gagging, coughing and struggling to keep it together. Then after the show, as we were about to leave, Matt came on our bus and set off another stink bomb. Brutal! So the next show we played with them, we decided to get a little revenge. We hid an old, dead mackerel in their van along with 50 live crickets. They had to make a 12 hour drive back to Halifax that night, and lets just say they didn't get to much sleep. They tried not to say anything about our little prank for months, pretending that it never happened so we wouldn't get any pleasure from the gag. Once we broke them, they said it was the worst drive they had ever experienced.... they never fucked with us again. - Nuge

Edit: You see, the mackerel was in fact a red herring. It was the crickets that were the rub.. EF

I just gotta say, from "Hard Road" to "Tractor Beam Blues" and every track in between, the music you guys have made for that past 10+ years keeps me and alotta other people going. Thank you.

Also, what ever happened to the "Let It In" video?

Thanks for listening over the years... Let It In video went the way of the Dodo. You can't win' em all

Hey guys. I can't wait for the new album!

As a Thunder Bay resident, I've always wondered why you wrote a song about Thunder Bay?

I hope you guys stop by on your new tour.

Couldn't think of a more Canadian city than TB and that's what where the Draft Dodger needed to end up!

Hi guys, HUGE fan since Brother Down. Saw you twice in Thunder Bay... twice is not enough, come to London, ON! I have so many questions I'd love to ask, but I'll try to be brief :)

1) What sort of musical inspirations do you have?

2) Your music always has that feel-good, upbeat vibe to it regardless of the subject. Is this a reflection of your real-life personalities?

3) What has been the most stressful part about your musical success? What do you struggle with the most?

4) What sort of non-musically related hobbies and interests do you have?

Thank you so much for the wonderful music. It has helped me through many a dark place in my life, and I am so excited to have the chance to share that with you!

a)Our musical inspiration is so varied it's hard to pinpoint one main influence...We listen to everything from Bo-Diddley to The Clash to Fela Kuti to the Smiths and War On Drugs.b) I like songs that have an upbeat vibe on the surface but the lyrics tell a darker story.... c) Keeping it going! d) gardening, Josh dabbles in hypochondria, social networking and general worrying * Keep your chin up!

Hi Guys ! I was working in a music store about 10 years ago when I heard your first single. I bought it for my girfriend, I knew she would love it. We went to see you guys on our first show together in Montreal and we had a blast, really !! so we stuck with you guys playing your music on parties and to do house stuff on saturday mornings, car trips etc. We saw you again not long after Collider came out to celebrate our 10 years together, it was a very special night for us and just loved the show again.. We had a baby last year and he loves when I grab my guitar and play ‘Twist the knife’. So I guess you guys are part of my family and I’d like to thank you for all the good moments we had and the ones to come listenning to your sweet melodies. So my question is for Sam : how do you deel with family and tours ? This is what I imagine to be the hardest part a musician’s life. Thanks ! -High Five ! Longue vie à SRB !

Merci mon ami...Balancing life on tour with a family is pretty tricky at the best of times but it can be done. Family has to come first, even if your job demands everything else you've got. We try to tour more efficiently now - short, intense bursts with very few days off but at least you get to come home sooner.Stay well...

Saw you guys in 2003 at the Pier in Philly and have been a huge fan ever since! What's different about this album than the last few?

Thank you for writing Taj Mahal. It's perfect.

I remember that show...under the bridge with Guster. The new record has a more rhythmic feel to it than anything we've down before. The songs were written around beats right from the beginning rather than with a guitar or piano...Thanks for the question

*edit for spelling

recently met Sam and Dave in Edmonton, thanks again for signing my pics from the Indy show...Question 1 What is the 'go to' cover song for the band? Question 2 Favorite Olympic winter sport to watch? and finally For Jimmy, seems the hand/wrist has healed from your infection scare a couple years back. Has it completely recovered? or do you still have some discomfort when playing?

Hey, Jimmy here, thanks for asking about my claw. Yup, its fine now, its a little stiff, but it doesn't bother me too much, thanks for asking. As for the go to cover, a few years a go it was Hurry On Sundown, I can't count how many tunes we hear and suggest to each other, but somehow when it comes down to the wire, we haven't taken the time to learn 'em. Nuge has a solid knowledge of the Indigo Girls catalogue...

If there was a fire, what's one piece of gear you would save?

Eric's keyboard rig. We'd be lost without it. - Nuge

Eric here. Nuge, be lost without him.

Will we ever hear Sunny Lemon Tina or Hot Metal live again?

How about releasing some old concerts for purchase online?

Sunny Lemon Tina has undergone so many face-lifts, it's hard to recognize her anymore...We opened every show of our first tour with the Hip with that one but we never put it on an album. The first version goes all the way back to 1994 - our first attempt at a Brit-Pop song

A serious question for Sam... Do you believe in the existence of Bigfoot/Sasquatch?

Yes...and don't forget the Yeti

Big fan. I was at your CBC show a few weeks ago and it has to be the coolest concert experience of my entire life. It was amazing being in a studio with just the band and like 20 other people! Anyways, the question I have alway wondered is why did you choose to make it the Sam Roberts Band instead of continuing on solo? Thanks!

Glad you came to the show...It was a daunting task to play all of that new material without having road-tested it before! I've never really been a solo artist...It's always been the Sam Roberts Band, we should just have acknowledged it sooner...

Are we really all in this together?

Not Yet...

What's the one song that you guys rarely play live but wish you played more?

I always thought it would be fun to play "When Everything Was Alright". Made a few attempts in rehearsal but just hasnt felt right...yet JT No Arrows -EF Higher Learning -JH Mystified, Heavy -SR Step Inside -Nuge Tractor Beam Blues -EF and JT

Edit: changed one

Last year, I spent six months travelling around the world and, whenever I felt homesick, I would just play We Were Born in a Flame on my ipod and it would take me back to Canada.

I was just wondering if you've done a lot of touring outside North America and, if you could choose any exotic locale in the world in which to perform, what would it be?

We've done some touring in Europe and Australia, but mostly gigantic North America. Exotic locales, right now, looking out the window at the cold grey sky, I'd have to say 6 months touring the beaches of French Polynesia. Honestly, it's always exciting to play somewhere we've never been, we aren't too complicated. JH

Hey Guys 2 questions

1) will there be a vinyl pressing of Lo-Fantasy?

2)Can you give my girlfriend Sarah a shoutout? Shes having a rough day and is your guys biggest fan?

1) Yep. 2) Hey Sarah. Chin up darling! Tomorrow's another day.

How fun was it to shoot the video for Detroit '67 in my hometown?

It was very fun. Most video shoots are a drag. The Detroit '67 shoot was a party. - Nuge

who says 'motherf****' at the end of This is How I Live? ~donna

Me....!

Huge fan, live in Ottawa, seen you twice in last two years. Two questions:

1. What can we expect from your next album?
2. When are you coming back to Ottawa?

1 - Expect to dance. 2 - We'll be back in Ottawa real soon. Promise. Nuge

• 1) I love the strings on Taj Mahal... Did you introduce any new instruments on Lo-Fantasy?
• 2) Where did the Chemical City album art come from? Are you guys sci-fi fans?
• 3) What are your thoughts on encores?

Can't wait for Lo-Fantasy, thanks for doing this, and thanks for your KEE shows... They have been central to some of my favourite weekends over the past decade.

1)I've only played the violin on a handful of songs over the years and Taj Mahal is one of them...Still have too much childhood trauma from recitals gone wrong. Lo-Fantasy has a healthy dose of saxophone on it...Could be a permanent feature in the SRB from now on. 2)Ken Dewar did the artwork for Chemical City 3)I love that when you come out for the encore, the energy has changed in the room. It's as if the band and crowd need a quick break to take stock of the whole show and then push on to the level...

I just wanted to say I'm a great fan of your music and SRB is one of the very few bands that produce wholly-amazing albums. By that I mean there are no songs I'm ever compelled to skip when listening. There aren't a lot of bands like that these days, just wanted to voice my appreciation of such a great Canadian band. Also: my favourite show was at University of New Brunswick in 2008. Excited for the new album!

EDIT: Date of show.

Wow. Thank you so much for the kind words. -Nuge

For a band that's been at it for a while, does it ever get tiring and you feel like hanging it up?

We just get tired. Honestly, it doesn't feel like it's been that long, which either means we're having fun, or we're insane. JH

Huge fan, especially Collider and the new sax additions. Can we expect more saxophone on tour?

Yep. Our good friend and saxologist Chet will be joining us from time to time.

Hey fellas, if you could choose one current up and coming or under-appreciated band to open for you who would it be?

If you could open for one band, in the history of rock'n'roll, who would it be?

Hope to see you in Fredericton this spring/summer. Bring lots of vinyl.

Hmmm, there are so many bands out there that we'd love to have out with us, it's hard to name just one. The Clash. Just so we could hang out with them. See ya in Fredericton soon I hope. - Nuge

Hey guys, This is more of a thank you than anything else. I've been a fan since Brother Down, and your albums never disappoint. They inevitably end up being the soundtrack of whatever summer they land closest too, and have gotten me through a few rough patches. I haven't had the chance to see you since you played the Olympics here in Vancouver, so I am SUPER excited to see you in Squamish this year. I'll leave you with one questions- if you could share the stage with one rock god, who would it be, and what song would you play with them?

Joe Strummer - Spanish Bombs. See ya in Van this summer. - Nuge

Sam, why did you decide to release "Fall Before You Finish" on Chemical City as a Japanese Bonus Track only? I've always thought that was one of your best songs!

I feel that we did that song a dis-service by making it a bonus track (I don't love the whole idea of bonus track exclusives). It tends to separate the song from the album it's meant to be a part of and they never really get their proper due... This time around, we're releasing alternate versions rather than new songs, and then hope to put the unreleased tracks out as an EP.

Love your "tone." What kind of guitars, amps, effects etc are you guys using nowadays? Has it changed a lot over a decade?

Sam and I have collected quite a few guitars over the years, we change them up quite a bit when we play live or in the studio. I've been using a VoxAC30 for the last while and Sam's been playing through a Super Reverb. Too many effects to name. Lots of delay. Our guitar tones have changed drastically over the last 12 years. They were god awful in 2002. Now they are just OK. - Nuge

Hi. I'm also very big fan. Love the new single! My question is do you think there will be more "best 15 seconds of your life" videos from Josh and when can we look forward to seeing them?

Thanks for the question. There will definitely be another "season" of "15 second" videos coming up. Hopefully in the coming months.

Sam will Mystified Heavy ever make it back into the set list - as u said its been awhile :)

It has been too long! Stay tuned, mythical sea-journeys will always have a place close to my heart

Hey guys! just wanted to say you are indirectly involved in my favourite memory from Sasquatch 2011.

I was laying on the grass before your set and some guys accidentally dropped their joint on me, as an apology they offered me some vodka from the watermelon they had smuggled into the venue (no idea how they brought in a whole watermelon) and so we all sat there, smoking and drinking out of a watermelon.

Concert was great! I've always loved you guys.

Sounds like a dream day.

Hey boys, I've heard that Up Sister and Brother Down share some kind of a connection (though maybe just the titles). Are there any other songs you guys wrote that connect in some way to each other that we wouldn't know about?

Up Sister is Brother Down played backwards...

Spot on!

Hi Sam and the band! I just want to tell you how much I love you guys!

My name is Sabrina, I've been a fan since I was 13 (almost 10 years). My first concert ever was your show at Arizona's in St. Catharines and I got to go behind the stage to meet Sam because my aunt knew the owner. Since then my family has taken me to see at least 7 or 8 more shows. One time you were at Niagara College which is only a 5 minute walk from my house and my Dad asked if you guys wanted to come for a swim (you said no, understandably).

Anyways, whenever you are in Southern Ontario or just across the boarder, just know I am probably there singing every single word!

Wow. Thanks for all your support over the years Sabrina. We'll take you up on that swim now. - Nuge

Thanks for sticking with us over the years Sabrina...Say thanks to your dad again for the offer.

How do you feel about rock taking a back seat in todays music?

Rock means so many things to so many people its hard to qualify what it is exactly. It's hard to say, we don't really worry about it, maybe we should! JH

Who would you really like to collaborate with that we wouldn't expect?

Justin Timberlake. - Nuge

I have an awkward question.

I have been a fan for quite a while and was lucky enough to attend the Virgin Mobile Launch Party in Toronto quite a few years ago, where you guys were to perform. I was stoked; not only was it open bar, but one of my favourite bands would be performing to a "private" audience.

Except, I felt a mixture of elation and sadness when you guys took the stage. It seemed the only people paying attention were me and some girl who somehow snuck her way in/crashed the party (because she's a big fan). We rocked out. We stood right under you guys and had an amazing time. But nobody else seemed to be listening.

My question is, what is the feeling you guys get from playing corporate gigs like this? I understand the money must be good, but is it worth it when you look out into the crowd and you get 1/10 the energy of playing to fans?

Appreciate everything you've done for my ears, for Canada, and for the ears of the world. Look forward to hearing anything new you guys put out!

Good question. Those gigs can be quite awkward, but they do pay well and help bands like us stay out on the road and tour in places where we don't make any scratch. Thanks. - Nuge