After a swing through the nation this past spring, Australia’s The Lazys have journeyed back to Canada for a string of new dates including a stop in Red Deer tonight at Bo’s.
“We always knew that we would be back,” explained guitarist Matt Morris of this past spring’s tour. As mentioned, they played Red Deer then and are currently enjoying another set of shows throughout the country to rave reviews and a growing fan base.
That first tour certainly sparked a mutual love affair between the band and Canada. Morris calls the country, “Our new home away from home. You guys have just taken us under your wing. We can’t believe the support,” he said.
“Canada was the very first overseas tour for us as a band. Our first show was in a small town called Chicoutimi and it was one of the best gigs I’ve ever played. The people, the crowd. It was just soooo intense and supportive. They definitely love their rock and roll! I love Canada!”
Their history here includes showcases at Canadian Music Week in Toronto, where The Lazys became the buzz band of the fest.
“Playing Canadian Music Week was just insane,” recalls Morris. “Great crowds, amazing venues and the support from everybody was just fantastic. I had the time of my life, I had a ball!”
Hailing from New South Wales, The Lazys’ other career highlights include three EPs released in Australia and a full-length album, Prison’s Earth (2010). In 2008 they secured over 3,000 votes to win the Jack Daniels Set, a national music competition to find Australia’s best live band. From there, their single Hey Man charted high on Triple M’s Best Aussie Songs 2009 list and Sunshine City was adopted as the FOX sports theme song.
Canadian Music Week also proved career-changing for the band, and proved influential for their latest disc as well.
As a result of The Lazys’ CMW performances, renowned Canadian artist manager Larry Wanagas of Bumstead Productions signed them to a co-management agreement to represent them worldwide outside of Australia and New Zealand.
Superstar hard rock producer/engineer GGGarth Richardson (Rage Against The Machine, Nickelback, Mötley Crüe) was so blown away by one CMW set, he arranged to produce two new tracks at his Vancouver studio.
Shake It was co-written by the band and Ian D’sa of Billy Talent, while two other Canadian rock heroes, John-Angus and Colin MacDonald of The Trews, co-wrote Hard Luck with The Lazys. The self-titled disc was released in the fall of 2014, with Shake It Like You Mean It the first single.
The rest of the album was recorded in Brooklyn with the ace Canadian production team of Gus Van Go and Werner F. and it captures their marriage of rock muscle and melody.
For Morris, a passion for music came relatively early. “I guess it all started for me with my dad,” he recalls, describing his father as an avid Beatles fan. “He played in a Beatles cover band, so I guess I was around that kind of music as a child. So I loved the Beatles – first and foremost,” he added with a laugh. “I started playing guitar from around the age of eight and it’s been a really strong passion – and it’s just gotten stronger and stronger in time.
“I’m fortunate to be able to chase this kind of dream now.”
Looking back, the band began with a recognition of how well the guys clicked.
Each had a passion for music, and eventually they opted to pool their talents with the formation of The Lazys back in the mid-2000s. “Hitting the road, the stage, sharing a beverage with old and new fans, playing our music from one side of the country to the other,” said Morris. “That’s what it’s all about.”
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