“Complacency is such a disease when you’re in a band,” says Tyler Connolly, singer and guitarist for Vancouver, Canada’s THEORY (Of A Deadman). “People are so afraid to progress, but you have to change—you can’t just write the same song over and over. So when I saw where this record was going, I said to the other guys, ‘We’re in a car and it’s going off a cliff. Do you want to jump out or ride it to the bottom?’’
With their sixth studio album, Wake Up Call, Theory hit the reset button, diving into a new sound, a new approach, even a new location. The more melodic, intimate style that defines the project is a bold move for one of the leading rock bands in the world. Since forming in British Columbia in 2001, Theory of a Deadman — Connolly, guitarist Dave Brenner, bassist Dean Back, and drummer Joey Dandeneau — have placed nine songs in the Top 10 on the US rock charts, including the Number One hits “Bad Girlfriend,” “Lowlife,” “So Happy,” and “Angel.”
To celebrate the success of Wake Up Call and the heavy radio play of the lead single Rx (Medicate) The Canadian Rock Powerhouse THEORY are headed to Australia for the VERY FIRST TIME!
Following the success of 2014’s Savages album (which reached the Top Ten on the Hot 100 albums chart and topped both the Alternative and Hard Rock charts), Connolly began writing again, but he was frustrated by what he was hearing. “The songs all felt like they were in the same place as the last record,” he says, “and I wasn’t happy, I just didn’t like what we were doing.”
In the year leading up to Wake Up Call, Theory released a series of unlikely covers — “Hallelujah” (which came out the week of Leonard Cohen’s death last November, though it had been recorded months earlier), Sting’s “Shape of My Heart,” “Cold Water” by Major Lazer. “Those were just me sitting at home bored, trying to get outside the box,” says Connolly. “They’re all so out of my element and so difficult to sing.”
One of these covers, Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game,” makes for an unexpected closing track on the album. “We had a bunch of great songs and didn’t need to throw in a cover,” says the singer, “but we thought this one could turn into something great.”
The band rose to the challenge of integrating this new material alongside the band’s beloved catalogue on stage. “There’s a real dichotomy of Theory now, two very different sides,” says Connolly. “Not that we want to get away from our old songs, but the new songs are so diverse, such a juxtaposition. We’ve been playing ‘’RX’’ and it’s super-different, and we’ll add another couple in the fall tour. We’re really working on building a big show, and trying to make it all more visual, as well.”
And Australia it is now your turn to see this shows and see one hell of a rock band at the top of their game!
Theory Australian Tour Dates 2018
Friday June 22nd SYDNEY, Manning Bar
Saturday 23rd June BRISBANE, Woolly Mammoth
Sunday 24th June PERTH, Amplifier Bar
Tuesday 26th June MELBOURNE, Prince Bandroom
Tickets on sale Monday 16th April 9 :00am local
From: http://silverbacktouring.com.au/toadaustralia/
