Juno-nominated pop-punk band Marianas Trench has ridden a lot of career highs, having just performed at the Much Music Video Awards and seen two videos, for Cross My Heart and Shake Tramp, hit No. 1.
But it’s hardly been a cake-walk, according to guitarist Matt Webb, who plays with Marianas Trench at Red Deer’s Westerner Days on Friday, July 23.
“With Justin Bieber, two weeks into his career and he’s playing Wembley Stadium in England! I mean that’s pretty ridiculous . . .” said Webb, who believes the music business is a “grind” for most up-and-coming artists.
“We’ve never been successful because we’ve had anything handed to us.”
In fact, Marianas Trench has done its share of exhaustive cross-country touring, coming through Red Deer twice in 2009 with good friend and Canadian Idol finalist Carly Rae Jepsen.
The Vancouver band known for the hits Say Anything and All to Myself, was started in 2003 when singer/songwriter Josh Ramsay — who by age 13 could sing and play eight instruments — pulled together a band of friends, including Webb. (Other members are bassist Mike Ayley and drummer Ian Casselman.)
Just three years later, the group named for the deepest point on Earth was signed to Vancouver’s 604 Records and was making appearances on TV shows and the Much Music Countdown.
The first Marianas Trench album, Fix Me, yielded a Juno Award nomination. The exacting second album, Masterpiece Theatre, which features three versions of the title-track, shot up to No. 4 on the charts a week after being released.
This kind of steady rise in success might make people think the band is sitting on golden horsehoes, but Webb recalls a lot of lean years of struggling to get by with the help of part-time jobs in the fast-food industry. “And it wasn’t that long ago. . . .”
Webb was a science student at the University of British Columbia when he quit to play music.
It came as a “big shock” to his parents, who were both professional and valued getting an education. While Webb said they were mostly supportive, it was nice to see some money finally coming in as the band’s success grew.
“You could say, ‘Dad, I’ve got a car now,’ or ‘I’m out of debt,’ ” said Webb, with a chuckle. But the money isn’t what the musician finds most rewarding.
“It’s cool to get to travel and see a lot of places you wouldn’t otherwise go to, and to stand on stage in front of thousands of people who are singing your words back to you.”
Marianas Trench performs on the Westerner Days main stage at 8:30 p.m. Friday, July 23. The concert is free with gate admission. Rush seating.
lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com