Root-rock singer WiL said he was too aware of his own inconsistencies to be rushed into making a live album.
But he finally did it for his fans — saying that his listeners and his wife had “really pushed for it.”
The former Calgarian, who now lives on Vancouver Island, said he knows some performers who manage to sound exactly the same live as they do on a recording — but he isn’t one of them.
“I’m a person who doesn’t sit still. I put a lot into my live performances and take a lot of chances, so no two performances ever sound the same. As a result, there’s a lot of variables that can go south ...” said WiL, who performs at The Vat in Red Deer on Thursday.
“Sometimes a show will feel amazing, but when you listen to it afterwards, it doesn’t sound so great.”
His answer to making a consistent-sounding live album was to take some of the variables out of the equation.
First off, WiL decided to record at one of his favourite venues, the Ironwood Stage and Grill in Calgary, “because you have to be in an environment you are comfortable with.” He also made sure the club’s skilled front-of-house sound technician was there to ensure “we’re heard well on the stage.”
And then WiL brought in recording engineer Josh Gwilliam, with whom he’s worked with before, and his manager, who he trusted to be discerning, “after all, she’s seen thousands of my shows, so if anyone knew how it would need to be presented ... it was her.”
The resulting album, Live at the Ironwood, will be released next week. And WiL said he wouldn’t be putting the album out if he wasn’t satisfied with it.
“I’m happy with the result, and I think my fans will be happy.” WiL believes he captured the energy of a live concert without compromising sound quality.
Listeners will hear one of WiL’s first original songs, Both Hands, and his “old school” Dance with the Devil, as well 4 String Song and the recent tune, Oak Tree, and other favourites.
If some people remain more enamoured of his studio projects, they won’t have to wait long for WiL’s next studio album, which is expected to be released by April. The singer said his yet-unnamed CD will contain remixed versions of a couple of songs WiL wrote for Travel Alberta as well as a variety of new material. For instance, We All is an empathetic song he recently wrote about the flooding in Southern Alberta earlier this year.
“You can get it from my website (ibreakstrings.com). If you want it, it’s free, I just ask that you donate to the Red Cross.”
WiL (Mimnaugh) was born in Quebec but raised in Calgary, where he lived up until eight years ago. He said he felt the last oil boom coming on, “and it was time to get out of Dodge.”
He has since resettled in Qualicum Beach, B.C., where he misses blue Prairie skies but has acclimatized to rain. “You don’t even notice it any more.”
WiL was recently signed to Cordova Bay Records. However, he said, “I’ll always be indie” at heart.
For more information about the show, call 403-346-5636.
lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com