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Ska fans across Canada have Jasper鈥檚 Sean McGrath to thank for The Planet Smashers鈥� latest tour.

It was his email, which he sent to the band鈥檚 booking agent late last year, that gave the stalwart musicians the push they needed to organize their 20th anniversary tour, and to get into the studio to record their latest album, Mixed Messages.

According to the band鈥檚 frontman, the guys had been discussing an album for months, but it wasn鈥檛 until they received McGrath鈥檚 email, asking that the Canadian ska icons play a show at the Jasper Legion, that they started filling in more tour dates and scheduling time in the studio to lay down some new tracks.

鈥淓veryone really wanted it to happen, but we actually had to kick ourselves in the ass to go and get it done,鈥� said Matt Collyer.

So the band booked the Jasper show for April 12, scheduled some more dates around that time and, on Jan. 7, got together to start writing and recording new songs in their trademark mixture of two-tone ska, new wave, punk rock and pop. And one month after that鈥攖o the day鈥攖heir 13-track album was complete.

鈥淚t went pretty smoothly and pretty quickly. Thirty days, start to finish. No one intended it to be like that, but everyone鈥檚 got such busy lives. It was like holy crap, we really gotta do this.鈥�

Although a quick turn around, Collyer said he鈥檚 really happy with the result.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a real mix and variety of ska tunes on the record.

鈥淭here鈥檚 some pretty catchy tunes, like 鈥淭ear It Up鈥�. The third track, 鈥淲aiting for Sunrise鈥�, that鈥檚 pretty catchy, too, and it鈥檚 different. It鈥檚 sort of got a ska, reggae, Motown type vibe going on. It鈥檚 not really our bag, so it鈥檚 something different for us, which is pretty cool.鈥�

Along with the new songs, The Planet Smashers鈥攚ho got their start way back in 1994鈥攚ill be playing all of their old favourites, pleasing fans new and old as they tour the country this spring.

Although still making music and playing shows, the band hasn鈥檛 been on tour in awhile鈥攈aving not released a record since 2011, choosing to focus on families and jobs for the last few years鈥攕o the guys have been preparing their livers and brains for the adventure.

鈥淧eople got a little older,鈥� said Collyer with a laugh. 鈥淲e think we can [party like we used to]. Then we go back out on the road and everyone鈥檚 drunk a lot faster and of course the next morning everyone鈥檚 not doing well. Whereas, when we were young, we used to bounce back; it had no effect.鈥�

But even with the hangovers and earlier bedtimes, the ska legend said touring these days is a heck of a lot more fun that it used to be.

鈥淣ow that we鈥檙e not touring hard and sweating to get by, it鈥檚 a lot more fun. It was always fun, but it鈥檚 a lot more fun now because it鈥檚 like a vacation for us.鈥�

Plus, The Planet Smashers is a well-known name that has withstood the test of time, so each show is full to the rafters with fans new and old.

鈥淭he shows are as full as they鈥檝e ever been.

鈥淲hen we play shows there鈥檚 still a lot of new kids, young people coming out for their first ska show, but there鈥檚 also a group of people that I recognize, I don鈥檛 know them by name, but it鈥檚 like 鈥業鈥檝e seen you at shows before鈥� type people.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 the biggest difference, I鈥檇 say, from touring back when we had only been doing it for five or six years, we didn鈥檛 really know anyone, but once you see someone at your shows eight or nine or 10 times it kind of sinks in.鈥�

And, since The Planet Smashers have rolled through town on numerous occasions in the past, some of those familiar faces might just be at the show April 12, when they rock the Legion.

Nicole Veerman
[email protected]