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INTERVIEW
WITH THE CALGARY SUN, APRIL 30, 2004
Tim Hus CD Release Party is at Merlot May 1
Stompin’ Tim Hus
by Mike Bell
Calgary Sun
“I just write about stuff I
know about.” Simple, huh? But sadly that approach
is one that too many songwriters somehow manage to lose
along the way, if they ever get it to begin with.
For Calgary-based musician Tim Hus — the man responsible
for the quote — it’s something he has an incredible
grip on and gift for.
Like Ian Tyson, Wilf Carter and Stompin’ Tom —
whom Hus pays tribute to with a song titled Man With the
Black Hat — Hus writes simple, extraordinary songs
about ordinary life and the people he’s met, the
places he’s been and the things he’s seen.
His latest album, which he releases May 1 with a show
at Merlot, is titled Alberta Crude and,
predictably, tells the stories of the Prairies which he’s
called home for the past year and a half. And his love
of the province and its people is evident as he and his
band the Rocky Mountain Two — Rick Preston and Spider
Bishop — warmly charcoal sketch the sights and sounds
of places that many who’ve lived here all their
lives have either taken for granted or, shamefully, never
taken much interest in.
“I don’t know
if I would call it a shame because everyone’s got
their own agenda in life,” says Hus.
“Some
people it might not be their thing to check out little
towns — they’d rather be at the mall or whatever.
“But there’s certainly quite a bit out there
and every town has a story and a reason for being there
— and those things always interested me.”
He credits much of that interest to his father who was
a truck driver and also worked for the CPR.
But you could also credit Hus’ restless spirit for
much of his music.
It’s kept him on the go, travelling the world and
taking an incredibly diverse and long list of jobs along
the way, such as salmon farmer, forklift operator, treeplanter
and well driller — all of which provide great fodder
for songs.
“I’m not really afraid to try
new things,” he says.
“The jobs I’ve
had, I liked all of them. I liked working in a logging
camp and I liked working on a fishing boat, but I wouldn’t
consider
that a career.
“I wouldn’t necessarily
say I’d have to stick with one of those for the
next 30 years, but it’s pretty fun to do that.”
These days when he’s not making music he’s
framing houses and doing renovations, which likely pales
in comparison to what he reckons was his favourite job.
“I worked on a beer truck in Germany,” he
says.
“There were 29 bars on our circuit that
we delivered kegs to, and when you’re on a beer
truck in Germany it’s amazing — you get the
right of way everywhere, and everywhere you show up people
cheer.
“They certainly do drink a lot of beer.”
And is there a beer truck song in his repertoire?
“No, there’s no beer truck song yet,”
he chuckles.Not yet.
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Tim Hus Music Copyright 2008
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