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PAN M 360 sits down with Ricky Paquette, guitarist for The Sheepdogs, a Canadian band founded in Saskatoon in 2004, which has just released its ninth album and is set to set the MTELUS ablaze, much to the delight of fans of rock and classic pop-soul. The band currently consists of singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter Ewan Currie, bassist Ryan Gullen, keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist Shamus Currie, and lead guitarist Ricky Paquette. Only two original members—the singer and the bassist—remain in the band. Drummer Sam Corbett left the band last year; he has now been replaced by… Let’s see what Out of the Storm is all about with Ricky Paquette.
PAN M 360: If I understand correctly, you’re spread out across several locations in Canada and you come together to carry out your projects? How does that work?
Ricky Paquette : I’ve been in the band for three and a half years now, but I still know the guys and their history pretty well, so I can give you a quick rundown on that.
This is definitely a band you could call Canadian. Ewan Currie currently lives in Halifax. I live on Vancouver Island, but I’m originally from the Gatineau area in Quebec, and I spent most of my life in Montreal. The other musicians are in Toronto.
PAN M 360: You really are at the far ends of the country! It doesn’t get much more pan-Canadian than that…
Ricky Paquette : Exactly!
PAN M 360: Let’s talk about Keep Out of the Storm, the Sheepdogs’ ninth studio album—counting their self-released works—not including their five EPs, such as the recent *The Breaks*.
Ricky Paquette : Yes, you could say that Out of the Storm is an album that reflects maturity and experience.
PAN M 360: Did drummer Sam Corbett, a founding member, play with you in the studio before leaving the band?
Ricky Paquette : No. We tried to keep it under wraps because we wanted to make his departure public when he was ready to announce it himself. We went into the studio several times in the meantime. Five different drummers worked with us while we were working on the new songs. We’re currently working with Trevor Fong, who’s originally from Vancouver and now based in Toronto.
PAN M 360: You’re definitely a Canadian band; you don’t sing in French, and you’re heavily influenced by Southern rock and blues rock. So, when I listen to you, those influences really stand out. On the Southern rock side, there’s the Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, and CCR. On the blues rock side, Gary Clark Jr. and Robert Cray, among others. And keen listeners will have detected a touch of Southern soul à la Neville Brothers in The Sheepdogs when the band was working with Daniel Lanois—who himself blended soul with his Americana rock approach.
Ricky Paquette : Yeah, you’ve got a good ear! Ewan (Currie) does have a bit of a soul or pop vibe to his voice—which isn’t typical for a guy who basically sings rock ’n’ roll. He’s been leaning into that side a bit more over the past few years. It’s also part of the plan to stop straining his voice when playing rock. It gives off a great energy, less of a gravelly sound like Rod Stewart or Bob Seger—who we love, by the way. The idea is to last and keep doing what he does for many years to come.
PAN M 360: Endurance is a matter of musical experience, but also a matter of longevity.
Ricky Paquette : Yes, in a way, it’s a matter of vocal longevity for our singer. As for the band’s history, we’ve been around for 20 years, and we’ve all gone through different phases to get where we are today. We all bring our own unique touch to the mix, our personal influences.
PAN M 360: And you do it with rock-and-roll attitude.
Ricky Paquette : Yes, we appeal to people who love hard rock, but also to those who love pop. Reaching a wider audience came naturally because our individual musical tastes are very diverse, and that’s reflected in our music. It’s the concept of musicians collaborating together. I think it brings a greater energy and a broader approach that resonates better with more people.
PAN M 360 : And these are styles that everyone is familiar with—that is, there are classic styles in music, whether it’s Southern rock or Southern R&B soul, not to mention Canadian influences.
Ricky Paquette : That’s right.
PAN M 360: And why Keep Out of The Storm?
Ricky Paquette : In our new songs, we evoke this sense of refuge through music that makes us feel good. In today’s world, there’s turmoil everywhere, so sometimes we need to find a safe haven and enjoy some good times. Our job is to bring people together, foster a friendly atmosphere, and find ways to feel good through music. That’s pretty much the concept.
PAN M 360: Comfort food always hits the spot!
Ricky Paquette : Absolutely! And we love the badass, rock-and-roll vibe of what we do. We’re a bit rough around the edges, but the goal is to keep our fans smiling. We hope people leave our show with a smile on their faces, having had a good time with a couple of beers.
PAN M 360: How did you approach this project?
Ricky Paquette : It was a long process; we played shows, and whenever we could, we’d meet up in Toronto to rehearse. And those rehearsals turned into pre-production sessions. We’d also started auditioning drummers for the tour and the album. It all happened pretty naturally. We weren’t in a hurry, but something had to happen. We wanted something to happen. We finally found a studio where a lot of great songs were written. Ewan would come in with song demos; some stayed close to their demos, others changed over time.
This is the first full-length album I’ve made with the Sheepdogs. I’d previously released two other six-song EPs with them. This time, it’s quite different, though it still has the band’s signature sound. Many fans only know our early hits; they haven’t necessarily followed our evolution. They’ll be surprised to find that there’s even an instrumental track on the album
PAN M 360: Yeah, kind of jazzy, actually!
Ricky Paquette : The Currie brothers studied music (and jazz) at Humber College. That’s why you hear trombone, piano, and so on. Everyone brings their own unique touch to the band. Ewan is the main songwriter, and his brother Shamus has written a few songs as well; we all have room to express ourselves. Personally, I’ve contributed riffs and solos. There’s a lot of creativity in this band.
PAN M 360: What happens next?
Ricky Paquette : We have no plans to stop! We’re a band that works a lot on stage—more so than a studio band, really. We’re still pretty prolific in the studio, though; we’re always creating new material. But let’s be honest: in my opinion, rock ’n’ roll really comes alive on stage.
We don’t follow the new digital trends in pop—no pre-recorded tracks, none of that. Our songs never sound the same; they might be six minutes long one night and thirteen the next. The live experience is fundamental to us.
PAN M 360: So, on Thursday, March 19, at MTELUS, you’ll be there at 8 p.m.
Ricky Paquette : This will be our second week on the Canada tour—I haven’t counted, but it’ll be the sixth show we’ve performed with the new set, the new lighting, and the new crew. We’re really looking forward to it!
