by Ryan Settee

Legendary Montreal rock n' rollers Tricky Woo have recently reunited. As a fan of the band, I saw them put on some excellent shows, and I was saddened to hear that they broke up in early 2002, after 6 years of rock n' roll glory. I still remember the first time that I saw them, that they were dressed like rock n' roll pimps, with fur coats, red pants, and the sleaziest rock moves since the (non) heyday of bands like the Stooges and Didjits. I also remember that I walked up to Andy Dickson, and asked him, "hey man, are you in Tricky Woo?". He nodded his head and said, "yeah". Never has a rock n' roll introduction been so understated for me, because it was the calm before the storm. Dickson and crew tore shit up that night, and i've still never officially found my ass after that gig, because it was rocked off so hard.

The best thing about them was that they were interactive with their audiences. It really ignited from "The Enemy is Real" era in 1998 to the "Sometimes I Cry" tour in about late 1999- early 2000, where they challenged their crowds to participate in the show, and (egads), feel like they actually exist! They walked out into the crowd, let the audience members play their guitars, bought drinks from the bar in the middle of a song, and did alot of other crazy shit. It was one of those things that had to be seen to believed, because I realize how futile that words really describe those indescribably experiences that sheer words alone cannot convey.

But some of their great confrontationalistic approaches were not without a hitch--many audience members had the bastard expression of somewhere between a deer being caught in the headlights, and that other split second of being totally obliterated by a front bumper. I still remember such band quotes as "Who came here to rock? Oh, all five of you" (Dickson, August 5, 1999, Royal Albert Arms, Winnipeg), and "Our goal here tonight is to get all of you to shake your asses tonight" (Eric LaRock, Nov 13, 1999, Osborne Community Centre, WPG). Perhaps the most revealing quote resided in Andy's question to the audience, "should we keep on playing, or what?" (Nov. 12, 1999, Pyramid Cabaret, WPG), after the band gave 110 percent to a crowd that was indifferent, at best. Appropriately, there was no encore that night.

It came without explanation that Tricky Woo had reached a brick wall. They released their best album, "Sometimes I Cry", to rave critical and fan reviews, yet it seemed that very few of those same fans were ready to have their asses blasted by the sheer tenacity and riffage that the 'Woo had perfected in the live atmosphere. I had learned, as the 'Woo had also learned, that some audiences just can't be rocked. Some people like to sit at the back of a bar, nonchalently admiring (or despising) the onstage band. It's plain fact that a great majority of audience members like to be anonymous at any given live show.

Perhaps the most agonizing part of the whole ordeal, was that the 'Woo had eventually disbanded their legacy without their prime axeman Adrian Popovitch, but even more disparaging was the fact that they had left more than a few confused 'Woo fans scratching their heads after the ambitious but flawed "Les Sables Magiques" album. Their live show, while flawlessly executed, became introverted and shy, which wasn't the confrontational, powerful band that had set their own high water mark in 1999. The once mighty 'Woo had gone out without a bang, or an exclamation mark.......they had gone out with a whimper and a question mark.

It is with the news of the reunion of "The Enemy is Real"/ "Sometimes I Cry" core nucleus of guitarist/ singer Andrew Dickson, guitarist Adrian Popovitch, and bass player Eric LaRock (drummer Pat Conan isn't in the reformation), that I bring to you the answer to that almighty proverbial question mark. Undoubtedly, the 'Woo will let the music do the walking, but in the meantime, I had the opportunity to ask Dickson some questions and let him do the talking.

So Tricky Woo is back! That is great news, man. What exactly made it come about?
I Missed it and missed playing with Eric and Adrian. We also feel we have something to contribute to rock and roll.

You guys all seem like friends, still. The Woo's guitarist, Adrian Popovitch, recorded your Soft Canyon album........it didn't seem like a nasty divorce! Did you guys feel that keeping the split amicable had left the door open to a reunion?
Well, I think we all just had to do our own thing and not have the 'Woo on our minds for a while.

I've felt that the stock and the legend of Tricky Woo had never died. I still hear the band's name quite frequently, still. Is this something that you've encountered, too, where you realize that the band's name is still remembered and can still be used for KISS style breakups and reunions? (haha)
I appreciate the support Tricky Woo has recieved past and present.

I saw you guys play alot of gigs to audiences that were very unreceptive. Did this have any influence on the band's shift to introverted rock on "Les Sables Magiques", as opposed to extroverted rock on "Sometimes I Cry" and "The Enemy Is Real"?
I think we gave blood everynight for so long that around the time of Les Sables... I felt a need to step outside of where I was.

Was there any point at those gigs where you felt like people just didn't "get it", and that you felt that you weren't connecting with them?
Musicians, performers, etc, all feel the need to be understood. That's why you get up on stage. It is so out of my control and I try not to think of it.

I still remember the gym gig here, in November of 1999. I still have the ticket stub! There was that dude that walked in buck naked, and proceeded to play air guitar on a monitor at the front of the stage during the band's set before you. That was hilarious!
That was a nightmare gig.

It might be too early to really get specific, but I know that I speak for probably 95 percent of Tricky Woo fans when I ask, "what exactly is the band gonna sound like now?". You've made it a point to stress progression, so what is sonically motivating the band these days?
It is a lot more up than the previous record. I think it is going to be our most rock & roll effort to date.

It's not like Tricky Woo invented rock n' roll.......but let's say that you reinvented the wheel, especially in Canadian rock n' roll, where you kinda had to pave a road. Is the reunion partially a way to say to some of these newer rock bands, "Hey, we want some credit here!"?
The band is spiritually connected right now in a way we have never been before. We plan to destroy all non believers.

I saw your old buddy Ian Blurton the other day at a Nashville Pussy concert. He was doing their sound. I didn't expect to see him, and he gave me a demo of his new band, "C'Mon". It's really good--have you heard this?
No.

Is Soft Canyon going to be continuing, or is it going to be a side project, or what?
The Canyon is set at a different pace.

Jon Cummins had said that you and him were in a short lived band, The Electric Brains. Do you have any recordings of this? I would sell blood to hear that stuff.
There are no recordings. It was pretty loose and had the vibe of Turbonegro and The Flaming Groovies.

You told me one time that you have some sort of arthritis in your hand. Do you still have it, and if so, how does it affect you?
It has cleared up.

Any other information or anything that we should know about the recent 'Woo reunion? Should we get prepared to have our drinks kicked over in the audience again?
We are hitting the road March 2004 and will be recording April. The record is under the working title of "Heavy Fellings".

For more information on Tricky Woo, try http://www.sonicunyon.com