ICYMI: Ed Robertson Reveals the 'Superpower of Barenaked Ladies' After 30 Years With the Band
, forcing us to reevaluate how we spend our time. For Barenaked Ladies’ co-founder and frontman Ed Robertson, the pandemic reset set the scene for him and his bandmates to perfect their 16th studio album, aptly namedThe group has been at it since 1988, and as Robertson told us ahead of their June 7 show at the The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, he has one of the best jobs in the world: being an entertainer.
“For the first time in our whole career of making records, we had something we’ve never had before, and that is time,” Robertson says. “We have always really worked hard on making a record, and this time, like the rest of the planet, our plans were upended, and all of a sudden, we couldn’t actually physically go into a studio.”
That sentiment could be part of how BNL have managed to find their way into the zeitgeist over the years. Even if you aren’t cool enough to know every word to '90s hits like “One Week” or “If I Had 1,000,000 Dollars,” you’ve most likely seen at least one episode of theand heard its super catchy theme song.
In addition to the accolades and eight Juno Awards , the Barenaked Ladies are known for putting on one hell of a live show. Robertson attributes this reputation to their commitment to being totally fearless on stage.“Every show is filled with improv and spontaneity. We are walking a musical tightrope every night,” he says. “I think that’s what makes the show fun for the audience, but it’s also what makes the show fun for us.