Mobile is all fired up to play at Magnetic Hill on Saturday
Published Tuesday June 23rd, 2009
MONCTON - Montreal rockers Mobile suffered a bit of a setback a few months ago that could have derailed a lesser band, but they're back at full strength and determined to rock Moncton this weekend when the band joins Bon Jovi, Bachman-Cummings and others at the Magnetic Hill Music Festival on Saturday.
Drummer Pierre-Marc Hamelin told his bandmates in December that he wanted out of the group.
Hamelin didn't want to play music anymore, and he informed his four bandmates in December in the midst of the group's tour with Chris Cornell (Audioslave/Soundgarden).
"It obviously came as a shock," singer Mat Joly told Canadaeast News Service. "We've been a really tight unit, same members in the band for over 10 years, and we've known each other for so long, we're like childhood friends."
But the band rebounded fairly quickly, trying out a dozen drummers before settling on Martin Lavallee.
So the five-piece, rounded out by Christian Brais, Dominic Viola and Frank Williamson, will be at full strength when it opens for Bon Jovi this weekend.
"It was really tough to see another person coming and playing with us in the band, but Martin, our new guy, just joined the band and he's really involved," Joly said.
"He's also involved in the writing, and it's like, wow. We just felt so great having him behind the drum kit, and he's such a great guy."
Lavalle auditioned for the band and then embarked on a tour with Mobile to see if everything fit well. It did, and already the band is working on its third album.
Since forming in the late-1990s, Mobile has never shied from work.
The band spent its first few years holed up in rehearsals.
When it unleashed itself onto the world, the members wanted to be ready to turn heads, which is exactly what happened.
Mobile made a name for itself in its home of Montreal before moving and cramming into a two-bedroom apartment in Toronto to further its music career.
"We were everywhere, all the time," Joly said.
"People were like, 'These guys are dedicated. You can see these guys want it for real.' "
The band developed a reputation as one that was dedicated to its craft, and it soon found management and a record label.
Mobile's first album, Tomorrow Starts Today, was released in 2006 and the single Out of My Head made the band a household name almost immediately. Singles See Right Through Me and Dusting Down The Stars followed.
Last fall, the band returned with Tales From The City and singles The Killer and Hit the Floor #7.
Joly said the third album could be released as early as this fall.
"In the '80s and the '70s, you could see (bands releasing albums more frequently)," he said.
"Like, Led Zeppelin released a couple records a year and these guys were touring all the time."
Despite their hard work, the members of Mobile have suffered from setbacks such as their American record label not supporting them.
The band switched labels stateside and things have been working better for them so far.
"It's such a tough business, man," he says. "It's like, the music is the fun part. It's the business around it that sometimes I'm sick and tired of. But it's just part of it, so you've got to deal with it.
"You can be the greatest band in the world, but if you don't have the right people who are working on your band, nothing's going to happen."
Mobile has played in Moncton a handful of times, including a gig only a few months back at Saxby's in Riverview.
"That was really cool," Joly said. "I remember that gig, it was really fun. Small venue, but it was really cool. Great ambience. I look forward to playing Moncton again."
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