We sent that drummer Vince Ditrich some questions in advance of the band's appearance at the General Motors Centre on Friday night at the Oshawa Celtic Festival.
Q: Do you take pride in your contributions to the Canadian music scene?
A: Very much so. I'm a bit of a weepy-eyed patriot and have always wanted to do something that added to the picture. I realized that we had achieved something special when my son (who was about 3 years old at the time) saw the Canadian flag on TV and said, 'Look Daddy... it's the Spirit of the West Flag!!' He had seen so many flags flying at one of our shows, he thought they were band swag or something.
Q: Spirit Of The West is an integral part in the evolution of the Canadian Sound... could you tell me how you feel about the band's legacy?
A: I hope, in the end, we are remembered as creative, original, professional, real, while also being thought of as good, honest people.
Q: Could I get an update on all the band members. Has there been any new additions?
A: Members are the same as they've been for a decade... John Mann, Geoffrey Kelly, Hugh McMillan, me, and Tobin 'The Gull' Frank. Tobin replaced Linda McRae in 1997.
Q: Could you tell me about the direction the band has gone on the new record.
A: Well... There is no brand new record. Although we released Star Trails a couple of years ago (Indie/Maple). There is a retrospective 25th anniversary box set coming out in early 2008 on Warner and that's where our main focus is at this moment. We most certainly tried a bunch of different things stylistically over the decades and I think now we try to find a balance with all the aspects that seemed to feel the best, and that worked most effectively. We love the Celtic thing (we're Granddaddies at that flavour) but we also like alternative stuff, jazz, classical, straight-on folk, world music, pop old and new.
Q: The work with the Vancouver Symphony was somewhat overlooked by the mainstream... is it something the band would wish to try again?
A: We did a show in July with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa which re-ignited the flames for such an endeavour. It's logistically very, very challenging work and most of the organization falls to me... So I have mini-strokes over it (as much as I thoroughly love the concerts). But yes, I think we'd love to do some more in 2008-09.
Q: Are there others you would like to collaborate with?
A: John would surely have some very interesting choices, as would Geoffrey. Hugh would probably name a bunch of undiscovered geniuses. Personally, I wish I could go back in time and play with the Rat Pack, with Louis Armstrong, with Stephan Grappelli, with Ella. I would also love to do something with Jamie Cullum. But I've learned through the years that practically everyone has something valid to offer, and I/we could in turn have something to offer right back at 'em.
For ticket information for Friday's concert, go to the GM Centre box office, Mary and Athol streets, or Ticketmaster, www.ticketmaster.ca or 905-433-9494.
For more on the Celtic Festival, check out the entertainment section at newsdurhamregion.com.
William McGuirk is a freelance writer and longtime Oshawa resident. He can be contacted at wmacg@yahoo.com.
