Hayden's Reluctant To Add To "Uninteresting Talk Of Music"

02/15/08 6:00pm

by Shannon Webb-Campbell (CHARTattack)

Hayden has become the talk of the town, at least in most metropolitan places in Canada. The soft-spoken troubadour has been playing songs from his latest collection, In Field & Town, from St. John's, Nfld. to Victoria, B.C.

"Sadly, after 13 years of touring Canada, it will be the first time I've ever made it out to St. John's," Hayden said during a recent phone interview. "It's kind of crazy that happened.

"I've never been to Newfoundland and I've never played in Florida. They are the two holes in my touring experience."

The sunshine state will have to wait, but the 36 year old finally made it to Canada's oldest city early this month. Both gigs at LSPU Hall, the green and yellow-painted venue that hangs over Duckworth Street, sold-out months in advance despite the second show being scheduled against the Super Bowl. According to a review by the local Telegram newspaper, Hayden mentioned the coincidence moments into the show.

"How many people here, if they didn't have a concert to go to, would have watched the Super Bowl?" Few admitted to their sacrifice by raising their hands.

An artist often inspired by his geographical surroundings, Hayden's latest release was recorded both in and out of Toronto. "In an undisclosed location kind of northwest of the city," he says.

"There is something to be said for getting away from everything, and the longer hours of undisturbedness."

Throughout Hayden's discography — which includes 1995's Everything I Long For, 1996's Moving Careful, 1998's The Closer I Get, 2001's Skyscraper National Park, 2002's Live At Convocation Hall and 2004's Elk Lake Serenade — the introverted songwriter constantly struggles with the omnipresent theme of rural versus urban dwelling.

"Usually it's sort of being in the city, hoping for the country. But this time I was actually in the country for a longer, more extended period of time. I was actually trying to get away from the country-ish, the animals, and those vibes this time. But I just couldn't."

Despite being one to shy away from the limelight and all that accompanies it, Hayden's name has been popping up in periodicals, alternative weeklies and publications across the country. During the early months of the release of Skyscraper National Park, he swore off press altogether. But it seems, 14 years into his professional musical career, he's come to terms with this particular aspect of the job description.

"I don't really feel like I express myself well in interviews, so it's not my favourite thing to do. My album is sort of my statement, not what I say about it. Generally, there are some very particular people in rock music I'll enjoy reading an interview with — Tom Waits, that would be a rare example. But generally, and not to say anything bad about what you do with your time, I don't find interviews with musicians all that interesting. So I never read them. That's part of it. I just feel like I'm adding to the piles of uninteresting talk of music."

Hayden will conclude his Canadian tour with sold-out shows at Calgary's Knox United Church on Saturday and Toronto's Music Hall on Feb. 19.