Originally Published: 2009-02-08

The first time Andy Maize and his band the Skydiggers played Massey Hall (Toronto’s most prestigious concert venue), the experience was a little unsatisfying. “It was in 1991, and we were opening for Blue Rodeo,” Maize recalls. “The trouble was, we’d also booked to play a second gig that night, in Guelph, so from the second we stopped playing, we were rushing to pack up and leave.”
The group’s return visit there scheduled for next week (Feb. 14) promises to be more relaxed. Coincidentally, this time they are opening up for Blue Rodeo singer, Jim Cuddy. The fact that the concert falls on Valentine’s Day is indeed fitting because a key to the sustained success of the Skydiggers, is their ability to probe matters of the heart in perceptive and melodious fashion.
Now viewed as elder statesmen on the Canadian roots rock scene, Skydiggers began playing the clubs of their Toronto hometown just over 20 years ago, releasing their self-titled debut album in 1990. “We are now putting together a compilation record to celebrate 20 years,” Maize tells Tandem. “Going back through old material is fun. Usually, stuff isn’t as bad as you thought it was or as good as you thought it was!”
The creative core of the group remains the presence of two skilled singer/songwriters, Maize and Josh Finlayson. Their complementary writing styles and vocal harmonies provide the Skydiggers’ signature sound, and it is what keeps their music sounding fresh. The group’s early ’90s albums, Restless, Just Over This Mountain, and Road Radio, scored significant radio play, and won them a Juno Award for Most Promising Group, while intensive touring earned them a loyal audience across the country.
There have been numerous personnel changes over the years, though original bassist Ron Macey has remained throughout. Another talented singer/songwriter, Peter Cash, was a key member early on, and he, along with brother Andrew Cash, re-teamed with Skydiggers for an acclaimed 2006 album.
Their seventh studio album, City Of Sirens, was released last year, and has been receiving deservedly positive reviews. The lineup now features drummer, Noel Webb and another talented young songsmith and keyboardist, Michael Johnston. It was recorded at The Tragically Hip’s studio, the Bathouse, and Maize calls that “a great experience. The Hip guys have done the studio up so nicely. We recorded everything in about a week. Noel’s a really nice drummer, so we wanted to capture the live feel of the band.”

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