In an interview with Melissa Tobin on CBC Central Morning
Newfoundland and Labrador (4 February 2014) Sean discusses his decision to
leave Great Big Sea (paraphrased).
…”Great Big Sea hadn’t
been focusing or agreeing on things in the same way we
had which is natural and normal. For the past five years it had been an uphill
battle on getting anything done and we agree on things using a consensus and we
didn’t see things in the same way… After three to four years of trying to push a rope
around, the best thing to do was for me to remove myself from the situation. We
decided on this last January... At the end of the tour we didn’t actually
talk about it or didn’t address it all…Great Big Sea has a specific mandate and is
more of a brand than a band. When bands make it big they tend to become more
brands than bands. As a song writer I had difficulties in being in the confines
of a very structured band…
He goes on to make some very interesting comments about the role of managers, agents and record companies and the future of music in influencing his decision to go it alone.
In an interview with
Bob Mersereau for East Coast Music CBC New Brunswick, Sean McCann said on
leaving Great Big Sea (4 February 2014),
“Leaving
Great Big Sea is discussed in detail in Wish You Well, a classic break-up song
except it's a band, not a lover: "I don't care to start a fight, don't care who
was wrong or right, but I'm not gonna waste another Saturday night pretending
we're all right." McCann is quick to point out it's not a personal attack
in any way at his bandmates, but more at the music business in general, and he
was thinking as much about Steve Jobs, Apple and iTunes changing that business
as he was about leaving the band when he wrote the song. He says the split came
a year ago: "Last January, we sat down, we'd done a big tour and made the
box (the 20th anniversary collection, XX), but we couldn't agree on a number of
things. We weren't going in the same direction, and its not a good time (in the
music world) to not be focused, so I just felt it was the best thing for all of
us, and we all agreed, that I remove myself."
In the interview in The Telegram in St John’s with
Tara Badbury Sean McCann said….
“Over
the past five years, McCann says, he found himself focused on different things
than his bandmates, and it became a source of frustration. He struggled to get
his ideas in line with theirs, but in the end, it didn’t work”...
“I’m
not comfortable delivering the same message over and over. From what I hear,
from smart people who are business people, branding is all about staying on
message and Great Big Sea has been really successful at that. I’m not as
interested in that anymore”...
He
hasn’t had much conversation with the other guys in Great Big Sea, but insists
they’re not enemies, just ex-partners. He chuckles when he mentions his
departure from the band didn’t make it to the news section on their website”...
“My
departure was really met with silence. There was nothing. That hurt a bit,” he
says. “I don’t know what the reason is for that, but fair enough. Maybe
feelings were hurt, I don’t know. I’m over it now. I wish them the best, I
honestly do, and knowing Bob and Alan, they’re already well on their way.”
Leaving
the band is like getting a divorce, in more ways than one, McCann says, and
he’s having a hard time letting go.
“Maybe
me exiting that band will be the best thing to ever happen to it,” he says.
“When I was the most useful and the most happy in Great Big Sea was when I could
contribute songs and we did a lot of work, but that faded away over the last
five or six years. The stuff I was interested in went away.
“I
don’t know where this will go, but what’s important to me is this reality,” he
explains. "That there’s truth in it and that I’m saying something that
means something larger. Is it brave or is it insane? I don’t know. As proud as
I am of being in Great Big Sea, that’s not the only legacy I want to leave
behind.
(The interview from the Newfoundland Herald was not available
online to the best of my knowledge).
While Sean McCann made comments in the article about his
departure not being mentioned on the official Great Big Sea webpage, the Great
Big Sea webpage posted a picture and link to Sean McCann’s new album on the 29
January 2014. “The wait is over! Sean
McCann’s new album, Help Your Self is available. Head to greatbigsean.com to
order now and in case you missed it check out the video for the title track”.
On Twitter Alan Doyle contacted Sean McCann congratulating
him on the release of album. @alanthomasdoyle “Congrats to @greatbigsea on the launch of the new CD today. Check it
out at greatbigsean.com”. @greatbigsean responded “thank you @alanthomasdoyle…for everything. 29 January 2014.
Alan Doyle commented briefly on Sean's new album in an interview he did for
kickasscanadians.ca on the 8 February 2014 “At the moment, Great Big Sea is taking a hiatus so they can recharge
from their XX Tour and deal “administratively and creatively” with the fact
that Sean McCann recently left the band (totally amicably, for the record).
“We’re all kind of going back to our solo personal projects, whether it’s
music, or movies or management” says Alan. “Sean just released a record last
week called Help Your Self that he made with Joel Plaskett’s that’s super
awesome...the remaining members have no plans to disband, but they are looking
forward to a breather”.
To me it was very nice to see Alan Doyle’s graciousness and
support for Sean after he left the band.
But the biggest surprise for me came from Sean McCann
himself after I watched the Help Your Self movie on YouTube to
supplement the newly released album. Sean McCann further elaborated on his departure
and relationship with Great Big Sea. He stated he was no longer a ‘shareholder’
in the band and there may be a possibility of them working together in the future.
For
fans like me who love Great Big Sea in their purist form we can continue to
hope there will be a reunion and some new music in the future, possibly.
