Strippers Union, fronted by Rob Baker (The Tragically Hip) and Craig Northey (Odds), are ready to share their third album The Undertaking - a double album recorded at The Bathouse Studio with drummer Pat Steward and bassist Doug Elliott . Disc 1 will be digitally released on February 5 and Disc 2 arrives March 12 (The Orchard). Limited edition vinyl includes both discs and releases February 5. In 2006, the band released their debut album Strippers Union Local 518 and followed it up with The Deuce a short five years later.
Today, they share “We Are The Underworld ”, of which Baker says, “we were musing on the idea that the majority of beings live behind the scene lives with no perceived power or glory, often unaware of the power they actually hold, individually and collectively - especially as ‘we’. The ingenuity required to survive is more amazing than the trivial exploits of the ‘powerful’. The real power waits and it's beautiful when it shows itself. ‘We’re the dirt that starts the pearl’.”
Why so long a wait between albums? “These last 10 years have had their share of unexpected twists and turns,” says Baker in a full essay on the new album. “Suffice it to say that my life was in upheaval. My lifelong dream, which was embodied by The Hip, had come to a sudden and very final end. It was, oddly, both profoundly sad and fulfilling, and it left a void for me. I descended into my home studio and applied myself to the one thing I can count on to keep the demons at bay... before long I was overflowing with demos. I convened with Craig in the spring of 2018 and by the start of 2020 we were up to 18 tunes.”
Why a double album...why make an album at all? “Excellent questions,” says Baker. “A double album because I really like this batch of tunes and feel that it is an eclectic set that covers a broad expanse and represents our diverse interests... I've always operated under the assumption that I am not special or unique - so if it's something I like, then there are lots of others who will like it as well. I'm proud of these songs. I’m proud of the work... These songs reflect who we are now - a little less bravado and a little more restraint, less inclined to thrash and more inclined to find a little truth, a little meaning, and to revel in the little pleasures.”
Website: thehip.com/pages/strippersunion
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Twitter: twitter.com/sulocal518band
Instagram: www.instagram.com/strippersunionband