Our Lady Peace

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They've always been very kind to me and now they've given me the pleasure of telling you the way I've seen them evolve since we first meet on a cold winter morning in 1994. They hired me for some pictures in which I had to take off my shirt (I assured them I was no Charles Atlas!) I had to stand in a field in below freezing temperatures, with pigeons all over me. I think that they were surprised that I agreed to take my shirt off. Well I wasn't going to let a little cold, or pigeon droppings have me run away like a child. I never gave up not even five years later when I had to wear a crazy ninety-pound divers suit in a heat wave during a photo shoot.

They seem to be quite serious about their work. The boys began performing concerts after their release in '94, playing close to 500 hundred shows in the two years following. My grandchildren have told me of some tours they played, the only name I could recall were the Led Zeppelins, oh and that irate young woman, with the messy hair and that commercial when she's driving the car and she's also in all the other seats. They seem to have built up enough steam to gain a lot of fans; it became quite strange when I would be shopping at the mall, and young people would tell me that they knew me! They would say "hey, you're that guy", or "hey, nice nipple ring"!

In addition to photos, the band asked me to be in a few TV commercials and one of their music videos. It was called "The Birdman." Yet again, they had me strutting around with no shirt and posing with pigeons! I really took a liking to each of them; they have such strong personal charm.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "...they told me about the solitude of the frozen lake and their strange encounters with ghosts that sometimes lasted for hours." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They all went to a cabin north of Toronto to write their second record in the winter of 1996, they told me about the solitude of the frozen lake and their strange encounters with ghosts that sometimes lasted for hours. I believe that is when they all started to question what happens to everyone when we die. I've tried to calm them down with my theories but they always think about the dark side of the coin. I suppose that's one of the few things that really effects them, always searching for that answer. But I guess the only answer is that this world is finished when we are.

The boys called me up when they were done recording the second album, to shoot the cover. This time all they wanted me to do was hang by my teeth on a trapeze bar, no problem! They quickly began playing everywhere for about two years. The more I went out the more kids would yell out to me, "HEY, HOW DID YOU HANG LIKE THAT?" or, "NICE SUIT!" I have to admit all these kids have been so kind to me. I began thinking to myself, perhaps I should listen to their music a little closer. I realized that hey! - these boys have the right idea; this music they're making may not be for everyone but I'm 78 and I think it's tops!

97-98 seemed to pan out well for the boys winning Juno awards and MuchMusic trophies. I believe they also found some great success in the American youth. I started writing down the names of the bands they boys played with; Everclear, Third Eye Blind and The Rolling Stones were just a couple that I recorded. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "...I can't wait until they give my next assignment; these boys make me feel 28 years old again." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I had such a great time posing as Superman - or should I say "Super Sol" for video footage that was used on their North American tour, in the early months of '98. Once again, I adorned the trapeze outfit with a cape this time, and recited the poem they were named after. It's a poem written by Mark Van Doren titled "Our Lady Peace." After all of that touring (straight through to August '98), they didn't even take a break. The boys started writing music together two weeks after getting home.

It was wonderful to hear from them again, this past June (1999). They called for me to go to New York and shoot the third cover. This involved a massive heat wave, and walking around in a suit on a beach. I then had to get into a divers suit that weighed almost a hundred pounds, and pace up and down the camera view. I can't wait until they give my next assignment; these boys make me feel 28 years old again.

They told me about two fresh faces they had in the studio to get some inspiration. The first is a young man by the name of Jamie Edwards from Boston. He's a jack of all trades if you will, quite the musician. The other fresh face is almost as fresh as I am. Elvin Jones, the legendary jazz drummer, a 74-year-old genius! He was a huge part of John Coltrane's sound in the 50's. Jeremy told me that this was a dream come true for him and now they've become great friends.

Once more we discussed the great and terrible things that have happened in each of our lives, since the last time we all talked. We discussed loss and what happens when we stop happening. It seems with this record, the search continues for these boys. We concluded that; happiness is not a fish that you can catch.

Thank you for reading my perspective on these young boys and their career thus far. They have been such great fellows with me and it has been my pleasure to inform you on what I have seen.

I'll see you at the next shoot!

Sincerely,

Sol Fox Toronto 1999

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