Steven Page leaves Barenaked Ladies! WTF?

[southpaw]

A MESSAGE FROM BARENAKED LADIES
By mutual agreement, Steven Page will be parting company with the remaining members of Barenaked Ladies. Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, Ed Robertson, and Tyler Stewart will continue recording and touring together as Barenaked Ladies. Steven Page will pursue solo projects including theatrical opportunities while the band enters the studio in April 2009, and hits the road in the fall.

Page says "These guys are my brothers. We've grown up together over the past twenty years. I love them and wish them all the best in the future."

The band also wish Steven well in all of his endeavors. Ed Robertson says: "It's the start of a new chapter for all of us. Here's to the future!"

Everyone is looking forward to making new music and thanks their fans for their support.


That's about the long and short of it on the band's website http://www.bnlmusic.com/



Man, this bites. I suspect Page's cocaine arrest form several months back has something to do with this 'mutual agreement.'

I guess Ed will finally realize his long-held dream of being the leader of the band.


Well, good luck to Steven in his solo and theatrical career... and good luck to the rest of the guys.

They'll sure as hell need it.

[Heidi]

1. THIS is the performance that made me a Steven Page fan.

I'd heard of BNL before the 2008 Montreal Jazz Festival, but it was this Steven Page performance that stole my heart and prompted me to look further into the band.

Steven Page performing Leonard Cohen's "A Singer Must Die": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KksEyQn_GFE

ETA: Lyrics

A Singer Must Die
Now the courtroom is quiet, but who will confess.
Is it true you betrayed us? the answer is yes.
Then read me the list of the crimes that are mine,
I will ask for the mercy that you love to decline.
And all the ladies go moist, and the judge has no choice,
A singer must die for the lie in his voice.

And I thank you, I thank you for doing your duty,
You keepers of truth, you guardians of beauty.
Your vision is right, my vision is wrong,
I'm sorry for smudging the air with my song.

Oh, the night it is thick, my defences are hid
In the clothes of a woman I would like to forgive,
In the rings of her silk, in the hinge of her thighs,
Where I have to go begging in beauty's disguise.
Oh goodnight, goodnight, my night after night,
My night after night, after night, after night, after night, after night.

I am so afraid that I listen to you,
Your sun glassed protectors they do that to you.
It's their ways to detain, their ways to disgrace,
Their knee in your balls and their fist in your face.
Yes and long live the state by whoever it's made,
Sir, I didn't see nothing, I was just getting home late.

[southpaw]

2. Thanks for posting... I'd never seen that performance.

BNL are all talented musicians, but without Steven... I don't know.

I fear their future will sound a lot like 'One Week' or 'Pinch Me' or any number of Ed hits.
Catchy, cute, playful... but missing the X factor that only Steven could provide.

[Heidi]

3. I just love Page's voice, and he's what really stands out about BNL (for me).

I hope he's well enough appreciated that he can go it alone and keep making music without the BNL "brand" behind him. I'm not worried about BNL -- there's never a shortage of people who'll buy catchy, cute, playful music. But it seems those who go against that grain often do so at their own peril. x(