By Will Yannacoulias
September 24th Saskatoon punk rock trio Driveway Legends released their first EP Things Could Be Worse. Guitarist Nic Swaok, bassist Jace Matlock and drummer Ryan Pegg delivered seven tracks of energetic, aggressive music on their raucous debut. Recorded, mixed and mastered by longtime friend Jesse Bauer of Dark Roast Recording, the album was the result of a new band keeping forward momentum during the early days of the COVID19 restrictions.
“I was ready to sell my gear and concentrate on my acoustic set” Swaok recalled. “As a last ditch effort I posted an ad online looking for band mates. Luckily, Jace responded and we hit the ground running. We started playing shows just as the pandemic came in and put a stop to everything. So, we decided to record this album.”
Driveway Legends entered the studio with an impressive amount of material, building on songs which Swaok had been working on before the group formed. “I generally write our songs, and already had a handful in my pocket” Swaok told NSMZ. “The songs we decided to record are a fun mix of topics from skateboarding to mental health, depression, dancing, family life, and fist fights”.
Things Could Be Worse is an edgy, sneering yet inspiring record about the value of balancing family and responsibility with one’s own goals and dreams. Swaok reflected that “we've gone through 2 divorces, a break up, houses sold, kids born, not to mention all the other daily struggles life throws at you. This band has been an escape for us from the typical 40 year old dad life… We love this band, these songs and the album.”
Be sure to catch Driveway Legends (with friends Bring On The Storm and Western Death) next month as they appear at Dickens Pub in Calgary November 18, Blakbar in Edmonton November 19th and at Saskatoon’s own Doghouse on November 20th.