Music is nostalgia, and nostalgia is youth. When you’re in your early 20s, you’re invincible. Nothing else matters to a young musician but your band, your jam space, and getting really good. But as you get older, priorities change. People have kids, careers, and other passions that overrule their once carefree existence.
The WPP, Vancouver’s spazziest speed funk unit, know the value of their formative years, so now, after a decade of separation, they are getting the band back together.
Because hell, why not?
“I guess it's a coincidence that it is 10 years... “ says Al Boyle, the second and final drummer of The WPP, from a South Granville Cafe. “Everyone is busy doing their own thing in their own lives – and that’s the other reason we wanna make it fun. We were a pretty heavy touring, working band, so we just wanna see A, if we can do it, and B, to have a show and play. Very simple. And if offers come in? Cool! But [for now] it's just for fun.”
Earlier this fall, speculation began to swirl around a possible WPP reunion after a Facebook page was launched in September. The WPP (nee the Witness Protection Program) ended their short-circuit speed funk assault in 2005 after relentless touring and a militant Greg-Ginn-Black-Flag-style work ethic.
“We would play shows and come home, set up and jam more.” says Boyle. “You read about these bands and you want to follow in their footsteps: Get a house, record there, create your own scene and crew of people. We’re all suburban kids too so that kinda says something as well.”
Naturally, disbandment did not mean the end of music. All four musicians in The WPP’s reunion lineup went on to play in heavily influential local bands. Al Boyle (You Say Party!, Hard Feelings, Charm), Steve Matheson (Ghost House, Fun 100), Brad Mey (High Seas, Cripple Creek), and founding member Ryan Walter Wagner (Too High Crew, Tight Solid) have a combined musical resume that could fill the entire page of this article.
Despite the mystique surrounding their reunion, there are no plans to release new music or play additional shows. The point being more to honour the original chaos rather than to recreate it.
“You should be changing every couple years or it becomes not fun. The band imploded because of all the work we put into it, and you can only do that in a certain age in your life,” says Boyle. “What WPP has taught me is that work ethic – pushing yourself and going harder – because that's what separates you from other bands. You gotta work at your stuff. It's fun to not worry about recreating it 100 per cent – this is the WPP as older dudes, so let's just have fun and play."
The WPP play The Cobalt on Dec. 19 with Dead Quiet and special guests. Doors at 7pm, $10 at the door. Early show.
