Funeral - Arcade Fire's First Noise

Twenty years...

I am not sure why I listened to the album again, but there I was, on my way to work, looking through my saved music and I found 'Funeral,' the first full-length album by Montréal's own Arcade Fire.

Montréal's own? That might be a little problematic.

One thing that became clear and interesting when I looked over the facts behind the myth-making, I saw that none of the members actually came from my adopted ville. They simply ended up here and made it a place where they could create a sound that captivated so many of us for such a long time...

And are we still captivated?

*

I remembered 2004. I was a student in my second - or was it my third - year at university as a grad student. I had just returned from living overseas, working as an ESL instructor in Japan. My mind was focused on getting my degree, finishing my final papers and researching whatever material I needed for my seminars and lectures. I was not concentrating on local music, unless it was in the summer and I had the opportunity to go out and enjoy the free festivals in Montréal. The idea that a band that often rehearsed in park in a neighbourhood I would soon move to - Parc La Fontaine - was now about to shake up the airwaves seemed ridiculous.

And yet...

I worked part time in a copy centre, dealing with customers who wanted to fight over machines, have ten thousand folders done in triplicate over the weekend, or haggle me down on the price of different sheens of paper. Music was a way to get through the general nonsense around me. We could bring in our own music, but leaving the radio on was a safe option (no running back and forth when we suddenly remembered that a certain song had lyrics that our bosses might not approve of). And the classic rock station was the safest option: you knew what would be played over the space of a rotating hour. No one complained when they heard the Eagles, Foreigner or the best years of (insert your favourite 60s/70s/80s group here). No one expected any surprises, least of all staff.

And yet...

I do remember the first song I heard:

I woke up with the power out

Not really somethin' to shout about...

This was based on a very real incident in their and my adopted hometown (the great ice storm of 1998). I was not in Canada when this happened (Tokyo beckoned; I listened), so to hear this vivid description of what life was like for other adoptees was very telling. I also began to wonder what made this group so interested in staying in this town. There were stories of them rehearsing in the park I mentioned and people running into their live spots and playing along with them. Again, I never saw this happen, but I could imagine it.

I could feel it.

They got me.

So, they soon became the hottest group in the country, beyond anything we could have imagined. It always intrigued me that they put Montréal on the map musically when it was clear that not a single member of the group was born and raised in the city. Only one member spoke French; the others came from Ontario and the United States. And that soon made perfect sense to me. The city was the perfect magnet for those of us who wanted more than what we could find in our small suburban enclaves (the band seemed to understand this with their Grammy-winning recording, 'The Suburbs'). It belonged to those who would dare to try and live in a city that still had a pulse and an incredible cultural scene.

Oh, and one final note...

I met Win Butler.

Yes, I understand the allegations against the lead singer are ugly. Yes, I feel that the recent albums are not as good as that powerful debut and early follow-up records. And yes, I realize that I am gushing. But he was kind enough to autograph my Pop Montréal fan at the same park and to talk to me for a while long before any of this ugliness came out.

I just wonder why he chose 'WL' for his initials.

And I ask you, how do you feel about the band, their music, the recent news, and the sound that captured our attention twenty years ago?

*

Thank you for reading!

If you liked this, you can add your Insights, Comment, leave a Heart, Tip, Pledge, or Subscribe. I will appreciate any support you have shown for my work.

You can find more poems, stories, and articles by Kendall Defoe on my Vocal profile. I complain, argue, provoke and create...just like everybody else.

Give it a look...