From the band’s name to Damian Abraham’s guttural growls, Toronto sextet F'd Up isn’t necessarily to your taste. But even if you aren’t a fan of punk, you can appreciate that F'd Up has received major praise both nationally and internationally. They won the Polaris Music Prize for their album Chemistry of Common Life. And three years later they were shortlisted for the same award for their boundary-pushing rock opera David Comes to Life. Their new record, Glass Boys, which hit shelves on June 3, circles back to a more ragged sound, more reminiscent of their early opus. The addition of a second, separate drum track in half time gives their newest effort a subtle psychedelic bent.
We caught up with frontman Damian Abraham to chat about growing up in Toronto, raising kids in Toronto and how that all ties back into his most personal album to date.
Where’d you go to high school?
I went to St. George’s in the Annex.
If you gave a career day–type talk, what would you tell those kids?
They keep hitting me up to go back and I’m, like, nope! I guess I would tell them, ‘You are incredibly privileged; you come from a background of privilege; and you have been allowed to exist in an incubator of privilege. As people who have been given a lot of opportunity, you ought to educate yourselves in how the real world works because sadly it isn’t a private school fantasyland for the majority of people.’
When you had spares, where would you go to escape?
There was an awesome record store called Full Blast. It was on Bloor just after Markham. It’s closed now (it’s a nail salon, I think). I credit Full Blast with giving me an education in music.
You grew up in Riverdale. Where do you live now?
I live at Dufferin and Davenport. Really close to our practice space [down at Geary Avenue]. It was the last semi-affordable neighbourhood, and we’ll still be in partnership with the bank for 35 years. It’s a great neighbourhood with a lot of great restaurants now up on St. Clair.
Which restaurants are your favourites?
Stockyards is awesome! It’s not up there, but Electric Mud at Queen and Brock is my new favourite restaurant in Toronto.
How old are your sons now?
Holden just turned five last week and Dorian is turning two on June 25.
Your upcoming record, Glass Boys, is your most personal album to date. Do any of the songs have to do with fatherhood for you?
All of them absolutely do. “Pay for the House” most directly. All the songs that I wrote, I should say. Since I became a parent it changed everything.
Can you share some of the lyrics from “Pay for the House”?
I’m just trying to remember the lyrics. I swear to you, once the music kicks in, I know all the lyrics! Until that time, I’m like “uhh. Aha!” I found the lyrics: “Praise gone, money spent, just a kid wondering where his dad went. Old man, life spent, carved a legacy never made a dent.”
You’ve said you’re tired of touring, and now, with two kids, it’s even more difficult. How will you balance family and band duties?
Realistically, everyone in the band wants to keep it short. The idea of going on the road for a month and a half is not as feasible as it used to be. We’re just not emotionally there for each other. We’ve run out of things to talk about.
What do you want to do after F'd Up?
I’d like to continue doing something creative. I do a lot of stuff in TV now, hosting work. I’m working on a documentary with Vice right now about medical marijuana in Canada.
