like Peter Gabriel, REM and Neil Young, I was struck by the "fight" in their music. They often fought for organizations like Amnesty International, Greenpeace or fought against political demagogues. The flip side to their songs was the possibility of escaping into the brilliant musical landscapes. The great artists have the ability to transport your body and soul to another dimension providing healing and a reprieve from the common daily struggle we all experience on one level or another. As an artist, I've always viewed the moment a song is born and the time during a performance as some of the most pure experiences I can have. I imagine a boxer's lonely isolated training regiment and the fight itself are his. These moments are similar but different. They both represent a place and time where you face adversity but the opportunity to learn about yourself gives you the chance to heal little pieces of yourself.
It is fitting that as artists we were drawn to the story of iconic Canadian Boxer George Chuvalo. George was a heavyweight boxer most famous for never being knocked down in 93 professional fights. He took Muhammad Ali the distance in both their fights and had a storied career during what many consider heavyweight boxing's heyday. George has been kind enough to befriend the band and share some of his life experiences both inside and outside the ring with us. His story is one of tirelessness and human spirit. Heavyweight is inspired by the struggle that both the boxer and the artist endure.
George's influence on this record and Heavyweight is profound. Not only does his image grace the cover of Curve, he also provided us with some spoken pieces that we laid over the music to a song titled 'Mettle.' The boxer is alive and well within Our Lady Peace.
Watch 'Heavyweight: In Studio'
