Swollen Members will be coming to Cranbrook later this month on their Brand New Tour. Madchild will join Boston rapper Slaine, from La Coka Nostra and Supreme Villain.
The band will perform on Saturday, April 26 at the Cranbrook Eagles Hall.
Since 2009 when Madchild and Prevail joined forces again after a four-year hiatus, Swollen Members have released three full-length albums, a greatest hits collection and launched their own respective solo careers. The group has also released a follow-up to their critically acclaimed "Monsters in The Closet" album. And recently, their album "Beautiful Death Machine" peaked at the number two position on the Canadian Billboard Charts Top 200.
On Friday, the Townsman was able to speak to Madchild by phone from Vancouver. He said he is looking forward to the tour and the stop here in Cranbrook on Saturday, April 26.
"We're very fortunate and lucky to have the loyal fan base that we have, and I think we always bring a lot of energy to the show," he said.
Madchild said that energy seems to come out no matter where he tours.
"I just got back from touring Europe, and touring Canada, and touring America. And it's all really sort of the same thing. I guess we bring the same people out wherever we go. Whether it's Europe, Australia or B.C. in Canada or Los Angeles in America. We attract the same people. It's really funny, but it feels like the same vibe everywhere we go, to be honest."
He said the big difference is in the places where they are still building their brand.
Madchild is featured in three separate albums coming out this year.
"We have the new Swollen Members record Brand New Day coming out, then I have my album Superbeast. I believe the Supervillain album with Slain and myself will be coming out this year, but it could be next year. I don't know."
Slain is also releasing an album this year entitled King of Everything Else.
"It always becomes a funner show when we add some of the new songs, we try to switch it up a bit," he said. "We play classics from Lady Venom and Fuel Injected all the way up to the new album. We like to switch it up and play some songs from the whole discography."
Madchild is also setting up an independent record label and was in L.A. last week. He was also down there shooting a new video.
"We focus on the enjoyment and celebration of life," he said. "That's part of the whole thing of Brand New Day. I honestly don't look at it as getting older; I look at it as getting better. I used to be a little bit worried about getting older but now I realize I'm having the best time of my life. It's just a great time period in life where we're at. Artistically, mentally, spiritually."
That has helped him to focus on the positive things and do what he loves to do – make music.
"A lot of artists, I'm definitely not the first one and I'm sure I won't be the last, sort of fall on their face, but the point is getting back up and dusting yourself off and moving forward," Madchild said. He has had a long road of recovery from addiction to prescription medicine.
He said there has been a big change in the Canadian hip hop scene over the years.
"We were probably one of the first groups to get sort of world wide recognition as far as Canadian hip hop," he said. "We never sort of broke mainstream outside of Canada, but we've always been a world-wide known underground hip hop group, which I think Canada is proud of and we're proud of."
He said then Drake broke open the flood gates and suddenly a Canada hip hop star is mainstream.
"He is one of the top, and I think that is a huge thing for Canadian hip hop," he said. "So hopefully guys like us helped sort of build the road a little bit."
He also said guys like Kardinal Offishall helped as well.
Madchild said when he was in L.A. last week he was listening to Shade 45, a local hip hop station and there is a DJ freestyling on the show from Canada, representing Toronto.
"I thought, this is so cool, I'm listening to a guy who I thought was American, but he's from Canada out touring and on Shade 45 and nobody's blinking," he said. "This obviously told me that we're finally at a time where the border is now invisible and good is good. I think it's a great time for Canadian hip hop."
He also noted that he thought all the Juno nominees were great artists this year.
Madchild will be moving to L.A. in a month to work on the record label and as an artist.
"Don't get me wrong, I am proud to be Canadian, and I'll always love Vancouver and represent where I'm from. But I just feel like it's just the next move. I'm no spring chicken anymore. I've got a lot of talented friends and great people in the business down there. I'm pretty excited. Plus it's sunny all the time."
He added though that he will always keep a place in Vancouver as well and will be back and forth.
He also added that it really means a lot to them that the fans support them.
"We're so lucky that, in a time when it's so easy for people to download music for free, that people still buy our albums," he said. "We can't express how much we appreciate that. It means the world to us and it shows the industry that underground hip hop is still alive and important."
The Cranbrook show is on Saturday, April 26, at 7 p.m. at the Cranbrook Eagles Hall.
Tickets are available in advance at The Choice for $25 plus tax, or at the door for $30.
There are also a limited number of VIP tickets available for $50.
The show is for ages 19 and over.