From Big Wreck to Thornley and back to Big Wreck: Ian Thornley’s musical career has gone full circle.
Back in 1994, Thornley met fellow musician Brian Doherty at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts and Big Wreck was formed. Three years later, In Loving Memory Of… was released. The success of this album was primarily in Canada; the single “The Oaf” was the only song to make an impact in the American charts. But they kept at it and released The Pleasure and the Greed in 2001.
“The recording process of our last album was disorganized and not the way we wanted it,” says Thornley. “We’re the kind of band that goes into the studio until we can’t hear or our fingers can’t play the guitar anymore.”
Big Wreck broke up a year after the album’s release. Thornley went on to a solo career, achieving two mildly successful albums in Canada, Come Again and Tiny Pictures. During his tour of Come Again, Thornley ended up with laryngitis, something he hopes to avoid on the upcoming tour of the recently reformed Big Wreck.
“My nemesis is being sick,” he says. “It’s a nightmare to try and sing when you’re sick, like trying to play guitar with gloves on. I just don’t want to cancel a show, though.”
Sick or not, Thornley’s song delivery is always going to be powerful. He wants the audience to feel their heartstrings being pulled.
“All songs I write have a meaning, at least some kind of memory attached to it,” he says. “If they don’t have a meaning when you perform, then it feels like you’re doing a job. I have nothing against people performing cover songs, but for me I feel like it’s telling somebody else’s story.”
Thornley must be doing something right because he caught attention the attention of rock guitar legend Slash. The former Guns ‘N’ Roses and current Velvet Revolver lead guitarist phoned Thornley up personally and asked if he’d be interested in auditioning for the frontman position of Velvet Revolver when Scott Weiland left the band in 2008.
“Oh, it was great fun,” says Thornley. “Slash is exactly as you’d think, a real sweetheart. The auditions went well until the manager asked me to not play the guitar. I’m not the kind of guy to perform without a guitar around my neck; I don’t feel comfortable with that.”
Fans should consider themselves lucky that it didn’t pan out with Velvet Revolver, otherwise Thornley might not have had the chance to reunite with Doherty and reform Big Wreck. The band’s third album, Albatross, was released in March. Now they are kicking off a tour in support of the album, starting here in Victoria.
”Victoria’s a beautiful town. I love the people there,” he says. “It’s nice going to perform on the island; some old friends live there. Actually, my best friend from high school lives up island.”
Big Wreck
7 pm, Saturday, April 28
Club 9ONE9, $27
strathconahotel.com/club9one9