As we reported late last year, Calgary pop punk heroes Chixdiggit are breaking a six-year gap between releases with a new EP called Safeways Here We Come. But as frontman K.J. Jansen explains, don't expect any sudden surprises, even though the group have already set their sights on more new releases as they celebrate their 20th anniversary in 2011.
Describing Safeways Here We Come in a recent Exclaim! interview, Jansen said that it's still the same Chixdiggit we all know and love. "It's a new direction in the fact that it's the exact same direction," he explains. "We notice the differences but I don't think anybody else will. We noticed the difference when we came out with our first mid-tempo songs. Nobody else did, but to us, it was a big departure. But it's still Chixdiggit. It's the exact same band with new songs, and they're really good, I think."
Despite the fact that Safeways is the first new material from the band in the last six years, Jansen insists that they have been as active as ever, though not so much in Canada. "We've been touring every year, it's just that we do it overseas so no one here ever really hears about it," he explains. "We usually go to Europe at least two or three times a year. We don't really travel across [Canada] as much as we used to because everyone has jobs, so we take our time off from work to go further away."
Safeways Here We Come features seven songs from a total of 18 that were written prior to recording. Rather than wait another half-decade for a follow-up release, Jansen hopes the band will keep the ball rolling with new material. "We keep coming up with new songs, so we're going to try and be a little more active," Jansen says. "We're a pretty lazy band."
Most importantly, 2011 marks the 20th year of Chixdiggit's existence. As such, it's a time for celebration and reflection, something the band hope to do at a hometown anniversary show this summer. "We kind of just wanted [our career] to last one show, just to prove to a friend that we actually were a band," Jansen recalls. "I reflect on that sometimes, like 'holy shit, we're still going.' We'll be going to Europe or Japan or Australia.' It's always just been about us four friends hanging out and whatever we joke about."
Safeways Here We Come will be released on Tuesday (February 15) via Fat Wreck, and the song "Swedish Rat" can be streamed below. And while the details of the 20th anniversary celebration are still forthcoming, you can check out Chixdiggit's tour dates below.
Safeways Here We Come:
1. "Miso Ramen"
2. "Swedish Rat"
3. "Since You Got a Dog"
4. "Found Love"
5. "Hot n Horny"
6. "I Hate Basketball"
7. "I Hope Things Will Turn Around"
Tour dates:
3/26 Houthalen, Belgium - Crossbone Festival
3/27 Exeter, UK - Cavern
3/28 Bristol, UK - Croft
3/30 London, UK - Relentless G
4/3 Bamberg, Germany - Morph Club
4/07 Cologne, Germany - Sonic Ballroom
4/08 Dusseldorf, Germany - Ratinger Hof
4/09 Berlin, Germany - Cortina Bob
5/26 Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock Social Club
5/27 Greenbay, WI - Crunchy Fog
5/28 Chicago, IL - Reggie's Rock Club (Screeching Weasel's 25th anniversary)
Describing Safeways Here We Come in a recent Exclaim! interview, Jansen said that it's still the same Chixdiggit we all know and love. "It's a new direction in the fact that it's the exact same direction," he explains. "We notice the differences but I don't think anybody else will. We noticed the difference when we came out with our first mid-tempo songs. Nobody else did, but to us, it was a big departure. But it's still Chixdiggit. It's the exact same band with new songs, and they're really good, I think."
Despite the fact that Safeways is the first new material from the band in the last six years, Jansen insists that they have been as active as ever, though not so much in Canada. "We've been touring every year, it's just that we do it overseas so no one here ever really hears about it," he explains. "We usually go to Europe at least two or three times a year. We don't really travel across [Canada] as much as we used to because everyone has jobs, so we take our time off from work to go further away."
Safeways Here We Come features seven songs from a total of 18 that were written prior to recording. Rather than wait another half-decade for a follow-up release, Jansen hopes the band will keep the ball rolling with new material. "We keep coming up with new songs, so we're going to try and be a little more active," Jansen says. "We're a pretty lazy band."
Most importantly, 2011 marks the 20th year of Chixdiggit's existence. As such, it's a time for celebration and reflection, something the band hope to do at a hometown anniversary show this summer. "We kind of just wanted [our career] to last one show, just to prove to a friend that we actually were a band," Jansen recalls. "I reflect on that sometimes, like 'holy shit, we're still going.' We'll be going to Europe or Japan or Australia.' It's always just been about us four friends hanging out and whatever we joke about."
Safeways Here We Come will be released on Tuesday (February 15) via Fat Wreck, and the song "Swedish Rat" can be streamed below. And while the details of the 20th anniversary celebration are still forthcoming, you can check out Chixdiggit's tour dates below.
Safeways Here We Come:
1. "Miso Ramen"
2. "Swedish Rat"
3. "Since You Got a Dog"
4. "Found Love"
5. "Hot n Horny"
6. "I Hate Basketball"
7. "I Hope Things Will Turn Around"
Tour dates:
3/26 Houthalen, Belgium - Crossbone Festival
3/27 Exeter, UK - Cavern
3/28 Bristol, UK - Croft
3/30 London, UK - Relentless G
4/3 Bamberg, Germany - Morph Club
4/07 Cologne, Germany - Sonic Ballroom
4/08 Dusseldorf, Germany - Ratinger Hof
4/09 Berlin, Germany - Cortina Bob
5/26 Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock Social Club
5/27 Greenbay, WI - Crunchy Fog
5/28 Chicago, IL - Reggie's Rock Club (Screeching Weasel's 25th anniversary)
