Canadian ‘Disco Daddies’ The Free Label Talk Music, Fashion And London
‘Disco Daddies’ The Free Label, interviewed by TOPNOTE. Image credit: Bethany Cordery
‘We just like looking sexy.’
Backstage at The Jazz Cafe on a two month tour of their biggest venues across Canada and Europe, the six members of The Free Label have squeezed themselves into a stuffy green room, stage ready. Fur coats, fur hats, and splendid flares aplenty, they’re a strong collective presence before they’ve picked up any instruments.
And while it’s not until the show that they unleash their full energy, there’s a hum of excitement while they talk to us about memories of making their second album, musical influences, and hot takes on London. They let each bandmate answer fully before providing their own, and it’s clear that while a party is prioritised on stage, their group dynamic is founded in mutual respect, musical passion, and genuine friendship.
The Free Label’s music is described somewhere between ‘70s disco, 90s R&B, and high-energy funk’. Before we saw it live in London, read on for our interview with the band.
The Free Label band members and roles. Image credit: Bethany Cordery
This interview has been edited for clarity.
Interviewer: Let’s start with your name, does it mean you don’t have a label, or ‘the label’ is free?
Mathew: The second one is more apt. When we started the band, we didn't want to conform to any sort of genre, we just wanted music to come out of us and flow.
The last time I saw you was a couple of years ago in Sydney. You had just come off a cruise and performed at the famous Marble Bar Monday Jam. What do you remember about that night and what’s been the journey since?
Jason: I remember that night because I went to the bar and asked for a beer and they charged me so much money for a Schooner, which isn't even a full pint! (laughing) But it was a lot of fun, we made a lot of friends with the musicians, and they set the tone for our whole stay in Australia, which was awesome.
Mathew: Shout out to our buddy, Jack Shepherd.
Josh: Yeah, we met Jack on the cruise ship and we were trying to go to Australia to tour anyway. He was very gracious and let us stay in his place, which allowed us to stay in Australia and record a new album.
Mathew: And from that little gig – we ended up doing a gig at the ‘Three Wise Monkeys’ in Sydney and then went down to Melbourne and played some shows there.
So your new album was recorded in Australia?
Jason: It was mostly demos but there is one track, we recorded drums and a bunch of other stuff in Jack's living room… as him and his roommates were moving out, we were living out of a cooler. I recorded on his dad's drum kit for a song that’s on our next record, ‘Sex, Drugs And Disco’, called ‘Need You.’
When’s that going to be out?
Josh: We're hoping this year. A single should be coming out this summer, called ‘Love On Ice’.
You’re playing The Jazz Cafe tonight, but you’ve worked your way here. How do you reflect on your early experience as cruise ship performers?
Cole: Getting to play every single night together, you don’t get that opportunity very often. Even touring, you’re spending so much time in the van, and there’s so many other stressors. So just the sheer amount of time we got to experiment... I’ve always thought of it how a comedian will go on tour and try out jokes in front of an audience and change them up, and then you finally get the special at the end. It feels like the cruise ship was an incubator for us to try a bunch of different things and then bring that out into the world.
“I’ve always thought of it how a comedian will go on tour and try out jokes in front of an audience and change them up, and then you finally get the special at the end. It feels like the cruise ship was an incubator for us to try a bunch of different things and then bring that out into the world.”
Josh: Also when you’re on tour, generally the setlist is the same, you don’t really get the opportunity to expand like that. This becomes our main set that we play every night, it gets better and better every time, but it is kind of repetitive. But personally, I like doing this!
Jason: And on the real, when you’re first starting out, especially in the winter as Canadians, it’s just a good way to make money.
Talk to me about the outfits.
Mathew: We just like looking sexy. We gotta dedicate these pants to Hip Chick Design. Shout out Beth.
Josh: She makes all the pants. We thrift all our shirts and everything else.
Who are your musical inspirations and influences?
Mathew: Now that we’re here in London town… Jamiroquai. Another legendary Jazz Cafe performer, D’Angelo. Prince. Bruno Mars. James Brown. Earth Wind & Fire.
What’s your favourite thing about London?
Jason: Cask ales at pubs and a proper Sunday dinner is a beautiful thing. Y’all make fun of the British for having bland food… you’re wrong! British gravy is phenomenal. A good Sunday roast and a good Yorkshire pudding is phenomenal.
Mailk: I like the fashion down here man. I’ve been envious cause in the West we get everything 3 years later. Every time I’m here, I got my fashion game on.
Mathew: I bought this hat here!
Josh: I think the music scene here is amazing, there’s so many good players and amazing musicians to see, I love being around super talented people. And the second thing is that you can get a beer at like, eight in the morning, just with your breakfast and it's normal. And no one cares!
Jacob: That’s how I know these are my people! For me, level of musicianship for sure. This is one of the best music cities on earth.
Cole: It is amazing being able to just hop on a double decker bus and get where you need to go, and the views from the top too, getting to see the city. I remember when we were flying in and seeing the way it winds and bends and the fact that everything is two or three stories unless you're right downtown makes it feel a lot more human-sized. And the architecture, Saint Paul's Cathedral, the history here is amazing.
“British gravy is phenomenal. A good Sunday roast and a good Yorkshire pudding is phenomenal.”
Are you coming back to the UK any time soon?
Malik: Absolutely man. Any time there’s an English breakfast or some Yorkshire pudding, I’m here bruv.
Mathew: We’re playing Manchester tomorrow and then we’ll come back as soon as you guys call.
Malik: Shout out to every musician that's ever played this Cafe. We're about to play this Cafe and keep the level high.
Jason: Also shout out to all our fans here for selling this show out, we are so excited to play for y'all!
See the best photos of The Free Label’s performance at The Jazz Cafe.