Having spent a good bit of his life working from the road, both as a sheet metal worker and as a high-kickin’ rock-n-roller’, Andre Pettipas is no stranger to homesickness. As much as musicians love touring, on some level, the desire to run screaming for your most familiar four walls remains a near-universal affliction.
Following their previously released “Sympathy Card” and the titular “No Fools No Fun,” “Homesick” is the final single to be released from Andre Pettipas and The Giant’s upcoming album and features the legendary Christopher Thorn of Blind Melon on the power-pop ballad.
Pettipas says that, although he’s been homesick plenty of times, there was one experience in particular that stood out so strongly for him that it resulted in the near-spontaneous genesis of this song’s lyrics. The whole song poured out one night after a slow Tuesday in 2018 during a tour of Western Canada.
“I was back at the hotel room thousand of kilometres away from my family and loved ones contemplating my life on the road,” says Pettipas. “I’ve been there before but this one seemed to strike a chord with a slightly edgier distortion. I had the chorus written that evening and full lyrics done the next day on our way to Edmonton.
Spoiler alert: “Homesick” stands out as one of the best tracks on Andre Pettipas and the Giant’s upcoming album, No Fools, No Fun, but it almost didn’t even make the cut.
“It actually took some time before I brought it to the band,” says Pettipas, noting that the song has been largely discarded in their group Dropbox among a folder of demos. It would have been dismissed entirely, had it not been for Mark Cosham, the band’s drummer, digging it out to sing its praises.
“I tried to play it off [as a] dumb sad song, man,” says Pettipas. “I don’t think it fits our image. He fought for the tune to be brought in as a Giants tune and I’m some glad he did. It turned out to be a fan favourite and one of my personal favourites to perform.”
Not only did this unexpected gem prove to be a favourite, it also turned into a lucky experience to have Christopher Thorn, the guitarist of Blind Melon (one of Pettipas’ favourite bands) perform on the track.
After finishing tracking with producer Brian Moncarz (Alice Cooper, OLP), but recognizing the song needed a little extra something in the slide guitar department. Knowing that Pettipas was a huge fan of Blind Melon, and having met Thorn at NAMM in California the year before, Moncarz decided to reach out.
A few weeks later and Brian receives a fuzzed-out, tremolo-soaked lead from Blind Melon’s guitarist.
“Honestly, did not think it was going to happen,” laughs Pettipas. “I put my in-ear monitors in for the first listen and my eyes began to water as soon as I hear that first slide note enter in the chorus.”
Tour Dates:
06.18.21 – Bridgewater, NS @ Firkinstein Brewing
07.01.21 – Truro, NS @ Belly Up BBQ & Grill
07.09.21 – Antigonish, NS @ Steinhart Distillery
07.10.21 – Pictou, NS @ Pictou Lobster Carnival