54-40 Has Northern Soul: Q & A with Neil Osborne

Popshifter: When I first heard “Northern Soul,” it was in the form of an MP3 file that another fan had sent me. The song on its own is very powerful and emotionally moving. But when I finally saw the video I was blown away, and it caused me to think a lot about the current state of world affairs. Everyone’s reaction to this is going to be different to some degree. Could you comment on some of the reactions you’ve gotten from it so far?

Neil Osborne: I think the reaction has been the correct one—by that I mean listeners are drawn into the emotive nature of the song’s subject. This, for a songwriter, is not easy but always the target.

Popshifter: How did you hook up with Sol Friedman for this project? Who approached who, and whose idea was “Northern Soul?”

Neil Osborne: Sol was recommended by staff at True North [54-40’s label] and once we saw his reel we gave a green light. I wrote the song.

Popshifter: Has this video been, or would you like to see it, on television?

Neil Osborne: It wouldn’t bother me.

Popshifter: The song and video cover such a short time frame in the characters’ lives. Were they based on anyone in particular? I ask because it could be anyone and everyone but it also seems like this could apply to any conflict where war is involved, where the actual year is irrelevant.

Neil Osborne: Actually war is irrelevant—and the potential futures of those killed become irrelevant. The song itself is a direct response to Canadian soldiers being killed in Afghanistan. I feel no mother should sacrifice her child in conflict. That is the true terrorism. We (Canadians) shouldn’t be there, period. Just one mother losing a son isn’t worth any price.

Popshifter: I interpreted the song and video to show the consequence of a son being killed in a war, and the lyrics really bring forth that the son was just a regular person who was unsure of what he was fighting for. What would you say to someone who is about to go off on a tour of duty? What would you say to their families?

Photo © Mark Maryanovich

Neil Osborne: I would say “you are better than this war.”

Popshifter: Have you ever lost someone close to you due to warfare?

Neil Osborne: No, and I intend to keep it that way.

Popshifter: A lot of people who go off to war do so because they feel they’re doing the right thing by serving their country. Are there any other ways we can serve our country, though? In other words, what can we do to put an end to war?

Neil Osborne: The best way to serve our country is to NOT GO TO WAR. Actively engage to change this political attitude and restore this country’s good reputation of levelheadedness.

Popshifter: Although it’s important to maintain one’s identity, is the notion of serving one’s country something that’s perhaps becoming outdated due to the intermingling of cultures around the world and the emergence of a global community via modern technology?

Neil Osborne: Yes, I believe you are correct. The media culture of our friends to the south have propagated this myth far too effectively. Lazy people don’t dig deep. Most don’t want to do the work.

54-40 Northern Soul album artwork

Popshifter: For now, “Northern Soul” has a viral internet presence. But there are a few other new songs available from the Northern Soul page (“Snap,” “Where Did the Money Go,” and “Wind Down”), so I was under the impression they’d be on an album if you were planning on doing one. Are there any plans to release an album for it, or would that take something away from the video’s message?

Neil Osborne: As I said earlier, the song stands as its own testament. It is however, the title track to the next 54-40 album. The album itself deals mostly with shadow themes in the psyche and how it affects relationships. This business of Canada in a supposed war is a big ugly shadow that needs to be acknowledged, forgiven, and ultimately stripped of its influence.

Additional Resources:

For more on 54-40, including tour dates and video clips, please visit their Official Website or their MySpace page.

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