Get into the Van Morrison
Toronto’s Golden Dogs nickname tour vehicle, head out on first Western jaunt
Jen Zoratti

The Golden Dogs are more excited about a November cross-country trip than any band should be — but that’s because they’ve never done it before.

Armed with an explosive new album and a new van, the Toronto buzz band is finally able to share those manic, sweat-slicked live shows that Southern Ontario has been blessed with for so long.

“We’ve done a lot of touring,” says frontman Dave Azzolini. “But it’s really been limited to Ontario, mostly a 401 sort of thing. But now that the new album is out and we have a van now — we named it Van Morrison because it’s purple and has bald spots — we can make the trip. I just hope our tires can deal with it.”

The raucous indie quintet, rounded out by Jessica Grassia (keys, percussion), Taylor Knox (drums), Neil Quin (guitar) and Stew Heyduk (bass), released its sophomore album, Big Eye Little Eye, in August, and the infectious, frenetic garage rock romp has been racking up raves from critics and fans alike.

But the Dogs are by no means the new kids on the indie block. The five-piece has been revered in the Toronto scene since the 2004 release of its seminal debut Everything in 3 Parts, a disc that landed the group opening slots for the likes of Kaiser Chiefs and Bloc Party.

But there’s always room to improve. To make Big Eye Little Eye, the band had to leave Azzolini and Grassia’s basement (the pair are married) and head into a studio.

“We wanted to work in a studio with a real producer,” Azzolini says. “We wanted the experience of making an album in the classical sense. Our last album was basically recorded in our basement.”

They snagged the ever-effervescent Paul Aucoin — whose projects include work with sparkling shoegazer band The Hylozoists — to help capture their gritty basement rock sound without actually recording in one.

“It was very focused work,” Azzolini says. “It felt like he was a band member with us. We ran into him at a gig and it was sort of destiny, I guess. I’ve heard the Hylozoists stuff, so I knew he’d be good. We’re really happy with how it turned out.”

Though the Dogs had no trouble working with its maven producer, a last-minute lineup snag could have spelled disaster.

“Our drummer (Beau Stocker) left two weeks before we had to record. He got accepted to go to school in England” Azzolini says. “Luckily, my bass player is great at drums.”

With Knox behind the kit, the Golden Dogs were left to find a bassist — again.

“We went through nine bass players in 2005,” Azzolini says, “but we’ve had a steady lineup for a while now, and all the players in this band are getting tighter all the time, and we’re all anxious to get out West. There’s something so cool about feeling the width of the country. It’s insane how big it is.”

Here’s hoping Van Morrison is up to the task.

“We’re looking forward to it,” Azzolini laughs. “As long as we don’t die, everything will be great.”