Big Sugar back together and in city

After being a headline band in the 1990s, Big Sugar split in 2004, moving onto to other projects.

But there was no animosity, said lead singer Gordie Johnson, so when the right circumstances arose last year, the band reformed, and hit the road and the studio.

The road continues, and will make a stop in Yorkton Nov. 8, along with Wide Mouth Mason, which now includes Johnson on bass.

The current Revolution Per Minute Tour is on support of Big Sugar's new CD release of the same name.

"It's our first record in 10-years," Johnson told Yorkton This Week in a recent telephone interview from Texas. He added the disk "was never part of the larger scheme of things." He said the band had had a long run, but had called it quits. "We had kind of stuck to that for a long time."

Johnson said there had certainly been offers to reform for shows, and tours, but they had always resisted them simply because "everybody had taken off in different directions."

But then in 2010 a call came and Johnson felt "enough time had passed," that it was "an excuse to call the guys."

While not expecting it, Johnson said "everybody jumped at it It kind of caught me off guard."

So Big Sugar came back together.

Johnson said it took very little time playing the hits before the band's attention turned to interest in creating new material. He said that was a natural really.

"For years we'd been getting offers to come play the hits for tons of money," he said, adding that "had very limited appeal.

"We love the old songs and love playing them in the shows for the fans, but to keep it valid we wanted new music."

Johnson said in his own case he has other bands he plays with, so he doesn't need Big Sugar, unless it remains a fresh and vital vehicle through new music.

If a band is just playing their old music day in and day out "it becomes shift work, and I check out," said Johnson.

The latest album continues the evolution of Big Sugar, said Johnson.

"Listen to Big Sugar's catalogue, no two records sound the same. We've evolved," he said, adding that at the same time" when you put it on, you instantly recognize it as Big Sugar."

Johnson said the new disk follows Big Sugar's evolution.

"We kind of picked up the story and kept on telling it," he said, "I think it's a good companion piece (to previous releases)."

Johnson said the Revolution Per Minute does go back to some of Big Sugar's earlier works when there was less people away from the band involved, so there is less emphasis on being radio-friendly, or songs being a particular length.

Less constraint is a good thing, he added. "I think that makes for better records."

The tour, which includes Yorkton, will be the first extended one since the band reformed.

"It'll be our first time in a tour bus side-by-side for two solid months," said Johnson. "Everyone is really looking forward to it."