Canadian jam band legend continues to shine in an acoustic setting on latest original six-song collection
Following his acclaimed solo debut in 2023—which GratefulWeb.com praised as “a true feast for the ears, especially for fans of Bruce Cockburn and Jerry Garcia’s acoustic work”—Toronto-based singer/songwriter Mark Thackway returns with his latest release, Twisted. This six-song collection captures Thackway’s signature live-off-the-floor style, blending stellar guitar work with heartfelt vocals and thoughtful storytelling.
With Twisted now available on Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music, Thackway continues his evolution as an artist. Backed by the talents of Andrew Collins on mandolin, James McEleny and John Dymond (of Blackie & The Rodeo Kings) on upright bass, the EP explores timely themes of personal freedom, cultural disorientation, and living in the moment. From the poignant title track “Twisted” to the bluegrass-tinged “Fly,” the songs showcase Thackway’s roots in Canada’s jam band scene while carving a new path as a solo artist.
In this interview, we catch up with Mark Thackway to discuss the making of Twisted, his approach to songwriting, and how embracing the solo spotlight has opened a new chapter in his musical journey.
First off, care to introduce yourself to our readers?
First, let me say thanks for listening and taking the time and interest in this project. I’m Mark Thackway, just a guitar player who loves to play. I’ve been at it a long time, and I love it more every day. I’m lucky to be able to do this. I toured fairly extensively with a band – Days of You, made a bunch of independent records. I have my own band – Mark T Band, and I play in a friend’s band – Tyler Ellis and the Eddy Line. I also play a ton of solo gigs these days, love it. And, I’ve done a fair number of sessions as a guitar player
Twisted captures such an intimate, live-off-the-floor feel. What drew you to that raw, stripped-down recording approach for this project?
Thanks – I’ve always liked the sounds of well-recorded performances. Especially stripped down and less ‘produced’, honest. Warts and all. I grew up listening to a lot of ‘50’s’50s jazz where the recording process was minimal, compared to now anyway. There’s nothing like killer mics and wooden instruments.
“Liberty” touches on your concern for your son living in the U.S.—how did personal experiences influence the songwriting on this release?
Liberty came to me quickly, thinking about NYC during the 2020 US election and Covid. The promise of new beginnings and hope. Concern for the polarization and divide in the US. The other tunes just kind of showed up. Either from guitar riffs or phrases here and there. All inspired by things I was doing during the time they were showing up.
How did you connect with Andrew Collins, James McEleny, and John Dymond, and what did they bring to the sessions that elevated the songs?
Andrew and I have some mutual friends, I’d heard his trio and dug it. We spoke before my first EP. I was hoping we might be able to get together then. As it happened, this timing worked. Andrew brings a feel and tone that hits my ear in that special way, reminds me of some of my favorite players.
I met James a few times through mutual friends and dug his playing too.. James took the songs to where I thought he would organically. I think we all come from a similar musical sentiment
I’ve met John a few times. I’m a big Blackie and The Rodeo Kings fan and I love John’s playing. He was playing near me one night, and I asked him, and he said Sure. I love his tone and phrasing.
Playing with players at this level is hugely rewarding.
The song “Fly” really lets each musician shine. Was it important to you that Twisted still had a bit of that jam-band spirit, even in a solo setting?
Thanks. I didn’t consciously think about how I wanted it to sound. I’m more interested in how it sounds based on the people involved. Letting/encouraging their voices to come through. No direction, just play and see how it feels. I’m not really one to stick to formulas.
You’ve got shows lined up across Ontario—what can fans expect from your live set?
I’m really lucky to be able to play the amount I’m playing. I go in without a setlist and just play from where my hands wind up on my guitar. I characterize what I do by saying, I play songs I wrote and songs I wish I wrote. I play a bunch of covers, mostly rootsy Americana-ish tunes. Lots more tunes on the way😊