Whether it’s driving fast or driving everyone crazy, musician Ashley MacIsaac is many things: dull ain’t one of them.
By Carter Hammett
Throughout a colourful, controversial, hot-and-cold career marked by artistic highs and financial lows, one thing’s remained constant throughout musician Ashley
never- dull star journey: a deep abiding love of cars.
“Always loved cars, especially sedans,” MacIsaac growls over the phone from his home in Windsor, O.N. “I got my license at 16 and shortly after got myself a 1989 Pontiac Parisienne Brougham while still in high school. I wound up competing with the high school principal who also had a Brougham. I wound up parking in his space!” he says with a laugh.
MacIsaac says he flipped cars frequently and claims to have owned a slew of cars including a 1995 Grand Marquis GS, and a 1969 Delta 98 among many others. “When I moved to Toronto, I got rid of all my cars,” he says.
These days he’s content moving himself to gigs in cars that give him lots of comfort.
“I do a lot of long-distance travel often so I might have to drive three-or-four hours just to get there. You need to be relaxed before- and- after the show. When I’m working, the most comfortable place for me is on the highway. There’s safety and security too.”
“I often drive from Windsor O.N. to Halifax and that’s a 26-hour drive. A bigger car is just more comfortable. Plus I like to smoke while driving.”
Furthermore, he thrives being on the road, whether it’s the lonesome highway or even being stuck at rush hour. “I’m a city guy. I love driving in congested traffic,” he laughs.
Beginnings
A fiddling prodigy and cousin to renowned musicians Jack White (of the White Stripes) and Natalie MacMaster, MacIsaac was born in 1975 in Creignish, N.S.. He grew up playing traditional Celtic music while learning from some of the best fiddlers while growing up on Cape Breton Island. While still a teenager, he released two albums of fiddle music before his career took off in 1995.
That was the year he released Hi How Are You Today? An album that merged traditional fiddle rhythms with punk rock and dance music that produced a top 20 hit with “Sleepy Maggie” in collaboration with Gaelic singer Mary Jane Lamond. That led to heavy video rotation, movie appearances, more music, an autobiography and a growing reputation as an enfant terrible, complete with unpredictable behaviours that have raised a lot of eyebrows over the years.
He appears to have slowed down in recent times but continues to write, record and perform, including The Festival of Small Halls and venues like Hugh’s Room in Toronto.
In 2015 musician Phillip Glass composed a music piece called “Orion” in collaboration with numerous musicians including MacIsaac. MacIsaac revisits Glass’ music in a project intended for recording in April. He states he’s also working on a long-awaited country album. “I’m trying to bring a George Jones vibe with a fiddle player.
“It’s a different world post-Covid,” he says. “The music industry’s changed. If you’re trying to sell CDs, you need to figure out different angles.”
That includes lots of touring he says, noting that sometimes unexpected things happen on the road.
“One time we were travelling on a bus around the eastern seaboard and we passed a bus stop and something inside made me wanna turn back. Turned out the bus we passed had broken down and belonged to (rock group) The Proclaimers (of “500 Miles” fame) and they still had 500 miles to go!”
“As an Atlantic Canadian I still see certain things as a driver. The government should get their shit together so more people can be safe on the road. It’s important: being on the road in Canada is a great pleasure.”