They're out in the open

Self-described as a “gay church folk” group, The Hidden Cameras loathe to label their music as a certain genre. In an interview with The Diamondback, lead singer and songwriter Joel Gibb said “our music is about love” and refused to expand any further.

Perhaps it is only fitting for such a band to avoid categorization. After all, its music occupies a niche that very few bands even dare to attempt to enter. What The Hidden Cameras do is not easy — the Toronto-based group makes its living destroying taboos and stereotypes. Gay musicians have come and gone, but The Hidden Cameras express the sexuality of its members without any reservations.

Dealing with homosexual experiences and bathroom humor, The Hidden Cameras seem to have a reputation of being very open — perhaps open enough to make sensitive listeners uncomfortable. Over the course of eight years and five full-length albums, the band has taken on various subjects and infused them with wit and joyful pop music.

The song “Ban Marriage” from their 2003 album, The Smell of Our Own, tackles the issue of gay marriage. Other songs combine religion with innuendo: “Golden Streams” has a self-explanatory title but also refers to heaven.

On their 2004 album Mississauga Goddam, the lyrics of “In The Union Of Wine” have a double meaning: “I drank the wine that came from inside/ The heart of his meat and the splurge of his sweet.” Others are more explicit, such as “I Want Another Enema.”
Gibb, however, is not keen on sensationalizing his band’s lyrics and music.

“Sometimes it comes out in the wrong way,” he said. “I would hate to say that this is what it is. There’s no one word or phrase to describe us or our music.”

The Hidden Cameras are not only progressive and uninhibited in their lyrics, but they are also willing to experiment with their live performances. Recently, the band played a highly choreographed concert involving a large choir, dancers and actors. Instruments, including violins, cellos and guitars, were played by blindfolded musicians moving in choreographed precision.

Still, Gibb elects to remain coy about his perspective on the innovative performances.

“There can be some dancing,” Gibb said. “Sometimes we have choreography. Sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we have a string section but not necessarily all the time.”

Gibb, though, is a little less vague when it comes to discussing their newest album Origin: Orphan.

“In the new album, there are a lot of darker songs,” he said. “We start with that darkness and shifting to the more exuberant pretty aspects. So it takes you on a journey.”

Gibb and his band are eager to stay original and find new directions for their work to maintain freshness and creativity. With their new album, The Hidden Cameras have let go of the racy lyrics and toned down the sexual imagery. They stay away from singularities and infuse their music with multiple interpretations. Their new single, “In the NA,” touches upon this notion.

“Na is like a variable, like x, y or z,” Gibb explained. “The song is about meaning and interpretation. It’s about trying to get away from that one meaning that every artist is supposed to explain. Everyone is supposed to bow down to that one meaning. I’m not that kind of artist. With 'NA,' you can replace it with different things, and the song can have different meanings based on your experience.”

With the band’s polarizing subject matter and highly suggestive music, there are many reasons to love or hate The Hidden Cameras. When asked about the appeal of his music, Gibb simply responded, “Anybody who likes music will enjoy our music.”

The Hidden Cameras will perform at The Rock N Roll Hotel tomorrow. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Doors open at 9 p.m.

sthaper@umd.edu