“I really think you should follow your bliss. You may get yourself into a mess, but if you follow your feelings I believe it is always going to be the correct path.”
After nearly two decades as a multi-instrumental member of Arcade Fire, Richard Reed Parry’s life of touring with one of the world’s biggest rock bands came to an abrupt halt with the pandemic.
“I’m someone who has traveled a lot. I didn’t choose that life by design; it kind of chose me. Traveling all the time for a living is a crazy way to live,” says Parry. “I’ve been very happy for the change of pace and the creative reset, to be honest.”
At home in Montreal, Parry remains busier than ever, writing and recording new music on a diverse range of projects, including an album with Bell Orchestre, a collaboration with New York-based jazz drummer Susie Ibarra, two solo albums and a film soundtrack.
And he’s been in the studio with Arcade Fire — working on the follow-up to 2017’s Everything Now.
Looking forward to performing live again
“I’m making a record with Sarah Neufeld from Arcade Fire, and cellist Rebecca Foon, who were the first people I started making music with when I moved to Montreal.
“We’re [Bell Orchestre] supposed to do a show in the fall with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, which is pretty cool. We’ll have our fingers crossed that it comes together and works out.”
Experience studying at Concordia
“I was thinking of going into general music or education — I almost ended up with a minor in contemporary dance — and then very quickly gravitated toward Electroacoustic Studies, which seemed far more interesting to me. I really liked the approach to collaboration and public performance.”
An influential professor
“My advisor, Kevin Austin, had an incredibly deep mind and breadth of understanding of everything in the world. Listening to him teach a history class was really inspiring because he would point to relationships and show how everything is connected.”
“He taught me that it’s totally legit – if not important – to approach education by going after everything that holds your interest, which I did with a voracious appetite.”
Best career advice
“I really think you should follow your bliss. You may get yourself into a mess, but if you follow your feelings I believe it is always going to be the correct path.”