Roger Roger!

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Author: ed kapp | contributor

Coming to O’Hanlons Jan. 26

It was basically inevitable.

At least that’s what twins Lucas and Madeleine Roger say about Roger Roger — the Winnipeg-based pair’s story-based folk/roots band, which is to perform Jan. 26 at O’Hanlons.

The siblings come from a musical household, which spurred Madeleine to begin writing music — music that quickly caught the ears of brother Lucas about two years ago.

Twins, musicians, and friends, Madeleine and Lucas Roger by Roger Roger

Twins, musicians, and friends, Madeleine and Lucas Roger | by Roger Roger

“I started writing songs just over two years ago and, when I thought nobody was home, I was playing them in my house. My brother came into the room, heard them and asked me whose songs I was playing,” Madeleine recalls.

“I said I was playing my own and he asked if he could learn them.”

Lucas, meanwhile, had his own body of work as a musician, which he shared with his sister, who happily returned the favour. It didn’t take long, Madeleine remembers, for the duo to have enough material for a few sets.

“We booked a few shows and, a little while later, we played the Young Performers Program at the Winnipeg Folk Festival,” Madeleine says. “Then after that we just started doing it more and more.”

It took a while for the Rogers to officially join forces as musicians. But the pair was quickly able to make up for lost time.

How?

“We’re comfortable with each other, and we know what the other person is doing and even thinking sometimes,” Lucas offers. “We connect pretty well in how we feel musically, and in other ways, too.”

“People have always told us that we’re so nice to each other,” Madeleine adds. “I don’t know if we always agreed, but people throughout our whole lives have always said, ‘Wow, you guys are so nice to each other!’ And I think that helps, too.”

That’s not to say there haven’t been creative difficulties, but Roger Roger has been able to overcome those issues, agreeing about “most things.”

“In terms of the project — in terms of Roger Roger, the album, and the trajectory for where we want to be going, we’re really on the same page for that kind of stuff,” Madeleine says before laughing, “it’s mostly just in terms of, like, whose turn it is to do the dishes.”

“Let me set the record straight,” Lucas interrupts with a chuckle. “It’s Madeleine’s turn to do them.”

Roger Roger has received a ton of support from the siblings’ family, oftentimes in the form of late-night food deliveries to the studio. The band has also been well-received by those outside the family, too.

“The reviews so far have been really positive,” Lucas says. “It’s been cool to see it coming in from places that we wouldn’t expect and all different age groups and demographics. That’s been a fun, surprising part.

“We’ve been hearing from a lot of different people that they’re thrilled with how genuine we sound. And I, for one, am thrilled to hear that,” Madeleine adds. “Lucas and I are checking in with ourselves to make sure we’re doing this for the right reasons and staying aware of who we are as people, how we want to present our art, and making art that’s of service to other people that doesn’t feel self-indulgent.

“I’m really, really happy to hear that people feel the work we’ve been doing feels genuine.”

 

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