The Trews, a hard rock quartet, surfaced from Hamilton, Ontario during the early 2000s. They built a reputation as one of Canada's most tireless acts through hundreds of performances each year and reached mainstream audiences with the Juno-nominated 2003 hit single "Not Ready to Go" from their gold-certified debut album House of Ill Fame. Their sound combined alt-rock bite with catchy, riff-driven energy. The group became a consistent presence on the charts and collected praise along with a devoted following across releases such as 2005's Den of Thieves and the self-titled 2014 album. After issuing a 2016 career-spanning collection, the band delivered their energetic sixth album, Civilianaires, in 2018.
The Trews originated in the Nova Scotia community of Antigonish in 1997 under the name One I'd Trouser, drawn from a Monty Python track. Brothers Colin MacDonald (vocals and guitar) and John-Angus MacDonald (lead guitar and vocals) plus bassist Jack Syperek have formed the stable core since the start, aside from a few early changes behind the drum kit. After Rose Murphy's brief time in the group, they put out a 1997 EP as One I'd Trouser featuring second drummer Ramsey Clark. Extensive Canadian road work over the following years eventually brought them to Niagara Falls, where they cultivated an audience throughout Southern Ontario. The 2002 rebrand to the Trews coincided with Sean Dalton joining on drums; the band then won a contest at a key St. Catharines radio station and secured their initial deal with Bumstead Records, an Epic affiliate. Big Sugar frontman Gordie Johnson produced the debut album House of Ill Fame, which arrived in August 2003 and generated broad national attention largely through the high-energy single "Not Ready to Go." A 2004 Juno nomination for New Group of the Year followed, and the live album House of Ill Fame: The Live Cut appeared that November. Building on the momentum, the Trews worked with producer Jack Douglas (Aerosmith, Cheap Trick) on 2005's Den of Thieves and earned their second straight gold record. Further intensive touring included shows supporting the Rolling Stones and Robert Plant. The 2008 album No Time for Later achieved the group's highest Canadian chart entry at the time, debuting at number four. Keyboardist Jeff Heisholt joined the touring lineup and contributed to the 2009 live set Acoustic: Friends & Total Strangers, also released as a DVD that earned another Juno nomination.
The band released the standalone single "Highway of Heroes" in 2010, written in tribute to Capt. Nichola Goddard, a former schoolmate and the first Canadian female soldier killed in Afghanistan. Proceeds went entirely to the Canadian Hero Fund, and the track became a major success. Co-produced by the Tragically Hip's Gord Sinclair and tracked at the Hip's Bathhouse Studio, 2011's Hope & Ruin performed strongly in Canada and especially well in Australia, where the Trews toured extensively. The 2012 seven-song EP Thank You & I'm Sorry included appearances by the Black Crowes' Rich Robinson and Eddie Harsch plus the Faces' Ian McLagan. Their 2014 self-titled fifth album debuted at number three on the national chart and topped the Rock, Alternative, and Independent Album charts. After the supporting tour, longtime drummer Dalton departed on good terms and Gavin Maguire stepped in. The 2016 retrospective Time Capsule marked their first two decades. Chris Gormley replaced Maguire on drums in early 2018, and the politically charged single "This Is US" preceded the sixth studio album Civilianaires that September.
