Over the past two years, Sam Coffey and The Iron Lungs have had a lot of good things come their way.
Since the release of their self-titled EP in 2017, their song “Talk 2 Her” has earned regular play on Canadian alternative and rock radio, and they have toured Canada from coast-to-coast on several occasions.
“[Radio play] raised our profile quite a bit. In Canada, people actually know who we are,” Coffey said.
Coffey originally formed his group 12 years ago in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont.
Over time, members came and left. The current line-up is based out of Toronto and has been together since about 2011, Coffey said.
Coffee said that all the members have gone through significant life changes since forming the band’s current line-up. Coffey had to quit his job to commit to the band. He says it was a big gamble, but it was a decision he’s been okay with.
“It was just a big life change, but we all have embraced it really well and we’ve all been there for each other, and it’s going great so far. We can’t have a single complaint, and I would do it the same way if I could do it all over again,” he said.
Coffey says the best thing about being in the band is touring. They are currently wrapping up a North America tour with UK rockers Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls.
“It’s been a total blessing for us, like we’re super happy about it, we feel super lucky every night, and playing these beautiful rooms across and in America is always a super big treat,” he said.
A few months before the tour, the band managed to overcome an unexpected setback. While driving back to Toronto from a festival in Northern Ontario, their tour van was involved in a serious collision in the middle of the night. No one was hurt, but the van sustained serious and irreparable damage. Replacing it was going to be expensive, so they asked fans to donate to a GoFundMe campaign.
After raising $9,500, they were able to replace the van. To thank fans, they played a free intimate show at a salon in Toronto.
“It’s a great van,” Coffey said about his new tour ride, which he refers to as “The People’s Van.”
One of the highlights of the tour was in London, Ont., where one of the band’s friends told them that his nine-year-old daughter had learned a Sam Coffey and The Iron Lungs song on guitar. The band was impressed, so they invited her to join them on stage. Coffey said she worked hard to practice the song, and that at the performance, she did a great job.
Coffey and his bandmates were very impressed, but it was also very emotional for them.
“We were all super choked up about it. Her dad was telling us, ‘You have no idea how impactful this could be for a nine-year-old kid,’ and I was like, ‘Dude, you have no idea how impactful it is for us that even a nine-year-old kid likes us’ . . . it was one of the best nights I can remember,” Coffey said.
Coffey’s relationship with Turner was one of the more notable parts of the tour. Turner is known for having full control over who joins him on the road. Months before, Coffey’s name was included in a list of potential supporting acts for Turner’s Be More Kind tour. After a period of waiting, he was given the news that it would happen.
Coffey describes Turner as a great performer, but also as a genuine and authentic person—two things he aims to take away from this touring experience.
“He’s using music to try to get a change out of everything, and I think that’s really amazing. I definitely think that’s going to affect the way I look at songwriting,” Coffey said.
After the last few shows with Turner, Sam Coffey and The Iron Lungs are expecting to work on a new album. Their latest single, “First Time,” was released on Sept. 28, and has already been played on Canadian rock radio.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do, and we’re excited to tackle it,” Coffey said.
Photo by Jeff Pelletier
