INTERVIEW: Big Wreck's Ian Thornley on the making of The Rest of the Story

When Big Wreck hit the studio in early 2023, they planned to roll out a trilogy of EPs titled Pages, continuing the format of their 7 series. But after Pages dropped that November and picked up a Juno nomination for Best Rock Album, the band’s manager proposed a different route — turning the remaining tracks into a full-length record instead. That shift gave rise to The Rest of the Story, Big Wreck’s eighth studio album, out Friday through Sonic Unyon Records.

Frontman Ian Thornley says while he originally wanted to stick with the multi-EP format, the new plan made sense. “The album still feels like a companion piece to Pages, but Thornley insists it’s not a simple continuation. From the Van Halen-inspired energy of "Holy Roller" to the pop rock sound of "Around", The Rest of the Story captures the band’s full range, shaped once again by producer Nick Raskulinecz and engineer Eric Ratz.

Barrie360's Julius Hern chatted with Thornley on how the project changed in the two years since Pages, and some extra details from the creation of the The Rest of the Story.