Interview by Paul Salfen
As Canadian rock stalwarts Our Lady Peace (OLP) celebrate their 30th anniversary, they’ve marked the milestone with a powerful gesture: the release of “Whatever (Redux),” a re-recorded version of their 2003 hit “Whatever.” Originally penned as the entrance theme for WWE wrestler Chris Benoit, the song was retired by the band after the tragic 2007 murder-suicide involving Benoit and his family. Now, 23 years later, OLP is reclaiming the track to support mental health and suicide prevention initiatives, donating all streaming proceeds to organizations across North America. In a candid conversation with Paul Salfen of AMFM Magazine, lead vocalist Raine Maida opened up about the emotional weight of revisiting “Whatever,” the band’s vibrant “Summer Unity Tour” with Collective Soul and +LIVE+, and their gratitude for three decades of music and connection.
The decision to re-record “Whatever” came as part of OLP’s year-long 30th anniversary celebration, which includes three new EPs under the “OLP30” banner and a tour that’s electrifying audiences across the continent. Despite shelving the song for nearly two decades, its enduring popularity—remaining one of the band’s top three streamed tracks globally—prompted Maida and bandmates Duncan Coutts, Steve Mazur, and Jason Pierce to reimagine it. Working with producer Nick Raskulinecz in Nashville, they crafted “Whatever (Redux)” to preserve the song’s raw energy while infusing it with a fresh purpose tied to mental health advocacy.
“This is about not being scared to reach out,” Maida told crowds during the tour, emphasizing the song’s new mission. “For anyone that is struggling, there is hope, there is help.” The band’s commitment to mental health is personal, rooted in the tragedy that once overshadowed the song and their long history of addressing themes of isolation and resilience in tracks like “Thief” and “In Repair.”
In the interview, Maida reflected on the tour, the band’s legacy, and their forward-looking approach to music. “It’s been a blast so far,” he said of the “Summer Unity Tour.” “Amazing shows. Crowds have been awesome. You get to tour with your peers like this, and we’ve known Collective Soul for a long time. Those guys are pros, and Ed and the boys in Live are great.” The tour, which runs through August 30, 2025, in Atlantic City, NJ, features OLP performing “Whatever (Redux)” live for the first time in over two decades, alongside hits like “Clumsy” and new tracks from their recent EPs.
The emotional weight of bringing “Whatever” back to the stage is palpable. “The reactions have been really amazing,” Maida shared. “I talk about it beforehand, and you can feel the energy in the room shift.” The song’s revival is more than a musical comeback—it’s a reclamation of a piece of OLP’s history, transforming a painful chapter into a beacon of hope. “We’re going to donate every cent that it makes on Spotify or Apple to mental health awareness and suicide hotlines all around the country,” Maida explained. “It feels like we’re able to bring this thing out of the darkness and shine some light on it.”
Reflecting on 30 years as a band, Maida marveled at the journey. “It goes fast. It happens quickly,” he said. “I look back on all the things that we’ve done, and it’s just like, oh my God, it’s a whirlwind.” Yet OLP remains focused on the present and future, with new music in the works. “We recorded three other new songs with Nick Raskulinecz in Nashville earlier in the year,” Maida noted. “There’s nothing nostalgic about Our Lady Peace. It’s all about what’s coming.”
For aspiring musicians in the audience, Maida offered hard-earned wisdom: “The idea of really honing your craft was maybe lost for a minute. I feel like it’s coming back. Being a TikTok star only goes so far. You got to be the real deal to have a career.” He also emphasized the importance of direct fan connections, highlighting his platform FanDrop.com, where fans can access exclusive content at shows. “That’s my way of saying, hey, we want to connect directly with you,” he said.
When asked about a defining “Hail Mary” moment in his career—a nod to Salfen’s co-host, Dallas Cowboys legend Drew Pearson—Maida pointed to “Whatever (Redux).” “The idea that we’re able to take something that really was not good and had a lot of darkness associated with it and flip it, and do some good with it, that’s a big deal for us,” he said. “It’s pretty profound.”
Before hitting the stage, Maida and the band ground themselves in gratitude. “We go on stage every night, we have like a little football huddle,” he shared. “We all put our hands in the circle. We bless one thing that someone has, and we go out there with gratitude.” This ritual fuels their performances, whether they’re playing hits like “Superman’s Dead” or digging into deeper cuts for their upcoming winter headlining tour in the US.
Balancing fan favorites with rare tracks is no easy feat. “That is difficult, man,” Maida admitted. “Everyone knows what our hits are, and people expect those. But a lot of fans want to see deeper cuts.” The band plans to explore their extensive catalog more deeply on their winter tour, while also teasing a forthcoming album with new material recorded in Nashville.
As OLP prepares to hit Texas, Maida’s excitement was clear. “It’s barbecue time, man,” he laughed, noting the band’s love for judging cities by their food. From New York’s cheesesteaks to Texas barbecue, OLP’s tour is as much a culinary adventure as a musical one.
Fans can catch Our Lady Peace on the “Summer Unity Tour” through August 30, 2025, with tickets available at livenation.com. “Whatever (Redux)” is streaming on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, with every play supporting mental health and suicide prevention efforts. A short film, “Full Circle (Documentary),” released on May 29, 2025, offers a behind-the-scenes look at the making of OLP’s new music, available on their official YouTube page.
With “Whatever (Redux),” Our Lady Peace is not just celebrating 30 years of music but redefining their legacy. By transforming a song once tied to tragedy into a force for good, they’re proving that even the darkest moments can lead to light.
Sources: AMFM Magazine interview, Our Lady Peace official website
