Groove Podcast: Duncan Coutts on Bass, Belonging, and 30 Years of Our Lady Peace

Duncan Coutts joined Our Lady Peace at a pivotal moment in 1995, just after the band’s breakout debut Naveed. But in this conversation, we dig much deeper than just liner notes and tour dates.

Duncan and I have known each other for almost the entire 30 years that Our Lady Peace (the band is rounded out by singer, Raine Maida, guitarist Steve Mazur and drummer Jason Pierce) has been around and we have been friends since those early days. In our conversation, he opens up about how he discovered the bass out of necessity, his early fascination with the low end, and how a broken leg and a record player in Whistler brought him closer to Rush than most fans will ever get.

From that formative period to a fateful audition following a tour with Van Halen, Duncan’s journey into Our Lady Peace is equal parts chance and relentless pursuit. But this isn’t a simple origin story. It’s a reflection on what it means to find your voice as a musician – especially when you’re not the “original” guy in the band.

Duncan talks about being invited in, learning to stop feeling like a guest at the table, and how specific songs like “4am” and “Superman’s Dead” helped him find his emotional footing. We get candid about studio tension, the influence of producers like Arnold Lanni and Bob Rock, and how certain decisions – like Raine’s shift toward more accessible lyrics – pushed the band into unexpected creative territory. There’s a lot here about gear, tone chasing, playing with restraint, and how Duncan approaches negative space on the bass – not to mention his admiration for players like Graham Maby and James Jamerson.

We also revisit major milestones like the albums Spiritual Machines and Gravity, including Duncan’s experience recording with Matt Cameron (Soundgarden and Pearl Jam) and why those sessions still define who he is as a player. Plus, we go behind the curtain: how the band copes with off nights, the emotional weight of playing hits like “Clumsy” 30 years on, and what it’s like to be the emotional anchor in a band whose sound constantly reinvents itself. Whether you’re a lifelong fan, a fellow bassist, or just someone curious about what keeps a rock band thriving for three decades, this one is full of stories, laughter, lessons – and maybe even a few state secrets. Duncan Coutts is not just the heartbeat of OLP, he’s a reminder that humility and evolution can coexist in the spotlight.

Enjoy the conversation…