Brett Emmons is one of the most well-known frontmen in Canadian rock music.
The Glorious Sons first E.P. “Shapeless Art” was released in 2013 and since then, Emmons and The Sons band have seen a steady climb up the charts in Ontario, Canada, and around the world.
Their songs have been played on radio stations across North America and have been streamed hundreds of millions of times, with videos views in the tens of millions.
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The Glorious Sons perform at Base31 in Prince Edward County in 2024 (Photo: Base31 to Quinte News)
Brett’s music is now taking on a fresh take, with his solo project and the stage presence of John Shambles.
He spoke to Quinte News about his first record and tour, for the album Cabin Fever.
Emmons says it is another outlet to release music.
“Andrew (Young), who was in The Glorious Sons, he was our first guitar player, he used to call me John Bremmons when I’d get drunk, because he said I reminded him of an angry 50-year-old man. Shambles was always a word that I used in stories growing up. When I got a dog I named him Shambles. I always told my girlfriends that my first-born son would be named Shambles, so it will be Shambles Jr.
Cabin Fever will be released on April 30, 2026, and Emmons says he is looking forward to the months ahead.
“It’s going to be a really good summer, I think. A lot of The Glorious Sons shows, just back at er’ and we’re back in the studio with The Sons. It’s just really nice to be busy. It’s really fun to have these two different outlets. One I’ve found is cathartic in the way, when my skin starts to crawl in the lyrics, or I want to scream, I know that’s for The Sons. With this one (John Shambles), if I just want to chill and dig a little deeper, that’s for me.”
The full interview with Rock 107/Quinte News can be heard below.
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With his debut solo album set for release on April 30, John Shambles is bringing the project to life on the road with a newly announced headlining Spring Fever tour, making stops across Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, and Saskatchewan this spring, and kicking things off with a sold out show at Toronto’s Mod Club on March 13.
Cabin Fever marks a new solo venture for The Glorious Sons’ JUNO-Award winning frontman Brett Emmons, debuting the project under the professional moniker Shambles; a fitting introduction for a record steeped in nostalgia, washed guitars, and a well-worn feel.
Shambles has been building on the momentum of the forthcoming Cabin Fever with the release of several new tracks, infused with his quintessential raw, introspective storytelling, and blending lo-fi alternative, folk, garage rock, and more into a sound that’s equal parts fresh and welcomingly familiar. “Fool In The Woods” is a melodic dreamscape, while “Landmines” non-chalantly delves into the uncanny feeling of being perceived. “Try Not To Freak Out” is as clever as it is candid, and “New Friends” takes Emmons’ ability to turn a character study into a song to a new level. Across Cabin Fever, Shambles has crafted a narrative that’s both endearing and earnest; sharing a piece of imperfect, unpolished humanity through songwriting that is relatable, disarming, and impossibly captivating.
“I asked for one thing out of life from an early age and it happened. Almost 15 years ago now, I started this for real. I’m not a pop star. I’m not a fashion icon. I don’t believe in almost anything except for one thing: create. That’s it,”shares Shambles.
“It got confusing. Really confusing. But I decided after that, that this— right here— is all I wanted. Fuck money. Fuck stars. Fuck sub-genres. Fuck politicians. Fuck fashion. Movies. News. Movements. It’s all beyond my control. In fact, it gets more beyond my control with every passing year. So, I’m gonna do what I do. That’s it. I’m gonna do it relentlessly, and with a little help I’m gonna do it right from my front porch. The rest is for the birds.”
Cabin Fever Track Listing
- Concrete Cowboys
- Landmines
- Try Not Too Freak Out
- Gameshow
- Fool In The Woods
- New Friends
- Tin Man Time Machine
- Back On The Gas
- Making Sense (B-Side)
- Hail (B-Side)
2026 Canadian Tour Dates
March 13 – Toronto, ON – Mod Club SOLD OUT
May 7 – Hamilton, ON – Bridgeworks
May 8 – Waterloo, ON – Maxwell’s
May 9 – London, ON – London Music Hall
May 11 – Thunder Bay, ON – Magnus Theatre
May 12 – Winnipeg, MB – The Park Theatre
May 14 – Calgary, AB – Commonwealth Bar
May 15 – Edmonton, AB – Midway Music Hall
May 16 – Saskatoon, SK – Coors Event Centre
