| December
2000
The
Datsons |
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THE
DATSONS
Interview with Trevor from Montreal's The Datsons by Paddy O'Donnell: What
do the '60s mean to you/your band? Is
it fair to term your music as part of the "Mod Revival"? One
reviewer wrote that your music was "intentionally underproduced". Do you
agree? Do you ever feel that certain writers' opinions are "intentionally
unresearched"? Who
did you work with for the most recent album? You
seem to tour a lot. Elucidate.
Your
songs touch on skewed relationships, working class struggles, glamour,
revolution, loss of youthful ideals, and, increasingly, a few Biblical
references for good measure. There seems to also be a digression from
the feel of the lyrics from the first album to the next. Do you feel that
what you have to say has changed? What
is next for the Datsons? Nice
website. Any words about it? |
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THE
NUMBERS Mod garagers The Numbers are from Detroit Rock City. Wavelength's Paddy O'Donnell spoke them about the following... What
are your favourite numbers, respectively? Your
mission statement claims that The Numbers have been "wearing their mod
hearts on their sleeves..." Do you foresee a time when you might wish
to distance yourself from this categorization? There
is reference to packed dance floors. What is your philosophy behind playing
music in a club? A
reviewer had accused one of your songs as being a "jaunty but lyrically
bleak knockoff of The Who's 'My Generation'." Another song, "Left Behind",
seems to bear a startling similarity to The Clash's "London Calling".
What are the differences between homage, artistic license and excessive
borrowing? Is this line of questioning fair or unfair, and why? Your
disc Ready, Steady, No!! seems to have garnered accolades. What went into
the making of that recording? Where can it be found? Where
are The Numbers going to next? What's
exciting you in Detroit these days? |
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ENON
Enon did not respond to transmissions from mission control and I was forced to piece together a short history of the band from dark library basements, web pages written in Sanskrit, and my daily horoscope read backwards. As far as my research could tell, Enon started out approximately 3.5 billion years ago as single-celled organisms in a primordial stew. The facts surrounding these humble beginnings are sketchy at best, but it seems that they happily frolicked around in the aforementioned primordial stew, dividing, growing and evolving for a few billion years. Suddenly, one cell wasn't enough, it was time to grow and expand. A two-celled organism was introduced, then a third, then heck, they just went wild, hundreds of thousands of freakin' cells. Another billion years and we have the species that refers to themselves as Homo sapiens. Things get a little clearer, even lucid at this point, as we travel to Dayton, Ohio, circa 1997. John Schmersal's band Brainiac have come to a tragic end due to the untimely passing of frontman Tim Taylor. A move to New York follows, where, after releasing a solo album, he joins forces with Skeleton Key members Rick Lee and Steve Calhoun. To the pleasure of many, the first CD, Believo!, was released in March of this year on See Thru Broadcasting. Enon manages to blend together blues, poppy hooks, samples and math-y melodies into seamless, catchy songs. The CD is absolutely amazing and full of great tunes like "Get The Letter Out" and "Rubber Car" that deserve to be played repeatedly on your stereo until your roommates threaten to kill you if they have to hear that darn song one more time. Not only that, the rumour on the street is that these kids are supposed to put on one heck of a good live show, including antics such as "rapping with sounds instead of words and dancing robotically in slow-motion". This is going to be one Sunday night you don't want to miss. - Count Floyd Dovercourt |
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OXFORD
COUNTY CIRCUS OCC
is an easygoing band that doesn't slack on the tempo. A perfect band to
listen to while driving behind the farms of Southwestern Ontario at four
in the morning. On the night of the 2000 federal election, Doc Pickles
convened with the members of Oxford County Circus to celebrate the imminent
victory of the Marijuana Party. 24 hours and many pints later, it had
become obvious that this victory would remain elusive and so Doc turned
to the ornery foursome and said: Doc:
Oh, the delicious light. Doc:
What are sand leaves? Doc:
Hey, are you looking at me? Doc:
What's your problem, asshole? Doc:
Why don't you take your ass off of that chair and march right out of here? Doc:
You suck. Doc:
You wanna go? Huh? Right here, mano-a-mano? Doc:
Were you just looking at my girl funny? Doc:
That's an ugly shirt. Doc:
Hey! Put down that bagel! It's mine! Doc:
Why don't you drink a real beer? Doc:
Put that thing away if you're not gonna use it right. Doc:
Why don't you play something I can dance to? Doc:
Who died and made you king? Doc:
No you idiot! The lemon peel before the olive, not the olive before the
lemon peel! Brad walks in ands says "hmm, I'm going to have to kick your asses now." After launching George down the length of the bar like a human torpedo, he turns to Darren to disagree with his opinion of Who's Next.Then he bonks Greg and Doc Pickles' heads together like coconuts. Darren: (pleading)
Why Brad, why? |
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WAYNE
OMAHA "Exquisite Corpse: Game of folded paper played by several people, who compose a sentence or drawing without anyone seeing the preceding collaboration or collaborations. The now classic example, which gave the game its name, was obtained this way: 'The-exquisite-corpse-will-drink-new-wine'." -- Andre Breton When bored with conversation, Breton, Marcel Duchamp and other friends within the surrealist circle would turn to games. Our 21st century version of the Exquisite Corpse is played through email, with only the last line of each paragraph revealed by far-from-objective moderator Jonny Dovercourt, and passed on to each member of Wayne Omaha, towards the aim of creating an original, possibly sensical story. The facts are clear: Wayne Omaha are a five-piece band from Toronto; they play jammy, pop-inflected drone-rock; they have a new CD out entitled Can The Maps. Go For The Beauty.; last summer they toured the Yukon; this is their second Wavelength appearance. Their motivations, like anyone's, are not so clear. We hope, like the surrealists, that the Exquisite Corpse will delve into their unconscious and tell us more about the mythic world of the Wayne-O's. Let the games begin. -- Jonny Dovercourt WAYNE OMAHA'S EXQUISITE CORPSE The crunching of gravel became more and more machine-like beneath Mandy's wheels. It was a long way to the Arctic Circle. The boys had been driving for days. Behind them lay 5000 miles of highway, 1000 CDs in the burner, hundreds of missed appointments, voicemails and emails, dozens of frightened moose, five enraged snowboarders and one sexy French-Canadian nuclear physicist standing by the side of the Trans-Canada. They knew not what they were heading for, but everyone in Mandy knew they would find out when they heard that BANG -- a bang so loud it made them forget all about the CD burner and everything they had left behind, and brought them to a grinding halt on the tundra. (Jonny) Alfons -- who held the secret key to the utility box -- clambered distastefully (yet skillfully) atop Mandy, retrieving the brand-new hydraulic jack which they had bought in Bear Lake at Train Wreck Morningstar's insistence. Despite a solid half-hour of good intentions, Paco and Bass inevitably discovered the painful truth: that Mandy was just too big for the jack. Matt grimaced slightly, thinking about the gig ahead and the clock ticking down. And that's precisely when an old beat-up camper pulled off the highway to see what all the fuss was about -- "beauty on," said Yawd, relieved. (Yawd) Change it if it isn't workin' for you. That's a way to think. "Bait my hook and I'll land that fish for you!" said the skipper, rising up and out of his seat. One of the younger deck hands heard his boom and reached out, revealing a handsome chunk of bait fish. Smiling the whole time, I stabbed the fillet with the hook and tugged the line. With the finesse of a swan diver our man craned the morsel up and over his right shoulder and off the side of the vessel. Plooooop. The crew looked on with child-like anticipation. Herbal jazz could be heard coming from between the waves and -- whistling? (Bass) The waves crashed and splashed on, and we got soakers. Later... our socks were drying on the tent. It was the morning after our Atlantic evening. Wow, it wasn't even the morning. If you looked up and over this shoulder it was night and totally starry... slowly you did the bird and checked it out over that shoulder. "Beauty". "Beauty". "Beauty". "Beauty". "Beauty". Morning. (Matt) The sun glanced upon my face. My feet hit the ground. I reached down and removed the shackles from my around my legs. A voice came sailing through my head, then another and still another. Suddenly, my emotions, once again, got the better of me and a tiny perfect tear of joy took shape at the corner of my eye. Then like a surprise rainstorm, a flurry of tears engulfed my whole being. I was saved, brothers and sisters. (Kirk) I knew the moment that the light descended from the heavens that all was well. I couldn't believe that all the previous unease I was feeling was created by aliens trying to invade my personal space. The moment she dematerialized, and soiled my carpet in the living room, I was really pissed off. Not only did this "alien" ruin a perfectly good throw rug, I've had a hard time enjoying a cup of coffee in peace. (Paco) THE END. |
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JOHN
TESH JR. & THE BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE Sanitorium
Hot Dog was thrilled at the chance to interview John Tesh Jr., son of
the notoriously lacquer-haired infotainment show host and cavity-inducing
TV soundtrack composer, who also happened to be one of Hot Dog's personal
heroes. Do
you ever feel like you're in your father's shadow? Did
you have a crush on Mary Hart when you were growing up?
Who's
your favourite porn star?
Your
favourite Ginger classic? Would
you or have you ever recorded a porno soundtrack?
Tell
me a story about your favourite keyboard.
Do
you get the same visceral kick out of being a keyboard player as, say,
being a guitar player?
Do
you believe in electro-shock therapy?
Do
you have a political motive for playing music?
So
it's not just self-gratification?
Are
you creating a space? What
type of architecture?
Puddles?
Okay
- Did you ever listen to your father's Tour de France record?
What
was the most insane moment on the tour you did with Do Make Say Think?
Can
you explain the enigma that is Brian Cram to our readers?
Is
there ever any fear when you're on stage?
Why
did you feel Wavelength was the place you wanted to play when you returned
home? |
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RAISING
THE FAWN Anyone who knows me knows when I hear a band I really like, I pester people 'til they say"OK,OK, Stephen, shut up already, I'm booking them!" or, "Geez, for Chrissakes, yes! I have the CR-R you gave me right here... I'll listen to it, alright? And, NO! I won't buy you alcohol". But I am usually forgiven because I'm right. Which is why you should buy me alcohol. Which is why on Sunday, Dec. 17th -- when you trudge out to see this great new band -- if I'm not pissed-drunk from all the gratis-booze, it's either because you are in rapt agreement, or spent all your money on Jesus H. Christmas presents. Now the good part... the venison... What
other noted projects have RTF members been affiliated with, past bands,
etc.? Raising
The Fawn is an excellent metaphor for the growth of the band. Is this
life imitating art, or is there some other appropriate axiom that applies
that I am completely unaware of? What's
the most unlikely cover song the band would consider doing? What's
the title of the new record going to be and when the hell do the masses
get to hear it? Raising
the Fawn should get an actual fawn and feed it from its infancy and bring
it on tour with them as a fifth member. You could put the wind chimes
on it for songs like "Autumn". And when the drums get real loud it'll
freak the poor animal out and it will go on a mad spree though the audience.
This is a good idea, isn't it? Come on, admit it! And then you could give
a free CD to whoever had the most hoof-bruises? I am so smart. This IS
a question, by the way. The
reality is that Raising The Fawn didn't just pop out of newhere, it had
been a project for a little while beforehand. Can you take us through
some of the beginnings? Stephen Dohnberg is drunk as you read this. |
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THE
RUSSIAN FUTURISTS
In the winter of 1999 Jonny Dovercourt drove down to London, Ontario to record a song with his good buddy Erin. It was one of those two-to-five A..M. graveyard shift sessions in the studio at Fanshawe College, and damn cold out. At one point they were taking a much-needed break and Erin threw on a CD a friend of hers had record all by himself. Jonny's ears perked up at the glimmering, bell-like keyboard tones -- "who's this?" he asked. "It's The Russian Futurists," said Erin. "Thought you might like it." Now another winter's closing in and the joy in Jonny's ears is The Russian Futurists' pop masterpiece The Method Of Modern Love, on Upper Class Recordings. He ain't even put off by the press hype Matt Hart's creation is getting in the U.K. It's that good. Jonny:
Your music makes me think of Christmas. Was this your intention? Apparently,
you were a hip-hop producer before turning to pop. How does this inform
your approach to music nowadays? What
do you think of when you think of London, Ontario? Tell
us a story about your favourite keyboard. The
futurist manifesto was all about rejecting -- nay, destroying -- the past.
Do you feel you take a similar approach, in a "kill yr idols" sense? The
Russian Futurists is mostly just you on record. Do you have any current
collaborators in the live setting? And do you have anything special planned
for your Wavelength appearance? |