Noise
Factory
Tinkertoy
DJ Greg Clow / Piehead Records
Mister Nobu + Slow Lover
Longitude
The Strag
Hot Carl
The Mark Inside
Holy
Fuck
DJs
Above:
Joe English
Middle: Beef Terminal
Below: Naw
NOISE
FACTORY
WAVELENGTH 146
SUNDAY JANUARY 12,
Naw 11:45pm, Tinkertoy 10:45pm, Beef Terminal 9:45pm
Purveyors of: Minimal techno to ambient guitarscapes
www.noisefactoryrecords.com
Hey Joe, give us a quick thumbnail of your personal history in
the music scene and how the label got started.
All roads lead back to Joy Division. They were the most influential band
during my teen years. From that point, everything else fell into place.
At one point I was so into electronic industrial music that I began adopting
the anti-guitar philosophy of Test Department. That didn’t last
long. The next major influence came with David Sylvian’s Secrets
of the Beehive. I suppose these two musical styles represent the scope
of what would become Noise Factory Records. As for the Noise Factory,
it began as a college radio show on CHRY during the early ‘90s.
The show played mainly industrial, electronic and ambient music. We had
a couple of parties under the Noise Factory moniker, but once we graduated
university it all kind of ended. Life began to play its cruel little game.
I got a job at IBM and hated every day. So I started the label in 1996.
I knew nothing about running a label, and I had no contacts but I had
a good friend that was in a band called Nancy, Despot, and wanted to put
out an album. It made sense at the time and it still makes sense.
My impression is that Noise Factory started out as a guitar-rock-oriented
indie label, and that at some point a few years down the road you repositioned
yourself as a more electronic-music-focussed entity. Assuming this is
even a fair assessment, would you say this was a conscious decision or
is it something that just happened?
When I started the label, I always intended it be an electronic and experimental
label. It’s kind of strange how things have a way of happening.
In the beginning, there were times when everything seemed out of focus
and chaotic, and yet somehow I ended up exactly where I always wanted
to be. The point at which the Noise Factory began to become what it is
today was in November of 1996. That’s when Brian Gunstone, my friend
and lead singer/guitarist for Nancy, Despot, died. This had a profound
effect on everything I did label wise for the next four years. We worked
with Mike Matheson’s band Kennel District (named after the Pavement
song and trying to sound like it — flux = rad ed.) during the period
just after Brian’s death for few reasons ,essentially. One, to keep
my mind occupied and the label going and second, I liked the music. There
was also the air of familiarity: Mike Matheson (now Beef Terminal) had
helped produce the Despot album and he was also close to Brian. When I
think back now, I don’t know if I was emotionally or mentally truly
focussed on the label during this period. The real turning point for the
label came when Kennel District disbanded and I contacted Kevin Drew (now
of Broken Social Scene). I had basically had enough of the label as it
was and I wanted to put out a compilation that really represented my taste
in music and the direction of the label. Kevin helped me put together
the compilation Beautiful Noise (the apocalypse), and with that release
I had found the label’s soul. Plus Kevin allowed me to release a
project that he was working on with Charles Spearin called KC Accidental.
Somehow, I found my way and ended up exactly where I wanted to be.
In recent years, it seems that some bricks have been knocked out of the
wall that separates “dance” and “rock”. How does
Noise Factory fit into this general “crossover” (ugh, I hate
that word), or do you at all? Feel free to comment on the positive and
negative aspects of this trend as a whole.
I don’t think we fit into this at all, for one main reason: I never
really consciously follow any trends. I am not trying to sound cool or
anything, it’s just that I honestly don’t know what the current
trends are and I don’t really care what they are. I just like the
music I like. I can say this, though: I think what people are beginning
to realize is that the medium of expression, whether it be rock or electronic,
is really irrelevant because the sentiment or emotion is the same. The
music is coming from the same place and ethos. The need to create something
new that reflects the artist’s vision is why, whether it be electronic
or rock, it still has the same feel. The spirit of creativity is the link
between the musical styles and in that sense it makes the feel of the
music similar. I don’t see much difference between the music of
Naw and the music of Beef Terminal. They both come from the same place,
they just choose a different mode and style of expression.
To continue with the theme of the dreaded “c-word”, no act
seems to exemplify this spirit of electro/indie synthesis more than Beef
Terminal. Tell us a bit about your history working with Mike, and what
it is about his music that draws you in.
It’s kind of weird. I think at the point Noise Factory began to
come into its own was the same time Mike began to explore a new, yet familiar,
path with Beef Terminal. During one long in-depth conversation about music
and life, Mike told me about some recordings he did while in high school
under that name. These recordings are still available, and if you bug
Mike enough he may make a tape of this material for you. So, when I began
looking for music for the compilation, it was about the same time Kennel
District disbanded. Mike gave me some of these early recordings, and they
reminded me of some of the more ambient industrial pieces that I was listening
to a decade earlier. The ambient (or almost noise) piece on the compilation
is some of his earliest work. Beef Terminal was the sound and idea I had
for Noise Factory, and it had been sitting right there in Mike’s
head for two, maybe more, years. Needless to say, the music was exactly
what I was looking for. What really draws me into Beef Terminal’s
sound is the emotional impact and its beautiful sadness. The intention
of the music is very pure and honest. It is what it needs to be and nothing
more. There is also something very visual and cinematic about the music.
It seems designed for traveling through a decaying urban landscape. The
aspects of Beef Terminal I like the most are the darker pieces with the
quiet sounds lurking in the background. I prefer his more ambient and
quiet works, but overall I am always blown away by his ability to capture
a certain mood. Also, like all the bands we work with, there is an ethical
factor involved in making music. What I truly love about the music is
that it’s not being made for me or anyone else, it’s just
being made for the need to be made.
What are your current and/or upcoming releases, and why do they excite
you?
Our last three releases have been Sparrow Orange’s Hands and Knees
Music, Beef Terminal’s The Grey Knowledge and Naw’s The Resound
Of A Foggy Autumn Dawn. I wish more people would discover the Sparrow
Orange album. It is such a beautiful, sad, warm and introspective piece
of work. Sparrow combines that interesting blend of electronics with a
post-rock feel. With Beef Terminal and Naw, I finally have some artists
that can and will be playing live shows. The music has been the most exciting
part of all this. Beef Terminal has taken his music to a whole new level
with The Grey Knowledge. This will undoubtedly lead to more exploration
and more music. Naw’s sound has taken the label in a new direction,
and it’s a musical style that I have always enjoyed. With Naw, the
scope of the Noise Factory is really complete. As for upcoming releases,
we have a new release coming from Tinkertoy and a new (sort of) album
from KC Accidental. I am really excited about working with Tinkertoy —
I think they are one of the best experimental electronic bands in the
city. I was actually a big fan of their music and it took me a while to
contact them, because I was a little intimidated. Actually, now that I
think about it, this has been the case with all the artists on the label.
As for KC, what can I say, this is pure excitement. It may only be available
in this country on import, but it’s an incredible release.
On Jan. 12 at Wavelength, you are co-presenting a double label “showcase”
(another word I hate! grrr!) with Greg Clow and Piehead Records. How was
this alliance forged?
I hate the word “showcase” as well, but I couldn’t figure
out what else to call it. The alliance was forged quite simply. Piehead
has recently put out a Naw album (Gibberish) and they are planning on
putting out a Tinkertoy album in 2003. I was looking at doing something
like this and so was Greg, so we decided to do it together. Our labels
not only share some artists but I think we share a similar aesthetic.
Piehead puts out local experimental electronic and post-rock artists.
You may have to do some exploring to find their releases but once discovered
you won’t be disappointed. On top of that, Greg’s radio show
on CIUT, called Feedback Monitor (every Tuesday from 10 to midnight),
is one of the best places to discover new music. He’s been a great
supporter of the label and to do this showcase with him is a great thing.
— interview by Jonny Dovercourt
TINKERTOY
WAVELENGTH 146
SUNDAY JANUARY 12, 10:45PM
Purveyors of: Playful bleeps’n’bloops (but not techno!)
www.lautmaschine.com
Tinkertoy, comprised
of Andrew Wedman and Paul Shrimpton, has been performing in Toronto and
Montreal since August 2000. Their debut CD, My Thirteenth Birthday, was
recently released on their self-started label, Lautmaschine. Although
not huge fans of techno music, Tinkertoy’s approach is refreshingly
interesting, and in a way, producing a new kind of challenging yet soothing
techno all on its own.
How long have you been involved in electronic music, and what made the
decision to take your music this way?
I started to play around with electronic music in the late ‘80s
— a low-tech sampler and Roland drum machine sort of thing. However,
I spent most of my adult/teen past in classical and punk. It was only
a couple of years ago (after meeting Andrew, who had done electro-acoustic
at McGill) that I became interested again in experimenting with electronic
music.
How do you make your music, and how is it different from the mainstream
of electronic today?
Tinkertoy’s music is created from a variety of sources, I suppose.
Usually we sample and develop sounds from field recordings and various
sound generators. Often we try to discover beauty in sounds from rather
sundry sources. For example, one might be very surprised to discover how
many beautiful harmonics are in a clanging pipe once you start to break
the source down. I don’t know much about mainstream electronic music.
Electronic music as a super-genre has enough niches that one can be quite
a safe distance from anything mainstream. When I think of mainstream electronic
music, I think of club music mostly. That stuff often uses predictable
formulas and re-hashed sounds from classic analog synthesizers. It serves
its purpose well enough. And although we’ve done a few dance parties
in the past, I think our music is much stranger than mainstream.
Tell me about your live show.
I think we sit somewhere in between doing a totally live show and a “press
play” set. Usually we record a few sketches in our studio, then
do a live improv based on those sketches. We have enough sounds and sound
modifiers to pretty much go any direction we want live, but there’s
a always a Plan B sitting on the hard drive if we lead ourselves astray.
What does your music mean? What messages are you trying to portray?
I don’t think we try to pour any specific meaning or message into
our music. My favourite music almost always strikes some sort of emotion
with me — often something that triggers memories of some past event.
Our music is sort of like that, although I can’t tell you if that’s
what listening audiences take with them.
What were the most influencial musicians for you?
To be honest, I don’t listen to a lot of techno, although the stuff
I have I really enjoy — I’ve discovered many good artists
on Kompakt to name one label. But I think I’m probably more influenced
by non-techno sources. One album that really impressed me was Oval’s
Ovalprocess. Beautiful music made from very challenging sounds.
What is your favourite piece of gear?
Well, my longest living and best used piece is my little Mackie mixer.
A real gem, beer stains and all.
Tell us about your label and your goals with it.
Lautmaschine is a sort of boutique label that specializes in releasing
12-inch vinyl. It’s a labour of love and we don’t intend to
make much money from it. We’ve got one record that came out in late
summer that’s selling here and abroad (a split with Polmo Polpo),
and we have plans to do one or two releases (that may not feature Tinkertoy)
in 2003.
DJ
GREG CLOW / PIEHEAD RECORDS
WAVELENGTH 146
SUNDAY JAN 12
www.pieheadrecords.com
Greg Clow is the host of Feedback
Monitor (www.feedbackmonitor.com), a radio show featuring new releases
in electronic and experimental music that is on the verge of entering
its eighth year on CIUT 89.5 FM. He is an unrepentant beer snob, reads
way too many comic books, and has an unhealthy obsession with sock monkeys,
Curious George and other cute representations of our primate cousins.
Greg’s appearance at Wavelength on January 12th falls on the day
after his 34th birthday, and as the accompanying photo attests, he is
feeling every single one of those years.
***
Piehead Records is a tiny little record label started in early 2002 by
the husband-and-wife team of Greg Clow and Sheryl Kirby. The label has
focussed primarily on limited edition releases sold on a monthly subscription
basis, featuring artists from Toronto (hellothisisalex, I Am Robot And
Proud, Multiplex), elsewhere in Canada (Naw, David Kristian, Andrew Duke),
and around the world (V/Vm, Your Favorite Horse, Vague Terrain Recordings).
2003 will see the release of their second monthly subscription series
(featuring artists like Tinkertoy, Books On Tape, Rapoon, The Blameshifter
and more) as well as one or two non-limited CD releases. More info can
be found at www.pieheadrecords.com.
MISTER
NOBU + SLOW LOVER
WAVELENGTH 147
SUNDAY JAN 19, 11:45PM
Purveyors of: Multi-tracking, harmonies and playful trash
nobu2000@rogers.com
Who is Mr. Nobu? What
is Slow Lover? What kind of music is it, exactly, that is being made here
and why does it sound so intriguing?
Paddy O’Donnell investigates these questions and learns what he
suspected all along: sometimes it’s a good thing NOT to know what
you’re doing when you’re creating something artful.
First things first: you were once in the Halifax band Rick Of The Skins.
How did you make the leap from a band to an almost one-man show?
ROTS came to an end in May 2000 and months later I moved back to Toronto.
As much as I loved ROTS, there were some restrictions. One of them was
that I wasn’t allowed to double my voice on recordings. Left to
my own devices, I doubled, tripled and sometimes quadrupled them. Of course,
I overdid it, but I had to get it out of my system. Though I don’t
think it’s really all out yet.
How long has Slow Lover been part of your live performances? I notice
Michael LeBlanc of Thrillville helped arrange the songs on your debut
disc. Does this working relationship all date back to the bond you formed
during Rick Of The Skins? Do you both plan on continuing to work together?
Slow Lover took Halifax by storm and style when he arrived from his native
France in the spring of ‘97. We were all agog over his ruffled shirts,
velvet blazers and the seemingly bottomless glass of red wine from which
he was always sipping. The fact that he couldn’t speak English didn’t
hinder our relationship. We’d gesture madly and hug a lot. We played
our first show together in November at Healey’s and plan to open
a scarf kiosk sometime in the New Year. As for Michael Leblanc, he helped
arrange my song “Without A Scratch” back when we played it
with ROTS. Since he’s Slow Lover’s manager, it’s imperative
that I be nice to him.
Your disc C’mon Wid Your C’mon seemed to catch the attention
of those that heard it when it was released. I find it very difficult
to take a middle ground with the record. It is, like many of my favourite
recordings, on the verge of being a very difficult album, but it also
has many immediate hooks and rewards for the listener. I think this is
a good thing.
What are your feelings about this album?
I wasn’t thinking of releasing an album when I first started recording
bits and pieces so the process was very, very loose. I was experimenting
with computer software I didn’t know how to use. For a long time
I didn’t even know how to control volume levels between tracks,
so it was anybody’s guess which instruments would be in the front.
The way I wrote songs was really scattered and spontaneous; I was cutting
and pasting so much, I had no idea what to expect. In the end I was really
happy because I had all these songs which I thought were pretty all right
which I wrote myself — even if some of them are half-songs and I
didn’t use live drums and I layered my voice too much and some sounds
got muddled and... I could go on but I won’t.
C’mon Wid Your C’mon was a home recording. Are you happy with
this? Are you planning to continue recording your work on your own, or
is there also a temptation to book yourself into a studio?
There’s nothing like recording a song and having your landlord repairing
the deck just up the stairs. A studio would be great only if we could
let my landlord come over and fix stuff in the corner while we recorded.
Maybe he could also engineer the thing as well. Though I would love to
go into a studio and come out with something polished and beautiful like
a pink grapefruit.
There is a real feeling of warmth, personality and humour behind your
songs. Do you intend the songs to be playful and humourous? What do you
imagine the average listener’s perception to be of Mister Nobu?
I write about things I care about. Among other things, pink grapefruits
are extremely important to me. I’m terrible at telling jokes but
I like humour. ROTS was all about personality, whether we were practicing,
recording or playing live. Music should be a fun experience as long as
the antics don’t completely overshadow the music. I wish I was a
back-up singer in a Motown group so I could wear a suit onstage and make
orgasmic faces while singing like an angel. No one makes fun of them,
because their voices are so transcendent. I like music that is so powerful
that it makes your body do weird things when you’re playing or listening
to it. I would like to make contortionists out of all listeners to my
music. That, of course, is an ultimate goal. I’m a long way off.
Is it difficult making the transition from home studio to live venue?
How do you approach playing live music on stage?
It was and still is very difficult. It has taken me over a year to figure
out how to play my songs live. I recorded them in every key imaginable
and since it was so spontaneous, I had no idea what notes I was playing.
I’ve had to go back and relearn or rewrite the songs. It’s
sometimes a pain in the ass but now that Slow Lover has learned how to
speak English, it’s going well.
What’s next?
Trying to track down the Slow Lover so we can practice for the show. //
LONGITUDE
WAVELENGTH 147
SUNDAY JAN 19, 10:45PM
Purveyors of: Heartbreak and bear hugs
www.longitudemusic.com
Longitude is a trio
of super nice dudes who hail from all over (including locales in Michigan
and Ontario) but are now based in the Windy City of Chicago. In our inaugural
review section back in Dec. 2001, Nora Charles said of Longitude: "Their
songs of love and loss become all the more poignant with this attention
to restraint, and when the harmonies kick in the songs become exaltations."
Here she digs in for more with singer/guitarist Steve DeRuiter:
Did Joe really join the French Foreign Legion?
No, but somehow, Joe has managed to become a colonel in seven different
militaries. He is working on destroying them from the inside.
Any grand schemes for the upcoming year?
We are building suits that can withstand any amount of heat. In 2003,
we will be the first band to play the Sun and the Centre of the Earth.
We’re also putting out another record of incredibly sad heartbreak
songs... which is funny seeing as how Rob and I will both be getting married
this summer.
I heard that P. Diddy is coming out with a line of clothing for Longitude
fans. Are you ready to jump into the world of haute couture?
Well, I think it’s the next logical step for us. There’s nothing
better than seeing hundreds of people in sky-blue sweatsuits with huge
L’s on them singing every word to your songs. My favourite thing
P. is working are the pink feathered chaps that Rob is notorious for wearing
these days. I can’t wait to see the chicks in those...
Is Chicago a good place to be making music?
I want everyone to come to Chicago and live on my block. It’s got
such a good scene when it comes to independent music. The venues are not
only supportive, but excited about independent bands. Come one, come all,
as far as I’m concerned.
If Longitude was a movie, would it be a George A. Romero kind of zombie
brain flick, or perhaps more of a Bergman-esque introspective meditation?
Have you ever seen Weekend at Bernie’s? I can only dream of a life
that good.
Okay, which one of you likes the colour blue, candlelit dinners, and long
walks on the beach?
What are we, Jimmy Eat World?
Do you think Whitney has really kicked her coke habit?
If I’ve told her once, I’ve told her a hundred times: I can’t
respect a company that tried to change the best soda ever made. Pepsi
has never come out with New Pepsi, or Pepsi II. Pepsi is Pepsi, and Pepsi
realizes that. Sure, Coke gave up on New Coke a long time ago, but what
Coke doesn’t realize is that once you mess with perfection, you
are forever tainted in the eyes of your followers.
The State of Music Today... comments?
We drove through that state on our last tour. It’s beautiful in
places. There’s too much litter though, from people with money.
We need to clean that up.
Aerosol candy... a logical result of an advanced civilization?
What? Are you talking about Whippets? The only candy I eat is the kind
that comes out of a wrapper and could scare the crap out of someone in
a swimming pool.
Favourite Bill Murray moment?
Friends for Life, I think.
THE
STRAG
WAVELENGTH 147
SUNDAY JAN 19, 10:45PM
Purveyors of: A sonic assault of space and sound
www.thestrag.com
Between the cracks
of Welland and St. Catharines, stumbling across a sonic assault of space
and sound, The Strag capture the elements of noise, rock and found sound,
which are harnessed into something that is something quite their own.
The Zig Zag Wanderer had an opportunity to talk to Scott to explain their
celestial trajectory.
Once you guys were called Guardians of Welland (which is also a song off
the new self-titled disc) — why the name change?
“Guardians of Welland” is from a painting we all love in downtown
Welland. When we started, we were mostly just screwing around with feedback
and ambient jams. I think we just used the name because we felt we had
to call ourselves something. When we actually started to develop songs,
we changed our name to something we felt was probably more suitable for
what we were doing.
You guys seem to defy being lumped into a music category or just plain
hate sticking to one form. How does the writing process work in The Strag?
Improv, jamming, structure… or are there any rules?
I don’t really know how it works. There are no rules, or maybe the
only rule is that we all have to like what we’re doing. If someone
doesn’t like it, we don’t play it. I think we try and build
a basic structure, but we keep it open enough to jam stuff out to keep
it interesting for us.
What inspires you as of late?
Love/hate. Trees. Snowballs and black ice. Shampoo + conditioner in one.
The Big Lebowski.
Are there any favourite albums that you couldn’t live without?
We all like the Liars disc, and the newest Clinic. Any Shellac or Sonic
Youth. Eric’s Trip — Love Tara, or Peter. Too many to mention.
We’re all big fans of all kinds of music. Personally, I really like
the new Yo La Tengo disc where they cover Sun Ra’s “Nuclear
War.”
The Strag have a refreshing fascination with noise and found sound. Will
this be more of a focus on future releases?
I’m sure it will. We’ve got plans to record two cassettes
in the next little while, and I know at least one of them will be pretty
noisy and loud. I’m a huge fan of noise, and I think we all are
to some extent. I think noise and found sound will always play a role
in our music.
On your website you
describe yourselves as “2/3 Welland 1/3 St. Catharines, ON.CA guitar+bass+drums
= simple triangle noise. rock. dream.” Is there anything would you
want to say about yourselves to the Wavelength readers?
We’re not scary people. And even though Jesse might look the oldest,
he’s really the youngest. //
HOT
CARL
WAVELENGTH 148
SUNDAY JAN 26, 11:45PM
Purveyors of: The two-man sex rock medley
www.dependentmusic.com
Hot Carl, who do you love more, Hot Carl or your Casio?
Hot Carl: What the hell are you implying?! Me and Carl aren’t like
that, I mean Hot Carl loves the ladies... simple.
Hot Carl: Yeah man.
Hot Carl: The Casio is just a replacement for a real drummer. Me and Carl
used to play in a cover band, Full Throttle we were called. We had a wicked
drummer but he’s got kids now.
Hot Carl: ...and he’s taking over his old man’s fish meal
plant.
Hot Carl, have you ever been to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia?
Hot Carl: Born and raised. Great town... 8000 people, two malls, a radio
station, and free beer at the bars on Christmas eve. Carl visited me out
there when I was unemployed and living in my Dad’s workshop. That’s
where we first came up with the 20 minute medley we still play today.
Hot Carl: The whole time I was there, all I saw were ugly chicks. I’m
from Kanata, Ontario. You should see all the babes there.
Hot Carl: Yeah man, every summer at this bar called Wiley’s, they
have a festival called Wileypalooza, wet T-shirt contests...
Hot Carl, have you ever played an Edgefest?
Hot Carl: Been to an Edgefest... Tea Party and Creed. Fuck that was a
wicked party. We got in a fight with security. They wouldn’t let
us backstage...
Hot Carl: Yeah, we wanted to give Creed a tape.
Hot Carl, who do you think you are?
Hot Carl: Huh?
Hot Carl: What, do YOU want to fight?
Hot Carl, have you heard that CD of gorgeously heartbreaking pop by that
Brian Borcherdt guy? What’s HIS deal?
Hot Carl: Sounds like a wuss.
Hot Carl, who the fuck is Holy Fuck and how did they weasel their way
onto your Wavelength bill? We know like NOTHING about them, dude.
Hot Carl: He’s gonna borrow some of our gear, in exchange for his
drink tickets. We DO get drink tickets, don’t we? If he breaks my
tape machines, he’s dead.
Hot Carl, you’re not gonna take off to Berlin, are ya?
Hot Carl: We played a show with this chick, Peaches. Have you seen her?
She had hairy armpits, man. Freaked me out a little.
Hot Carl: Yeah, there’s lots of pretty girls right here in Toronto.
Come out and see us on the 26th, and buy us some drinks.
— interview by Jonny Dovercourt
THE
MARK INSIDE
WAVELENGTH 148
SUNDAY JAN 26, 10:45PM
Purveyors of: Dirty Durham rock and/or roll
www.markinside.com
The Mark Inside have insiduously been slipping into
the consciousness of unsuspecting Torontonians since the arrival of the
recently omniscient Suck My Disc collective and the resultant shows of
its ilk. Paddy O’Donnell sets the score straight below.
It seems that the Oshawa/Whitby area has produced something of a scene.
How did this happen? Are you surprised?
Geoff: I’m not sure that there’s a Whitby or Oshawa scene
to speak of, at least not in these cities themselves. There are very few
venues around here, so whatever scene exists has transplanted itself into
Toronto mostly by default — more clubs and a bigger audience for
underground music. There are definitely a lot of cool bands coming out
from around here who seem to be getting some attention though, on whatever
level, so it’s inspiring... power in numbers, I guess. I think most
of the bands just love playing music that they’d like to hear, pish-posh
to the third-rate Blink bands and Captain Emo’s... they can do their
thing, we can do ours, and we’ll all live happily ever after. In
the end, it’s some fun rock’n’roll.
What is the Suck My Disc collective all about? Is there an overriding
philosophy at work here?
Geoff: It’s really just a group of bands playing cool music and
supporting each other’s efforts through live shows and recordings.
Many heads are better than one. Keith Hamilton and Steve Shoe have been
the ones spinning webs and such behind the scenes, organizing and promoting
the shows and being all-around swell guys. Every band respects one another,
as people and as musicians, and that seems to be the secret ingredient.
Suck My Disc adheres to a customer-oriented business philosophy —
at Suck My Disc, we strive for quality and the smile of another satisfied
customer in order to fend off the terrible, terrible insanity that gnaws
our heads.
You claim to be “tired of the gutter-scraping clone copies existing
everywhere today.” (This was copied and pasted from your website,
in a gutter-scraping way.) How is it that you avoid such territory yourselves?
Are you aware of how your influences affect the music you make? Do you
make a conscious effort to avoid sounding like other things, or are you
hinting at more than this?
Chris: I suppose that statement is average lip service from a bunch of
random musicians, but it is what we believe. We feel like we are at the
very least being honest in intent — we intend to be ourselves and
not what we listen to. Obviously there are going to be influences in what
we do, it’s unavoidable. We didn’t invent 4/4 time or the
power-chord, but if one of us thinks something we are working on is too
recognizable, we scrap it immediately. We are fairly paranoid about it,
actually. You can see it in people’s eyes if they are trying to
be honest or not — I would absolutely hate to be misconstrued as
dishonest.
You are working on a new album. Describe the process and progress.
Gus: The album is ready to be pressed. We started it about a year ago
with the intention of recording an EP, but it eventually stretched to
11 songs. Thom D’arcy produced and engineered it, and Steve Krecklo
and Andreas Tompei (of Hi-Hat Recordings) did the mixing. We’re
gonna press 500 and it will probably be released in mid-February/March
through the combined efforts of us, AntiAntenna Recordings, and our friend
Graham MacLean of Sofa-King Records in the U.K.
Your lyrics seem to allude to cogs, gears and wheels, as if life is a
struggle not to get caught up in a machine or become a machine yourself.
Is this accurate? What are the themes in your songs, and why are they
there?
Chris: I think a lot of our songs sort of deal with constant oppression
by faceless collective entities outside of ourselves; the feeling that
you might be running on the spot like a mouse on a treadmill, the same
as every other affable rodent. It’s scary when anyone realizes and
has to confront difficult truths that they were previously ignorant of,
but it is incredibly important. As a theme in my writing, I try to exploit
myself so I question how I live my life, how I treat other people, and
what I recognize as threats as well as comforts. Most people can’t
hear the words when I sing them, but I write them anyway for my own personal
satisfaction, a truthful account of my own mindset. Everyone wants to
point the gun at everyone else. If everyone pointed the gun at themselves,
it would put things in perspective a bit more. Everyone is guilty of something,
and everybody knows it.
You promise a good live show. What can we expect?
Geoff: Loud and intense rock played by four guys who love to play loud
and intense rock, and so they give it their all and then give it some
more... we just love playing live. //
HOLY
FUCK
WAVELENGTH 148
SUNDAY JAN 26, 10:PM Purveyor of: Synchro-delica
www.dependentmusic.com
When I moved to Toronto
three years ago, I was bored and lonely. I didn’t know any girls
and I hadn’t been on a lot of dates. I spent most nights in my apartment
alone, drinking. My neighbours objected to the strange beats and tape
scratches coming through their ceiling.
Suspected of being a drug dealer, I was given my eviction notice a few
months later. My story is called Holy Fuck, and though it takes place
at a time when a 35mm film synchronizer wasn’t a common household
musical instrument, it is a story of hope.
— Brian Borcherdt
(see diagram at left for further explication of the Holy Fuck phenomenon)
Jan 12
DJ Greg Clow
Jan. 19
DJ Moniker
“I don’t wanna do math
I’m dropping out of school
I want to rock and roll
I don’t want to be a businessman
Supercool is the only life for me “
-Rocket Thunder
Jan. 26
DJ Jonny D.