Josh Bean (guitar, vocals, of Ford Plant fame) started No Orchestra a few years ago with with Tim Turvey (drums, vocals) and Ryan Somerton (bass, vocals). Josh, sick as a dog, graciously gave Ryan McLaren a moment of his time.

HOW DID N.O. COME ABOUT? I had written a few songs on my own and approached Tim one night at a bar after we had been introduced by a mutual friend. That night we ended up sleeping together... ah shit, wrong story. And Ryan was a friend of Tim's who we asked to play bass.

WHERE DO YOU COME FROM, BOTH GEOGRAPHICALLY AND PHILOSOPHICALLY? We all live in Brantford currently. Well, actually Tim doesn't really live anywhere right now. He decided he was going to free himself of owning things and since then has been living I do not know where. It really makes it hard to get a hold of him. I think we all come philosophically from the idea of doing whatever we want. Now, I don't mean that in the Avril Lavigne sense of rebellion, I just mean that we like the opportunity to create things that are new and exciting. We tend not to follow conventional ideas and chord progressions. I do realize that a lot of people say this, but I do think that it's a great way to think about things. And it's really fun. I love playing in this band and I'd like for people to like us, but if they don't it's OK because I just really like the music.

WHAT WAS THE LAST GREAT ALBUM YOU BOUGHT? The last great album I bought was probably Arcade Fire's Funeral, but right now I'm really in love with Feist and Iron and Wine. Those aren't really present in No Orchestra's sound, but that's what I'm listening to right now. I do still listen to things that are more upbeat, more inline with what we do, but I've also fallen for the more laid back relaxed music.

WHAT WAS THE LAST GREAT BOOK YOU READ? I'm reading America, The Book right now, by Jon Stewart. That man is brilliant.

WHAT WAS THE LAST GREAT MOVIE YOU SAW? I just watched Before Sunset a couple nights ago, with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy and directed by Richard Linklater.

LIST THREE THINGS YOU HATE/GREATLY DISLIKE. I'm sick right now so I would put it at the top of my list, but I won't. I'd say:
Â¥ Wal-Mart.
¥ The media. I know this is a typical answer, but they just distort things so much, and they are constantly trying to keep up with trends.ÊBut not all media is bad; I listen to CBC Radio all the time when I drive to work, and it's really amazing, most of the time, as long as they aren't reading books!
Â¥ I don't like everyone's constant drive to one-up everyone else. I wish more people would do things for the joy of doing them without the intention to be better than everyone else.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? People. As much as I hate them sometimes, there are those people that really amaze you with their generosity or creativity.

WHAT DO YOU AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF N.O. DO OUTSIDE OF THE BAND? WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES AND DREAMS? Um, I work at a Food Basics, and I also run the Ford Plant with two other lads. I'm currently putting together plans for a community art centre and I'm hoping that will lead to a career opportunity. Tim is a graphic designer/printmaker guy thingymabob. He also plays in a jazz band and is going to try and build a house out of broken instruments, so if you have any, send them his way. And Ryan is a chemical engineer. And he's looking for people to play in a punk band that he's putting together. I feel really weird talking for other people, but I hope I didn't offend them. No Orchestra is working on a new album. The songs are done - I believe we have 13 or so so far - and we are trying to come up with some creative ways to record the album, so we'll see what happens.

Ryan McLaren