May

Wavelog

The Future of the Gladstone Hotel

By wavelength ~ Posted Monday, May 2nd 2005

An interview with Christina Zeidler, artist and development manager of the Gladstone Hotel.

By Ryan McLaren

If you go to the Gladtone Hotel right now, there's a faint smell of sawdust and fresh paint. On a recent weekday afternoon there were a handful of people hanging out in the melody bar, contractors rushing around asking questions of each other, and OCAD students setting up exhibits. Christina Zeidler, daughter of renowned Toronto architect Eberhard Zeidler and sister of Margaret Zeilder (who transformed 401 Richmond into the art complex it is today) sits in a makeshift office in one of the rooms on the second floor. She's been answering a lot of questions about building materials, timelines, and what, exactly, is going on.

Zeidler acquired the Gladstone two years ago, and what originally seemed like a fixer-upper project turned into a full-blown restoration.

'œWhen we came to the Gladstone, it was on its last legs,'? she says. 'œThe building itself was falling apart and it was really just fodder for the wrecking ball. It was minutes before it was going to be turned into condo development or just be pulled down because not a lot of people would take this on. It's a pretty challenging project.'?

But Zeidler stresses that the Gladstone itself isn't trying to keep up with the Joneses. This isn't a makeover; it's a restoration. It's still going to be Gladstone, she insists, with the karaoke and the regulars as well as the zine fairs and the indie rock shows. 'œIt's not '˜it was one thing and now it's another','? she says. 'œWe're developing and growing all the time.'?

The main floor will house the ballroom, the melody bar, and the art bar. The second floor will be comprised of multi-purpose rooms which can be used as exhibit space or work space or living space, rentable for flexible time periods, by day, week, or month. The top two floors will be hotel rooms. Zeidler is even thinking about opening a few spaces in the basement. The goal is to restore the building and give the public and the community the opportunity to use the spaces without the restriction of dedicated uses. Every room has unlimited purpose, and Zeidler foresees the community who uses the spaces being the ones to define them.

'œWe want to restore the bones of the building so that people still come and bring their ideas to it,'? she says. Likewise, she sees these spaces as being public, meaning that there is no set '˜market' or '˜demographic' that the Gladstone is trying to appeal to or trying to attract.

'œWe're not looking for any particular patron; we're looking for people who get the whole thing. It doesn't matter what kind of class bracket you're in, you either get the place or you don't.'?

'œYou will meet the most amazing people in all the pockets of society, and if you don't open yourself up to that then you've lost what it's all about.'?

By keeping that emphasis on openness and public space, she hopes to 'œthrow a brick in the door of indie culture,'? she says, 'œwhich is difficult to access if you don't know about it, even though it's all around. It can be kind of intimidating.'?

'œI want this place to be the kind of place where you can wander in and not know anything about it and then find out about it.'? If people who aren't exposed to independent culture can dip their toe in and learn more about the people and organizations that use the Gladstone--like, say, Canzine or Shameless or Blocks Recording Club--hopefully they'll immerse themselves more and more, reinforcing the community and extending it to a larger audience.

She stresses openness and hopes for cross-pollination. While there are numerous scenes in Toronto--from the performance art scene, to the indie-rock scene, to the queer scene, to the lit scene--there are places where they overlap, physically, philosophically, socially, etc. Zeidler hopes that the Gladstone can make those connections more obvious by bringing them all together. She's going to focus on what she knows, the arts, and invite that community in to make the Gladstone their meeting ground.

DJ Zara once said to her, '˜If the revolution is going to really happen, it has to be a party.' 'œAnd if the revolution had a clubhouse,'? she adds, laughing, 'œit's gotta be the Gladstone.'? And it will smell like sawdust and paint.

Listing, May 2005

By wavelength ~ Posted Sunday, May 1st 2005

Sunday May 1 '“ WL 261

Sunday May 8 - WL 262

Sunday May 15 - WL 263

  • 11pm - LES ANGLES MORT - Montreal gives us some post-punk pre-love - www.lesanglesmorts.org
  • 10pm - THE STATUES - Sudbury pop punk from Sudbury. Sudbury! - www.statues.ca
  • + DJ MARTHA STEWART

Sunday May 22 - WL 264

  • 11pm - WOOLLEY LEAVES - Constantine Wil Kidman takes it down a notch
  • 10pm - EVERYBODY GET SICK - What US Maple would sound like if US Maple were a creature from the swamp
  • + DJ JD

Sunday May 29 - WL 265

  • 12am '“ PRESSE - new project from Rob Benvie (Camouflage Nights, Thrush Hermit, The Dears, Rick of the Skins)
  • 11pm - ACTION MAKES - epic rock'n'roll that'll bring you to your knees - www.actionmakes.com
  • 10pm - THE ROBOT ATE ME - Kill Rock Stars pure-pop sweetness - www.therobotateme.com
  • + SELECTOR GREGORY COLLINS

Reviews

By wavelength ~ Posted Sunday, May 1st 2005

A-FRAMES
Black Forest (Sub Pop, www.subpop.com)
Crazy, paranoid droning begins this album, all synths and heavy drums; so strange and disconcerting, you're not really sure where the album is going to head. Sadly, it heads in the wrong direction '“ away from the stark Coil/Current 93 vibe it could've gotten and into the (gulp) Nine Inch Nails/Marilyn Manson vein. This really saddens me, because musically, that first track had a lot going for it; however, the vocals are so overwrought and empty as to make me turn the record off almost as soon as it gets onto my player. I guess there is sort of a New Order vibe happening, but, I don't like New Order either. This album is bottom of the barrel. Listen to it for the spooky drones and clank guitars; get rid of it when the singing starts. --AG
File next to: Why is this on Sub Pop?

AKRONFAMILY
AKRON/FAMILY
s/t (Young God, www.younggodrecords.com)
Here is an album that I can really get on board with. Akron/Family takes the best bits of Devendra Banhart and 'œfreak-folk'?, puts them through a bunch of processing and lost blues, and comes out with a sound more or less their own (albeit indebted). And it's a surprising record, to make things even better! Surprising in that it seemed to come out of nowhere, surprising in tone and musicality (check out that time change on 'œBefore and Again'?, or the noisy interlude), and surprising in lyrical depth. If the new Angels is Michael Gira taking a step forward with his band, Akron/Family is that same band taking a few further steps forward, without Gira, finding their feet, and releasing one of the better folk albums I've heard this year. --AG
File next to: Anything but Devendra Banhart.

ANGELS OF LIGHT
Sing Other People (Young God, www.younggodrecords.com)
Michael Gira has finally made the album I've always wanted him to make. Gone are the vaguely creepy sexual innuendos of How I Loved You. Gone are the pirate-isms and annoying vocals of Everything Is Good Here '“ heck, it even one-ups the second-best Angels record, New Mother. Basically it all comes down to the fact that Gira has begun writing songs that don't strive for some literary merit, nor for the same kind of anger as his Swans stuff. Mostly he's just singing about his own shit now, and that couldn't be better. Lyrically, the album is on an entirely different plateau than its predecessors. Likewise, the backing band is much better, thanks to the help of Akron/Family, the latest Young God signing, --AG
File next to: Getting your shit together.

BARBIE BANGKOK
Oh My God (Kinky Star; www.barbiebangkok.com)
The cover of the Barbie Bangkok album has four alien-looking creatures, perhaps even humans, that are various colours, all standing in a row. This seems like the best way to describe the album. How, one might ask? Well, this album definitely plays with that cheesy Star Trek alien-like spacey sound. At the same time, each song is different in its own way, much like the varying colours of the people on the cover. 'œRoll Rockin''? has male and female vocals over the mellow guitar playing, mixed with the oh-so-popular synth. With the band's prevalent use of simplistic sounds, along with little quirky noises made for alien-rock, they're not quite like the space-rock of the '80s, but could be if they tried! With only a few parts I enjoyed, it seems as though each song was brought into a direction I didn't really understand. By the end of the album, I was neither bored nor ecstatic about what I had heard. Oh My God is not a bad album, but by the end I was a little tired of feeling like a flying saucer was about to invade the room. --JB
File Next to: A spaceship'¦with a cool alien that can sing.

F.S. BLUMM
Zweit Meer (Morr, www.morrmusic.com)
F.S. Blumm came onto the German Electronic scene as one half of Sack & Blumm, a group whose purpose seemed to be to give Mouse on Mars decent brass sections for their cutups. I'm not sure if Sack & Blumm are still around, but it seems like F.S. has struck out on his own for greener pastures. The results are mostly great '“ lots of clean-picked electric guitar over lattices of pretty electronic sounds; all very chilled out, all very good. The only problem I have with this guy is his lack of spontaneity. He seems to have found a niche that is being pretty crowded out right now in the Electronic scene (almost all of this crowding propagated by Morr Music, unfortunately), a space that he could have easily vacated had he tried some experimentation with his sound. While it's good, there are so many other bands making music that is exactly like this and better, that they're worthier of your time. However, if that stuff's your bag, then Zweit Meer is probably for you. '“AG
File next to: Too many to name.

The Books
THE BOOKS
Lost and Safe (Tomlab, www.tomlab.de)
This album surprised the shit out of me when I first heard it. Gone (mostly) are the warm cutups, replaced with a warm analog pop music whose vocals are filled almost entirely by Nicky Zammuto, one third of The Books, and, as I'd figured, one of the ones that didn't sing (I'd actually been hoping for some more of Anne Doerner's great vocals). Surprise faded to frustration which eventually revealed enjoyment '“ this record, if you're a fan of The Books, will come at first as a disappointment, but as it plays it reveals itself to be the logical extension of The Books' sound. 'œA Little Longing Goes Away'? starts the record with a thin bed of guitar and cello, overtop which Nicky sings 'œYes and no are just distinguished by distinction, so we choose the in-between'? in a voice frail enough for Conor Oberst. As much as this seems like the semiotic intellectual masturbation it probably is, it also works, and, after a few listens, you realize how well Nick's voice fits into the music. Here's to The Books, and to another great record. --AG
File next to: Unexpected surprises.

CARIBOU
The Milk of Human Kindness (Domino, www.dominorecordco.com)
Dan Snaith (formerly Manitoba, now Caribou, thanks to some bunk-ass lawsuit) has made the album he's been hoping to make since Start Breaking My Heart came out in 2001. An album that balances between the warm calm of SBMH and the spastic psych-tronic brilliance of 2003's incredible Up in Flames. And in some ways it works, but in others, it doesn't. Let me break it down: firstly, this record is all singing. And the singing is distinguishable! One of the things that made Up in Flames so great was the muffled quality of the vocals '“ Dan could have been singing about anything, it was the mood that really got you. Secondly, the mood. This album feels a whole lot more reflective than the last one did. It also work's to Dan's favour '“ while Up in Flames was a joyful bomb, this plays things down a little, extracting the happiness in little bits throughout the course of the album, mixing it in with the sadness, and making things decent. '“AG
File next to: It's still great, just not as great'¦

Crooked Fingers
CROOKED FINGERS
Dignity and Shame (Merge, www.mergerecords.com)
Everyone is saying the same thing: Eric Bachmann has lost it. But, let's face it, they've been saying that since Icky Mettle came out in 1991, and since then the dude has released near ten great albums. Sure, the new CF isn't as last-call-one-more-glass-of-whiskey down, but then, people were getting down on Red Devil Dawn (the last CF album) for being too similar to the first one! I mean, what the fuck? It seems like it's a rock and a hard place situation, but the truth of the matter is, this is a really good record, closer to Calexico and southwestern Mariachi than it is to Tom Waits and California blues (by way of throat cancer? what?). This works, and really well. The songs take a long time to build, but the payoff is worthwhile. --AG
File next to: Calexico, Giant Sand, Howe Gelb, Migala, the Southwest.

JAPANTHER
Wolfenswan (Plan-It-X, www.plan-it-x.com)
I can't stop listening to this. Seriously. Japanther's got their maniac-drums/fuzz-bass/tape-loop schtick down cold for this one. Slathered in a foot of sticky four-track tape hiss, this is the wickedest positive pop record I've heard in years. Worth getting just for the amazing "Change Your Life" ("What the fuck was I thinking when I fucked up my life?"), and "Selfish Kids" ("What are you gonna do when the cops show up for you, for all that shit you did when you were just
a kid?"). '“HG
File next to: We can't wait for Japanna to move back to Toronto.

The Way I See It

By wavelength ~ Posted Sunday, May 1st 2005

The Soundtrack of Our Loves
By Matt Blair

I always figured that music and relationships didn't have much to do with each other. Throughout high school and university, I don't think I dated a single woman who was really into the music I liked. There just weren't that many girls around who liked old punk and industrial records.

Sure, music had its place. We had 'œour'? songs and whatnot. But looking back, they were almost always her songs. Which makes sense, because people like Ani DiFranco have more to say about love than Skinny Puppy. But it wasn't a bad situation. When I was a dating a girl, I'd listen to her music, and after we'd broken up, I wouldn't have any musical reminders of her, because I don't have any Ani DiFranco records.

When I was growing up in the suburbs and when I was living in a college town where everybody loved Dave Matthews Band, I met just about every woman I dated through school. But these days, if I'm not at home or at the office, I'm at a club party or a rock show. It's suddenly become tough to meet a woman who doesn't love the same music as I do, because I'm meeting them at places where people go to hear it. Which is great, but for the first time in my life, I'm getting into relationships in which, when they don't work out, I'll find out later that I can't listen to my records anymore because they remind me of her and make me feel miserable.

Is this what everybody else has been going through this whole time? This sucks! Why didn't somebody tell me?

Not that it's bad to date someone who's into the same music as you. But when somebody you've fallen for, like the girl you met at the Weakerthans show, ends up ruining something that you truly love, like the Weakerthans, it makes you wonder what you really wanted out of the relationship. When it feels less like you broke up with the girl and more like you broke up with the Weakerthans, then something's up.

It gets you thinking about the other people in your local indie scene, especially if it's as close-knit and incestuous as the Toronto community can be. Is she dating that guitarist because she likes him, or just because she likes dating a guitarist? Are we spending time with people that we really care about, or just people who complement our indie identities?

I'm not saying that we're just a bunch of shallow hipsters. We just happen to care a lot about music. So much, perhaps, that the people who care about us end up having to compete with music for our affections. Sometimes, no matter how much we might fight it, the music wins. Call it a tragic flaw, if you like.

A little while ago, I met a DJ. We bonded because of shared musical tastes, and eventually we hooked up. It was a great weekend, not a relationship, but I came away with a schoolboy crush on her. Still, we went our separate ways, she met a guy who I'm sure is very nice, and that was that.

Now, the reason I was attracted to her was because she was an amazing woman. I've been over this a million times, and it wasn't just because she was a DJ. Still, the DJ part was really cool. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but even as I was trying to get over her, I was also trying to get over the idea of being with a DJ. I felt rejected by a woman, but I also felt rejected by the scene.

Have you ever bought the coolest indie record you could find, just to prove that you were in control of your love life? Because I have, and when I put it on, it just reminded me of her. That's when I realized that the indie scene played a bigger part in my love life that I'd like to admit.

But things could be worse. A friend of mine was recently rejected by a guy who said she wasn't 'œindie enough.'? Now, there's a man who's come to terms with the fact that he cares more about image than people, and obviously she's better off. Most of us aren't that bad, but we're as prone to lapses in judgment as anyone else. And the more we view the indie community as a scene full of cool people, rather than an actual community of real people, the more likely we are to go for style rather than substance.

TOP 4T

By wavelength ~ Posted Sunday, May 1st 2005

SB
1. Greg Collins saying "Guy" during sex
2. Totes
3. Mariah Carey
4. Dancing about architecture

Ryan Mclaren
1. When things fall into place
2. Finishing what you start
3. Sinatra
4. Sitting

Steven Himmelfarb
1. Chess
2. Stax
3. Ace
4. Norton Records

K Sh'buggy
1. Juicing things
2. Johnny Depp
3. Birthday cakes
4. Tax return

Don Scott
1. Spring!
2. Hackey Sack
3. Incurable crush on best friend
4. Shaolin Staff

KATE CARRAWAY
1. girl, you know you look so cute
2. ridin round town in your dazzey dukes
3. hoodrat!
4. hoodrat!

STEVEN VENN
1. Meiko Kaji movies
2. clairekember.co.uk
3. Picastro - Metal Cares
4. Loose leaf Assam tea

WESLEY J RAMOS
1. The return of the bocci season
2. Dwanye Slack and the other half of this amulet
3. Giving mother's day cards
4. Sharing a birfday with the Doods for the 33rd time

MATT BLAIR
Can you fix my parking tickets?
Can you fix my parking tickets?
Can you fix my parking tickets?
Can you fix my parking tickets?

JASMYN BURKE
1. haircuts
2. cameras on streetcars
3. "like a candice in the wind"
4. saving seats (I risked my life)

AMY B. RIV
1. popsheep.com
2. french toast stuffed with brie
3. staying in
4. BBQ?!

SEXY

By wavelength ~ Posted Sunday, May 1st 2005

Sexy...
sexy by matt fucking collins

Galaxy

By wavelength ~ Posted Sunday, May 1st 2005

I remember vividly the day I realized women were far superior to men.
At eight years old, I watched my pint-sized girl/friend, Tina, beat the piss
out of some kid who tried to screw the head off my My Little Pony. Galaxy, Toronto's own tight, foxy, female-driven trio is like that shining pony defender from days of yore, only instead of defending boys with faggy toys (which I'm sure they'd do as well), the pony has become your ears and they are defending them from suck. Harnessing the power of warriors like Lydia Lunch and Siouxsie Sioux, the goddesses of Galaxy toss off the the constraints of cock rockery and work their sexy, hard sounds, leaving others limp and shriveled. With no bass and one of the shit-kicking-est drummers this side of Patty Schemel, Galaxy has the kind of hard dance rock edge that you'd step over your own father just to sink your father-pushing teeth into. Indie boys be warned-- Galaxy will probably steal your girlfriend and punch you in the face. But I
mean, come on! That's still a pretty sweet deal. Communicating by psychic
mind meld, Matt Thomas was given the sizzling details of their sex-rock
manifesto.

UNIVERSAL LOVELY LADIES: THE GALAXY ROLL CALL!

Katie - guitar/vox
Emma - guitar/vox
Maya - drums

HOW DID YOUR PARTICLES COME TO SWIRL TOGETHER?

Emma took Katie home in a $45 cab ride. Was it love? No. but after a
series of random encounters on the street, they decided to have a child, and called it Galaxy. One failed drummer later we found Maya at Earl Haig School for the Arts, drumming her way into the hearts of ladies everywhere.

WHO'D BE THE QUEEN OF GALAXY'S GALAXY, AND WHY?

Emma - Kathleen Hanna
Katie - Bjork
Maya - Chicks on Speed

Why? Because we love them in every way.

IN GALAXY'S GALAXY, WHAT WOULD APPEAR ON YOUR SOLAR FLAG AND WHAT WOULD BE THE NATIONAL ANTHEM?

Interlocking women's symbols and Metallica's "Kill '˜Em All."

IF YOU POURED GALAXY'S MUSIC OUT OF THE BLENDER AND TRIED TO PICK OUT THE SQUISHY MUSICAL BITS, WHAT WOULD THEY BE MADE OF?

Modest Mouse, Nina Simone, The Police, Sleater-Kinney and Jucifer.

LET'S TALK ABOUT SEX, BABY. I HEAR Y'ALL PREFER THE LOVE THAT DARE NOT SPEAK ITS NAME. IS THAT TRUE?

Yes, except for Maya, who is bisexual.

SO TODAY ON POLITICALLY CORRECT WITH GALAXY: DO YOU PREFER BEING CALLED DYKES, QUEERS, OR JUST PLAIN MAGICAL?

Emma likes lesbian and so does Maya. Katie likes dykes. Any word that
defines you as a homo is great.

WHAT DO GROUPIES NEED TO KNOW FOR THE BEST SHOT AT SNUGGLING UP TO GALAXY'S MILKY WAY?

Tell us you love us and we're gonna make it'¦ but not if you're a hairy man.

IF YOU WERE FOXY INTERGALACTIC PIED PIPERS, WHO WOULD FOLLOW YOU AND WHERE WOULD YOU LEAD THEM?

We'd lead a pack of girls to the river and tell them to take off their shirts.

GALAXY'S FAVOURITE KINKS ARE:

Brown rice, cuddles, and a good NIN tune.

WHEN FORCED TO ANSWER 'œWHAT DO YOU SOUND LIKE?'? A MILLION TIMES, HOW WILL YOU ANSWER?

Refer to the pied piper question, please.

GUILTY PLEASURES?

We don't feel guilty about any of our pleasures which include a good burger,
ice cream, and slip on shoes.

GALAXY'S MUSIC IS AN EXTENSION OF THEIR:

Extreme talent, love, and determination!

SOMETIMES WAVELENGTH AUDIENCES LOVE TO BE SHAKEN UP. HOW WILL YOU GIVEN THEM A METAPHORICAL SPANKING?

Galaxy is a group of girls who can play their instruments. We will queerify
the DIY hegemonic indie social order.

BARBARELLA, SHE-RA, JEM OR WONDER WOMAN?

Emma likes Jem, Katie has always been in love with Wonder Woman and Maya is lost.

TELL US SOMETHING WE ALL SHOULD KNOW, BUT DON'T.

Galaxy has gotten the short end of every stick ever but that's ok, because we
love ourselves more than anyone ever will. We are stronger than yesterday.

Telepathic Butterflies

By wavelength ~ Posted Sunday, May 1st 2005

By: Shaunna Bednarek

Winnipeg's Telepathic Butterflies are fluttering their way into Wavelength in the midst of a hefty North American tour. They're hot off the heels of showcasing their Elephant 6-esque college radio indie psych-pop at SXSW and have three records released through Rainbow Quartz. Wavelength's most splendid butterfly herself, Shaunna Bednarek, emailed front man Rejean Ricard some questions about backlash, butterflies and the MonarC herself, Mariah Carey.

YOUR WEBSITE'S A LITTLE CONFUSING. YOUR BIO SAYS THERE'S ONLY TWO MEMBERS, BUT THERE'S CLEARLY PICTURES AND MINI-BIOS OF FIVE GUYS. CLARIFICATION? Well, there's actually three of us. Jacques, Eric and myself. The other two, Rob and Angus (at the bottom of the page), have been our touring guitar players in the past, AND have also played on some of the cuts on the last CD.

Y'ALL AREN'T DOING TOO BAD FOR A LITTLE INDIE BAND FROM WINNIPEG, WHAT WITH PLAYING SXSW, BEING ON AN AMERICAN LABEL AND PLAYING ALL SORTS OF SHOWS EVERYWHERE. ARE YOU GUYS, LIKE, LOCAL HEROES? OR IS IT, LIKE, 'œOH, THESE GUYS PLAY TORONTO NOW'”PSSH, BACKLASH!'?? No, none of the above. Maybe some people see us as local heroes, but it doesn't seem that way from where I'm standing. I don't think there could even be a backlash. People know it's good to play in different cities. Who knows, it might even add cred to the band by trying to get out there and shaking our asses off in different cities.

GUY, THE SUN'S BEEN SHINING AND I'VE BEEN EATING ICE CREAM AND RIDING MY BIKE. THESE MP3S OF YOURS I'VE GOT ON WHILE TYPING THIS UP ARE SUITING THIS PERFECTLY. DO YOU GUYS EVER GET GLOOMY OR ANGRY? Yeah, all the time. Underneath those sunny little melodies are lyrics that are somewhat steeped in those angry, gloomy emotions. I'm glad to hear that the record works well with ice cream, though I tend to see it as more of a pizza and beer affair.

YOU'VE ALREADY GOT THREE RECORDS OUT. WHAT FUTURE PLANS ARE STILL IN THE CATEPILLAR STAGE FOR YOU GUYS? Putting out more records, touring and refining this ugly beast.

IS IT REALLY THE WINGS THAT MAKE A BUTTERFLY BEAUTIFUL? Yup. I'm sure if you saw one through a magnifying glass, however, it would probably look pretty hideous. Of course, I've never tried it, so I don't really know for sure. Also, the fact that they don't bite or bother humans helps. I guess their fluttering motion probably has a lot of eye candy value as well.

BUTTERFLIES OFTEN MAKE ME THINK OF READING RAINBOW. REMEMBER THE THEME SONG? 'œBUTTERFLY IN THE SKYYY, I CAN FLY TWICE AS HIIIIIGH! TAKE A LOOK! IT'S IN A BOOK! A READING RAINBOOOOOWWW!'? WASN'T THAT A COOL SHOW? I don't know what you're talking about, but the lyrics sound pretty good.

YOU GUYS ARE THE TELEPATHIC BUTTERFLIES ON RAINBOW QUARTZ RECORDS. MARIAH CAREY HAS ALBUMS TITLED BOTH BUTTERFLY AND RAINBOW. COINCIDENCE? OR TRIBUTE? Hmmmm...? We, too, have a rider stating that all of our dressing rooms be painted pink. Hasn't happened yet.

Porcelain Gods

By wavelength ~ Posted Sunday, May 1st 2005

Bringing a wide range of influences and talents to the table, the quintet of guitarist Andrew Erskine, keyboardist Brian O'Reilly, vocalist Daniel Girard, drummer Jeremy Stewart and bassist Panos Giannoulis have built a reputation for 'œinfectious and intelligent'? pop music. Having conquered their native Halifax and the surrounding Atlantic region with a strong live show and an irresistibly catchy three-song demo, the Porcelain Gods have loaded up the van and are headed to Ontario for the first time. Matt Blair spoke to Stewart via email during a break in the recording sessions for the group's upcoming debut release.

IN YOUR BIO, YOU SAY THAT 'œHALIFAX HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING BANDS THAT THRIVE OFF DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP.'? WHO HAVE YOU GOT IN MIND, AND WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM THEM? Well, during the mid-90s, it seemed like there were a number of bands coming out of Halifax who had more than one songwriter. Bands like Sloan, Thrush Hermit and the Superfriendz. It's too bad that people see this and instantly associate this style of songwriting with a particular sound. Having a democratic band is more complex than simply having one primary songwriter who 'œleads.'? However, the collaborations and individual efforts produce a more varied sound than in a band with a main songwriter. So, in that sense, it's worth the extra effort. As a band, we learn more from each other than the bands we grew up listening to.


INDIE ROCKERS IN TORONTO KNOW ABOUT THE BOOM IN HALIFAX DURING THE MID-90S, AND THEY KNOW ABOUT THE HIP HOP EXPLOSION THAT FOLLOWED. WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE THESE DAYS? It's a pretty diverse scene, with lots of varied styles. There doesn't seem to be any predominant sound. I'm sure you've heard of Dependent Records, which is a little darker and heavier than the sounds most often associated with Halifax. A lot of people would say the Halifax music scene comes from there. Besides that, the Halifax scene is all about variety and people doing their own thing.

THIS WILL BE YOUR FIRST VISIT TO TORONTO. WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING FROM THE SHOWS? Untold millions of dollars? Seriously, we'll hopefully play for a bunch of people who will listen, and enjoy what we love to do. We just have to start from the ground up. This tour is mostly about introducing ourselves to people who have never heard our music, and trying to establish a connection between us and the music lovers of our country. We're expecting to jump in a van as five close friends going out to do something that some musicians only dream of, have a great time, and come home as even closer friends.

EXCLAIM! PRAISED YOU FOR SUCCESSFULLY BALANCING 'œA HUGE RANGE OF INDEPENDENT POP,'? BUT THE RANGE OF PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE CITED AS INFLUENCES IS FAR MORE DIVERSE THAN THAT. HOW DOES THE MUSIC OF PEOPLE LIKE CHOP AND MILES DAVIS SHAPE WHAT YOU DO? It's like osmosis. Obviously, what you listen to informs melody, structure, style. So, while we're not going to become a fusion band or start playing classically-informed ballads, there is always a sense of some form of the artist's sensibilities creeping into what we do. It's a little less direct than going, 'œCheck out this ten-minute free jazz track! We should do this!'? It's more about ideas and inspiration. Why is this phrase the way it is? What makes this song so great? You learn, and then see if you can apply the ideas to your own music.

YOU HAVE JUST BEGUN WORK ON YOUR FIRST FULL-LENGTH RELEASE. WHAT CAN LISTENERS EXPECT FROM YOU? Our album will contain most of the songs we've been playing for awhile now, but we're considering throwing in some stuff that we don't do live. An album is a great way of exploring ideas and creating something that can stand on its own. The live show is a translation of the album, but the two don't have to be exactly the same. So expect some new instrumentation, different song arrangements, general sonic sabotage of the highest order, and of course, fun!

By Matt Blair

Zea

By wavelength ~ Posted Sunday, May 1st 2005

Through pluralization, the name Zea is quite easily transformed into the universal written jingle of sleep, but the pleasantly schizophrenic stylings of this Dutch duo will do anything but prompt a snooze. At the onset of their Wavelength relationship, Arnold de Boer and Remko Muermans have been piquing listeners in Europe and beyond with synth-tangled beats, woven whispers of melodic choruses, punk guitar riffs and video game samples for years. Despite the language barrier and amidst chaotic composition sessions and agricultural daydreams, Arnold and Remko took a moment to answer some of Eve Tobolka's questions via email.

WHAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU THINK OF CANADIAN MUSIC? The Barcelona Pavilion, we played with them here in Amsterdam. (Sings out loud) 'œWe need a new materiology-- Die welt ist alles, alles was der fall ist!'? 1-Speed Bike, of course, and a song from a guy from Hull, England, a ten-minute epos with the ever returning line: 'œCan I, can I, can I go to Canada'?. His band is called The Edible 5ft Smiths. Oh, and Woelv, very beautiful and nice drawings too, she played here last month.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR MUSIC? WHAT OVERALL IMPRESSION WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEND OUT THROUGH THE MEDIUM? We create the world of Zea with our music and try to create our own world within it. Music is a form of space that can stand apart from daily life and society that gives total freedom. You can drive through a red light every second in this space. We move when playing music and hope to get other people moving too. It's always good to see people dance at our shows. That's just a little part of what could be an answer to this question.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR NEW ALBUM? We recorded and mixed the album Today I Forgot to Complain mostly at home and in our rehearsal room - some things in a studio. We searched for the perfect pop song and placed it in a deranged setting while experimenting with fucked up electronic loops, beats, bleeps and samples to get some demento a go-go mutated form of fast guitar-driven electro-pop.

IS THIS YOUR FIRST TRIP TO TORONTO? It is the first trip, although it feels like it's going to be a coming home trip; both of our families sort of all moved to Canada in the 50s to start new lives on farms. I'm sure they'll give us a warm welcome and possibly ask us to work on their farm, or maybe even help us to start our own. Or maybe not. Either way, we're looking forward to the trip, also to meet our good friend, 1-Speed Bike, who we'll get to play with again. He also made a remix of our song, 'œWe Buried Indie Rock Years Ago'? recently, which we released on a 12'? with other remixes of 'œFlying Objects Arrived'? by Melt Banana, 'œKiss Kiss Folk-Rock Mix'? by Jason Forrest/Donna Summer and 'œSlides From Yesterday'? by Felix Kubin.

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