Three Ring Circuits is the lush and glitchy collaboration of Toronto musicians Jonny Dovercourt, Matt Nish-Lapidus and Dean Williams. Matt Blair spoke with the group via email.

You're all involved in different projects, and you even perform with each other as part of different acts. What, for you, distinguishes 3RC from these other groups?
DW: I savagely beat the tautly-pulled skins of animals with whittled-down tree trunks while sweating profusely. I don't get to do that outside of this group, which is universally agreed to be a good thing.
MN-L: Well, the main difference is that 3RC is a real band, and the other project we do together, the Ford Prefects, is more of a high school cover band, although both bands rock equally. The big difference between 3RC and mn-l is that mn-l is just me, and 3RC has three members. Other than that it's all pretty much the same... Well, except for the music and stuff.
JD: 3RC is a chance for me to keep the long-lived romance alive with my first musical partner, the bass guitar. Also, to hang with dudes, and learn about computers and stuff. Whereas my parliamentary duties in Republic of Safety are centred around my new flame, the six-and-thin-stringed guitar, and catching up on Internet gossip with the ladies. For the record, though, I have a string of exes, I am now seriously committed to only two bands. Music is great because being a big cheating slut is deemed acceptable.

How have you managed to make time for the group and make things work in the midst of all these other projects?
DW: It's worth mentioning that The Computer is now part of a (Cray) super-group called 'œ+++ATH0'? and doesn't actually have as much free time to spend with us anymore, which is a shame, as it automatically generates these really cool songs using PHP. It's a pain in the ass actually having to write music ourselves.
MN-L: We haven't. We all have better things to do and frankly, I feel like I'm wasting my time. I quit.
JD: Long day-job-hour email threads entitled 'œjam tonite?'? Or, more often, 'œcan't jam tonite.'?

Electronic music isn't known as a very 'œhuman'? genre, but your music is actually warm and accessible, and humour seems to be an important part of what you do. Is this by design?
DW: We've electronically designed humour modules for the purpose of your amusement and/or laser death.
MN-L: I'd say it's more by nurture. The band is like a child and we are raising it as a group of three negligent fathers. As far as electronic music goes, I don't really consider us an 'œelectronic'? band. We have a guitar, bass, drums, and some electronics.
JD: Our sense of humour just masks our collective despair in the face of an uncaring universe. Computer programming jokes just underscore our own uncomfortability with being a so-called 'œhuman.'?

Similarly, the electronic music community in Toronto seems like it's become a relatively rigid, serious and self-contained one. Do you feel like a part of that community?
DW: To tell you the truth, I've found the Toronto electronic music community, or at least the live music contingents of it, to be very welcoming, though they do have their arms crossed a lot, which may be what gave you this impression. A lot of turtlenecks, too.
MN-L: I didn't even know there was an electronic music community. But now that I know that, I feel very left out.
JD: I'm still bummed that deciding to make electronic music hasn't led a bunch of rich kids with E allowances to beat a path to my door while twirling glow sticks. No one told me the '˜90s were over.

What's coming up from the group?
DW: There's little talk and even less action. Due to Matt being married and Jonny and I being harried, we've tarried creating a lasting record of our existence. Like Jeff Martin always says, 'œthe future's uncertain, and the end is always near.'?
MN-L: Well, we're planning to record in June, and play shows in June. But we're not good at long term planning.
JD: We are playing Wavelength on June 12th (happy birthday, 'œQuickdraw'? McLaren!), and then planning to record the following weekend. In order to dispel the notion that 3RC is a twisted cabal of nihilists, I am optimistic that these plans will not crumble into oblivion.

By Matt Blair