It takes more than some bad breaks to keep The Postage Stamps down'”or should we say 'œbad brakes.'? Automotive troubles have prevented the Oshawa-based five piece from playing any shows since April, but the Stamps have spent the downtime tightening up their act and getting together cash to get a grade-A rock-and-roll chariot. Wavelength reporter Trevor Coleman lured them into the kitchen at The Boat with the promise of free beer and then peppered them with questions about the new ride and other Postage Stamps news. Here's what he cooked up.

SO WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE POSTAGE STAMPS? I HEAR YOU GUYS ARE RECORDING.

Mike: We're just doing some demo-ing right now. Eventually we're going to hit the studio. It's mostly a matter of money right now, and a member still being in Calgary. But he gets back in the next month, so it's all good.

THAT'S YOUR KEYBOARDIST?

Keith: Yeah, Simon.

HE'S NEW IN THE BAND ISN'T HE? HERE'S YOUR CHANCE TO TALK BADLY ABOUT HIM IN THE PRESS...

K: Can't say a bad thing about him. Genuine dude and a fucking genius! Good combo.

M: When is that guy going to get back? Seriously he's been gone too long! I'm going to kick his ass when I see him.

YOU HAVE A NEW VAN! THAT'S EXCITING!

K: Yeah, we pick it up in a couple of weeks.

WHAT KIND OF VAN, ANY SPECIAL FEATURES?

K: It's BIG. A '94 Ford Clubwagon XLT Extended--one of the big 12 passenger ones.

M: And it's even got a teal stripe.

A TEAL STRIPE?

M: A teal stripe. Big, fat, like this. [holds hands an impressive distance apart.]

Steve: Lots of room to stretch and relax on the road.

ANYTHING YOU GUYS WANT TO TALK ABOUT?

K: Just that we're really excited to be back playing shows again. To be able to play shows again.

S: Wavelength is going to be our first show back.

HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN WORKING HARD IN THE REHEARSAL ROOM? WRITING NEW MATERIAL?

K: In comparison to what we have released, we don't play any of the old material anymore.

M: Since we started writing again in October we've been concentrating on getting better and better and better.

HERE'S ONE: WHAT'S HAPPENING IN TORONTO INDIE RIGHT NOW THAT'S IMPORTANT?

K: There's a lot of great shows happening every night. You can see a lot of great bands. but it's almost just as much a negative factor--

M: --too many shows--

K: There are too many amazing shows all the time!

S: [whispers] Say pitter patter!

PITTER PATTER?

K: No this has nothing to do with that. This is a Postage Stamps thing.

I HAD A GREAT QUESTION AND I JUST LOST IT... UMM... HEY WILL YOU GUYS PLAY THE BOAT?

K: Yes.

AWESOME! I'M PUTTING THAT IN THE ARTICLE... I ONLY NEED 700 WORDS, SO'¦

M: This kitchen smells weird! Like gas or something?

K: Probably all the gas burners, pilot lights burning. Plus 30 years of grease.

[Joe, the owner of the boat walks in]

OH I'M JUST DOING AN INTERVIEW.

Joe: Eh?

I'M DOING A QUICK INTERVIEW FOR A MAGAZINE. WE'LL BE OUT IN A MINUTE.

Joe: Eh? Okay... [leaves]

SO ARE YOU GUYS PLANNING ON DOING A FULL LENGTH LATER?

K: We're going to do something in the studio once somebody with a studio...

S: [sings] Rock Operaaaaaaa!

K: ...once somebody with a studio likes what we're doing and we like what they do and they're willing to work out something reasonable with us. We're not actively seeking anybody right now, but we will be soon.

M: But if we're not recording by October, I'm going to kill myself.

S: We could go trick or treating!

K: Maybe someone will give us some recording time for Halloween.

YOU COULD GO AROUND TO ALL THE STUDIOS... TRICK OR TRACK?

M: All the songs will be single serving, individually wrapped.

S: Short and sweet, like chocolate hearts.

M: Hope we don't get any razor blades.

S: If I don't get razor blades, I'm going to grow a beard.

K; I've never seen you with a beard, only, like, three days growth that looks like a beard.

S: This is more than three days.

STEVE IS GROWING A BEARD. THIS IS NEWS.

S: People say I look evil with a beard.

WELL WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE NEW RECORDINGS, THE NEW VAN, THE NEW MEMBER, ANYTHING ELSE TO TALK ABOUT?

S: You could mention the website... thepostagestamps.com.

M: They'll probably see a site that says "Lying Fucking Bastards."

K: The last ten updates we did said like "New site coming soon!" "New website coming soon!" but yeah, you could put at the bottom thepostagestamps.com

S: We've built a website out of Lego, we just can't figure out how to get Lego on the internet yet.