Our culture is saturated with post-modern pastiche and retro referencing. Sometimes just putting on pants and going out becomes an act almost too loaded with meaning. It's possible that there's no such thing as the '˜authentic' anymore, but if there is then Clydesdale could an example. Musically they draw on the greats of decades past, but their attitude and energy are that of four young men from Toronto, doing their thing in two-thousand six. Demian Carynnyk emailed the band some questions, and eventually heard back from Ron, Scott and a dude who never identified himself. We like to think of that dude as someone's 60-year-old father.

AT ONE POINT YOU WERE CALLED THE POSITIONS. 'œASSUME THE POSITIONS'? WOULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD EP NAME. WHAT MADE YOU CHANGE AND BECOME CLYDESDALE?

Scott: We found out that a few other bands from Toronto had the same name.
Dude: People were getting us mixed up, plus I always thought it was a stupid name anyways. Sorry guys who are still called The Positions.
Ron: The name Clydesdale is more about how it sounds than the imagery it conjures up. It has a very classic and even Brit ring to it, which is appropriate.

IT SEEMS OBVIOUS THAT YOU GUYS LOVE STUFF LIKE BOB DYLAN, THE KINKS, AND THE JAM. WHAT DO YOU DO TO UPDATE THE MUSIC AND MAKE IT YOUR OWN?

Dude: I love all those artists, and it's flattering if anyone thinks we sound anything like them, but I think we still have a long way to go. As far as sounding current, I don't really think about it. I don't want to sound like the shit on the radio.
Ron: I just usually go with whatever flows out of me which is usually a combination of everything I listen to, new and old. You have to make sure that whatever you're laying down isn't a total rip-off or blatant recycle of something else, and if it is then it has to be changed or scrapped.

ARE YOUR SONGS INSPIRED MORE BY RECORDS, OR BY BOOKS AND FILM, OR BY YOUR CITY AND THE WORLD AROUND YOU?

Ron: Songs that I write are usually inspired by books, my environment and also the music I listen to. Sometimes I'll get a song idea from something I hear on the street, something that comes up in a conversation or just from a line in a book.
Dude: All of the above. Just wrote a song recently after watching the 24 series. I hated that fucking show; there's a cliffhanger at the end of every episode.

I NOTICE ON MYSPACE THAT YOU GUYS ARE FRIENDS WITH JOEL OF WICKED TWIST. IS HIS DJ NIGHT ANY GOOD? I'VE BEEN MEANING TO GO FOREVER.

Scott: Yeah, check his night out. Every Friday at Cobalt. Always good tunes.
Dude: I like it. It's pretty relaxed and Joel spins pretty good music. Is this a personal question or are you going to print this?

DO YOU FIND THAT TORONTO IS A GOOD CITY FOR DRINKING AND HANGING OUT AND STUFF? WHAT KINDS OF PLACES DO YOU GRAVITATE TO?

Scott: Toronto is good if you do something different every night.
Ron: Toronto is a fun city. Eat Your Greens, The Boat, Sneaky Dee's, the Queenshead, the Bovine as well as places in my neighbourhood like the Gladstone, Stones' Place, The Social, etc.

ALSO SCOTT PLAYS BASS IN THE ACID DROPS. WHAT ARE THEY ALL ABOUT?

Scott: The Acid Drops have a more psych sound than Clydesdale, same rhythm section though. Actually, if it wasn't for the Acid Drops, Clydesdale would have never existed. But that's another story for another time.

ANY EXCITING CLYDESDALE PLANS FOR THE SPRING AND/OR SUMMER?

Dude: Playing a lot of shows, and hopefully getting into the studio.