The word "synthetic" usually implies false, phony, or just simply not as good as the real thing. It's like nylon, or margarine. Dory Kornfeld's impressions of the term were subverted, though, when she spoke with Leon Kingstone, the alter-ego of the Synthetic Folk Hero. Through his sweet and earnest home-made songs, he shows us that "synthetic" can be just as genuine as a game of hide-and-go-seek.

Who are you and what do you do?

I'm an ex-ska star, an ex-boyfriend, an ex-university student, an ex-major appliance repairman and more. I write songs... all kinds of songs. I'm a sax player by nature and thus had to get all "synthetic" in order to write and perform what I hear. I sing, play sax and keyboards with electronic devices filling in the rest of the space, giving me that full band sound I've been looking for. I sing about unrequited love, science and technology, psychology, and spooning. I recently moved to Toronto after years in Montreal and New York.

How long have you been doing this?

Synthetic Folk Hero has been up and running for three years.

Does being a Synthetic Folk Hero make you machine-washable?

Unfortunately yes. Though I think I would give it all up for a quality hand wash.

And who are the "real" folk heros then?

Pretty much everyone else. I wish I could just strap on my guitar and play but I have too many arrangements in my head and they need a voice or my head explodes.

Do you have a number-one fan?

Rosie Lalonde -- a homeless lady in Montreal. She's about 80 years old. She tries to follow me everywhere.

Do your parents have a favourite song of yours?

Yes: "All I Need is a Spoon". It's my clean, feel-good song. The song they're most embarrassed about is "Morning Wood".

By Dory Kornfeld