WL 373 - Sunday, July 29 - 11pm
Purveyors of: their cheatin’ hearts will make you leap

Paul Banwatt and Amy Cole have a secret affair. Though they both play in The Rural Alberta Advantage, in the past several months they've been meeting for a little side action with each other in We’re Scared. Now that the secret’s out, Wavelength on July 29th will surely be a night of stolen hearts and broken dreams. Evan Dickson attempted to confront Paul and Amy about their indiscretion, but got distracted by shiny cars and Star Trek.

When did you decide to start We’re Scared? How long have you been in this band together that isn’t the RAA?

Amy Cole: We talked about it for a long time.

Paul Banwatt: Yeah. We definitely bounced the idea around for years. But in terms of actually making music and practicing, we’ve been a band for... months I guess?

When was your first show?

Paul: The first time we played was at my birthday party, but it didn’t really count as a show.

Amy: We played one song for, like... half a song.

Paul: We counted as the sound check for the other band. I think the first show was in February this year.

So how do you feel about playing Wavelength so “early” in your “career?”

Amy: Lucky!

Paul: Very lucky and blessed and extremely excited.

Amy: Definitely excited. Seriously, we’ve played in other bands that would have killed for the opportunity to play a Wavelength. We’re so happy to get it now.

The Rural Alberta Advantage played Wavelength, didn’t you?

Amy: Yes we did.

Paul: The thing that makes me really excited is the fact that every time I play at Sneaky Dee’s, especially Wavelength, the show turns out to be amazing.

Amy: Absolutely. It’s the best place to play, period.

Paul: Like when Bocce played – I doubt it’ll happen for We’re Scared, but when everybody was dancing you could see the floor moving. They were amazing.

Paul, you’re a bit of a band slut now...

Amy: He is a band slut!

Paul: I don’t prefer the term “band slut”, but yes...

Amy: Serial band monogamist?

Paul: I’m not a serial band monogamist. I’m only in two bands other than We’re Scared. I play with Woodhands and the RAA. But I like filling in for other bands, it’s really fun.

Amy, are you in any other bands besides We’re Scared and the RAA?

Amy: Not currently. My life is such that I can only commit to two bands right now.

Paul: Amy only plays in bands that I play in.

Amy: That’s my rule.

Do you ever find that We’re Scared has to take a back seat to make time for your jobs and other projects?

Paul: That’s kinda the good thing about it. With only two of us we can sort of mobilize when we need to. We maybe don’t practice as much as we should, but we will before we play Wavelength.

Amy: We hang out and talk about it enough that once we get into practicing things happen very quickly.

Paul: Sometimes we can sort of fit it in before or after an RAA practice, but that makes Nils mad.

Amy: He supports it. He’s like a dad.

Paul: He does in his own grumpy way.

In We’re Scared, Amy plays drums and Paul plays guitar. Is that where the name comes from? The fear you feel when you perform with unfamiliar instruments?

Paul: Yeah, well we were just going to...

Amy: Whoa!

Amazing!

[At this point we all noticed a car across the street that demanded our attention. It was a hot pink sports car with white lights running up the hood, over the roof, and across the trunk. In the rear window was a pink neon light that said “Dean.”]

Amy: What were we talking about?

Paul: You were explaining the name.

Amy: Oh yeah. Neither of us had had the opportunity to actually fully conceive our own songs. It was something we wanted to do, but were “scared” to, so we said, “We’re gonna make a band called We’re Scared and just do it,” and that’s actually happening now.

So how comfortable do you feel playing your instruments in We’re Scared?

Paul: Pretty uncomfortable. Like, really uncomfortable. Guitar’s really scary for me, but it’s fun. I think it’s probably the easiest melodic instrument to pick up and just start writing songs on.

Amy: I’ve just always wanted to play the drums and I have the best possible mentor ever in the same band, so why not do it? What’s better than this? I get to learn from the best drummer I’ve ever seen.

Paul: Okay, that’s good.

Amy: I’m sorry.

Does Paul give you a lot of advice?

Amy: No, that’s the thing! Nothing. If I specifically request help he can give it to me, but more often I’ll just come up with something and he’ll be really supportive. When he does offer me advice I’ll take it, but most of the time he supports my idea, he’s amazing.

Paul: I really like writing songs and not thinking about the drums. It’s nice for me to get an idea and say, “What do you think would be a good rhythm for this?”

Okay, let’s put on our geek hats for just a second...

Amy: Oh no!

Paul, I know you’re a Star Trek fan, so I have a few Trek-specific questions.

Paul: You know I’m playing at a Star Trek show... a festival really. At the Tranzac on Saturday, August 18th.

Fantastic! Here are my Trek questions: [Editor’s note: Paul had a lot to say about Star Trek and it was interesting.]

What is your favourite series?

Paul: The original. I grew up with it.

Favourite captain?

Paul: Picard. You get to the depth of that character. Kirk you didn’t really get to know until the movies. If you want to talk about the movies that’s a whole other conversation.

[Actually Paul had a lot more to say on this subject, but to save space we compressed his answers. Feel free to ask him about it for a longer discussion.] I was going to ask you who your favourite villain was, but we’d better move on. Amy, I read on your MySpace that you like baseball, is that true? Is We’re Scared a watershed moment in the history of nerd/jock relations?

Amy: I never thought of it that way. I did make Paul come to a baseball game last year. He had a good time.

Paul: I went to like four baseball games last year.

Amy: You had a good time.

Paul: I like baseball, but Amy gets really excited about it.

I’m a big hockey fan myself.

Amy: Hockey’s okay. I realized the Leafs are like that abusive boyfriend who says, “No baby, this time it’s gonna be different,” but it never is. So I finally cut the ties.

Paul: Incidentally, my favourite villain is Khan.

By Evan Dickson