I love this. Love it. It’s weird, it’s outlandish…it’s music on instruments (mostly). It’s been called a “punk rock approach to jazz”. Words (well, at least my words) can’t really capture what this is. It’s a gloriously bizarre experimental record from a group of Montreal musicians keen on playing whatever the hell they want, whenever they hell they want.
After hearing this album (which I admit, is tough to get through in one sitting), I had to get in touch with these guys and see what made them tick. We agreed on an email exchange, and this is the result.
There are no musos in the band, so we’re punk. We have loud guitars and drums, so we’re rock. We’ve got no idea where we’re going, so it’s jazz.
OK. I’m a music fan…and I pick up your record and throw it on the CD player (or cassette player, whatever) and start listening to your record. What do you want me to feel when I hear this opening track, Mister Huge?
Huge. Sitting on top of the Mont-Royal, watching a vegan alien invasion while eating a roast-beef sandwich.
This a pretty crazy record…AC/DC beats, Stooges sax, some near-surf guitar. It’s compelling as hell to be honest…how did you come up with this combination of people and this overall sound?
Mostly luck. No methodical thought was put in creating the line-up. The drummer is a guitarist who listens to Mozart. The bassist is a guitarist who listens to Tom Waits. Our saxophonist is a guitarist who listens to Dolphy. And our guitarist is a guitarist.
In terms of production, how many studio tricks are you using here? Lots of looping, or is this live? I honestly can’t figure it out.
The studio is the trick. It’s all very live. It’s was the third jam with Salmon (our guitarist) and Flory (our saxophonist). Téhème et F-L Armstrong had been at it for a few months before. The only overdubs are on Female Iron Rabbit (Mellotron and tablas)
Can you totally believe Miley Cyrus? Like, oh my god.
Seeing is believing. He’s the best third-baseman in the history of the Red Sox.
The title track is killer…just keeps going and going…I love how it seems like a battle between the guitars and the horns. Is your music confrontational?
Thanks! We don’t view it as confrontational, more like a symbiotic chaos.
What music inspires you? And what inspired you to put this band together?
DJ Shadow and Lee Scratch Perry. A reason to hang around good friends.
Do you see a Polaris Prize in your future? Would you want one?
Would they be crazy enough to give us one? Isn’t a Polaris a rocket? Sure, give us one and let’s escape from the vegan alien invasion !
I’ve read that this band is like a punk-rock approach to jazz…It feels somewhere in there, but clearly defies categorization.
There are no musos in the band, so we’re punk. We have loud guitars and drums, so we’re rock. We’ve got no idea where we’re going, so it’s jazz.
I’m assuming you’re all accountants by day. How much of your time do you dedicate to this endeavor?
We all are freemasons. We never have enough time for the band, as we are too busy running and ruining the world.
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