Photo credit: Lyle Bell
Tell us about your tour vehicle.
We used to own a big, old blue GM Safari van that we named Clarice. She had 150,000 miles on her when we first got her. We drove her back and forth across the country dozens of times before she finally rattled and sputtered to her last stop. This was pre-Whitehorse and that was the last time we owned a vehicle of any kind. Now we rent, ride, walk, run, hitchhike…
How do you eat cheaply and/or healthy while on tour?
We have some healthy stuff on our backstage rider. Fruits, veggies, nuts, hummus. But sometimes there’s a wheel of cheese on there and chocolate and always too much beer, so that’s when we say everything in moderation, including moderation.
How many strings do you break in a typical year? How much does it cost to replace them?
It surprisingly doesn’t happen that often! I guess we need to play harder.
Where do you rehearse?
We rehearse at our favourite place up the street from us in Toronto called the Rat Space. It’s the farthest thing from a corporate vibe. Our pal Robin runs it. It’s filled with eclectic collectables, it’s clean, but scrappy and sounds great- but still a bit shitty so that when you play soundcheck at the venue it blows your mind a little bit. A good rehearsal space should make you work a little harder, so that the show is a breeze.
What was the title and a sample lyric from the first song that you wrote?
I wrote a Thanksgiving song as a kid called “Keep Walking”. Each section modulates until by the end I’m singing so high that I’m screeching into the tape recorder. I’ve never worked my range so hard.
Describe your first gig.
My parents drove me to an open mic night every Monday in a neighbouring city. I was probably around 15 or 16. I’d play 3 new original songs every week and get to know the wonderful cast of characters that took the stage there. I’m still friends with some of them to this day. The back of the restaurant is a proper venue and I’d end up headlining there a few years later.
What was your last day job? What was your favorite day job?
I spent a week in a factory packing Hustler magazines into boxes in my early 20’s. It was quite the education. I had several short-lived jobs before I went into the studio to record my first solo record.
How has your music-related income changed over the past 5-10 years? What do you expect it to look like 5-10 years from now?
Income is all over the map in this line of work, especially now in a covid world. We’re pretty lucky that we’ve carved out a living and continue to do so, but there’s no feeling of security in it. We have no idea what the future looks like, but we keep creating, working and moving… and always hope for the best.
What one thing do you know now that you had wished you knew when you started your career in music?
Honestly, I’ve loved just picking it all up as I go along, it’s part of the adventure for me. What would I tell someone else starting out? Make sure you’re enjoying the journey. It’s unpredictable and can be really hard, but those moments of payoff – when traveling, performing, creating, collaborating – are truly glorious.