Volcano the Bear / Image Courtesy The Band
1. What's the first piece of music you listened to today?
An LP of North Chinese shadow theatre music. Amazing vocals. The cover's got some wonderful photos of the musicians and puppet controllers behind the sheet.
2. What are your vices?
Smoking, but I'm planning on quitting when I get married later this year. I've been smoking for too long and I need to give my lungs a break.
3. What is one of your prejudices?
I'm prejudiced against other car drivers. These are my bloody roads!
4. In what way do you think music has the ability to change the way people live their lives?
Hopefully it opens people's minds to others ideas and thoughts. I hope our music says to people ‘don't be afraid of being.'
5. At what age did you first feel distrust?
Eight years old. Catholic school. Beaten by a nun called Michael.
6. Do you think that your name is appropriate for you? (If not, what name would be more appropriate?)
Yes, though I'd like a surname with more syllables. The band name is perfect.
7. What is the best piece of music you've ever created, in your opinion?
Our new album, Classic Erasmus Fusion
, has a few contenders but I hope to do better still.
8. Right now, how are you trying to change yourself?
In 5 months time I'm emigrating and getting married. I'm busy with visa applications, selling my stuff and trying to get as much done here before I leave. This is the biggest change in my life so far.
9. If you had the time, what else would you do?
Practise the trumpet. Try to learn how to read music again. I seemed to hit a mental block when I tried before. Learn to play the piano.
10. What social cause do you feel the most strongly about (negative or positive)?
Honesty from our governments and politicians. But if we knew the truth maybe we'd lose the will to live.
11. What are your fears?
I'm afraid of being dishonest with myself. I've done it in the past and it nearly ruined me. But the strength I gained from realising I was lying to myself is something I cherish and promote.
12. What is your favorite joke (tasteful or tasteless)?
The one about Jesus on the cross and St. Peter. The punchline is: ‘Peter, I can see your house from here.'
13. Who is your favorite author?
Henry Miller.
14. What is your favorite movie?
I don't really have favourites of anything, but a film I saw recently which stunned me was Come And See by Elem Klimov. It's about the Nazi's destruction of Belarusian villages and their people in World War II. I urge everyone to see it.
15. Favorite album(s) from the last few years?
I hardly ever buy new music and am in the process of selling a lot of my collection. In the past couple of years I've been buying less and less generally. I did however see a great band on a recent visit to New York, Spires That In The Sunset Rise. I bought their album Four Winds The Walker, which is really good. I had a year-long love affair with Wilco's A Ghost Is Born
and a fling with Arthur Russel's World Of Echo.
16. What would you like to know more about?
The inside of my body.
17. What is one thing you would like to do/see/accomplish before you die?
I would like to have children, see them grow up and be a good father.