Male Bonding Release Debut LP, Nothing Hurts on Sub Pop, May 11th

Male Bonding Biography

Male Bonding is a noise-pop trio from Daltson, UK, a London suburb with a budding D.I.Y. scene, who fuse elements of garage/indie-rock guitars, punk sensibility, surf influences and the most important aspect to their originality, speed. Yes, Male Bonding’s sound is highly melodic, filled with all the necessary hooks to bounce around in your cranium, all the while, kicking it up a notch.

The band, consisting of John Arthur Webb, on guitars and vocals, Kevin Hendrick, on bass and vocals and Robin Silas Christian, on drums, have been at it for the past two years. They have been touring relentlessly around Europe and North America and penning a name for themselves releasing split singles on Paradise Vendors and later Sub Pop Records, while winning over crowds with their up tempo, noisey and unforgettable stage performances. With that being said, Male Bonding is finally set to release their much anticipated first full length album, Nothing Hurts on Sub Pop Records.

Male Bonding’s First LP, Nothing Hurts

The album begins with the straight ahead, 2-chord, guitar driven, “Year’s Not Long,” which epitomizes the Male Bonding sound – melodic and captivatingly sped up – at times sounding like pre-Sire, Replacements and showcases Hendrick’s ability as a hooky rhythm section. The next couple of songs breeze by, each about 2 minutes long, like many of the songs on the album, but are equally as memorable.

But then we are introduced to other aspects of Male Bonding’s song writing. “Weird Feelings” introduces the listener to the 60’s surfer influences with a jangly guitar melody, while “Franklin,” shows off the bands slower and spacey side, fusing an almost Fleet Foxes-esque guitar tone during the verses and a Flamming Lips-like, flowing chorus drenched in echoic vocals.

Male Bonding MySpace
Male Bonding at Sub Pop Records
Male Bonding Blog

Songs like “Crooked Scene” and “Pirate Key” are noisier than the first half of the album, but remain equally melodic and memorable showcasing a heavy, garage guitar sound from Webb and a pounding drum sound which carries the majority of the songs by Christian.

The standout track of the second side is “Pumpkin,” once again showing off the bands love for jangly, surfer riffs and loud melodies. The album concludes with “Worst to Come,” an acoustic number featuring The Vivian Girls, putting the finishing touches on an album spanning 13 songs and a half hour.

Male Bonding’s debut is nothing short of impressive. It is a unique sound internally contradicting itself with heavy and noisey guitars, with hooky bass lines and thunderous drums – a punk rock pedigree, while melding whimsical and dreamy vocal harmonies. Bassist Hendrick even stats in an interview, “There’s a hippie in me and it’s fighting with the inner punk.”

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Forgotten Rebels at Brantford's Alex: Mickey De Sadist Punk Rock

Named after hometown hero, Alexander Grand Bell, Brantford Ontario’s “the Alex” has morphed into the city’s counterculture hub, showcasing Canadian punk rock. Saturday night they hosted the Forgotten Rebels and didn't disappoint.

The Forgotten Rebels Official Website
The Forgotten Rebels Artist Page

The Alex’s low ceilings blanket a few hundred wily veterans who easily find a spot around a tiny stage in a dingy bar, ready to see the most popular bands of the not-so-popular musical genres.

The Forgotten Rebels Live

The Forgotten Rebels, Hamilton punk rock icons, formed in 1977 and are lead by singer Mickey De Sadist, the only remaining original member and a legend in his own right.

The Rebels play material from 2000’s, Nobody’s Hero’s. But it is the classics that garner the most enthusiasm like their first number – the anthem-like “Bomb the Boats," “Tell Me You Love Me,” “The Me Generation” and “In Love with the System.”

No Forgotten Rebels show would be complete without alcohol-induced fighting. So was the case as the Rebels finished their set with “Hello, I’m Back Again,” ending the night with “Fuck Me Dead” and most notable Rebels song, “Surfing on Heroin.”

Forgotten Rebels' Mickey De Sadist

Tonight, De Sadist sats solemnly at the merchandise table signing the occasional autograph and nursing injuries suffered from a cycling accident leaving him gripping a cane with his ankle in a brace.

This affliction doesn’t hinder De Sadist’s ability to take the stage, drink in hand. De Sadist bobs his dyed red-ish long hair and although the cane does affect his normal stage swagger, De Sadist never misses a note.

During the final number, De Sadist invited the crowd to come up and sing with him. As the crowd sang the final verse, De Sadist limped off stage signalling the end of an energetic and entertaining evening.

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Norway's Serena-Maneesh New Abyss in B Minor: Play SXSW, NA To

Norway's Serena-Manesh will release their anticipated 2nd LP (and first on 4AD) entitled, Serena-Manesh 2: Abyss in B Minor, followed by a few dates at SXSW and a North American tour.

Serena-Maneesh Recording of Abyss in B Minor

Serena-Maneesh began recording the album in 2008 in, literally, a cave in Oslo, Norway. Over the next year and a half, they carefully crafted an 8-song, 39-minute wall of sound that will indeed get you tapping, and starring at, your feet.

The album begins with the 8 minute epic “Ayisha Abyss,” a psychedelic bass-propelled dance number, but quickly changes pace with the album’s first single, “I Just Want To See Your Face.” The song is a 3 minute electro-pop zinger with a dark and twisted undertone, sure to be on your iPod if it hasn’t found its way there already.

“Melody For Jaana” is an introspective 6-minute synth melody combined with an acoustic guitar. It is hypnotic and owes a lot to the band’s “shoegaze” predecessors.

Much of the second side consists of dancy, electro pop numbers fusing tempo drum beats, synth and an array of guitar sounds until the final song, “Magdalena (Symphony #8),” a complex arrangement of acoustic guitar, flute and a bongo drum beat with a dreamy female vocal track.

Each of the 8 songs was mixed for 8 days and was mastered at Air Studios by Ray Staff, who did the same for, among many others, Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti.

Serena-Maneesh Band History

Serena-Maneesh released its first LP in 2005, which was well received by some of the most respected critics on both sides of the Atlantic, including Pitchfork and Drowned In Sound.

The Serena-Maneesh sound is precisely crafted and a cross between bands like My Bloody Valentine and Primal Scream, black metal, and Norwegian composers like Grieg.

S-M’s Post SXSW American Tour Schedule

3/22: Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland
3/23: San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
3/25: Portland, OR @ Berbati's Pan
3/26: Seattle, WA @ Triple Door
3/27: Vancouver, BC @ Media Club
3/30: Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
3/31: Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
4/1: Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre
4/2: Toronto, ON @ Opera House
4/3: Montreal, QC @ Il Motore
4/4: Cambridge, MA @ TT THe Bears
4/5: Milford, CT @ Daniel Street
4/6: Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie
4/7: Washington, DC @ DC9
4/8: New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge

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Harlem Releases Hippies Album April 6th: SXSW Dates and NA Tour

Harlem started out in Tucson, Arizona and relocated to Austin, Texas garnering buzz for their live shows and their self-released Free Drugs. They'll follow that with a new album called Hippies, in stories April 6th.

Harlem's trio - Michael Coomers and Curtis O’Mara, who rotate on vocal, guitar, and drum duties, and Jose Boyer on bass - freshly blend bluesy garage rock with a pop sensibility.

Hippies the New Album from Harlem on Matador

The album’s first track, “Someday Soon 1,” is one of the more up-tempo songs taking cues from The Strokes and The Velvet Underground (most notably in guitar sound).

“Friendly Ghost” is a clever jangly number about living in a graveyard and “Number One” is the most intricate and skillful song on the album, while “Be Your Baby” and “Cloud Pleaser” show a softer side, but all remain clap-your-hands danceable.

Other songs of note include, “Gay Human Bones,” which is groovy and melodic – an ode to songs that appear on Harlem’s older material. However, songs such as “Faces” and “Prairie My Heart” are a large step forward in style and songwriting.

The drums on “Scare You” stand-out while the concluding track, “Poolside,” is a 3.5-minute honest love song.

Harlem's SXSW Gig and Tour Dates

Harlem has created a very hip album that should get its share of listening. The songwriting is more mature and structurally more impressive.

Harlem will be at SXSW later this month and continue to tour in support of Hippies throughout the spring. Here is the full list of shows:

3/13 – Aquarium Drunkard party, Red Eyed Fly, Austin, 3pm
3/16 – House Of Guys, 1907 Rio Grande, Austin, (with The Beets, Fungi Girls, Air Waves)
3/18 – Red 7, Austin (official SXSW event with Bad Sports, Pierced Arrows, Ravonettes)
3/19 – Levi’s Fader Fort, Austin, 2:15 pm
3/19 – Spin Party, Stubbs (indoors), Austin, 3:40pm
4/1 – Mohawk, Austin (record release bash)
4/13 -One Eyed Jacks, New Orleans, LA
4/14 – Bottletree, Birmingham, AL
4/15 – The Earl, Atlanta, GA
4/16 – JJ’s Bohemia, Chattanooga, TN
4/17 – Night Light, Chapel Hill, NC
4/19 – DC 9, Washington DC
4/20 – Golden West, Baltimore, MD
4/21 – Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia, PA
4/22 – Mercury Lounge, NYC, NY (early show)
4/23 – Market Hotel, Brooklyn, NY
4/24- Maxwell’s, Hoboken, NJ (with Titus Andronicus)
4/25 – Great Scott, Allston, MA
4/27 – Green Room, Montreal, Quebec
4/28 – Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, Ontario
4/29 – Now That’s Class, Cleveland, OH
4.30 – Majestic Cafe, Detroit, MI
5/01- Empty Bottle, Chicago, IL
5/02 – Mad Planet, Milwaukee, WI (with Jail)
5/04 - 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis, MN
5/05 – Vaudeville Mews, Des Moines, IA
5/06 – Waiting Room, Lincoln, NE
5/07 – Riot Room, Kansas City, MO (with Gil Mantera)
5/08 - Firebird, St. Louis, MO
5/10 – The Summit, Columbus, OH
5/11 – Southgate House, Newport, KY
5/12 – Zanzibar, Louisville, KY
5/13 – The End, Nashville, TN
5/14 – Hi Tone, Memphis, TN
5/15 – City Tavern, Dallas, TX

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2010 JUNO Nominees: Michael Buble, Nickleback, Metric, Plaskett

The 2010 Juno Awards (AKA The Canadian Music Awards) will be held in St. John's April 18th and the nominees were announced today. Fan Choice Award nominees include Ginette Reno, Johnny Reid, Maxime Landry, Michael Buble and Nickleback.

The first wave of Juno Awards performers were also released today and include Billy Talent and Blue Rodeo.

Best Rock Album Juno

Only the latter two, up for Best Rock Album, are nominated for another category. In the Adult Alternative Album of the Year category hopefuls Amy Millan with Masters of the Burial, Cuff the Duke's Way Down Here and Joel Plaskett's,Three all getting a nod.

Juno Alternative Album of the Year

The best and closest category of 2010 is Alternative Album of the Year including Handsome Furs' Face Control, Japandroids' Post-Nothing, Julie Doiron's I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day, Metric's Fantasies and Tegan and Sara's Sainthood. Vancouver's Japandroids may surprise and edge out Julie Doiron rumoured to be a sure bet.

Rap and Francophone Albums of the Year

Malajube was not nominated for Francophone Album of the Year, a significant oversight. Other notable mentions include, Classified's Self Explanatory, K-Os' Yes! album and Drake, of Degrassi High fame, who is nominated twice in the Rap Album of the Year category.

The Junos will air on Sunday, April 18th on CTV, for the second time from the Mile One Centre in St. John's, Newfoundland.

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Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Will Release Beat the Devil's Tattoo

Hailing originally from San Francisco, California (now Los Angeles) On March 9th Black Rebel Motorcycle Club will unleash their unique brand of garage, post-punk, shoegaze, alternative rock with their 6th LP, entitled Beat the Devil's Tattoo.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Sites

BRMC Official Site
BRMC MySpace
BRMC Upcoming Tour

In recent years, the band has had trouble with their record labels - most publicly, BRMC's feud with Virgin Records, resulting in the first release on the band's own label, Abstract Dragon. For over a decade they've been with record labels Virgin Records, RCA/BMG and Island, respectively.

Beat the Devil's Tattoo

The album kicks off with the thunderous, shoe-stompin' title track fusing a psychedelic guitar riff and a tambourine as percussion sets the bar for the album as a whole. The second track, “Conscience Killer,” pays homage to garage rock gods, The New York Dolls and even, The Saints. Also, the song is a take on contemporary lesser known outfits like The Black Lips.

Songs like “Bad Blood”and “Sweet Feeling” are definitely rooted in the band's UK influences like The Verve and My Bloody Valentine and showcase singer Peter Hayes' pretend English accent. “The Toll” sounds like one of Beck's Sea Change-era throwaways, but works nonetheless.

“Shadow's Keeper” is the loud, lo-fi and highly melodic focal point of the 2nd side, touching on influences like T-Rex, or the Vines.The album concludes with “Half-State,” a slow and echo-y, 10 minute epic which rightfully ends Beat the Devil's Tattoo.

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Titus Andronicus' The Monitor: Patrick Stickles' Civil War Album

Titus Andronicus are a punk-y, shoegaze-y, 5-piece from Glen Rock, New Jersey. Their first album, The Airing of Grievances, released on Troubleman Unlimited, was well received by critics and fans alike.

Pitchfork even named it the 25th best album of 2008 and the album was re-released on XL Recordings in January, 2009. The band gained instant notoriety because of vocalist/guitarist, Patrick Stickles’ irreverent and clever lyrical content and the bands lo-fi guitar hooks. To see for yourself, check out these sites:

Titus Andronicus MySpace
Titus Andronicus Website

Titus Andronicus' The Monitor

On March 9th, TA will release their much anticipated sophomore LP, The Monitor, also on XL Recordings. First impressions are that many followers of the band, and fans of their first album, will find the album different due in part to a line-up change (there is less screaming).

The album kicks off with the seven-minute epic, “A More Perfect Union.” The “Union” may reference the link the album has to the American Civil War. The title, The Monitor, is a takeoff on the USS Monitor, the first ironclad warship commissioned by the United States Navy.

Stickles’ anthem- like lyric, “You’ll always be a loser” is chanted continuously to close out the album's third track, “No Future Part Three: Escape from No Future” and is not only humourous, but catchy.

The Monitor's Influences & Guest Appearances

The album dabbles in a slew of influences, ranging from California, second-wave punk, on “Titus Andronicus Forever” to a bluesy-folk angle on “Four Score and Seven.” The album’s best track is the 14 minute, “The Battle of Hampton Roads,” which takes its title from the battle between the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia, which took place on March 8–9, 1862. The album embraces 5-minute-plus tracks, clocking in at 10 songs spanning 65 minutes.

The album also features guest appearances by members of Ponytail, Wye Oak, Hallelujah the Hills, Spider Bags, Vivian Girls, and The Hold Steady.

Patrick Stickles may have put it best, “Through and through, it is a whole-hearted and potentially ill-advised grab for some sort of imaginary brass ring, the sound of a band desperate for success and defiantly unafraid of failure. That was the idea, at least.”

Titus Andronicus at SXSW 2010

The album is a definite must for any fan of Titus Andronicus and if you’re a newcomer, it is worth a listen. Whether you’re into lo-fi, Modest Mouse-esque indie rock or something a little more up tempo, the album is sure to strike a chord with a wide array of music fans.

Titus Andronicus will be on tour in support of the record, dubbed the "Monitour," including stops at SXSW in March.

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Polaris Prize-winning Band Fucked Up Plays L3 in St. Catharines

Toronto hardcore sextet, Fucked Up, made the drive down central Ontario's Queen Elizabeth Way to play an enthusiastic show at L3 Nightclub in St. Catharines to an eager crowd February 23rd.

This was the last show of a tour that spanned the month, taking the band through the eastern United States, which guaranteed their set was tight and they were on their game. If you're not familiar with them, check out:

Fucked Up Myspace page
Fucked Up Matador Records page
SXSW Listing for Fucked Up
Looking for Gold blog

Chemistry of Common Life and Hidden World LPs

The band was uncharacteristically late for their set due to a broken guitar string, but when they did hit the stage they began with their epic opener to their Polaris Prize-winning LP, Chemistry of Common Life, “Son the Father,” which quickly gave way to the complex and enthralling, “Magic Word.”

It was not long after this that lead singer Damian “Pink Eyes” Abraham removed his shirt to belt out a few more well-known tunes – the melodic “David Comes to Life” off their first LP, Hidden World and the pop-y, “Black Albino Bones.”

During the song, Abraham proceeded to jump into the crowd picking up an audience member, slinging him over his shoulder and carrying him into a slew of onlookers – chaos ensued as two microphones temporarily shorted and someone lost a drink as the singer suctioned their plastic cup to his forehead. Abraham finished the song standing on a table.

Once everyone stopped for a breather and the audio tech fixed the microphones, the band took the opportunity to showcase 3 new songs. The first was entitled, “Holden” – named after Abraham’s 9-month old child. The next was the band’s most recent charity single, “David’s Plan” and “I Hate Summer,” which the audience fully embraced given February's chilly climes.

Damian Abraham's Stage Antics

The band rewarded the audience by playing a crowd favourite, “Baiting the Public,” which sent everyone on the dance floor into a frenzy. They ended the set by playing a cover of The Sex Pistols’ “Bodies” and a lesser known, “Police,” which capped off the relatively quick and high tempo set.


The band’s musicianship is hypnotic by itself, but fused with the stage antics of Abraham, it made for a highly entertaining evening. Fucked Up will be playing the Opera House in Toronto on Friday February, 26th.

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Pavement Tours for 'Best Of' Record: Quarantine the Past

When Pavement announced a reunion earlier this year, fans were thrilled one of Indie Rock's finest bands agreed to give it another go-around. So would it be safe to say that in the wake of all the reunion talk, they would release a greatest hits collection? The answer is an emphatic yes.

The album, Quarantine the Past, will be released on March 9th and spans their 10-year career (1989 – 1999) and is an amalgamation of 4 LPs, from their noisy, vinyl-only releases to their more complex and humble later years, plus a few EPs. The complete track listing is as follows:

1. Gold Soundz (CROOKED RAIN, CROOKED RAIN)
2. Frontwards (WATERY, DOMESTIC EP)
3. Mellow Jazz Docent (PERFECT SOUND FOREVER EP)
4. Stereo (BRIGHTEN THE CORNERS)
5. In The Mouth A Desert (SLANTED & ENCHANTED)
6. Two States (SLANTED & ENCHANTED)
7. Cut Your Hair (CROOKED RAIN, CROOKED RAIN)
8. Shady Lane / J Vs. S (BRIGHTEN THE CORNERS)
9. Here (SLANTED & ENCHANTED)
10. Unfair (CROOKED RAIN, CROOKED RAIN)
11. Grounded (WOWEE ZOWEE)
12. Summer Babe (Winter Version) (SLANTED & ENCHANTED)
13. Range Life (CROOKED RAIN, CROOKED RAIN)
14. Date w/ IKEA (BRIGHTEN THE CORNERS)
15. Debris Slide (PERFECT SOUND FOREVER EP)
16. Shoot The Singer (1 Sick Verse) (WATERY, DOMESTIC EP)
17. Spit On A Stranger (TERROR TWILIGHT)
18. Heaven Is a Truck (CROOKED RAIN, CROOKED RAIN)
19. Trigger Cut/Wounded-Kite At :17 (SLANTED & ENCHANTED)
20. Embassy Row (BRIGHTEN THE CORNERS)
21. Box Elder (SLAY TRACKS 1933-1969 EP)
22. Unseen Power Of The Picket Fence (NO ALTERNATIVE COMP)
23. Fight This Generation (WOWEE ZOWEE)

Courtesy of Matador Records (All tracks are available for pre-order as well)

It would be a tad redundant to review a greatest hits release, but all 23 tracks are re-mastered and mixed to flow as if it were your typical Pavement record. Upon release, Pavement will embark on a world tour starting in New Zealand, but won't touch North American soil until May, when they play the Sasquatch Festival.

However, this “best of” release is sure to tide us over and for music fans that aren’t aware of this group, now is your chance – and please, do take advantage.

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PISSED JEANS @ HORSESHOE TAVERN: MUSCLING THROUGH

Pissed Jeans unleashed what can only be described as a circus-act-like performance at the legendary Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto last night. A quiet hum may still be waning this morning after the all-out sound assault brought forth by the Pennsylvanian quartet. So much sound, in fact, that the show, which was poignantly plagued by microphone amp shortages, was ultimately cut short due to similar technical difficulties. This only fueled the angry and frustrated sludge-noise hardcore foursome into an even greater self-destructive and entertaining performance.

The madness began as the band broke into ‘Science Fiction’, which went according to plan, turning the crowd into a frenzy of pumping fists. Also witnessed: flying articles of clothing, eye-level roundhouse kicks and spilled alcohol. The group’s second number, however, went vocal-less as singer Brad Korvette’s microphone shorted - resulting in a fit of rage by the front man. As Korvette walked around stage attempting to find a mic that functioned, he quickly accepted the notion they would have to wait until after the song was completed to fix the problem, to which he picked up his mic monitor and played it as if it was a guitar.

Once the microphone was fixed and everything seemed to be copacetic, the band charged through ‘Fantasy World’, erupting in pandemonium-like behavior from the audience. One onlooker was able to grab hold of a lead pipe running along the ceiling to which he hung himself upside-down, while another pair, sporting V For Vendetta masks ran on stage and began the show-lasting cycle of stage dives.

Mid-set, the band steamrolled through ‘Secret Admirer’, off their second LP (2007’s Hope For Men), which was pleasantly ear-splitting. It was followed by ‘False Jesii Part 2′ from their third and most recent LP, King Of Jeans.

But as the band was playing ‘Fantasy World’, a wedge was thrown into the gears affecting the rest of the set. First, guitarist Bradly Fry’s pedal began acting up, resulting in him dropping his guitar and getting down on his knees to fix it. All the while, frustration began to show as Korvette picked up the guitar and smacked it into the drum set. Not long after, an amp blew and the show seemed to be over. The band semi-destroyed the set: drums hurled across stage and the blown amp reverberated harrowingly across the venue. But the gear was mildly put back together and with the crowd on PJ’s side, the band played one last song, ‘Boring Girls’.

With a slew of problems, Pissed Jeans, with their veteran stage cool, were able to put it together pleasingly. Spearheaded by the undeniably large stage presence of singer, Brad Korvette, PJ muscled through a tough night and gave the crowd something to celebrate - a fantastic time and no sleep due to bleeding ears.

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Interview: The Soft Pack's Matt Lamkin`

1. How has the name change affected the band’s progression?

It probably threw a wrench in the gears & a lot of people got annoyed by it, or something like that, that wanted us to keep that name. That’s probably the only thing it did, there’s a bit of a backlash against us. Maybe we lost some fans, but whatever. It was something that we wanted to do, so we went with it.

2. Since moving to LA, what is it like to now play in San Diego?

It’s good. I mean San Diego has always been good. Of course, there are people who think we are, once again, selling out by moving to Los Angeles. But anyone that knows us - I studied film in San Diego so that’s why I moved to Los Angeles because that’s the only place I can work and I don’t think Los Angeles was integral in any success that we have had. It is still good when we play San Diego and it’s good when we play Los Angeles. It’s like we have two hometowns at this point, but we’re definitely a San Diego band for life.

3. Who do you secretly rip off on stage?

I’d say I secretly rip off Mark E. Smith, Jonathan Richman and I try to do John Lennon – maybe some Paul Westerberg.

4. Why hasn’t The Soft Pack recorded for a label twice?

Basically The Muslims songs were all recorded at one time and split up into EPs. So, that’s how that went. And then they were complied on the 1928 one with the bullet holes and then we got signed to Kemado.

5. Do you see future releases on Kemado?

Yeah, hopefully.

6. What’s in your stereo right now?

I have been listening to Ween and a lot of Leonard Cohen. He’s like the best shit in the world. I could listen to Leonard Cohen albums over and over and over again, like back to back. If we’re on a long drive, I might do any given album like three times in a row, but I guess any given album is stretching it because I’ve only gotten up to, chronologically, I’m Your Man, which is 1988, I think. I haven’t gotten to the ’90s and that stuff yet, but I’m sure it is all good. That guy is fucking genius.

7. What is the best story of the tour so far?

I don’t know – there hasn’t been very much that has been very eventful. We try and keep it low key. We try and pace ourselves because we probably have a tendency to party hard. That’s not our thing, but it’s a good way to blow off steam when you’re on tour or when you’re bored. So we’ve been conscious of pacing ourselves. So this has actually been a low key tour, but I’m sure there is something I can give you that’s funny. We got pulled over because we have dents in our van and there was some cop who asked, ‘What have you guys been doing’? Apparently there was some hit-and-run by some van that was just like ours. We were just peeing in a parking lot and this cop came up and wouldn’t let us go and, well I guess that’s not very eventful.

8. What are The Soft Pack’s plans for the rest of the year?

Looks like, after this tour, we’ll take a month or two off. We have some new material kicking around. We’re really excited about the next one, so we’ll work on that. And then I think another North American tour in the fall. Maybe, if we’re lucky, some festivals in the summer. We are doing Coachella, which is awesome because we are from southern California. We are hoping for that or maybe some stuff in England and Europe so keep an ear out for that, but nothing is confirmed except for Coachella.

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