Exclaim 20 Questions

1. What are you up to?

I'm minding my own business, working on a million projects, not sleeping much.

2. What are your current fixations?

An on-line geography game called Geosense, old-time music, learning guitar, The Book Of Lists, trying to find a certain piece of vinyl, the graying of my hair, the JT LeRoy mystery, appraising my comic collection.

3. Why do you live where you do?

Because it's pretty here and I wanted to extricate myself from the ills of where I was before.

4. Name something you consider a mind-altering work of art.

I'll name a few: the uncensored video for "Da Da Da" by Trio. The film "Persona" by Ingmar Bergman, Stray Toasters, the Bible, the sky, watching my fiancee walk, L'Age D'Or by Bunuel, Siddhartha, I could go on and on...

5. What has been your most memorable or inspirational gig and why?

Memorable: All Tomorrow's Parties '05 because it was an amazing event that I was honored to be a part of; the Sebutones in London, Ontario because it was sheer chaos; presenting my soundtrack to Eraserhead at the ICA in London because it was perfect, the first time I played Brighton because the crowd was so strongly behind me... I've had many.

Inspirational: Six Finger Satellite at the Turret Room in Halifax because I felt like I was in danger and Tom Waits in Amsterdam because it was Tom Waits and it was in Amsterdam. Willie Nelson in Austin was pretty awesome too. He played all night long.

6. What have been your career highs and lows?

High: Getting props from Radiohead and Vincent Gallo and Nora Guthrie, I suppose.

Low: the Kerrang! incident.

7. What's the meanest thing ever said to you before, during or after a gig?

You might think this is mean (I don't), but I tough looking guy came charging up to me right after the last song of a show in Providence and said, "That sucked, give me my money back NOW!" I gave him his money back and then we had a long talk. At the end of the talk he said, "you're alright...", but he didn't give the money back.

8. What should everyone shut up about?

I have no idea what people are talking about.

9. What traits do you most like and most dislike about yourself?

My sensitivity on both counts.

10. What advice should you have taken, but did not?

Truth is, no one has ever really given me any advice although I wish sometimes that someone would.

11. What would make you kick someone out of your band and/or bed and have you?

If you don't appreciate Hank Williams, you're out - either way.

12. What do you think of when you think of Canada?

I'm from Canada, so everything and nothing.

13. What is your vital daily ritual?

It's almost impossible to have any such thing when you're on the road all the time, but I'd be happy if I could take a nice, long, hot bath everyday.

14. What are your feelings on piracy, internet or otherwise?

I honestly feel that it's too late to even bother discussing that. It's spilt milk.

15. What was your most memorable day job?

Working as a lifeguard when I can't even swim.

16. How do you spoil yourself?

I can't really afford to spoil myself, sadly. I buy a lot of music, and although it gives me pleaure, I think of it as part of the job too.

17. If I wasn't playing music I'd be...

- probably a bum on the street.
- maybe on the radio.
- perhaps a gym teacher.
- most likely not a pro baseball player.

18. What do you fear most?

Number one: deep water.
Number two: sleep.
Number three: being in a car that I'm not driving.

19. What has been your strangest celebrity encounter?

Easy. The Amazing Kreskin came into where I worked at my last regular job and read my mind. No joke. It was perhaps the most incredible moment of my life.

Who would be your ideal dinner guest, living or dead, and what would you serve them?

Charles Bukowski and we'd eat chocolate bars.
Or Ted Williams and we'd have salmon.

What does your mom wish you were doing instead?

I can't know that, she's no longer alive.