Friendo
» Discover Friendo's analog passions, visual art talents and cousin kissing scandal.
Indie rockers Friendo from Calgary, AB have set out on a summer tour of North America. Amid a hectic schedule they were kind enough to talk about tapes, genealogy, Calgary, lack of sun, comic drawing, likes, loves, and pet peeves.
What was the inciting incident/event that brought you all together?
N: I was dating Mike and then we were researching our family trees and funny surprise, turns out we're second cousins. We met Henry at the family tree research building, he's a sociologist. From then on we drowned out our incestual guilt with electric guitars.
I love the cover art for Cold Toads. Is this your handy work Nicole? How do you compare and contrast drawing to singing and playing guitar?
Nicole: Yeah that’s my work, but I also want to give Henry and Mike some credit for inspiring me with their faces. I would say that my guitar playing is different from my drawing in that I draw with a pen and I play guitar with a pencil. They are similar in that I am extremely egotistical about both.
Thanks for keeping the cassette alive to see another day. So much back and forth banter has argued digital versus analog, but how about cassette tape versus vinyl? Thoughts? Likes? Dislikes of either medium?
N: I personally choose cassettes as my favorite medium because I'm a huge cheapskate and they are generally 10-20 dollars less than vinyl. The only thing better than tape is free mp3s. My friend Kevin sells some scented cassettes, which are nice too. This is superior to vinyl, which generally smells dank like a scabby basement.
How has the sound on Cold Toads been affected through the mix up of instrumental roles?
N: I probably would have degraded it considerably except for the fact that I am a mainstay on guitar and held it all together.
Henry, how has the jump been from your proficiency on guitar and bass to taking on drums treated you?
Nicole answering for Henry: "I am always happy so it was wonderful, thank you Mike and Nicole for giving me this opportunity."
Michael, can you describe the creative differences of your experiences with Friendo compared to your work with Women and Azeda Booth?
Mike: There is a girl in Friendo, which is always challenging. They are such nags.
What are some of the most annoying band comparisons by the press that you all have contended with?
N: K Records, hahaha!
The buzz is all about your collective fondness for music of the 90s, 70s and 60s. What experimental rock groups from the 90s do you all like?
N: I think they just mean Sonic Youth. Mike and Henry like post-rock a lot.
How about 70s punk groups?
N: Ok...Misfits, The Damned, Wire, Wipers, Ramones, Avengers, Kleenex, Chin Chin, Angry Samoans, Siouxsie and the Banshees...
And which pop groups from the 60s do you all dig?
N: Zombies, Troggs, Everly Bothers, Supremes, Roy Orbison, Beach Boys, Beatles, Del Shannon, The Kinks, the Shangri-Las, same as everyone.
Is there anything that excites you all about the 80s? I don’t blame ya’ll if not.
N: I don’t know why the 80s keep getting left out; post-punk, hardcore and post hardcore, goth, shoegaze... veritable musical treasure trove.
Tell us how the good folks of Calgary have responded to your music.
N: All the little kids love our shit.
M: They think we're famous.
What other groups from Calgary should we look out for?
N: Faux Fur and No You Hang Ups. Also, The Shrapnelles and Topless Mongos.
Excited to catch your upcoming San Francisco show at Bottom of the Hill, June 1st! What’s next for Friendo after the big U.S./Canada summer tour?
N: We'll get ghostly pale recording in the basement during the few summer months where vitamin D is available to Canadians. I'm gonna draw comic books 'til Mike gets back from tour with Women. Henry will continue to excel at researching genealogies although our tour is completely screwing over his respectable career, so he might spiral into hopelessness for the first time in his life.
Posted on May 26, 2010. More on: friendo, sonic youth, k records, cold toads, cassettes
