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The Weakerthans, London Garage, July 27th What's a brief history of the band? John: We started in 1997, and now it's 2003. And we're about to release our 3rd album Me: I got the in the post today! John: Awesome! Well, we lived in the same city and we all knew each other, and Jason and I were already playing together Jason: but our band broke up, and John Sampson just quit Propagandhi, and John had all these songs that he'd been writing over the years, and he wanted to just, y'know, get people to play them. So we recorded a record and shortly after that we went on tour. So, once you go on tour I guess you're officially a band. Who are your influences? John: Sometimes when I drink liquor, I'm under the influence. Jason: Hockey, do you guys like hockey? Me: Ice hockey? Jason: Yea.. Me: Er...I've only ever seen it on late night 5... John: Yea, we like hockey a lot... Me: Ok, cool...but I meant which bands influence you... John: I like bands...some bands... Me: Any English ones? John: Yea... Me: like... John: Well I noticed Stiff Little Fingers are playing here in October. They're awesome. Jason: They were good when they were young. But I have no idea what they're like now. John: I like Iron Maiden Jason: Yea! John: And, er...what's that other band? The one that sounds like a bug...The Beatles...now they're from England, right?! Jason: And Hanoi Rocks too...you guys like Hanoi Rocks? Me: Not really my thing... How has your new album moves on from 'Left and Leaving'? Jason: How's it moved on? John: Well, it's all new songs! Jason: Yea, they're all new songs but they've got the same chords as the last record....we used the same chords, but rearranged in different patterns...And sometimes we slowed down or sped up the drum beat, or the tempo. And the lyrics, they're changed too. John: But some of the words are the same.....to, from, where, how, and... What's the best gig you've played? John: Err, golly....I liked that one that time in er, that bar - that basement outside our practice place. We played a Nazareth song called 'Love Hurts' on guitar and a lady from the crowd came up and sang too. And the best band you've played with? Jason: The best band we've played with...I dunno.. John: That's a tough one, you've stumped us. We don't like many of the band we've played with. Nah, I liked playing with The Promise Ring, and I liked that time we played with, er, I dunno. We once played a show with Weezer Jason: We once played a show with the Farrel brothers...ermm Me: Who's playing with you tonight? Jason: I dunno John: Branston, from America. Brans - ton? Brand - ston? And that other band. Why are you called The Weakerthans? John: Because Iron Maiden was taken. Why do you think we're called that? Why don't you answer that? Me: If I knew, I wouldn't have asked. What is the scene like in your hometown? John: In our hometown, it's large. Lots of bands, all kinds music. A lot of weird bands with lots of members. There are these bands and you go and watch them and you think you're watching one band, but you're really watching another band cos they have the same members, but a different person sings Jason: There's a million bands, but there's actually only five musicians in the city of Toronto. John: What kinda cigarettes are you smoking? Me: Davidoff. I borrowed them off my neighbour because I didn't have any money to buy decent ones. John: Well I have some B&H, Canadian version. You can help yourselves to these... Jason: Smoking kills beavers. All the water that runs off tabacco fields goes into streams where the beavers live and they get all amped up and die. Me:  aww.... You all play loads of different instruments - how many, and how'd you come about learning them? John: You buy them first...and then you spend about half an hour fucking around with them and then you can play it. What do you think of other widely known Canadian bands? John: Like who? Jason: Sum 41. They're awful. John: Avril Lavigne. I like her music. What other bands? Jason: How about...Celine Dion? John: Cack. Jason: How about Neil Young? John: Good Jason: How about DOA? John: Good Jason: How about Bryan Adams John: Good. Great. What does it feel like to break into the British scene? John: We have not broken into the British scene. This is our first show in Britain, and er, yea... Me: Okay...well, have you 'broken into' the American scene? John: Oh yea, we've broken it, it's in 2 pieces right now... What do you miss most when you're on tour? John: I miss some things... Me: A nice bed? John: I have a really bad bed, so I like going on tour to get good beds. I miss urm...the Pizza place by my house. I miss.....I couldn't water my plant before I left! Jason: I miss everything... What's the funniest thing that happened on tour? John: Funniest thing...er, I like that time Sampson tried to throw coffee of you but threw it on someone else by accident. Jason: Yea, I liked that. John: Er....I like that time when... Jason: When at the end of the tour we play with all our money in our hotel room, throwing it up in the air *woooo* And the worst thing that's happened? John: Urm....nothing bad....hmmm.....I urm, I accidentally pooed in my pants once. I was constipated and I took a lot of pills for it.. How did you get the band noticed? John: We just played a lot of shows, just kept playing and making records and people started coming to the shows. How did you get onto your current record label? Jason: We called them up and said 'why don't you put our record out' and they said okay... What are your porn star names? John: What's yours? Me: Smudge Gittins John: That's cool...How do you guys do it over here? Me: First pets name, and then your mothers maiden name Jason: I'm Nickel Pepper John: Nickel Pepper? That one's crazy! That one works! Mine's er...Daisy Anderson... Jason: Oh, it's the pets name first? Then mine's Pepper Nickel. John: Hey, you guys, what's better, American football or European football? Me: I don't watch either. I like rugby John: What about the game where they have the big stick and it goes on for days? Me: Cricket? I'd rather bathe in acid than watch it. *Phone rings* John: Hey, you have the sex and the city ring tone. I like that show. Jason: And your phone has a camera on it, let me see! John: I like Sarah Jessica Parker What are your favourite films? John: Bend it Like Beckham. It's good. Jason: I like Sexy Beast. John: I like The Life Of Brian...