1.Please
introduce Horses and give some background behind the band.
Horses formed in the fall of 2005, during a drive between Sydney,
NS and Halifax, NS, as a result of a long winded conversation between
3 bros touching on the subjects of living away from your economically
depressed hometown and what constitutes good, authentic rock music.
I started writing songs that night, and we started playing them in
front of people in Halifax and other spots in the maritimes shortly
thereafter. The band ended up being mostly about writing songs that
reflect folk and rock storytelling traditions that are played in an
aggressive, stripped down fashion.
We
are currently in the process of relocating, reforming, and reformulating
our future trajectory.
2. How would you describe your music to someone that has yet
to hear it?
"The band [is] about writing songs that reflect folk and rock
storytelling traditions that are played in an aggressive, stripped
down fashion."
I
also might say that we sound like shellac playing bruce springsteen
songs, but I am not sure how accurate that is.
3. What does Horses mean to you?
Horses is the most fulfilling band I have been a part of. I think
it is the best expression of the music I have always wanted to make.
Good dudes I get to play with too.
4. What were the original goals of the band and have they been
met?
I don't know that we had any real goals beyond writing music and playing
shows, so, sure? That we are going to tour is surpassing my expectations
of what was going to happen with this band. When I moved to Toronto
to be with my lady the band was on indefinite hiatus, but now it looks
like it will be my main musical focus. I guess the question is can
we meet my current aspirations for this band (an official release
of our album, tours of western Canada, the US and Europe, more albums,
etc). I sure hope so.
5. What inspires you as a band?
A lot of the songs I write are inspired in one way or another by Cape
Breton (where we grew up), and my conflicted relationship with the
nature of life there. I am constantly drawing on the people I know
and the places I have been in the songs I write. Disconnected from
that, I am inspired by (and constantly borrowing from) bands and musicians
that either write good music or good stories, usually both.
6. What is your musical background? When did rock/folk/whatever
come into play?
I grew up playing in a variety of punk/hardcore/indierock bands, and
going to and putting off all ages DIY shows in Sydney. I have only
developed a taste for rock/folk/country in my 20's. I have no real
explanation why.
7. You have an upcoming tour with Greg MacPherson, how did the
tour come about?
Greg is a super nice fellow, who I had corresponded with about putting
off a show in Sydney in like 1999 or some shit. A few years later,
me and my buddy Albert backed him up somewhat randomly at some shows
in Sydney. We were brutal. For some reason he let me (and this time
Glenn as well) do it again last year, and we had alot of fun. He was
also into our band. He has been spending alot of time in Toronto,
and when I moved here we decided to play some music together. Eventually,
we decided a tour together would be a good time.
8. Is it easy for you go to out there and play in front of an
audience? What's your ideal show situation (type of venue, crowd,
other bands, etc)?
I don't usually get nervous anymore. I have been playing music in
front of people in one form or another since I was 15 (I'm 27 now).
When Horses started, it was my first time "singing" singing
in a band, and I was fairly nervous about that. But I am pretty comfortable
with it now. I wish I could do it all day everyday.
The
ideal show situation is generally in a venue where nice people work
with decent sound, an enthusiastic crowd of any size (more than say
2), and some bands that don't suck.
9. What do you think sets Horses apart from other bands?
Not alot. I think we draw clear influence from several obvious places,
and I am pretty comfortable with that. I think our music isn't trying
to be groundbreaking; rather it is attempting to fit in with a particular
musical aesthetic emphasizing traditional song structures and storytelling
songs with themes of desperation and dissillusionment. I think in
that way I would rather fit in than stand out. But I guess we stand
out from bands that do not sound like the bands that we are attempting
to fit in with.
10. When do you think the best time and situation to listen to
a Horses >record is?
On 8 hits of acid on your way to a foghat concert.
11. What future plans does Horses have?
Ideally, get on a label, release albums and tour a bunch.
12. How can people contact the band? myspace.com/horsesrunwildtonight
is likely the most reliable, though I guess we have an email address:
horsesrunwildtonight@gmail.com
