1. Who are you?
…is a song by The Who that we used to listen to a lot as kids. We being the current of Cherry Chapstick (Julian, Dexter, Nigel), it totally ruled until CSI made it its theme song.
2. What do you do?
Did you know that if you Google “What do you do” the most popular suggestion is, “…when your bored?” Firstly, that’s depressing because apparently a lot of people have lost all imagination and have to resort to Google on rainy Sunday afternoons and secondly, because it should be you’re not your. Often on rainy Sunday afternoons Cherry Chapstick makes music, or records it, in our bedrooms.
3. Where do you come from?
Julian is from a limestone house in the Limestone city. Nigel is from a straw house in the Limestone City. Dexter is from Westport Connecticut. Perhaps his house is made out of sticks. I’m just pointing this out in case the Big Bad Wolf is a frequent reader of the Journal.
4. Where do you live and work and why?
We all live in Montreal, Quebec. We go to school here. It’s beautiful here, especially now in the fall. We knew Queen’s like the back of our hands by the time we left high school. I could’ve told you which Subway kiosk had the cutest cashier lady and which floors in the washrooms in Stauffer Library showed the most enthusiastic and nostril-perplexing toilet use.
5. What’s your idea of the perfect gig?
There’s this crazy phenomenon in gig-culture. I’m pretty sure cultural analysts these days are referring to it as “Sound Guys Who Actually Know What They’re Doing (SGWAKWTD in technical lingo).” If you magically have that go down at a show, you feel pretty “cool/weird/just vibin’.”
6. Favourite place to play?
Least favourite?
As a kid I would always go to the park on Helen St. They have these great swing sets and a sketch tennis court where the net sags a lot. I used to play with my Grandma and she would get two bounces, citing “arthritis” as her impediment. We had a house show in my living room last year. It was probably the best and worst. Somebody vomited in the bath.
7. When and where was Cherry Chapstick conceived?
In Kingston last summer in a tiny room with zero ventilation on the corner of Frontenac and Earl.
8. How’d you decide on the name?
“WAIT, ARE YOU NAMED AFTER THE KATY PERRY SONG?!?!?!?!”
9. If you weren’t playing music what would you be doing?
Google-ing shit with poor spelling.
10. What are your current obsessions?
Youtube videos of Caribou talking about how he makes music, any and all food in Montreal that goes under the label “Jewish,” how Cherry Coke flows like water here (Vanilla Coke RIP), this person who lives in Vancouver, reversed pianos/vibraphones.
11. What inspires you?
People who wake up early and go to bed late. Everyday Hemingway would wake up daily at seven a.m. and try to write between 500 to 1,000 words. The rest of his day he devoted to a combination of fishing, hunting and drinking. Bam.
12. What is Cherry Chapstick currently working on?
Your future obsession.
13. Where can eager ears find you?
If you get a job at Subway we’ll probably chat you up. Otherwise come see us sometime and buy a record!
Cherry Chapstick play The Mansion tonight with La Casa Muerte and Hellaluya at 9 p.m. Tickets are $8.
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