INTERVIEW with CONSTANTINES
by
Kristine Howard | Age: 26
Hudson Valley, NY
Constantines have been pumping out of all the cool kidsí iPods for years now. The Canada-based rock group of self-proclaimed hippies have lots of grit and grease to sing about. They are Bry Webb (vocals, guitar), Steve Lambke (vocals, guitar), Dallas Wehrle (bass guitar), Will Kidman (keyboards), and Doug MacGregor (drums). Though you wonít find much evidence of any hard-knocks living, these four boys have gathered some serious momentum with the trials-and-tribulations-of-this-hard-world motif. They can be dark and evocative, pensive and restrained; all the while, I feel itís a silent urging for revolution. But, hey, maybe thatís just me. Here's what Steve had to say:
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You are often described as a blue-collar band. Where has this hard-man-with-hard-hands inspiration come from? Do you have pasts as grease monkeys?
We're a bunch of sissy college boys who read too many books. We've worked as machinists, truck drivers and security guards. Weíve been on road repair crews. I was born in a motor home at the racetrack.
Prior to forming as Constantines, you were all punk rockers, and there was evidence of that sound in your earlier releases. Tournament of Hearts is much more reserved rock-and-roll, devoid of that earlier punk sound. Tell me about that transition.
We wanted to leave some space in the songs. We still play punk rock songs. We wrote one for this record but left it off for the sake of coherence. Itís about the Canadian north. Itís about lovers coming and going and the missile defense program. It will be coming out sometime on a compilation for Music for America. Weíre doing our part for democracy.
Any story behind the bandís name?
Charles Constantine enforced the laws of the nation and the sovereignty of the government of Canada over the Yukon territory during the Klondike gold rush. He was a hard-working man.
Youíve talked about not wanting to move to a major label, but surely that would bring you more success and popularity. Is it possible to reconcile the values of an indie-rocker with that of big business?
We are open to anything. When people asked us about that we werenít ready to enter that world. We made the right decision for the time. Itís important to remember the importance of viable independent cultures.
I would want to know that a label has a plan beyond suing those who may illegally download music.
You guys are Canadian (in case you didnít know) and your heritage is a common, if not a prevalent theme in many songs. How has your country influenced your music? What makes a Canadian musician different from an American one?
Weíll mythologize our landscape as you have yours. Canadians have a relationship with the infinite that Americans will not understand. We are a land unbounded to the north. We will stare across the frozen waters of Hudsonís Bay. We will commit our ceremonies beneath a midnight sun. We will wash our boots in the mighty Yukon River.
Oh-kaay. Well, Tournament of Hearts hasnít created as much noise as some of your other releases, but itís gotten equal praise. Why have things quieted for you boys stateside?
Probably due to all this talk of our home and native land.
Zing! When everyone was talking about moving to Canada after Bush was re-elected, were you worried that theyíd follow through? I mean, if anything, us Americans are all talk, you know.
We just elected our own conservative Christian leader from an oil rich province, one who supported the invasion of Iraq. I guess weíll be seeing you in Iran. And weíll all be happy in the same heaven now that we will be saved from abortion and gay marriage. Oh lordy lord.
Also, were you really annoyed that there was a contestant on American Idol last year with the first name Constantine? Googling updates about your band became a bit of a chore last year because of that buffoon.
We actually paid that fellow to change his name to Constantine, thinking it a clever marketing strategy. I suppose your question indicates this was not a success. With similar intent we financed that Keanu Reeves movie. We wanted Johnny Depp, but what can you do? It was our first movie.
In todayís media-crazed (specifically, Internet-crazed) public, you still maintain a website thatís quite minimalistic. Is this intentional or do you guys just not really like computers?
Our website has been under construction for a while. Weíve been spending too much time at the coffee truck and whistling at girls. I had to train to be a crane operator. They donít just let you run one of those things on your first day.
Oh, and whatís with this cover band nonsense? Are you feeling unfulfilled with the Constantines alone? I would think that splitting your energies between that and Horsey Craze, your Neil Young cover band, would be counterproductive.
(guitar solo)
I just heard that youíve already signed on to play Sasquatch this year. Kickass! Last yearís lineup had buttloads of amazing bands. Are you excited?
My friend, the Constantines have played buttloads of festivals. Iím always excited.
Speaking of festivals... about going on record as a hippie over at Pitchfork... were you drunk? Because, I mean, Iíd go on record as being a Windex fiend, but never a fucking hippie. They smell. Do you guys wear that patchouli shit?
Bad hippies smell. Bad hippies are lazy. Good hippies are full of a vigorous and angry love.
Point taken. Are there any modern bands (recently emerging or signed) out there that you think have what it takes? What songs have been stuck in your head in the past few months?
ëGore Veilí by the Deadly Snakes.
Jon-Rae and the River ,ëCome Back to Meí.
ëShine a Lightí by Wolf Parade.
ëVarious Stagesí by Great Lake Swimmers.
ëLiving in Sin in the USAí by Oakley Hall.
ëSay Valley Makerí by Smog.
Leave us with some hope, guys. Any talk about your next album? Oh, and who might carry you in Canada (since Sub-Pop is now kaputz)?
Subpop is kaputz?!?!? We should let them know. Those people are working too hard if their label is kaputz.
(Author's note: umm, I meant Three Gut. Iím sorry, ok?! Yes, thatís right. Everybody stop what theyíre doing and look at the retarded journalist. YEAH. Thatís just GREAT.)
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Check out Sub-Pop Records and their soon-to-be-revamped website for updates about Constantines. Due back in the good olí USA in May, weíre hoping this means more dates for us Yankees. Oí Canada, Oí Canada...