Dale Morningstar

The Exclaim! Questionnaire

BY None NonePublished Nov 17, 2016

Who are you?
Dale Morningstar, singer/guitarman for the Dinner Is Ruined, recordist, 1/2 of the Gas Station recording studio.

What are you up to?
Dusting off the mixing board after a six month exile, firing up the D.I.R. live machine in support of our new pie.

Hometown and current HQ:
Chippawa... Toronto Island.

Current fixations:
U.S. presidential election polling debacle, cranberry juice, new Johnny Cash, Headhunter by Timothy Findley.

Mind altering work of art:
Film: Fellini's 8 1/2. Painting: Bosch's "The Garden of Earthly Delights."

Most memorable/inspirational gig and why?
Fall '94, Ottawa, D.I.R. (myself and Dr. Pee) open for Rheostatics amid boos, heckles, thrown objects... midway into show # 2, I hear a second drum kit, look behind and there's the headlining band's tub-man, Dave Clark, bashin' away... and he hasn't left our rock'n'roll stage yet.

What should everyone shut up about?
Olympics.

Your greatest strength/weakness:
Strength: tenacity. Weakness: pettiness.

Your vital daily ritual:
Spirellina and O.J... toast w/tahini and miso.

Guilty pleasure:
I don't feel guilt about anything... you do it or you don't.

If I wasn't playing music I would be…
Globetrotting.

Your most memorable day job:
I did all those tourist gigs in Niagara Falls as a teen: Ripleys' Believe It or Don't, elevator operator at a tower (everyday some dim bulb had to say, "this job sure has its ups and downs!"), Marineland (fired after 4 days and damn proud of it.)

Best/worst advice received:
"You have no sense of rhythm"... it made me self-conscious for years.

I would drop everything to play a benefit for…
The elimination of cell phones in public areas.

What makes you want to take it off and get it on?
A couple of beers, sometimes much less.

What personal trait would make you kick someone out of your band and/or bed? And have you?
Negativity. Yes.

When I think of Canada I think:
A great land without great leaders.

Music and sex: Is there a difference? Why?
Of course, sometimes being onstage is better than sex; sometimes sex is better than being onstage. Now, sex on stage, that's a winner!

Strangest brush with celebrity:
NYC. Dressing room door. Harrison Ford asks to use the potty. I say there isn't one, but point out the public "john," knowing full well there's no private stall and envisioning han solo taking a crap in full viewage of autograph hounds.

What does your mom wish you were doing instead?
Buying new shoes, wearing clean threads, having a nice girl cook my meals.

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