Natasha Thirsk (singer/guitarist) and Jen Deon (singer/bassist) play in Vancouver's Dirtmitts. They just released their self-titled debut on Sonic Unyon.
Current fixations:
NT: Art Bell, talk radio, conspiracy theories & curry.
JD: Existential philosophy & polaroid pictures.
Mind-altering work of art:
NT: "The Fat Albert Show."
JD: Gustav Klimpt "The Kiss" and "Jaws" - Steven Spielberg.
Most memorable or inspirational gig and why?
NT: New Order and the Sugarcubes, but also Suicidal Tendencies at the New York Theatre in Vancouver because it was the first gig I'd ever seen and I had to sneak out of my parents house and take a 2 hour bus ride from Langley to Vancouver to get there.
JD: Would have to say inaugural Lollapalooza concert in 1991. Had my first experience with "psychedelic drugs" and Perry Farrell live.
What has been your career high and low?
The low would probably be getting paid $2 for a gig at the Hungry Eye in Vancouver. One Ticket = $2 = one friend for the whole band. The highs have been many but playing the Vogue Theatre was probably the most grand.
What should everyone shut up about?
NT: J-Lo
JD: "Who let the dogs out."
I would drop everything to play a benefit for:
The Fred Hutcheson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.
What trait do you like and dislike most about yourself?
NT: impatience & over-reactor-man.
JD: caring.
What would make you kick someone out of your band and/or bed, and have you?
NT: Puking on my new fox fur bikini and simultaneously yanking out my new weave while stumbling to the ground at the Grammies. Yes I've had this happen.
JD: no comment.
When I think of Canada I think:
NT: beaver
JD: space, mismanagement and nice people.
What is your vital daily ritual?
NT: doorknob - 30 turns left, 28 turns right, stomp both feet, flick light switch 789 times, rock on.
JD: curing the headache with coffee products.
How do you spoil yourself?
NT: avacados & belinis
JD: ignore the phone and sleep in.
What was your most memorable day job?
NT: dreaming of not having one.
JD: selling hotdogs at Lumberland - the day I singed my eyebrows off is the day I never looked back. Although I did learn to love saurkraut!
If I wasn't playing music I would be:
NT: Animator, Fashion Designer, Kaiser or Tzar.
JD: bored probably.
What is your greatest fear?
NT: The list is endless. Should I work my way from A to Z?
JD: losing my senses.
If you had a superpower, what would it be?
NT: To Heal and/or to fly.
JD: power to change the past and see the future, or laser vision.
What makes you want to take it off and get it on?
NT: Prince.
JD: gin.
Music and sex: Is there a difference? Why?
NT: Essentially, simply, they're ports of entry. God works in mysterious ways.
JD: It depends on the artist, the song, the day of the week. Some people express their sexuality through their music. Other people express anger, happiness, sadness. etc. You can't make such generalizations. music isn't about sex and vise versa. They have similarities. rhythm, groove, passion but they are separate expressions/processes.
Strangest brush with celebrity:
NT: Meeting Kenny Rogers with my mom, and kicking Vernon Reid from Living Color in the shin at the Commodore.
JD: I once saw Cory Haim rollerblade in front of my car on Denman Street but before I had a chance to speed up he was gone.
Who would be your ideal dinner guest, living or dead, and what would you serve them?
NT: Dave Grohl because he seems funny and would bring cool friends. We would eat BBQ ribs and steak, and shot-gun strong Canadian beer.
JD: Chet Baker. Vitamins and pollident
What does your mom wish you were doing instead?
NT: She wishes for me to do whatever makes me happy, and hopefully end up rich.
JD: Nothing. She's stoked on what I'm doing because I am happy and in control of my life. Although I think she thinks I'm famous in Europe. Nothing I might have said though.
Current fixations:
NT: Art Bell, talk radio, conspiracy theories & curry.
JD: Existential philosophy & polaroid pictures.
Mind-altering work of art:
NT: "The Fat Albert Show."
JD: Gustav Klimpt "The Kiss" and "Jaws" - Steven Spielberg.
Most memorable or inspirational gig and why?
NT: New Order and the Sugarcubes, but also Suicidal Tendencies at the New York Theatre in Vancouver because it was the first gig I'd ever seen and I had to sneak out of my parents house and take a 2 hour bus ride from Langley to Vancouver to get there.
JD: Would have to say inaugural Lollapalooza concert in 1991. Had my first experience with "psychedelic drugs" and Perry Farrell live.
What has been your career high and low?
The low would probably be getting paid $2 for a gig at the Hungry Eye in Vancouver. One Ticket = $2 = one friend for the whole band. The highs have been many but playing the Vogue Theatre was probably the most grand.
What should everyone shut up about?
NT: J-Lo
JD: "Who let the dogs out."
I would drop everything to play a benefit for:
The Fred Hutcheson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.
What trait do you like and dislike most about yourself?
NT: impatience & over-reactor-man.
JD: caring.
What would make you kick someone out of your band and/or bed, and have you?
NT: Puking on my new fox fur bikini and simultaneously yanking out my new weave while stumbling to the ground at the Grammies. Yes I've had this happen.
JD: no comment.
When I think of Canada I think:
NT: beaver
JD: space, mismanagement and nice people.
What is your vital daily ritual?
NT: doorknob - 30 turns left, 28 turns right, stomp both feet, flick light switch 789 times, rock on.
JD: curing the headache with coffee products.
How do you spoil yourself?
NT: avacados & belinis
JD: ignore the phone and sleep in.
What was your most memorable day job?
NT: dreaming of not having one.
JD: selling hotdogs at Lumberland - the day I singed my eyebrows off is the day I never looked back. Although I did learn to love saurkraut!
If I wasn't playing music I would be:
NT: Animator, Fashion Designer, Kaiser or Tzar.
JD: bored probably.
What is your greatest fear?
NT: The list is endless. Should I work my way from A to Z?
JD: losing my senses.
If you had a superpower, what would it be?
NT: To Heal and/or to fly.
JD: power to change the past and see the future, or laser vision.
What makes you want to take it off and get it on?
NT: Prince.
JD: gin.
Music and sex: Is there a difference? Why?
NT: Essentially, simply, they're ports of entry. God works in mysterious ways.
JD: It depends on the artist, the song, the day of the week. Some people express their sexuality through their music. Other people express anger, happiness, sadness. etc. You can't make such generalizations. music isn't about sex and vise versa. They have similarities. rhythm, groove, passion but they are separate expressions/processes.
Strangest brush with celebrity:
NT: Meeting Kenny Rogers with my mom, and kicking Vernon Reid from Living Color in the shin at the Commodore.
JD: I once saw Cory Haim rollerblade in front of my car on Denman Street but before I had a chance to speed up he was gone.
Who would be your ideal dinner guest, living or dead, and what would you serve them?
NT: Dave Grohl because he seems funny and would bring cool friends. We would eat BBQ ribs and steak, and shot-gun strong Canadian beer.
JD: Chet Baker. Vitamins and pollident
What does your mom wish you were doing instead?
NT: She wishes for me to do whatever makes me happy, and hopefully end up rich.
JD: Nothing. She's stoked on what I'm doing because I am happy and in control of my life. Although I think she thinks I'm famous in Europe. Nothing I might have said though.