Punishing Vancouver punk duo Nü Sensae are one of the hardest-working bands out there, maintaining a busy work schedule that includes a steady stream of touring and new releases. Since putting out their Exclaim!-approved TV, Death and the Devil full-length last year, the group embarked on over four months of North American touring and still found time to release two EPs. Apparently Seattle imprint Suicide Squeeze Records recognizes a work ethic when it sees one, as the label has now signed the band to its roster.
"David [Dickenson] from Suicide Squeeze just emailed us out of the blue one day," drummer Daniel Pitout tells Exclaim! "We have worked with a lot of labels, but we have never been offered the kind of stuff SSR did. I think the final thing was how sincere and nice David is. It's also hard to say no to a record label that put out the Melvins and Elliott Smith."
Some might question how the band's uncompromising punk ethos will work with a legitimate record deal in place, but Pitout insists that this deal is only a good thing. "I am excited to not be doing everything ourselves!" Pitout explains. "We have always been into the DIY ethic and being really involved in everything we do, but booking 65 international shows, scrounging up money we don't have to record and trying to get people to sell our records all by ourselves can get a little exhausting after a few years.
"People can say what they want about record labels, but when you are actually out there touring for months at a time in a broken-down van, working your ass off and wondering if kids will even come to the show you booked through four different people... someone offering you help is pretty much the best thing in the world."
Now, Nü Sensae are making plans to record their first album for the label. Currently in the writing stages, they intend to enter the studio with former Jackie-O Motherfucker member and current Vancouver man-about-town Josh Stevenson, who also recorded the recent LP from bassist Andrea Lukic's Heavy Chains project.
On top of all these announcements, Nü Sensae are also planning to record two new music videos and possibly a single or two with other labels. Pitout has also officially joined Hunx and His Punx as a touring member. "I'm going to be playing drums on the new record and guitar on the upcoming East Coast tour but I don't think it is something that will take up a lot of my time at all," he says of his involvement with the group. "It's more just an easy way to hang out on tour with my boyfriend!"
"David [Dickenson] from Suicide Squeeze just emailed us out of the blue one day," drummer Daniel Pitout tells Exclaim! "We have worked with a lot of labels, but we have never been offered the kind of stuff SSR did. I think the final thing was how sincere and nice David is. It's also hard to say no to a record label that put out the Melvins and Elliott Smith."
Some might question how the band's uncompromising punk ethos will work with a legitimate record deal in place, but Pitout insists that this deal is only a good thing. "I am excited to not be doing everything ourselves!" Pitout explains. "We have always been into the DIY ethic and being really involved in everything we do, but booking 65 international shows, scrounging up money we don't have to record and trying to get people to sell our records all by ourselves can get a little exhausting after a few years.
"People can say what they want about record labels, but when you are actually out there touring for months at a time in a broken-down van, working your ass off and wondering if kids will even come to the show you booked through four different people... someone offering you help is pretty much the best thing in the world."
Now, Nü Sensae are making plans to record their first album for the label. Currently in the writing stages, they intend to enter the studio with former Jackie-O Motherfucker member and current Vancouver man-about-town Josh Stevenson, who also recorded the recent LP from bassist Andrea Lukic's Heavy Chains project.
On top of all these announcements, Nü Sensae are also planning to record two new music videos and possibly a single or two with other labels. Pitout has also officially joined Hunx and His Punx as a touring member. "I'm going to be playing drums on the new record and guitar on the upcoming East Coast tour but I don't think it is something that will take up a lot of my time at all," he says of his involvement with the group. "It's more just an easy way to hang out on tour with my boyfriend!"
NU SENSAE - I'M A BODY from codyfennell on Vimeo.