To tide us over while we indulge in the holiday spirit gorging on stuffing and egg nog, we asked a bunch of musicians to tell us their thoughts on 2008. Some of them replied with lists of their favourite music, some told us their fondest memories and some came up with much more creative ways to commemorate this past year.
Proof of Ghosts' Steve Heyerdahl does the rounds as both a fan and a musician, recounting his year:
Favourite albums of the year? I think maybe Boris' Smile, and Katie Stelmanis' Join Us
My favourite show of the year (of those we played, anyway) was in late spring at an organic farm near Guelph. We were invited to play for a pair of dudes who were having a double birthday party (they were turning a sporty 40). Now, everyone's familiar with the usual debaucherous rock'n'roll venue/setting, but this was wholly virtuous, fresh open air and lit by torches and campfires. There were even families singing along - very bible camp, almost. We sat around in the cool May night by the fire till dawn. A few locals were passing nice scotch around. The next day we were fed a delicious breakfast and sent on our way with five dozen farm fresh eggs!
Of the shows that I've seen, my favourite of the year is a toss up between Boris at Lee's Palace (crushing, heavy and beautiful) and Watain at Pop Montreal (Corpse paint, violent mosh pit, un-ironic Satan lyrics. Amazing!)
Here's kind of a funny story: A friend told me of how she played our record at her sister's place. The story goes that as the music began, the sister's five-year-old son ran out of the living room, only to return with his plastic hockey stick "guitar" and several pairs of "shades" that he insisted everyone wear. So there were two adults wearing Disney kid's sunglasses, prodded on by a kindergartner, also shaded and playing hockey stick guitar, having a dance party to Proof of Ghosts in the afternoon. I think that's charming.
Goodbye 2008. What will the new year bring? For us, we're working on lots of material, much of which is considerably heavier than anything we've been known for in the past. There's still some delicate, folk-ish moments but they exist (uneasily, yet I think appropriately) alongside some dark, drone and doom-laden sounds. Sounds that might be better paired with the Creeping Nobodies, or with Blood Ceremony, than with, say, the Great Lake Swimmers. A few months ago, a friend turned me on to a band called Harvey Milk, and I was delighted to hear some not dissimilar musical ideas, where on the same album the songs could go from crushing, sludgy metal to fragile, heart-breaking acoustic music. I feel that Proof of Ghosts as a band are on a similar road. I think our destinations are different but we might eat at a few of the same truck stops.
Proof of Ghosts' Steve Heyerdahl does the rounds as both a fan and a musician, recounting his year:
Favourite albums of the year? I think maybe Boris' Smile, and Katie Stelmanis' Join Us
My favourite show of the year (of those we played, anyway) was in late spring at an organic farm near Guelph. We were invited to play for a pair of dudes who were having a double birthday party (they were turning a sporty 40). Now, everyone's familiar with the usual debaucherous rock'n'roll venue/setting, but this was wholly virtuous, fresh open air and lit by torches and campfires. There were even families singing along - very bible camp, almost. We sat around in the cool May night by the fire till dawn. A few locals were passing nice scotch around. The next day we were fed a delicious breakfast and sent on our way with five dozen farm fresh eggs!
Of the shows that I've seen, my favourite of the year is a toss up between Boris at Lee's Palace (crushing, heavy and beautiful) and Watain at Pop Montreal (Corpse paint, violent mosh pit, un-ironic Satan lyrics. Amazing!)
Here's kind of a funny story: A friend told me of how she played our record at her sister's place. The story goes that as the music began, the sister's five-year-old son ran out of the living room, only to return with his plastic hockey stick "guitar" and several pairs of "shades" that he insisted everyone wear. So there were two adults wearing Disney kid's sunglasses, prodded on by a kindergartner, also shaded and playing hockey stick guitar, having a dance party to Proof of Ghosts in the afternoon. I think that's charming.
Goodbye 2008. What will the new year bring? For us, we're working on lots of material, much of which is considerably heavier than anything we've been known for in the past. There's still some delicate, folk-ish moments but they exist (uneasily, yet I think appropriately) alongside some dark, drone and doom-laden sounds. Sounds that might be better paired with the Creeping Nobodies, or with Blood Ceremony, than with, say, the Great Lake Swimmers. A few months ago, a friend turned me on to a band called Harvey Milk, and I was delighted to hear some not dissimilar musical ideas, where on the same album the songs could go from crushing, sludgy metal to fragile, heart-breaking acoustic music. I feel that Proof of Ghosts as a band are on a similar road. I think our destinations are different but we might eat at a few of the same truck stops.
