Grooveshark Artists

Last Halloween, we had the opportunity to meet & mingle with several artists during the Fest 9 and our first annual “Grooveshark Sessions”. We brought in over 15 artists spanning a few genres to record 1 live track of their choice - to be released exclusively via Grooveshark as part of the “Grooveshark Sessions: @the Fest”. Well, after unwinding, editing, mixing, mastering, etc. - the tracks and interviews are here!

The Sainte Catherines set was by far my favorite. Not sure if this was due to the mass amounts of whiskey we collectively consumed, the fact that I recorded toy piano on their track, or the fact that our session ended at the Gentleman Jesse & His Men show, swing dancing to “All I Need Tonight (Is You)”. All in all, good times were to be had by every party involved, and the resulting interview from the night is hilarious by itself. The following interview is mainly with Hugo Mudie, who does vocals & lyrics in the Sainte Catherines.

We’re at Medusa Studios, once again, with Grooveshark Fest Sessions – here with the Sainte Catherines. You guys have traveled quite a bit a ways to get here – they’ve just come from Montreal and have said some pretty rad things about it. Tell us what the music scene is like there

Hugo: There’s  a lot of new bands that we don’t know about. A lot of good new punk bands. Apart from that, there’s this amazing new band called Inepsy – they’re like a crustier Motorette – probably our favorite band from Montreal. Then there’s Arcade Fire.

Oh yeah. Great band.  You guys did your last album on Fat Wreck Chords?

H: We did one album on Fat Wreck Chords.

Is that the last one that you just did?

H: No. We just have a new one now, it’s on Anchorless Records from Boston. We try to change labels every record. We just want to test uh … the market. Have as many friends as possible. So far is good – I like the guy that’s running out the label. Neil. We just try to work with people that like our band for a year. Then they move on to something else, so we move on at the same time

I like that strategy

H: It never really worked.

How’s the Fest experience so far?

H: It’s good so far. We got here this morning at…. Noon maybe? Everyone else went to bed but I was a warrior. So I went downtown and checked a bunch of bands. Then I realized I was alone for like four hours. It sucked. I saw this band – Compadre – at the Atlantic – and they were amazing. Someone told me to go see them and I went to see them – it’s like a hardcore band, pretty hard stuff – and I’m usually turned off by hard stuff because it’s too uh… macho and manly for me. I like my music to be more feminine. I was impressed – very impressed. I bought the CD. I went to Taco Bell too.

Is this your first Fest?

Hugo: No, it’s our third. We played Fest 2&3. We were sleeping for the rest of them.

Wow, 2&3.Those were the crazy build up years!

H: I like the Fest. The whole goal is to drink as much PBR as you can. That’s what Americans tell us. We don’t know, we’re from Canada. I guess we’re here for the music.

What is it called… La Mont Blue?

H: Labatt.

La Monte…Sounds like some old pimp or something.

H: Labatt Blue. It’s not that good. We don’t drink Labatt Blue. Boycott that shit. [pause] This is a very good interview – I’m sure it’s going to do very well on the Internet.

We’ll edit it.

So, Hugo has got the sniffles.

H: I don’t feel bad at all! It’s just the throat. I feel very good. Do you want to talk about sports?

Sports? Gator sports?

H: I don’t know. I’m just trying to…

Hockey!

H: We can talk about that.

I’m curious about your Fest 2&3 experiences. Your show with Against Me and Hot Water Music … that sounds awesome! That was a little bit before their heyday, or right during it?

It was before they signed.

Hugo: I think when we played Fest with Against Me, we knew them. We had toured with them in Canada before. And Lucero played too. We’re all big fans of Lucero.

Do you guys have a band you’re most excited about seeing this weekend?

Hugo: I wanted to see Dear Landlord, but there were too many people. I wanted to see Suicide Machines but I was in Boston. I think I would like to see Frank Turner.

You guys have been touring for a long time, obviously. What would you say your favorite city to play in is?

Hugo: Shamokin, PA. Mangostin, Germany.  One of my favorite shows ever was in Cancun. We played with this Mexican band called Us Against the World. We did a split 7” with them in Mexico. The Cancun show was one of my favorite shows. It’s usually just about free drinks and girls. But then we realized – wait a minute. We can sell two records to some fat kid in Germany! So we did that.