Japandroids are a two-piece indie rock group from Vancouver currently on tour in support of their third record Near to the Wild Heart of Life. The band will be in Ottawa on Oct. 22, and The Charlatan chatted with drummer David Prowse about the record, playing at Bluesfest at the same time as KISS, and who would play them in a movie.
The Charlatan (TC): Tell me about your experiences here in Ottawa, are you guys excited to come by?
David Prowse (DP): It’s been a long time, I think we’ve only played Ottawa twice from what I recall. The very first time we played in Ottawa, we played at the Ottawa Bluesfest, and we were playing on one of the outdoor stages at the same time as the band KISS. So yeah, it was rough competition. I mean it was ridiculous, that was like when we were in our very early days too . . . and we’re playing at the same time as one of the most famous rock bands of the last 40 years. You could hear [singer/guitarist of KISS] Paul Stanley yelling to the crowd between songs from our stage, we would be finishing a song and you would hear him be like “you all ready to party?” So that wasn’t the best experience I’ve ever had playing a show. It was also raining, so then I remember halfway through the set they had to put all these tarps over the monitors, and we just kept playing in the pissing rain. So I’m looking forward very much to obliterating that memory with the most amazing show in experience in Ottawa that our band could possibly have. Not to build it up too much, I guess anywhere is up from that too.
TC: Let’s talk a little bit about the record, tell me about the creative process behind Near to the Wild Heart of Life.
DP: One of the defining things about that record that gets touched on a lot is just the fact that we took a long time to make it. We kind of disappeared from the radar for a while. We toured for a long time on Celebration Rock, the previous record, then sort of went into hibernation. I think that was very necessary, the whole point of taking that break in the beginning was just for the sake of taking a break and physically recovering from all the touring we had done . . . From there, we just really didn’t want to set any limitations on ourselves, so we basically stepped out of the spotlight. We didn’t book any shows, we didn’t book recording time, we just kind of wrote for a long time. A lot of that was just because I think we wanted a bit of freedom to figure out the record we wanted to make. We knew we didn’t want to make Celebration Rock 2, but as far as understanding what that really means, a lot of it was trial-and-error and trying lots of different ideas out, and trying to get a little more creative with arrangements, production, that kind of stuff. We just took our time making this record, and really used the studio to its full capabilities this time around which is not something we’ve done in the past. That’s sort of the defining thing when I think of this record versus the last one. It still sounds like us, but I think we’re stretching out a little bit and kind of exploring what we can do that still sounds like Japandroids but doesn’t sound like we’re repeating ourselves.
TC: Would you say the new record captured that, or are there other things you guys wish you could have done?
DP: I don’t think anybody ever makes a record and then thinks every single decision I made was the right decisions and it’s perfect. But, I think we are very proud of the record. As you go through the process, you’re always learning, and you’re always critiquing the decisions you’ve made. So, I don’t think we would make a record the exact same way again, but I think a lot of the things we did do were really exciting and opens up new doors on where we can go from here. I think one of the cool things about this record, you know after making Post-Nothing and Celebration Rock, I think [singer/guitarist Brian King] and I felt a little boxed-in . . . There was a shorthand for what a Japandroids song was, and I feel like we’re stretching that out a little on this record, where it’s not so easy to be like “a Japandroids song is comprised of A, B, and C,” you know? I think having that kind of freedom opens up a lot of doors for the next record we want to make.
TC: Is there a song off the record that you feel captures the “branching out” you were just describing?
DP: “Arc of Bar,” I think is a song I couldn’t have predicted how that song would turn out. I think that’s probably the song Brian and I are most excited about in terms of surprising ourselves a bit with what we can do with just the two of us. You know, songs are a bit like children, you try not to play favourites. I think “Arc of Bar” was an exciting process when we were writing it, we didn’t really know where we were going and where it was leading to right up until we had a pretty solid mix coming through the speakers back at us in the studio.
TC: How would you describe you and Brian’s relationship as a duo?
DP: I think it’s kind of like a sibling relationship at this point. Our lives are very, very intertwined, not just in terms of the band. Brian and I went to university together, we have a bunch of the same friends and we’ve all been friends for almost 20 years at this point. I’m 35 and I’ve known Brian since I was 18. I don’t know what it’s like to be in a four-piece band. I think there is a certain intensity to your personal issues when it’s just two people in the bad. A lot of the decisions have to be made by consensus, you can’t just put anything to a vote when there’s only two of you. I think that just inevitably means there’s a bit more conflict but there’s also the need to address any conflict quickly. You can’t really let things simmer forever . . . He’s kind of like the brother that drives me crazy occasionally, but is also one of the people that I’m closest to on a personal level.
TC: What kind of directions would you like to see Japandroids take in the next few years?
DP: I think for a long time we were this band that didn’t really enjoy recording, recording was always just a means to an end to just get songs out there so we could play live. As time goes on, we’re just getting more and more of a balance where I still enjoy touring but I don’t like the idea of touring for two years on a record anymore. I think that’s kind of the major transition the band is going through, where Brian and I both feel the same way, we just want to write more and be releasing music on a more regular basis . . . I think that’s the big thing, I want to keep writing and recording on a more regular basis, and keep trying to push ourselves in terms of what we can do. I think the way Brian and I have always felt about this band, is if we ever get to a point where our hearts aren’t in it and we’re not passionate about what we’re doing, then that’s the time to stop. We’ve crossed paths with other bands that do not do that. You know, who are totally checked out and they’re still touring to make money, and I think that’s the nightmare for Brian and I. So the big thing for us going forward is sort of the same thing it’s always been, which is continue to do things we find interesting and inspiring. If you’re not being inspired by what you do, and you’re an artist, what are you doing?
TC: Do you guys have a dream tour partner that you’d love to go on the road with?
DP: There’s a pretty endless list of bands we would love to tour with . . . If it was just a dream festival where we could curate whoever we wanted, Kendrick Lamar would probably be my top choice. Neil Young would be up there, The Sadies would be up there, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Tanya Tagaq . . . That’s a rather eclectic festival, PJ Harvey would play that festival for sure. It’s interesting, I think you can get a lot out of touring with any band. It’s always a fun thing, there’s a natural bond that happens when you tour with somebody. You’re both doing this super weird, strange journey together, you’re playing together every night, you’re in all these different cities together, it’s very natural for there to be a bond over that.
TC: A movie studio buys the rights to “Japandroids: The Movie.” Who do you guys want playing you?
DP: I don’t know man, that’s a tough call. I don’t feel like I’m familiar enough with movie stars. My girlfriend, her mom’s British and she has a lot of family back home in the UK. When she was hanging out with her extended family, they kept saying I look like this dude, I can’t remember the name of the actor . . . He’s in the movie Bridesmaids. He’s like that cop guy, and he’s the love interest of Kristen Wiig. I don’t know what that actor’s name is. Her family would say that guys should play me, they were like he looks exactly like that guy. I don’t think I look exactly like that guy, but I’ll take it.
TC: I think Chris O’Dowd was the cop in Bridesmaids?
DP: That’s right, that’s his name . . . Brian, I don’t know. I can’t think of any extremely tall and skinny actors who should play Brian, that’s one of his defining physical characteristics. The actor would need to go on a weight loss plan to fit into those skinny jeans of his.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
