5 Questions with Rags #44 - Ben Caplan (& The Casual Smokers)

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There isn't a voice in Canadian like music like Ben Caplan. The deep, gravel-voiced leader of Ben Caplan & The Casual Smokers is a captivating talent, writing intelligent, interesting songs and delivering them with an intense passion and formidable talent. His songs are at once modern and timeless, covering love and life, good and evil, light and dark with eloquent nimbleness. I caught up with the mysterious man from the Maritimes as he and The Casual Smokers prepare to embark on a 33-date North American tour that sees the band go coast to coast across the Great White North and dipping down over the border to help ease the minds of our southern neighbours during troubling times.

1. Do you remember the first album you bought with your own money?

I do. It was a tape, I bought Pink Floyd's Relics.

Wow, that's not usually the first Pink Floyd record people pick up.

<laughs> It was a weird one, yeah. I had an older brother who was really into Pink Floyd. I wanted to make him think I was cool by finding a tape that he didn't have.

And did it work?

I don't know. Probably not. But I got into it.

2. Speaking as an older brother, you're right, it probably didn't. When is the last time you did something for the first time?

Probably last week, but I can't tell you what it is.

A secret project?! Oooh la la.

Haha. I'll tell you what, here's another one...I went to the Banff Centre for the first time about a month ago to do some work on a theatre project that I'm building. I'm working with actors and musicians on a theatre project I'm writing and I've never done that before. That was a big first for me. I think there's eight of us in total – four musicians, two actors, a director and another writer. It's been an interesting project. 

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5 Questions with Rags #43 - Immerze

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An immense talent for the art of rapping combined with a seemingly endless well of hustle has helped Toronto-to-Vancouver transplant Immerze has established himself as one of Canada's most consistent and exciting Mcs in a surprisingly short time. A grimy, big-city east-coast feel gives his tracks a reliable bottom end with a defined west-coast lightness and positivity colouring everything, splitting the difference between the two aesthetics. It's getting trickier and trickier for to bond over hip-hop with younger, burgeoning heads but Immerze gives us a fertile common ground to start from. His trap-heavy beats are tuned for a younger ear, but the positive, family-man-gangsta lyrics are perfect for the uhhh older heads among us. There's an edge, but it's not sinister. It's a delicate balancing act that Immerze pulls off perfectly. I caught him on the phone from home in Vancouver to answer our silly questions for a smoky, bottom-heavy instalments of 5 Questions with Rags.

Keeping up with that track record of consistency, Immerze just released the new video for new single “2 Cents/Black Bond.” It's dope. Get after it.

1. Do you remember the first album you bought with your own money?

Yep! 5O Cent Get Rich Or Die Tryin'. I think I bought like five of those albums. <laughs> Realistically though I bought four or five. If it wasn't in the car I was in, I would buy just so it was there. That album was religion when it came out.

What's your favourite track on there? You can only pick one..

Oh man...So many... “Many Men,” that one was on repeat heavy. Hmmm, there's so many. That album's a classic. Yeah, we'll stick with “Many Men.”

When's the last time you listened to it?

The album it its entirety? Probably about a year ago.

Do you find you get much time to listen to full albums anymore?

I always try to find time. If a new album comes out and I know I don't have time to listen to it in its entirety, I won't listen to it. Whether it's late at night or early in the morning, I'll find time. It's hard to do. You really gotta be a fan to do that. You're not doing that just skimming through. Albums that came out, like the Anderson .Paak album, I knew I wanted to be fully attentive when I listened to that, so I waited until a month or two after it came out. Then I can form my own opinion without the hype. An artist spends time making an album, so when you listen to it, at least give them the respect of listening to it yourself. Especially albums. Albums are usually pieces of a person's life. They're putting their life on wax for you to enjoy. So, to it's just shit while skimming through some tracks, that's real disrespectful.

2. What's your most positive memory of an elementary or high school teacher?

My guidance counsellor. He smoked weed every day. He would call me out of class, make it seem like we had a meeting and he'd tell me some funny-ass stories and he'd be like, “I'm fucking high bro. Don't tell anybody.” He was cool and didn't give a fuck. I though, “If all teachers were like this kids would actually want to come to school.”

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5 Questions with Rags #42 - Gibbz

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Like a lot of people I discovered Gibbz from his work with Gramatik. The first time I saw him live I couldn't get over the unprecedented swagger the guy had on stage. Who the fuck did this guy think he was? But more than that, the overwhelming thought of the night was, “This brother can sing the shit out of some songs.” Luckily, since then Gibbz has been on a tear, releasing a constant stream of sexy, fun tremendously dancey synth-pop. Near the end of 2016 he released the stellar Oh My God EP and if you haven't got that into your earholes, you definitely should. I was lucky enough to get ahold of him at home in New York as he prepares for his first-ever residency, at the famous Knitting Factory, before heading off on his first full headline tour – just him and drummer, driving in a van, working the road. If you haven't had the pleasure of seeing the supremely talented singer/producer/gangster of love, do yourself a favour and get out to one of his shows.

1. Do you remember the first album you bought with your own money?

Yeah. I went to a store that was called The Wiz, way back when that was a store. It was kind of like Best Buy. “Nobody beats the Wiz,' was their catchphrase. I went in with my own money. I bought three records. I bought Busta Rhymes – “Dangerous” single on cassette, Usher - My Way on cassette and I got my first compact disc ever, which was Britney Spears – Hit Me Baby, One More Time.

Of the three, which holds up the best for you?

Well, Dangerous is such a badass song. But I got the Britney Spears because it came with a poster. You could pull out the booklet and it folded out into a poster and I was like, “Sweet!” I wanted Britney Spears on my wall. I didn't really give a fuck about the music, so I bought it just to put a poster of a chick up on my wall. I remember my parents were like, “No, that's not gonna happen.”

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5 Questions with Rags #41 - Stickybuds

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A master of all things funky and groovy, Stickybuds has that thing that I value most in a great DJ - the ability to do all of the things well. Straight-ahead funky breaks, drum ‘n’ bass, glitch-hop, big reggae vibes – Sticky’s got you covered. And it’s all delivered with such blatant skill and love for the craft that it’s pretty impossible to ignore. The legendary Shambhala Music Festival is a good barometer for where your talents are as a DJ. It’s a festival of incredibly discerning ears and Stickybuds has been front and centre for 12 years and counting. Rarely does my crew plan to be at Stickybuds annual destruction of Fractal Forest, but every year, there we are, getting our ears dominated by the mighty dude. If you started your electronic listening diet anywhere around the Canadian west coast, you probably have had Stickybuds as part of your listening diet, and your musical taste is probably healthier for it.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing the homey live, Hallowe’en weekend is a good time to get your funky spook on. I can attest to the absolute delightfulness that was last year’s "Breaks-O-Ween" in Vancouver.

As always, keep up with all the good sounds over at ye olde Soundcloud and all other things Stickybuds at the Facebook.

My mix from this years Shambhala Music Festival. Huge thanks to the couple thousand of you who came out for this live, Rich-E-Rich and to all my producer homeys who send me their gems and stems! Big love to the whole Fractal Forest and Shambhala family! www.Stickybuds.com www.Shambhalamusicfestival.com Tracklist Stickybuds + K+Lab ft. Junior Owusu + Dimention - Clap yo' Hands Intro Skope + Stickybuds - Change Your Mind Ali B & Jungle Brothers - Gimme That (A-Skillz Remix Acapella) Beat Fatigue - Curly Wurly Dj Vadim - Hey Hey Hey Ft Grazilla Affinita (Acapella) Maha Quest - ID Opiuo + Shapeshifter - Slug A Bug (Instro) Dj Vadim - Originator Ft Dynamite MC + Daddy Cookiz (Acapella) Jibbs Itation ft. Talawa Reggae Army - Love is the Key (Badweed & Kursiva Remix) Opiuo + Shapeshifter - Slug A Bug (Acapella) Fabolous ft Nate Dogg-You Can't Deny it (Acapella) IQulah Rastafari - It Is I (Ed Solo Remix) Lethal B ft. Shakka - Playground (Acapella) Dub Phizix - Doberman (Instro Edit) Dj Vadim - Originator Ft Dynamite MC + Daddy Cookiz (Acapella) Supremes - My Favorite Things (Acapella) Lethal B ft Shakka - Playground (Cyantific Instro / Full) Mooncat & Karlixx - We Want No More IQulah Rastafari - It Is I (Acapella) Aries Gold Dubs & Jinx ft Eva Lazarus - Fall In Love (Acapella) Habstrakt - Echoes Flux Pavilion ft. Turin Brakes - Mountains & Molehills (sample) Dj Alias - San Fransisco Bay (Leo Remix) Stickybuds + K+Lab ft. Junior Owusu - Clap yo’ Hands (Acapella) Ali B & Jungle Brothers - Gimme That (A-Skillz Remix Instro) WBBL - Irie Ali B & Jungle Brothers - Gimme That (Acapella) Dj Vadim - Originator Ft Dynamite MC + Daddy Cookiz (Acapella) Featurecast - Take it Down Low Stickybuds vs Mista Savona ft Burro Banton - Clean Air (Acapella) Stickybuds + Skope ft. Caleb Hart - Twice to the Right Mat tha Hat - The Charlston Whomp Big L - Put it On (Acapella) Smov - Big Love K+Lab Ft Skahna SK - Erupt Numa Crew ft Robert Dallas & Petah Sunday - Impossible (Samy Nicks Remix) Ed Solo - Lemme Go Ras Demo - Sekkle Up The Score (Turntable Dubers Remix) 2Nice - Uprising (Serial Killaz Remix Acapella) Dr Kucho! & Gregor Salto ft Ane Brun - Can't Stop Playing (Cyantific Remix) Ed Solo & Deekline ft. Gala Orsborn - Hit The Road Jack (Acapella) Empresarios - Morena (Acapella) Empresarios - Morena (Lack Jemmon Rmx) Baauer & RL Grime - Infinite Daps (Featurecast Edit) A. Skillz - 7 Day Weekend Stevie Wonder - Superstition (Neighbour + U-Tern Remix) Alozade - Under Mi Sensi (Acapella) Edwin Starr - War (Acapella) Clipse - When Was The Last Time (Acapella) Stevie Wonder - Do I Do (U-Tern Edit) Stevie Wonder - Superstition (Acapella) Sean Paul Ft. Chi Ching Ching + Banx & Ranx - Crick Neck Mooqee & HerbGrinder - Sound Around Town (Funkanomics Remix) Malente - Open Secret (Acapella) Krafty Kuts + Dynamite MC - Real Big Deal MIghty Mocambos - It’s The Music (Sticky + A.Skillz Inst. Stems) Jimi Hendrix - Freedom (Fernan Dust Funky Remix) MIghty Mocambos ft. Afrika Bambaataa + DJ Snoop - It’s The Music (Acapella) Tom Booze - How We Do This Noisia & The Upbeats - Dead Limit Tom Booze - How We Do This (Acapella) ID - ID Cyantific - Hollywood TC ft. Stylo G - Storm Brew (Acapella) Coppa & Disphonia – Paranoize (AKOV Remix) Krafty Kuts + Dynamite MC - Al Pacino (Instro) Coppa & Disphonia – Paranoize (Acapella) Skope - ID Dj Vadim - They Don't Love (Acapella) Ruffhouse & Clarity - Aphasia (Redders & Sam Binga Remix Instro) Calyx & Teebee - Sawn Off Maksim, Culprate + Retrospect - Time To Waste (Acapella) Skope - ID Dj Vadim ft Courtney Melody + Taiwan MC - Ruling Sound (Acapella) Swindle - Global Dance Falcons - Flame feat. Stush Maksim, Culprate + Retrospect - Time To Waste Maksim, Culprate + Retrospect - Time To Waste (Teddy Killerz Remix) Lemaitre ft. Jennie A. - Closer (Acapella) Dj Vadim ft Courtney Melody + Taiwan MC - Ruling Sound (Instro) Stickybuds + Blackout JA - Shambhala Dub (Acapella)

1. What was the first album you remember buying with your own money?

The first albums I bought with my own money were through Colombia House CD mail service out of some magazine, I believe I was in grade 6... (1996/1997-ish) The ones I remember that stuck out were, Wu-Tang Clan - 36 Chambers, Rage Against The Machine - Evil Empire, Collective Soul - Self Titled and Offspring - Smash.

I still actually love all these albums to this day, and I think I still have them all in a CD pile in storage somewhere. They are all great songwriters and musicians in their own right. I think I connect the most with RATM's album now. When I was 14 or whatever when I bought them I liked the anger in their music, and I'd sing the words, but I didn't understand what the songs were about. Now that I'm 32, and have been around the world a few times and pay attention to the global atmosphere, police brutality and decay of our rights and freedoms through corrupt governments and those who control them, I get and connect with their songs much more.  

2. Have you ever seen or felt a ghost or ghost-like presence?

Nope.

3. Can you think of a book or movie that had a genuine effect on the way you saw the world?

I read George Orwell's "1984" when I was in High school. It kind of stuck with me, and it's a real shame that it was a fictional book that turned out to be non-fiction.

4. When was the last time you did something for the first time?

Having trouble remembering things I've done for the first time, but I went Scuba Diving for the first time on one of my Australia tours 2 years ago in Cairns, it was awesome. 

5. Immortality…Ever think about it? Do you think you’d enjoy it? What’s the one completely ridiculous project you’d complete if you had unlimited time?

I don't think I'd like to live forever, but It would be cool if I could live for a few hundred years, maybe we'll even get there the way things are going. I would try and learn how to play every instrument I could imagine. 

6. The Guest Question comes from Victoria producer/performer BOUSADA… You just found out that you have 24 hours to live starting right now. How do you spend your last day on planet earth?

I'd spend the whole day with the people I love the most, and hopefully they wouldn't know I was about to die so it wouldn't be sad. 

5 Questions with Rags #40 - BOUSADA

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If you've been taking in music on and around Vancouver Island in the last year you've probably encountered the smooth tsunami that is BOUSADA. Homie has been near-inescapable over the last little while, hitting festivals, supporting huge acts like Katchafire and headlining his own shows. Dude's brand of silky-smooth grooves, thoughtful and warmly delivered lyrics, and an unyieldingly positive stage presence is an addictive formula that keeps ears peaked and waiting for more. His shows are seriously joyful dance parties, built to help the audience forget everything but the groove. If you haven't got Bousada into your regularly listening diet yet, you might want to start rethinking some of your decisions.

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1. Do you remember the first album you bought with your own money?

I think that it may have been Blink-182 Enema of the State. It might have been a different album but that's the first one I remember getting into.

When's the last time you listened to Enema of the State. What songs were even on there?

I have no idea. “What's My Age Again?” “Adam's Song.” I do go back and listen to some Blink-182 because they just got back together to play some shows and...uhhh...<laughs> Their live sound is terrible too. Their such terrible singers, but that album was pretty good.

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