5 Questions with Rags #24 - Hawksley Workman
Hawksley Workman is the most interesting man in Canadian music. Now 16 albums deep (Not counting his various side-projects and producer credits), Workman continues to impress with his willingness to follow his muse wherever it takes him. You genuinely never know what you’re going to get when you pick up a Hawksley Workman record and that’s an exciting feeling. His latest, Old Cheetah, his first solo record in 5 years (Not counting the companion album to his one-man show The God that Comes) is another wholly different beast – one awash in bright synths and bouncy pop rhythms. Songs like “Make Up Your Mind Tonight” and “Teenage Cats” will bury their way into your brain and have you singing refrains under the cover of breath all day into dreamtime. “We’re Not Broken Yet” glides through the cosmos fueled by frustrated wonder, floating on supple piano. With a voice stronger and more evocative than ever and lyrics to match, it’s another more-than-solid outing and one of the finest records we’ve been blessed with this year. I was lucky enough to get a few moments of the good Hawk’s time and get some answers to our silly questions as he prepares to take to the Canadian road on his Winter Bird Tour.
Full "Winter Bird" tour dates can be found HERE on his site.
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1. Do you remember the first album you bought with your own money?
I don't really remember the first one. My house was full of music and records, so it's a little blurry. I remember convincing my grandma to buy me the Best of Blondie...
2. If you could spend the day with anyone living or dead, who would it be and what would you do?
Probably my Grandma Hawksley. We'd probably go to Swiss Chalet.
3. Do you think technology contains within it the ability to set us free to a kind of sci-fi techno-utopia?
I think, on the surface, no. Humans are mostly, horribly un-nuanced and rarely ever able to contain bigger concepts of peace and forward thinking. But in the idealistic, "Venus Project" sense... yes.
Provided.
4. Can you think of a movie that had genuine effect on the way you saw the world?
The 7th Seal.
5. When was the last time you did something for the first time?
Amazing question. I can't think of any big, noteworthy first, like "first time cliff diving.” I feel like there's enough unpredictability in the music biz, that I must be doing things for the first time, all the time...just not big enough stuff to register. But you've got me wondering if I shouldn't do something big for the first time.
6. The Extra Question this week comes from comedian Chelsea Lou…If you could rid the world of one evil, what would it be and why?
Ignorance, remove that and then most things get rather brighter.
And now, I leave you with this – the utterly delightful and brand spankin’ new video for the wonderful “Teenage Cats.” Listen, watch and let it infect you with joy.