5 Questions with Rags #25 - Weird Party

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Weird Party is holding down the tasty grooves here in Victoria, BC. Wherever you see their name pop up you’re guaranteed to find some rump shakin’ delights. The quintet’s Mellow Funk Vol.1 has been on my headphones pretty regularly this summer (Even though it’s a year old…I was late to the Weird Party! Sorry!) and is required listening for anyone who likes feeling good because of the music they put into their ears. Getting five people together for an interview is a tall order, one that was not going to be conquered here, so I threw out a call and got ahold of saxophonist Anand Greenwell for this installment of the 5 Questions.

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

Yep! Def Leppard Pyromania. I collected empties until I had $10 saved up, then I went to the store and got the record. Haven't listened to it in a while, but I still have the vinyl. My favourite song initially was Stagefright, but later on I liked Die Hard the Hunter the best.

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Hawksley Workman and I chat for a third time. I love Hawksley Workman.

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My friends, it's been a little while since you've heard from me. I've been busy preparing and executing my plans in and around the Rifflandia festival. It's the biggest week of music in Victoria every year (Though I still contend that the Victoria Ska Fest is the BEST week) and it's always a mightily distracting thing. But here I am with a delicious interview for you with my favourite guy to talk to and all-around dreamboat, Hawksley Workman.   I conducted my this interview, my third with Workman, in preparation for writing his profile in the Rifflandia guidebook. The 600+ word article I wrote ended up getting cut down to somewhere around 175, so the amount not in there is mighty. We talk about his involvement in and the creation of supergroup Mounties, using art to deal bridge emotions and machismo, the best sounding venue in Victoria and how he crippled me emotionally with "Piano Blink."

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I continue to be fascinated by Hawksley Workman. (Part 2)

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Here is the second part of my interview with Hawksley Workman that was originally for Feedback magazine but after the disappearance of my editor the article went to the my familiar stomping grounds, the Martlet. We talk about his new project, Mounties, oppression and manipulation through media, and the changing social landscape of Canada. One more thanks to Hawksley for being so open and thoughtful during our exceedingly long chat.

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I am fascinated with Hawksley Workman again. (Part 1)

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​This was the second time I talked to Hawksley Workman and the second time I got along exceedingly well with Hawksley Workman. Workman is an artist I respect immensely, someone who's work can be at once sprawling and artistic while being wholly accessible, if sometimes frustrating. This interview was done in February of this year and was supposed to be for FEEDBACK magazine here in Victoria, but my editor there seems to have disappeared so it sat on the shelf for a bit, finally finding its way to the Martlet.  This was a really long conversation, in fact this is Part 1, so now, for your reading pleasure...Hawksley Workman.

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