Currently: Weakerthans (ideologically), Black Mountain (musically), Daniel Day-Lewis (aesthetically).
Forever and always: my family, Def Leppard, Guns N' Roses, birds, Charlotte, Randy Rhoads, Neil Young, Sabbath, old things, Gillian Welch, Meryn Cadell, Lynette Gillis, Geoff Miller, Ben Wood, '90s Halifax and all my friends and band mates from that time.
I have a band now. Finally. It's called Sister. Lynette, my sister, is on drums and Ryan from the Local Rabbits and Tricky Woo plays bass. It's pretty rockin'. We're playing songs that I wrote for a bunch of Song Lyrics classes with Meryn Cadell at the University of British Columbia, plus new ones since that degree ended an entire year ago. Whew, time flies.
For those just discovering my work, I'm originally from the fantastic city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, where I spent my teen years listening to punk bands at Cafe Ole and then forming my own. Always with Lynette. Plumtree was our big project. It spanned seven years and took us across Canada many times and even to the YTV Achievement Awards, which were super-lame. Our friend Ian is making a proper Plumtree MySpace page as we speak. For now, here's the Wiki entry.
We were also in Absolutely Nothing. And Bontempi, which was a Vancouver-based project with Geoff Miller. Bontempi never officially disbanded and, honestly, we've got a lot of great songs that we regret never releasing, so I'm still hoping to reform and record. We all live together in a house in Toronto now so, logistically, it shouldn't be too difficult, huh?
Last but not least, Lynette, Geoff and I are also members of Bells Clanging. That band rules. But the main songwriter/singer, Jason Starnes, still lives in Vancouver so it's become an unwieldy long-distance project. We just released an EP called The Law Of Averages on Zunior and will tour the UK in May 2009. For reals.
Sister full-length is currently in the works. We've got a cover of Eric's Trip's "View Master" coming out on a Gooseberry compilation early next year.
just wanted to let you know about my show tonight at The Local, 396 Roncesvalles - 10 pm, no cover. It's just me & a string section & it's sounding pretty sweet if I do say so myself! This is week 2 of my April residency...next week I'll have a pedal steel player with me. Details are posted at http://hopefulmonstermusic.blogspot.com
hey carla. hope ur swell. i've cleared my myspace decks to post work towards these two parallel albums, and also started a blog. enjoy and share them anyway you like! cheers dan
I am humbled, as ever, by your generous comments, Carla. And I've just noticed you've listed me as an influence "always" which only serves to humble me more. I am humbled to a mere nub on the pencil-end of life. Thanks again, and pass it on Ben xxxx
Hope you're well. Just wanted to give you a heads-up, because an Arbiter Deputy EP is on the way with five new songs. The CD will be up online for sale in the not-so-distant soon of the impending future. For the time being there are two songs on the MySpace page for your Acadian ears to consider. Wait, can I call you Acadian? I just did. Too late. BEN XxX
Hey Carla. Thanks very much! I've always admired your musicianship, so that comment means a lot to me... Did Lynette tell you that we had a nice, surprise reunion on Friday.
Yay, the Article piece is out :) ...phew that was hard work for a while! Greetings from Bristol on this fine British bank holiday weekend to you. Catch up soon...
I´m thrilled to be here. Was that all? No. I hope you enjoy the fact that your music made its way from Halifax to Hamburg. The new songs are beautiful, too.
All the best and viele Grüße aus Deutschland,
René
Hi Carla.
Pleasure to have you as a friend. You and lynette rule. My Mass Teen Fainting copy is almost played to death. Need a new 1. will keep a look out for u if u r in the Toronto way.
Wa-a-a-a-a-i-t a minute. Why didn't I notice Loring MT before? It's fecking marvellous. Lyrically and melodically. Hooray for Carla Gillis and Her Awesome Mind Science. Hope Monsters: also impressive. You're a prolific little thang, ain't ya? x B x
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