WHERE DID YOU GET THE NAME? Our approach was: where did the name get you? As a new band with no record and relying on friends to show up at your gigs to ensure the next booking, you don't have much to work with marketing-wise except the choice of name. We needed something different and intriguing and found this combination of words which we liked. BIRTHDAYS Margo - Jan. 27/61 Mike - April 21/59 Pete - unknown Alan - June 22/59 BIRTHPLACE We grew up in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. WHERE FORMED The band was formed in Toronto in summer 1985. WHAT'S IT LIKE PLAYING WITH YOUR FAMILY? Because we're brothers and sister we sort of know when to leave each other alone or when to tease someone because they're acting like an idiot. Also, in our business there are some times when people are putting pressure on you to do certain things. Because we know each other so well, the other can come to that person's rescue and say, 'You don't want to do that'. The downside is that it makes it hard for us to sue each other later on, except for Alan. HOW DOES ALAN FEEL ABOUT BEING THE ONLY NON-SIBLING? See last line of previous answer. WHAT ARE YOUR MUSICAL INFLUENCES? Generally, anything that's good. Specifically, Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, Lou Reed, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Emmylou Harris, Nick Cave, Beatles, Neil Young, Robert Johnson, Lightnin' Hopkins, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, etc. IS IT TRUE THAT TRINITY SESSION WAS RECORDED WITH ONE MICROPHONE? Actually, Whites Off Earth Now and Trinity Session were done that way, using the Calrec Soundfield microphone, with the band placed around it and playing live to two-track digital tape. For more on this, see the ALBUMS section on this site. WHAT'S THE BAND'S WORKING PROCESS? Mike writes the songs - lyrics, chords, song structure, vocal melody - then works on it with Margo, then Pete and Al bring their parts and we work on it until it feels right. After that, other instrumentation and studio magic complete it. DID MARGO EVER SING BEFORE JOINING THE BAND? Not even in the shower. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY MUSICAL TRAINING? Just listening to records. WHY DO YOU TEND TO CREATE SONGS WHICH ARE SLOW AND DARK? It's just more interesting to us, although we enjoy listening to 'fast and light' music as well. WHAT KIND OF VENUES DO LIKE TO PLAY IN? You can't beat a nice theatre with good acoustics and space for our lighting to work in. Clubs can be fun if the sound is good, and there are some outdoor venues that work well too. The main thing is for the band and audience to feel comfortable and to present the sound well. DO YOU PLAN TO WORK WITH MORE PRODUCERS? Matching the personality of a producer to that of the songs is important. We would decide that after we have the songs worked up to a point where we can think about them in those terms. Like any good hockey team, we take each season a day at a time. HAS ANYONE IN THE BAND WORKED IN THE SEX TOY INDUSTRY? Mike has extensive experience in the retail end, having sold countless dildoes and other accessories in the New York shop, 'The Pink Pussycat'. DID YOU PLAY MUSIC TOGETHER WHEN YOU WERE KIDS? No, but there was always music in the house. Our Dad played recorded music a lot. He was a jazz drummer in his youth. Older brother John brought music and instruments into the house and played, among others, Velvet Underground records which opened wide our eleven-year-old eyes.