Meet The Band: Boys Who Say No

We asked Luke Correia-Damude, frontman of Boys Who Say No, how the band describes their music to someone who hasn't heard them before. "Someone once told me that our music is 'like pop music falling down the stairs,'" he says. "I use that one a lot." And it does seem like a pretty apt way to describe their slightly off-kilter shout-along indie rock.

Of course, you could also just describe it as "really fucking good."

So good, in fact, that for the first time in our lives we kinda of wish we lived in Guelph. That's where the Toronto quartet is playing their next show — on Thursday. And as if one amazing live band wasn't enough, they're sharing the bill at eBar with Yamantaka//Sonic Titan. (Details on Facebook here.) Given just how awesome that show promises to be, we figured this would be a good time to have Correia-Damude answer some of our sometimes silly questions. Meet Boys Who Say No:


MP3: "No I Won't" by Boys Who Say No
MP3: "You Used To Get Along" by Boys Who Say No
 

If you could play one venue you've never played before, what would it be?

If we play Massey Hall I think I will feel like we finally made it. My dad had this jazz record I would listen to when I was a kid. It was called "The greatest Jazz concert ever." It's a recording of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus, Max Roach and Bud Powell playing together at Massey Hall. When my dad told me that Massey hall was just in downtown toronto I realized it must be a pretty special venue. Ever since then I've regarded it as a mystical place.

Your all-time, all-star supergroup?

Elvis Costello, Trent Reznor, Jay Bennet, Stewart Copeland, Neil young and david byrne. I'm not sure who is playing bass and who the lead singer is. probably David Byrne could take lead vox. Him or Elvis but definitely not Trent.

What's the worst album you own?

probably the assortment of demos you get handed while on tour. SXSW was particularly cringe worthy for shitty band demos.

What’s your favorite solo ever on your favourite instrument ever?

I'm not really a solo fan but If I had to pick a solo that has stayed with me over time it would be Kurt Cobain on "the man who sold the world." I choose this because I can remember every note of the solo, granted the guitar work is pretty simple but I listened to that unplugged album so much that the solo will forever be burned into my brain.

It's either that or the saw solo in Neutral Milk Hotel's "Ghosts"

If you were going to be a roadie for one band, who would it be?

Girl Talk because all I would have to carry would be a fucking lap top. Just kidding. I'd like to be a roadie for Wilco because they all have such amazing vintage gear

If you could switch places with another musician in some type of "Freaky Friday" type incident, who would you want it to be?

St. Vincent because then I could be an amazing guitar player and a really beautiful woman at the same time. Two things I'm not on a daily basis

If you absolutely had to get a face tattoo of album art from one record, which record would you want to have on your face for the rest of your life?

Probably a Justin Bieber album because he is so timeless that I'd always be in style

 
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Meet The Band is a regular feature where we introduce you to bands we like.