Vancouver-based band beekeeper is an OTM fave, firmly approved by Amber and our resident Indie Virgin, Joe.  The comedic stylings of Devon Lougheed, Brandi Sidoryk and Luke Cyca are matched in ferocity by their skillful crafting of post-pop indie music magic.  Intelligent song structure meant to intrigue marries alongside sardonic and reflective lyrics to form the perfect feel-better band.

It’s like the Powerpuff Girls, only far more bad-ass, and with less girls.

OTM managed to pull Devon Lougheed (Guitar, Vocals) away from his usual brand of mischief just long enough for a chat on the virtual couch about the essential directing Davids, overly-awesome tour ambitions, and a shared love of Aqua.

OTM: The Mayan Calendar was lyin’! Now that we’ve lived to see 2013, what albums are you looking forward to this year?

Devon:  We recently performed at Canada’s first performance of songs from Beck’s Song Reader project; gotta say, it got me stoked for his new “actual” album. I’m also looking forward to the new Drake record, even though I didn’t really care for that in-between single. Finally, I’m always, always, always on the listen-out for more Sebadoh.

 

OTM recently was able to scratch Roger Waters from the“Bucket List of bands/artists to see before I die”. Who’s on top of your musical Bucket List?

Can I answer this in a cheeky way? It’s on my bucket list to open for The Pack AD, Mother Mother, and Fucked Up. But not all at once. That would be too brain-exploding, even for us, and brain-exploding is kinda our specialty.

 

Agreed:  there is a point where minds can be blown to excess and that would be it.  If you could recruit anyone to direct a music video for you, who would you choose and what song would you want them to tackle?

I’d like to see David Cronenberg and David Lynch tag-team our 40-second-epic “Bees”. Dave C can have the first 20 seconds, and Dave L can tackle the last 20.

 

Name five essential albums you can’t live without.

They Might Be Giants – Flood;  Fugazi – Repeater;  At The Drive-In – Relationship of Command;  Travelling Wilburys – Travelling Wilburys Volume 1;  Sidney York – Hearts

 

What was the last great book you read?

I read The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Katz. It explores the traditions and science of fermenting foods and liquids from around the world and in different time periods. It also quickly transformed my apartment into a veritable flea market of science experiments.

 

Wow, aren’t I glad we’re not at your place right now!  Your favourite guilty pleasure?

Aqua’s “Cartoon Heroes”. *sad face* Actually, just Aqua in general. Whoa, did we just lose 200 Facebook Likes?

 

They’re unworthy if they can’t appreciate the glory of Aqua!  Let them go!  Besides, they know they all own Aquarium.  If you were to be sponsored by a board game, what board game would you proudly bear the name of?

We’d be the UnGame. It was a board game invented in the 70s by hippies: there are no winners or losers; you can roll the dice (if you want), but the number is ‘just a suggestion’ and you can move to any square you want; and you’re supposed to take ‘up to two hours’ after the game to discuss and decompress all your new feelings. We’d be that game, because we’re a little weird but actually super fun once you give us a chance.

 

Thinking of concerts you’ve attended as a fan/spectator, what’s the weirdest thing you’ve seen someone else do in an audience?

My first concert was The Philosopher Kings with my dad at the Sanderson Centre in Brantford, Ontario when I was eleven or twelve. Multiple ladies in the audience threw bras on stage, which did weird things to my groin and probably determined my career choice.

 

Bastardizing a Metric lyric: who’d you rather be, The Tragically Hip or Rush?

Rush with Gord Downie writing lyrics and Emily Haines singing. Actually, forget that. I want Emily to drum.

 

In the spirit of Shaun Of The Dead, what was the second album you ever bought?

I bought Gordon by the Barenaked Ladies twice; first on cassette, then on new-fangled CD. If that doesn’t count, I bought Nevermind next, and never really listened to BNL again… sorry Jim Creeggan! I feel like Jim would take this answer the most personally.

 

Gordon was the first CD I ever owned!  Funnily, the second was Weird Al’s Off The Deep End, y’know, the one with the Nirvana spoof cover?  I hope my continued adoration of the track “What A Good Boy” will soothe Jim’s tears over your abandonment.  

The best music-related film ever made?

A tie between Man on the Moon and Beauty is Embarrassing – neither one is technically a ‘music film’ but I think each shows a true artist trying to locate the comic within the tragic of their respective genres, and that is a lesson we try to learn and incorporate into our music.

 

The world is ending in ten minutes. You can listen to one and only one song before the world ends. What song do you go out on?

I think the only appropriate answer for anyone of our generation is “I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing” by Aerosmith. I’m tearing up a little bit already.

 

*dries eyes*  That’s beautiful…  Last one:  what can we look forward to from beekeeper in 2013?

We’re currently working on the full-length follow-up to our adorable little EP, Shout At People, which will be out in the fall, as well as a children’s album slated for an early 2014 release. Other than that, we’ll be bringing our ultragoofy and ultrafun live show to a town near you!

 

Thanks so much, Devon! I look forward to getting future generations of beekeeper fans hooked young!

You should have already been planning to indulge in the wonder that is beekeeper, but now that you’re super-stoked, allow me to give you the details. You can catch beekeeper at CMW March 20th at midnight (Rancho Relaxo).   There’s also more music merriment to be had with Sidney York (check the CMW schedule for details).

Care to score a free copy of beekeeper’s new EP Shout At People?  OTM’s got it as part of our prize pack!   Head here for details on our ever-growing CMW Giveaway!

 

More CMW Coverage:

• OTM Chats With Goodnight, Sunrise
• OTM Chats With Old English
  
• OTM Chats With Amanda Merdzan
• OTM Chats With Crowns For Convoy
• OTM Chats With Motel Raphaël
• OTM Chats With Cai.ro
• OTM Chats With Noel Johnson