The Pinecones

The Singing Lamb: You’ve recently renamed your band to The Pinecones – why did you drop Brent Randall from the band name?

Brent Randall: It just happened.  We were playing as a band, writing as a band and we recorded our new album, SAGE, as a band.  Everyone contributed songs to the record.  It just became apparent we were THE Pinecones…it wasn’t me and them.  I never really wanted to be a solo guy anyway.  I’ve always liked bands best; it’s nice having the dynamic of all the different personalities.  I always felt cheesy as Brent Randall. “Hey everybody, it’s me! Listen to me.” I hate Brent Randall, screw that guy.  I mean I still plan to record albums as Brent Randall, because bands are pretty hard to keep together and I like doing my cheesy soft rock thing. But it’s fun to do the band thing too.  It’s fun to be a Pinecone.  I don’t really think of it as a renaming. More of an offshoot.

Describe the writing process that went behind your new album ‘Sage’ – how have you grown since your last album?

Quick and easy. Speaking for myself, most songs were literally written in two minutes and arranged just minutes before the recording.  The album actually started out as demos but then we just dug it too much so we kept on going. I’m a big fan of all those silly obscure sixties groups that are kind of b-grade knock-off Beatle groups – suburban American teens trying to be Beatles in their garages with crumby Japanese guitars. Almost parodies of the genre, but still really cool. So I just had that on my mind – just having fun writing the little ditties that I love. Trying not to be too precious about it. It’s just another bloody song.

I can’t really speak for the other guys. Brian, Joel and I lived together and we just wrote tonnes of songs. Just sitting ’round drinking tea ‘n that. I think we were romancing those days of the mid 60’s where bands released several albums and singles a year. There was always lots of filler. Or each new song was kind of a rip off of the one before. We were just trying to knock’em out. Making sure we covered all the bases. Song about tea..yep got it. Now a song about a girl with a flowery name..hmm..better write two of those. Etc.

Grown since last album? Not sure about that one — I think I’m a little less self conscious about the whole thing (just a little.)  I have more fun doing it.  I wear fancy underwear now.

On your MySpace, it says that The Pinecones sound like ‘Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue’ – what about your sound do you think is old? new? borrowed? blue?

Well that was just an ‘off the cuff’ little bitty to type in the box just because there was a box that needed typing. But I think it works. (“Because we said it worked, and that’s how it appeared.”) But yes, something old? There’s definitely a lot of 60’s inspirations mixed in the pot.  Lyrical themes and a style of writing. Something new?  Paul who recorded it did a lot of nifty little recording tricks and methods and such that I thought gave it a modern sort diy/lofi/indie aesthetic maybe?  Borrowed? The cover art is sort of borrowed from a Turtles LP. Blue? Well Paul manages to use the phrase “Baby Blue” in his song “Jenny Fur.”  I really liked that mainly because there’s a great Badfinger song, “Baby Blue.” I always wanted to fit that phrase in somehwere. Good pop song phrase.

You guys are originally from Halifax but have relocated to Toronto – how different do you think the music communities are in Halifax and Toronto? Do you miss Halifax?

Well three of us relocated from Halifax, Paul was already here.  I’m from up here originally anyway.   Toronto is a bit bigger obviously and there are more venues. More people – harder to get onto people’s radars (who says that?)  It seems maybe there are more options for people to do other things besides see music.  In Halifax there aren’t any cool bars to hang out in, if you are going out – it’s probably to see a band at one of the few bars.  Here you can go here and there…just to hang.  I guess that’s more of a point about night life than the music community.

But both are pretty similar, really. The music community here seems just as tight knit and incestuous as Halifax.  I don’t really know – I don’t really feel a part of anything here – so I can’t comment.  I like Halifax, but I rarely if ever miss it.

You’ve probably heard numerous comparisons between your band’s music and The Beatles – what do you think about that? And if each member of the band had to be a Beatle, which one would each one be?

We obviously love The Beatles and think they’re tops.  They are a major inspiration, so I can definitely see why people would say that and we totally welcome it.  Though I feel we have more in common with The Rutles or The Monkees or something.  A scrappier version of The Beatles.  Which I can dig.

Hmm and if each band member had to be a Beatle I’d say Joel would be Ringo.  He’s got the one song on the album a la Ringo and he’s always probably having the best time (Ringo seemed to be always having fun in those early days – great at a party.) Oh! And the American girls like him best.
Brian, I suppose would be George. He has a handful of songs on the album, plays lead guitar, bops about, girls dig’em.  Paul would probably be Paul because he’s the most musically versatile on the album taking turns at playing every instrument on the album. Which leaves John to me, which I guess works in the sense that I “started” the group, I sing most of the songs on the album (if were talking early Beatles), I sing most of the leads with Paul harmonizing with me yadda yadda. And I’m most likely to go through a ‘fat elvis’ period.

That being said – none of us are really anything like those Beatles rascals, we’re the bloody Pinecones. Brent, Paul, Brian and Joel.

And finally, since our website is called The Singing Lamb, we must ask everyone – if you were a singing animal, what would you be and why?

A chipmunk, because I’d love to be able to hit those high notes. Or, I’d probably be more of a dopey turtle with a ukulele.  Floating belly up strumming and floatin’ down yonder river.

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For more of the Pinecones,
MySpace:

Don’t forget to catch the Pinecones tonight at the Garrison, alongside Language-Arts and Allie Hughes! Tickets are available at the door for $6.00!