An Horse

The Singing Lamb: So you guys are currently on tour with Silversun Pickups; how’s that going?

Kate Cooper: It’s great! We’re about a week and a half in and they’re awesome, great people and good friends so we’re having a lot of fun!

The last time I saw you guys was at the Horseshoe with Telekinesis and that was an awesome show.

Kate: Well Telekinesis is awesome, so yeah!

Well I’ve noticed that you’ve been constantly on the road since the release of your album.

Kate: Pretty much!

Have you had time to sit down and take it all in yet?

Kate: Before this tour, about a month ago, we had about two months off and we had a month off earlier in the year but yeah, it has been hectic!

I read somewhere that you and Damon used to work at a record store.

Kate: Yes, that’s correct!

I was just wondering, the way that people have been discovery music now, it’s not so much going into record stores but online or blogs or whatever. Do you miss the days where you would go into a record store to find out about new music?

Kate: Well personally, I miss going into a record store but that’s because I’m broke and I have no money and if I go into a record store I spend money! I mean, it’s changed so much so quickly. I worked there for two years but the whole time it was comfy; the weekends were crazy and it was just a place where kids hung out and it was awesome. When I was working there, there were probably eight shoplifters but near the end, the reason why we stopped working there was because the store closed and we were the last two employees standing. Definitely when I get time off I go to record stores but I know that the new generation of people don’t go. There are upsides and downsides to it because, yeah the record stores are going out but I still think people are competing just as much if not more. I know people steal my album and trust me, if more people bought it instead of stealing it my life would be a whole lot easier but its just reality and you’ve got to move forward and figure out ways around it. But that being said, it will never beat going into record stores and buying records.

I agree! I just like the human interaction more; they’re just so much friendlier than reading a blog or something.

Kate: Well, not always! I agree; I feel like everyone has a blog, but I don’t give a fuck what you want to say, I don’t care. I go into a record store and figure it out for myself. Everyone has something to say but that doesn’t mean they should publish it.

There have been a lot of end-of-the-decade lists recently. What are some of your favourite records of the decade?

Kate: Whoa, I’ve never been asked that question! I was just thinking to myself, ‘Oh my god, it’s 2009!’ Wow, that’s huge! It’s so hard; it’s like asking me for my favourite book. I mean, most of my adult life was in that decade listening to music, so hmm that’s tricky!

Were there any albums in particular that inspired your record?

Kate: No, actually! I don’t think so. There was no album in particular in mind when we were writing the record. I think I was listening to a lot of Against Me but that doesn’t reflect at all. I wish it did but it doesn’t!

Working at a record store must’ve been like having a home library to listen to whatever you wanted.

Kate: And talk about it, pretty much!

After this tour, do you have any plans for recording a follow-up?

Kate: We have a tour in January with Tegan and Sara and after that we’re not too sure. We have 20 songs written but it’s just a matter of figuring it out where, when, why and how. There’s still a little bit of live left in this record!

Do you have any artistic ideas for the new one though?

Kate: We’re actually playing some new songs live and I guess we do. I don’t want to be the same, I want to grow with every record and I think with the songs that have already been written have lent themselves to a different sounding version of us which is exciting. I don’t have any grand plans that we’re going to be a techno band or anything like that but all I want to do is make honest music.

That’s what I like about your music though; you’re a two-piece band and you sound like a two-piece band. It doesn’t sound like there are too many overdubs or anything. I hear that the new Tegan and Sara album has no overdubs.

Kate: Well I think it has some! We got a chance to be there while they were recording it and it’s a great sounding record, Chris Walla did an amazing job.

Awesome! And finally, if you were a singing animal, what would you be?

Kate: I guess I would like to be a shark. I know they don’t sing, but they make people scream. I guess dolphins kind of sing. I’m also sitting by the beach at the moment so I feel like I’m kind of influenced by the beach atmosphere!

Interview By Kyle Sikorski

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MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/anhorse

Don’t forget to catch An Horse opening for Tegan and Sara on January 19^th and 20^th at Massey Hall and Kool Haus, respectively. Tickets are on sale now! For more info, go here.