interview with ALBATROS
1- where are you from?
We're from Quebec City, Canada.
2- what do you do in the band?
I play guitar and I'm in charge of some of the designs and printed stuff.
3- what are your upcoming projects?
We're going on our second cross-Canadian tour in mid-September until early October. This time we're going with our buddies from Winnipeg, 1971. We're releasing a 7inch we recorded in April. So these days we're pretty busy finishing everything and getting ready for tour.
4- tell us something that we don't know but should know about your band.
Can't really think of anything special, but I'll try. Even though we have a full brass section, we don't play Ska. Some of us know each other since elementary school (or even before that). John (trumpet) is currently working on his Phd in physics. Oliver (other trumpet) is a great visual artist.
5- what bands do you like these days? what have you listened to today?
Today I've listened to Circle Takes The Square. And in the past few days I've been really into Jungbluth, FlowersxOfxCarnage, Punch, Orchid (always!), Longings, Øjne, La Quiete, Ravachol and Under a Sky so Blue. Tags search on Bandcamp helps a lot.
6- do you have friends in bands or who run labels/zines that we should know about?
Nic from Désordre Ordonné (and l'Oeil du Tigre) is co-releasing our 7inch. Along with l'ODT they've released and distributed many great records, tapes and CDs. Can't wait for the new Black Love!! Our pals from Toronto, Worst Gift definitely deserve to be heard. Ittō, Shahman, tdoafs, Dairy so many great bands and great people! I run a DIY photography zines publisher and distro, named Stolen Ground Publishing. I print and sell my zines as well as a few from photographers I like. I'd like to invest more time and energy to it in a near future. Again, there are so many talented and hard working people out there doing the same thing as I do: Meanwhile Press in the UK, A Love Token in the US, K Eleonor Bleier, Phil Jackson, Sophie Moates, Josni Bélanger and so many more I can't think of at the moment.
7- why are you in a band and what do you want to accomplish in said band?
I'm in a band because I learned the guitar when I was younger and then met people who liked the same music as me and who also wanted to be in a band. And that's just what we do, that's how we hangout, how we spend 1-2 nights a week jamming and a few weekends here and there playing shows and fewer weekends recording. Some people play sports, we get together and play songs. And I'm happy doing that. The more I can do it, the happier I am.
8- how did you decide upon your band’s name?
I remember we were thinking about a new name and all, so we took a break during a jam and we started throwing around ideas. Some were okay, some were real bad. At some point someone proposed Canada and I really think we should've thought about it more, I liked it, haha! At some point we were just scrolling our ipods in the songs sections and one of us came across Converge's song 'Albatros'. Everybody liked it, short and easy to pronounce. Called Francis who was out west at that time and asked if he liked it. He did. 9- when was the last time you slept on a floor? July 5th at Soybomb in Toronto. I've had heard many great things about this venue so wanted to play it so bad. Best venue! Someone (I think it was Jay) said "I've got sleeping bags and pillows, take what you need". I grab one of each and hit the floor. Somewhere between the kitchen and the halfpipe. Lots of blurry memories from that night.
10- do you have anything more to say?
Thank you very much for the opportunity.







