JMBD: You guys are relatively young people and, to me, one of the things that I found so great is that Kevin’s flicks are still attracting young people today as they did me in the 90s. How did you discover his work as well as the Tell ‘em Steve Dave Podcast?
David Blake: My friend is a huge fan of them, too. He messaged me saying: “Hey, they always have a band at the end so you should try putting your thing in”. So, I said: “Okay we’ll send it in and if something happens it happens”. I didn’t really think anything would.
Mercedes Arn-Horn: My parents made us watch Mallrats and stuff and at first I was like “Ahhh man: because the movies they usually show us I’m not that into but I really liked it and it was really funny. I didn’t actually realise that they were so influential, especially with all the movies and stuff that they’ve done. Once we were on the podcast I looked them because I think that it’s sweet we are sending our stuff in to them and I wonder just what it is. Then I learn all this stuff about them and was, like, there is no way we are ever going to get played and we were! It was awesome!
JMBD: So was it that you discovered Kevin’s films first or the Tell ‘em Steve Dave podcast because that’s where I’m gather you got noticed first.
Courage My Love: Yeah.
Phoenix Arn-Horn: It was Tell ‘em Steve Dave first and then Kevin Smith he heard of us through Tell ‘em Steve Dave.
JMBD: Things have shot up really quick really fast and, again, just listening today Kevin played you twice and mentioned the Ottawa show. I’ve just been watching your Youtube videos climb in views. I can see how people are getting to my blog and since the mention many people come searching for you. Being a small band from Ontario and seeing how Kevin’s online show reaches the entire globe how does it feel that so many people have been exposed to your music in such a short period of time?
Mercedes: It is awesome! It’s great! On our Twitter is our central hub where most of our fans come and that’s where we can see that they are from Argentian or Norway or different parts of the world and I have noticed that different people now who are becoming fans, commenting on our videos and Tweeting at us, people who I think normally we wouldn’t have reached on our own. They are kind of the group that listens to Tell ‘em Steve Dave and Kevin Smith’s podcast and I don’t know if they would have been able to find our music by themselves. So, it’s awesome that we get exposure through those podcasts. We’re really happy about it. It feels good. It’s awesome.
JMBD: And now it looks like you might be heading down to Jersey.
Courage My Love: Yeah!
Mercedes: I think we are going to try to head down to New Jersey to open for then and we’ve also booked a couple of shows in New York.
JMBD: Kevin has been giving you shout outs almost daily. Today, actually, he said he listens to your song to make him smile.
Courage My Love: Awwwwwww.
Phoenix: Kevin, that’s so nice.
JMBD: Yesterday he had Matt Jones (from Breaking Bad) on the show and Matt sings. Kevin mentioned that he should do a cover version of I Sell Comics. Speaking of cover versions, Kevin mentioned last week that Courage My Love should do a cover of Warren Zevon’s Hit Somebody which just so happens to be the title of Kevin’s next film.
Mercedes: Actually, we’ve been working on a cover and we’re probably going to record it this week sometime and send it to him to see what he thinks.
JMBD: I look forward to hearing that. I’m sure it’s going to kick ass. Has much changed in your lives in the last week and a half to two weeks? It’s been a huge summer for you with the exposure by Smith and the Warped Tour. What are some of the changes you feel you are going through as an indie Canadian band just starting out with this flash of exposure and publicity?
Mercedes: What I’ve noticed is that we’re still the same band. We still have the same goals and we do the same stuff it’s just that it’s a larger fan base that we’ve gotten. We’re reaching more people and whether or not all of them have become fans or if they just decide that’s not for them that doesn’t matter because more people have heard of us now which is great. We’re getting a lot more experience with the Warped tour and stuff like that. We’ve got a chance to meet a lot of bands that we play with and look up to. With the whole Tell ‘em Steve Dave/Kevin Smith thing it’s just (more) exposure. It’s great because I’ll check my Twitter and people will just write and say how much they like us and that always makes me feel good about that band, that we’re doing something right. People who are not our friends or, maybe, our target age group are still enjoying our music and that’s what’s important to me.
JMBD: One of the things that I thought of in seeing how talented you are AND still in your teens is that, man, I blew my teens away on street hockey and Nintendo. I should have been playing guitar! How long have you been playing? I’ve seen you, Mercedes, nail that guitar solo on I Sell Comics and, I’ve been told, you do so in one take.
Mercedes: It was done in one take.
(Phoenix and David high fave Mercedes)
JMBD: That’s friggin’ amazing. Most teens have trouble beating the hard level on Guitar Hero!
(laughs)
Mercedes: Funny fact is I actually suck at guitar hero. I suck.
(band laughs)
Mercedes: I’ve been playing guitar for probably four or five years. The electric guitar, in a band, for about three years. It’s just, you know, it’s not that much. It’s mostly just practice and the will power to do it and the motivation to practice. And they say I did that guitar solo in one take but, I mean, I didn’t make it up on the spot. I already know what I was going to play. It’s just mostly practice and the motivation to want to practice. How long have you been playing drums?
Phoenix: Actually, about three years.
JMBD: Three years ONLY?
Phoenix: Yeah.
Mercedes: But she just started taking lessons.
Phoenix: I did just start taking lessons. For me, it’s more that I really just love music and I have nothing better to do then just play and practice. Other than that I pretty much just go to water parks and play video games. That’s about it.
JMBD: That’s what I did when I was a teen…video games.
Phoenix: You played a lot of video games?
JMBD: Man, I was around before their was(home based) video games. I had the Atari when it was just a stick and one red button and that was bliss.
(band laughs)
Phoenix: That’s awesome.
JMBD: Dave, how long have you been playing?
David: I’ve probably played base for about three and a half years. I really only got serious about it two years ago when I joined the band. Really that’s all I do right now. I mean, I hang out with friends and play video games too but other than that I practice base , I’ll have band practice or be jamming with other friends playing base. It’s just, I guess, if you do something enough it’s going to stick in your head and hopefully you improve.
JMBD: My blog, obviously, is geared towards finding news for Jason Mewes and SIR (Smodcast Internet Radio) type stories that Kevin and his wife Jen read on the air. So that and the graphics I do up are for them and their fan bus which is why these interview questions lean towards that side of things. What would you like to say them and, as well, the fan base that come to the blog based on your exposure from Smith’s side of things?
Phoenix: Kevin, thank you so much for everything you’ve done. You’ve given us a lot of exposure and we really appreciate it. We’re really happy that you like the music. The same for the Kevin Smith fans. Thanks for checking out our band.
Mercedese: Yes! Thank you to Kevin Smith and to Tell ‘em Steve Dave for giving us the chance to reach a lot more people and thanks to those people for listening to us. Kevin, when you come to Toronto on August 15th we should go get Slushies. On me! My treat!
David: Are you going to pay for mine, too?
(band laughs)
David: Kevin, thank you so much for taking a chance on a Canadian band you didn’t really know anything about and to all your fans. Thanks so much for checking us out, saying hi to us on Twitter and telling us what you like about it. Hopefully we can all get Slushies.
Dude Fantastic Interview!! What a way too spend your Birthday!! And Plz CML come to New Jersey, we would Love to have you:)
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