BeatRoute Magazine - BC print e-edition – [March 2017]

MUSIC
JAPandroids
the boys are back in town
photo by Leigh Righton
JOSHUA ERICKSON
DAVID CUTTING
This rainy city entices many rad people, and Hayleau
is no exception. This beautiful ingenue released
her self-titled debut EP last fall and its
sneaky hooks are taking the world by storm and
we are all better for it. She has also been cast in
the Netflix original adaptation of the Archie and
friends universe, Riverdale, as the Josie and the
Pussycats bassist Valerie. We sat down to talk to
Hayleau to get a feel for what she is up to and her
thoughts on the all so sudden public recognition.
BR: What is it like to play an iconic role like one
of the pussycats in this brilliant new take on the
comics?
H: It’s crazy and amazing to be able to play Valerie!
She's always been my favourite character in the
comics because I felt like she was the most like me.
BR: How do you handle your fans now that Riverdale
is on the air?
H: I try to respond and interact with everyone that
supports the show. It's been so great to see how
with HAYLEAU
many people are excited about the storyline and
characters! I've gotten some messages about people
going through hard times and learning through
Riverdale. It's humbling to have the support that
I've been getting and I feel very grateful.
BR: How does your family feel about this amazing
Riverdale opportunity?
H: My family is stoked! It's great. My mom collected
Archie comics when she was young so we have
a bunch of older comics. My dad will always be
my number 1 fan. Recording the episodes, telling
people about the show and my character. I tear up
about it sometimes haha it really makes a difference
having a good support system. We were all
surprised that it happened so fast, but the excitement
never ends.
BR: What is it about music/acting that you love?
H: I'm a creative and being able to express myself
through music was my first love. Going through a
break up or being pissed off at someone or situations
is hard to express and to get over. Writing
music is the best way to get it out of my system, to
vent, and to tell my side of the story. I love acting
because it allows me to play a character that has
traits that I don't have and really get to run with it. I
feel like Valerie in Riverdale is much like me but has
the balls to be a little more forward and aggressive
when she needs to be. It's fun to do scenes like that
because I feel like I learn about myself through the
character. Being Valerie is me getting to go back to
high school and do it over how I actually wish my
high school career went.
BR: Where did you study music?
H: My living room. haha constantly studying always
learning!
BR: What do you want to be known for as a Vancouverite
who is getting her start in acting?
H: I want people to know it doesn't matter where
you're from, that opportunity comes and you need
to be ready to knock it out of the park. I was working
at a breakfast restaurant when I auditioned for
Riverdale and I still mentally am that person. Just
excited and ready to work for this opportunity!
BR: What should people know about you that
they don’t already or that they get wrong about
you?
H: I don’t know if this is something people don’t
know or want to know, but I'm really proud to be
from this city. I feel like Vancouver gets a little bit
forgotten about in regards to entertainment and
its our time go show what the F we got. I want to
support and lift-up other creatives and really do
some amazing shit here.
BR: If you could have any superpower, what
would it be?
The story of Japandroids is one of victory
and frustration, vitality and desperation,
emotional depth and youthful
lust. Their songs are life-affirming
anthems that beg to be the soundtrack
to the best night of your life. They ask
you to live in the moment, while you
reminisce about the best parts of your
past, and give a hopeful gleam into the
future. The duo of Brian King (vox/ guitars)
and David Prowse (drums/vox)
embody all of these things as Japandroids,
but this almost never came to
be.
Japandroids formed in 2006, quickly
making a name for themselves in the
Vancouver music scene. They took a
DIY approach to nearly every aspect of
the band, even renting out their own
spaces and PA equipment to put on
their own shows. While recording their
debut album in the summer of 2008,
they had grown frustrated and felt
the band was going nowhere, so they
decided to quietly break up after they
released the record. On April 8, 2009
their debut album Post-Nothing was
released. Later that month Pitchfork
gave Post-Nothing a “Best New Music”
designation, and show offers from all
over the world started flowing in. In
2012 the band released the critically
acclaimed Celebration Rock and with it
came a new level of success.
It’s been five years since Celebration
Rock, and Japandroids are back with
their new record, Near to the Wild
Heart of Life. Last October, Japandroids
did a small warm up tour to get ready
for the release of the record, which
they kicked off with four shows at the
Cobalt in Vancouver, all of which sold
out. BeatRoute caught up with the
band after the second night of this
four-show stretch.
Meeting up with King and Prowse
at the Café Brixton, within seconds of
For Brian King and David Prowse, growing up is part of the job.
sitting down it is apparent they are excited
to be playing shows again. These
Vancouver shows were the first shows
after a three-year live hiatus. After the
final show of the Celebration Rock tour,
Prowse remained in Vancouver while
King split his time between Toronto,
where he had recently moved, and
Mexico City, where his girlfriend lived.
“We recorded Post-Nothing then
toured for a year and half on that record.
And as soon as we got home
we began work on Celebration Rock.
So from the time of Post-Nothing it
was…” King pauses to think about it,
“Five years. Those five years it was all
Japandroids, all the time.”
In those five years between 2008-
2013 the band played over 500 shows,
toured through 44 countries and released
two critically acclaimed albums.
It was time for a short break.
“We were dedicating some time to
fixing our personal lives, for once. Being
like, ‘I need some time to get my
shit together,’” says King. “When you’re
travelling and working that much, your
personal life is going to get destroyed.
So we needed a bit of time to figure
things out.”
The band apparently didn’t need
that much time though. After a short
six month break, they decided to start
writing again. King says that while writing
Celebration Rock, things were going
slow so they decided to shake things up
by moving to Nashville. The experience
worked out incredibly well for them, so
they decided to try it again for the new
record.
After spending six weeks in New
Orleans, the guys went back to their
respective homes, getting back together
every month or so, playing musical
chairs with cities, bouncing between
Vancouver, Toronto and Mexico City.
King said the experience was very positive
and inspiring for the band, but
it wasn’t very time efficient. He notes
that five years is a long absence, but it
didn’t bother him at all.
“I think [time] is less important to us.
The goal when we write songs and record
them is to do something we think
is better than what we did before. So as
we were writing, after awhile it just became
‘it takes however long it takes,’”
says King with a shrug.
Long time fans of the band will
find all the familiar Japandroids hallmarks
on Near to The Wild Heart of
Life. Anthemic fist-pumping choruses,
woooahhhhh’s & ahhhhhh’s singalongs,
youthful vitality, nostalgia and
catchy, memorable riffs. There is just
more of it this time. On the record you
will hear synthesizers, acoustic guitars
and experimentation with production
techniques. These were all the results of
experiments in the studio and the two
could not be happier with how it went.
“This is the first time we’ve done recording
not trying to emulate the live
band set up. Once we opened that
door, the possibilities were endless.
We just decided to go with whatever
sounded best and figure out the live
thing later,” says Prowse.
Previously, the band had a strict
rule when they approached the studio
- only guitars, drums and vocals with
minimal overdubs. They wanted to
achieve a “raw, live” sound with those
records, according to King.
“Our early EPs were an attempt at
that and it was refined on Post-Nothing
and it was refined to the point where
we perfected it, the sound for our
band, on Celebration Rock. We did it!”
says King with an emphatic pause. “This
time we decided to try a new thing…
to me this is like 2.0 or something like
that. The start of something new.”
One of Japandroids’ early breakout
songs was “The Boys are Leaving
photo: ???
Town,” and King says the song was
“about something that [we] wanted to
happen. And after Post-Nothing, it did
happen.” Now, Japandroids are making
their triumphant return to their hometown.
The band has played countless
shows in Vancouver, but this particular
homecoming brings something new,
the duo’s first show at the prestigious
Commodore Ballroom.
“It seems ridiculous to be playing the
Commodore,” says Prowse, still sounding
in disbelief. King chimes in after
him, “yeah, when you’re growing up
here, the Commodore, that’s where the
“big” bands play. And when you’re a local
band here, to play the Commodore,
that’s the dream. To play the Commodore
is like playing Madison Square
Garden when you’re a local band here.”
Japandroids perform at the Commodore
Ballroom on March 25
H: INVISIBILITY. I just watched The Incredibles
(one of my fav Disney movies) and Violet’s powers
in the movie are so sick. It would be nice to be able
to sneak into a room or walk around naked and no
one know.
BR: What is next for Hayleau?
H: Who knows. I have so many ideas and goals that
I’m putting in motion for the year. Definitely new
music within the next few weeks. I just started
shooting a show that will be on Netflix next year
that I'm super excited about.
Vancouver singer and actress, Hayleau, is getting a chance to go to everyone’s favorite high school.
The Hayleau EP is out now and Riverdale is
streaming on Netflix
4 March 2017
March 2017 MUSIC
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