One hundred per cent energy and 100 per cent fun. That describes the glam folk artists known as Moxy Fruvous who performed for some 250 students in Fenn Lounge on Friday as part of Rez Week.
The energy and humorous style was not only reserved for the the stage as I found out in an exclusive interview with the band prior to the show.
I was nervous when I entered the band's room, mostly because this was my first interview with a group who is known in Canada and the United States. But my fears disappeared when their smart ass comments started to fly.
My first set of questions were typical, but even straight questions about record sales were answered with sarcasm from the band, especially Mike Ford, acoustic/electric guitarist, who said, "No we would prefer not to sell any records at all."
He was then quick to return to serious form by saying if they're happy with the album, then they don't worry about sales.
Jian Ghomeshi, the drummer, also added that if you like the band for one song, then you'll be disappointed, since they are always changing from one album to the next.
The band saus they like the way their latest album "You Will Go to the Moon" was received not only in Canada but in the US as well.
"We've gotten more airplay from the States on this album than our previous ones and that has helped us a lot in the US," said Jian, adding the band enjoys playing Ottawa because they are always so well received here.
"We love playing here, the city is really great and so are the fans."
Now that the serious questions were out of the way it was time for some fun stuff and this seemed to encourage the band to be even more humorours with me. When asked what they like to do in their spare time the answers seemed harmless in the beginning.
"Scrabble and Baccarat," said Rick (Dave) Matheson, the band's accordian player. Mike's answer appeared harmless, but went weird.
"Making candles with my wife while laying on a blanket," he said.
"Naked in a meadow, too," added the quietest of the four, Murray Foster, bass guitarist.
Murray himself enjoys just sitting in front of his window or laying in his bed. ("Naked on the bed," said Mike with the sense of pure delight in getting a good shot in on his fellow musician).
Jian or "Movie Man" as he likes to call himself, said he enjoys good movies and he also likes to watch good erotic porn. (The latter may be a joke since he was laughing when he said it and he said he'd never heard of Ron Jeremy or Randy West.)
Another question asked was boxers or briefs? Murray confessed that he was in a three-month transitional period and leaning towards boxers. Jian is a Calvin Klein boxer man and Rick wears a chastity belt according to Mike. Mike himself said legal briefs and then said: "I'll see you in court f*&!face" and this shocked me.
"I'm just trying to get some swearing into your paper but you won't write it down," he continued.
The interview ended with the usual autograph and photo request and the band was more than happy to oblige, posing with me and a friend and signing posters and CDs.
Then it was over and they hit the stage with the same attitude that they had in the interview, even carrying over some of that fun, fun and more f*#%ing fun by adding a few lyrics about The Resin and the Bree's (Inn Pub).
If you'd like more info on the band, check out their web site at www.fruvous.com and look out for their live album in May of '98.
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