A&R Q&A

S:Well, they're a tricky bunch, which probably makes them that [much] more special. Some of them see Wolf Parade as almost a side project to their side projects .... And Hadji, yup, he plants trees in his spare time, as well as goes to school. Spencer has literally about three different side projects that I can think of, or is it two .... They didn't really go M.I.A. before going into the studio in Portland with Isaac. What happened after the recording is Internet lore at this point.

GK:What are some of those side projects? This isn't going to be one of those shows, like a Gwar show, where the band opens up for itself in costume, is it?

S:Spencer's main one is Sunset Rubdown .... It's his "solo" project, even if it is a band now. And Dante [DeCaro], who was in Hot Hot Heat and is now a semi-member of Wolf Parade, has been opening the shows as a solo act, with 3/4 of Wolf Parade playing with him. Hey, you asked!

GK:Last and final question, not about Wolf Parade, but a personal A&R dude question for someone about to go on a long trip [Oh, get this: Sub Pop flew all of its employees to New Zealand as a Christmas gift, which label boss Jonathan Poneman paid for out of his own pocket. If anyone at the company I work for is reading this, please make a note of that fact.]: Assume there's no such thing as an iPod. Which five records would you bring with you on a trip to New Zealand? And they have to be newish, nothing that's ever been declared "seminal" or whatever.

S:I hate new music. Damn it. Well, don't judge me (I'm so not "cool"), but ... the Delays, Faded Seaside Glamour; Kate Bush, Aerial; Wolf Parade, Apologies ... (yeah, I would ...); Sufjan Stevens, Illinois; Madonna, Confessions on a Dance Floor. If we're talking seminal: Blondie, Parallel Lines; Blondie, Eat to the Beat; Pretenders, first album; Dusty Springfield, Dusty in Memphis; ABC, Lexicon of Love, yeah, probably.