The Courtneys

Thanks to a Discorder cover, BeatRoute preview, and other positive coverage, this performance by the Courtneys was one of the most hyped of this year's Music Waste, almost bringing the Astoria to capacity at 1AM. This show doubled as the release party for the Vancouver indie pop trio's self-titled debut album and as the birthday party for drummer/lead singer Jen Twynn Payne, who was hazed by bassist Sydney Koke for not wearing her tiara. With the crowd mostly standing still, their set was slow going at first, up until their breezy "90210" mantra. After this track, festival organizer Dustin John Bromley brought the band a celebratory round of shots. Although all but bleach-blonde guitarist Courtney Loove turned them down, with Koke excusing herself as a teetotaler, this seemed to push up the energy a notch. Though Payne's vocals meandered off throughout their set, she locked into a determined groove with Loove and Koke on "Manion," and it mattered less and less as time wore on. The energy boiled over after Payne dedicated "Delivery Boy" to Hockey Dad Records boss Ryan Dyck, who launched himself into the unsuspecting crowd midway through the track. Unfortunately, the then-stagnant crowd couldn't support him and a dozen people ended up getting flattened, but when they got back up, they started shoving each other from one side of the room to the other. The moshing continued for the rest of their set, a testament to the notion that it just takes one person with the right attitude to make a party happen. Ready or not, world… the Courtneys are coming. - Exclaim!

Los noventa fueron Keanu Reeves. Fueron muchas cosas más, desde luego, e igual es algo discutible esta aseveración inicial, pero como icono pop es indudable que el astro fílmico queda asociado a la década de la que se surten un amplio espectro de grupos en lo musical. The Courtneys lo hacen; son devotas del ídolo de ojos achinados, stalkers en potencia. Sus bragas subliman lo sólido para llegar a lo líquido cuando les mentan al santo varón o le ven por enésima vez decir aquello de “oiga, señorita Juan de Arco…” en Las Alucinantes Aventuras de Bill y Ted (Stephen Herek). O, ajustándonos más a lo que queremos exponer, cuando en dicha película traen consigo a la línea temporal presente a Gengis Kan para mostrárselo a los compañeros de clase, presentándolo a la manera de un bárbaro excepcional por las figuras que presenta en violaciones y satrapías, tras lo que el alumnado rompe a aplaudir. Esto, así a lo tosco -y con licencias asumidas-, es en qué consiste un revival: en traer al presente figuras de antaño de tal manera que la mayor mierda de antes ahora, por el motivo que sea –generalmente por ese mecanismo de memoria selectiva horrible que atiende al nombre de nostalgia-, pasa a ser aceptable cuando no buena o directamente mejor que lo que se hace en la actualidad. Es decir, se le niega una valoración objetiva a lo actual en detrimento de cómo se comportan los mecanismos de la nostalgia sobre lo de antaño, especialmente si se estuvo vinculado a ello emocionalmente o fue relevante durante un determinado pasaje vital, algo que nos parece lamentable. The Courtneys, a Dios gracias -y pese a incurrir en ello-, meten un giro a la situación que las desmarca de esas actitudes.

Estas tres chicas canadienses explicitan lo que decimos muy a las claras en K.C. Reeves. Una canción excepcional que, como se puede inferir de su título, va dedicada al actor y enumera de pasada –vía juegos de palabras- algunos de sus grandes logros durante la década de los noventa. Siendo The Courtneys un grupo eminentemente noventero en su sonido, de calcar el libro de estilo (salvo algún deje a los Sonic Youth del Daydream Nation, que data de finales de los ochenta), llega un momento en el que se desmarcan con una fenomenal patada a la nostalgia como articuladora de revivals: “en ocasiones me gusta reírme de lo que haces y, bueno, también a veces odio lo que haces.” Tras admitir ellas mismas que Keanu Reeves era el ídolo de las tres zagalas, es bueno recordar que la imagen que tiene de estrella se iniciaba con la película anteriormente mentada y se cerraba con la primera parte de la trilogía de Matrix, estrenada conforme quedaban pocos meses para que terminase la década de los 90. Empezamos a pensar que en realidad a ellas les suda bastante el coño Keanu Reeves y que le han escogido para plasmar una idea en forma de crítica, usándole a modo de analogía. Y funciona de forma infalible: podéis cambiar en la letra los 90 por cualquier otra década –no demasiado pretérita, claro; si os vais a épocas de Wagner igual se cae el invento- y a Keanu Reeves por cualquier banda de largo recorrido que la cosa ahí sigue, funcionando de pleno. No tanto como crítica a la banda elegida pero si a nivel de cómo ha de pensarse cabalmente: nada de esas apelaciones al absoluto rollo “los 80 una puta mierda, los 60 lo mejor”, para nada, prevalezca mejor un análisis sensato a la manera que dicen The Courtneys, donde se puede estar a tope con algo pero no por ello obviar lo risible y mediocre de dicha cosa, ya sea un actor, un grupo, un género musical o una década al completo. De lo micro a lo macro.

Un disco que aporta algo tan preclaro como lo anterior pues gustará siempre salvo que se sea un zote, pero es que además Sidney, Jen y Courtney se han cascado el LP del verano. No exageramos si decimos que llevamos más de un mes a diario con él y no pierde un ápice de su poder para contagiar euforia con esos guitarrazos simples y efectivos, con ese bajo de dos cuerdas solo, con ese cantar las tres a la vez, con ese tenerlo todo. No somos los únicos: el sello de culto Burguer Records ya tiene la cassette agotada, y la edición en vinilo va por su tercera tirada en menos de dos meses de vida de la inicial. No andamos ante un hype, no preocuparos, que son canciones que tienen más de un año en ocasiones (ya figuraron cinco de las ocho piezas en su primera cassette, grabada a principios del 2012 por John de Courcy) y que se han ido puliendo, si bien es cierto que tampoco necesitaban de ello, aunque bienvenida sea la nueva grabación de Jordan Koop, pues todo suena más rápido, más fiero, más eufórico y mejor en general. ¿Japandroids en tía - Vanishing Point

Los noventa fueron Keanu Reeves. Fueron muchas cosas más, desde luego, e igual es algo discutible esta aseveración inicial, pero como icono pop es indudable que el astro fílmico queda asociado a la década de la que se surten un amplio espectro de grupos en lo musical. The Courtneys lo hacen; son devotas del ídolo de ojos achinados, stalkers en potencia. Sus bragas subliman lo sólido para llegar a lo líquido cuando les mentan al santo varón o le ven por enésima vez decir aquello de “oiga, señorita Juan de Arco…” en Las Alucinantes Aventuras de Bill y Ted (Stephen Herek). O, ajustándonos más a lo que queremos exponer, cuando en dicha película traen consigo a la línea temporal presente a Gengis Kan para mostrárselo a los compañeros de clase, presentándolo a la manera de un bárbaro excepcional por las figuras que presenta en violaciones y satrapías, tras lo que el alumnado rompe a aplaudir. Esto, así a lo tosco -y con licencias asumidas-, es en qué consiste un revival: en traer al presente figuras de antaño de tal manera que la mayor mierda de antes ahora, por el motivo que sea –generalmente por ese mecanismo de memoria selectiva horrible que atiende al nombre de nostalgia-, pasa a ser aceptable cuando no buena o directamente mejor que lo que se hace en la actualidad. Es decir, se le niega una valoración objetiva a lo actual en detrimento de cómo se comportan los mecanismos de la nostalgia sobre lo de antaño, especialmente si se estuvo vinculado a ello emocionalmente o fue relevante durante un determinado pasaje vital, algo que nos parece lamentable. The Courtneys, a Dios gracias -y pese a incurrir en ello-, meten un giro a la situación que las desmarca de esas actitudes.

Estas tres chicas canadienses explicitan lo que decimos muy a las claras en K.C. Reeves. Una canción excepcional que, como se puede inferir de su título, va dedicada al actor y enumera de pasada –vía juegos de palabras- algunos de sus grandes logros durante la década de los noventa. Siendo The Courtneys un grupo eminentemente noventero en su sonido, de calcar el libro de estilo (salvo algún deje a los Sonic Youth del Daydream Nation, que data de finales de los ochenta), llega un momento en el que se desmarcan con una fenomenal patada a la nostalgia como articuladora de revivals: “en ocasiones me gusta reírme de lo que haces y, bueno, también a veces odio lo que haces.” Tras admitir ellas mismas que Keanu Reeves era el ídolo de las tres zagalas, es bueno recordar que la imagen que tiene de estrella se iniciaba con la película anteriormente mentada y se cerraba con la primera parte de la trilogía de Matrix, estrenada conforme quedaban pocos meses para que terminase la década de los 90. Empezamos a pensar que en realidad a ellas les suda bastante el coño Keanu Reeves y que le han escogido para plasmar una idea en forma de crítica, usándole a modo de analogía. Y funciona de forma infalible: podéis cambiar en la letra los 90 por cualquier otra década –no demasiado pretérita, claro; si os vais a épocas de Wagner igual se cae el invento- y a Keanu Reeves por cualquier banda de largo recorrido que la cosa ahí sigue, funcionando de pleno. No tanto como crítica a la banda elegida pero si a nivel de cómo ha de pensarse cabalmente: nada de esas apelaciones al absoluto rollo “los 80 una puta mierda, los 60 lo mejor”, para nada, prevalezca mejor un análisis sensato a la manera que dicen The Courtneys, donde se puede estar a tope con algo pero no por ello obviar lo risible y mediocre de dicha cosa, ya sea un actor, un grupo, un género musical o una década al completo. De lo micro a lo macro.

Un disco que aporta algo tan preclaro como lo anterior pues gustará siempre salvo que se sea un zote, pero es que además Sidney, Jen y Courtney se han cascado el LP del verano. No exageramos si decimos que llevamos más de un mes a diario con él y no pierde un ápice de su poder para contagiar euforia con esos guitarrazos simples y efectivos, con ese bajo de dos cuerdas solo, con ese cantar las tres a la vez, con ese tenerlo todo. No somos los únicos: el sello de culto Burguer Records ya tiene la cassette agotada, y la edición en vinilo va por su tercera tirada en menos de dos meses de vida de la inicial. No andamos ante un hype, no preocuparos, que son canciones que tienen más de un año en ocasiones (ya figuraron cinco de las ocho piezas en su primera cassette, grabada a principios del 2012 por John de Courcy) y que se han ido puliendo, si bien es cierto que tampoco necesitaban de ello, aunque bienvenida sea la nueva grabación de Jordan Koop, pues todo suena más rápido, más fiero, más eufórico y mejor en general. ¿Japandroids en tía - Vanishing Point

AUX Magazine Editor Nicole Villeneuve breaks down The Courtneys "S/T." (video) - Aux TV

AUX Magazine Editor Nicole Villeneuve breaks down The Courtneys "S/T." (video) - Aux TV

The Courtneys – The Courtneys
June 7, 2013 – Hockey Dad Records
Canada
Listen: “90210”

As light as the wind, as heavy as a pining heart, Vancouver trio The Courtneys have an uncanny ability to conjure the city’s sunny skies, sandy beaches and depressing drab all in the same song. Blending Vancouver’s unpredictable weather in 25 flash-bang minutes, seemingly without effort, The Courtneys’ self-titled “full-length” debut is ready-made for day-cruisin’ or dragging a heavy heart through the downpour. Whatever mood suits you, The Courtneys will be your chauffeurs. - Vancouver Weekly

I’ve probably mentioned this in passing before, but twee pop has changed a lot over the years. These days, it’s pretty much code for lushly arranged, folksy music that often plays on the contrast between lush, adorable, sugar-sweet melodies and sardonic, frankly sexual, and otherwise decidedly not sugar-sweet subject matter. Stuff that sounds like Belle & Sebastian, in other words. That’s not the way things used to be, though. When twee began to emerge in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, a lot of it had a lo-fi punk sound, particularly if the bands in question were mainly female. Dolly Mixture and Tiger Trap come to mind here.

The Courtneys really remind me of this particular style of twee, which I thought was long extinct. Well, old-school twee combined with Riot Grrl. I understand that this might seem like a bit of an odd combination, seeing that Riot Grrl is just about the least twee genre of music in history. But that’s what I’m picking up on, and besides, why wouldn’t the two intersect? They both claim a strong punk/garage influence, both embraced the lo-fi, and both have a good deal to say about gender relations, although the twee groups have a little more of a sense of humor about it. And this is a nice combination of Riot Grrl anger and twee cleverness.

And, like the best of both genres (Sleater-Kinney and Dolly Mixture spring into my head here), it’s all sorts of fun. “Manion’s” “mandatory suicide” chorus is the kind that’ll just rattle around in your head all day, and believe me, you’ll really like it that way; the same can be said for the clever “Insufficient Funds,” whose lyrics probably got me going on the “Courtneys are sort of neo garage-twee” thing, and the awesome, sprightly “New Sundae” and the jumpy “Delivery Boy,” where they sound a lot like Sleater-Kinney – if you’ll excuse the winding, slowly building guitar passage that opens it up.

When they change it up a little, they sound good, too. “90210” is far more tense than most of the rest of what’s here, and I like it so much, I’m willing to forgive it for actually rhyming “ocean” with “emotion” and “insane” with “brain.” “Dead Dog” has a dynamic instrumental passage that sort of calls Daydream Nation to mind, if you can imagine Daydream Nation without the dissonance. Which might be hard, but for me, huh? If there’s any downside to this, it’s that there isn’t a single knockout song to be heard – it’s all good, fun riot twee, but nothing exceptional. Still, it is a debut. There’s time for growth.

I understand that Sonic Youth and Sleater-Kinney are some big names to toss around, and I certainly don’t mean to hype this band up to an impossible standard. But they are very, very good at what they do, and I think they have the potential to make something really great if they keep at it. So I’d like to nominate them as arguably the most promising newcomers I’ve heard all year. - MV Remix

I’ve probably mentioned this in passing before, but twee pop has changed a lot over the years. These days, it’s pretty much code for lushly arranged, folksy music that often plays on the contrast between lush, adorable, sugar-sweet melodies and sardonic, frankly sexual, and otherwise decidedly not sugar-sweet subject matter. Stuff that sounds like Belle & Sebastian, in other words. That’s not the way things used to be, though. When twee began to emerge in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, a lot of it had a lo-fi punk sound, particularly if the bands in question were mainly female. Dolly Mixture and Tiger Trap come to mind here.

The Courtneys really remind me of this particular style of twee, which I thought was long extinct. Well, old-school twee combined with Riot Grrl. I understand that this might seem like a bit of an odd combination, seeing that Riot Grrl is just about the least twee genre of music in history. But that’s what I’m picking up on, and besides, why wouldn’t the two intersect? They both claim a strong punk/garage influence, both embraced the lo-fi, and both have a good deal to say about gender relations, although the twee groups have a little more of a sense of humor about it. And this is a nice combination of Riot Grrl anger and twee cleverness.

And, like the best of both genres (Sleater-Kinney and Dolly Mixture spring into my head here), it’s all sorts of fun. “Manion’s” “mandatory suicide” chorus is the kind that’ll just rattle around in your head all day, and believe me, you’ll really like it that way; the same can be said for the clever “Insufficient Funds,” whose lyrics probably got me going on the “Courtneys are sort of neo garage-twee” thing, and the awesome, sprightly “New Sundae” and the jumpy “Delivery Boy,” where they sound a lot like Sleater-Kinney – if you’ll excuse the winding, slowly building guitar passage that opens it up.

When they change it up a little, they sound good, too. “90210” is far more tense than most of the rest of what’s here, and I like it so much, I’m willing to forgive it for actually rhyming “ocean” with “emotion” and “insane” with “brain.” “Dead Dog” has a dynamic instrumental passage that sort of calls Daydream Nation to mind, if you can imagine Daydream Nation without the dissonance. Which might be hard, but for me, huh? If there’s any downside to this, it’s that there isn’t a single knockout song to be heard – it’s all good, fun riot twee, but nothing exceptional. Still, it is a debut. There’s time for growth.

I understand that Sonic Youth and Sleater-Kinney are some big names to toss around, and I certainly don’t mean to hype this band up to an impossible standard. But they are very, very good at what they do, and I think they have the potential to make something really great if they keep at it. So I’d like to nominate them as arguably the most promising newcomers I’ve heard all year. - MV Remix

Although The Courtneys’ self-titled debut album came out almost a month ago, I had to make it the album of the week, mostly because I haven’t listened to any other album this week.
I have to credit this late discovery to NXNE (for more festival love, check out my love letter to NXNE). Swag bags are normally a dump bag of flyers and a useful pair of earplugs, which I will lose halfway through the week. But, for some reason, I decided to give the pile of papers a better look this year before tossing them out and thus me finding an issue of CiTR’s Discorder Magazine. Based out of Vancouver, the publication focused on west coast talent, most of whom I am embarrassed to admit I had never heard of.
On the cover was a hazy photo of three girls in oversized black tees surrounded by greenery and flowers. It was punk meets teen dream, which surprisingly enough, is how I could describe their music. A DIY sensibility of haphazardly thrown together pop melodies titled after topics ripped out of a teenager’s diary (“Insufficient Funds”, “Social Anxiety”) The core of each song earworms its way into your head in a way that reveals The Courtneys’ real talent in penning incredibly catchy pop hooks.
If you, too, have made the horrible mistake of missing out on The Courtneys, I encourage you to check out their album now and maybe even get yourself a quick subscription to Discorder. NXNE, you’ve done it again. - Sidewalk Hustle

RECOMMENDED

Vancouver’s The Courtneys solve one of the major issues I’ve always had with pop music on the indie/twee side of things: that it’s usually not substantial enough of a performance to support occasionally great songwriting or other worthwhile qualities or sentiments that come out of it. Chord phrasing is important to this kind of sound being successful, and guitarist Courtney Loove (yeah) steps up, strumming in hard and resolute fashion, and singing lyrics that get deeper and more existential than most listeners would anticipate. Bass and drums lock everything down, mostly trading in a strong 4/4 presence reminiscent of early Public Image Ltd. This band overcomes the problems of simplicity being mistaken as weakness or lacking in ideas, as these eight songs are as strong as they are thoughtful, dealing with issues as light as the ones mentioned above and as weighty as the existential financial crises of “Insufficient Funds” – a philosophical rumination on the need to work, and the liberation that comes when discovering that “you can work for yourself” – and a surprising number of songs that seem to reference death, finality, and coping with it all. I know this has made the Courtneys sound serious, but this is also a band that writes songs about Keanu Reeves and crushing out on delivery boys. It’s just that they perform them somewhere on the spectrum between any old Mint Records band, Scrawl ca. “Green Beer” and Bailter Space, a combination I’m surprised no one ever considered before (and one which I’m guessing wasn’t considered here, either). Somehow, the Courtneys balance a spiritual heaviness with a light, ‘90s-steeped sound, one with a crisp high end favoring the ride cymbal and snare, which stops just before production gets too thin. This review might sound too clinical, and maybe it is, but I’m dumbfounded by the depth and resolve that this band pulls out of sunny, surfside pop, and you might be as well. This is one of the records that’s made my summer, and if you hurry, it’ll make yours too. (http://www.hockeydadrecords.com)
(Doug Mosurock) - Still Single

THE COURTNEYS – LP
They are playing SF at the end of the month and I am going to go and dance hard. Goofy, fun, plaintive punk pop, reminiscent of LOOKS BLUE GOES PURPLE in a way that is inspiring and amazing rather than tired and limp. They are an exciting band on their own terms I mean, and not just because they have somehow captured the excellent stylings of a classic NZ band, they are rambunctious and rad. They make me think of summer, skateboarding, adventure, possibility... wind in your hair, sun on your neck, world is yours but you can't quite touch it but that's OK. I think all teenage girls should be COURTNEYS fans, and also start their own bands. Well, maybe the teenage girls who would appreciate BRATMOBILE rather than the ones that wanna listen to CRADLE OF FILTH. It's shouty, exuberant, bratty, goofy but also melancholic, plaintive and charming, the lyrics are hilarious and depressing in the right places. They heart Keanu and can't get jobs, they're bored, they get high and write the most insanely catchy songs. The song with the chorus "Mandatory Suicide" is impossible to get out of your head, but not in a horrible way, it's just relentlessly catchy and rad. I like records that seem like they were made by a group of people that are a crew, a girl gang, like FRUMPIES or CRAZY BAND, with in jokes and the feeling of true friendship washing over the sounds created. I know not all great music is made under such circumstances, but when you get a good example for review, it's a good day. I have listened to this record every day since I got it. (LG)
(Hockey Dad) - Maximum Rock N' Roll

THE COURTNEYS – LP
They are playing SF at the end of the month and I am going to go and dance hard. Goofy, fun, plaintive punk pop, reminiscent of LOOKS BLUE GOES PURPLE in a way that is inspiring and amazing rather than tired and limp. They are an exciting band on their own terms I mean, and not just because they have somehow captured the excellent stylings of a classic NZ band, they are rambunctious and rad. They make me think of summer, skateboarding, adventure, possibility... wind in your hair, sun on your neck, world is yours but you can't quite touch it but that's OK. I think all teenage girls should be COURTNEYS fans, and also start their own bands. Well, maybe the teenage girls who would appreciate BRATMOBILE rather than the ones that wanna listen to CRADLE OF FILTH. It's shouty, exuberant, bratty, goofy but also melancholic, plaintive and charming, the lyrics are hilarious and depressing in the right places. They heart Keanu and can't get jobs, they're bored, they get high and write the most insanely catchy songs. The song with the chorus "Mandatory Suicide" is impossible to get out of your head, but not in a horrible way, it's just relentlessly catchy and rad. I like records that seem like they were made by a group of people that are a crew, a girl gang, like FRUMPIES or CRAZY BAND, with in jokes and the feeling of true friendship washing over the sounds created. I know not all great music is made under such circumstances, but when you get a good example for review, it's a good day. I have listened to this record every day since I got it. (LG)
(Hockey Dad) - Maximum Rock N' Roll

With Spice Girls stickers pasted decoratively on mirrors, ‘90s reflections were mired in pop sensationalism. The decade shrieked for girl power and the response came in song. Initially earning wealth and fame for anthemic pop, skillful mass marketing molded the Spice Girls into icons. The five women moved transiently between band and brand. At the foot of their empire, children clawed for collectibles. Magazine quizzes gauged personality by “spice” and a feature film monopolized cinemas. Spice Girl fandom moved beyond music. In the ‘90s, the rumbles of pop melody were the movements of behemoth celebrity culture.
Twenty years later, Vancouver garage punk trio the Courtneys ask, “Which Courtney Are You?” (You can take their quiz.) Tie dye aside, this group’s nostalgia for the ‘90s extends beyond lyrics and fashion. Authoring workout videos, a wide selection of merchandise, online quizzes, and more, the Courtneys delve deeper into a not-so-distant decade. They toy with fame using social media and retail products. Imitating the marketing strategies of groups like the Spice Girls, the Courtneys have fun while allowing their audience to consider the complications of pop culture.

A bird’s unbroken chirp threads through the evening as the Courtneys and I sit on the Burrard Street YMCA patio. Often holding band meetings in the YMCA hot tub, Jen Twynn Payne (drums), Courtney Loove (guitar), Sydney Koke (bass), and I chat outside in the warmth of May.
photo by Andrew Volk
photo by Andrew Volk
Even glancing research confirms these girls are prolific self-promoters. During our interview, Payne sports one of the band’s new Courtneys snap-backs. Front and centre is the official Courtneys’ signature, a rare font blend of the logos from 90210, Fraser, and Club Monaco. These hats have the upcoming Courtneys album info printed on them, though they fit more snug on your head than inside the record sleeve. A significant addition to their line of merchandise, Koke comments, “It’s really exciting to just make things in all different contexts.” Their non-purchasable promotions are another example. These include How-To videos for working out, cooking, and catching a snake. “It’s fun to experiment with pop culture,” Koke explains. “I’m really intrigued by the way that people have advertised themselves in the past and the way that celebrity culture has worked in the past versus now.”



Experimenting with the notion of celebrity is always done with playful intention. Referencing the ‘90s is more serious. Despite certain song titles (“90210,” “K.C. Reeves”), the Courtneys claim irony is absent in their music. Payne dismisses assumptions of mocking and says, “I just do things that I think are cool and that I like. I’m not trying to be ironic.”



“I didn’t realize how ‘90s we were until I saw our merch table,” Loove adds. Hesitant to be swayed, visions of their Keanu Reeves cassette cover come to mind before Koke points out that the issue is really about “how irony and nostalgia are related.” She offers her recently confessed love of Sheryl Crow as example, and explains, “The nostalgia is real. It’s a real appreciation of stuff. It’s not because it’s a joke. It’s because it’s really awesome.” In a final pledge to prove the band’s sincerity, Payne announces, “I like Justin Bieber’s music.” Now I definitely believe them.
Originally from Calgary, Payne and Koke once bookended a band called Puberty. When Payne moved to Vancouver in 2010 as the drummer in Mac DeMarco’s Makeout Videotape, she chose to restart the band and invited Loove in as an added guitarist. Their first show took place at Pat’s Pub in 2011, almost a year after they had initially formed.
Crediting Pavement, the Clean, Dinosaur Jr., New Order, and Eddy Current Suppression Ring as influences, it took the poignancy of Koke’s own bass riff for the Courtneys to realize that they were also heavily influenced by the French electronic band Air. Trying to pair a bass line with Loove’s guitar part, Loove heard Koke’s creation and announced, “That’s Air!”
“Then we realized that we’re basically the punk version of a smooth, sexy electronic band,” Koke laughs in reflection.
photo by Andrew Volk
photo by Andrew Volk
And naturally capturing that sound has become the Courtneys’ next step. Their self-titled debut full-length album is set for release on June 7. Hockey Dad Records is releasing the vinyl (clear blue) and Gnar Tapes (Portland) will be dropping the cassette. The album’s eight songs capture the first era of the Courtneys, and it was recorded, mastered, and mixed with Jordan Koop at Noise Floor in a snappy three days. Although admitting their songwriting process has since become more deliberate and selective, the girls felt they couldn’t go forward without releasing the best of what they’d already achieved. The collection is filled with instrumental introductions to jolting two to three minute songs. Climbing chords separate and synchr - Discorder

I hate it when people think that girls who sing about boys are lame or not strong, like it’s some grandiose sign of weakness to pen a catchy pop riff and make fun of a dude you once fucked. It’s cool. It’s insolent. West Coast trio the Courtneys know this, but they sing about men, not boys. Celebrity men, mostly (their first EP was named after Keanu Reeves) and television shows and insufficient bank accounts. The Courtneys are a feel-good band that sounds a little like Grass Widow and a little like Fly Nun, but they smell a lot like the bong water you threw out last night. They recently finished recording their self-titled debut LP, which drops on Hockey Dad Records on June 7. I sat down with drummer Jen (who also played in Mac DeMarco’s band, Makeout Videotape), bassist Sydney, and guitarist Courtney for some girl talk or whatever you want to call it.

Why did you call your band The Courtneys when only one of you is named Courtney?
Jen: We wanted to name the band after Courtney, because she is the most modest member of the band.

Remember that shirt you guys made for one of your earlier shows? It had images of Courtney Love, Courtney Cox, and Kourtney Kardashian. I loved that fucking shirt and I am pissed I don’t own one. Anyway, are those the best Courtneys on the planet?
Jen: We considered Taylor Taylor from the Dandi Warhols, but we went with the three most recognizable Courtneys. Those shirts were a one-off pressing from a party we did at Pinhole Printing. There are probably only 10 in existence. Which reminds me: Johnny [owner of Pinhole Printing] wanted me to tell you that he had a sexy dream about you last night.

Oh! Nice. Someone else told me that. Maybe I’m just a dream creep
Jen: You totally are.

The Courtneys seem like a really happy band to me. Maybe I just think this because I’m in an angry band, but what are you guys so happy about? What do you sing about?
[Laughs] Our band is sort of like an extension of our friendship, so a lot of our sound just comes from us having fun. The funny thing is that a lot of lyrics are actually about sad things, but this isn’t the place where we relieve our frustrations. Sydney makes angry music in her other band, Shearing Pinx, so by the time she gets to us, it’s all pop.

How is drumming and singing for you, Jen? It looks exhausting.
It gets exhausting sometimes, but I really enjoy doing it. I often have to keep my beats simple and straightforward in order to sing at the same time, so I get this craving to play in a band where I just play drums or I just sing. Recently, I started jamming with this band called Flyin' while their drummer is away, so that's really fun for me! But also, I really like singing, because I feel like drummers don’t contribute as much as guitars or something.

I noticed that on your previous releases, you guys kind of have these quirky song names. You also named your EP K.C. Reeves (Green Burrito Records) after Keanu Reeves. What is that about?
I pretty much just write lyrics about what is going on in life at the moment, and a lot of the times, that is what TV show I am watching. Sometimes, we make weird titles and they just stick. We watched Point Break the day we wrote “K.C. Reeves.”
Courtney: Keanu isn’t even Jen’s favorite actor. It’s Harrison Ford.

Really?
Jen: I love Harrison Ford. I think he’s so hot. When I was 10 years old, I had a Harrison Ford scrapbook. I printed out his Encarta Encyclopedia page and put it in there along with the pamphlet from the Indiana Jones ride at Disney World. But the movie that did it for me was American Graffiti. He’s like a young, hot cowboy dude with a fast car. My first debit card’s pin number was Harrison’s birthday.
Courtney: It was stalker-style all the way, eh? You were keeping a deep secret.



Who were your celebrity crushes, Courtney and Sydney?
Jonathan Brandis in Ladybugs.
Sydney: David Duchovney and Gillian Anderson, at the same time.
Jen: Sydney went as Scully for Halloween three years in a row. She even cut her hair and dyed it red.
Sydney: Jen went as Mulder once. Maybe we will bring it back this year.

What were you guys like when you were teens?
I was a punk, science nerd. I started going to all ages shows when I was 14 and I really was, like, moshing. [Laughs]
Courtney: I was really quiet and into 80s goth music. I got into music when I was a little kid because my dad made us all take different types of music lessons. I started playing guitar when I was 12.
Jen: I was an only child and my older cousins babysat me and made me wear grunge clothes and sleep in with them until 2pm. I was like seven years old. The first CD I got was Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins.

If you girls could have anything on your rider (not including booze, that’s a given) what things would you pick?
All: Three Kintaro Cheese Ramens, a slurpee machine, some hot skateboarders, steam and sauna, fresh socks, and weed.

If you had to pack and move to a ne - VICE

I hate it when people think that girls who sing about boys are lame or not strong, like it’s some grandiose sign of weakness to pen a catchy pop riff and make fun of a dude you once fucked. It’s cool. It’s insolent. West Coast trio the Courtneys know this, but they sing about men, not boys. Celebrity men, mostly (their first EP was named after Keanu Reeves) and television shows and insufficient bank accounts. The Courtneys are a feel-good band that sounds a little like Grass Widow and a little like Fly Nun, but they smell a lot like the bong water you threw out last night. They recently finished recording their self-titled debut LP, which drops on Hockey Dad Records on June 7. I sat down with drummer Jen (who also played in Mac DeMarco’s band, Makeout Videotape), bassist Sydney, and guitarist Courtney for some girl talk or whatever you want to call it.

Why did you call your band The Courtneys when only one of you is named Courtney?
Jen: We wanted to name the band after Courtney, because she is the most modest member of the band.

Remember that shirt you guys made for one of your earlier shows? It had images of Courtney Love, Courtney Cox, and Kourtney Kardashian. I loved that fucking shirt and I am pissed I don’t own one. Anyway, are those the best Courtneys on the planet?
Jen: We considered Taylor Taylor from the Dandi Warhols, but we went with the three most recognizable Courtneys. Those shirts were a one-off pressing from a party we did at Pinhole Printing. There are probably only 10 in existence. Which reminds me: Johnny [owner of Pinhole Printing] wanted me to tell you that he had a sexy dream about you last night.

Oh! Nice. Someone else told me that. Maybe I’m just a dream creep
Jen: You totally are.

The Courtneys seem like a really happy band to me. Maybe I just think this because I’m in an angry band, but what are you guys so happy about? What do you sing about?
[Laughs] Our band is sort of like an extension of our friendship, so a lot of our sound just comes from us having fun. The funny thing is that a lot of lyrics are actually about sad things, but this isn’t the place where we relieve our frustrations. Sydney makes angry music in her other band, Shearing Pinx, so by the time she gets to us, it’s all pop.

How is drumming and singing for you, Jen? It looks exhausting.
It gets exhausting sometimes, but I really enjoy doing it. I often have to keep my beats simple and straightforward in order to sing at the same time, so I get this craving to play in a band where I just play drums or I just sing. Recently, I started jamming with this band called Flyin' while their drummer is away, so that's really fun for me! But also, I really like singing, because I feel like drummers don’t contribute as much as guitars or something.

I noticed that on your previous releases, you guys kind of have these quirky song names. You also named your EP K.C. Reeves (Green Burrito Records) after Keanu Reeves. What is that about?
I pretty much just write lyrics about what is going on in life at the moment, and a lot of the times, that is what TV show I am watching. Sometimes, we make weird titles and they just stick. We watched Point Break the day we wrote “K.C. Reeves.”
Courtney: Keanu isn’t even Jen’s favorite actor. It’s Harrison Ford.

Really?
Jen: I love Harrison Ford. I think he’s so hot. When I was 10 years old, I had a Harrison Ford scrapbook. I printed out his Encarta Encyclopedia page and put it in there along with the pamphlet from the Indiana Jones ride at Disney World. But the movie that did it for me was American Graffiti. He’s like a young, hot cowboy dude with a fast car. My first debit card’s pin number was Harrison’s birthday.
Courtney: It was stalker-style all the way, eh? You were keeping a deep secret.



Who were your celebrity crushes, Courtney and Sydney?
Jonathan Brandis in Ladybugs.
Sydney: David Duchovney and Gillian Anderson, at the same time.
Jen: Sydney went as Scully for Halloween three years in a row. She even cut her hair and dyed it red.
Sydney: Jen went as Mulder once. Maybe we will bring it back this year.

What were you guys like when you were teens?
I was a punk, science nerd. I started going to all ages shows when I was 14 and I really was, like, moshing. [Laughs]
Courtney: I was really quiet and into 80s goth music. I got into music when I was a little kid because my dad made us all take different types of music lessons. I started playing guitar when I was 12.
Jen: I was an only child and my older cousins babysat me and made me wear grunge clothes and sleep in with them until 2pm. I was like seven years old. The first CD I got was Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins.

If you girls could have anything on your rider (not including booze, that’s a given) what things would you pick?
All: Three Kintaro Cheese Ramens, a slurpee machine, some hot skateboarders, steam and sauna, fresh socks, and weed.

If you had to pack and move to a ne - VICE

The Courtneys are a young Canadian trio and also, as of this writing, my singular obsession, as they’ve just released the perfect all-summer-long mini-album. It’s alive with fuzzed-up jangle and artful pop that makes for both good daytime listening and solitary nighttime repeat play. They sing about their obsessions: Keanu, 90210, and playing guitar “all night!” They sound girly and tough, young and sure–like women who know what they want from this world. We are lucky enough to premiere their video for the record’s third single, “Nu Sundae,” which gives us a glimpse into their freewheeling lifestyle, which includes riding through the naturescape like parade princesses on the back of a top-down VW.



Directed by Rose Gagnon, cinematography by Ryan Dyck, stunt driving by Tara Dwelsdorf.

I spoke with the Jen Twynn Payne (drums), Courtney Loove (guitar), and Sydney Koke (bass), a couple days ago. —Jessica

JESSICA: Can you talk about the making of this glorious video of yours? You gals look like this is really what you were born to do: just drive around, top down, looking cool with your hairs illuminated by the Canadian sun. It’s like the sensual punk equivalent of a really luxe rap video.

JEN: Oh man, I’m so stoked that you said “luxe rap video,” I think you got the idea bang-on! We were born to drive around with our hairs illuminated by the Canadian sun! That convertible is Courtney’s, and when we’re not jamming or playing a show we’re just cruisin’. We didn’t realize when we made the video how funny it was going to turn out. A sensual journey to 7-Eleven!

COURTNEY: It’s true, this video is basically a documentary of a day in the life of the Courtneys.

SYDNEY: Except that instead of our own music, we like to cruise to the classics of the ’90s—especially Sheryl Crow, Dance Mix ’94, and our 1996 Grammy Nominees cassette.

Do you ever dream about music? What was your last music dream? What did you dream about last night?

JEN: My last music-related dream was about this band the Soft Pack that I really like who we are going to play with in San Diego. I was just chillin’ with them! I’m hoping it was a premonition! Last night I had a straight-up NIGHTMARE about getting rehired at a job I was fired from, but they made me do janitorial work and they didn’t pay me. At one point the boss came over and said, “You will get a review of your ‘feminine duties’ in six months.” What the hell?!

COURTNEY: I didn’t have a dream last night, but I just woke up, so maybe it will come to me. I definitely have dreams where I have extremely important-seeming musical epiphanies, then when I wake up they are just totally silly.

You debut 12" just came out. On a freaked-out-emotions scale of 1 to 12—1 being a state of professional-backrub-induced relaxation and 12 being projectile barfing with anxiety—rate where you are with your feelings.

COURTNEY: I would say a 1 for me! But I’m pretty calm usually.

SYDNEY: I’m also a 1. I’m really stoked about how the album sounds, and we’ve gotten amazing feedback so far. Now ask me about how I feel about my upcoming master’s defense!

JEN: I was sittin’ at about at 1 for ages—right up until Exclaim put up an exclusive stream of the whole album a week before its release. That morning I went up to about a 3! I saw it online and I was like, “This is it! People have been jamming on this one single for six months, now what if they don’t like the rest of the album?” That only lasted about an hour though, and then the positive reviews started coming in.

COURTNEY: I like this scale. I’m gonna use it for everything.

How did you meet, and what was your first impression of each other?

JEN: Syd and I go way back. We are both from Calgary, where we were roommates and in other bands together. I honestly don’t remember how I met her, but I do recall the first time I saw her playing guitar, in a band called the Incandescence. She had this super-rad haircut, and I wanted to be her friend based on that. [Laughs] I met Courtney after I moved to Vancouver. I actually met her boyfriend, Connor, first, because he is in a band called Peace. One day he invited me over to watch a nine-hour japanese movie at his house, and I met Courtney there. I thought she was really shy. She served us hummus and carrots. I had never thought to eat hummus and carrots before, so she really opened my eyes, and we’ve been friends ever since.

SYDNEY: Aw, thanks! You’d never had hummus and carrots before? That’s ridiculous!

JEN: No, I thought you could only eat hummus with pita.

COURTNEY: I probably was really shy, yeah. When I met Jen and Sydney it was love at first sight.

SYDNEY: I was living in the States for a while, doing a PhD in neuroscience at Duke University. When I eventually decided to take a break from that to focus on music and art, I chose to come to Vancouver because Jen was living there and we had had such great musical chemistry in our previous bands. She told me to - ROOKIE

The Courtneys
Sounds Like: The Donnas, The Runaways, Veruca Salt
All girl garage rock band!! I loved it. I especially loved that your drummer was the lead singer. Even though you were loud and distorted, I could still hear the lyrics which was unexpected and awesome. The lyrics were awesome too. Keep it up ladies, I'd go to your concert. - Britt Precious

The Courtneys
Sounds Like: The Donnas, The Runaways, Veruca Salt
All girl garage rock band!! I loved it. I especially loved that your drummer was the lead singer. Even though you were loud and distorted, I could still hear the lyrics which was unexpected and awesome. The lyrics were awesome too. Keep it up ladies, I'd go to your concert. - Britt Precious

The first band was the local lo-fi band the Courtneys and they killed it. Their minimalist punk tunes fitted the plain expressions of the lyrics torn from livejournal entries. I hope that doesn’t sound dismissive because I loved them; the songs felt honest and only a healthy amount of reverb distorted the sincerity of the lyrics. Also, a heavy dose of cleverness, sarcasm and irony kept the songs far from cliché with titles like “Dan Mangan”, “Keanu Reeves”, and “Social Anxiety”. - CJSF Radio

The first band was the local lo-fi band the Courtneys and they killed it. Their minimalist punk tunes fitted the plain expressions of the lyrics torn from livejournal entries. I hope that doesn’t sound dismissive because I loved them; the songs felt honest and only a healthy amount of reverb distorted the sincerity of the lyrics. Also, a heavy dose of cleverness, sarcasm and irony kept the songs far from cliché with titles like “Dan Mangan”, “Keanu Reeves”, and “Social Anxiety”. - CJSF Radio

Carried inside pockets and backpacks, the day’s heat lasted past sundown at Antisocial skateboard shop on July 12. In an atmosphere endorsing more than Etnies, the 50-person crowd stood by a wall tiled with skateboards, waiting for the first band to begin. Indeed this show was just right for the seasonal music fan; a biking destination, a post-sunburn spot to drink cold beer, and above all, somewhere to get sweaty listening to amazing music.

The Courtneys | | photo by Penny Clark
Appropriately casual and clad in sneakers, the Courtneys played first, filling the room with a busy, strumming vibrance. Stringing lyrics and drum beats, Jen Twynn Payne’s fuzzy reverb charge led the group and the band created a series of quick and scratchy sound waves; three hilly lines overlapping like a grungy pulse chart.

Their final song differed from the previous, with its clearer instrumental and vocal components. It was a cover with the chorus chanting, “walk away, walk away,” and regardless of the original version, the Courtneys played the song enticingly, a sound worth chasing.

Fist City | | photo by Penny Clark
Next came the post-punk rush of Lethbridge’s Fist City, Kier Griffiths lyrically interjecting any space not consumed by heat. Performing a series of short songs, most stood structured by a guitar riff that seemed to hone in head bobbing while the drum beat moved in a quick, supporting march. Rather than a blurring collective, each instrument was defined so attention could slip between intricacies in a single song. Combined with one-syllable singing, Fist City vocally punctuated their well-handled punk melodies. The set was a fun and energetic dash.
Calling the show to a close, Needles//Pins delved into their set of polished and appropriately coarse garage-punk tunes. Macey Budgell’s tight drumming on “Pulse,” the second song in, paired nicely with a stop-and-start guitar riff. Continuing on from their latest LP, 12:34, the trio played “Best Friend,” “Drop It” and “Green Eyed.”

Needles//Pins | | photo by Penny Clark
Amplifying that attitude, frontman Adam Solomonian’s contagious charisma, head-bobbing and showmanship was a reminder that when it comes to music, performing is half battle. Nearing the end with “Shaker,” Budgell ushered in listeners with a catchy beat, simple and iconic as the X-shape of her arms while drumming.
They closed with “Hale Bop,” and charged by pleas to, “Take me / take me / take me / take me away” and a “ba ba ba ba ba” chorus backed by Tony Dubroy on bass and vocals. Bouncy, with dark buoyancy, it was an ideal end to an entertaining set, and left the audience hoping that, like the hot weather, shows like this will be forecast with more frequency. - Discorder Magazine

Carried inside pockets and backpacks, the day’s heat lasted past sundown at Antisocial skateboard shop on July 12. In an atmosphere endorsing more than Etnies, the 50-person crowd stood by a wall tiled with skateboards, waiting for the first band to begin. Indeed this show was just right for the seasonal music fan; a biking destination, a post-sunburn spot to drink cold beer, and above all, somewhere to get sweaty listening to amazing music.

The Courtneys | | photo by Penny Clark
Appropriately casual and clad in sneakers, the Courtneys played first, filling the room with a busy, strumming vibrance. Stringing lyrics and drum beats, Jen Twynn Payne’s fuzzy reverb charge led the group and the band created a series of quick and scratchy sound waves; three hilly lines overlapping like a grungy pulse chart.

Their final song differed from the previous, with its clearer instrumental and vocal components. It was a cover with the chorus chanting, “walk away, walk away,” and regardless of the original version, the Courtneys played the song enticingly, a sound worth chasing.

Fist City | | photo by Penny Clark
Next came the post-punk rush of Lethbridge’s Fist City, Kier Griffiths lyrically interjecting any space not consumed by heat. Performing a series of short songs, most stood structured by a guitar riff that seemed to hone in head bobbing while the drum beat moved in a quick, supporting march. Rather than a blurring collective, each instrument was defined so attention could slip between intricacies in a single song. Combined with one-syllable singing, Fist City vocally punctuated their well-handled punk melodies. The set was a fun and energetic dash.
Calling the show to a close, Needles//Pins delved into their set of polished and appropriately coarse garage-punk tunes. Macey Budgell’s tight drumming on “Pulse,” the second song in, paired nicely with a stop-and-start guitar riff. Continuing on from their latest LP, 12:34, the trio played “Best Friend,” “Drop It” and “Green Eyed.”

Needles//Pins | | photo by Penny Clark
Amplifying that attitude, frontman Adam Solomonian’s contagious charisma, head-bobbing and showmanship was a reminder that when it comes to music, performing is half battle. Nearing the end with “Shaker,” Budgell ushered in listeners with a catchy beat, simple and iconic as the X-shape of her arms while drumming.
They closed with “Hale Bop,” and charged by pleas to, “Take me / take me / take me / take me away” and a “ba ba ba ba ba” chorus backed by Tony Dubroy on bass and vocals. Bouncy, with dark buoyancy, it was an ideal end to an entertaining set, and left the audience hoping that, like the hot weather, shows like this will be forecast with more frequency. - Discorder Magazine

I was late to the Courtneys, and I wish I'd heard their self-titled 12" sooner—these eight upbeat songs beg to soundtrack the highs and lows of summertime. The Vancouver post-punk trio takes cues from the Dunedin jangle-pop sound of 80s and 90s Flying Nun bands, and at times its ramshackle aesthetic and subtle punk spirit recall the more deadpan corners of early UK indie pop. The Courtneys' wit and attitude are immediately apparent: the custom-branded snapback on their LP cover, the record's lovelorn ode to Keanu Reeves, its song about a quaint and unshakeable crush ("Delivery Boy"), the punchy one made for breezy drives to the ocean ("90210") with a hazy video full of beachside imagery...

You may be wondering: Who could possibly want more of this sort of thing following the 2010 boom of subpar bands that fit that description? It's a fair question, which makes it even more unbelievable that the Courtneys are able to breathe life into this kind of slacker pop in 2013. The songs glide with an air of effortlessness, but repeat listens reveal their depth. The lyrics are often smart, resonant, and at times existential; the musicianship is tight, the hooks are sharp, the songcraft is dynamic. And alongside the sing-song bubblegum themes, darker shades and bottled feelings chug through. Musings on self-governance eventually define the jobless, minimum wage-blues of "Insufficient Funds"—"You can work for yourself!" chants singer Jen Twynn Payne, who (impressively) is also the drummer, and a one-time member of Mac DeMarco's old band Makeout Videotape. Meanwhile, their seemingly sunny "90210" anthem culminates with Jen getting emotional near the sea, thinking about someone she'll only see in her dreams or when she dies. But the music is primarily fun. This might make The Courtneys seems thematically scattered, but real life is that way, too. - Pitchfork

If you were going to break into your big sister’s room while she was at her best friend’s sleepover to uncover her diary and call your friends over to read it out loud together, chances are, it would read a lot like The Courtneys’ lyrics.

“I watched you play guitar all night. Blonde hair, you’re really quite a sight.” (Delivery Boy)

“Running through the field in a velvet gown, thinkin’ of him as the rain falls down.” (Nu Sundae)

“Making minimum wage, you just work to get paid. But it’s not gonna give you a better reason to live here.” (Insufficient Funds)

Kathleen Hanna has said that inspiration for the Julie Ruin in 1997 came through a girl writing songs in her bedroom. When it comes to The Courtneys’ music, that’s also basically what you get: The ultimate soundtrack for the time you lived vicariously as a teenager through your Barbie dolls, living out actual moments you read about in your older sister’s handwriting.

And while their ’90s-inspired girl power-fueled music might sound like it could be Riot Grrrl-flavored, Jen Twynn Payne will tell you it’s an insult to Riot Grrrl to compare her band to the infamous political movement from the era of scrunchies and Dr Martens.

But The Courtneys are the type of band who you’d expect to stock their merch table with Puffy Paint and vintage math books--and I can’t wait for you to meet them.

The all-girl trio is made up of three different “Courtneys”:

Courtney Loove--AKA ”Classic Courtney”--on guitar and vocals
Sydney Koke--AKA “Crazy Courtney”--on bass and vocals
Jen Twynn Payne--AKA “Cute Courtney”--on drums and vocals (yes, drums and vocals).

I had the chance to chat with Sydney Koke over the phone, which felt a lot like dialing up your crush at a sleepover. That’s because Koke relayed all of my questions to Jen and Courtney IRL, while sitting outside of the PNE Fair in Vancouver (the same place they filmed the video for “Lost Boys”--and where Jen was going to obsess over a Game of Thrones exhibition straight after our interview). Between answers, I could hear them giggling and trying to find the right ways to say what they wanted. In the end, I did uncover something similar to a teenage girl’s diary from the ’90s. I found out what the best Slurpee flavor is, where in the world Carmen San Diego actually is, and which band tees are actually impossible to get rid of.

If you could make a comic book featuring your favorite badass chick, musician, actress, or celebrity, who would be the leading lady?
I’ve been reading a whole bunch of graphic novels by this author who is really sweet, by the name of Alison Bechdel. She’s so amazing. She is so cool and a lot of her work is autobiographical and I’ve been reading all of her stuff for the last month. Since she’s already in her own cartoon, I wouldn’t even want to improve on that. She is one of my biggest literary heroes. The last book I read by her was called Fun Home and it was really, really good.

What is your favorite music venue where you like to see other bands perform live?
Courtney says The Commodore in Vancouver, but we don’t know what its like to play there yet, because we are playing there this week for the first time. I think my favorite one ever is the one where I went to go see punk shows when I was a teenager. It’s called the Multi (as in, like, the multicultural center) and it was just like this super grungy community center on the edge of a river. All these different kinds of punks would go and it was just a very open environment. There was lots of moshing, and it was just really fun. That was like the first place I ever saw a band.



What was one of your favorite venues to play while on tour with Tegan and Sara?
Jen says The 9:30 club in Washington D.C. It’s so nice! They give you cupcakes when you play there and we had, like, two different dressing rooms. My favorite venue on tour was probably a tie between First Avenue in Minneapolis because that’s where Prince recorded parts of Purple Rain—which his like one of my favorite albums ever. It was really cool to actually be standing in the same room that the album was recorded in. So, yeah, that’s tied with this place that’s like a botanical garden in Grand Rapids, Michigan. To get to catering you had to go between all the different plant rooms. There was one room that was just for carnivorous plants and it was really sweet.

“There was one room that was just for carnivorous plants and it was really sweet.”

What’s one thing you found out about Tegan and Sara while touring with them that you didn’t know before?
Jen can’t answer that because she’s their cousin, so she knows them pretty well. I had met them just a few times and I really respect how professional they are. They are super in charge of everything they do, they don’t sit back and let a manager tell them what’s up. They are the bosses of this huge group of people and this huge enterprise and I just really respect the way that they operate. They’re really good examples of being a working musician and living a healthy lifestyle. They make sure everyone on their team is super cool and make up a really positive community to be in.

I totally get a Kathleen Hanna / Riot Grrrl Vibe from you guys, but I don’t really see a comparison to those things anywhere online. How do you guys feel about that movement?
We sometimes get the Riot Grrrl reference and I think that it makes sense sonically, but a big thing about Riot Grrrl was that it was very politically fueled in a really explicit kind of way. Jen has said before that when it comes to her lyrics, she’s not trying to be intentionally political at all, that she is just really writing about her life—just like normal stuff. She sees it as kind of an insult to Riot Grrrl to call us a Riot Grrrl band specifically because we’re not intending to be political. We’re from the West Coast to and we can’t deny that there’s a culture of musicians that we listen to or that we are influenced by the music that comes before us, but I think we’re more influenced by ’90s boy bands, like Pavement, Dinosuar Jr, and Fugazzi. All art is political so we are political by default, but we aren’t intending to have a political message. I think that’s one thing we have in common with Tegan and Sara, too, is that they end up being really political on account of their identity, but they’re not trying to be that way. They’re almost making a statement by being themselves and we definitely relate in that way. There is definitely a level of honesty in our music.

“I think that’s one thing we have in common with Tegan and Sara, too, is that they end up being really political on account of their identity, but they’re not trying to be that way.”



Best Keanu Reeves movie?
Courtney says Point Break or The Matrix.

What are some old band tees you own that you just can’t get rid of?
Jen always wears a Slayer shirt and has Metallica one that is really falling apart. Courtney doesn’t wear band tees that much. I just have a few: a Tyvek shirt, a Liars shirt, and So Pitted from Seattle. That’s a surfing term, but yeah, they made these t-shirts by hand.

You’re so ’90s. Where in the world is Carmen San Diego?
Courtney says she had a game called Where in Time is Carmen San Diego and that sounds really cool. When I was watching the show I would have always pretty much guessed Chicago, I don’t know why. I always thought Chicago seemed so cool. Every time I’ve been to Chicago I loved it.

I was just there for Lollapalooza!
Oh yeah, we love playing festivals. We went to Firefly with Tegan and Sara and we just want to play festivals all the time.

I know you guys love Slurpees. So, what is the best Slurpee flavor?!
I think we would all say Coke. We all pretty much get Coke, but sometimes Courtney gets banana. Sometimes we get Coke with a little bit of cream soda, too. We love Slurpees, we’re probably going to get Slurpees right after this. - Nylon

In our latest video, AMBY met up with Vancouver-based slacker-pop creators The Courtneys (comprised of Classic Courtney, Cute Courtney, and Crazy Courtney). These three were so funny that they had me crying of laughter throughout the entire interview. Learn more about the hilarious, infectious-music-making trio as we discuss obsessions, loving the nineties, brownies, ridiculous song titles, and a track about aliens. - AMBY (A Music Blog, Yeah)