Pop Talk

For five days the 6th edition of Pop Montreal showcases 360 bands from Montreal and abroad. This is the festival that everybody’s talking about. Put your ear to the ground, snap, crackle, pop talks.

TWO HOURS TRAFFIC
Alec O’Hanley

on music’s calling

“I don’t really know when it became my calling. I always felt strongly about music and I can’t really imagine not being in a band. Liam and I started the band in grade 11. We happened to be reading William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet in English class and we took our name out of the prologue: ‘Is now the two hours’ traffic of our stage.'”

LILY FROST

on her musical fusions
and lyrics

“Songs are like islands; each one has its unique qualities. Musical flavours from different ethnicities dress up lyrics to speak more clearly. I find French speaks for that romantic side of me, where Spanish is more passionate and fiery and English is more philosophical. Lyrically, I have always kept a diary and written poetry. That comes from the depths of my soul and isn’t influenced by anyone or thing. My lyrics are spurred by life altering events or emotions that are too huge to process normally. The only thing that has kept me sane and alive is letting it out through singing.”

CARIBOU
Daniel Snaith

on touring habits and his
Montreal tour stop

“I probably have the worst habit in the long run. I babble on and on in the van. I probably grate people’s nerves after a year of touring. Apart from me never shutting up, it’s been very easy to get along so far. But hey, maybe that will deteriorate by the time we get to Montreal and we’re going to show up making a hell of a racket! Expect us to be energetic and physical!”

GIRL NOBODY
Marta Jaciubek-McKeever

on their break up & make up

“It was internal and broken hearts were involved. I missed the guys! We’ve been friends for the longest time and they’re like my brothers. The break let us realize that this band is more important to us than we thought. We have a very tight bond and we took it for granted. People shouldn’t expect the Marta Show; our band is a band and we do this all together.”

ROYAL WOOD

on lessons of love

“It is better to have loved and lost, then never to have loved at all. We are the products of what we experience day to day and a lost love helps mold us into who we are. We should be thankful for it, in all of its stages; from the first spark to the dying amber. It is always a good enough moment in time to seize life. We are on a roller coaster after all, and we are along for the ride until it stops.”

RON SEXSMITH

on live performances

“After almost every show I’ll be lying in bed at a hotel going over the show. Going over the things I thought went well and the things I need to work on. I worry about this stuff too much. I’ve seen Bob Dylan several times and I’ve never seen him on a good night. But I love him and I’ll keep going to see him. I don’t think he cares really. He’s just going to be Bob Dylan. I should try to be more like that.”

PERCY FARM
Melissa Pipe

on Montreal and inspiration

“We live, breathe and drink Montreal. We are all pretty well-rooted here. What we absorb through osmosis, through our surroundings, through our experiences, comes out in our writing and our playing. You can’t help it, it seeps through. As a city, Montreal has so much to offer – the varied cultures, sights, sounds and tastes. It’s a very sensual place, not static, which, as an artist can only inspire and shape your work.”

JASON KENT

on his 70s influence

“I love the Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison and the whole tragedy about him. I love the sound of the snares in the 70s; great music. People in the 60s and 70s seemed to have a better vocal range, they wrote better songs and they seemed more inspired.”

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