The post-metal Chicago based foursome of Pelican would probably be the last band you’d think of when Nutella springs to mind. It turns out that it’s an important ingredient to their live shows. If it wasn’t for our 20 Questions, you wouldn’t know that now, would you? Laurent, their ever present guitarist, took time to answer them recently.
1. Describe your sound in 3 words.
Driving, enveloping, organic.
2. What would be your ideal holiday?
I would be exploring the Amazon or some other completely awe inspiring part of our world that I know I’ve yet to see.
3. What’s the best cure for a hangover?
Tough question. I generally drink a vitamin water of some type before I go to bed and then usually it’s not so bad once I wake up. But I’ve heard that an egg inside a beer is also quite helpful.
4. What’s on your rider?
Please provide the following upon arrival:
One clean, well lit dressing room with adequate power outlets (at least two), couch/chairs and desk +chair for computer setup, with wi-fi or other means to connect to the internet.
-Five warm meals (four band members, one sound engineer) – one vegan, two vegetarian (fish is Ok), two meat eaters. If you’re not cooking on the premises, A dinner buyout not less than $10.00 per person is an acceptable substitution. If this is the case, please provide some tips on some good eats nearby.
-A case of premium/local/regional/micro-brew beer – something decent and flavorful, please. (Guinness, Stella, 1664, Harp, Newcastle, Red Stripe, Sierra Nevada, etc. are all great choices!) Please, no Budweiser. If a case seems excessive: Trust me when I say two six packs are the bare minimum. Drink tickets are OK as a substitute.
-One bottle of decent Whiskey (Bourbon is Ok; PLEASE no scotch). You haven’t seen Trevor throw up from Scotch … it’s horrible.
-Fresh bread – for the bread, some Nutella, meat and cheese cold cuts, veggie pate. Nutella is a delicious chocolate spread that Laurent has been eating since he was in the womb. Please don’t deprive him.
-Some hummus (or some other kind of Middle Eastern spread), salsa, and a bag of chips to dip. Bryan does funny things with hummus—but not to your venue. So, no worries.
-Fresh fruit and veggies (like carrots, or cut bell peppers), please. Self explanatory, really.
-Some juice and bottled water.
-Six bottles of Vitamin Water, assorted flavors.
-Four fresh towels (No Bar Rags.)
-An assortment of chocolate treats to recharge the batteries for the long drive ahead.
Please be imaginative … Hershey kisses, no. Mars bars, yes.
5. How do you get ready for a live show?
Warm up the hands by doing scales, lots of gallops and trickier riffs. Beyond that, whiskey and red bull! In moderation…
6. Favourite song to play live?
Dead Between the Walls
7. When was the last time you told a lie?
I’ve been telling the truth since the day I was born. There’s truth to even my lies.
8. Who would win in a fight, a stoat or a goat and why?
What is a stoat? I have to go with the goat anyway because Satan picked it.
9. What was the last album you bought?
First Paradise Lost album on CD reissue … doom classic!
10. If you could rid the world of one song – what would it be?
Some silly ass fucking country song I heard this morning at breakfast … had the line “my bucket’s got a hole in it.” It was awful.
11. Who would play you in a film based upon your life?
Joaquin Phoenix … I think. Seems to have the right sensitivity for it.
12. Dead or alive. What 5 acts would you have play with you at a festival.
Jesus, these questions are serious! Helmet, Quicksand, Rainbow, Jawbreaker and Thin Lizzy.
13. Desert Island Disc? Pick only one.
Judas Priest, “Stained Class.” Hands down!
14. What’s your most memorable on the road story?
There are so many … each day yields different little moments of stupidity or grandiosity that make this life worthwhile. Off the top of my head, playing London with TAAS on stage with us for our encore after shots of Absinthe is a very memorable moment. Throwing a bottle of piss onto the expressway in traffic in NYC is also quite amusing.
15. If your life flashed before your eyes, what would be the highlights?
I would see my beautiful wife and the many moments shared, infinite amounts of laughter and rock triumph with my bandmates and best friends, and the gifts my family’s given me by supporting me … I would also catch one final glimpse of the many records that have brought me joy in listening.
16. Do you read your own reviews?
Used to. Rarely do these days.
17. Are you a morning bird or a night fox?
Both. I get up early to get shit done and enjoy the night fox moments fully.
18. If you could travel back in time where would you set the dial?
1966 … I’d be 16. That sounds like it’d set me up to witness a lot of musical development I wish I’d been around to see.
19. What three things could you not live without?
My guitar, hugs, and a pint glass.
20. Tell us a fact about yourself we probably don’t already know.
I am not a virgin.
Links
Pelican [official site] [myspace]
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