Introducing: Ten Kens

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We recently hooked up with Ten Kens – Toronto, Canada’s latest exports. They signed to Fat Cat earlier in the year and have just released their self-titled debut..to a mixed reaction it has to be said – including a lukewarm response by TLOBF. Here, we find out a little more about the band, what makes them tick and how they’ve reacted to the mixed responses to the album..

For people out there that have never heard of you. Give us three reasons why they should…
1) Sonic Youth meets Liars meets Arcade Fire meets Black Sabbath meets Yanni.
2) Enough reverb to drown a rat.
3) We apparently have the worst band name since ‘Rainbow Butt Monkeys’.

Can you recall the moment when you first decided you wanted to become a musician?
After the first time I tried to be one. Had it not worked, that would have been it.

Where do your songs come from? What’s your inspiration?
Such a difficult question to answer. Basically everything. Sometimes we attack themes, other times we simply spill out what we’re feeling on a particular day. And sometimes, inspiration just comes from out of nowhere, and you seize the moment.

Name your Top 5 records.
1) DJ Shadow – Entroducing
2) Sigur Rós – Ágætis Byrjun
3) Frank Zappa – We’re Only In It For The Money
4) Nirvana – In Utero
5) Beastie Boys – Check Your Head

What was the first gig you ever played and was it a success?
Ha. There was nothing successful about our first show. We hadn’t properly researched the venue, it was more of a coffee-house. They weren’t capable of handling our equipment and our volume. We played for 20 minutes and did nothing but create a wall of noise. The bewildered looks on the faces of the few people in the crowd were priceless. We didn’t even get paid afterwards. Good times.

What one piece of criticism has stuck in your mind and was it justified?
Our album is said to include too many varying styles and lack flow. Which is true. However, this was intentional. We wanted to treat each song as it’s own separate entity. Basically create an album of singles, at the expense of flow. We knew it wouldn’t be for everyone.

What one thing has caused you to waste your free time in the past 6 months?
Free cable.

If you weren’t making music, what do you think you’d be doing?
Working as a graphic designer/illustrator. That’s what I was doing before all this. I quite like it.

What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?
Fetching cases of beer in a giant cooler for 10 hours straight. Hated it.

We’d like you to make us a mix-tape. Pick five tracks with a theme of your choice.
Happy Summer Day Music
1) Moda – Ennio Morricone
2) This Is The Way – Devendra Banhart
3) Beirut – Mount Wroclai (Idle Days)
4) Brian Wilson – Vega-Tables
5) Peter Bjorn and John – Amsterdam

Ten Kens on MySpace