For those of you who don’t know, Metric is a Canadian New Wave/Rock band. They formed in 1998 in NYC and are currently based in NY, LA, Montreal, Quebec & Ontario.
The band are: Vocalist Emily Haines, guitarist James Shaw, bassist Josh Winstead and drummer Joules Scott-Key. Their first full-length album, Old World Underground, Where are you now?, was released in 2003 and won a Juno Award nomination for Best Alternative Album. Live it Out was released on October 4, 2005 and was nominated for the several awards including Polaris Award for Canadian Album of the Year.
Haines and Shaw also perform with Broken Social Scene, and Haines has been a guest on several albums, notably by Stars and The Stills. Scott-Key and Winstead have their own side project called Bang Lime, and Haines has released a solo album and companion EP, Knives Don’t have your back and What is free to a good home? under the name Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton.
Their songs “Monster Hospital”, “Police and the Private” and “Front Row” have been used on the television show Greys Anatomy “Monster Hospital” has also been used in CSI:Miami
Their fourth studio album Fantasies was released in the UK on 29th March 2009.
On Monday night I was lucky enough to have an interview with Josh Winstead from Metric. Here’s what he had to say……..
So let’s talk about home for you guys. What are your favourite things from the cities you call home?
My favourite thing about the cities I call home (which is a funny thing, since I finally have one for the first time in years) is my friends and community. Now that I travel between several of the same cities often, it has been easier to keep in touch with people. Also the diversity of the types of people in those cities is enjoyable.
Which country in the world are you most well received in? Where do you most like playing?
We have a warm reception all of the places we play. If you are talking about numbers of people the largest crowds we play to are in the United States and Canada.
Again, I don’t really make those types of comparisons. One time you may play for example Istanbul and love it, the next time you may not. It isn’t helpful to hold on to an ideal of which place is better, because the experience constantly changes.
What’s your relationship with whoever chooses the music from Grey’s Anatomy, they seem to love you!?
None, I guess they like us. I personally have never seen the show.
How do you guys decide what to do with Metric v Broken Social Scene and other side projects with overlaps and the like? Do you ever write a song for one and then it makes its way onto the record of another?
We all look at Metric as our main focus. There has never been a moment when one the other projects puts pressure on Metric. We use those other times as a way to re-energize ourselves to come back stronger to Metric.
So what does a typical Metric fan look like?! When I arrived at the show last night I though how would you spot a Metric fan and it’s hard to say!
Luckily it seems that we are appealing to a wide range of people instead of a specific genre. We don’t need people to be boxed in to certain lifestyles and maybe they are sensing that we are open to them all.
What are your thoughts on using Twitter for secret promos – how useful do you find new technologies in connecting with fans?
We have come to completely embrace the use of new technologies. The one reason why the record labels find themselves in the predicament that they are in is because they wanted to stifle or ignore what was happening around them. On the other hand if you look, you will realize how these new technologies help with your goals what ever they may be. Instead of seeing these avenues as taking away some stupid profit margin, you can realize that you now have thousands of new ways of getting your music or what ever to an ever increasing audience.
Are you glad you went down the route of releasing everything on your own label? Has it been a lot more hard work for you guys?
The band is extremely excited and proud of our decision to self release Fantasies. The work was in the initial setting up of the operation, besides that we have continued to focus on the music.
What’s your plan for the rest of the year once this tour is over?
The rest of the year will be dedicated to touring the world, as will next year. We will try and take a few breaks here and there, for sanity and such, but now that Fantasies is released it our turn to come and visit the people.
What’s your recording process, how does it work? Does Emily start with lyrics and work from there or what?
In general Emily will come to the band with a song that she has written on piano or guitar. The band then works it into a Metric song, changing tempos or working on arrangements. Jimmy will also write in his studio and send tracks to Emily to work on vocals. Other times I will write on keyboard or guitar and then work with Jimmy and / or Emily.
What music do you guys listen to?
We listen to all types of music, the only thing I haven’t heard played so far is country. Maybe I should get into some Hank Williams soon.
Next time you come to Manchester, please can we do a face to face interview?!
Absolutely, looking forward to it :-)
Metric’s album ‘Fantasies’ is out now on Metric Productions, go pick it up –you’ll love it.
Show Review to follow
