Way back in November I found myself at the Casby Awards after party trying to socialize with whomever I came across. One person who I chatted with that night was a guy named London Spicoluk, from the band Closet Monster. At that time I haven't heard of them but I remembered his name and checked out their band out of interest.
After looking in them and their music I realized that much like many other Canadian band they were great, and were hidden from me until now. Exploding all over with their political views and messages put into punk, London shares a little about what him and Closet Monster are all about.
F: Being on the road you probably go through many different experiences. What is one of your most memorable? Or where is your absolute favourite place to play?
L: My most memorable moment on tour was staying up until sunrise at a Provincial Park in Saskatchewan called Saskatchewan Landing. It kinda changed my perception on life and I can't really explain how - sheer natural beauty.
My favourite place to play would be the Leon Cavallo squat in Milan, Italy. We wrote "Mamma Anti Fascito" about that place and the people we met there.
F: Is there anything specifically about Toronto that you like when you come and play a show?
L: Friends and family and feeling like we are where we belong. Shows in T.O. are more like parties than anything else.
F: Look back in 1997 when the band formed, what visions did you have then?
L: We just wanted to play music for the rest of our lives and never grow up. Kindo like Peter Pan in a way, finding our own Neverland, eternal youth and hope.
F: What have you learned about the music industry over the past eight years?
L: That it is a dirty disgusting place that turns art into commerce, but unfortunately is necessary when searching for your Neverland, and wanting to continue doing what you love and subsisting/surviving.
F: Your fan base has expanded greatly and you are hearing more and more about Closet Monster , how do you feel about it all?
L: We are excited but donąt really understand the depth of it cause we are stuck in the middle of it and continuously try to keep our head down and move forward.
F: What drives you to get up every day and do what you gotta do?
L: Fear of failure, the fragility of my freedom, passion towards what I do, the hope of a better tomorrow, my mom, my bands, my undying love of music.
F: Other than the bass do you play anything else?
L: Piano, guitar, ocarina, and video games
F: Do you have any special talents other than your music ability you'd like to share;)?
L: I make a mean vegan chili, I'm great in bed, and I have dead sexy ninja skills.
Other than wishing you had some of London's chili, take some time and check out anything from their 4 albums, their most recent record release being "We Rebuilt This City." The next album is in the works so hold tight. After touring to just about 15 different countries they are back home and will touring around this summer in Canada. You can also find Closet Monster in North Bay with Mississauga boys Billy Talent. For details on that go hit up our events calendar shortly or go to www.closetmonster.com. To see who else is part of the Underground Operations team the site is www.undergroundoperations.com, bands like Bombs over Providence, Hostage Life and The Brat Attack are signed on to the independent label.
Currently I goto the University of Guelph-Humber for Journalism. CTV is where it all started; my stepfather introduced me to many people in the business, as he is their military analyst. In addition my mother, Darlene, is a co-host for the talk show "Daytime," on Rogers Television.
It is my second year of University and already I feel I have accomplished a lot. Behind the scenes, I have learned tremendously when volunteering for CHEX Television in Peterborough and Rogers Television in the Simcoe-Grey Region. CTV also took me under their wing for the special 60th Anniversary of D-day in France, and the Shania Twain live at Dundas Square both working as the assistant guest coordinator. It was a privilege to work with amazing people like Beverly Thompson and Seamus O'Regan.
In the future I would like to venture into entertainment or sports on television due to the amount of passion I have for the two. I am not an athlete or anything, I just love watching sports, and music is something I could not live without.
AP - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday as part of a U.S. effort to ease tensions in the region after a three-day terrorist attack killed 171 people in India's financial capital.
AP - Georgia Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss handed the GOP a firewall against Democrats eager to flex their newfound political muscle in Washington, winning a bruising runoff battle Tuesday night that had captured the national limelight.
AP - Defense Secretary Robert Gates signaled a willingness Tuesday to forge ahead with two key priorities for the incoming Obama administration: accelerating the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq and shutting down the Guantanamo Bay detention center.
AP - The government must toughen its monitoring of the $700 billion financial bailout to ensure that banking institutions limit their top executives' pay and comply with other restrictions, federal auditors said Tuesday in the first comprehensive review of the rescue package.
AP - A Girl Scout leader and her husband were arrested after an emaciated, terrified and nearly naked 17-year-old showed up at a gym with a chain locked to his ankle, saying he had just fled his captors, authorities said Tuesday.
AP - The divorce rate among soldiers and Marines increased last year as military marriages suffered continuing stress from America's two ongoing wars. There were an estimated 10,200 failed marriages in the active duty Army and 3,077 among Marines, according to figures obtained by The Associated Press for the budget year ended Sept. 30.
AP - Odetta, the folk singer with the powerful voice who moved audiences and influenced fellow musicians for a half-century, has died. She was 77.
AP - Asian stock markets mostly rose Wednesday after a rebound on Wall Street, but pervasive concerns about the dismal outlook for the world economy limited gains.
AP - Danny Granger scored 32 points and led Indiana back from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit, and Troy Murphy tipped in a missed shot at the buzzer to complete an improbable 118-117 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.
Reuters - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday as part of urgent U.S. efforts to ease tension between India and Pakistan that has surged over the Mumbai attacks.
Reuters - South Korea moved on Wednesday to help local banks through a cash crunch gripping the global financial system as central banks around the world were expected to cut interest rates again to support their fast flagging economies.
Reuters - A top lawmaker predicted Washington would approve a bailout for U.S. automakers after they submitted survival plans, and General Motors Corp and Chrysler LLC said they needed an immediate infusion of cash to avoid failures.
Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama moved swiftly toward wrapping up his cabinet appointments on Wednesday with the selection of rival-turned-supporter Bill Richardson as secretary of commerce.
Reuters - Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss easily won a run-off election in Georgia on Tuesday, denying Democrats the chance for a 60-seat "super majority" in the Senate that would have enabled them to pass legislation virtually at will.
Reuters - Oil rose toward $48 a barrel on Wednesday, recovering from a tumble of more than $100 off July peaks, but the upside could be limited, with further signs of weakening oil demand expected in upcoming weekly U.S. oil data.
Reuters - New York Gov. David Paterson has famous names to choose from in picking a replacement for Sen. Hillary Clinton, including a Kennedy, a Cuomo and even another Clinton, as in the former president of the United States.
AFP - Hundreds of anti-government protesters packed up and left Bangkok's airports on Wednesday after a crippling siege, as authorities assured angry tourists that flights would resume within 24 hours.
AFP - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in New Delhi Wednesday to try and ease India-Pakistan tensions over the Mumbai attacks, as US intelligence blamed a Pakistan-based militant group.
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