By Dessa Bayrock (The Cascade) – Email
Print Edition: February 22, 2012
Fake Shark Real Zombie!, formed in 2005, hail from the Vancouver-end of the Fraser Valley. If they have to be put in a particular genre, they still can’t; their style ranges from energetic punk to electrowave elements and back again. Their last album, Meeting People Is Terrible, was released in 2009 after a crazy-popular touring spree in Japan.
First of all, what are five words you would use to describe the band?
Childish. Juvenile. Elementary. Awkward. Cute.
Do you see yourself “growing up” anytime soon? Or is that childish glee kind of the core of your band?
I don’t like to think that far ahead, artistically. I’m writing a new record called Liar, and it’s very sarcastic in a kind of juvenile way. Like a punk rock Outkast.
What other pop culture references would say have inspired you?
Film is big for me. I watch at least one per day and I also read a lot. I get excited about emotional tones in film and the idea of recreating that musically. My fave film of 2011 is Drive. Looked like a long-form music video and ran the gamut of emotions.
Speaking of film, did you ever regret naming the band after a Zombi 2 reference?
I don’t regret it in the least. I view myself of a bit of a pop culture archivist and naming my musical project after a forgotten B movie is an extension of that.
What would you say your influences are? The Internet mentions that you started the band to have somewhere to combine your favourite styles.
I like all styles of music. Why not take the best parts of each genre and leave the busted elements on the cutting room floor! I go through phases. I’ll obsess over one style and then find something else and obsess on that. At different times it’s been grind core, thrash metal, original hardcore, birth of cool jazz, New Orleans Nu school jazz, hip hop, funk, Motown.
What phase would you say you’re in now?
Right now I’m obsessed with The Weeknd, Odd Future, Bad Brains and Nirvana’s In Utero.
You were on tour in Japan for a while. How was that as an experience?
I love it. I find the work ethic and respect to be encouraging.
I hear the Japanese groupies were somewhat… terrifying.
They were just aggressive as all hell, but I’ve since met women a lot more terrifying than that.
Overall, how would you say the Japanese tour compared to playing shows in Canada?
It’s just an apples and oranges question. Both are fun. Any whiteys that go over there are upgraded to at least B grade celebrity status because everyone is Japanese.
Would you say it’s a pretty tightly knit music scene over here?
It isn’t tight knit. But I think everyone says that about their own city. I find the visual art scene here to be motivational.
And speaking of visual art, the music video for “Angel Lust” brings to mind OK Go’s low-budget but highly-choreographed music videos. What was your favourite element of the thousands of tiny parts (and who are all those people in the background that aren’t the band? // Where was this filmed?)
Filmed in a church owned by the parents of the Twisted Twins. They were in the video. Steve from Hot Hot Heat and his girl were in the video. And if you look closely Waldo’s in there too.
