Interview with Simon Kaye and Dave Maraj of Quebec-based band The Wanted.
 

Band History

SK  We have no history.
 

Yes you do

SK  Ok, wait a sec. I'm gonna need the guy from the other country to come in (pauses as he goes to the door). Great fucking acoustics in the bathroom. This is Dave Maraj. He's our drummer.

DM  Say what? (laughter)

SK  We're getting loaded, we're in Vancouver

DM  What do you want to know?

SK  We're in the beautiful, spacious bathroom at the Club Soda. Later we're going to make some sound effects with this toilet but maybe you won't get to hear that on the radio. Dave's gonna tell ya all about the history of our band. Dave, why don't you tell us about the history of The Wanted!

DM  (snorts) That's it right there in one snort (laughter) No let's get serious. Uhm, I don't know Simon, you started the band.

SK  Oh that's right (laugher) The history of the band - we've been together for about

DM  Him and I, two years now.

SK  Not two years?!?

DM  Yeah.

SK  Has it been two years?

DM  Oh my god yes.

SK  Jesus, it's felt like just a couple weeks, we're that close.

DM  I know, I know, I know.

SK  I can't believe this. Two years, really?

DM  We've been together for two years.

SK  We've been together for two years, we've been

DM  Would you shut up! (laughter)

SK  Yikes! Sunked it in the can.

DM  Get your foot out of there.

SK  Let me tell you, time to buy some new shoes. For those of you who didn't hear it, here, we'll do a sound effect for that. Dave? (flushing toilet)

DM  Simon's foot went into a wash in the toilet! That's what happened. It's too bad Mtv was not here.
 

Where have you toured so far?

SK  Let's see, we've toured Canada and then the only States show's we've done have been New York City and they've been pretty bizarre - involving a lot of big black guys and guns and crack and cocaine and junkies and policemen, and that's why we keep changing guitar players.

DM  Yeah, junkies in the band we don't need.

SK  We've already got a guy like Dave, so hell.
 

Actually, what's the scene like back east?

SK  The scene, like back east is nonexistent. It's french people beating on english people, english people beating on french people, uhm there is no scene. Except for in Montreal!

DM  Montreal is different.

SK  Montreal is very different. That's where french people beat french people and english people beat english people, so it's pretty bizarre, but no I'm just kidding. The scene in Montreal is very hip ya know, there's not a lot of clubs but there's a lot of fucking good bands.
 

(A drunk guy wanders in)

SK  Sorry, there's no leaking. This is the interview bathroom, unless you have a tape deck that's bigger than this. Would you allow us to broadcast your piss on tape?

Drunk  Uh yeah

SK  Ok, here we go. Live at Club Soda! Here we go! Get it right down there. Here we go. Don't try this at home kids, unless you have a waterproof tape deck. Just don't piss on the deck dude.

Drunk  Well get it out of there then! (he starts)

DM  There's nothing there! (peeing sound, lasts for quite awhile)

SK  Well that's that.

(I ran into the drunk two weeks later and said "Hi, do you remember me?" and included a few pertinent details. He turned really red.)
 

(My friend walks in)

SK  What's your name?

T  Tracey.

DM  Traci Lords is here!

T  Yeah right.

SK  If Traci Lords was here, she wouldn't have any room in her mouth to talk, let me tell you.

DM  Next question please!

SK  Well I hope my wife doesn't hear this. She will never hear this.

DM  You're not even married, what are you talking about. I'm married.

T  I'll be married soon.

DM  No, it's true. Frank! Wrong guy, it's Frank who's married (laughter)

SK  Frank's married.

DM  We keep forgetting who's married in this band.

SK  Anyhow, what was the question again? Sheba, you're so cute man. The light's dimming in here. I think that's a sign from god. There we go. If she's really your friend you will not let her turn that light out, let me tell you.
 

Have you had a chance to see Vancouver yet?

SK  Yeah.

DM  It's very wet. It's very very very wet! I hope the girls are like that too.

SK  Dave that's disgusting. I find that offensive man.

DM  The door's right there (laughter)

SK  I know it's right there. That was offensive.

DM  I don't find it offensive.

SK  (burps loudly)

DM  Now that was well brought up, why wasn't he? I know it's an old joke but what the hell.

SK  So is Dave, he's an old joke, let me tell you (laughter)

DM  Next question!

SK  In case you can't tell, we actually really do like each other. We used to live together.

DM  We're called the Dag Bros.

SK  That's it.

DM  Make porn films and stuff like that.

SK  No we don't. No, we'd like to. We'd probably make more money at it.

DM  Yeah. Did we sell any T-shirts tonight?

SK  Yeah, probably like two hundred and fifty.

DM  Oh good (laughter)

SK  Gee I guess we'll get to actually pay for the hotel. The lovely spacious Nelson Hotel (it's a dive). I wonder if we should ask Sheba on tape if she'd just like to come back to the hotel and get really fucked up?

DM  Yes! I believe she should come back.

SK  Cause she's cute as hell man, and she's actually the only girl who's actually stayed in the bathroom this long

DM  This long with any one of us.

SK  Here come's Tracey. Tracey looks really fucking worried (he starts telling Tracey that I'm leaving with them)

DM  We've spent 12 hours here and we've enjoyed Vancouver throughout all the rain you know, and all that. It's very green by the way. I like it. There's no snow. Very beautiful place. Next question please.
 

Best/Worst fan reaction?

SK  The best fan reaction we ever had we can't talk about on public radio, and the worst fan reaction we've ever had, what was the worst fan reaction we've ever had?

DM  Never had one.

SK  Yes, we must have. Well the worst of the best or the best of the worst. Uhm, the best of the worst fan reaction we probably ever had, was when we showed up, no that wasn't it. No, New York? No, New York was good.

DM  New York was good.

SK  Toronto? Toronto's always good. Uhm, probably Montreal (laughter)

DM  Yeah, cause they're all goddam jealous.

SK  I don't think we've ever had a really worst. Hey, everyone in Vancouver! I think the worst fan reaction we ever had was, no? Was it in Vancouver? Maybe at the Club Soda?

DM  They're just jaded. They see bands every night.

SK  Not so much that they're jaded, they're just worried about the way their hair looks. That's why I like these babes, man their hair looks great. Their hair looks great and they know it. They don't have to keep looking in the mirror. You know you're in trouble when you see a guy that's better looking than the last girl you, well anyhow. I'm diversing. I'm diverging. I think we dealt with question number two!

DM  Yes.

SK  There goes Tracey. You lost her. You're coming home with us.

DM  Tracey runs away.
 

And who are your influences?

SK  Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ice T, Public Enemy, Bad Brains, NWA uhm Run DMC, MC Hammer, Fishbone. We listen to everything. Jimi Hendrix of course is a big influence. Anything.

DM  As long as it's goddam good

SK  As long as it swings. If it don't have that thang.

DM  Swang.

SK  No, no you're saying it wrong.

DM  Ok you're black, you say it.

SK  I'm not black. Am I black? (laughter)

DM  I think we are.

SK  Holy shit.

DM  Are we?

SK  Sheba, help us on this. Quick! How black are we?

DM  How black are we? You know, when you're black you never go back.

SK  The darker the meat, the sweeter the treat anyhow.

DM  Here comes Tracey again!
 

Where do you get ideas for songs?

DM  Well actually when I'm in the washroom (laughter)

SK  I'm getting an idea for a song right now.

DM  Uhm.

SK  Everywhere.

DM  All the shit we see around us, you know. We talk about it. We try to be different, in our own way but sometimes it's not, sometimes it is, you know. It's just a matter of opinion.

SK  I think Junior should answer. Where do we get the ideas for our songs Junior?

JR  Mmh hmm

DM  Junior has gaffer tape on his mouth by the way ladies and gentlemen.

SK  I think that's because we're not allowed to let him say what he truly thinks because it's just a revelation.
 

Have you heard anything recently that you really like?

SK  Sure, that band who played with us tonight, what was the name? Caustic Thought. Caustic Thought fucking kicks ass.

DM  Primus.

SK  Primus? Nitro, for sure Nitro.

DM  For Junior.

SK  Not for Junior.

DM  For hair spray fans.

SK  Fuck that, they don't wear hair spray.

DM  Anymore you mean?

SK  No, no they don't.

DM  Anyway.

SK  Basically everything. The best band I know of going right now, I like Mother Love Bone. They're cool, and also our homeboys from Brooklyn, Biohazard.
 

What do you do in your spare time?

SK  Give interviews in bathrooms with like really funky babes. Dave, what do you do in your spare time?

DM  I don't have any spare time.

SK  That's right. This is like a privilege for Dave. Junior! That's really not his real name but you're never gonna know what it is. Junior, lead guitar, he's not even old enough to be in this bar. What do you do in your spare time?

JR  (mumble)

SK  What was that?

JR  Ride my BMX.

SK  And what else? Think of the donut chick.

JR  Eat donuts.

SK  There you go.

DM  Free donuts too.

SK  She's a babe.

DM  Never pays for it. Actually she feeds the whole band.

SK  She does.

DM  She's great.

SK  She kept us alive. You missed it man, my foot slipped into the can. I was like just chillin man. It slipped in. I guess I'm gonna have to change socks on this tour after all.
 

Do you care whether or not your songs get played on commercial radio?

SK  No.

DM  No we don't!

SK  Fuck commercial radio.

DM  They fucking suck!

SK  They do man. Who wants to hear Bryan Adams and Honeymoon Suite clones. Do you?

JR  New Kids rule man.

DM  If I ever hear The Wanted on commercial radio, I'm gonna leave the fucking band.

SK  New Kids only blow.

JR  I want to be on one of those New Kids, Milli Vanilli and The Wanted on a K-Tel record sort of thing you know, like at Christmas time doing Christmas songs.

SK  It's reasons like you Junior I started to smoke again. (laughter) Next Question.

DM  Who's gonna be our next guitar player (laughter)

SK  There will be no next guitar player. As far as I'm concerned Junior

JR  My name's not Junior.

SK  Ok, what's your name?

JR  Simon.

SK  Ok, as far as I'm concerned Simon's the only guitar player I ever want to play with.

DM  Next!
 

What advice would you give to bands starting out?

SK  Quit before it's too late man.

DM  And don't ever drive through the Rockies during a snowstorm. (laughter) Don't ever fucking do it!

SK  And if you've gotta play Club Soda, get as wrecked as we are right now.
 

Anything else you'd like to say?

SK  Yeah, get rid of Tracey and come home with me cause I think you're fucking real cute.

DM   Hey Tracey's cute.

SK  Yeah Tracey's gotta go to work.

DM  No she's not.

SK  She's got to. She's like flipping here.