Thanatopop are a "thinking" band from St. Catharines, sort of the George Harrison of Southern Ontario music. Jarret Kramer, John Crossingham, and Erik Liddell weren't able to submit a bio in time for the zine, however we managed to track down their Tascam four-track. This interview was conducted by Doc Pickles' wristwatch without permission of either the band members or the Doctor himself:
Wristwatch: Tick.
Tascam: Thanks, glad to be here.
W: Tick?
T: I love visiting but I don't know if I'd be happy living here. I'm used to the easy going life in St. Catharines, getting my head cleaned at the repair shop, hanging out in Vince's basement.
W: Tick?
T: No Vince isn't in the band, he's a mysterious associate.
W: Tick tick tick.
T: I don't really get out much. Being a 4-track, when security sees me at a
club they think I'm just there to record a bootleg.
W: Tick tick! Tick. Tick tick tick?
T: Sometimes people in medium sized towns have an inferiority complex. Why does living in a cockroach infested apartment on Queen St. make you an "artist"?
W: Tick tick.
T: I don't to mean dis my homies. I blame those pathetic "entertainment centres" that are sprouting up like termite hills beside the QEW. They kill your individuality slowly.
W: Tick. Tick tick tick! Tick?
T: Thank you very much, I'm proud of it, it was a delight to work with Thanatopop. I was more interested in having fun than changing the world, but you never want to be just a "fun" four-track or a "serious" four-track. You want to keep that honest quality about your work if you're trying to capture something ethereal.
W: Tick?
T: I guess it's a tie between "Nice Goin' Cap'n" and "The Surgery Will Be a
Success". Sequentially, Four Track Mind is Thanatopop's latest album, but it's been one year this June since the release.
W: Tick tick tick tick. Tick tick!
T: I really only get involved when the record button's pushed and of course during mixing. The guys just got back from playing gigs in Montreal and Ottawa and now they're loaded for bear, they should be recording later in the spring. I hear they have a neat new song called "Dark of Heartness".
W: Tick tick!
T: it’s been a pleasure.