Interview: The Most Serene Republic
Meet You At The Show: Being such a numerous group, how do you deal with so many different and sometimes conflicting creative ideas?
Adrian Jewett: We’re very understanding and we just pass them back and forth. We try to to keep our voices down, try to keep it civil. We haven’t gotten in an argument musically in a while. It just gets complex and becomes an ego trade when you start arguing over which part stays or not.
MYATS: So what inspires your lyrics and musical style? What inspires the changes you have made over the years?
AJ: Just our punk attitude! We’re really big complainers, it’s just in our nature. This whole era of cell phones and texting, its like a big brother kind of thing and pisses us off. We’re very much pessimistic, and the music is very dark. Because the whole thing is very unsettling. We see our society nowadays like a 1950s world, where everything is very efficient. Lots of people have lost their questioning because they’re given satisfaction and they just take it. It’s really easy to get satisfied nowadays.
MYATS: How can you tell that the changes you make are the changes you need or want, or what the fans want? Basically, how do you know when it is right?
AJ: We pretty much treat the band like therapy, we get out what we want. We do it for ourselves, and if they enjoy it then that’s great.
MYATS: Its much better to be your own creative self than to sacrifice what you want to do to please the fans, right?
AJ: Oh yeah of course! I wouldn’t even know how one would do that, that just sounds really hard!
MYATS: Why did you decide to release your new EP, Fantasick Impossibliss, only digitally?
AJ: No one really buys anything anymore really. Everyone just steals it instead, and that’s fine really.
MYATS: Do you think there are any advantages to buying online?
AJ: Haha. I think that it’s pretty foolish when you can just download it for free. I don’t know what sucker actually goes onto iTunes and buys the album when you could go out and get it. I really want the new Arcade Fire album, and I’d definitely go out and buy it, if I could afford it.
MYATS: Do you think we’re losing something besides the simple material item?
AJ: Yeah, it definitely feels different when you go out and buy a CD with your own money that you worked hard for. It makes everything just seem kind of shallow. There’s a spirit and energy missing from music nowadays, that’s for sure. The excitement of living has decreased, and what seems like the quality of life is not really so; there’s so much passion missing.
MYATS: How was it working with David Newfeld, who has done amazing work with Stars, Super Furry Animals, Emily Haines and Holy Fuck?
AJ: He’s a great, great guy! He taught us a lot about the 80s and early 90s and what really got people dancing. He has a really good instincts about which sounds and textures get people excited which was really awesome.
MYATS: Finally, after your upcoming mini tour what’s on the agenda for you guys for the near future?
AJ: I’m going back to school in English lit. Yeah I’m doing that, because man oh man there’s only so much with this. I’m just tired of going around sending a message that people don’t really pick up on, its just not survivable. I just want to get out there, get back to school, and just read a lot.
**Interview Conducted by Amelia Robitaille**
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We would like to thank Adrian Jewett of The Most Serene Republic for taking the time to chat with us and we urge you to come out to see the band play live at Bar St. Laurent II this Friday, August 27th. Still Life Still will be opening and tickets are only $10.00 in advance and $12.00 at the door. You can pick yourself up a pair right now by clicking here.
And be sure to pick yourself up a copy of the band’s latest EP, Fantasick Impossibliss right now by clicking here.
