CMW 2008: Said The Whale

Hometown: Vancouver, BC
Official Website: www.saidthewhale.com
Members:
Ben Worcester (guitar/vocals)
Tyler Bancroft (guitar/vocals)
Jeff LaForge (bass/vocals)
Spencer Schoening (drums)
Colin Dodds (keys)

Vancouver's Said The Whale are using Canadian Music Week to launch their Ontario tour. As Canada's answer to The Shins, the indie pop band are truly poised to make a major splash (and inspire ocean metaphors from low-brow music writers around the world).

So, you're about to play the big industry event that is Canadian Music Week. What's the most shameless thing you've ever done to promote your band?
Tyler Bancroft: Perez Hilton. I may have shot him an email. I don't follow his blog at all, but I had heard that he had made some posts about other musicians, too, so I thought, "What the heck."

What's the hardest part about being an up-and-coming band?
Ben Worcester: Driving from Winnipeg to Toronto straight. [At this moment] we're 15 miles from Minnesota. Right now our keyboard player isn't with us. He's flying out later. Our bass player flew from Winnipeg this morning because he wanted to have an extra day with a special friend.
TB: It's me and Ben driving for 24 hours straight.

How important is it for your band members to circulate and flirt with the audience before or after the show?
BW: I don't know. It's never really been an issue. Spencer [Schoening] is usually hitting on the hot girls and getting wasted. As far as how important it is, it's nice to talk to people who are interested, but we don't walk around looking for people.

Have you ever stolen from someone else's rider? If so, who was it and what did you take?
BW: I think Mother Mother had veggies and dip on their rider, and I ate a lot of those. Blue Rodeo had a good rider. They have catering and absolutely everything you could ever want: steaks, prawns, five different salads, beer.

Have you ever been graded before according to ChartAttack.com's Rock 'n' Roll Report Cards?
BW: No, not yet. I'd probably cheat.

Does the idea of being graded bring back bad memories of being in elementary school or high school?
BW: It would only bring back horrible memories if I failed.

Have you done anything new or interesting this week?
TB: We did a video podcast with CBC Radio 3, and Grant Lawrence came out on my dad's tugboat.

Said The Whale play the Horseshoe Tavern on Saturday, March 8 at 9:20 p.m. as part of the annual Chart/Horseshoe/Canadian Music Week showcase.