Hot Panda: CMW '09 Special

With the recent release of their Volcano... Bloody Volcano full-length debut on Mint Records, Hot Panda are no longer only press-worthy for their unique vehicle choices and practice spaces. The band are kicking off a six-week tour to promote the disc at Canadian Music Week, and singer/guitarist Chris Connelly spoke with CHARTattack about why he's hoping to make new pals in every city they visit.

Hometown: Edmonton

Members:
Chris Connelly (guitar, vocals)
Heath Parsons (guitar, accordion, keyboards)
Keith Olsen (bass)
Maghan Campbell (drums)

Official Website: www.hotpanda.ca

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?
Shameless thing? Well, let's just say Heath still can't afford to get that Pepsi tattoo removed from his forearm.

What's the hardest part about being an up-and-coming band?
Having to do more work than "established" bands that have booking agents and managers, but not getting paid as much.

How important is it for your band members to circulate and flirt with the audience before or after the show?
Being on tour requires so much goodwill from other people, so it's always better to make friends with people because friends will always help you out more than strangers. It's extra important to circulate and flirt when you don't have a hotel and need a place to stay that night.

Have you ever stolen from someone else's rider? If so, who was it and what did you take?
When we played with Chad VanGaalen there was all this beer backstage, so we started drinking it.

Then somebody who was with Chad VanGaalen came backstage and, as we were drinking, said, "Feel free to have some of Chad's beer." And we were like, "Oh, Chad's beer, right..." Oddly enough, we didn't stop drinking it.

We also took an unopened bottle of vodka from The Raveonettes. They had so many bottles of vodka back there that they couldn't even get to all of them. I figured they wouldn't miss it.

Have you ever been graded before according to CHARTattack.com's Rock 'N' Roll Report Cards?
Last year at CMW we were graded. We got 90 per cent.

Have you done anything new or interesting this week?
We put out a brand new album. And that's not something you can say every week, unless you're Robert Pollard.

Hot Panda play the Horseshoe Tavern on March 13 at 1:10 a.m. as part of the annual CHARTattack/Horseshoe/Canadian Music Week showcase.

Check out CHARTattack's official CMW microsite here.