Paul Aucoin Is A Hylozoist This Week

Paul Aucoin wears a lot of different hats for a lot of different people in a lot of different bands. Busy doesn't even begin to describe the multi-instrumentalist, producer, band leader... the list could go on for a while. So when asked what he's been up to lately, the soft-spoken Aucoin rhymes off - without even a hint of stress - more things than most people can generally accomplish in a year.

"We're almost done a new Old Soul record, which will be coming out on Dave Porter's new label, Grifter Music."

When pressed, Aucoin hastily adds that he's producing the album before getting back to his other projects. "We're just about to start a new Diableros record. We're almost done tracking the new Cuff The Duke record, with nine of 12 songs done. We go back into the studio on Sunday when I get back from the east coast from a tour with the Fembots."

When it's idiotically observed that he's a busy guy, Aucoin, who's valiantly struggling to fight off the remnants of what sounds like a nasty cold, modestly replies with a self-effacing laugh, "Yeah, I try. Idle hands are the devil's play-thing."

Aucoin's indie orchestra, The Hylozoists, are taking part in this week's Over The Top Festival, Toronto promoter Eric Warner's all-ages conglomeration of music, film and theatre.

"We're gonna be playing some old songs," Aucoin says of the performance taking place at the Tranzac on Thursday. "We're goin' the other way around.

"Our first record, La Nouvelle Gauche, is being re-released on June 20, so the band has learned a lot of the songs that, for a while, had been a bit of a challenge to learn because I didn't teach them to the band. So what we've done is gone and learned most of the old record now, and then comes the new stuff this summer."

The mention of new material isn't a reference to last year's La Fin Du Monde album. Aucoin is talking about a brand spankin' new Hylozoists record.

"I'm still in the process of writing everything and recording everything for the new record, and it starts with me so a lot of people don't sort of know the new songs in entirety yet. I don't know some of the new songs in entirety. For wanting to play them live, you know, they're all done. But when you choose to showcase them is another thing. It [the new Hylos record] should be out in November."

The Hylozoists have seen a fair bit of change since their inception, with a lineup that at points seemed to change almost daily. Happily, they've found some stability of late, establishing a core group of six members who, according to Aucoin, don't play in any other bands: Patrick Conan, Francois Turenne, Christopher Sandes, Randy Lee, Matt Faris and Aucoin (who, of course, can do what he wants since he's the boss).

"We've solidified the lineup a bit more in the last six months to the point where we have a lot of players now that aren't in a million bands, and perhaps that's gonna fuckin' rid us of the shackle of 'indie supergroup,'" says Aucoin. "I can understand a certain part of people wanting to project that, but at the same time I feel like there are so many other interesting things that one could say other than that."

The affable Maritimer eagerly points out that occasional bandmates, including Wayne Petti and Paul Lowman, are welcome any time they can take part. Those two, along with Dale Murray and Dale Porter, will be part of Thursday's lineup.

Aucoin says that the rotating lineup is actually kind of invigorating.

"There's a nice amount of fresh air from things like this. Nobody ever gets sick of anybody, everything's always changing a little. I hope that this sort of new six-piece solidifies itself underneath and then never changes. But you know, for me to say never changes would be a little..." As Aucoin searches for a word, I suggest "pre-emptive."

"Exactly," he replies.