Meet The Juno Nominees: The Saint Alvia Cartel

Four of The Saint Alvia Cartel's six members — Ben Rispin, Rob Paselic, Matt Richmond and Greg Taylor — trekked down to Toronto's Fairmont Royal York Hotel on Tuesday morning to celebrate the band's first Juno nomination. Their self-titled record is up against LPs from Finger Eleven, Sum 41, Matthew Good and Pride Tiger in the best album category, so they have some Juno veterans (minus Pride Tiger) as competition. But the Cartel have a significant pedigree with members of Boys Night Out, Jersey, The Video Dead and Grade filling out their eclectic punk-based lineup.

ChartAttack: Don't be modest, how do you feel about being nominated?

Ben Rispin: I think we're all pretty beside ourselves. I don't think any of us thought we'd win, er, get nominated — get the nomination. You know what I mean.

What was your musical highlight of the last year?

Rispin: Just putting out the record, I think.

Rob Paselic: Doin' stuff.

Rispin: Yeah, doin' stuff was pretty cool.

Name something you'd do with your trophy other than put it on your mantle.

Paselic: Well, you can't drink out of it.

Rispin: Turn it into a bong.

Paselic: Use it to hold open the door.

Rispin: And it would be the ultimate bong. I don't know what that means.

Triumph are this year's Canadian Music Hall Of Fame inductees. What's your favourite Triumph song?

Paselic: That one that everybody else likes.

Feist or Avril, who wins in a cage fight?

Paselic: Feist.

Rispin: Feist.