Patrick Watson Talk Polaris 2009 Nomination

Patrick Watson just made the 2009 Polaris Music Prize Short List for their album Wooden Arms. The band (and the man) now have a one in 10 chance of having their album declared the most artistically awesome record made in Canada in the last year.

We spoke to Watson band members Robbie Kuster and Mishka Stein earlier today about what this all means.

CHARTattack: So how do you feel right now?
Mishka Stein: It doesn't feel bad. It's pretty amazing.
Robbie Kuster: It's great. It feels great.
MS: The goosebumps that we get in the studio, other people get them a little bit maybe?
RK: I guess it paid off in some little way.

What was the thing about making Wooden Arms that was most exciting, most fulfilling for you?
RK: Writing new tunes. Getting to play new tunes. Because we had been working on Close To Paradise for such a long time and toured it for such a long time. I think for me just to get to work on new music was pretty exciting and trying to envision how we were going to make it live. That was really exciting, actually. After three years of working on the same music it felt good to get something else on the table.
MS: For me, trying to keep the travel-around-the-world-and-record tradition was exciting. We got to spend some time in Iceland, France. It did affect what you write.
RK: Our time in France, we recorded in a studio just outside of Paris. It was an amazing mansion studio in a country suburb area. It has some crazy vintage gear that sounded amazing. You sleep, you eat, you record in the same building... that was great.

If you can't win, who amongst the other 10 nominees would you like to see win the Polaris Music Prize?
MS: That's a tough one because everyone deserves it.
RK: I haven't heard all the albums on the short list, but I remember when we were nominated and we won in 2007 there was Chad VanGaalen playing. And we loved, totally loved his performance, and he's an amazing artist. He does all sorts of visual arts stuff and I think he deserves that push. It would be great.
MS: Did Leonard Cohen make it?

No. He was a bit of a divisive pick amongst the rock critics [Cohen made the Polaris Long List based on a live album of previously recorded material].
MS: I think that debate's awesome, though. Because it's music, and it's music that speaks to people so strongly. Why not? He's Leonard Cohen. The music he makes is amazing.

There was the argument going around amongst jurors, "Do you want to be the person voting against Leonard Cohen?" A lot thought, "Yes."
RK: He may not need the $20,000 grand prize money.

Time to not be modest. Why are you guys so awesome?
MS: We got some really crazy, different critiques. Some people really hate it and some really love it. To us it's awesome because we had a great time making it and it makes you feel good.
RK: We're lucky in a sense that we got to travel and play a hell of a lot with the last record and get the experience of knowing what works on stage and what doesn't, what people respond to. Maybe that's it? Maybe the experience, the opportunity to record in these amazing places.
MS: To keep doing what we've been doing for almost 10 years and to grow as a group.

What are you going to do with that big $20,000 cheque if you win?
RK: Probably fuckin' party!
MS: Do what we weren't able to do with the last 20 grand... because I had crashed our van and we had to buy a new one.
RK: I want a tour bus, a crazy tour bus for two weeks.
MS: Once we got a taste of that it would be hard to go back to the Econoline.