Interviews

Propagandhi

Interview with Todd on Oct 22, 2005 by Archive Bot

On October 22nd, Punkbands.com very own Kyle Haines got the chance to talk with Todd, bassist of inimitable punk/thrash/metal/lounge act, Propagandhi.  It’s been a couple years between the release of their last release, Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes, and this week’s release of their new effort, Potempkin City Limits, and we were really excited to get to ask a few questions about the music, politics, and some of the rumors shuffling around. What he wasn’t expecting was to have a totally relaxed and down-to-earth conversation that eventually got completely lost in a quagmire of laughter and penguins.
 
 
Kyle: Who are you and what do you do in the band?
 
Todd: I’m Todd, I play bass and do some vocals.
 
Kyle: How long have you been with the band?
 
Todd: Eight years, I guess.
 
Kyle: Which is your favorite record?  How do you think the new one stacks up?
 
Todd: I think the new one is the best one.  It’s got the best playing and the best songs I think.
 
Kyle: Is there a reason why you guys take so long between each record?
 
Todd: I think it just takes us a while to formulate what we want to do and where we want to go and just practice until it starts coming together with something that sounds like a record we’d like people to hear.  So it takes us a little while, instead of just making the songs right away and just putting it out.
 
Kyle: What’s the strangest rumor you’ve heard about Propagandhi, past or present?
 
Todd: Strangest rumor…ummm…(pauses).  Let me think.  I can’t actually think of one right now.  Hmmm…rumor, rumor, rumor.  The only one that comes to mind is that Chris (guitar, vocals) slapped some Christian kid here in Winnipeg (laughs).
Kyle: And that’s untrue?
Todd: Yeah, that’s totally untrue.  Funny though.
 
Kyle: How did this “Glen” one come about?
 
Todd: I guess Chris just put it up as his name and spread it himself for something to do.
Kyle: Just boredom?
Todd: (Laughs) Yeah, probably.  Boredom mixed with weirdness.
 
Kyle: What do you feel is the importance of political music today?
 
Todd: I think it’s an alternate idea to the mainstream, to get people thinking of something different.  We try to be a little bit outside of the mainstream thought with the lyrics and just to make people’s heads go in a different direction than they might normally.
 
Kyle: Where do opposition movements turn now that old tactics, like mass protest and letter writing campaigns, no longer are effective tools for influencing policy?
 
Todd: I think those things are still working to some extent, but obviously anything that seems to work will be overridden by the people in power, and if it starts working then they will squash it.  But other than that I guess you can just keep on keeping on and stop buying the things that they are trying to sell all the time, because if you stop that they have nothing they can do.
Kyle: Their money is their power?
Todd: Yep.
 
Kyle: Considering where we are now, what is a best case scenario for moving progressively?
 
Todd: It’s people realizing that they are part of a living world and not separate from it, and to hold anyone accountable for over-abusing the world. Any corporation, any politician. If people just wake up and see that fact, then we are heading the right way.  There shouldn’t be any real tolerance for companies going into other countries and screwing up the country and taking off.  If everyone is held accountable for what they are doing, then that’s a good first step.
 
Kyle: Obviously with the title of the last record, Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes, you guys are aware of the ebb and flow of historical eras.  Can you see what’s happening right now, with natural disasters, global wars, soaring energy prices, and government corruption just now coming out, do you think this is a transition point? 
 
Todd: It could be, it’s hard to say.  I’m sure they’ll do everything in their power to keep the tide the way it is, but there are a lot of countries and a lot of people in the world that want to see the States fail now, so it wouldn’t take too much to drive it further down.  If there was even some kind of and international boycott, the States would be in big trouble.  Especially if they keep getting all the terrible hurricanes and shit, it’s an economy that could be on the collapse and then who knows what will happen.  You know when a super-power starts to lose its hold that just seems like big trouble for everybody, but necessary trouble, because things can’t go on the way they are right now.
 
Kyle: Is that when Canada takes over?
 
Todd: (Laughs) Yeah, exactly.  I think we’re going down the tube with you.  Probably going to be a cold one up here.
 
Kyle: There were a lot of different rumors floating around about the Rock Against Bush compilation and Punkvoter campaign and some things concerning George Soros.  Can you it straight at all?
 
Todd: Probably most of the rumors are nearing true.  I don’t know, we just wrote something about George Soros and kind of mutually got the boot off that Punkvoter comp.  But we were realizing that it wasn’t something that we really agreed with anyway, so we were kind of glad to get the boot.  Like, we were kind of asked if it would be ok if we got the boot, you know?  So we were like hell yeah, that sounds like a good idea.  There wasn’t too much problem with that.  I guess that we just weren’t interested in it no more once it unfolded as to what it was.
 
Kyle: Alright, and last thing here I’ve got what I call a Lightning Round, which is a corny way of saying simple answers, couple words, yes or no kind of questions.
Todd: Ok.
Kyle: They start pretty softball…
 
Kyle: Your favorite color?
Todd: Brown.
 
Kyle: Favorite band right now?
Todd: I would say, at the moment, Immolation.
 
Kyle: Your favorite neo-conservative?
Todd: Does Pat Robertson count as one of those guys?
Kyle: I think he’s just a creepy religious guy, maybe outside that category.
Todd: Ok, then Rumsfeld.
Kyle: Yeah, he’s got good poetry. (This is not a joke, check it out at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743255976/103-8879132-5958269?v=glance&n=283155&n=507846&s=books&v=glance).
Todd: Yeah, he’s great.  And a great singer too.  (Laughs)
 
Kyle: How about best meat substitute?
Todd: Best meat substitute?  Dinks.
 
Kyle: Ah, let’s see here.  Best political book?
Todd: Let me scroll in my mind here one more time.  Let’s say Guns, Germs, Steel.  I don’t know if it’s more like anthropology, but I dig it.
Kyle: Who’s the author?
Todd: Jared Diamond. (Check it out here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393317552/103-8879132-5958269?v=glance&n=283155&n=507846&s=books&v=glance)
 
Kyle: Favorite song to play live?
Todd: Favorite song to play live is probably…I like playing “Mate Ka Moris” or whatever that is. (Laughs)
 
Kyle: Ok, how about the best John Sampson (long-departed Propagandhi bassist, now singer-songwriter for the Weakerthans) lyric?
 
Todd: Uh, John Sampson lyric…fuck, what’s that song on the…(mumbles something vaguely resembling French)…hmm.
Kyle: The one with the French in it? (Laughs)
Todd: Uh, can I go into Weakerthans songs?
Kyle: Sure.
Todd: Umm…let me think.  (Laughs) Oh shit… “I’ve got a sore back…” No!  Ah shit…I need Hannah for this, fuck.  I don’t really listen to him…shit.
Kyle: Sorry, that was just my curveball.
Todd: Fuck.  Give me a few, I’ll tell you if I like them.
Kyle: (Laughs) How about…uh…I don’t know if I can remember any right now.
Todd: (Laughs) Oh no, I know!  Ah, no that’s too embarrassing to even say! (Laughs)
Kyle: Spit it out!
Todd: Yeah, “I’ve got…” yeah go with that…or no!  What’s that dumb thing?  (Laughs)  I wish I had…err…go to the next one for a minute, I got to find it.
 
Kyle: Alright, the last is just where do you see Propagandhi going in the next couple years?
 
Todd: Hopefully just practicing and getting better at what we’re doing.  That’s the goal I think. 
Kyle: Cool.
 
Todd: Here we go, lyrics on demand.  This one seems good: “Plea from a cat named virtue.”  (Laughs) We’ll find a good one in here, I’m sure.  (Laughs, then mumbles for a couple seconds) I don’t understand that one.  One second here (laughs).  Here we go!  “Our old retired explorer dines with Michel Foucault,” here we go.  (Mumbles) Ok, here we go: “Yes, a penguin taught me French back in Antarctica.”  (Laughs) There you go!
Kyle: That was good effort.
Todd: (Laughs) That was worth it wasn’t it?
Kyle: Definitely. (Laughs)
Kyle: Alright, thanks for taking the time.  I’ll see you guys when you come around Santa Cruz.
 
Todd: Wicked, come say hi.  See you later!
 
 
Propagandhi are touring in support of the new record, so look up the dates at g7welcomingcommittee.com or in the tours section at fatwreck.com and go support them.