Operating out of an office above Long & McQuade, Dunlap does
design, web stuff and photography for local musicians. With Brent
Randall and Dave Ewenson, he started the Just Friends collective/label
in 2003. “We don’t run it as a strict business, it’s more just helping
everybody out with whatever services we can,” says Dunlap. The
musicians include Laura Peek, The Just Barelys, The Stance, Their
Majesties, BA Johnson and a recent addition, Mike Evin. Dunlap and
Ewenson also host the radio program Let’s Get Baked—syndicated
in 26 cities across North America (and now international, with Taiwan
recently added)—where they make vegetarian and vegan dishes in their
kitchen with the help of musicians. A Let’s Get Baked cookbook
is coming soon.
The Coast: So, what are you doing right now?
Mat Dunlap: This morning I’m dumping some video footage for
the band Acres and Acres. They recorded a pretty cool album in a church
and I videotaped that. I was doing some David Myles website stuff, and
I have to touch up some photos I did with Erin Costelo yesterday. I
just finished doing all of the design and website work for the new Joel
Plaskett project.
TC: Being such a foodie, where do you like to eat when you go
out for food in town?
MD: Heartwood restaurant is number one. I pretty much live
there. I also hit the Good Food Emporium pretty regularly. Local Source
Market is pretty awesome. And Mary’s Place on Robie has good food. I
hit Jane’s Next Door, they’ve got good stuff.
TC: What’s the most fun you’ve had in summertime in
Halifax?
MD: We got really into what we call “hitting dingers” out in
the Common. We don’t actually have enough people to play baseball
games, so we just go out and hit dingers to each other. And some of the
bands from the radio show, we end up going down and play with them. And
in general just laying around in the good green spaces. It’s so great
to have so many trees, flowers and green space around. It’s great to
get lost in the neighborhoody streets under the canopy of trees.
TC: Do you have any specific plans for the summer ’09?
MD: Me and Dave, we really want to work on the cookbook.
We’re going to be in the Let’s Get Baked kitchen laboratories.
We’re doing a lot of stuff on-site at Evolve and Sappyfest. We’re
really hoping to have rough product ready for the fall. We’ve been
working on it for so long. A lot of the standout bands that were really
into food are eager to contribute stories. We want it to be the kind of
cookbook you could read in the bathroom, full of facts. All the recipes
are vegan converted so I can eat them, because I’m vegan.
TC: Any festivals you’re looking forward to this summer?
MD: Sappyfest will be the summer’s highlight for me I’m sure.
The Multicultural fest is always a great place for food and good tunes.
I hope I get to take in some of that deliciousness this year.
TC: Now that your Let’s Get Baked empire is growing do
you still have to deal with the idea that maybe it’s a cookbook for
stoners?
MD: It comes up often. We generally we keep the show squeaky
clean. We play on the fact we’re two hoser guys in the kitchen…and
who knows what the bands did before they show up to our house. If they
have the munchies, we’ll feed them. The only thing we smoke is tofu and
the only thing we roll are big fat burritos.
This article appears in Jun 18-24, 2009.