Far from its jam space in the Mouldy Village, a grungy
building on Vancouver’s downtown east side, Shearing Pinx is
regrouping. Its guitarist Erin Ward moved to Montreal a few months ago,
so other members Jeremy Van Wick and Nic Hughes have been playing under
different names as a two-piece at home, and touring through the
prairies, as well as fielding “drama” and “emails asking if we’d broken
up,” Van Wick says over the phone from Montreal. The band released the
first LP of a two-part album on local Divorce Records earlier this fall
(review on page 21).
“It was originally going to be a double album, and through talking
about it with Darcy [Spidle, Divorce Records manager] and getting him
involved in the creative process, it became a two-part release,” says
Van Wick. They recorded in their mouldy studio with a four-track, which
brought out a much different side of the band than their previous
studio recordings, Van Wick says. “It’s more like our live show, more
improv.”
The album is the band’s third full-length release, though they’ve
produced dozens of tapes, seven-inches and split records in four years
of existence. They last graced Halifax with two shows at the 2008 Obey
Convention, and Van Wick made it to this year’s festival with his other
band Totally Ripped. Van Wick talks enthusiastically about the noise
and experimental scenes in Halifax and Vancouver.
“Going across Canada and the US you kind of suppose there’ll be this
magical wonderland of lofts and art spaces, but it isn’t always true,”
he says. “In Vancouver you kind of have to work together to do things.”
He reels off a list of weekly events there.
“We try to bring in free jazz, no-wavey punk kids, harsh noise
kids…I’m not too into highbrow nonsense. I mean, I love John Cage and
LaMonte Young, but I’m more lowbrow.” –Laura Kenins
Shearing Pinx
w/ Ahna, Bad Vibrations, Data Cave
Friday, October 30, 10pm
Gus’ Pub, 2605 Agricola Street
at Halloween Shake Down w/ Ahna, Pig
Saturday, October 31, 7pm
Lost & Found, 2383 Agricola Street
This article appears in Oct 29 – Nov 4, 2009.