Ahead of their Australian tour, while he was at home in Toronto, we had a chat to Jay Malinowski of Bedouin Soundclash.
You’re at home having a relaxing couple of days?
[Laughs] Not really, it’s been like twenty four hours of press [laughter] But, yeah, our records coming out here this week, or it just came out yesterday, so… it’s been like starting 7am ‘til whenever.
Well, fair enough. [Laugh] You bring up the new record and we best talk about it. Like The Horizon, what can we expect from it?
Well, in terms of Bedouin records, there’s a lot more production on it. We worked with King Brit down in Philadelphia, who’s mainly known for House, really. He’s remixed everyone from… he did a lot, and he did a lot of remixes. From everyone from like Radiohead to Bjork or the Roots. You know, it was the first time he’d done a band before, and we met through mutual friends and thought it’d be really cool to go in and do something new for each of us. So, he brought in a string section and he brought in horns, tons of percussion, so I think there’s a whole lot more layers to it than we’ve had in the past.
And we’ve heard the song on radio down here, Mountain Top, and it’s such a catchy number, is that a taste of what we can expect?
You know, it’s probably the most like the past songs that we’ve done but it’s probably no. [laugh] The rest of the record is, I won’t say a darker vibe but… I guess it’s more… it’s darker, yeah.
This is the first of your own non-remix records on your own label, The Pirate’s Blend. What brought on the decision to put that together with your management?
Really for the past ten years, our band has gone around the world, has been on so many different labels. And it is the one that we always thought with our band especially. We just never felt we fit really with any of the rosters we were with. We’d be either with an indie label or be, you know, any that just… really, you kind of become exhausted and what to bring back some creative control. So, for us we kind of had a clean slate last year, and we thought: “Let’s get all our records back and start from zero, and really take time to promote ourselves and spend money and do things the way we’d like to.” And then also it’s been great because we’ve been able to promote in Canada artists that maybe wouldn’t have released a record here, like Nneka who’s from Germany, and some Canadian artists as well.
And of course you had your debut solo album, Bright Lights and Bruises, earlier this year. What was the catalyst that made you branch out and release your own record?
Really it was, we toured too much in the band we were previously in, I mean Bedouin. Me and Eon sat down and just said: “You know, let’s take a break” and we’re not sure how long this is gonna be. And there’s a lot of, you know, probably in the past I would’ve done different things but this time I figured I was just going to write through a bunch of the baggage and past and use it as a cathartic record. So, that was where it came from, it just sort of was writing an apology letter.
Are you pleased with how it was received by fans? I imagine that the first group of people that listened to that album are certainly existing Soundclash fans.
Yeah, it is interesting because a lot of people who then became fans of our record may not be too into Bedouin. But it was the first record that I put out that I really didn’t care who liked it. I was really writing it for myself. And that was a really great experience. Coming back to Bedouin, it was far easier for me to say: “Let’s do this for ourselves; make a record we really like and not really worry about anyone else.”
[music begins playing in background then stops]
[laughter]
Your music just started playing on the computer. [laugh] That was a bit awkward. We’ll move on now. After all the press for the new record, you’re heading off to China for the first time. Can you talk a little bit about that?
We’re heading off to the World Expo. We’re there for about a week in Shanghai, and we’re really looking forward to it. Usually when we tour in that area of the world, we got to Japan and Australia or New Zealand. So this is the first time we’re doing China, and we’re also doing India as well.
You hear a lot about how difficult it is to actually just get into China to play there, did you find that or has this World Expo made it easy for you?
Well, it was still hard. We had to send out passports in and had to be approved. We had to send our lyrics in and they had to be approved by the government. Just so nothing goes against the principles of the country, I guess. Yeah, it is definitely not like in Australia.
And of course you are about to come back down here, you’ll be heading here after the tour, and I believe the last time you were here it would’ve been for Soundwave last year.
Yeah, that’s right.
How was that experience for you? You were part of quite a diverse and extensive line-up.
We were the diversity, it felt like. [laugh]
Oh really?
You know with Soundwave, we didn’t know it was a, well, it felt like a mainly metal festival.
Yeah, well you did have like Bloodhound Gang and bands like that.
Yeah, you know I remember my most vivid memory of that festival is that we were about to go on and they set the stage up so that we were directly in front of Lamb of God. We couldn’t hear. Even the people in front of us couldn’t hear us. We couldn’t even hear each other on stage. It was an interesting festival. It was good though, it was fun to go down and play it.
I’m sure you would’ve opened up a few new people to your music, which is always great with those festivals. But it doesn’t sound easy to almost have to play a versus set against another band.
Against Lamb of God, it’s not going to happen. We’re gonna be going down.
[laughter]
And it was really good. The festival was cool and you got to do these side club shows that were really good to play.
So who’d you play those with since I know you were often paired with some other artist on those.
I can’t remember, it was someone… I think the band Moneen.
That sounds about right, yeah.
I’m trying to think of the other band.
Here we go, it was Attack in Black and The Audition
Yeah that’s right, okay. Sorry, Attack in Black. It’s a Canadian band. I knew it was a Canadian band.
And Moneen, of course. And you’ll be coming back and playing some of the same venues and are you looking forward to coming back down here and playing the One Movement Festival and all that?
Yeah, definitely love coming to Australia. Especially because right now it’s warm. I mean right now Canada’s getting cold so everyone is jealous that we’re leaving and every time we fly it, it’s a really nice place to tour. Australians are like Canadians. They’re really nice.
I’ve been reading your bio and you grew up in Vancouver but you’re based in Toronto now. I lived in Vancouver for a while and it is one of my favourite cities, and Commodore Ballroom is possibly one of my favourite venues in the world, but how do the music scenes compare in each city?
Vancouver’s a little bit sleepier, I think, since you’ve lived there, the focus is having, in one day, being at the beach and then you can go ride on a mountain. It’s like a little day activity place, so people aren’t as interested in going out to clubs and seeing music, or it seems that way sometimes. Toronto is a lot quicker, it’s kind of the commercial capital. There’s a lot of bands here, and there’s a lot of new stuff happening. Montreal is like Melbourne. It’s an arts capital. I still think it was bit more subdued. Montreal audiences are the best in the country, I think.
I have heard that a lot, actually.
Yeah. Yeah, they’re just great, I think they just have the French appreciation for watching live music. A lot of people, sometimes, can have their arms folded when they’re watching you.
I assume you’ve toured France before, have you had good experiences over in that part of the world?
Yeah, it was great. They just treat artists really well there. Compared to when you’re in the States, in mainland Europe they actually take care of you, and treat you with some respect.
As a band, that must feel nice.
Well, the food tastes good, for sure.
If nothing else, some good wine and cheese.
Yeah, and the coffee’s a bit stronger, so that’s always good.
It’ll beat that hangover for you.
Yeah, exactly.
And now I’m going to be heading to Toronto early next year for the first time for the Canadian Music Week, I’m curious to get from you, what are your picks of Toronto? What are the places you got to eat, the places you got to see? What’s your Toronto guide? Your guide to Toronto from Jay?
My guide to Toronto? I live in Kensington Market, sort of mixed melting pot cultural area of Downtown. So you should definitely go see Kensington Market. You should go out to, I’d say, Dakota Tavern, which is a great place to see great country and a lot of the bands will sit in and play. You can see a lot of cool things happen there. And to eat, that right?
Yes, yes. What are the—
Okay—
Or even better, sometimes the better advice is where do I not eat? Where should I avoid at all costs?
Okay, I don’t ever go to the Asian, Chinese restaurants in the area. I feel ill. Unless it’s 4am, then maybe your stomach may be able to handle it.
Fair enough. Well, when you’re done here in Sydney, there’s a place nearby where you’re playing. It’s a street called King St in a suburb called Newtown. They have some of the best food, Asian food, Thai food that you’ll find in the world. And it’s about $10.
That’s amazing. I’ll have to remember that.
I do recommend that area.
Newtown.
Definitely, definitely, definitely check that out. And I haven’t seen you before, and I really, really look forward to seeing you in a few weeks.
Does that mean you’ll be going to the show?
I will. I’ll give you a wave.
[Laughter] Alright.
Alright mate, well have a safe trip to China and we’ll see you down here in a few weeks.
Sounds good.
Not a problem, mate. Thanks again for your time. Cheers.
Transcription by Daniel Wittingslow
