Interview with Brock Tinsley of Ottawa, Ontario’s Double Experience.
Is this the first time Double Experience comes to Halifax, NS to play a show? Would you say in the east coast is different than the west coast for fans?
We’ve been coming to Halifax for three years now, usually two visits for every calendar year. The east coast features a really tight-knit music scene. We’ve made lots of genuine friends out here whereas the prairies are very desolate in comparison, both in its geography and music scenes.
How was it recording the album Unsaved Progress from a musicians point of view?
Every record previous to Unsaved Progress was written with intent to record the music immediately afterwards, with some songs being completed while in transit to the studio. Time was on our side this time and allowed Ian and I to explore and justify whatever parts or arrangements made the final cut.
How long did it take to create the set for the promo video Godzilla and the filming of the music video?
We started constructing the set and the buildings during the summer of 2016. We didn’t even finish until the fall due to the details we obsessed over; we hand cut every piece of tape for every window, for example. After that we had to get a custom suit for Django, my bulldog, and film his scenes. I edited everything this January. In hindsight we went completely overboard but it was worth the effort.
Could you describe what goes on in a day in your life as a musician on tour?
Every day mostly consists of driving and waiting around for the music to happen. Occasionally, we perform two shows in one day, so we stay on the move and constantly fueled up with coffee.
Could you describe some of your earliest influences in life and in music?
Ian was raised in the womb on Led Zeppelin, whereas I was introduced to Michael Jackson, Genesis and Supertramp. I never even got into rock bands until I was 11. I think the nerdiness of Double Experience stems from Ian and I being homebodies, stuck inside due to terrible Canadian weather, and playing video games to the sound of our parents favorite bands that we still listen to today over most modern music.
Do you use mostly Facebook now as a primary website source for the band?
We prefer to maintain our website and mailing list, but not aggressively so. All these social media platforms are just tools in our shed, and every “project” we deliver is different. Some tools do the job better than other tools can, and some tools are completely unsuitable for certain projects. Hell, certain tools can actually cause damage if they’re misused.
In your opinion, which album would be essential to have if someone were stranded on a deserted island?
Regatta de Blanc by The Police. Ian and I fell in love with that band recently, even so far as touring in a Police tribute band. Their songs are so timeless that any stranded listener would be entertained right up until they die of heat stroke. It’s irreverent, it’s pop, it’s groovy, and it’s deeply musical, there’s nothing really like it.
Where do you see music in general going in 100 years from now?
Analog instruments or devices will simply be outclassed by digital innovation. The popular saying among guitarists is that “the tone is in the fingers” and I think what that will translate to across all musicians is “soul is in the player”. Embracing digital innovation won’t strip any musician of their humanity in the same way a digital source won’t create humanity or soul where there never was any to begin with.
April 7 – Fredericton, NB @ Capital Complex w/ Like a Motorcycle
April 8 – Halifax, NS @ The Pavilion
April 19 – Toronto, ON (Canadian Music Week)
April 20 – Toronto, ON (Canadian Music Week)
April 21 – Toronto, ON (Canadian Music Week)
April 22 – Cornwall, ON @ CAPE2017 After Party
April 26 – Ottawa, ON @ Live! On Elgin w/ Uforia
June 30 – Tampa, FL @ GuardianCon 2017
July 1 – Tampla, FL @ GuardianCon 2017
July 3 – Raleigh, NC @ Slim’s Downtown
July 7 – Montreal, QC @ Foufounes Electriques w/ Okilly Dokilly