MYSPACE | PHOTO: SIMON WESTLUND

Gosia got to hang out with Ian D’Sa from Billy Talent and ask him some questions. She even got to meet the whole band before they hit the stage.

- Let’s start off with a little background information. How did Billy Talent start?
The band started a very long time ago, like a 17 years ago. We started in high school in 1993. I guess the first 10 years we’ve been an independent band, playing around the city. We didn’t get our first record deal until 2002.

- So why Billy Talent?
It’s a name of a character in the movie called Hard Core Logo. It’s a Canadian movie that came out in 1998, it’s about a band that reunites after 20 years for a tour across the Canada. They are older now, all grumpy. It’s an amazing movie, it’s really cool. The guitar players name in the movie is Billy Talent.
We thought that it was really kind of cool name and fanny.

- Is there a happy ending?
Haha, no not a very happy ending at all actually. It’s kind of disturbing ending.

- When did you started to play guitar, and why?
I started when I was 13. My mom dragged me to piano lessons when I was 8 years old and I did that for like 5 years. And then when I got in my teenage years, I was listening to rock music, and I asked my dad if I could get an electric guitar for Christmas. So he bought me electric guitar for Christmas and my mom was really sad because I wanted to quit piano, haha. And once I quitted the piano I sat in my bedroom and listen to my favorite records and tried to play along. I would listen to Ramones a lot and the cords were so easy but the song was great. And that’s when I thought “I can play guitar too” and then I got in to bands like Rage Against The Machine, that’s more challenging. So yeah, I think it’s how I get into guitar.

- Who writes your songs? Are lyrics personal?
Yeah, I usually work with the music and come up with songs. We figure out the music first and then the band just try to figure out the lyrics and really match the mood of the music.

- What are the main themes of your songs?
There are very many themes; I mean the new album is a bit darker than our previous two albums. First one is kind of aggressive, the second album overall theme is trust and this album… It was really kind of a dark album, but we didn’t realize that at the time. I think that it’s because at the time we were writing lyrics Ben just lost someone that he was really closed to. They passed away and I just came out of a 4 year relationship so we were writing from a very somber state of mind. So then a year later when we looked at it we realized that it’s a pretty dark record.

- Do you think these topics will change over time?
Yeah, I think so. I think we write from personal experiences a lot, and if it’s not a personal experience is something that we read about in a papper or something that’s happening in the world. Like the Devil In A Midnight Mass. We tender to write about things that have affected us and we want to bring out awareness.

- How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?
When we first started to playing in high school we used to cover our favorite bands all the time. Like Rage Against The Machine and Janes Addiction. Once we got a little older we started writing our own material. But in the late 90’s we still tried to figure out the identity of the band and that’s what every band goes through when they are younger and in high school. I think the first time when we actually felt like this is our sound was in 2001 when we putted our song Try Honestly and that song ended up giving us a record deal and then we seemed like we really found our sound. But I took 8 years, haha.

- What has been your biggest challenge as a band?
I guess the biggest challenge was actually staying together for this long. Because in 1999 the band had almost broken up. Aaron was diagnosed multiple sclerosis so we weren’t sure if we could continue as a band. At that point we weren’t really talking. Ben and I would casually talk and we kind off just came back together, we decided to try actually do it for a living. So that was the hardest.

- What are the bands influences? What inspires your music?
I think we are really influenced by mostly the punk bands from the late 70’s like The Clash, Buzzcocks and stuff like that. But we listen a lot to Rage Against The Machine and Refused… But I say it’s meanly punk sound.

- What is the best show you have had?
I think it would have to be the first time we played at Rock am Ring in Germany. We haven’t played in two weeks, we were off at home and then we would play at that festival. We didn’t know what to expect and we got up on the stage and there was 90 000 people that showed up and it was insane! I had a hard time looking at the crowd. People have told us “You know there is gonna be a lot of people” but we didn’t really believed that. We have never played in front of so many people before and to not only see them, you know, watching the show they were all singing along and mashing and stuff too. After that we ended up going to Rock am Ring again and I’m sure we will play there again.

- Could you give me some details on one of your most memorable moments as a band? Besides Rock am Ring?
I guess… after being a band for so long and when we got a record deal… I think it was when our first album Billy talent won. We were nominated in Juno Award in Canada which is like the Grammy. We never thought that a punk band from Toronto that played at small clubs and bars could get to that level. And we were touring and getting success in other countries but I still think that our parents didn’t really understand what we were doing at the time until we won at Juno Award. They were all there, we flown them to the Junos so they were really proud of us and it kind of made me happy. To have our parents in there so that they finally understand and it made a senesce for them.

- What are your favorite songs to play, and why?
I think I would have to be Devil On My Shoulder because there’s lots of guitar and I do a solo in the middle. It’s a lot of fun.

- What do you do to get hyped up before hitting the stage?
We usually kind of worm up as a band in like 30 minutes. The three of us will get together and jam.

- So there are no drinks or any alcohol involved?
Haha, no… we used to drink before the shows and stuff but not anymore. Only after the show now.

- It has been 3 years since your last time in Sweden, how does it feels to be back?
It feels great! When we played last time it was at… I think Pier Pressure, the festival… And it was a really great festival. We played here once before at Arena and it was amazing.

- What do you expect from the crowd tonight?
Well we played in Gothenburg last night and it was great. It was sold out and everyone was singing along the lyrics so hopefully Stockholm is as good.

- What’s the most rock-star thing you’ve ever done?
We have this award show in Toronto every year and it’s called MuchMusic Video Awards. So every year every band wants to show up on the red carpet with style. They try to do something bigger than previous bands. It’s important in what kind of vehicle you show up in. So every year we try to think of something different and we thought that the best thing ever! We got a full-scale actual World War II sherman tank. It took up the whole street and they brought it down on a truck and we parked it on another street and we came up on the red carpet in this giant tank which is in size of three cars. It was pretty rock-star, haha! I don’t think that anyone will ever top that, we can’t even top that.

- If you could play anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I would like to play in Iceland because I heard so much about it. We have played all over the Scandinavia. We played in Russia, and we are going back there again. Iceland seems like it’s very attached almost of the rest of the world.
When we played with David Grohl, from Foo Fighters, we told me how great it was there. Ever since then I was like “I wanna see it”.

- What is the craziest thing you have seen a fan or fans do?
We were playing and there was a guy in front row. In between songs he was trying to get my attention so I was like “Hey what’s up?” and he goes “I have something to give you” and he took his eyeball out. He had a glass eye but I didn’t know this and he pulled it out. He actually gave it to me because I had my hand out so he putted it in my hand. I held it up and showed it to the crowd.

- Did you gave it back?
Yeah, I gave it back and he putted it right back in. It was really strange, haha!

- What was your favorite album at age fourteen?
1989 or 1990… At that point Nirvana wasn’t out jet… I think my favorite album was The Cult, Electric.

- How do you like to spend downtime on tour?
Usually we like to go out after the show. I like to check up bars after the show and during the day we do all the working in shirt design. I have been working at couple shirt designs and things like that.

- Do you have someone you look up to, an idol?
Tom Waits is one of my idols. I love his lyrics and his music and I have listening to it my hole live pretty much.

- When do you think you’ll know it’s time to retire?
If you are in a band… I guess when you can’t sing anymore or if you can’t play anymore. Or people stop showing up to your shows, haha. Than is time to retire! Or do something else.

- Do you think you will do something else?
I don’t see it in the future. We love what we do and we have really great, solid fans. Our fanbase is amazing. We love touring and writing music so I think I can see myself doing this for a long time but eventually I will probably produce more than play in the band.

- What’s the most embarrassing thing you have ever done on stage?
We were playing in this small club in Germany, years ago, it was an old stage and the wood was not that strong… But we were jumping up and down on stage, playing and when I jumped up I came down on my left foot and it came down through the stage and it went right up to crutch. And I was on the stage like this for the rest of the song. Stuck in the stage… That was funny! But I didn’t hurt myself so I kept playing.

- Do you want to add something?
We will be back in the summer, in Sweden. We’re gonna probably be playing a festival. We are not 100% sure which one jet. But we are definitely coming back.

THIS IS BILLY TALENT:
Benjamin Kowalewicz; lead vocals
Ian D’Sa; lead guitar, vocals
Jonathan Gallant; bass guitar, backing vocals
Aaron Solowoniuk; drums, percussion