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Call & Response: The Bicycles


Toronto indie pop sensations The Bicycles have a very playful night in store for us this Friday night at the Tranzac Club. They will be releasing an interactive DVD board game that they will play with the audience.

Sound like fun? Wait until you read the playful interview I had with drummer Dana Snell. We talked about the game, the origin of their name, and Clint Eastwood.

Keep reading for all the fun.

blogTO: Why are you called The Bicycles?

Dana Snell: Well at first the band was a two-piece, just Matt and Drew, so I think it was like they were the two wheels. But once I heard Matt say in an interview that it was because "music is a vehicle". This is just heresay though.

Who came up with the title The Good The Bad and The Cuddly for your debut record? Has Clint Eastwood received a copy yet?

I believe Matt came up with it. Clint Eastwood has a copy and he was so impressed by it's positive message of peace that he threw all his guns in the sea. Now when he says "from my cold dead hands" he's actually referring to the Bicycles album.

Your record has been out for a while now and you've got a bunch of cool shows coming up. Can we expect any new songs in your upcoming sets?

You'd be shocked and appalled by how many new songs we play in our set. It's actually quite indecent. It may, in fact, be all new songs and then two old songs. But luckily everyone is very indulgent, and the new songs seem to be going over great.

Are you the first band that you know of with a DVD board game like this or did another band inspire you to make a game like this?

Hell yes, we are the first band. In fact, this may be the first interactive DVD board game of any kind. The only ones we know of are on VHS.

Could you tell us a bit about your game?

The game is called The Bicycles Interactive DVD Board Game. Catchy, no? The object is to get the Bicycles to a gig, and on the way you must meet the challenges and overcome the obstacles of any band on their way to a gig. You must rent a van, sign a contract, promote the show, take a shower, etc. Also if you don't make it to the gig on time, The Bicycles rivals The Motorcycles will get the gig. Noooooo! Interesting facts are that The Bicycles act, and that the whole thing was done with the partnership of comedians Inessa Frantowski and Holly Prazoff.

Where can people buy/check this game out?

Come to the Tranzac August 10 and we'll all play the game together! Otherwise it'll be in stores around town.

Any exciting stuff coming up on the horizon for you folks?

We're going back into the studio in August to record our second album. It will be awesome. This I promise you.

Call & Response is a weekly series of Q&A's with bands/artists from or playing in Toronto.


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