smicills

An Interview by Nicki Senger

They call themselves The Smalls but they are going to be big.
Really big. This Edmonton based quartet has been playing
together for the past three years and in that time they have put
out two albums and played extensively throughout Canada and
into the United States. Their music is an infectious blend of
seething guitar work that will welt your inner ear, and drums
that kick your ass right into the tumultuous bass. All of this is
embodied by the gut twisting vocals of Mike Caldwell whose
voice evokes the simultaneous contrast of agony and orgasm.

I was fortunate enough to catch The Smalls during their two
latest Vancouver venues. I had been looking forward to seeing
this group for quite some time and when I walked into The Pit
at U.B.C. [knew why. They gave a heated performance but for
some reason the crowd just did not ignite. There was a small
core of devoted moshers but the rest of the audience was
content to just sit and soak up the driving vibes. It was obvious
that everyone enjoyed the show but the real hard-cores were
most likely at the Faith No More concert that was happening
the same night. Bad timing.

I definitely had a great time and The Smalls played well
enough that I had no reservations about paying eight dollars to
see them again two days later. But before I left U.B.C. I felt I
needed a little something more. I figured an interview might be
nice and so, daring as I was, I approached the guitarist, Dug
Bevans, and asked for an interview. I was caught totally off
guard when he said yes. Now it was time to panic. I had no
pen, paper, or questions, but Dug was very affable and had no
problem bearing with my disorganization. After about twenty
minutes I had a better feel for The Smalls and who they are.

T learned that with this tour The Smalls plan to play all the
major cities across the country at least as far as Montreal.
They chose to play at U.B.C. hoping to appeal to a wider
variety of people. I was interested in knowing what types of
music The Smalls listen to as their own music has such a
diversity of styles. Bevans stated that the band listens
primarily to jazz and country. He also said that their main
musical influence is the British band Venom.

The Smalls’ next album will most likely be out on a major
label. They have had offers but nothing is set in stone as of yet.
Their current album To Each a Zone is out on Cargo records
and they also have an earlier self-titled album that is soon to be
re-released. Watch for that one.

After our chat I mentioned that I would like to do a more
thorough and prepared interview, possibly at their Town Pump
show. Dug obliged me once again and I thanked him pro-
fusely. Then I collected myself and headed home.

Saturday night’s gig was a special late show that did not even
start until after 11:00 p.m.. The openers were Sex with Nixon,
a Vancouver group who had the crowd twitching . Their music
was incredible and almost impossible to classify. It was like a
hardcore stew of the Tragically Hip, the Red Hot Chili Peppers,
Midnight Oil, and the Sex Pistols. They were amazing. Each
band member had enough character to keep Disney studios
busy for the next five years. I felt it was a great warm up for
The Smalls who were gearing up to rock the Pump.

Then something strange happened. Right after Sex with Nixon
about half of the audience disappeared... and they did not come
back. The Smalls took the stage to play an exhilarating set for
the deflated crowd. There was a wee group of mosh patrons

who tried their best to get the audience hyped but it just didn’t
work. The Smalls seemed determined to stay in the game and
play even harder but they just didn’t connect. The group cut
their show short and passed on the encore which prompted
some pretty negative words from some folks who paid more
than their fair share of cover.

I walked on eggshells for a few minutes until Mike Caldwell
and I went downstairs for the interview. Bassist Corby Lund
wandered in and out throughout the conversation.

Nickie: I was talking to Dug and Corby last night and Dug said
that on your next album you are looking for a major label.
Does that mean that you are looking to go mainstream?

Mike: Fuck if I know really. It just seems to be the thing to do.

Nah, I don’t know.

N : Get a bit of money and...

M:No. Actually you get less money that way.

N: Really? Why is that?

M: Because when you do it independently, well what we do, is
we handle all our own reproduction, stuff like that. Most of the
stuff we sell off the stage and so we take all of the profit
basically and take it and turn it around and buy other things.
But when you sell records through the stores, like through a
label, they take all the money and you don’t get anything.
That’s the truth. They give you the money to record and they

give you some money to live but they take everything after that.

N : Then why is it the way to go?

M: Well, because at least that way it’s in the stores and if
people want it they can get it. The biggest problem we have
selling records is that people can’t get them. The record
company we’re dealing with now... it’s difficult for us to get
our records in the stores. You can’t just walk into a store in
Cape Bretton or Mac’s even. They have a bunch of records in
Mac’s these days, right?

N : How is the success level going for you? Is everything
happening at a nice steady pace or is it too slow?

M: Well it seems slow but we’ve been taking a few big jumps
lately and the steps are getting bigger which is kind of scary.
N: So it’s happening?

M: Mmhmm. It’s happening. You just wait and see. (laughs)

N: Your name. Where did you get the name The Smalls?

M: Well we were thinking about a name one day and we came
up with a bunch of really shitty ones and, uh, I don’t know, I
just went up to take a piss or something and when I came back
down I knew the name.

N : Is there anywhere that you really want to play but haven’t
yet?

M: Yeah, Victoria on Monday. (That was January eighteenth.)
N: Did you want to play Harpo’s?

M: Yeah, or anywhere really because I’ve been over there a
bunch of times and actually we went over there once and our
gig was cancelled. We rode the ferry and everything. We took
our gear and shit and it was cancelled when we got there.

N: Why was it cancelled?

M : Itjust happens that way sometimes. Sometimes they fall
apart. It doesn’t happen that way very often. I think that’s the
only one that’s happened that way to us. Just at the last minute.
But actually we had one in Kelowna that was pretty last minute
too.

N : What do you do? You get there and you get cancelled, then
what?

M: You get there and you go “O.K. We’re here.” and they say
“Fuck man, I didn’t know you guys were still coming.” “Well
what do you mean man?” . So anyways it didn’t happen. But
yeah I've been over to Victoria a bunch of times just by myself
and I like it there a lot. It’s a really pretty city. I’ve got friends
over there. And Guelph, Ontario. We want to play there
because we were number one there.

At this point Corby Lund walks in and says,

C : How many times can you hit your head in the same place
over and over?

We discuss the finer points of head-hitting and then move on.

N : How would you classify your music?

M:I don’t know. That’s kind of a hard one, eh?

N: Totally. You have some punk in there, some jazz,
hardcore...

M: And metal. And a little bit of country and western, subtly.

N: You are going to get pretty big. How do you think you are
going to handle everything that goes with that success?

M:: I don’t think I’m going to be able to handle it if it happens
tous. Well I don’t know. I don’t mind speaking with people
and stuff but that’s not the part that’s scary. The part that’s

scary is losing touch with reality. Even now we go from city to
city and a lot of times we just come in the door, do a sound
check and leave. Then we come back and there’s like four or
five hundred people there that we’ve never seen before.

What’s this all about really? You know what I mean? Because
so far we’ ve taken little steps, we started in Edmonton and
there was nobody there, and then there was some people, and
then there was a little more people. So we expect it. When you
just walk into some place you’ ve never been before in Ontario
or Saskatchewan or whatever and...

N: Yay(.) The Smalls(.)

M: Yah. It’s good but it’s a little... you know.

N: What? Almost intimidating?

M: Well not intimidating. It’s a little unreal. You can’t really
touch it.

N : What happens if you come to a place with high expectations
and it doesn’t turn out right, like tonight?

M : I don’t know what happened tonight. Our agent set up the
show and there was nothing wrong with it but he was really big
on the show and he’s really into us. He wanted this to be a big
show for us. So I’m not really sure we were ready for it but he
thought we were.

N : How did you feel about the U.B.C. show?

M: It was pretty good but out of all the college shows that
we’ ve played so far it’s been the lamest. They’ ve all been a lot
bigger than that.

N (to Corby): Are you psyched to play Victoria too?

C: Yep. Sure. We went there once for a gig and it was
cancelled so it turned into a vacation. Ozzy says that out of
five shows you have ... you know Ozzy right? Osbourne? He
says that out of five shows you get one good one, one shitty
one, and three that are sort of all right.

N : Was this your shit one?

M : I didn’t think it was a shit one at all.

C: I think we played O.K.

N: Definitely. You played well but the crowd...

C: Well, the crowd didn’t suck either. Any time an entertainer
goes on stage and it doesn’t go over well you can’t blame the
crowd.

N : Then who is to blame?

C: There’s no one to blame. It’s just a lack of familiarity and
some random factors. You get a bad show once in a while.

N: Well, I’m all out of questions. Do you guys have anything
else you want to say?

M: Tell people that if they want to get the records in the stores
they have to order it through Cargo.

N : I got To Each A Zone at A&B Sound.

M &C: Oh, really?

M: Most of the time if it’s not on the shelf you have to go up to
the person at the desk and say “How about The Smalls? Can
you get them? They’re on Cargo.” and then they say “O.K.”.

This concludes my piece on The Smalls and what can I say? If
you can see them, go. If you can get their albums, do it. And
in the words of The Smalls, “Never stop this feeling. Never
stop this feeling...”

‘An Interview by Nicki Senger

‘They call themselves The Smalls but they are going tobe bg.
Really bg. This Edmonton based quartet has been playing
together forthe past three years and in that ime they have put
‘ut two albums and played extensively throughout Canada and
{nto the United States. Their musi is an infectious blend of
seething guitar work that will welt your iner ear, and drums
that kick your ass right into the tumultuous bass. All ofthis is
‘embodied by the gut twisting vocals of Mike Caldwell whose
vice evokes the simultaneous contrast of agony and orgasm.

{Iwas fortunate enough to catch The Smalls during their wo
latest Vancouver venus. I had been looking forward to seeing
this group for quite some time and when I walked into The Pit
at UB.C. Tknew why. They gave a heated performance but for
some reason the crowd ust didnot ignite. There was small
‘core of devoted mosbers but the rest of the audience was
‘content to just stand soak up the driving vibes. It was obvious
that everyone enjoyed the show but the eal hard-cores were
‘most likely at the Faith No More concert that was happening,
the same night. Bad timing

| defintely bad great time and The Smalls played well
enough that I had no reservation about paying eight dollars to
see them again two days later. But before left UBC. [felt
needed a litle something more. I figured an interview might be
nice and so, daring as I was, approached the guitarist, Dug
evans, and asked for an interview. Iwas caught totally off
‘guard when be sid yes. Now it was time to pani, Thad no
en, paper, or questions, but Dug was very affable and had no
problem bearing with my disorganization. After about twenty
‘minutes Thad a better fel for The Smalls and who they are.

‘eared that with this tour The Smalls plan to play all the
major cities across the county atleast as far as Montreal
They chose o play at UB.C. hoping to appeal to a wider
variety of peopl. I was interested in knowing what types of
muse The Smalls listen to as their own music has such a
diversity of styles. Bevans stated that the band listens
primarily to jazz and county. He also said tha their main
‘musical influence isthe British band Venom,

‘The Smalls’ next album will most likely be out on a major
label. They have had offers but nothing i set in stone a8 of yet.
‘Their curent album To Each a Zone is out on Cargo records
and they also have an earlier selftitled album that i son to be
re-released. Watch for that one

‘After our chat I mentioned that would like to doa more
thorough and prepared interview, possibly at their Town Pump
show. Dug obliged me once again and I thanked him pro-
fusely. Then I collected myself and headed home.

Saturday night's sig was a special late show that did not even
start until after 11:00 pam... The openers were Sex with Nixon,
a Vancouver group who had the crowd twitching . Their music
was incredible and almost impossible to classify. It was ike a
hardcore stew of the Tragically Hip, the Red Hot Chili Peppers,
Midnight Oi, and the Sex Pistols. They were amazing. Each
band member had enough character to keep Disney studios

busy for the next five years. [feltit was a great warm up for
‘The Smalls who were gearing up to reck the Pump.

‘Then something strange happened. Right after Sex with Nixon
about half ofthe audience disappeared..and they didnot come
back. The Small took the stage to play an exhilarating set for
the deflated crowd. There was a wee group of mosh patrons

‘who tied thir best to get the audience hyped butt just didn't
work. The Smalls seemed determined to stay in the game and
play even harder bu they just didn't connect. The group cut
their show short and passed on the encore which prompted
some prety negative words from some folks who paid more
‘than ther fie share of cover.

[walked on eggsbells fora few minutes until Mike Caldwell
and I went downstairs forthe interview. Bassist Corby Lund
wandered in and out throughout the conversation.

Nickie: I was talking to Dug and Corby lastnight and Dug said
that on your next album you are looking for a major label
Does that mean that you are looking to go mainstream?

Mike: Fuck if now really. Itjust seems to be the thin todo.
Nab, don't know.

N:Getabit of money and

M:No. Actually you get less money that ws
N: Really? Why is that?

M: Because when you do it independently, well what we do, is
‘we bandle all our own reproduction, stuff lke that. Most ofthe
stuff we selloff the stage and so we take all ofthe profit
basically and take it and tum it round and buy other things
But when you sell ecords through the stores, lke through a
label, they take all the money and you don't get anything.
‘Thats the truth. They give you the money to record and they
ive you some money to live but they take everything aftr that
N: Then why ist the way to go?

(M: Wel, because atleast that way its inthe stores and if
people want it they can get it, The biggest problem we have
selling records is that people can't get them. The record
‘company we're dealing with now... difficult for us to get
‘our records inthe stores. You can't just walk into store in
Cape Bretton or Mac's even. They have a bunch of records in
‘Mac's these days, right?

N: How isthe success level going for you? Is everything
happening ta nice steady pace or is it oo slow?

M: Wellit seems slow but we've been taking afew big jumps
lately andthe steps ae getting bigger which is kind of scary

Ni: Soiits happening?

M:Mmbmm. It’s happening. You just wait and see. (laughs)

N: Your name, Where did you get the name The Smalls?
M: Well we were thinking about a name one day and we came
‘up with a bunch of really shitty ones and, ub, I don’t know, 1
just went up to take a piss or something and when T came back
down Fknew the name,

IN: Is there anywhere that you really want to play but haven't
yet?

'M: Yeah, Victoria on Monday. (That was January eighteenth.)
N: Did you want to play Harpo's?

M: Yeah, or anywhere really because I've been over there a
bunch of times and actually we went over there once and our
ig was cancelled. We rode the fery and everything. We took
‘ur gear and shit and it was cancelled when we got there

N: Why was it cancelled?

M:Itjust happens that way sometimes. Sometimes they fall
spar. Itdoesn’thappen that way very often. I thnk that's the
only one that's happened that way tous. Jus atte Ist minute,
But actually we had one in Kelowna that was prety last minute
N: What do you do? You get there and you get cancelled, then
what?

M: You get there and you go “O.K. We're here” and they say
“Fuck man, [didn't now you guys were still coming." “Well
what do you mean man?” . So anyways it didn't happen, But
yeah IVe been over to Victoria a bunch of times just by myself
and Ike it there a Tot. It's realy prety city. I've go friends
over there. And Guelpb, Ontario. We want o play there
because we were number one ther.

Al this point Corby Lund walks in and says,

‘C: How many times ean you hit your head inthe same place
‘over and over?

We discuss the finer points of head-hiting and then move on.

N: How would you lasify your music?
M:Tdon'tknow. That's kind of a bard one, i?

IN: Totally. You have some punk in there, some jazz,
hardcore.

M: And metal. And lite bit of country and westem, subtly

N= You are going to get pretty big. How do you think you are
going to handle everything that goes with tht success?

MT don't think I'm going tobe able to handle it it happens
tous. Well I don't know. I don't mind speaking with people
and stuff but thats not the part that’s scary. The art that's

scary is losing touch with reality. Even now we go from city 0
city and alot of times we just come in the door, do a sound
check and leave. Then we come back and there's like four or
five hundred people there that we've never seen before.
‘What's this all about really? You know what mean? Because
so far we've taken litle steps, we stared in Edmonton and
there was nobody there, and then there was some people, and
then there was a litle more people. So we expect it. When you
{just walk into some place you've never been before in Ontario
‘or Saskatchewan or whatever and.

N: Yay() The Smalls.)

M: Yah. It’s good but it’ litle... you know.

N: What? Almost intimidating?

‘M: Well not intimidating. I's litle unreal. You can't really
touch it

1N: What happens if you come to place with high expectations
‘and it doesn’t turn out righ, lke tonight?

M: I don'tknow what happened tonight. Our agent setup the
show and there was nothing wrong with t but he was really big
‘onthe show and he's really into us. He wanted this to bea big
show forus. So I'm not really sure we were ready fort but he
thought we were.

N: How did you fel about the U.B.C. show?
IM: Ikwas prety good but out of al the college shows that
we've played so far it's been the lamest. They've all been alt
bigger than that.

(to Corby): Are you psyched to play Vicora too?
C: Yep. Sure. We went there once for gig and it was
cancelled so it tured into a vacation. Ozzy says that out of
five shows you have... you know Ozzy right? Osboume? He
says that out of five shows you get one good one, one shitty
one, and three that ar sort of allright.

N: Was this your shit one?

1M: I did't think it was a shit one at all

CT think we played O.K.

N: Definitely. You played well but the crowd.

(C: Wel the crowd dida’t suck either. Any time an entertainer
0s on stage and it doesn't go over well you can't blame the
crowd.

IN: Then who is to blame?

(C: There's no one to blame, It's just a lack of familiarity and
some random factors. You get a bad show once in a while.

N: Wel, 'm all out of questions. Do you guys have anything
cle you want to say?

'M: Tell people that if they want to get the records in the stores
they have to order it through Cargo.

N:I got To Each A Zone at A&B Sound

M&C: Ob, really?

'M: Mos of the time if t's not on the shelf you have to go up to
the person atthe desk and say “How about The Smalls? Can
you get them? They're on Cargo." and then they say “OK.

‘This concludes my piece on The Smalls and what can Tsay? If
youtean see them, go. Ifyou can get ther albums, do it. And
in the words of The Smalls, "Never stop this feling. Never

stop this feling,