POST-MODERN YOUTH: “Il was bom in 1961 and my entire memory of the sixties is one great big Brady Bunch or Beverly Hil billy re-run (with the odd nebulous vision of Walter Cronkite describing a sit-in as well)” FOUND OBJECT SCULPTURE: Cheaper than xeroxing and you get an extra dimension thrown in- three for the price of two-a bargain at twice the price. Planet of the Arts Volume 7 Issue 6 page 8 GENERATION "The best, if not most original, book of 1991" -Planet of the Arts “His hair was totally 1950’s Paris Hemingway starving boxer. You know—that basic sort of cut— he’ll write his way out of stereotyping soon. Like anybody, he looks thinner than in his photographs— that photo-image psychosis factor. He was dressed intotal author garb—you know—justa sweater and pants. Sure, it was cool to meet him. But he’s really just another person.” ANDREW, 27 “He just sounds so horrible. It sounds like he’s just given up hope for his age group and everything around it.” DIANE, 48 Back in the early 1980s, when he was twenty years old, Doug Coupland spent every penny he had earned spot welding Mercedes Benz’s in Germany to travel across Burrard Inlet on a West Vancouver blue bus and attend the brand new Emily Carr College of Artand Design. He must have made a strange sight at his young age, being pencil thin and purely suburban, quietly crossing the Concourse alone, watching amazedly the punks and the artistes. A decade later his feelings were purely ambivalent as he sat in his rented bungalow in Palm Springs, California, and began to scroll out the long and windy sentences which would eventually become his first novel, Generation X. It’s been a year since that book first entered stores in North America. Since then the growth rate of its fame and popularity has been phenomenal. The book recently reached number one on the B.C. Bestseller List. But Doug Coupland is sick of it. : “What’s your editorial direction for this interview?” Coupland asked me when we first spoke on the phone. “I’ve just come off of ten months of Generation X.” Sensing the politics of the situation | brashly replied: “Why, your experiences at Emily Carr, of course!” And he fell for it. On the afternoon of the appointed date | arrived at Coupland’s West End apartment block half an hour early. I spent the extra time pacing up and down the sidewalk, trying to keep my blood running lest | faint from nervousness. At 4:30 precisely I buzzed Coupland’s apartment and whispered the code word we had agreed on into the intercom. The door buzzed open and I entered the foyer. I took the elevator two floors up, walked down the stairs to the basement and then got on the elevator to go up again. Coupland had instructed me to do this so as to lose anyone who may have been tailing me (he has become a media-phobic). Once at the door I guessed must be Coupland’s I gave the secret knock. He knocked a reply and then I knocked again. The yellow door, after a long silence, opened. “Hi, I’m Doug,” he said. “C’mon in. Do you want some coffee?” All about his sparse apartment were littered the white pieces of an installation he had done for the Vancouver Art Gallery in 1987. On the wall was a piece by Derek Root. We sat in cushionless leather chairs less comfortable than the bucket seats of a car and drank coffee out of bowl-sized cups. Topping a pile of books on his coffee table was Nuclear Landscapes. Looking around I noticed the only mess in the apartment centred around Doug’s telephone and the Macintosh computer on his desk. [also sensed that the room lacked a certain something...a tv. “Yeah, y'know, you watch CNN for five minutes and—BZZT—1wo hours is gone.” Doug explained. “It’s just so tempting. Here, I have dead space and I'll. do something—’ do’ being the key word. If [hada tv...oh, it’d be Sally Jesse Raphael or something.” He stopped to screw the cap off of a bottle of Clearly Canadian mineral water, then continued:”'I read three papers a day. [read the Enquirer, the Mirror, and the New York Times. | read everything. I never did have a tv because I knew that if I had a tv I wouldn’t have a life.” “Yeah, this is definitely a low-tech place, besides the computer.” I said. “Oh...yeah. I still write long hand. Then I input second drafts into the computer.” ‘Ah! A true writer!’ | thought. — “Why did you go to Emily Carr?” | asked. There was a long pause as he sipped his water. “Hmmm. Well, it was sort of an accident—it really was. After | graduated from high school I was one of those kids who had been in the Physics Olympics. You know, where you'd build bridges out of spaghetti and that sort of thing? “So I did a year of Physics at McGill University in Montreal and...uh...didn’t like it. | had arranged a summer job in Europe as a spot welder in a Mercedes-Benz factory— (strange but true). I was back in Vancouver for a week between McGill and Germany and knew I had no intention of going back to Montreal. This is when you’re young and don’t even think about shit like that. I had no idea what I was going to do. “One day I was over at, well, it used to be called ‘Casper’s’; now I think it’s just a Pharmasave in Edgemont Village.” “In North Vancouver?” “Yeah. And I bumped into my old Art teacher from high school.” “What high school?” “Sentinel. He said:’Oh! Doug! Today’ s the day that they’ ve just opened up that new Art school! I believe today’ s the day they’ re taking applications. Youshould give themaring.’ And so I phoned them up and they said: “Actually, we’ re doing first year interviews this afternoon.’ So I called my friend Dean, because I didn’t have a car, and got together those horrible things—you know those embarassing things you do in high school? And we went down. “Tt was Sylvia Scott and Gary Lee-Nova...they did the interview and said ‘you're in’. So I came back. This all happened within hours. “T waited until the day before J left for Europe to say to my parents: “Oh, by the way, I'm going toArt school when! get back’. Mom was thrilled because my brothers were getting kind of...Dad was horrified because I was supposed to be the Physicist. “What would have happened if you hadn’t gone to Emily Carr? Would you still be spot welding for Mercedes-Benz?” I asked. “Td be a lot unhappier.” Doug replied, biting a tiny flake of chocolate from a stick of Kit-Kat. He reached over and switched on a near-by floor lamp and the room turned yellow. “I think everyone should go to Art school. There’s a certain attitude that says you think you know a lot about Art when you go to Art school and you’re young; bul you basically know fuck-all. You just know nothing, you really don’t. It’s this whole weird arrogance of youth that, in one sense, you have to be de-programmed of. That’s what Foundation is really important in doing. “T mean, you can have a good brain and you can have...good intentions and a good heart and everything, but basically you're coming from the suburbs. And you were fed, sort of, the Province and morning colour cartoons. That’s you’re history but it’s not enough to structure your thinking properly. “Lremember hating Susan Hillman because she was really brutal about telling this stuff. I mean, I love her now. | was angry at everyone that first semester. All the Foundation teachers, Wertschek and Sam, I mean, they’re friends now for the rest of your life. Here it is twelve years later and | still see them all the time.” “Were you into Art in high school?” : “Art was just something I took.” Doug replied, shifting in his seat. “It was just like ‘OA, I lltake Art’.” He sat back and thought a moment. “Life has certainly been a lot of falling forward. In retrospect, just because | didn’t like English in high school, or didn’t do well atit, doesn’t mean I didn’t like writing itself. There are stacks of letters I’ve written, some of which (aside from grammar or spelling) I could have written yesterday.” “How did you get into Writing as a profession, then? Was it intentional?” I asked and emptied my now-cold bowl of coffee. “Well, every few years Pacific Press goes on strike. When they do, the local ‘ads’ papers like North Shore News and the Vancouver Courier clean up because they pick up the ads that would go in the Sun. So in 1987 a group of very cynical investors had put together this paper called the West Side Week which went in place over down near CKVU. “They hired Don Stanley who used to be at Vancouver magazine; and then they had to fill it with as much of the cheapest, cheapest, cheapest writing they could possibly have. “So they phoned me up and said: ‘Well, you know: you went to Art school’ : And I go: ‘UA, yeah’ ‘And my wife saw a postcard you wrote to a friend and it was really funny’ And I go: ‘OA, thanks’ : ‘Would you like to write about Art for us?’ POST-MODERN YOUTH “Lwas bom in 1961 and my entire memory of the sixties is one great big Brady Bunch or Beverly Hill billy re-run (with the odd nebulous vision of Walter Cronkite describing a si well)” FOUND OBJECT SCULPTURE: Cheaper than xeroxing and you get an extra dimension thrown in- three for the price of two-a bargain at twice the price. Planet of the Arts Volume 7 Issue 6 page 8 GENERATION “The best, if not most original, book of 1991" Planet of the Arts “His hair was totally 1950s Pars Hemingway strvngboxcr. Youknow—tat base sono cu— ‘ell wrt is way out of stereotyping soon Like anybody heloksthinerthan ins photograps— that photo-image psychosis factor He was cessed into author garb—youknow—justasweater and pas. Sure, it was ool to meet him, Buthe'rclly jst another person” ANDREW, 27 “He jus sounds so horrible sound ike e's js given up hope fo his age group and everthing around i.” DIANE, 48 Backinthe carly 1980s, when he wastwenty years ol, Doug Coupland spent evry penny he had eamed spt welding Mercedes Ben's in Geomany to travel across Burra inlet ona West Vancouver blue bs and attend the brand new Emily Cart Collegeof Artand Design. Hemusthave made astrange sight athis youngage, being enc thin and purely suburban, uily crossing the Concourse alone, watching amaze the punks andthe arises. ‘A decade lates feelings were purly ambivalent ashe st inhi rented bungalow in Palm Springs, California, and began to scroll out the lng and windy sentences ‘which would eventually become hs fist novel, Generation X. seen a year sinosthat boo ist entered sioesin North America. Since then the govt ate ofits fame and popularity hasbeen phenomenal. The book recently reached mamber one on the B.C Bestseller List, But Doug Coupland issick fi “What's our editorial rection fr this interview?” Coupland asked me when we first spoke on the phone “I've just come off often months of Generation X.” Sensing the pits ofthe siuation {rash replied:"Why, your experiences at Emily Cat, cof couse!” And heel for it ‘Onihe afternoon ofthe appointed date arrived t Couplan’s West End apartment blockhalfanhour aly. [spenthe extra time pacing pad downthe sidewalk, ying tw keep my blood running lest | faint from nervousness. A 4:30 precisely | buzzed Coupland’ apartment and whispered the code word we had agreed on ito the imercom, The dor buzzed open and I entered the foyer took the levatortwo floors up, walked down be stairs to the basement and then gotontheclevatoeto go up again. Coupland had instructed metodo this soastolose anyone who may have been ling me (he as become a mediaphobic). Once atthe oor guesed must be Coupland’ I gave the sere nock, He knocked aeply and then knocked again. The yellow door, after a lon silence, opened “Hi I'm Doug,” he said. “C'mon in. Do you want some coffe?” ‘Allabout is sparse aparment were lite the white pieces ofan installation he tad doe fo the Vancouver Art Gallery in 1987. One wall wasa piece by Derek Root. We sat in cushions leather chairs ss comforable than the bucket seas of _tcarand dank coffee out of bow-sized cups. Toping ail of books on is cofee table was Nuclear Landseapes. Looking around I noticed the only mes in the apartment erred around Doug's telephone andthe Macintosh computer onbisdes Taso sensed thatthe om lacked a certain something. “Yeah, y'know, you watch CNN for five mintes and—B2ZT—wo hous is gone.” Doug explained. “It's just so tempting Here, have dead space and I'll do Something—'do being the key word I hada. it dbe Sally Jesse Raphael or Something” He stoppedio screw the cap off of bot of Clearly Canaan mineral ate then continued”Ireadthrepapesaday.Ieadthe Enquire, the Mirror and the New York Times. read everthing. Inver did havea tv because | knew that if had atv [ wouldnthavea if” “Yeah, hiss definitely a low-tech place, besides the computer.” sid “Oh. yeah [still wite log hand. Then {input second dats into the compute.””AK! ‘true writer!" Vought. “Why did you goto Emily Car? asked. There wa along pause ashe sipped his water. “Hmmm. Well, it was Sr ofan acident—it really was, After | graduated from high school I was one of those kids who had ben inthe Physics Olympics. Youknow, where you'd build bridges out of spphet and that ort of hing? “So di a year of Physis at McGil University in Montreal and...’ ike it. 1 tad arranged summer job in Europe as a pot welder in a Mercedes-Benz facton— (range but tr). wastack in Vancouver for aweck between McGill and Germany and ‘new Ihad no intention of going back to Monreal. hiss when you'e young and don't ven think about shit ike tha. had noida what was going to do. “One day Iwas over a, wel it used tobe called "Caspers now [think it's just a Pharmasave in Edgemont Village.” “In North Vancouver?” “Yeah. And [bumped into my od At caches rom hgh schoo.” “What high school” “Sentinel. He suid Ok! Doug! Today’ the day thal they've just opened up that new Ar schoo! believe day’ sthe ay they retaking applications. Youshoudgvethema ring.” ‘And so phoned them upand they said: Actually, we're doing fis year interviews this ‘fernoon So alld my rend Dean, because din’ havea ca, and gt ogee those hori things—you know those embarassing things you do in hgh schoo? And we went twas Syva Scot and Gary Lee-Nova they did the imterview and said “you're in’ ‘So I came back. Tis ll happened within hours “waited until he day before for Europe say tomy parents: ‘Oh, bythe wey,’ {going toArtschol when! get back’. Mom wasted because my bothers were geting kind of..Dad was horrified because I wa suposed tobe the Physicist. “What wouldve happened if youhadn’t gone to Emily Car? Would youstil be spot ‘welding for Mercedes-Benz?” I asked dba lot unappie.” Dug replied, biting any Dake of chocolat rom a sick of KitKat. He eached over and switched on a near-by Noo lamp andthe room tuned yellow. “thnk everyone should goto Ant school. Thee’ certain atte that says you think you know alt about Art when you go o At school and you're young; bu you ‘ically know fck al. You jut no nothing, you relly don’. I's this whole wed arogance of youth that, in one sense, you have tobe de-programmed of. That's what Foundations really important in doing, “Imean, you cnhave a good brain and you can have..goo intentions anda goodheart and eveything but basicly you're coming from the suburbs. And you wee fd, sort of, the Province and morning colour cartoons. That's you're history bts not enough to structure you thinking prope. “Lremember hating Susan Hillman because she was really but about ling thst ‘mean, Love her now. Iwas angry at everyone tat first semester, Al the Foundation teachers, Wenscck and Sam, I mean, they're friends now forthe res of your life. Here itistwelve yer later and sl e them al he ime” “Were you ino Artin high schoo “An was just something | tok.” Doug replied siting in his sea.“ wasjust ike "Oh, ‘Wake Art” Hesatback and thooght moment. “Lifeha cenainly been aloof ling forward In erospet, jus because | did ike English in high school o did't do wel it, doesn’ mean did lik writing itself There are stacks fleuesI've writen, some ‘of which (aside from grammar or peltng) I coud have writen yesterday.” “How di you gt into Writing sa profesion, then? Was it intentionl?” L asked and emptied my now-cld bow! of coffee. “Well every few years Pacific res goes onstike, When they do the local ad papes like North Shore News andthe Vancouver Courier cleanup because the pick up the adsthat would goin the Sun Soin 1987 a groupof very cynical investorshadputogciher this pape called the WestSide Week which went in place over down nea CKVU. “They hired Don Stanly who used to beat Vancouver magazine; and hen they had to fillt with asmuch ofthe cheaes, cheapest, cheapest writing they cold posibly have. “Sothey phoned me up and sid ‘Well you now: you went to At schoo! ‘And | go:'Uh, yeah" “And my wife saw a postcard you wrote ta find and it was really funny’ And go: ‘Oh thas “Would you ike 1 write about Art for us?”