You Say Party! We Say Die! Interview: SXSW 2010

Like so many young adults in small towns, the members of You Say Party! We Say Die! had little else to do with their time other than ride around in their bike gang and rock out in their parents basement when the weather was uncooperative. Well, thank god for rainy days because without them, the New Wave-inspired band may have never formed. YSP!WSD! is currently enjoying great success as they have recently performed at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and are signed to three labels, Paper Bag Records (North America), Fierce Panda Records (UK), and the venerable [PIAS] Recordings (rest of Europe).

How would you describe your sound?

I hate being labeled and pinned down. We are always evolving and changing, but you could say that we are definitely inspired by '80s New Wave but we have our own sound too.

What are your musical influences?

They're all over the map. Anything from Paula Abdul to Depeche Mode. It's all over the place. There's a lot of music we all connect on like New Order, OMD, Section 25, a lot of rare/obscure stuff. Our friends are always introducing us to more music and we're constantly collecting cassette tapes and vinyl.

How did the band form?

We were just a bunch of friends and we didn't have much to do in our hometown of Abbotsford, B.C., but we all had bicycles. We'd bike all over and find cool rooftops, alleyways and other places to hang out to find fun for ourselves. There wasn't much night life there. As winter came along, it started getting cold and rainy, so we decided to play music together in our parents basement, so that's how it all began back in 2006.

Where does the name of the band come from?

It was one of our songs. We liked the idea of breaking through the ' too cool' attitude that would show up at shows. We liked to engage people with call and response, to make people feel connected. We didn't want the crowd to feel so separate from the stage and the band, so we had this song where we would call out "You say party!" and the crowd would say, "You say die!" We really wanted to break through all the barriers and make the show into a fun party, and the name stuck. We usually play the song last.

How do you find your sound has changed over time?

I think when we started off we were just a bunch of friends wanting to have fun together and we didn't take the process very seriously. The whole studio experience was so brand new when we started so the sound was so raw on the first album. The energy was so youthful and unaffected by experiences on the road -- we were just a bunch of kids making music together. Over time we created other work in the midst of touring and got caught up with life on the road. This new album is about really finding ourselves and finding a connection between our hearts and ourselves. I think we really developed our sound to where we want to be. It's definitely been a process for us. Like anything in life, we've been learning, failing, learning, and once in a while, something clicks and you keep it and move on.

What is your inspiration for your lyrics?

Their inspiration comes from all over the place. I write from my experiences -- sometimes it's personal; sometimes it's more of a reaction to something I'm seeing out in the world on a socio-political level. Other times it's just pure emotion, releases, or truths that I've discovered along the way. Sometimes a song can be about something that I've discovered; something I revere, something greater, and I want it to come out without my personality or parts of me getting in the way. A lot of times I write from a stream of consciousness as I try to find the truth that lies within it.

What's in your festival survival kit?

I'm like a natural walking pharmacy. B-complexes, herbal supplements, hot teas and water are key. They're essential to fighting all the climate changes and travel fatigue. I try to find nutritious food, and we shop at a lot of grocery stores to make sure that we are getting real food surrounded by a world of the fake stuff. Slippery elm is amazing and salt for gargling whenever you feel a burning throat coming on. I always like to bring calming essential oils like lavender or rosemary. When you feel the tension rising in the van you can just open up your van to ease the tension. It's a little magic trick I use.

Do you have any vices?

I think everyone has at least one vice, but that's all I have to say about that!

Do you have any musical guilty pleasures?

Beyonce. She's so powerful! I can't believe she's only my age. I come up to her hip!

Does being shorter work for you on stage?

Yes and no. It does make it easier for me to jump into the crowd!

What is the craziest thing you've seen on tour?

I saved a woman from drowning while on tour in Italy by the beach. It happened before we were going to play, we were enjoying a glass of wine watching the waves and all of a sudden we heard a woman yelling from the water. I ran over and pulled her out but she didn't speak any English, or Italian. She ended up watching our show wrapped in a blanket. It turned into a pretty good night.