Photo credit Sylvia McFadden

The Vancouver Folk Music Festival is right around the corner (July 16th-18) and Scout wanted to get a feel for some of the amazing talent would be hitting the stage this year. We spent some time hitting some of the talent’s myspace pages for the best in show and came up with a few favourites, like Fish & Bird. As their website says: “The music of Fish & Bird is rooted in an authentic love for folk music, but it’s a tough love that doesn’t stop them from showing the genre a little abuse.” Right on.

We tracked down Taylor Ashton (lead vocals, banjo) for this Q&A, the first of hopefully three in the run up to the Festival. Taylor has recently become a full-time traveling hobo but he did grow up in Vancouver and still ends up here quite a lot. You can catch his band at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival this coming weekend. Check the Folk Fest website for all the details.

Scout Q&A

Favourite Vancouver bridge: Lion’s Gate – there is a path that loops underneath it on the Stanley Park side where you can climb up and sit on the beams and listen to the huge sound of the cars driving above you.

Best Vancouver park: Stanley Park is an amazing place to spend a day on a bicycle.

A secret about musicians that not many people know: It can be a real job!

Best concert experience ever: Radiohead at Thunderbird stadium, this last time and the time before.

Default drink: Gin & Tonic.

Drink you’ll never have again: I keep telling myself I’ll never buy Bowen Island lager again.

Canadian political figure you most relate to: Niki Ashton, MP for the Churchill riding in Manitoba.  She is my cousin and she takes me out for dinner at the Parliamentary restaurant when I pass through Ottawa.

Favourite place to see live music: In old churches!

Cheap place for dinner: Britannia Sushi

Book you’re reading: Mr. Sandman – Barbara Gowdy

Last place traveled: I am always traveling.

One thing that always makes you feel like a kid: Playing music!

Tell us about your roots: I spent my entire childhood drawing and always thought I would pursue it as a career.

Best movie ever: Alone in the Wilderness.

Three things that you always take in your carry-on: a pen, a book, and inevitably something sharp and metal that I forgot about that airport security ends up having to confiscate.

Dumbest purchase ever: Sweet & Sour Pork.

What are you most proud of: Having managed to surround myself with a lot of amazing and talented people.

The thing that makes you the angriest: The song dueling banjos.

The view from your favourite window: The front window of the Solstice Cafe in Victoria looks across the street to the facade of an old building which is otherwise burnt down.  So the view is through the Solstice Cafe window but also through the windows of the empty facade.

Talent you wish you possessed: Swing dancing.  I wish we could all swing dance.

The trend you wish you never followed, but did: For too long I participated in the trend of not wearing the kind of sunglasses that fit over your regular glasses.  Recently I have succumbed to the practicality of them and also the risk that I may appear senile.

Musical instrument you long to master: Viola.

Sport you gave up: Disc Golf.  I have trophies from tournaments but haven’t played in ages.

Best place to dance: Close to the stage so you can gesture appreciatively at the musicians.

The game you’re best at: There is a variation on the card game Cheat called Spanish Cheat which I have recently gotten into.

Favourite book as a child: Hitch-hiker’s guide to the galaxy.

Three things of no monetary value that you will keep until you die: It’s technically four things, but I still have my wisdom teeth in a little box.

Best way to cure insomnia: An ounce or so of fine scotch whiskey.  I am a fan of Laphroaig.

Best garage sale score: I come by things second hand a lot – thrift stores, pawn shops, vintage stores, from friends and family, etc – but I haven’t done the old drive around to a bunch of garage sales thing in a long time.  I had a garage sale jacket that I got for a dollar which I wore for a lot of highschool.

A trick you’re proud of: I can do pretty good imitations.

Town you were born in: Calgary, AB.

Old television shows you can tolerate re-runs of: Twin Peaks!  However, I don’t really tend to watch TV on actual televisions.

First memory: Looking up at the universe late at night from the side of the highway between Winnipeg and Thompson, Manitoba.

Album that first made you love music: My dad was in a Theatre Under The Stars production of Jesus Christ Superstar when I was a kid, and so we ended up listening to that soundtrack a lot while he was rehearsing.  I think the fact that he was getting on stage singing the songs opened my mind to the idea of singing and performing, and I used to sing along to that whole album in my room.  Probably still could!  One day I hope I can play Ciaphas, or maybe Pilate.

What are you listening to as you answer these questions: Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run.

Best advice you ever received: When I was first starting to play guitar, somebody told me to not stop moving my right hand while I was struggling to change chords with my left.

The career path you considered but never followed: Architect.

Thing you miss most about home when you’re on the road: It gets a little rough not being able to spontaneously call a friend and have them over for dinner or something.

The thing you’re addicted to: my morning cup of hot black coffee.

Biggest hope: To have my songs played around campfires.

Three websites you visit every day: boingboing.com, xkcd.com, and ye olde facebook.

Luckiest moment of your life: Hard to pick!  I get by on luck.

MORE INTERESTING VANCOUVERITES