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Dan Mangan On Petting Kittens And Destroying At Foosball…

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We are totally digging Dan Mangan. The local musician has just released his second album, Nice, Nice, Very Nice (a follow up the 2005 release of Postcards and Daydreaming). It’s been on heavy rotation here in the office since we picked it up last month – a very welcome, mellow foil to the annual autumnal surge of old punk (a little too much Minor Threat already this September). From his official bio: “Mangan weaves unique lyrical phrases that you feel you must always have known, He delivers them with his signature graveled vocals and understated humour. He doesn’t lean on ironic instruments or gimmicks. Somehow, it all just works. Dan stands up and people get quiet. They listen. More and more people all the time.” Yup. Once you’ve breezed through the following interview with Dan, be sure to visit his website to hear some of his newest tunes.

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Scout Q&A

Three things about the South Main area that make you want to live there: Restaurants, ability to walk to all amenities, central and easy to get anywhere else in the city quickly.

The thing that you eat that is bad for you that you will never stop eating: every few months I break down and eat a “Junior Chicken” from McDonalds…I know…I know.

Default drink: Before a show, water – after a show, some kind of tasty dark beer or G&T.

Drink you’ll never have again:
Marmalade juice.

Three things about Vancouver that make you feel like a kid: Gray mornings, the smell of peoples’ apartment buildings, transit buses.

Favourite Vancouver bridge: Burrard.

Best Vancouver patio: Back courtyard at Crave.

One thing you’d like to change about Vancouver: “No Fun” reputation.

Favourite place to see a band: Vancouver East Cultural Centre.

Cheap place for dinner: Hawker’s Delight.

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Book you’re reading: Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller.

Last place traveled: Portland, Oregon.

Biggest fear: I just watched “Away From Her” – so at the moment, Alzheimers.

Worst cliche ever: That’s a hard question.

If you could rename yourself: Max Power.

Best sneaker in the world: I dig on Puma – not all of them are choice, but there are a choice few that are very choice.

Your ancestry: Irish.

Under what circumstances would you join the army: Bombs replaced with kittens, and instead of being dropped from planes they were petted calmly.

SCOUT at The Gist | The ANZA Club September 16th, 2009

  • Anza
  • Ivan E. Coyote, Dan Mangan, Brendan McLeod
  • Anza Club
  • Dan Mangan - Gist at the Anza
  • Dan Mangan - Gist at the Anza
  • After
  • Nice, Nice, Very Nice

Your paternal grandfather’s personal story: He gave me $5 once and I held on to it against all odds.

Best bar stool in the city: Back couch at The Brickhouse.

Dumbest purchase ever: I got screwed trying to buy a computer monitor on eBay.

The thing that makes you the angriest: Greed.

The view from your favourite window: Main St.

Favourite ice cream flavour: Rocky Road.

Most beautiful body of water:
Just off the shores of Wreck Beach.

Food your mom makes better than anyone: Pea soup.

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Talent you wish you possessed: Drawing.

The trend you wish you never followed, but did: Shaved heads in highschool.

Musical instrument you long to master: Trumpet or Cello.

Sport you gave up: Basketball.

Best place to write: Couch.

The game you’re best at: Foosball – seriously, I destroy at Foosball.

Mac or PC: Both – Mac laptop, PC desktop.

Favourite sports team: Canucks.

The number of fist fights you’ve been in: 2.

The scariest situation you’ve ever been in: Almost getting toasted by a jet engine.

Three things of no value that you will keep until you die: Eyes, Ears, Tongue.

Local person you admire most: Veda Hille.

The thing you’re most ashamed of: Every now and then I forget to brush my teeth.

Best concert experience ever: Radiohead at Thunderbird Stadium.

Best people watching: Kensington Market, TO.

Best record label: Merge? I don’t know.

Describe your tattoos: Greek.

The dish you’re proud of: My girlfriend.

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The thing that makes you the most nervous: Filling out questionnaires.

Town you were born in: Smithers, BC.

Old television shows you can tolerate re-runs of: Saved By The Bell.

First memory: Teething.

What are you listening to as you answer these questions: Nothin’.

Album that first made you love music: Abbey Road.

Default junk food: Kettle Chips, black pepper flavour.

The career path you considered but never followed: Veterinarian.

Thing you miss most about home when you’re on the road: Sense of stability.

Three websites you visit every day: Guardian, Facebook, Myspace.

The first three things you do every morning: Shower, Brush Teeth (see question 40), Coffee.

The thing you’re addicted to: Coffee.

Biggest hope: Some kind of global epiphany for ignorance.

Luckiest moment of your life: Discovering Abbey Road.

Favourite book as a child: Love You Forever.

What are you proud of: Answering questionnaires quickly.

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This was the 55th interview of what will eventually amount to 500 profiles of people who have made life in BC that much more interesting. At the rate we’re going it’ll take three years, at which time we’ll probably just start shooting for 1,000.

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OTHER COOL PEOPLE

There is 1 comment

  1. Great interview – great artist.

    I do think you throw up a youtube of Mangan’s video for “Indie Queens are Waiting”. Nice Vid. Beautifully filmed (lives up to the track). Proud to have an artist like Dan Mangan in Vancouver.