By: Lidia Vila

What do you think of the actual Human Statues, who paint themselves in gold and stand on the corner in front of Yonge/Dundas square?

I think they are weirdos who are desperate for attention - in reality, Jeff and I ARE those people! Both Jeff and I have a history in live theatre. Jeff grew up in Victoria. I went to University there. Anybody who has spent time in Victoria in the summer knows that the Harbourfront is loaded with street performance talent. One of the first things I did after graduating, to make a living between theatre gigs, was to perform as a Human Statue that I dubbed Discoman. Jeff has done the same. Hence the name. I’m actually in Niagra Falls, as I answer these questions, on a Human Statue gig, where we are the statues not the band.

According to your bio you are, “Often described as a cross-generational breed between the Flight of the Conchords and Simon and Garfunkel.” That’s quite the description, what do you say to this?

The reason people make this comparison is that we love to sing tight vocal harmonies. That is what brought Jeff and I together musically. We also love music from the 60s, especially The Beatles. We try to play as a full band as much as possible, and usually do so in Toronto once every 6 weeks or so (next show being at The Rivoli on August 23rd), but we frequently play as an acoustic duo. I guess because we have a sense of humour and sit of stools with acoustic guitars FOTC’s fans will make that link. I also happen to love vintage clothes and wear glasses. So, there’s that, too.

Apparently your show comes with choreography, how did this come to be included and do you have outside help with this?

Jeff and I spend four hours at the ballet school, per day, working on our flexibility, fluidity and lines. Truthfully, we want to make sure the bottom line with our stage show is a sense of fun and inclusiveness. Jeff and I have done a lot of busking in both the west coast and Toronto. Sometimes you can create a street party, other times nobody pays attention; one such time we decided to make use of our day choreographing a dance to one our songs and it just stuck.

Both of you have a history of acting; are you looking to score music for film projects?

Not actively. Jeff has done some scoring for film projects in the past. Like the hit comedic short: Pantomimus.

Which one of you is the Grand Theft Auto fan?

Neither. The font was a coincidence. In fact, it was originally the Price is Right font before GTA appropriated it.

How do you feel about labels? Do you think they’re a hindrance to the DIY artists or a financial saviour?

Depends. I think the right arrangement can really help. We love our jobs. The worst stress, not surprisingly, is financial. So, if you can get support and relief to focus on the music, it is a very positive thing. That said artists nowadays should never quit the DIY model even with a label. It’s all about connecting with people in an organic way. If the essence of the music is good and accessible to people, you just have to get it out there and the rest can follow. Sometimes you have to get crafty to do so.

What’s next?

Well, we’ve just released our CD, The Human Statues, and we’re working to spread that across the country, primarily through live performances. We’re playing in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto this week and then we’re off to the west coast for a two week tour. We’ve got plans in place for some online video as well. So, keep your eye on our YouTube channel for that.

This entry was posted on Monday, August 18th, 2008 at 1:58 pm.