How did we get here?: Chris Slorach of METZ
I phoned up Chris Slorach of METZ and talked to him about his musical upbringings, Pygmalion, Degrassi, and so much more. They’re playing at the Independent Media Center on Friday, September 27th at 11:15 p.m. as part of Pygmalion Music Festival. Click here for a preview of that show. JT: Did you have any big musical influences growing up?CS: My father was a musician so he played bass in a bunch of bands over in the U.K. where he grew up. Then he immigrated here when he was in his early 20s with my mother and started bands, and he was playing here. So he was a big music lover so there was always music in our home. So I have fond memories of listening to The Beatles and Michael Jackson and whatnot on the record player in our basement.JT: Everyone had kind of that stupid middle school band that played at their talent show. Did you have one of those?CS: Oh I sure did. It was me and my close friend Matt and a friend of ours Mike, and we did a couple of cover songs. It was basically the first time any of us had really ever touched guitars. So we learned a few songs, and I can’t even remember what we played at this point.JT: Any idea on the type of music? Was it anything like the noise rock you play now?CS: Oh yeah. This would have been in 1990 or 1991 so Nirvana was really big with us so it would have been the same thing.JT: So how exactly did you get into that? Was it the Nirvana, the grunge stuff that got you into what you play?CS: Um.. No. I think when I first picked up the guitar, I have two older sisters who sort of passed on a lot of musical stuff to me. Like my older sister was really into of Joy Division and New Order and a lot of new wave stuff and my other sister listened to a lot metal so I grew up listening to like, Slayer and Metallica and as I got older more death metal stuff. It was sort of a mix from one side to the other, but it was always sort of guitar rock. But there were guitars in the house so I sort of picked them up and goofed around with them. And then I got really into this thing called Eric’s Trip who were from the East Coast of Canada and learned how to play a lot of their songs and eventually started my own band realizing that I could record stuff at home on a little four-track recorder.JT: In playing with METZ have you ever had that one moment that was like “Yes. This is why I do what I do?”CS: Kinda, I mean I’m 34. I mean it would be a really poor career choice for us to decide to do something like this for any other reason than it’s a good time. We’re happy to be doing this. If it ever becomes shitty and feels like work and kind of sucks to do we wouldn’t do it anymore. So we’re all really happy, you know?JT: Have you ever been to Champaign-Urbana before?CS: No I haven’t, but I’ve heard of the festival before. There’s a band that I liked a lot growing up called HUM. that played last year.JT: I just have one last question. I hope you’re not offended by this, but since you’re from Toronto, how do you feel about Degrassi because I love it?CS: Oh yeah. Degrassi Junior High or like, the new school one?JT: I’m talking about both of them.CS: I like the old ones. I’m not as familiar with the new ones. I’m definitely not offended. That’s for sure.JT: Who was your favorite character of Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High.CS: You know, Joey Jeremiah was always getting into a lot of trouble. He had a band. I used to see Snake around the city quite a lot actually. He lives downtown. He makes movies I’m pretty sure.JT: Thanks a lot for your time, Chris.