Born Ruffians are a terrifically sharp indie-rock band whose latest album is called Birthmarks. Released in 2013 via Paper Bag Records, it’s the band’s third record and found them exploring more polished pop production. On Sunday July 27, Born Ruffians are playing the penultimate Main Stage set at the 2014 Hillside Festival so I tracked down singer, guitarist, and songwriter Luke Lalonde and bassist Mitch DeRosier at Ronnie’s Local in Kensington Market where they drank and we chatted about the visceral reaction people might have when they see Constantines and/or the San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat play again, hanging out together in Elora at Riverfest last summer, Shirley Temple, Ashley MacIsaac, my unwanted festival advances, how Born Ruffians set the table for Serena Ryder, if the band has hang-ups about its status in this country, Cam Lindsay does his research, Luke does an impressive array of improvised impressions, the Canadian music industry, being nominated for the ‘Breakthrough Group of the Year’ at the Junos after being around for 12 years, always being a new band to someone, drinking with your tiny baby at Ronnie’s Local, Luke and Mitch are second cousins, I own a Beatles t-shirt older than people in Born Ruffians, family ties, the weird, lawsuit-baiting restaurant that Mitch’s family owned in Midland, Luke forced Mitch to play bass after travelling through time, Steve Hamelin got inspired to buy a drum kit, musical dads, Mitch reads other people’s sad texts, getting into music on your own, the Minutemen and the Unicorns, discovering bands and punk aggression, the bold pop moves of Birthmarks, the weirdness around making Say It, losing Steve the drummer at least twice, Luke and Mitch have been drinking, Steve will play on the new record but other drummers might too, there are 150 songs written towards the new Born Ruffians song, no, there are zero new songs written, Born Ruffians killed a guy, Mac DeMarco’s friend Chas interrupts this interview, there’s a secret Makeout Videotape show happening during NXNE either on the Saturday or the Sunday, I offended Chas, the dove-eating story could’ve been way better, Hillside hat-trick, the song “Oh Cecilia,” dove’s D, and scene.
Related links: bornruffians.com hillsidefestival.ca vishkhanna.com
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