Shotgun Jimmie is a prolific and talented singer, songwriter, and musician who currently lives in Brandon, Manitoba. Over the past 10 years, Shotgun Jimmie has emerged as one of the most beloved figures in indie-rock and has been touring a bunch in support of his latest record, Field of Trampolines, which is out now via You’ve Changed Records. He’s crossing Canada and Europe over the next few months, including a May 28 Toronto show at the Monarch Tavern and a June 3 Guelph show at the Ebar over the next while. Jimmie and I caught up on the last day of the Lawnya Vawnya festival in St. John’s, Newfoundland a few weeks ago (in a windy spot by the harbour) where we discussed taking photos of me in St. John’s, enjoying Lawnya Vawnya, loving the Ship and its smell, embarrassing stage banter, the one-man band version of Shotgun Jimmie, novelty act concerns, name changes, Steven Lambke, Michael Feuerstack, Bill Callahan, big pun, his unexpected relationship with stand-up comedy, Yuk Yuk’s, Shaun Majumder on the come-up, visible minorities in Newfoundland, some of this traffic-stopping for pedestrians might not be safe, growing up a creative prankster in Ajax, Oshawa and the Baird Brothers, living in Toronto and then Sackville and the band Drummer, Frederick Squire, Shotgun & Jaybird, calling Shotgun, Paul Henderson and Julie Doiron, Eric’s Trip and Moonsocket, Stephen Malkmus and boosting, socializing with heroes, camaraderie, the wind and Signal Hill, how we dress almost exactly the same right down to the brand name and specific clothing item, the end of Shotgun & Jaybird, two rounds of f&c at the Duke of Duckworth, when he became Shotgun Jimmie, the song “Bedhead,” celebrity impressions, Kermit and Yoda, sleeping bags and stagecraft, a beach ball globe, love songs about Eric’s Trip, Constantines, Attack in Black, and Project 9, dorky namechecks, “Unseen Power of the Picket Fence,” Malkmus and calling rock bands out by name, meta cultural commentary, Steve Earle, befriending Steven Lambke and Daniel Romano and repping You’ve Changed Records, YC Video and new releases, Nap Eyes and Partner, optimism and sincerity in the face of hipster indifference, no back-up, studying fine art, no one emails anymore because they text, an artist’s residency in Sackville via Sappyfest, playing Sled Island again, maybe playing Sappyfest, stand-up comedy confidence, prepared banter, the song “Field of Trampolines,” and then the wind picked up.
Related links: shotgunjimmie.net youvechangedrecords.com vishkhanna.com
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