DeadJournalist.com Exclusive Interviews:
Small Sins

EXCLUSIVE Interview: Small Sins
Chuck Norton, DeadJournalist.com
01.15.08

 

What you need to know about Small Sins:

- Small Sins is a Toronto-based band;
- The band is comprised of Thomas D'Arcy, Kevin Hilliard, Todor Kobakov, Steve Krecklo and Brent Follett;
- The band released their debut album Small Sins in 2006;
- Their newest LP, Lose All Time, was released in September 2007;
- The band is signed to Astralwerks;
- Small Sins was orginally named "The Ladies and Gentlemen";
- D'Arcy founded The Carnations in 1996 and was the lead singer until the band's break-up in 2004;
- D'Arcy wrote, recorded, sang and played all the instruments on almost the entire Small Sins album;
- The band is currently working on writing and recording their third full-length album.

For more information of Small Sins, visit their Web site at www.smallsinsmusic.com or their MySpace.com page at www.myspace.com/smallsins.

DeadJournalist.com proudly brings you this exclusive with Thomas D'Arcy of Small Sins.

After a year of touring, you're going to be taking a little time off. What are your plans for the next few months?

TD: I guess we feel like we did so much on our own over the fall that we are all really keen on doing an opening slot tour of some kind for the next run. We all decided that we would wait for a band we really love to ask us to come and tour with them, but other than that, stay at home. This gives me lots of time to work on a third record.

Has a date been firmed up for your next release?

TD: No. I'm still in the middle of recording and won't be done for some time I think. I'm actually up at my parent's farm right now getting a lot of work done. Whenever they go on vacation, I move the contents of my studio in the city out to the middle of nowhere and find myself being more productive than anywhere else. I'm about seven songs in.

How has Small Sins' sound evolved over the years?

TD: I guess on the last record we put out, there was a lot more involvement from the other members of the band. The self-titled release was very much about me trying to prove to myself that I was capable of making a record on my own, but for Mood Swings, that was sort of out of my system. I still worked on my own a lot, but would call in another member whenever the time seemed right. Gave it a lot of diffrent flavours.

Which do you enjoy more, performing live or writing and recording?

TD: Everytime I've answered this question it's been sort of the same. When I'm on the road, I look forward to being in the studio, and when I'm in the studio, I look forward to being on the road.

This time, however, is the first time I think I might find myself leaning towards the studio side of the scale. I have no idea how we're going to preserve the sound of these new songs once they reach the live band, and I'm not really looking forward to trying to figure it out.

Just happy working away where I am right now.

What is your favorite part of performing for a live audience?

TD: The same thing as recording at home: forgetting about everything else for a while and finding yourself in a pure other world.

The most bizarre thing that has happened to you while on tour is ... ?

TD: Probably the time that we tailed a drunk driver on the highway for half an hour after he sideswiped us with his little pick-up truck. 911 on the phone, racing after him, and all the drama that came afterward.

Who and where was your first concert?

TD: At the Canada's Wonderland Themepark in Toronto. My mom took me to see either Boston or Chicago. We've never been able to remember which one it was. I guess the actual show must not have been too memorable.

Is there a band or artist that you've discovered this part year that you've recommended to your friends?

TD: Definately the last Band of Bees record. I've been pushing that all over the place.

Who were you listening to in 1997?

TD: Probably the Breeders. Was that around that time? Last Splash was the record.

Which do you prefer: Vinyl, CD or MP3?

TD: CD

One Drink, One Album, One Movie:

TD: A pint, Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and... I don't know. I guess I don't have a favourite movie.