Just over a week ago I made a post about New York rockers, The Cloud Room -more specifically a fire in lead singer, J’s apartment [ms604]. After getting in contact with J he was nice enough to answer a couple questions from this blogger and fan. You’ll have to pardon the formulaic questions, if you’re a RadioZoom listener then you know our interviews usually stray from this. Given that this was a text-only interview, this is the best format with which to post the conversation.

Miss 604: I know The Cloud Room’s been crazy-busy over the last year: releasing your album in 2005, tours in Australia, Canada, US, festivals (SxSW), TV (talk shows, MTV, MuchMusic, etc.) … When did you get back home and have some downtime?

J: Back in March we had recorded two new songs (“Lord, I’m Tryin'” and “Eleanor F.”) and figured we just keep recording our 2nd album patchwork-style. We thought we were in for a long respite in June after our 6 months of touring ended in Australia. We settled back into our practice space to write the next album when we got asked by Muse of all people to tour. We couldn’t pass up 5,000-person crowds and plush dressing rooms overflowing with Doritos. The downside was we ended up SPENDING $6K on our own tour support (because our 1-album contract with Gigantic Records had ended). So we finally got back home with no money to record!

Miss 604: Did the writing process begin then or do you do any on the road?

J: I’m always working out new songs in my head as I travel from point A to point C, but we don’t work new stuff out as a band on tour much. We were all really excited about this new song, “Tomorrow Found Out”, so we rented a practice space while in Toronto in hopes of getting it ready to play in NYC. Didn’t quite happen in time.

Miss 604: I read about the unfortunate news last week (the fire in your apartment), aside from losing belongings and gear, how much content had you already created for the new album has been lost?

J: We had gone to Excello Studio in Brooklyn to record 4 songs-worth of drums and bass with the exceptional producer Brandon Mason. We then took the party back to our practice space to track the rest of the instruments. We had the place to ourselves because The Hold Steady were out on tour. Unfortunately, some of Brooklyn’s most motivated drummers were practicing all day long in every adjacent room, so we packed it up and moved to my apartment… Continue reading this post ⟩⟩

It’s now that time of year. Lights go up on houses, trees appear in empty parking lots, Santa hangs at the local mall and families face the perilous task of the holiday portrait.

Every year since our kids were born we’ve accepted the challenge. It’s nice to have one ‘professionally’ done picture of the kids every year. Dressed in their Sunday best, posing nicely in front of a wintery background and smiling like butter wouldn’t melt in their mouths. That is the idea, the reality is never quite so picturesque.

What I’ve found over the years is that the people paid to take pictures of children, evidently have none of their own and know little about them. Anyone that has kids…or has ever been around kids (small ones anyway) would not fathom asking them to sit for extended periods of time, posed, unmoving and smiling.

So, the lure of 80 plus pictures for only $19.99 draws me in every year. I wrestle the kids into clothing we can agree on and line up with the masses at Sears or Wal-mart. Those who know me would agree, I am excessively patient (being outnumbered 3-1 by children in my house you’d have to be) but by the end of our portrait sessions I am nearly in tears and wanting to yell ‘JUST TAKE THE FRIGGIN PICTURE ALREADY!’

You will never, ever, under any circumstances successfully have 3 little kids all looking at the camera and smiling at the same time. You will be lucky if they are all facing the same direction and nobody has their finger in their nose. This year our picture was taken horizontally rather then vertically because, by the end my kids had decided they had had enough and were going home. The well-intentioned Wal-mart employee was apologetic and seemingly disappointed but I was satisfied. No finger in nose, no hands on head, no tears and 2 out of 3 smiling. Home free for another 12 months.

A couple of years ago our family decided it was too expensive and not really worth it to buy for every single person so we took to drawing names. Of course we all still get something for the kiddies – and in our family that number grows every year.

I was looking through the junk mail yesterday and found a London Drugs catalog, which I decided to peruse. “Oooh! A crock pot, then we could make chili!” followed by “Oh man, a dustbuster, we could SO use one of those.”

Aren’t women not supposed to want household items as gifts? I told my mom yesterday that a Safeway gift card would be awesome. Wow. This coming from me, the girl who used to sneak into her parent’s bedroom to scope out the goods she would be receiving – man I got in so much trouble when I spotted that Cabbage Patch Kids board game just days before Christmas.

The focus this year is on family and well you can’t have family times without the food. Mandarin oranges (that I’m allergic to but eat anyway), nuts, snacks, chocolates, turkey, stuffing oh man. Browsing through a regular read, I came across some recipes that John and I should really try out. We don’t do nearly as much ‘experimental’ cooking, which reminds me that we haven’t done Chillaquillas for a while.

Back to the appliances, I think my priorities have just changed. You’d think I would want to go completely nuts and shop for shoes and purses and froofy stuff but there are so many more things that take precedence. From our futon-couch to John’s dining room table-studio-office.

Regardless of gifts and food, I’m just glad that I’ll be spending another Christmas with my husband, our 3 foot tall fake plastic tree, and our Ralphie action figure. If we had a wish list, the #1 thing this year (same as last) would be his immigration approval and #2… being able to fly to Iowa and visit his family.

Surrounded by Monday Night Football fans, J.J., John and I waited patiently for Alanah and Dave to join us after the Oiler-spanking we incurred last night. Luckily, we got our reactions on tape for Episode 10 of The Crazy Canucks Podcast.

Ten episodes into the podcast, all of the members join up after the game against Edmonton for drinks and yakking about the Canucks. This was our first opportunity to have everyone meet face to face, and we had a microphone to record a little discussion. Some of us had been there a little while longer than the rest, and our blood alcohol level might have shown it.

Record as of this episode: 13-14-1 (3rd in the Northwest Division)

The Shark Club made for a very interesting atmosphere for trying to watch a unimpressive game, especially on a Monday night where the NFL takes precedence at one of the closest drinking establishments to GM Place. J.J. was still a little wiped out after returning from a vacation to Las Vegas and shares some experiences with catching a couple games in sin city. Dave brings up an interesting point about “we are all Canucks,” and Alanah had a backstage pass to the game that offers up a lot of great insights to the game against the Oilers. Rebecca brings up some good points about our lack of puck luck, and John starts to wonder about a conspiracy to our lack of scoring, but that could be the beer talking.

We realize that this isn’t like our regular episodes with a recap of all the games since the last one, but we’ll get back on track with our next episode. Leave your feedback in the meantime, and we hope you enjoy this “live remote” version of the podcast. It’s almost like you’re right there with us!

Run time: 28:33

Jen is my big sister and yes, my mother used to dress us in matching clothing (exhibit A is to the right).

She and I argue(d) over clothing, friends, and just because we needed something to do. We’d always know how to do the most damage on each other (physically and emotionally) yet – we’ve always been there for each other and no one else compares. What else are sisters for?

When I moved to Boston I had a pretty hard time. Completely alone in a new city, state, country and job. I found myself in a really rough patch and within a couple days my sister was a plane. She came out to spend a weekend with me just because I needed someone. These are the crazy things my big sister does for others.

She always thought of me as a pest, a pesky little sister that was emotional, clingy and an all-round pain in the ass. I don’t get it, she didn’t like hearing about how she was my hero and how much I loved her every hour on the hour? I mean, I was a really cute kid.

From the big huge selfless acts, to always planing my birthday parties and lending me her wicked nice shirts to wear, she’s pretty great. And aside from working and raising her 3 children, she had time to be my maid of honor this year and show me the best stagette (beware of the whip-yielding kitty!)

In return, I do things like regularly taking the Flickr pics of her that she thinks are ‘ugly’ (even though they aren’t in the slightest). I hope to return in kind the love and support she’s shown me over the years, if that’s even possible.

Maybe one day I’ll just be less annoying and embarrassing to her, although without that she wouldn’t have such juicy stories to tell at my wedding shower to all our friends and family. And I supposed writing an entire blog post about her doesn’t help – so yeah, I’ll start all ‘less annoying’ stuff tomorrow.

Happy Birthday Jenny. The big sister, the yummy mummy, and a true testament to the stubbornness strength the women in our family have.

And here’s to people thinking you are the younger of the two of us.