Photo courtesy of Todd Duym Inspired by the Minutemen song, Evil Monito’s “Tour Spiel” highlights the musician’s life on the road. Each week, we’ll check in with some of our favorite artists touring stateside or abroad. We’ll provide an intimate look into what it’s like to be packed in a van or waiting for a flight with the same people for hours on end. It takes a certain state of mind to survive any lengthy tour. Yet it’s the memorable experiences that make life on the road ultimately rewarding, if not interesting. This week we highlight Derek Adam, guitarist of You Say Party! We Say Die!. The New-Wave dance punk quartet hails from Vancouver and has toured the world with the likes of Yeah Yeah Yeahs and TV on the Radio. Here, Derek talks about eating terrible food at Canadian diners, saving someone's life in Italy and reading Robert Louis Stevenson on his iTouch. EM: What is your favorite song to play live? It changes from show to show, but a lasting favorite that never seems to get old is "Downtown Mayors Goodnight, Alley Kids Rule!" off of Lose All Time. I think we all like that one a lot. EM: What city did you most enjoy playing on tour? And why was it memorable? My most memorable show experience was playing a place called Hana-Bi in a town called Marina di Ravenna, in Italy, on my birthday in 2007. The venue is literally on the beach. It's seriously amazing. I also found out that my birthday is apparently a huge holiday in Europe (August 15) so there were fireworks going off and everything. [Singer] Becky even saved a woman from drowning that night. She watched the show wrapped in a towel at the side of the stage (which was basically a platform in the sand). Either that, or opening for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV on the Radio and the Dirty Pretty Things at the Vienna Arena, Austria. That was insane. EM: What was the strangest town you’ve played in? And why? Whitehorse, in the Yukon! Just because it's so damn far away... They flew us in for a couple shows and we had a blast. We still need to do Nunavut and the NWT to complete our conquest of Canada. EM: What kind of vehicle do you tour in? A 1994 Ford Econoline. Its name is "Iced Mocha" (after the colour scheme). EM: Who was your favorite band to play on tour with? And why? It's hard to pick one, but I'm gonna go with (the now-defunct) Controller. Controller, just because they were the first band to take us on the road and they were incredibly accommodating considering how green we were. They let us sleep on their hotel room floors, forced our booking agent to give us higher guarantees for the shows we were playing, and basically just gave us something to look forward to as our peers. I hope they do a reunion show sometime. That would be great. EM: What obscure band did you recently "discover" while on tour? Lately I've been really into an album called Pale Blue Dot by a band called Vicious Cycle from Sudbury, Ontario. It's got this old school '80s melodic hardcore vibe that I totally love. They do it really well. Smart lyrics about annihilation, the end of the world, etc. "THIS IS YOUR LIFE! DO SOMETHING!" EM: What is your favorite venue to play in? And why was it a great experience? This one would also have to go to Hana-Bi in Italy for the aforementioned reasons, but if I had to choose another, it would probably be the Royal Albert in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It's the best punk rock bar in Canada, now that Vancouver's Cobalt has sadly been taken from us. Sam Smith (promoter for the Albert) is also THE MAN. We never have a bad time there -- though some bands we've dragged along for the ride definitely haven't enjoyed it as much. Apparently some people don't appreciate seedy dilapidated dives as much as we do. An honorable mention goes to D-22 in Beijing, China. Amazing place. EM: While on tour, what is the band’s consensus as the favorite spot to eat? Where is it located? Hmmm... Probably gonna have to go with Amigos in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Damn good Mexican food, and we always have good shows there too. EM: What's the worst spot you've eaten at? Too many to remember. I usually opt for starvation over most places. I'm by far the pickiest eater in the band and I've even caused some arguments by walking out of places after seeing the menu, leaving everyone else at the table. After a while I realized that I'd much rather eat a predictably shitty fast food meal rather than choke down some overpriced, Costco special grease-plate somewhere in the middle of nowhere. I rarely trust diners in western Canada. It's a different story down in the states and out east. They usually get it right. EM: On nights off in-between shows, how do you like to occupy your time? Hopefully hanging out with friends I never get to see, but if we're stuck in some god-forsaken hellhole motel somewhere off a highway (as we most often are), I'll usually switch on the video games or TV and zone out on the bed. EM: If you or the band had to agree on one “must-read” book for the long trip, what would it be? And why? The mapbook -- or anything with pictures. Words make me sleepy. The only book I've read in the last three years was Treasure Island, and it was on my iTouch. Treasure Island was really good though! EM: What is the most interesting thing you’ve found or bought while on tour? Hmmm, good question. I have no idea really. I don't usually buy much on the road, so I'm gonna say this mint-condition Levi's jean jacket from the '60s that I found a few weeks ago in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Got it for a few bucks at a Salvation Army! EM: What are some of the best records to listen to on the road? This would vary from band member to band member, but my current choices would be: Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation, Swingin' Utters/Youth Brigade - BYO Split Series, Au Revoir Simone - Still Night, Still Light. EM: What’s the most unique piece of equipment on your tour? [Bassist] Stephen's Novation BassStation by far. If we lost that, we'd be screwed. Speaking of which, we need a backup. EM: What comfort items are a "must" when embarking on a long tour? My leather jacket. It's my home. EM: What is the hardest thing about being on the road? Dealing with food. Most of it sucks. Grocery stores become big teases. We call them "ingredient stores." The only nice thing about them is that there's something for everyone. EM: What's one amazing location that you fantasize about playing live? Oslo, and we're finally going there in a few months! I lived in Norway for a year-and-a-half about ten years ago. I'm really excited to return and see all my old friends. After that, Moscow and THE MOON. *** YSD! WSD!'s latest record XXXX is out now in the U.S. on Paper Bag Records. TOUR DATES: Feb 27 - Surrey 2010 Celebration Site - Surrey, British Columbia Mar 9 - Chop Suey - Seattle, WA Mar 10 - Doug Fir - Portland, OR Mar 12 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA Mar 13 - Echoplex - Los Angeles, CA Mar 15 - Rhythm Room - Phoenix, AZ Mar 17 - SXSW - Austin, TX Mar 18 - SXSW - Austin, TX Mar 19 - SXSW - Austin, TX Mar 21 - Hi Tone - Memphis, TN Mar 22 - The Earl - Atlanta, GA Mar 23 - Snug Harbor - Charlotte, NC Mar 24 - Auto Bar - Baltimore, MD Mar 26 - Knitting Factory - New York, NY Mar 27 - TT The Bears - Boston, MA Mar 29 - Piano's - New York, NY Mar 30 - Pike Room - Detroit, MI Mar 31 - Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL http://www.yousaypartywesaydie.ca/ http://www.myspace.com/yousaypartywesaydie