Event featuring Coco Love Alcorn at DefSup (last) Friday
In anticipation of the Take Back the Night festivities (last) Friday night at DefSup Gallery, GIC coordinator Dave Ivany had a chance to ask feature musician Coco Love Alcorn about everything from her new album to the love of her bicycles.

Argus: How did the new album come into being? What’s your personal favourite track, or do you love them all equally?

Coco Love Alcorn: Joyful is mostly songs I’ve written in the last year. The sound is very much a collaboration between myself and the co-producers, Chris Gestrin and Shawn Pierce. Chris plays about 20 different keyboards and a few sweet vintage drum machines… but that’s all wrapped around my acoustic guitar and other “real” instruments including trumpets and voices and high-fives. It was really fun to make.
I don’t know if I’m objective enough to have a favourite track, but “Intellectual Boys” is pretty up there. That song was inspired by that show, “Flight of the Conchords.”

A: What’s your favourite moment from this tour?

I taught a workshop to about 70 music college students last week in Nelson, BC. They had tons of great questions and then at the end I had about half of them up to improvise with us. Very cool.

A: What significance does Take Back the Night have to you?

I’ve felt fear many times in my life. Walking down a dark street and kicking myself for not spending that extra $10 for the cab, or wishing I had taken the longer or hillier route on my bike that was brighter or more populated. It’s not a good feeling. Maybe the hairs stand up on the back of your neck, or your heart races away from you… or you just feel like you have no control over the situation.
I’m really looking forward to taking part in this event. The night should be for everyone just as much as the day is. We should all feel safe to express ourselves and travel and celebrate and stand tall and sing and dance and walk and share thoughts and smiles anytime of any day.

A: Have you had any negative reactions from robots or un-intellectual boys to your songs?

Most robots like my music. I don’t know any un-intellectual boys… so I really can’t speak to that.

A: Wesley Crusher is lame. Why did you include him in “Intellectual Boys?” I mean, Picard, Riker, Data (an obvious choice), Jordi Laforge, or even Worf are better than him. Riker and Picard are dreamy. And Q! What about that? Why Wesley?

This is totally a generational thing. When that show came out the Wesley Crusher character was the only one in my age group. And I was totally into his nerdy-ness. “Intellectual Boys” totally flips around between referring to crushes I had or might have had as a 14 year old to crushes from my early twenties to current.

A: Are you pining for Fiori Modena [bike] in these winter times on the road?

Yes! and my other bikes…. the “Gooch” and the “BRC”. Oh, sweet fact. Track 2 off “Joyful” features percussion played entirely from bicycle sounds. The song is called, “I Got A Bicycle” and the starring bicycle is… the “BRC.” I will get to ride Fiori a bunch this winter hooked up to our indoor trainer… so that’s something at least.

Interview taken from: The Argus — Volume 45 Issue 11 — Monday November 24th, 2008