daddy's boy

DADDY'S BOY: DAVID USHER TALKS ABOUT HIS MUSIC, KINGSTON AND HIS PROFESSOR FATHER

Author: Meagan Fitzpatrick
Source: Queen's Journal, David Usher Bulletin Board
URL: boards.emidigitalmedia.com/toast.asp
Date: October 16, 2001

You may know that David Usher is the heartthrob frontman of Moist, that he's a sensation in his mother's native Thailand, or even that he has a scar on his stomach (more about that later), but you may not know this: he is a former KCVI brat. On tour to promote his second solo album Morning Orbit, Usher touches down this Wednesday at AJ's, a familiar venue for him and his Moist-mates. He talked with the Journal's Meagan Fitzpatrick about travelling, going solo, and orbiting into the familiar territory that is K-town.

Megan Fitzpatrick: You grew up in Kingston. Where and when?
David Usher: We moved there when I was three. We kept moving away and back. I went to K.C.V.I. and lived in the area.

MF: Your father, Dan Usher, is an Economics professor at Queen's. Is he coming to your show on Wednesday?
DU: I should hope so.

MF: You got a degree in Political Science at Simon Fraser; why didn't you go to Queen's?
DU: I did for a semester.
MF: Why did you leave?
DU: It was nice to get away from where you spend time growing up. That's natural.

MF: Do you come back to town often? What do you think of Kingston?
DU: Not as much anymore because I'm traveling all time. But I have a lot of friends there and I always have a good time when I go back.
MF: You are in the midst of a cross-Canada tour. Are you getting tired of touring?
DU: We're doing 46 shows and I'm having a great time. I'm with a great group of people.
MF: What's your favourite part about touring?
DU: I love to travel and I love to play music, so it's the perfect combination. I get to travel on a bus with my friends so it's a pretty good way to live.
MF: Any downsides?
DU: It depends on who you are with. Being away from home can be hard, but the people I'm with are great and I'm not going to complain about it.

MF: In light of recent world events, are you nervous to travel?
DU: We were supposed to go to Asia in November, but we've cancelled that--it's just too far away. It's postponed until the new year. We are still going to go to Germany in December though, and we're going to the States. These days you have to choose how far away from home you want to be.

MF: Does your wife travel with you on the road?
DU: She does sometimes; it depends where we are. She comes when she has the time but she has a life of her own too.
MF: Have fans ever done any strange things to you?
DU: Well, we have a group that follows us around from town to town, which I find a little strange.

MF: You have a few lady fans.
DU: Yes there are a few.
MF: What do you think about being seen as a sex symbol?
DU: Essentially I'm not really connected with all that. I don't have thoughts on that.

MF: Why is your second album called Morning Orbit?
DU: It's a term for a time in the day when your thoughts can come out easily without any other ****. I often get up early in the morning and write, even if I go to bed at dawn. I don't sleep very much.
MF: How is Morning Orbit different from your first solo album?
DU: The first one was more stripped down. I spent lots of time on this one on the soundscapes. It's hard to define it; I let the press do that for me.

MF: What's your favourite song on the album?
DU: I think it changes. Right now it's Black Black Heart.
MF: What's the meaning behind that song?
DU: I don't like to talk about the meaning behind songs. It's nice to leave room for the listener's imagination.
MF: What's the album about? Can you describe it?
DU: Every song has a meaning. Hopefully there is a thread that carries through the record but I prefer to leave that up to the listener to discover.

MF: You had a lot of other musicians helping you out on this album like Gord Sinclair from The Tragically Hip, Jeff Pearce from Tea Party, Snow -- how come?
DU: I wanted different people to lend their ideas, influence and talent. Fortunately I have good friends. Alot of the musicians are from Kingston. I asked people I knew that I thought would bring something special to the record.
MF: Why did you decide to start making solo albums?
DU: Well, Moist has been together for nine years. Sometimes you just want to take your ideas and do what you want with them. I wanted to work with different people and experiment.

MF: What would you do if you weren't a musician?
DU: I took politics and I'm interested in it but at the same time I think I'd be in art. That's what I like and where my interest lies.
MF: You've won some Juno awards and MuchMusic Video awards. Is that a big deal for you?
DU: My mom likes it when I win, but no, I don't keep those in my house. I give them to my parents to keep.

MF: I heard a rumour that you have a scar on your stomach from a shark bite. Is that true?
DU: I have a scar on my stomach but you will have to do a little more digging.
MF: I'm going straight to the source, and asking you.
DU: The source isn't going to tell you. I wouldn't want to dispel any fun rumours.

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