Thursday, 10 September, 1998

Watchmen belly up to Picnic table
Winnipeg band ready for Saturday's Great Big concert
By RICK CONRAD -- Halifax Herald

Macho rock guitarist type Joey Serlin is being jumped by his five-month-old puppy.
"Oh, I'm being attacked by my dog here," Serlin says on the line from Winnipeg.
It's nothing serious, though, for one-quarter of Canada's Watchmen.
Lucas, a German shepherd/Labrador mix, is still excited to be free of the Humane Society pen that Serlin adopted him from a couple of weeks ago.
"He just randomly gets this crazy look in his eyes and jumps you," Serlin says, laughing.
Despite the overly eager pup, Serlin is happy to be home for a couple of weeks, charging up for the band's place at the Great Big Picnic table on Halifax's Citadel Hill on Saturday.
The Philosopher Kings, Bran Van 3000, Colin James, The Chieftains, The Ennis Sisters and headliners Great Big Sea will also be picnicking.
"We're feeling quite energized about things right now," Serlin says. "After a couple of weeks (at home) we feel pretty itchy."
The spacious hill will be quite a change of scene for the group, having played much smaller spots like the cramped Grawood Pub at Dalhousie University.
"We did a lot of those rooms, and they always have good memories for us," says Serlin.
"You know, those intimate shows, where people are just right in your face. They're like a foot away, stepping on your effects pedals for you."
That's not to say that they're strangers to big outdoor events.
The band has also played outdoor festivals in Europe this summer, as well as Canada's Edgefest.
After four albums, The Watchmen have forged a reputation as one of the country's most intense live acts.
Thank lead singer Danny Greaves for that.
"Danny sings really hard every night and he comes off stage drenched and sometimes he even throws up because he's so dehydrated."
The Watchmen have generated a lot of positive press with their new album Silent Radar and its hard-driving ruminations on technology and its alienating effects.
It's ironic, then, that the group's record company EMI has made such a big deal about the CD's enhanced and Web-enabled capabilities.
"We just dig (the Internet) because it puts us so closely in touch with our fans quickly," Serlin says.
"At the same time, all this stuff that's going on with the Internet and computers is amazing, but as long as people don't lose touch with each other and keep interacting in a physical, human way."
Serlin says the band is looking forward to a return to Halifax, particularly after a few dates in Chicago taught them the real value of Canadian money.
"It makes you think twice about going (to tour the U.S.)," he says.
"You're basically tacking on 50 per cent of whatever your bill was. It makes it hard, especially if you're touring on a non-profit situation in the States.
"Canada's always better for us for any reason from the size of the crowds to the venue. It's home, it feels good."