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."