A short, informal visit with eXterio

An industrial-style concrete building in Montreal, eXterio’s offices. This is where Chrome met up with the four band members. Here is a full report of the visit, which was filled with laughter.

The Spectrum show

On December 8, 2006, eXterio and five other Slam Disques bands did a show at the Spectrum. Le Skieur Fluo was also there to keep everyone entertained between sets.

What went into the Spectrum show?

Jess: At first, we were just supposed to reserve a date for the show. But two weeks before, there was all of a sudden a lot of preparation to do: the sound, the lighting, the room, organizing the bands, promoting the show. It was a lot to think about all at once.

During the show, you threw your backpack out into the audience…

Jess: It was on a dare. “Could we ever do a show at the Spectrum?” I told the other band members that if we ever played at the Spectrum, I’d throw my backpack to the audience.

Martin: He was giving away his most cherished possession.

Jess: This week, I told someone that every good thing must come to an end.

Martin: You’re no longer going to wear one when you perform?

Loots: No, it’s over. Tomorrow, there won’t be one.

Martin: That makes me kind of sad…

Jess: It was a fun thing to do and I’m going to miss it.

Was there anything in it?

Jess: No, it was empty.

Do you know who caught it?

Jess: Yes, the "winner" sent us a photo of the backpack hanging in his room.

The music video

The La plonge du siècle music video is currently playing on MusiquePlus. Does this have an effect on sales?

Martin: Actually, La plonge du siècle gave the album a longer shelf life. It also allowed us to do new shows.

Loots: It gives us more visibility.

How many music videos have you made?

Jess: With La plonge du siècle, that makes six music videos. We're shooting a seventh one in January, La 138. Actually, we have an arrangement with Chrome on the subject. It’s a contest that will let a Chrome member attend the taping.

Marie-Pier Beaulé is the contest winner.

Do you like shooting music videos?

Jess and Martin: Loots, do you like shooting music videos?

Loots: Love them! Four videos in four months is proof.

Jess: Loots was an extra in videos shot by other bands in our record company and is one of the monsters in the Campanile video. So even before he became a band member he was helping out.

It must be a really creative process.

Jess: For eXterio, we had Francis Cloutier of Chick’N Swell as producer, but for other bands we try to make them ourselves. You have to start somewhere!! La 138 will be the first eXterio music video not produced by Francis Cloutier, because we have a small budget. It’s going to be shot more informally, like other Slam Disques bands.

Martin: We even edit the videos ourselves!

Jess: We all pretty much took classes to learn how to do it.

Tours

How did the tour to different high schools go?

Jess: It’s not really over yet. We wanted most of the shows to take place in November and December, but there were several small changes. We decided to do the shows over a longer period of time.

How does it work?

Jess: We announced that we were available to do shows in schools. The kids who are interested go and speak to their activities coordinator. He gives us a call. We check with him to see how it can be organized. The whole thing is sponsored by Chrome.

Do you find performing in high schools inspiring?

Jess: Going to high schools and youth centres gives us a chance to meet young people and let them know what the music industry is really like.

Martin: What I liked even more than doing shows was playing acoustic guitar in youth centres. That was very cool.

Dan: It’s a new way to get kids interested. Even the ones who look bored at the beginning end up coming over to talk to us.

Jess: Music is a universal language, and that you can understand at any age.

Are you going to be onstage at the Carnaval de Québec?

Martin: Yes, in the Métro tent on February 3, 2007.

Jess: The good thing is that it will be the first time the Carnival has a stage for music for teens. Usually, it’s a little too family – or kid – oriented.

Third album

On your Web site, you announce you’re taking a well-deserved rest from performing to produce your third album.  How long do you think it will take?

Loots: I think it’s going to take at least two years to produce something good.

Jess: We don’t want to produce a third album that’s just OK, because then we would probably not get to do a fourth one. We need to produce a third album that’s not only as good as the first two, but better. So I think 2007 will be a year of writing music and maybe even 2008 too. There was a two-year gap between the first and second album and, between the second and third, it will be more like three.

Martin: Yes, but we’re going to continue to do shows and update our Web site to stay in touch.

New eXterio band member

Loots, you’re the new guitarist for eXterio. How did that come about?

Loots: I’ve known Martin for six years. I used to play with him in a band and we used to play eXterio songs. When eXterio needed a singer, they came to meet him. I encouraged him to join the band. Now he’s returning the favour. When eXterio needed a guitarist, he thought of me. Now we’re playing together again.

Dan: And Loots had already helped us out. We knew how he worked.

Original song

Tell us about Chrome Volume III.

Jess: We wrote a song just for the CD. It’s called La visite. It’s an exclusive: no one but Chrome members has a copy of the song. We don’t even play it during shows. We’re giving Chrome members a chance to listen to it, and not all of them have had their birthday yet. Maybe in a year or so, when every Chrome member has gotten his or her CD, we’ll start performing it at shows.

Final words

Can you describe eXterio in three words?

Jess: Accessible.

Martin: Can you make that funnier?

Dan: Animal lovers (laughter)!