Vic Galloway said on these pages that Dananananaykroyd are “one of, if not, the best live bands on the planet right now”. They’ll prove it again in Glasgow on Sunday night and in France next month. Drummer Paul Carlin recently spoke to Dear Scotland about taking inspiration from Eddie Izzard, Gloria Estefan and The Krankies:

Dear Scotland: Where are you now and what did you do last night?

Paul Carlin: I’m at home learning Eric’s Trip songs (they were/are a totally awesome 90s indie band from Canada) because Duncan and I have formed an Eric’s Trip covers band with Joe from Copy Haho on drums! The rest of the band are in their respective houses apart from David who’s on holiday in the New England with his other half.

Last night I went to Hamilton (!) to have dinner with my aunt and cousin. My family’s scattered all over the world now so I try to get quality time with whoever’s left whenever I’m not touring. However the night before, I saw Sky Larkin and Copy Haho play in Glasgow and that was super.

Dananananaykroyd – Whip It (Live on Triple J)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8YFGU6OLMY

Dear Scotland: Paul McCartney said he got into music to avoid a job – and get lots of girls. What made you get into music?

Paul Carlin: I don’t want to sound cliché but I had no choice. To quote Gloria Estefan: “the rhythm is gonna get you” and it did. OH GOD WHAT AM I SAYING? I’ve been in bands all my life. All of us have. I already had a great, steady job before I was asked to join Dananananaykroyd and although it was a hard decision, I doubt any serious musician could really pass up the opportunity to make records and tour relentlessly. “Maybe she’s born with it.”

Dear Scotland: What is your favourite song of yours to play right now?

Paul Carlin: Well we’re now coming to the end of this album cycle and have started rehearsing new songs so they’re nice and fresh, but I guess from the ones we’ve been playing lately, Pink Sabbath is enjoying a bit of a rebirth. Having John and Calum both out front singing full-time has definitely given some of the songs a new lease of life.

Dananananaykroyd – Pink Sabbath

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Mu_VWdI-5I

Dear Scotland: On your upcoming “Les Inrocks Tour” you’ll visit France but already this year you’ve been all over Europe, North America and Australia, is there one place that you most look forward to playing?

Paul Carlin: We’ve been really fortunate this year. Europe is always great, we’re always treated really well. SXSW was probably the most fun ever, but getting to go to Australia was something I didn’t really ever think would happen to me. I can’t wait to go back. Japan is the other place we’re desperate to go to. Oh and Toronto. And New York. Oh heck… everywhere. Except Hull. We don’t like playing in Hull.

Dear Scotland: Do you feel more Scottish when you are abroad, or do you adapt well to new places? Anything you miss about Scotland?

Paul Carlin: Not really. It is nice to meet Scots abroad right enough. Most of us enjoy travelling and to be honest, if you get homesick on tour, you’re probably in the wrong job. I should stress that we miss our infinitely better halves when we’re on tour of course!

Dear Scotland: What will be your first words on stage in Tourcoing, your first show in France?

Paul Carlin: We’re going to take a monkey, a cat, a mouse, a tree, a chair and a table onstage and announce:

“Le singe est sur la branche; le chat est sur la chaise et la souris est en dessous de la table.”

Eddie Izzard – Learning French

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1sQkEfAdfY

Dear Scotland: Are there any Scottish musicians, past or present, that have influenced you?

Paul Carlin: Oh yeah, the ’90s were amazing! I’d say half the band were really influenced by that era of indie rock. Urusei Yatsura, The Delgados and Life Without Buildings are still some of our favourite bands. Older stuff too… I still love Orange Juice and pretty much all of us like The Associates. I was (and still am) a massive Big Country fan!

Urusei Yatsura – Fake Fur

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4VEqWyQCK4

Dear Scotland: How do people react when they discover you are Scottish?

Paul Carlin: One of three things happen:

  1. They get really excited and ask us if we know Jimmy from Cambuslang.
  2. They sing I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers at us.
  3. They ask if we support Celtic or Rangers.

It’s great though. We’re lucky in that Scots are world-renowned for being giant coolies so it’s definitely done more good than bad.

Dear Scotland: What should the Scottish national anthem be?

Paul Carlin: Good question. I was thinking about this the other day because I feel like there are so few songs that really sum up what it is to be Scottish and are also REALLY GOOD. James Yorkston’s music definitely manages to capture an element of that and lyrically I think The Proclaimers have probably come closest with ‘Scotland’s Story’. Perhaps they could collaborate?

If only there was a song like ‘Cattle and Cane‘ by The Go-Betweens – listening to that really gives you an idea of what rural Australia was like in the seventies. Anyway, until then, we’ll settle for ‘Fan-dabi-dozi’ by The Krankies.

The Krankies – Fan-dabi-dozi

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hlws5TKOfkE

Dear Scotland: What is the best after-show experience you’ve had?

Paul Carlin: Well after a show at SXSW, we got to bunk off and see Women, Mika Miko and then Dinosaur Jr which was pretty amazing. David and I met Carrie from Sleater-Kinney too! Closer to home, though, I really enjoyed an epic night out with Foals when we toured with them. Got a lock-in at a pub, played this hideous game called Buffalo (don’t ask) and then went back to their bus for a pants party (don’t ask).

Dear Scotland: And finally, many many years from now, when you finish your farewell world tour, is there one place to where you would like to retire?

Yeah, I always want to move back to Toronto where I lived for a year in 2005. New York would be just swell too. I think David will move to Burlington, Vermont… Duncan might move to Tofino in Canada… I can see John living in Berlin or Zurich… Calum will probably go to Australia (as long as it’s not Aberdeen) and Ryan is getting sent to Waikiki to work on his tan.

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Dananananaykroyd – In Session with Clint Boon

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBeN-PnjCk0

Photo Credit : Kmeron . More stunning photos here