CHRIS WALKER VS. BANDS AND BOOZE, ROUND THREE: APOSTLE OF HUSTLE

Andrew Whiteman’s Apostle of Hustle holds a special place in my heart. Folkloric Feel, the band’s debut album, helped me through a very rough patch last December. In fact, it was the only thing I’d listen to for a couple days. From the sullen lull of “Sleepwalking Ballad” to lines like, “Well, we drink, we fuck and we fight when we bring it on,” (“Energy of Death”) Folkloric Feel pulled me in all the right directions, carrying me through a spectrum of emotions, good and bad, ultimately helping me feel content about life and living (the drum section at the end of “Kings and Queens” may be one of my favorite things ever). Not to mention, I’m happy anytime Feist is singing – and she’s all over that album.

Apostle of Hustle are Andrew Whiteman (vocals, guitar, bass, keys, percussion, beats), Julian Brown (guitar, bass, keys, vocals), Dean Stone (drums, percussion), Justin McTavish (guitar, keybass, vocals), and Danielito Patanemo (¡caja! and percussion). They’ve got a new album, National Anthem of Nowhere, coming out in the US in March (already available in Canada and on iTunes). If you read the Versus regularly you know I’ve been talking about this album a lot and have even declared one of my top ten albums of 2007. Today, on Bands and Booze, Andrew Whiteman was kind enough to talk about his new album, drinking with Jason Collett in Toyko, and a vicious beer called “FAX.”

All right, I’m very excited about this, thanks for taking the time. You are Andrew Whiteman, member of Broken Social Scene and front-man for Apostle of Hustle; you’ve got a new album, National Anthem of Nowhere, coming out in the US next month. Should listeners expect a natural progression of sound and theme on this album or are you making some radical departures?

Andrew Whiteman: Very similar in genre, but we decided to come up a little closer to the surface of the water.

Folkloric Feel had a lot of guest appearances, who’s accompanying you this time around?

AW: In terms of non-members: Lisa Lobsinger from [Broken Social Scene], Evan and Chris from Stars, Liam O'Neil from Stills, and the “Terror Twins” (Annie and her sister Kate Lawrence - also amazing caterers) from Montreal on cello and violin.

All right, here’s a tough one: what is your favorite song, if at all possible to pick, off the new album?

AW: You’re right, tough one, as I love all my children. A favourite, though, is called “The Naked & Alone”. A story not unlike the Robert Mitchum film “Night of the Hunter”. At the same time, it could be the truest song on the record. Plus, it’s got serious swagger.

It does, that’s a great track. So, what is your favorite alcoholic drink?

AW: Vin Rouge, no question. So many moods, so many uses, and believe me, unlike some of my friends, I have no desire to own a cellar. It is only occasionally that the $50 bottle raises my eyebrows. Vin Rouge is meaningful in all its forms. It is liquid myth; it is ambrosia and dregs, simultaneously. Plus, I enjoy tequila, bourbon, Irish whiskey, Guinness and sometimes vodka and cachasa.

So, is there any alcoholic you’ve been burned by in the past and absolutely refuse to touch?

AW: Like lovers – they’ve all got the potential to bite back viciously and without warning (Ha, as if there’s no warning! But we fool ourselves, don’t we?).

We do, me: most weekends. Which Apostle of Hustle band member holds their alcohol the best?

AW: Well, Martin Davis Kinack, our producer and full-time honorary member, can certainly pound it back and seeing that he is the BSS front-of-house man, I have definitely kept up with him on quite a few occasions. Jimmy Shaw from Metric comes to mind. As does all of Metric, actually. Julian Brown, bass/guitar - he's a fearless imbiber, good to go, and never takes no as an answer.

I wouldn’t claim we are discretionary drinkers.

Which band member holds their alcohol the worst?

AW: Probably me. No stories, please. Julian once brought over this beer called “FAX” to a rehearsal and my girlfriend at the time had to come and drag me out of there when I never showed up at home. I should’ve known by the cans: they were tall, black, shiny tallboy cans and the writing was in that Gestapo/est, Los Angeles, Vato type font and it bragged about the alcohol content of the beer. They seemed like Towers of Drunk so basically, the beer itself looked like a [secret service] agent who was gonna work you over...

That was when I drank beer.

If there was an alcoholic drink called the “Apostle of Hustle” how would you make one, what would the ingredients be?

AW: It’s the high end liquorice booze of whatever country you’re in at that moment. With or without ice and a dash of citrus. Or, of course, one pint glass 1/2 Vin Rouge, 1/2 orange juice.

You serious, Vin Rouge and orange juice?

AW: Yep, I'm serious.

I guess I’ve got to try that stuff. So, here’s something I’m dying to know: who holds their alcohol better, you or (BSS member and solo artist) Jason Collett?

AW: Well, that’s a tough one as he definitely has the height advantage. I’m sure we could compare actual photographs to prove our perspective points. I’m thinking of a certain evening in Tokyo when way after the karaoke part of the evening was over and we were heading back to the hotel in a taxi, he passed out, mouth agape, almost ‘straight duking’ (BSS slang for snoring loudly). But…then we go to the hotel and decided to ‘look for’ the apparent ‘reggae bar’ that someone had found the night before. Dusty (Jason) was right there. We stumbled around and then found a joint that wasn’t the reggae bar but instead was 3 floors down, the size of a big closet, 3 people in it, drinking at 4:15 AM and they were playing “Hold On” by Tom Waits quietly and we had found our dive. It was perfect. We keep at it until 6:30 AM, enough time to lurch to the hotel and make it upstairs to the ‘sky deck’ eating breakfast buffet with uber-rich Saudis and Bulgarians.

So, me.

That’s awesome. Did you make any New Year’s Resolutions this year?

AW: Smoke weed less then every day.

Have you stuck with it?

AW: Yep.

All right, thanks for your time. I’ve only got one more question I ask everyone, which are better: pirates, ninjas, or Vikings?

AW: Well, J. Depp notwithstanding, it’s obviously pirates. Ninjas are too clean, Vikings can’t write.

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For more on Apostle of Hustle, including music, videos, pictures, the Lady Pope, and more, visit the links below:

[Official Site] Apostle of Hustle

[MySpace] Apostle of Hustle