Date: July 9, 2010
Author: Johnny Andrews (drums), Ted Gowans (guitar/ keys), Shaun Huberts (bass guitar)
Publication: teganandsara.org
Headline: June 2010 -Ask the Guys

Tabitha asks:
What are your favorite songs to play live?


Johnny writes:
I love playing: "Nineteen", "Don't Rush", "I Bet It Stung", "On Directing"... well, all the songs are fun to play!

Ted writes:
Usually my favorite songs to play are the freshest to the set list. Often we'll work out a song in soundcheck and play it that night. It keeps us on our toes and the songs always have a good vibe to them.

Shaun writes: I have a bunch of favorite songs to play live, but the ones that come to mind right away for me are, "The Con", "I Bet It Stung", and "The Ocean". But even though we don't play "I Was Married" live too much anymore, it was and is easily one of my favorites to play!

Mary writes:
Hey Ted, Shaun and Johnny!
My questions are for any or all three of you!
What was your first encounter with Tegan and Sara like? Did they ask you anything funny/scary/intimidating during your audition or initial meeting?
What is your most memorable experience on tour? Have any T&S fans done anything wild around or to you?
Thanks!
-Mary


Johnny writes:
My first encounter was in Atlanta. Shaun and I were playing for another band at that time. We happened to be in the same city and decided to come see our friend Ted play with Tegan and Sara. They put on an excellent show... I was really impressed. When I met the girls, they were very nice... we all talked in the green room for a while.

My most memorable moment... Wow, there are so many! But I have to say when I had a crowd of 3000 people sang "Happy Birthday" to me.

T&S fans have always been so nice to me... no wild and crazy things to report as of yet. ;)

Ted writes:
My first encounter was quite fun. It was an audition so I was pretty nervous at first but It wasn't long before we were trying to play half of So Jealous. They hired me with long hair, baggy jeans and all so I'd say It went well by all accounts.

Having been around for six years now I have accumulated so many great memories that I don't think I could narrow it down to just one. I can say though that the most memorable tour has to be our first trip to Europe. It's pretty well documented in It's Not Fun Don't Do It but really It's the tour we talk about most when reminiscing.

Someone made a Tegan and Sara board game a while back. Everyone had little figurines of themselves. It was really cool! I would classify that "wild".

Shaun writes:
For me, the thing I remember most about my first encounter with Tegan and Sara during my 'audition' was that they both gave me a big hug. I remember it making me feel instantly more comfortable and relaxed.

One of my most memorable experiences on tour was at Bonarroo a couple years back when Tegan and Sara were going to jump on stage and sing a song with Tiesto. They were doing a quick run-through with him just before the show was to start and you could see the swarms of people just itching to get in past the yellow caution tape holding them back from entering the large tenting area. Either Tegan and Sara sounded too good to stay back or the people simply realized it was only a "caution" tape and not a "do not enter" tape, but midway through the song they broke through and SPRINTED towards the stage all screaming and cheering in excitement. Thousands of them. It was something else to witness from side stage I tell ya!

Ruth asks:
Hi Johnny,
When you're heading into rehearsals for a new tour/record are you just given a CD/Demo and told to learn the drums for the songs? On Sainthood did you have any collabortion with Jason?
Thanks,
Ruth


Johnny writes:
The girls generally let us hear demos and we all work on the songs in rehearsal. Sometimes T&S want me to play what is on the CD or sometimes come up with something completely different, something that shows a little personality!

Shaun, Ted and I worked on the pre-production/demos for Sainthood. Jason and Chris listened and based their parts off of that. So no direct collaborations.

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