Ladyhawk

By Chuck Ansbacher

Saturday April 1, 2006

Spearheading the Barvarian Oom-pah movement

I didn’t realize this, but there are only about one or two actual bars on Commercial Drive. I sat down with Duffy (dude on the left) and had a few beers in one of them. Turns out we’re both totally down with Swisha House. Who knew?

ONLY: Do you think there’s exciting times coming up?

Duffy: For us as a band? I guess so. Our album’s coming out in June.

ONLY: It’s coming out on 6/6/6, right?

D: Yeah that wasn’t even planned. It just happened like that.

ONLY: Did you know that’s the same day that the remake of The Omen is coming out?

D: I know, I’m stoked. I want to see it.

ONLY: I saw the preview the other day. It looks pretty stupid.

D: I’ve got a friend at work who was raised really religiously. Like, his Mom was one of those crazy religious people.

ONLY: Like Carrie’s Mom?

D: Yeah totally. And when he was six years old his Mom made him and his little brother watch The Omen, and was like “this is the truth. This is what’s gonna happen.”

ONLY: Serious?

D: Yeah. He’s a fucked up dude.

ONLY: That could really scar somebody.

D: Yeah he’s fucked… But other than that, I’m just stoked to go on tour. We’re going on tour probably starting in July, and we’re gonna be gone for a month and a half. It’s gonna be fun. I just want to play shows. I don’t really care about the other bullshit.

ONLY: Have you guys toured a lot?

D: We went on our first tour last summer with Black Mountain and Blood Meridian, and that was so fun. It was only about three weeks, but it was just insane the amount of crazy shit that went on.

ONLY: I know you guys get asked about this a lot, but did you see that there was an article in the New York Times the other day about how beards are cool now?

D: Well, it’s probably true.

ONLY: Yeah, but it’s been true for about two years now. But like during fashion week on the runway all these male models had full beards, and it’s supposed to be a backlash to the whole metrosexual thing.

D: Well it probably is. I mean, my Dad had a beard my entire life. Still has a beard. And when I was a kid, I was like whenever I can grow a beard I’m gonna grow one. Plus I hate shaving and I don’t really care. I’m not winning any beauty contests.

ONLY: I still can’t grow a beard.

D: It looks like you’ve got some growth potential there.

ONLY: But this is after a week.

D: And it’s a funny thing too. Ladies love beards. And fellas too. I’ve been hit on by so many dudes. It’s weird, I fit a gay fetish stereotype I guess. But remember a few years ago? Moustaches? It was all “oh look at that dude with the moustache.” And if anything gets to the point where it’s that lame, it becomes ironic. And then you get dudes sporting ironic moustaches. And then other people catch on and it becomes cool. And now it’s totally normal to see dudes with moustaches. You’re not even like “hey look at that guy with the moustache.” It’s just normal. It goes in these weird cycles.

ONLY: But I love the idea of a metrosexual guy adopting a beard, and just having a really well trimmed beard and going to a beard salon or something, and buying beard conditioner, you know?

D: It’s like those previously worn out jeans or something. Some of those pants cost like three hundred bucks.