(The Motorleague, from left to right: Nathan Jones, Don Levandier, Ryan McDonald, Jonah Hache. Photo contributed.)
Jonah Hache is arguably one of the busiest guys in the Moncton music scene. From playing bass in The Motorleague and singing and guitar-ing for Something Delicious, Hache also works with TBA Collective, an art and music collective of like-minded, creative folks.
Hache has a lot on the go, as he explains below. This weekend, he’s playing with The Motorleague at the East Coast Music Awards in Sydney, N.S. The four-piece leads New Brunswick in nominations with three: Group Recording of the Year and Loud Recording of the Year for the band’s recent album, Black Noise, and Video of the Year for Hymn For The Newly Departed, directed by Moncton’s Marc Savoie of The Postman production studio.
Recently, the ‘League went in the studio in Toronto to work on the follow-up to Black Noise. Luckily, the boys escaped a nasty collision with a deer on the way up to the big city which totaled their van. Despite this, Hache says “Toronto was great!” and adds that he’s really happy with the work on the new record so far.
Enough from us, here’s the word from Jonah …
1. What are you up to these days, musically or otherwise? (Feel free to plug whatever you’ve got coming up.)
The Motorleague went into the studio in mid February in Toronto to record their second full length. Something Delicious is recording an acoustic album. I’ve been recording my solo album with paranerd (Paul Goguen) producing it at Studio Revoluson, where I work.
Been composing a soundtrack for a short film Marcel Gallant from Postman made called Magnifier.
With TBA Collective, touching up the last pages of a 12-page booklet entitled “How To Organize Events In Moncton” that I’d like to have ready for MIMEfest this year. I also have a music and art specific zine that I’m looking to put out in full colour. The zine include interviews with a few artists as well as some content about music, mostly how-to’s and DIY info.
2. How did you get into the music business and what was the first major lesson you learned once you got your feet wet?
Work with who wants to work as hard as you do, not who’s the most talented.
3. What song or album have you been listening to most lately?
Me and a bunch of musicians that I play with as well as music enthusiasts just had a privately co-ordinated mp3 party that introduced me to quite the gems! These are my faves: Arvo Part, Collections of Colonies of Bees, Toe, Tera Melos.
4. What’s your favourite way to waste time or relax?
Watching The Office or anything nature related, doing yoga. I find yoga necessary to keep my momentum going.
5. The Internet and social media are allowing artists to get closer to their fans than they ever were in some respects. What are your thoughts on this?
I think it’s amazing. It’s so hard to find non-generic music on TV or the radio that it’s nice to escape it to something with more substance. It’s also a great tool to use for someone who wants to get into festivals or book a tour with websites like sonicbids.com or pollstar.com, not to mention, obviously myspace and Facebook.
6. If you weren’t in the music industry in some capacity, what would you be doing today?
In video. I’d be in the arts regardless. But to me, it’s entertainment all the same.
7. What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned recently?
That some frogs and some turtles can lower their heart rate for a winter, let themselves freeze, basically die, then come back to life for the spring…
Musically speaking, my roommate (Ross Cole) is a great freaking audio engineer. I’ve heard some of the recordings he’s been putting out lately for different bands and it’s some of the pro-est stuff I’ve heard in town.
8. If you could hit the “delete” button on anything related to music (a song, artist, trend, whatever), what would you delete?
Trying to write pop music.
9. What’s your favourite thing to drink (alcoholic or otherwise)?
I’ve been off the booze for months now. I feel a lot younger now. I’m a huge tea drinker. I can never get enough of peppermint tea. Opens the lungs up. I did figure out that orange juice and egg nog work together though! It’s like a orange creamcicle!
10. Finish the sentence below and please elaborate on what you mean:
The east coast music scene … is growing. There’s so much that wants to happen, it just needs more spear-headers who can turn dreams into actions. Atlantic Canada is crazy thirsty to get out of the “same old thing” “old school” attitude and it shows every time it gets something new.
11. What’s the next thing you want to accomplish, musically or otherwise?
Composition for a full length film. Touring Europe. I’ve got a list of new concept art events that I’d like to try out.
Check back to EastCoastNoise.com next Friday for a chat with: Chris Colepaugh & The Cosmic Crew and Malkin Music’s Lynn Daigle
