THE INDIE MACHINE

Abbotsford, BC’s You Say Party! We Say Die! announced today that the band will continue on in the wake of drummer Devon Clifford’s untimely passing. Also, keyboardist and founding member, Krista Loewen, will be leaving the band to start a new chapter in her life. Replacing Devon and Krista will be Robert Andow and Bobby Siadat of Vancouver band “Gang Violence”. They have also announced that the name of the band will be changed to, ‘You Say Party’. Their summer European tour will be rescheduled for this fall, with select dates here in North America. The band can now be found here on Facebook and you can read the full letter from the band over on their new Website. Check out ‘There Is XXXX (Within My Heart) below.

Krista Loewen, keyboardist and founding member of YSP!WSD! took some time out recently to talk with The Indie Machine. This was before the untimely passing of their drummer, Devon Clifford. I had the opportunity to see the band at The Horseshoe Tavern recently and Devon was such an amazing presence on stage. With that being said, I’d like to dedicate this interview to the memory of Devon Clifford. Thank you for the music, your spirit will live on.

1. How did you come up with the name of the band when you started out?
The band name started out as a song name, and in that song we would get the crowd chanting back and forth with us “you say party! we say die!” It just ended up sticking as the band name.

2. You’ve all been together for quite some time now. What’s different about YSP!WSD! in 2010 as opposed to 2005 when your first album was released?
We’ve all changed a lot as people in the last 5 years. A couple of us joined the band during that time, though we’ve been solid with this line-up for a few years. We’re not just 5 years older but we’ve gone through a lot together. I think the way we approach the band and each other has evolved quite a lot. These days, we know what we want to do and we know that the best way to do that is by supporting each other. We’re 5 really different people with strong personalities, and we’ve learned a lot about how to stay on the same page.

3. XXXX has enjoyed quite a bit of success in Canada, especially in the latter part of 2009 after it was released. Did you guys expect to see that kind of response to the album?
We hoped for a positive response, we hoped it would do well, and we believed that we had created something that had the potential to reach a lot of people. I don’t know if we would say we expected it, but we all felt like we had created something we were really proud of.

4. Howard Redekopp has been involved in some very successful Canadian albums in the past. What was it like working with him on the new album?
We had a wonderful time working with Howard, there are not enough positive words to describe him!

5. It has been some time since the band has been able to tour in the US. How does it feel being able to tour South of the border again and why?
We just finished a US tour and we had a fantastic time. We weren’t sure what our reception would be like, but in almost every city there was a warm and excited crowd waiting for us. I ate some of the best Mexican food I’ve ever had in my life! We really enjoyed the tour.

6. With that being said, how was you SXSW experience this year?
It was pretty intense, we played 6 shows in 2 days! We were joking about how SXSW is like band bootcamp. It’s great to be at SXSW though, always a crazy time.

7. You were selected to play with Phoenix as a follow up to the 2010 winter Olympics back in January. What did that mean to the band?
We were very happy to be asked to play that show. We were really excited to play with Phoenix, being fans of theirs. We were also excited to be playing at the Orpheum, a beautiful venue in Vancouver that normally houses the symphony.

8. The band is headed out a large scale European & UK tour at the end of April. How is it different playing overseas as opposed to playing here at home or in the US?
It’s kind of hard to make sweeping comparisons, because shows vary from city to city so much. But Europe definitely wins for band hospitality, they stuff you full of delicious food and drink, and really make you feel like an honoured guest, it’s a real pleasure to tour there.

9. Tell us five bands you are excited about in 2010?
I really loved a band we played with from Australia called Pivot. I’m in love with the new Beach House album. I adore the Cave Singers and the Duchess and the Duke. I’m very excited to hear the new Winter Gloves album when it comes out later this year.

10. What are your top five songs on your mp3 player right now?
Cloudbusting – Kate Bush
Silver Soul – Beach House
What Do I Get – Buzzcocks
18 Wheels – Murder City Devils
Dancing On Our Graves – Cave Singers

YSP! WSD! – Myspace

Devon Clifford, drummer for You Say Party! We Say Die! passed away earlier today after collapsing on stage Friday night during a gig in Vancouver. Reports say that he suffered a brain hemorrhage. I had the opportunity to see the band for the first time a few weeks back @ The Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto. Devon was an amazing presence on stage and I am sure he will be dearly missed by his fans, band mates, friends and family. The following statement was issued by Paper Bag Records today:

“It is with absolute sadness to report that our dear friend Devon Clifford passed away just hours ago in a Vancouver hospital surrounded by his family and friends. He will be deeply missed by everyone who knew him. I request that we respect the family’s privacy during this incredibly difficult time.”

“You Say Party! We Say Die!” are back at it again with their new album “XXXX”. The album has spent 5 weeks atop the national campus and community radio charts for a reason. “Laura Palmer’s Prom” is below for your listening pleasure.

http://myspace.com/yousayparttywesaydie