11 Questions...w/ The Magnificent 7s

On Thursday, December 15th, local act The Magnificent 7s are dropping their sophomore album, All Kinds of Mean, at the West End Cultural Centre. On this new release, these ascending road warriors -- comprised of David Nishikawa (banjo/dobro), Ida Sawabe (bass fiddle/vocals), TJ Blair (guitar, banjo and vocals), Matt Magura (guitar/vocals) and Andy Bart (fiddle) -- seamlessly and judiciously weave together elements of bluegrass, folk, country, and punk into a fully-realized, distinguishable, and galvanizing sound.

I recently tracked down most of the band members recently and threw 11 questions their way. Here's what they had to say...

1. Where is the best venue to catch a show in our fair town?

Ida - the late Albert
Matt - the late Studio 54, The Standard*, WECC on December 15th, 2011
*with Pinball
Dave - on the street

2. Who is the most underrated Winnipeg-based band?

Ida - 77 Guns, Andrew Neville and the Poor Choices, The Lonely Vulcans, The F-Holes
Matt - Ultra-Mega, can’t wait for the new record.
Dave - Big Dave McLean

3. Where is the best place in town to catch a bite?

Matt - Spring Roll (1142 Notre Dame), Deep fried Plantains from Bueno Bros (Isabel and McDermot), with Ice Cream.

Dave - Mondragon: If only they'd use real cream in the vegan coffee

4. Where do you shop for music?

Ida - Pawn shops, thrift stores, my parents record collection, Into the Music
Matt - Shows. I don’t own many records. I’m not into downloading music, or against it for that matter, but there is enough live music.
going on to keep my ears busy.
Dave - Thrift store bargain bins

5. How many Jets games are you attending this year?

We’re not really into badminton

Some hodgepodge…

6. Of the records you own, which has the best album art?

Ida - Osama Kitajima - "Benzaiten"

T.J. - http://www.stevecarter.com/albumcovers.htm

Matt - to pick from something I do own: photographs and paintings over the years on each of Propagandhi’s albums. Also Paul Robles’ paperworks on each of the Crooked Brothers albums. And Evil Survives!

Dave - Spinal Tap (Smell the Glove-alternate cover) and The Beatles (white Album)


7.  What are some albums that completely changed your life?

Ida -
Tiffany(self-titled)
Madonna(self-titled)
Aretha Franklin-"Aretha's Gold,"
Loretta Lynn's Greatest Hits I & II,
Black Sabbath-"Paranoid,"
Van Halen-(self-titled) & 1984,
Patsy Cline-"The Patsy Cline Story,"
Lee Aaron-"Metal Queen" & "Bodyrock,"
Squareheads-"Persona Non Grata"

Matt -
Tom Waits (Rain Dogs)
I-Spy (Revenge of the Little Shits)
Queen (‘Live’ Killers)
Roger Miller (the Genius of Roger Miller)
Dirty Three (Ocean Songs via Paul Guillas)
Bruce Springsteen (Born in the USA)
Wax Mannequin (Saxon)
Stereolab (Emperor Tomato Ketchup) R.I.P. Mary Hansen

Dave -
Tony Trishka (A Robot Plane Flies over Arkansas)

8. What books are you currently reading?

Ida - "Striking Thoughts: Bruce Lee's Wisdom for Daily Living"

Matt - Ida reads. We listen.

Dave - Book of the Dead, Men's Fitness





9. What are some of your favourite tv shows at the moment?

Ida - Flight of the Conchords, South Park
Matt - Samurai Pizza Cats, Walking Dead, Dancing with the Zombie-Hoarder-Celebrity-Matchmakers,
post-Bridalplasty in the Dragons Den
Dave - All in the Family (Youtube)

10. Blackberry or iPhone?

Ida -  Payphones
Matt - Had a Blackberry for a while, ended up in a world of debt.
Dave - Phone-e

11. And finally, back to Winnipeg…what’s the worst bus route in the city?

Matt - As a cyclist, Graham Avenue.
Dave - Any, during winter. Build a subway