What is sHEAVY currently up to?
Steve:  Right now we're between albums and just kinda layin' low.  We should get some idea about how Celestial Hi-Fi has done pretty soon and we'll probably sit down over Christmas and discuss the next CD.  With everyone busy with their regular day jobs its tough to stay focused but we can normally put things together pretty quickly.  I've been thinking a lot about what I want the next CD to be and I hope the rest of the guys have been thinking about it too.

Tell me about your experience at Dynamo in '98 and your European tour in general.
Steve:  Dynamo '98 and the European tour were eye openers and great experiences.  For me, it was exciting to see that heavy music was still very much alive.  Being our first tour I don't think we were truly prepared for "life on the road" but it was inspiring being backstage at Dynamo with bigger bands like Pantera and Fu Manchu.  Meeting fans, our record company reps, other bands and just getting a feel for a different part of the world was awesome.  I hope we get the opportunity to do it again.  Next time I'll just remember to bring more clothes.  We were filthy.

Have you toured much since the band's inception?
Steve:  With the exception of Dynamo and the UK we've never toured.  Since our fan base is largely outside Canada it just didn't make much sense to tour inside Canada.  Instead, we concentrated on recording demos and getting the word out via the internet.

Have you toured the States at all?
Steve:  Nope, we never have but with some luck and some help from the Music Cartel I'm hoping we'll get to do it sometime soon.

Where have you not played yet that you really want to go?
Steve:  Me, I'd like to play Japan.  I'm just in the mood to go somewhere totally different.

Let me ask you a bit about each of your albums:  First off, what are your thoughts on Blue Sky Mind looking back on it now?
Steve:  Blue Sky Mind was a great start for the band.  I was taken off guard by it's success actually.  If I'd known I probably would have taken more time with the lyrics and the vocals.  I can hardly listen to it without that "I wish I had my time back" feeling.  I don't think any of us took it very seriously.  Still, recording that album was a great experience.  I think we learned a lot and I think we've come a long way.

How did you hook up with Church of Misery for the split CD?
Ren: They actually approached us. C.O.M. had already agreed to do a release with Game Two Records, but only had a few songs. Not enough for a full-length album. Game Two asked them who if anyone they'd like to do a split release with and they mentioned us. Game Two got in touch with us and arranged everything. They were great. Excellent guys, both Game Two and Church of Misery.

The Electric Sleep is the first SHEAVY album I heard (and I was hooked right away!)  Do you have any particularly fond memories of the writing or recording session for this album?
Steve:  When I think back on the sessions for the Electric Sleep I always remember the room setup and just how crazy everything seemed.  It was an old school classroom with a group of adjoining rooms.      Keith's rig was in the hallway and Dan's was in a another room.  They were both turned up so loud it was unreal.  There was a total '70,s vibe and I think the album reflects it.  We were also very well prepared for that session.  The tunes were written, and things just flowed well.  Celestial Hi-Fi was different.  Six weeks of sheer improvisation. 

Ren:  Heh.

The song "Velvet" is one of my favorites.  Can you tell me a little bit about what inspired the lyrics?
Steve: Dan had "Velvet" written for a long time before I put lyrics to it.  I actually wrote them the same morning we did the vocal tracks.  I suppose the inspiration came from desperation.  I went to Signal Hill (which overlooks St. John's) the evening before and sat there looking at the ocean hoping for something magically lyrical to come.  Nothing came.  I remember thinking, "I suppose if I just stayed here, I'd never have to do anything."  When I got up the next day I mixed a little of that sentiment with the things I saw while sitting there and hey, that was "Velvet".

Celestial Hi-Fi, to my ears anyway, is the most distinctively sHEAVY sounding album yet.  Was there any added pressure on this album, with the band's growing success?
Steve:  I think we did feel some added pressure on Celestial Hi-Fi.  We knew that Electric Sleep had been well received and we felt that there were things that could be improved.  I think the biggest pressure factor was time.  Keith and I were working out of the province for a while, no tunes were written and we basically had seven weeks to write and record.  It was fun though.  The material was new, it felt good to be jamming again and the positive vibe was still there.

All of your albums have had very distinct cover art.  Can you tell me a little about what inspired each one and which is your favorite?
Ren:   For the 'Blue Sky Mind' CD, Dan basically got stoned and stayed up for a weekend straight, scanned a bunch of photos into his computer and did some crazy layout with spirals and stuff. Pretty cool. For 'Electric Sleep' we simply said to a friend who's a graphic artist: "we need an album cover". He listened to the record over and over, and came back with two or three similar cover and inserts we then sat down and took the best parts from each and kaapoww - "Electric Sleep". Dan did the full art for "Celestial Hi-Fi". I think he liked the space theme for The Electric Sleep, so the Satellite dish just kinda happened. Simply, if it looks good we're happy. We don't really sit down and discuss these things for months on end.  I don't think Steve even saw the cover to Celestial until it was released.

Is the fascination with space generally shared among everyone in the band?  Do you think the image of the band will shift in the future or will you continue to explore the outer realms?
Steve:  I really don't know how much fascination there is with space in this band.  My personal fascination is reflected in the lyrics and for some unknown reason it just seems to fit this sort of music.  I'm sure they would tell me if they were tired of it.  Still, I want the next CD to be different so no more space lyrics on the next one.  Its time we explored some new realms both musically and lyrically.  Not to say that it ain't gonna be SHEAVY.  I just think its time to shed the Sabbath monkey.

I understand that you have made your first album available as MP3 files.  Why did you choose this route rather than re-issue it?
Ren:   Simple. Money. It all boiled down to the idea that really was it worth it to spend the cash on it? I think we all were kinda tired of hearing that album. It's almost 7 years old now! Christ. So, I ran the website and decided to stick the album up for free. I actually didn't ask the other guys, but then again I also paid for the pressing of Blue Sky Mind myself and lost and dandy chuck of money on it too, so I wasn't really prepared to throw away another couple thousand dollars. Secondly, the manufacturing plant where Blue Sky Mind was made lost all of our artwork originals; so if we were to re-release it we'd have to do all new artwork.  Really, it wasn't worth the effort. I'd rather spend the money and the time on future projects.

What do you make of the whole Napster case?
Steve:  I can't say that I've used Napster or even followed the issue much.  I don't have much sympathy for Metallica because they've made their money but I would hate to see it reach the point where young bands, or anyone for that matter, fails to get paid for their efforts.  If anything, I respect Metallica for using their heavyweight status to look out for the artists of the future.  Still, the digital music trade is very positive.  Napster provides so many people with a virtually unlimited pool of music from which to sample.  As a music fan I hope that the sampling leads to more CD sales, more bands being discovered and, most importantly, to fans being able to hear what's out there.  Maybe it will encourage record companies to use more elaborate packaging, to make a music purchase more attractive and to give us more for our money.

Having grown up in Canada (I assume) what is the general image you've had of the US?  (be honest.  :)
Steve:  As Canadians, we get bombarded by US magazines, music and TV.  Before having the opportunity to live in the U.S for a while,  I suppose I noted Americans most for their arrogance.   You do have a pretty serious "we're the best" thing going on.  Still, having had the chance to live and work with all sorts of "Yanks" I'd say that people are people man.  I still don't think you guys can play hockey though! 

Ren:  Especially not Lacrosse!

Have you been more successful in Canada, the US or Europe?
Steve:  I'd have to say Europe.  The interest was definitely there first.

Ren:   Yes my son, by far.

How did you originally get deals with Rise Above and TMC?
Ren:  Rise Above were selling our Blue Sky Mind CD through their mail-order catalog, and they sold quite a few. I assume those guys just saw the potential there and offered us a deal. It was cool because at that time, there were really no other labels around that even had anything remotely close to our style music. It was long before MeteorCity or any of the European labels had started. Back when Hellhound was still happening, so there was really only Count Raven, Obsessed, Revelation, Cathedral, Mourn, etc. Orange Goblin hadn't even started. So that should point out the time frame. The Music Cartel kinda came on board afterwards. They basically license our stuff from Rise Above for sale in North America. Rise Above is the label who spring for the recording and tour support etc.

Are you still happy with both labels?
Ren:  YES! They couldn't have treated us better. I feel we are like royalty when I talk to those guys.

If you had to describe the sound of SHEAVY to someone who had never heard you, what would you say?
Steve:  70's Sabbath.  Problem is, if they were Sabbath fans, they probably won't remember the 70's.

Do you keep up on the music scene at large?
Steve:  I try to.  I know who Britney Spears is!  I do find myself getting tunnel vision sometimes though.  Top 40 Pop is not something I'll listen to but I usually like to stay in touch.  I think it helps to be aware of what's out there.  Most of what I listen to tends to be heavy and in the 70's sort of vein.  I'm seriously into Deep Purple and The Who lately. 

What are some of your favorite artists of the moment?  Of all time?
Steve:  At the moment its Tool, A Perfect Circle and The Tragically Hip.  All time?  Sabbath, The Who and Jethro Tull.

Ren:  Right now; Shellac, Backyard Babies, Gluecifer, High on Fire, Electric Wizard.  All time faves - Sabb, Purple, Zepp, Skynyrd of course. All the usuals. More recent all time faves include Kyuss, Queens, Monster Magnet, Masters of Reality, Clutch. 

Do you think you have found the definitive line-up for SHEAVY?
Steve:  Only if we had a drum machine.  No, seriously, I think we've got a great line-up.  I sometimes wish I didn't have this Ozzy thing goin' on though.  We get some serious knocks for being clones. 

Ren:   I don't think sHEAVY would be sHEAVY without these four guys.  There's something unwritten and unspoken that is just wonderful. We can be apart for years and get together and make a record that sounds like sHEAVY.  What more do you want in fellow band mates.

How important is music in general to you personally?
Steve: Music has always been an escape for me.  It's a way to relax, and a way to express myself.  I never saw myself being involved with something like SHEAVY.  It just sort of happened.  It's been incredible though.  Its opened a whole new world of friends and experiences.

Ren:  Music is my life. I've never drank beers/liquor or smoked weed ever. I've just only ever bought / traded music. I work in a record store, have my own on-line record shop. There you go. Nuff said. I'm a loser.  Lookout Mr. Weed and Sir Booze - I'm diving headfirst into you soon.

What can you tell me about The Marilyns?  Is that project still a going concern?
Ren:   Not really. It was a one-time thing. I'm not saying it'll never happen again, because it probably will when we feel right about it, but there's no plans to make it a long term or steady thing.

What is your favorite quote or motto?
Steve:  Surprise, surprise, it's a Sabbath thing.  The line in "A Hard Road" that goes "Forget all your sorrow. Don't' live in the past.  Just look to the future cause life goes to fast you know."  I just wish they'd believed in it a little sooner.

Ren:    "Yes my Son". - meaning, affirmative.  "Well, there you go." - meaning, affirmative, but not quite as cool; OR -- 'nuff said...  "Close enough"  -- meaning, it sucks but it'll have to do.  Welcome to the world of Ren....  you all better start talking like me now!