Interview questions written by Michelle, 24

Tim Fletcher – vocals, guitar
Dave Hamelin – vocals, guitar, drum kit
Liam O'Neil – keyboards, percussion, backing vocals
Olivier Corbeil (a.k.a. Oliver Crowe) – bass guitar, backing vocals
Julien Blais – drums

http://www.arts-crafts.ca/thestills/index.php
http://www.myspace.com/thestills

The band has been together since the year 2000, but these musicians have known each other since the age of 12. You’ve likely heard their hit single, “Still In Love Song” off the Logic Will Break Your Heart album or know them for their post-punk revival sound. In 2008, they opened up for Paul McCartney, near their hometown Montreal, in Quebec City, to a crowd of 270,000! This year, they toured with Kings of Leon – and if you like Kings of Leon, you’ll def want to check out these guys out, if you haven’t already. Tim Fletcher, lead vocalist, thoughtfully answers mindyourmind volunteer, Michelle’s questions below and shares his inspirations with us.

“You have to eradicate all rational conception of any boundaries.
The world is yours to create!
And usually you'll find you barely have control of what comes to you.”
          – Tim Fletcher

mym: The majority of the band has known each other since pre-teenage years. After all this time, how do you maintain positive friendships and band-mate status?

Tim Fletcher: Well, that's the real question in life, isn't it. Really it's a question of stubbornness (!) and of realizing that being able to make music for a living, tour the world, meet so many people, and see so many amazing things together is really incredibly rare. We are so lucky. But like with any relationship in your life that matters, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, pets, wine store merchants, you find that you gotta talk issues through some times, and other times just wait them out a little, be patient but open-minded. Trying to be calm and objective, like seeing yours and others' faults objectively but not without feeling them. It's hard sometimes, but we're family, so you don't have a choice:)

mym: Where do you draw your inspiration from to write songs and make music? Are any topics off limits when it comes to lyrics for The Stills?

Tim Fletcher: Inspiration comes from anywhere you want it to. That's what's awesome. Think of any situation you could be in, like let's say you're soaking in a bathtub having a nice smoke in a hotel in Cairo in the evening, before going out that night, and you drape the wet washcloth over your eyes, you'll probably see some images, and you can write a song about that world. Or you can be in that same bathtub and miss your friend back home who's depressed, or who's in love with some girl you don't even know; you can write about that, or whatever that makes you think about or feel. You can write about a cow. Or a time you did something crazy. Memories, people, thoughts, feelings you can't describe except in a song with music. That's why NOTHING is off limits. You have to eradicate all rational conception of any boundaries. The world is yours to create! And usually you'll find you barely have control of what comes to you.

mym: Do you have any good luck charms that you bring, or superstitious things you do before taking the stage for a show?

Tim Fletcher: I always find it helpful to check that I am still breathing before I go on stage, because if I'm not it generally means that I only have a short time to live and our shows can be a little longer than that. But I don't really believe in luck or superstitions, because it's all about how you think, really. You create your conditions.

mym: Who are your greatest musical influences?

Tim Fletcher: Many Many Many. There is no end to it. Comes from all over. It's too hard to bring it down to a few names, because so many amazing art-making musicians/songwriters have existed all over the world. But I will mention The Clash, to whom on my deathbed I will say "thank you so $%^&*ing much. I really loved you".

mym: Are there any specific themes you want listeners to grasp off of your recent album "Oceans Will Rise"?

Tim Fletcher: The album title was really chosen randomly at the back of a Portuguese restaurant one night. Cause we needed an album title. And now everyone thinks that the album is all about climate change and Al Gore and all those things, and it really serves to remind you that the world in your head, all the images, the smells, the people, the mood; not all of it makes it out into the world's hands. Some of it stays stuck in your mind, like there's only a small crack for the tune to get out, but the rest stays behind in there. So really, I think the album IS about some of those things because it's an album about looking around, seeing, taking in things. But the most important part of any of that is the way you react to what you take in, and especially how it makes you feel. It's about that, but it's also really really really about relationships. More than anything, it's about how to navigate the fucked-up terrain between people.

mym: If you could hide one subliminal message in your next album, what would be it be?

Tim Fletcher: Something very repetitive and simple, that you would have to play backwards on a cassette tape player, that would make people feel amazing about themselves, confident and creative and happy and open. Everyone deserves that.

mym: What's the best advice anyone has given you, when you were going through a difficult time?

Tim Fletcher: Never make any serious decisions in times of confusion. Wait til a time when your thinking is calm, clear, and un-emotional. The outcome of your decisions always reflects the state of mind you were in when you made it, so sometimes you really have to fight the temptation to make quick decisions out of anger, sadness, jealousy, etc, those intense negative emotions that can seem so convincing in the moment. Like I said, you create your own world, it's up to you, down to every single little decision you make. And one positive, pattern-breaking choice can snowball and change your vibe faster than you know.

mym: How do you cope with stress?

Tim Fletcher: Oh God, wow, good one.... Step One: Remember everyone gets stressed out, sometimes really intensely. Step Two: Breathe Deeply. Step Three: start a noise band and freak out. Step Four: Drink Rooibos tea. Step Five: go for long walks in woods when you can. Seriously. Otherwise, I honestly don't know. Stress is hard, and it will hit you. Trying not to make those snap decisions I mentioned above is a good thing to practice.

mym: Any words to live by?

Tim Fletcher: I am not a religious person at all. It's really just not for me. I'm an artist, so I live by those rules (not fully sure yet...) But at the same time, if you look at all religions or spiritual paths, from Juadaism, Christianity, Islam, Sikkim, Zoroastrianism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and all the many rest of em, there is one adage that is common to them all, and that is, treat people the way you would really want to be treated. It's so $%^&* simple, but if you think about, if you really spend time thinking about that one, it's so obviously true, and a solution to many many things. Also, people get convinced they shouldn't be happy, that they don't deserve it, or that that's not the point in life, but I call total bullshit on that. Life is hard even if you're happy, but at least you're happy going through it. When you're all depressed and stuff, it's so much more difficult. And I really empathize with that because I've been there. I would say, strive to be happy. Really, truly happy. Go down that path. A lot of people will follow you, a lot of people will help you on your way, and a lot of people are waiting there to see you, and it IS a place that exists.

Don't go chasing the Energy of Death. Find your happiness.