"we are stars, formerly popular middle aged musicians from montreal. ask me anything. you wont get another chance."

The release of Set Yourself On Fire was 10 years, 1 month ago. I know for a lot of people (myself included), that was our first exposure to you guys. Reflecting back, how do you view that album? If you knew it would have been as big as it was, would you have changed anything?

For the record, I think it's aged remarkably well!

thank you! i think we would have recorded it better. it's far from the album we are most proud of, but i like it ok i guess. im glad others love it so much . it means a lot to us.

what album are you most proud of then?

honestly ? the new one.

What really happens between the male and female narrator in "Personal"? Do they ever meet? Does the guy see her and then chickens out? If so, why? I have dreamt up multiple scenarios in my head about what goes down, but I still can't figure it out. Please HELP a super fan out here!

it all ends in a very romantic murder suicide on the cote d'azur some forty years later...

there's an endless debate of "nothing too heavy" being about her weight or being too emotionally troubled...which one was your intention?

emotionally troubled! for heavens sake....

My former girlfriend and I, before we created the Manila Wants Stars page on Facebook, bonded over your music, especially "Your Ex-lover is Dead" when we started dating. I endeavoured to convince you guys to come to the Philippines for her, hence the campaign. After almost two years together, we broke up. JUST BEFORE YOU CAME FOR YOUR CONCERT IN MANILA LAST YEAR. And we both went to the concert and enjoyed it together. "Your Ex-lover is Dead" suddenly had a real-life significance for us. And we met you guys during the meet and greet!

Question: Do you remember any notable experiences while in the Philippines?

P.S. Please do come back, Amy promised :)

WE ARE COMING BACK TO THE PHILIPPINES IF IT KILLS US. the malia crowd last time was the loudest, most awesome audience EVER. see you soon.

Thanks everyone for your questions! Hope you enjoy the new album and hope to see you out on the road

xo

I've seen many different stories about where the opening spoken recording of "When there's nothing left to burn, you have to set yourself on fire" comes from. I have it tattooed on my arm, and I would love a final conclusive answer of what's being sampled?

Thanks, and I'll continue to love everything you put out!

it isn't a sample it's a recording of my dad saying a pahrase i wrote. and now ya know! xo

What is the ideal mental state to be in to listen to your music?

slightly drunk, slightly weepy, slightly looking for a fight.

You guys must be HUGE in Ireland.

we have our fans...and it is definitely one of our favourite places to play.

Wait...are Canadians too polite to engage in obvious attempts at stereotypes for a cheap laugh?

what are you talkin aboot?

Torquil Campbell, is that you? Can you please give us a Q inspired band rant or rave?

stephen harper is an egg shaped sociopath, canada needs to wake the fuck up and stop being so smug, and capitalism is an evil construct built to fuck the weak, there ya go!

"Take the weakest thing in you, and then beat the bastards with it"

What's the weakest thing in you?

This line resonates with me so strongly, and the equivalent mentality has helped me get through a lot, as well as achieve a lot. Thank you for being Stars. :)

fear. definitely fear. of saying goodbye to the ones i love.

Hey! I've been a huge fan for ~6 years and In Our Bedrooms helped me through some tough times. I haven't gotten a chance to listen to No One Is Lost yet but am eagerly awaiting the end of the work day so I can. What is your favorite song to play live?

fixed!

Hi Stars, I just wanted to let you know that you were a true inspiration to me when I was 18 years old. I am now 24. Your music kept me going on the long commutes to college (I never did well at school). The hour and a half commutes to further myself in life were sometimes unbearable. You got me through that. To prove it I eventually made it to university and now I am a qualified Graphic Designer and work in the UK design industry. I left school with zero qualifications and I've proven to myself and others that you can get where you want to be with hard work and dedication. To return the favour to you of developing my teenage and adult life with my career I would like to ask if I can design something for you? It would be an honour to show my gratitude for the music you have given me to inspire, progress and motivate. All my best. Tracey x

PLEASE DO! get in touch with us on our website...lets talk! xoxo

Hi guys, I am already sold on you. You're amazing. Also the 2000s were an incredible time in Canadian music with the whole Broken Social Scene / Arcade Fire thing.

So I would like to ask you: Who is phenomenal now that's just trying to break through? Recommend me some fantastic Canadian bands that I haven't already heard of.

seoul, alvvays, jessy lanza, aroara, light fires, mori, tops the list goes on and on!

What's the craziest rumour you've ever heard about yourselves?

that we're rich.

or that my real name is tony, and i adopted torquil. who the hell would CHOOSE to be named torquil???

Any plans to tour Eastern Canada? I'm willing to drive to Halifax for you.

(also your music is amazing, love the new album, etc.)

yes! in the spring we hope

Moncton please? The Tide & Boar just added a bigger venue and is always fun

our guitar player chris mccarron is a moncton lad, so we will be there soon we hope!

Thank you for doing the AMA, I love you.

Now that that's out of the way, I can't wait for you guys to come back to San Francisco in March, it's going to be my third time seeing you in concert. Thank you for always putting on an absolutely phenomenal and heartfelt show and for always making me cry when I hear "Your ex-lover is dead" live. Its embarrassing and wonderful at the same time.

As I eagerly await my copy of No One is Lost on vinyl, I was wondering if you guys are ever going to press Heart on vinyl as well? It would complete my collection so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

we would love to press heart on vnyl..but we can't find the masters! what dickheads we are!!!!!

Hi guys! You are my girlfriend's favorite band and we are roadtripping from Cincy to see you in Detroit for her birthday! Will you be doing any kind of meet and greet before or after the concert?

just come to the bus. we are a friendly bunch.

Hi guys! You are my favorite band ever, and I once had the fortune of meeting Torq at Lollapalooza :) I have a masters degree in creative writing and, though I have published several essays in lit journals, I'm finally working on my first book. It's hard to balance while working a day job. Did you all have "day jobs" when Stars first started? How did you balance other work with your musical work? And when did you know it was time to quit those other jobs? This advice would be very helpful to me!

there comes a day when you just know. when the work is earning you a little bit and you feel the momentum. do it sooner rather than leter. when you do it, your productivity/survival instinct will kick iin! good luck!

What's your favorite thing to eat?

grilled chees sandwiches on white bread with processed cheese. forever and ever amen.

Hello Torq. Gerard here. It is 1 AM on Saturday morning. The year: 1999. The city: Brooklyn. Where are you at, and with who?

P.S. I am still hoping that one day Stars will cover Call Me Maybe, because it is a beautiful pop song and I think it would make a heartbreaking duet. Should I abandon all hope now?

p.p.s. No One Is Lost is far and away my absolute favourite Stars record, and I cannot thank you all enough for creating it. Thank you so much for all of these years of making pop music sappy and uncool and completely luscious.

hello darling. 1999? im with my only friend, chris seligman, dressed in matching green parkas with wine stains on the front. we are drinking at a shithole in williamsburgh talking about how much we hate williamsburgh. fer sure.

I'd like to know what each of your favourite Stars songs you've ever done are, and why! I'm curious! Also, if applicable, maybe you could share the inspiration behind the songs you chose?

i ithink my favourite stars song is elevator love letter. it's the first time i believed that the band might actually get successful. it's so authoritative. and it sounds like uniquely us.

In Our Bedroom After the War is one of my all time favourite albums. Do you have any plans to return to the style of using more string arrangements? My Favourite Book is probably the best love song ever written.

there's actually a lot of strings on the new record played and arranged by the amazing jesse zubot.

I've heard a lot that your album Nightsongs sounds completely different from the rest of your releases. Is there a specific reason for this?

Also, how do you think all of you have grown as a band since you started making music?

Also, come back to Calgary we love you

nightsongs was made mostly by just me and chris in a bedroom, with guest female singers. so we are missing the essential components of amy and evan. evan brought us power and amy brought us fragility.

I know Owen Pallett did a cover of one of your songs on the Do You Trust Your Friends tribute album, so I can't help but wonder what you guys think of him and his work, and specifically his latest album?

he is a complete genius, i love everything he does and that remix is one of the things i am most proud to be associated with. i love him truly.

Congrats on the new record! I'm downloading it on iTunes now.

Stars is my all-time favorite band and I've lost count of how many times I've seen you all perform live.

Questions: 1. why did you choose samples from Grey Gardens to insert into "The Woods" on Heart? It just seems so obscure.

1. What are freezies?

2. Which Stars lyrics have the most meaningful impact on you? Why?

Thanks Torq! Looking forward to your show in Brooklyn next month! Song requests: A thread cut with a carving knife, Undertow

PS, Torquil = Thor / Sacrificial Cauldron. Badass!

freezies are long frozen treats we sell in canada in the two months a year its warm enough to eat them.

i think take the weakest thing in you and beat the bastards with it is my favourite lyric. it's good advice.

Hey Stars! Absolutely loving the new album, I was wondering what the meaning was behind the title and song "No One Is Lost"?

well...everyone is lost, so i guess it was a statement of denial and of hope. we just have to believe it's going to be ok, or how do we go on?

Wow, I never thought you guys would do an AMA.

Your music has been such a highlight of my life and for that, I thank you.

Your album Nightsongs opens and closes with two mixes of "My Radio." I've always wondered: does that song had a special meaning for you?

it was the first song where i thought "wow, we can really write songs!'

Hi Stars, I love your music! Thanks for doing an AMA!

How do you feel about this absurd Pitchfork review? What do you feel like critics generally don't understand about Stars? Y'all rock. I just read these reviews and laugh.

if the scoring system wasn't there on pitchfork, NOBODY would look at it. there's a lot of stuff to wade through in the world. and i guess critics help people decide what to listen to. it's too bad that sometimes they waste their time writing about something that they have nothing interesting say about. nobody puts reviews up on their wall. it's digital fish and chip paper. so i try not to worry about it too much. but pitchfork is so powerful bands like us are just cannon fodder for them. cause if they bigged up everyone, they would lose their ability to break who they chose too. in the end, look closer at just about anything and there is money involved. also, i did call them all virgins who earn thirty dollars a review some years ago...and i think they were offended...:)

Do you ever have fights or heated arguments within the band?

HELL YES WE DO! but not as much as we used to! :)

How do you resolve them, and how do you lessen them? :))

forgiveness is the key to not being alone in this life.

I've seen you guys every time you've come to the UK over the last 5 or so years - it's been an awesome gig in a great intimate venue every time, but how come you never play The Night Starts Here? It's an awesome track and also happens to be a personal favourite...

its back in the set! come see us next time...

Hi Montreal Stars!

Thank you so much for your music. It's a true inspiration. Its been with me through happy times and sad.

1. How did you all first meet?
2. What was the first tour you went on like?
3. What is the best setting you can put yourself in to grow as a musician and meet others? Did you go to school for music? Did you have to work other jobs?
4. What is everyones process while writing songs? Has it changed a lot over the years?
5. What inspires you?

PS - you guys were incredible at Modern Sky Festival a few weeks ago. Hi from the derps going crazy in the front row.

1. we met in grade three 2 the first tour....we went to england for two weeks and played one gig! guess what we did the rest of the time... 3 yes wome of us went to school but others didn't the best way to start a band is to start one with your friends. then the band is just an excuse to hang out. and that is the best way to start a band.
2. im inspired by other people. just people i encounter during my day. life's not easy, and most of the time people go through it with enormous grace and patience. inspiration is all around you, if you're looking for it.

What artists are you currently listening to?

keith jarrett, akira kosemura, seoul, zeus, erland oye, tigran hamasyan

In central park recently and you talked about how you, Chris, and Amy got arrested the last time you played there - would you mind telling that story? I have to assume weed was involved.

This month marks the seven-year anniversary of the first time I saw you guys perform and next month I will be seeing you for the seventh time - thank you for all your love and despair over the years.

weed was involved. you are correct. weed is still...involved...in fact, i think im going to get it involved right now.....

I love you guys!

Do you love me?

yep

Maybe I'm dumb but the line "captured a taxi despite all the rain" never made any sense to me. Wouldn't you be more likely to grab a taxi if it's raining?

yes. it means we captured a taxi DESPITE how hard it is when its raining to get a taxi. this is pre uber remember! :)

Hey guys!

Fan from South Africa here. Love your stuff. Any plans to tour South Africa, quite a bit of fanbase here. What inspired " One More Night"? Experience?

god we would love to! one more night....well, take phil collins, a lot of alcohol and a patricia highsmith novel, and there you have it.

I am in a band myself and we're still in the process of finding out our unique sound as a unit. When did you, as a band, say to each other, "This is it! This is our sound!" Did you decide, think about it, go through trial and error?

you start out as a collection of your infuences...and then one day, like a jacket, you just lose them...and you are left with you. stick with it. it takes a long time.

Which of your albums do you think has best stood, or will best stand, the test of time?

Same question about an album penned by someone other than yourselves.

i think heart is the one myself.

and certainly two wheels good by prefab sprout just gets better the more i listen to it.

Hi Stars! Who came up with the idea of throwing roses to the crowd? I caught one in 2008 (or 2009? I can't remember) in Chicago. Still have it!

we stole it from the smiths!

Hello my loves. I have adored you for years, but have not had the chance to see you live. Any chance of a Las Vegas tour stop at some point in the future?

i keep requesting it! let your local promoter kknow you want us there. it helps!

Hi Stars! I love your music. One of my absolute favourites is Calendar Girl, and I just wondered what the inspiration or the meaning behind it was?

i wanted to write amy a carol king torch song....and thats what came out....

Hi :) are you guys planning bring the tour to Europe?

YES. news of that in the next few days.

Hi Torq, what's your favorite line from a Prefab Sprout song?

another tough one....but i think this one "who are we? what we got? are we a fireworks show? growing pale like a star that burned out years ago? if singing bird must sing, with no question of choice, then living is our song, indeed our voice. best agree, you and me, we are probably nightingales." OR "words are train for moving past what really has no name"

Hey Stars!

I have been a huge fan for the last ~6 years or so. What is your biggest inspiration to play music? Good luck on all your endeavors!

music is my lover. it inspires me to getup in the morning.

Why did you guys decide to go so retro? Did Arcade Fire or Daft Punk's latest albums have an influence?

we don't really see it as retro, i mean, we've always been retro...i guess those are the sounds of our childhood. they stick with you....

Is Gian Gomeshi as sexy in person as my female Co workers insist he his on the radio?

Also, how's it going y'all?

it's going good! yes, he's sexy as hell.

Please add another show in NYC for your upcoming tour?

more nyc shows coming soon, have no fear. xo

First and foremost, congrats on the new album! I'll admit that I was worried about the pop-ish sound, but you all have, yet again, managed to construct an emotional experience beyond those of nearly all other musicians. That being said, fuck you for ruining the majority of other music for me. Haha. I never feel satisfied until I'm embarking on a musical journey that has been crafted by you.

Here are some questions for you:

-When are you coming to Texas? I understand that it's not the loveliest place in the world, but we're dying to see you without having to make a 15 hour drive. (But we'll do it if necessary.)

-Any plans for another Memphis album?

• Was there a particular motivation or inspiration for the song "Barricade"?

Thanks for putting this together! Much love to you all!

the book "among the thugs" was the inspiration for barricade. its a great read, check it out. texas! you betcha! and yes memphis is bubbling...one day we will reappear to a small but appreciative clientele! thank you for your kindness...xo