Dave Monks of Tokyo Police Club, AMA.

few q's

1) how dare you? 2) who do you think you are? 3) what gives you the right? 4) where did you get your band name???

ya screw this dude, quit TPC and lets start our Nord Wave band.

My new band BassFarm8000 is gonna slaughter yous.

5) who let you in here!

Who do you think you are? Oh.. wait.

Queen of england.

Hey Dave, would you ever be open to the idea of Tokyo Police Club, Bombay Bicycle Club and Two Door Cinema Club tour? I've thought about this many times and it would be such a badass tour.

WE ALREADY DID A MONTH LONG TDCC TOUR once in a lifetime

But I agree this is a profoundly enjoyable thought.

What would be incentive enough for you to carry around a bowling ball for one year?

The feeling of my arms auto-floating up over my head for weeks after

Hey all! Thanks for the questions! This was fun. Let's do it again sometime. Gotta go play a show rn. Bye!

Hey! I can't wait to get home tonight to listen to the EP, been looking forward to it all week. In the meantime, a few questions:

1) What was your favorite song to record off 10 Days 10 Covers 10 Years? My personal favorite was Harlem Shakes, I mean what are odds of my favorite band covering my favorite song? That was really cool to hear.

2) How is working on your solo project different than working with the full band? Are there things you prefer about one or the other?

And 3) Any news about when TPC will be touring the U.S.?

Awesome! 1. Loved doing the Moby song, Southside. Glad you dug HS! 2. Ironically I think I was able to "lose control" in a positive way on solo record, since it was learning experience I was open to new kinds of input. I can be anal with TPC shit.

1. September!

Why does Miserable sound so fun and upbeat? Are there any secrets you're willing to share?

If you haven't listened to We The Wild (uk) yet I suggest you do! They remind me of you guys a bit.

I liked the melody when I wrote it (because it is SIK) and then was trying to change the miserable line. Thought it was cheese. BUt sometimes, cheese is real and real important.

Are you ever going to grow your hair out again?

I think about it! But it feels silly? Share your thoughts.

Hey! What is your format when writing songs in TPC? Like music first, then lyrics? Also when writing bass lines, before lyrics or after? Thanks!!

Bass comes last! So weird. Usual the best songs have lyrics and melody together. And then the rest of the music is like a dream exploding from my brain where I see everything at once.

Hey Dave, any collabs coming up? How's living in NY? You da man.

Thanks! Yes w Avenue Music on Dine Alone.

Hey Dave, I'm trying to play with a group of friends here and there, writing songs when I can, but it's hard to find the energy to keep at it when it seems there's not a whole lot of opportunity for success in southern Ontario, or at least around where I live. How did you guys get motivated to keep trying when you were just some punk kids from Newmarket?

Oh also, headed to UofT in the fall, I heard you guys played Frosh there last year, any idea if that's happening again? (please make that happen again)

PS I touched your pecs during your Friday show at Danforth last year. Not sure why, it wasn't really a sexual thing, but I was sorta just compelled to do it in the moment. So uh, sorry/thank you for that I guess(???)

This might sound silly. But it's all about "the dream". It gives you energy!! Fuck Southern ON (in this particular context) and do the thing you wanna do.

I touch them all the time, I understand

Hey Dave! Huge fan and I love the new album! I have a few questions: 1. I love the book Fifth Business by Robertson Davies and I wanted to know if the lyric in Your English is Good is inspired by it? 2. Did you have help from any of the members Tokyo Police Club when making your newest album? 3. What’s your favorite beer?

1. IT TOTALLY WAS! I did a book report on 5thB in highschool but never finished reading the book, so my my report was rather flawed. Didn't know about the rock. But I got a cool song out of it!
2. They were more emotional support than musical
3. Radeberger Pilsner

Hey Dave, I still have your t shirt from your first show in Glasgow, Scotland. Do you want this back or can I keep it? Cheers, Jonny.

p.s. give us your vote!

Dave Monks: a guy who'd give you the shirt off his back. And then ask for it back 10 yrs later.

Who is your most favorite music group or artist of all time?

The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Strokes

how do you feel about vampire weekend?

Modern Vampires is an amazing album.

Hey Dave, giving your new record a stream as I'm reading. Loving Gasoline, and your whole solo vibe. Anyway, tell me what's your favourite colour?

Green.....forrest green. No lime! No Dark Angel! r/warhammer

Hi Dave! LOVE TPC, excited to hear your solo stuff :)

1. When did you and Said the Whale first start being bff's?

2. Do you ever reflect on why your predictions in Citizen of Tomorrow never came true?

3. I saw you guys in Waterloo, ON in December at the Starlight (amazing show!!). Could you see the girl who threw her drink at the stage? If not, i'd like to inform you that was her drunken way of saluting the band. She was hammed.

1. when we touched our butts together
2. Yes, financial crash of '08 made mass robot production impossible. If it wasn't for those damn CDAs we'd all be serving our glorious Robo Overloard. Hail Zark!
3. True danger.

Favorite lyric pertaining to science?

"they burried me in southwest france" reffering to dig site La Ferrassie, home of first bones found to reveal that ancient hominids engaged in spiritual acts.

If you did have to start a Police Force in Tokyo, Japan, who else would you want patrolling the streets with the band?

1000 foot mega destruction robots!!!

Hi I really love Tokyo Police Club and am looking forward to listening to your new EP tonight! I just wanted to know what the inspiration was behind the song 'Hands Reversed'? It's my favorite TPC song!

it's about funky people :)

If you could pick one band or person to tour with who would it be?

The Strokes

Hey thanks for doing the AMA. We went to the same highschool NHS, I graduated a few years after you and your band

I don't really have a good question, but what was it like playing your genre of music after the indie phase started to die down?

I thought we were at the start of indie, it was still this lame label that no-one wanted in 2005. Then by 2010 everything was called indie.

Do you really fit an XL tshirt? Are you dating anyone? If not, describe what you typically go for?

Also, do you plan to tour Saskatchewan more?!!? Seen you at O'Brians in November and it was the best concert I've been to! I love you guys :D

People just look hot in a baggy T! I typically go for true love, deep shit, 9 point 0 on the richter scale kinda girls.

I just started a band called Mark Knight's OTHER Tropic Zone. What songs should I cover?

Haha. The story: TPC played secret show at Merc as "Mark Knight's Hot Tropic Zone" based on some weird inside joke relating to our friend and sound engineer M Knight. And someone actually came to the show thinking it was for DJ Mark Night, which makes sense! We refunded him. Full disclosure, MK will be doing sound for me tn :) Wonderful man.

I was thinking about playing "Jump in Line" while wearing a pineapple hat. What do you think about that?

Can I get behind you?

What's the best advice you have for starting to write music?

Do it all the time.

^apply this advice to anything you love :)

Hi Dave, love the new EP. Really digging all the songs, but particularly Vegas and The Rules. Two questions:

1. Any insight into how the songs were written, especially surrounding the meaning behind them?

2. What was your favourite subject in school/what subject did you find most interesting?

1. Vegas: You can't predict the future but sometimes it feels alright, so you let yourself fall in love.... The Rules...be accepting of the way love is.
2. Calculus! Serious.

given that you obviously chose today to drop your EP, can you shed some light on why so much awesome music came out today? (yours being the best of course). just a coincidence or something else?

It was just litterally the soonest day it could possibly come out!

Why do you guys play at a slower tempo at concerts?

What we totally play faster, maybe your just amped??

All of your responses so far have been witty as f and charming. How do you do it Mr.Monks?

Also do you plan on doing another fan made music video contest thingy again? (I got too scared to upload my video so I didn't enter ;-;)

Oh why thankyou. Why didn't you upload? yeah that was fun, I think ppl liked it?!?!

another young musician trying to make it and wondering (sorry if this is too personal), do you guys have day jobs or are you "making it" at your level? (huge fan, sorry for the weird question)

not weird! so not weird. We quit our daylobs a few months after our first record came out. Which is super lucky.

What do you want someone to ask you about? What's the answer?

Q: Would you like us to turn down the AC in the LES Thompson Hotel? A: Yes.

A long time ago a guy named Olan Rogers directed a music video for your song "In A Cave." Is that considered the official music video? I discovered you guys through him and have been listening to your albums a thousand times over ever since.

Sure it's official! I love that vid. Thanks for listening!

What was different about the writing process in your new EP, as apposed to work with Tokyo police club? Did the band have any part or work on the album? Btw can't wait to see you at Rock the park in London, Ontario this summer for the second time!

It was really fast and easy actually. The band was always encouraging but never part of the music.

When can we expect a music video?

V soon! I shot 2 with the incredibly talented Chris Schoonover.

hey! i'm a long time fan. what was the weirdest experience you've had while touring?

Tour stories are hard. One time a random dude jumped in the van after a show, blending in with some other friends who were "riding with". I think we were all mid-laugh about some incredible fart joke when my friend Mark stopped the conversation and said "Haha but I just have one question.." "who the fuck is that guy?" and everyone was kinda like "I thought you knew him!" "I thought you knew him!" Poor dude was hiding behind a merch box in the middle bench of van just trying to come party. I think we ditched him at next red light.

I saw TPC back in Tempe, AZ a long long time ago. You guys were awesome! My question is what is life like for you guys on the road? How do you guys travel and what is awesome about it and what sucks super bad about it?

Tempe is COOL! Life on the road is like a bubble where you have no responsibilities but to play a decent show. So it's really simple in that way. And then it's stressful in the way of general quality of life stuff.

Is there a general theme or themes that you like to cover in your music when songwriting? What places fill you up with inspiration?

You were absolutely fantastic with Said the Whale and the Pack A.D. Where can you see yourself taking your own and TPC's music and is there something specific you want to accomplish?

TRYING TO BE ME!!! V complicated

dave this is very serious will you try and come to spain in 2015-2016?

It's too expensive! One time TPC played there at Razzmatazz and no one came. Sorry! But jet fuel is aint cheap.

How was it like for you making your debut solo album versus a record with the band?

Total learning experience. It was fast and fun but I had to be careful to surround myself with people who's opinion I could trust and who saw my vision.

Why did you decide to make a solo album instead of using those creative juices for a new TPC one?

It was just more exciting to take things in a new direction. Like ...I just wanted to. Didn't seem right to get Josh to play on stuff like The Rules.

Dave, do you walk to work or take your lunch?

I'm a full lunch packer and love walking. Best mood is when I'm walking to studio w gtr on my back and hardboiled eggs in my pocket

Fair. Congrats on the release!!!

Thanks!

Hey Dave! I'm a huge fan of TPC and your solo work now too. I'm moving to Toronto for university soon, and I was wondering what your go-to place for food is in the city.

And one more question; What are your favourite songs right now?

Kaplanski's is in U of T hood. Also Fish shop @ College and Beatrice.

Loving "Please Forgive Me" by David Gray. My mom used to sing that album White Ladder around the house and now I'm just discovering how AWESOME it is.

Thanks! I'll have to try them out. Also just listened to the song, and it's great!

Looking forward to seeing you play in Ottawa with TPC this June.

See you there!

Do you like video games/have you been watching E3?

I do like video games, and not purely on kitsch/nostalgia value, but am not up with the new shit.

I was shown your sister's band a little while back but I forgot the name. Care to remind me? EP is great, by the way!

Dilly Dally! new record is gonna rule. Rule your life.

are you gonna play in austin texas? whats your favorite food? do you believe in aliens?

I hope so, love austin. FF is DOPE lox, avocados (duh), hardboiled eggs. Yes totally come on.

What does Tokyo Police Club like to do in their spare time? Do you have a routine before or after a show? And is stage fright something you've totally conquered and stage confidence mastered?

Graham makes movies, Greg works out, Josh plants trees and I do AmA's

Did you bring your Epi Pen to this AMA?

Shit no can I borrow? Dude beside has peanut breath.

Fellow Newmarket-er here; still remember when you guys kicked it old-school, NHS-style. Killer work on the new album! Question: what are your opinions on streaming services like Spotify, Rdio, etc.? Does it constitute a sizeable portion of your income?

It doesn't make much money for us but I don't think it's a bad thing. Industry is changing and hopefully in the next bit things will balance out, when people who back in the day would rarely buy a CD now pay subscription.

It's more about getting heard than getting paid honestly. Corporate stuff is where we make our bread.

taylor swift or katy perry? whats your favorite subreddit?

I guess both? Or neither? bleh.

What's the best thing about living in New York? And if you could live anywhere where would that be?

Best thing about new york is getting into a good flow and getting a billion things done in a day.

What's your favourite colour?

What's the very first record you owned?

Green and Savage Garden - Truly Madly Deeply.

Big ups on the SG!

It's real

Hey Dave,

a) Have you ever met Sugar Ray Leonard? b) His AMA looks great c) I'm going to go read that one. d) Have you ever met Graham Wright? e) Where did you get your band name?

Every Morning: jam or not a jam??

Jam or Jelly?

a) in my dreams b) looks can be decieving c) bye d) not that he was aware of e) court verdict.

What's your favorite song to cover?

Run That Body Down by Paul Simon

Can you describe the most powerful connection you've ever had with a piece of music, either your own or someone else's?

I've definitely felt a big emotional release writing certain songs. Feel the Effect, Nursery Academy, La Ferrassie, Heartbeat Blues

When are you coming back to the UK? Solo or with TPC. Once every 2-3 years isn't enough!

I know right? We need that NME love first.

another question: what's your favourite book? have you ever read anything by chuck palahniuk? do you like your toast with nutella? will you sell signed copies of the album? and vinilos?

STILL LIFE WITH WOODPECKER by Tom Robbins. Profound and sexy.

Don't like nutella (due to allergy-related nut paranoia developed as child)

Hey Dave, what are your thoughts on 50 years of Grateful Dead???

That's a lot of Grateful Dead.

Thoughts on The Blackhawks? Who were you rooting for?

Always gotta root for an OG 6 team.

*except Habs.

Your cover of Little Sister by QOTSA is better than the original in my opinion! Seen you guys a bunch of times, always a great show. What's one up and coming band you think we should check out? Dilly Dally doesn't count

Thanks that was really fun to sing! Haha. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4SBRqaY5jk Tobias Jesso Jr

So your new EP's US & Canada-only on iTunes. Any way I can get hold of it now/soon if I'm outside the US? Or is this one of the label-related things that's out of your control?

It's label related, I'm sure there's a way? How is it 2015 and that is still an issue?

I'm sure there's a way

Damn, that's a shame. But if there is a way, I'll find it. At least the music industry's doing well enough that labels can just leave listener money on the table, right?!

Hmm you'd think but...

I can't listen to your stuff (edit: TPC) on Spotify in Australia. Any idea when it will be available?

Damn, maybe when the continental drift hurries it's ass up and gets the memo on globalization.

Hey Dave, keep up the great work. What newer bands are you digging at the moment?

Tobias Jesso Jr

And thanks will do!

Hey Dave! Going to see you guys at the dragon boat festival soon!

Q#1: What has been the nicest place you performed at?

Q#2: This one's a weird question, but you have a really cool sense of fashion. Where the heck do you buy your clothes?

Love TPC! Can't wait to see you guys!

Awesome! Hmm....nicest place

Thanks, my clothes come from all kinds of crazy places. Like my closet!

Closet's a scary place you know!

skinny_white_dude you speak truth - overflowing with waves of junk

I remember I really got into your music after learning "Be Good" was in the trailer for the film Tokyo. Have you ever seen the film and if so what did you think of it?

Also, what would you be doing with your life if you weren't making music?

I never saw! Doh. Some science stuff I think.

Saw you guys at Webster Hall last summer. Threw up the whole show but it was still the best I've ever been too. 10/10 would throw up again

Favorite place to eat in NYC?

Haha, so many but Himalaya Cafe on Houston is good.

*Cafe Himalaya Takahatchi also

Hey Dave, met you on several occasions in FL and Atlanta, loving the new stuff! Are you going to add more tour dates in July? Just wanted to ask about your favorite film of all time and any TV shows/movies you've been recently digging?

Thanks! Dug Ex Machina. I hope there can be more tour dates!

Hi Dave, thanks for doing this!

1) what gear do you use to achieve that gritty overdriven bass tone on the records?

2) when you guys played in Melbourne Australia in 08 you signed a set list for me and it's still on my wall. Will there be a chance to give it a friend with another tour?

I just wanted to say thanks to you and the other guys for doing what you do. Keep releasing consistently rad records!

1) The ALIC bass sound is an Ampeg V4 (techincally a gtr amp!) 2) I hope!! Can you get me a show with The Preatchers and/or Flume to bring us over? They rock. You got it!

What's the smallest show that you've played recently?

Last night in DC!

Hey Dave! Love your band and am looking forward to listening to your new album! I'm currently in film school and am looking into freelance videography as a career after I graduate. I'd love to work with musicians in some way and was wondering how unusual it is for a videographer to travel with a band and create marketing material for them. This would be an ideal job for me, I just don't know whether bands actually do this or if they'd be interested. If you don't really know the answer, would TPC ever consider something like this or is it just too big of a hassle? Thanks Erin

Don't look into this or speculate, DO IT! Makes friends in bands and be so charming that bringing you on tour makes their lives more fun. Create amazing stuff on your terms! Everything else will happen by itself.

Have you ever thought of becoming a Monk?

The kind that drinks all the beer or the kind that doesn't drink any?

Hey dave, huge Fan of TPC here and I'll be sure to check out your EP!

Any hope of new TPC material and/or tour any time. What about a tour with your solo project?

Also will you ever play San Antonio?

Played SA in 2010. New TPC yes soon album is half done!

Hey man! Huge fan. Saw you play 5 times last year, and stoked to see you at xfest again this year. Anyways my question is, who sings the like "it's in the way my mother talks" on Nature of the Experiment? It sounds so much like Zooey Deschanel

Lexy Valentine of Magneta Lane