by SCOTT C

Although Louis Logic has carried on a lasting love affair with alcohol in many of his songs, there appears to be no sign of intoxication present while I speak to him over the phone from his New York home. In fact, my chat with the man who penned a thousand lines for 2003's Sin-O-Matic LP could rate as one of the most polite and eloquent talks I've had with any MC in the last six months. As Louis and his Demigodz production partner JJ Brown (the two are the self-proclaimed Simon & Garfunkel of hip hop) get set to hit the road with Old Maid Billionaire J-Zone, we talked a little bit about the year that just passed and the one ahead.

Mirror: What was the most important thing that you learned in 2004?

Louis Logic: The most important thing that I learned in 2004 is that touring is not a party (laughs). Touring is hard work. Contrary to the myth of popular belief of it being a party on wheels, that is sadly not the case. It's fucking tiring. You don't get any sleep, you get stressed out, you miss everyone that you love and care about, and everybody is up in your shit like 24 hours a day. It's pretty labour intensive. It's not for everyone, and I think you have to have the right constitution to appreciate it.

M: But up until 2004, had you not spent a lot of time on the road, or toured extensively? Or was 2004 just a particularly harrowing experience?

LL: Prior to this year, the longest tour I'd ever done was 11 days, but in 2004, I was away for a total of five months. It doesn't really equal out in shows, but I was away just the same. So it was pretty crazy, man.

M: Were most of those dates in North America, or did you go overseas as well?

LL: A lot of stuff overseas. I did two European tours and a whole lot of one-offs. The last European tour I did was with J-Zone and Vakill of the Molemen. That was amazing, man. J-Zone is a great touring partner.

M: Oh, so some redeeming qualities on tour?

LL: J and I are a good stylistic fit, because both of our music is character-based and cartoonish. It just seems like a natural and logical team. It seemed like we were going to make an album together for a while because we were running parallel. Then we overlapped each other, and before we could do anything, we were going in different directions.

M: Straight up creative differences, but no lack of respect?

LL: Right. We just got further and further apart in terms of what we wanted musically, although I was really into his circus music shit, and my new stuff has some singing in it. I still think we're a really good fit for a tour.

With J-Zone, Skratch Bastid and Applied Science at Foufounes électriques on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 9 p.m., $10

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