by JOHNSON CUMMINS

With the exception of a few recent bands in the overcrowded genre, like the Bronx and Toronto’s Brutal Knights, most self-described punk bands just come across, more often than not, as weak and watered down. Arguably Montreal’s hardest-working band, the Sainte Catherines can proudly boast being a punk-rock band, having just released one of the most refreshing punk records of the year, Dancing for Decadence, on the high-profile punk label Fat Wreck Chords (you know, the label run by Fat Mike from NOFX). The Mirror sat down with the Sainte Catherines’ singer Hugo Mudie, during a rare moment when he wasn’t on the road.

Mirror: I was a little shocked to find out you guys signed to Fat, as I never thought you guys were looking for a big indie.

Hugo Mudie: Well, we never made being on a big label a goal. We’ve never really sent any demos to anybody, because we aren’t really that kind of band. I think it’s good that it happened, though. After seven years, it was just turning into too much business and not enough of actually sitting down and just making music. It was feeling like we were pushing too hard and not getting back a lot in return.

M: I think a lot of people don’t realize the amount of work and sacrifice that goes into being a touring punk band.

HM: Exactly. After seven years, not being able to pay rent at home when you’re on tour can be pretty disheartening. We would give up our apartments to go on tour, come home and couch-surf before we could get another apartment, only to start over again. That instability can wear you out. After every record, we would tour for at least five or six months after the release, and then do about two months on the road before we would go in and record again. I think we did about 500 shows in the last four years, and then, when you add about 200 shows for Yesterday’s Ring [Mudie’s country side project], it ends up being a lot of work.

Doc Martens and cowboy boots

M: I thought the lyrics for Yesterday’s Ring and Sainte Catherines shared a lot of similarities, with the storytelling side of country really playing an influence.

HM: I guess when I write lyrics, I’m usually pretty depressed or pissed off, which I guess is why I am attracted to country music, which is what I mainly listen to and DJ [Cowboy Sundays at l’Escorgriffe]. Most of my songs are about me trying to be positive and finding a way to live a healthy lifestyle. I’ll admit that I have a big tendency to live a self-destructive lifestyle, so most of the songs are about the conflict between me trying to live like a good person and the other side of me, which sits in bars and gets suicidal.

M: With watered-down punk rock continuing to make headway in the mainstream, do you think kids growing up now are only getting part of the picture?

HM: I think punk rock is in a really sorry state right now. When something becomes popular, there are always going to be stupid people getting involved and ruining it. People are pretty stupid in general, and the more stupid people there are involved in something... I just wish there would be more bands like Inepsy, Born Dead Icons, Hot Water Music when they were around, Fifth Hour Hero, Tragedy and From Ashes Rise, instead of pop-punk. It’s still like about 20 good bands out of thousands.

Hiding from the hype

M: With all of the work you’ve put in, did you ever feel slighted that you didn’t get as much attention as other Montreal bands?

HM: Media has never been kind to punk rock bands, especially bands that play real punk rock. We were actually really glad, though, that we weren’t lumped in with the hyped Montreal bands. Nothing against them, but we really don’t want to be associated with bands that are cool now and will be obsolete in two years.

M: So now that you are on Fat, can you feel the hard work finally paying off?

HM: When we signed, Fat told us that they expect us to tour at least six months out of the year. Just because we are on a big label doesn’t mean we are going to sell a lot of records. It will be in more people’s hands, but if people don’t like it… By having a booking agent and people working publicity, we now have a chance to pay our rent while we’re on tour, and hopefully maintain a stable life like normal people, but we are still going to have to work hard for it.

CD launch with Inepsy, Dirty Tricks and Whiskey Trench at El Salon on Saturday, March 25, 8 p.m., $10, all ages

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