by CHRIS BARRY

Name: Clément Joubert

Nickname: Peanut

Age: 32

Occupation: Director of McGill Conservatory/ Camp Artemusik.

Bio: This laid back yet pleasantly jocular Plateau stud launched Camp Artemusik some 11 years ago, almost immediately upon graduating from McGill with an ever-pragmatic degree in music. Last summer, Peanut first developed a program called Garage Band Camp, a day camp where teens aged 12 to 17 can come together for a couple of weeks to rehearse either their own bands or a band they’ve been assigned to, with the ultimate goal of wowing one and all in a big, old-fashioned camp rock concert at the end of session. The most accomplished bands stay on for another week, touring their acts in a series of one-nighters at various sleepover camps around the province. A wildly successful endeavour located on the FACE campus downtown, word has it a few spots are still open for their next session beginning Monday, Aug. 7. Go to www.artemusik.com for the full 411.

Did an old girlfriend give him the nickname Peanut in reference to the size of his genitals? Apparently not. Peanut is his “camp name”—in reference to the Charles M. Schulz cartoon.

Must one be able to play an instrument in order to sign up for Garage Band camp? Of course. But you needn’t be on a par with the kids from Hanson. Campers are divided by skill level and musical preference.

Is Garage Band Camp primarily an exercise in showing kids the bullshit they’ll be up against after choosing a career in rock ’n’ roll superstardom, or more about teaching them the values of co-operation, of setting goals, musically or otherwise, and effectively pursuing said vision/goal? The latter. “They get to learn that band life is usually a democracy. The main thing, really, is to bring the teenagers together. A lot of them are just used to playing on their own, taking private lessons, you know, never having the chance to play with other musicians. What we really try to impress upon them is what you actually do in a band, how to get some recognition, and everything related to that. We really try to show them every aspect of what life in a band is about.”

So it’s safe to assume campers learn how to cook up a speedball in the back of a van and inject it properly so as to always hit a vein? Peanut claims they currently offer no courses in intravenous drug use.

Are there many chicks at camp? “We’re approximately 40 per cent girls.”

Is it safe to assume the emphasis for teenage girls is rooted in more traditional female rock ’n’ roll roles, like, say, provider of sexual favours? Apparently not. “Hey, we get at least one all-girl band every session.”

What a disproportionate number of kids wanna play: Classic rock like the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Zeppelin.

Musical preferences: “Honestly, I don’t listen to music. Music’s always been work to me, so I don’t listen to it for enjoyment. To me it’s work.”

Words of wisdom: “Life’s too short not to live it 100 per cent.”

Comments? dimwit@hdot.net