Arts & Life, Music

Is: Danny Vacon of The Dudes

Since 1996 The Dudes have been infecting Calgary. Fronted by singer/songwriter Danny Vacon, The Dudes make rock and roll music that is as upbeat and tastefully poptastic as Green-Album-era Weezer; as self-aware and mortal as Pearl Jam; as fun as The Darkness. Their songs -with their catchy melodies, frequent symbol crashes and deceptively nimble guitar work- have been played across their home city and country in countless festivals, commercials (for Rogers Wireless…don’t hold it against them) and bars. Their name is worn like a badge of honour by Calgary’s music scene and, recently, Danny Vacon agreed to answer some questions in the present tense.

 

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  • The Dudes are…

 

Danny Vacon: …myself, (Danny Vacon) Brock Geiger, Matty Doherty and Bob Quaschnick

 

  • The most played song on my iPod is…

 

Danny Vacon: …Damn it Feels Good to be a Gangster by the Ghetto Boys. It’s the song I leave the house to. It gets me pumped up to go get the world.

 

  • Alberta is…

 

Danny Vacon: …home. It’s where I get my love and high fives.

 

  • Making music is…

 

Danny Vacon: …a miracle opportunity and a gift from the universe.

 

  • The music that inspires me to make music is…

 

Danny Vacon: …There’s something beautiful about every genre of music. They’re like ladies in that respect. I like something about every one of them. So don’t tell me you only listen to metal, ’cause that’s just lazy.

 

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  • The Calgary music scene is…

 

Danny Vacon: …talented and altruistic. It’s hard working and tight knit. It’s beautiful and complicated. It’s also home.

 

  • Rock & Roll music is…

 

Danny Vacon: …timeless and indestructible. It’s the blood in our veins.

 

  • Rock & Roll music should be…

 

Danny Vacon: …honest.

 

  • The difference between Elvis Presley and Elvis Costello is…

 

Danny Vacon: …JUMPSUIT.

 

  • The difference between Star Trek and Star Wars is…

 

Danny Vacon: …time. One took place long, long ago and the other hasn’t even happened yet!

 

  • One part of the world that everyone should visit is…

 

Danny Vacon: …the Northwest Territories. In summer. Bring bug repellant and a thirsty body.

 

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  • The most underrated album of all time is…

 

Danny Vacon: …Clayton Park by Thrush Hermit. Or maybe The Lucky Ones by Pride Tiger.

 

  • The most underrated movie of all time is…

 

Danny Vacon: …Ghost Dog directed by Jim Jarmusch

 

  • My favourite TV show is…

 

Danny Vacon: …Game of Thrones.

 

  • My best choice was…

 

Danny Vacon: …learning to play music.

 

  • My greatest regret is…

 

Danny Vacon: …none. I don’t believe in regrets. I’ve learned from every awful choice I’ve ever made. They’re what made me into me. And I LOVE me.

 

  • My first concert was…

 

Danny Vacon: …the Ramada Gods with Agony Pipe at some short lived all ages club on 11th avenue and maybe 10th street south west. I think it’s a dance club now. We played there a couple Sled Islands ago. The bass player for the Ramada Gods played in roller skates.

 

  • My first album was…

 

Danny Vacon: …License to Ill by the Beastie Boys

 

  • The one thing everyone needs to do before they go to bed tonight is…

 

Danny Vacon: …take their shirts off and forgive themselves.

 

  • Barbers, Thieves and Bartenders -the latest release by The Dudes- is…

 

Danny Vacon: …a tiny rock and roll window into our crazy lives.

 

You can follow The Dudes on Twitter (@WeAreTheDudes), learn more about them on their website and check out Barbers, Thieves and Bartenders on iTunes.

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Theodore Wiebe is a writer living in Calgary. You can follow more of his important nonsense on Twitter (@TheodoreWiebe) or Tumblr (writingafterdark.tumblr.com).

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