I'm at a place in my career where I can spot other touring musicians from far away. I live in an area of Montreal where everyone is pretty much an artist. 

People wear zippers on their heads, red rain boots when it's not raining, they're covered in body art, completely unwashed, and wear  big funny sunglasses, etc. It used to be hard to tell who was in a band and who was a painter or a performance artist.

But now that we've been on the road enough times, I can spot other touring musicians because they literally wear the road. You can't hide it.  It's not only that they don't look washed... they looked washed out. They literally looked wrecked, lIke they have work on them. I can see it in their skin; how it is a little more worn out, a little more wrinkly -- or in the way their hair looks greasy even after they've showered.  

And I know that I look like this too. But with every extra wrinkle, broken back, stiff neck and dirty hair I get, I feel good wearing the road. I think it suits me. 

Lately we have been wearing air more than the road. We took six planes in 10 days 2 weeks ago, flying from Montreal to Vancouver to Montreal, to Switzerland to France and back. 

We are start our trip to China tomorrow, and are about to hit the air hard. Flight to Chicago, then to Bejing (15 hrs), domestic flights to Shanghai, Hong Kong and back to Bejing, then back to Chicago, then to Montreal and then we fly to Paris, France, then another plane to Cannes.

That's roughly 12 planes in three weeks. Incredible. 

I'll write my next blog when I get my private jet. ....Rrrrright....

Love,

CowBella

Hey all! Creautre hit the ol’ 401 yesterday. We headed to Toronto for a show with Woodhands and The Carps. We hadn’t played with The Carps yet, but I checked out their myspace and I was really looking forward to seeing them live. They were great, and we were also impressed by Golden Girls, the solo act who opened the night. The Carps are a duo from t.o.. So are Woodhands - Woodhands rock! They opened for us in Mtl and in Sherbrooke. We had a great time! Shit was hot and sweat-ay!

Last night was crazy wild freaky deeky! I mean, Creature, Woodhands, The Carps… it was off the hook!

Side note: what’s up with all the super duo’s coming out of Canada right now?? Let’s list em’… Woodhands, The Carps, MSTRKRFT, Thunderheist, Crystal Castles, let’s not forget those ol’ time boys Death From Above 1979! Hmmmm… am I missing anybody? I’m sure there’s a few more notables. Write in on our comment page if you have any additions! See ya in Toronto!!

Love,
Kim Ho

Gibson Party
Une des décisions la plus dure que nous ayons eu à confronter pendant notre périple à Vancouver pour les Junos, c’est de choisir à quel party nous voulions terminer la soirée.. pas facile!! On avait envie d’être partout en même temps!! On a finalement décidé d’aller au Gibson Party qui avait lieu au magnifique bar ‘Richard’s on Richard’ sur la rue Richard… pourquoi… parce que notre hôtel se trouvait à quelques coin de rue de là!!! N’allez surtout pas penser que cette décision fut prise pour prévoir le fait que nous allions être affecté par l’alcool … voyons!!

À peine quelques minutes après notre arrivée, je me prends un drink et la 1ere chose que je sais, c’est que Kim Ho est sur la scène avec le ‘house band’ prêt à nous envoyer ses meilleures mélodies!! Nous étions comme des fans fini devant lui à danser et le regarder s’éclater sur son axe. He was our ‘here Ho’ of the night! Ouffff quel jeu de mot je viens de vous faire! On est ensuite monté pour jouer ‘magnificient 7’ by The Clash et on a eu du fun en masse avec le house band. D’ailleurs, je suis tombé en amour avec cette guitare ‘Firebird VII’ couleur ‘blue mist’ … je crois que j’ai bavé un peu quand je l’ai vue car la dernière fois que je l’avais aperçu, c’est dans un rêve!! 3 mini-humbucker qui ronronnaient comme une meute de cougar.. Ahhhh. Ok, je pense que j’en ai fait une obsession (et je ne crois pas qu’un cougar ca se tiens en meute)!

Nous avons ensuite pu voir performer plusieurs artistes de différente formation dont Jeff Stinco de Simple Plan et Barenaked Ladies. Arrivé à notre hôtel, nous avons été envoûté par le beat que nous jouait le DJ dans le hall.. Incapable de se retenir nous voila sur la piste de danse tous les quatre avec au moins…. 8 autre personnes!!! On réalise finalement que le DJ qui mix avec ses vinyles est en fait Brendan le bassiste du band ‘Broken Social Scene’..ca groovait son affaire!!

Je résume donc cette soirée par Drink-Music-Dance-Party!

Meli Mae xxx

We just got back from yet another trip to France.
We've taken six planes in one week, and I have a feeling things are going to pick up pace even more.

We did about 16 interviews out there, filmed accoustic versions of our songs in vans, bathrooms and saunas till all hours of the morning -- and for all kinds of people. Did you know people go to the sauna at 2am??? Lord knows they are definitely NOT expecting to see musicians in there with accordians, guitars and kazoos. In short, we made lots of enemies on this trip.

We got good news when we were there: We found out we are playing the Cannes Film Festival in mid may.

This is a world-renown event that I have always wanted to expreience, and now I get to PLAY THERE!!!!

Woo-hoo!!!!!!

I'll let ya'll know who's more interesting to talk to -- Quentin Tarentino or Brad Pitt.

YES WE CANNES!!!!!


Love,
CowBella

Our video for "Who's Hot Who's Not" came out this week!!!! Wow, where do I start with how it all began? Ok, I know, I was on the phone with Cowbella brainstorming ideas and out of some inner kitschy memory drawer, I remembered the segment for Elvis’s Jailhouse Rock. You know the one with all the prisoners up on a scaffolding and Elvis swings down a fireman pole? Yeah, that one. You can see the influence in the two-floor set we had built and the striped shirts everyone is wearing. Oh, and of course we break out into a dance choreography like Elvis. If you have seen our first video for Pop Culture, no Creature video is without a dance segment. It’s just fun. As for other influences, you might catch some nods to The Clash for their jumpsuits and combat boots (we love you Clash), Daft Punk’s Around The World, Spike Lee’s dolly shot, disco dance floors and of course early 80’s break dancing and Double Dutch. We have a blast doing our own videos and really try to do something other than “performance videos” where the band just play their instruments. Darn it, we like dressing up and boogying. Doesn’t everyone?

Love,
Sid-Z

Walking the red carpet was even better than I'd imagined.
Kids wait out there for five hours so by the time anyone shows up, they are screaming for your autograph (even if.. they don't know you...er...).

Cameras flash everywhere, microphones jut out at you and people ask thought-provoking interview questions like, "What advice would you give young musicians who are starting out?" We said persistence and belief in yourself.

Next we went inside for free drinks and then for the awards ceremony.

Bryan Adams, Diana Krall and Mr. Elvis Costello were five seats away from us, holy cow.

We got to see LoverBoy, Sam Roberts' performance was gorgeous, and he was wonderful to talk to afterwards. Sarah McGlaughlin made an incredible speech talking about her travels abroad and how people around the world don't have the privilege of having clean water. There is definitely something remarkable about celebrities who use their position to make the world better, however they can.

We went back to the hotel afterparty, and, man do Canadians know how to shake it.

The highlight was when they played a Creature song at the dance party. It felt pretty awesome to watch people shake it to Who's Hot Who's Not.

Jacob from Hedley introduced us to new music in his hotel room. I believe the musician calls himself Rusko, and it could be Vancouver chronic, but that music is next level SHIT!

Being surrounded by musicians inspired us to keep on doing what we're doing, and although Alanis Morisette won our category (who is she anyways? Never heard of her....) we had an inspirational time of our lives.

CowBella

We came out of the airport and into the fresh, misty Vancouver air. Next, we hopped into a moth$rf$uckin' LIMO, yo!

We played cheesy loud pop songs and sipped on empty champagne glasses while the big black stretch drove us to the hotel. When we arrived, K-OS was setting up his DJ booth in the lobby. We ordered a stiff drink and watched him play Q-Tip over and over again.
Sid took us on a walk to the beaches. Vancouver is beeeeeautiful. The streets are winding hills with huge trees, japanese gardens and wooden cafes on ever corner.
By the time we hit the beach it was dark out. Sid had to take a wicked piss and went for it right into the water (oh, to be a man...).
"Wow! Look! You guys have got to see this!" He shouted.
"Er... Not sure I want to know you that well, buddy..." I said.
"No! No! Come see! There's sparkles in the ocean."

We went over. Low and behold! Sid pisses sparkles!
"Sid! You're magical!" I said, "You urinate small stars!" The water was filled with tiny flourescent thingies, it was gorgeous.

We walked back and had a meal involving oysters, beer, more oysters, wine, desserts, more beer, wine, and scotch.

By the time we got back to the hotel, there was a lineup at the door. We partied till we couldn't stand up and let the elevators carry us up to bed.
CowBella

We are getting ready to hit the red carpet.
Being nominated for a JUNO has been a HUGE pat on the back for us.
It took us three long years to write our first album, we were jamming in the mornings, evenings and nights, working jobs at the same time and struggling to see our loved ones on rare occasions. We believed in what we were doing so we went broke for it.

Nobody had signed us yet so we had to pay for the album recording ourselves.
It took us a year to finish it because we had no money so we were going into the studio late at night, when it was free, and the Producer, Claus Frostell and the owner of the studio Phil Hornsey (who did percs on our tune Kandahar) gave us a late-night deal, when no other bands were there.

And now....
We are up for pop album of the year, alongside Alanis Morrisetter and David Usher, two huge heavyweights.

It has been a dream come true.

We are so lucky that a certain Mr. Paul Jessop discovered us. With the help of our manager Gourmet and the whole management team at Bonsound -- who went into serious debt for us, we've come a long way. Ever since we were discovered by Universal, we finally feel like full-time musicians which is what we've wanted to do all our lives.

We don't even care if we win this JUNO. Just the recognition feels so good. People out there are appreciating the work and craft we put into our music and message and this is such a great reward.

Love,
CowBella

since brooklyn offers no sleep in june because it has no room, come with me across the sea to sing another tune. leave your career, burn your reeboks, leave the magazines in their stands. throw out your license, forget your iphone, the laptop, the 24 latest bands and come, come tour with me across the sea.

we can
meet in moscow
we can
hold hands in berlin
we can
make love outside paris
before
it pulls us back in
we can
pick flowers in england
we can
fight in switzerland
we can
break up in brussels
so we
make up in scotland
and then
we can
let the best part begin
where we do it all over again
till one of us says when

you in?

Rennes
Bien des choses se sont passées depuis le début de décembre mais je ne peux quand même pas passer par-dessus mon expérience au Festival des Transmusicales de Rennes en France … qui était également mon premier voyage en Europe!! Pour vous résumer le festival, sa mission est de promouvoir des groupes ou des artistes qui ne sont pas connu du grand public. Les Transmusicales gagnent en intérêt chaque année et ce, depuis 1979, donc Creature a eu la chance de faire parti de la 30e édition et de réaliser à quel point les français avaient envie de danser sur des rythmes inconnus … une certaine soif de nouveauté!

Le show s’est passé vendredi 5 décembre 21h, au hall no.9… le spot parfait! La soirée du jeudi 4 décembre avait accueilli plus de 20 000 personnes sur 4 sites alors on n’en attendait pas moins pour le vendredi. !! Et voila… 3000 personnes se sont entassées sur le parterre du hall 9 pour se laisser shaker le derrière par Creature!! Notre scène était littéralement immense, la ‘rig’ (toutes les structures suspendues au plafond servant à accrocher l’éclairage) était superbe et les techniciens aussi!!! Nous avons profité de nos temps libre pour aller voir d’autre band et danser nous autre aussi!! Je ne peux pas oublié l’excellente prestation du duo de DJ japonais HIFANA… comme il y avait une grande quantité de band et DJ qui se produisait durant le festival, chacun devait se limiter à 45 min de show… j’en aurais pris plus!!
Les Rennais sont très accueillant et savent danser comme des ptits fou!! On a bien apprécié les crêpes bretonnes et surtout, on s’est régalé de musique de partout. Quatre jours … vraiment trop court… Cowbella et moi nous somme réveillé un matin prêt à aller découvrir la ville de Rennes comme deux exploratrices en herbe… nous étions sur le point de sortir de notre chambre quand il nous vint à l’esprit de regarder l’heure… il n’y avait pas de cadrant dans la chambre alors Cowbella téléphona à la réception pour s’informer…. il était 4h du matin…vous auriez du voir notre face de filles super motivées se transformer en béton fade et ennuyeux!! Nous avons allumé la télé et écouté l’émission la plus plate possible pour finalement se rendormir quelques minutes avant de devoir se lever!!

De nos quatre jours à Rennes, je garde comme souvenir un paquet d’étudiants dans la rue, tous prêt à changer le monde … ça me plait!



Meli Mae

Xxxxx