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Spotlight on local music: Spy vs. Spy

Memberes: Dave Morris & Chris Munro Hometowns: D.M.: From Vancouver Island, been living in Whistler for 12 years. C.M.: From Burlington, Ont. Been in Whistler for five years Pique: Any nicknames for one another? C.M.: Dave is Dr. Dave. D.M.
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Dave Morris & Chris Munro

Memberes: Dave Morris & Chris Munro

Hometowns:

D.M.: From Vancouver Island, been living in Whistler for 12 years.

C.M.: From Burlington, Ont. Been in Whistler for five years

Pique: Any nicknames for one another?

C.M.: Dave is Dr. Dave.

D.M.: I call Chris ‘5 string’. Not because he breaks one string a night, because he breaks at least 5 a gig!

C.M.: I do break a lot of strings. I’m also Crazy Chris.

D.M.: Yeah, he is.

C.M.: Don’t ask why.

Pique: What's with the MAD Magazine reference?

D.M.: We poached the name cause it implies a duo as well as the “back and forthness” of the two (musicians in this case).

C.M.: When we first started playing together we had this gig at the Crystal Lounge where we put it up to the audience to come up with a name for us. We still didn’t have anything at the time. Unfortunately we didn’t feel any of the ideas stuck. A few days later Dave thought of Spy vs. Spy, I thought it was cool. So… that’s it.

Pique: Which spy is black, and which is white?

D.M.: We call each other before the gig to find out.

Pique: How did you end up making music together?

C.M.: I met Dave when he was running an open mic at Tapley’s a few years ago. I went down to check it out a few times and play some tunes. That was actually my first time playing out live in front of people.

D.M.: We enjoyed similar styles of music and bands. I got in touch with Chris a few months later to see if he would be interested in putting an acoustic duo together.

Pique: Where can you be found when you are not gigging?

D.M.: On the couch playing X-Box or ripping it in the bike park.

C.M.: Last call at Moe Joe’s! Or chillin’ on my porch.

Pique: So do you play all covers, or throw some original material in, too?

C.M.: Right now we’re playing covers.

D.M.: We put our own twist on the songs, it shows in the solos sometimes.

C.M.: We’re hoping to complete some original music in the near future and incorporate it in to our sets.

Pique: Any song that you hate to play on request?

C.M.: Not really. If we know it, we’d love to play it for you.

Pique: Who are your top three musical influences?

C.M.: That’s a big question. So much comes to mind. Dave Grohl, Neil Young, and probably my parents for turning me on to so much cool music in the first place.

D.M.: My Dad, he played the guitar and piano when I was growing up. Oh, Santana…F**k I love Santana! ’90s Rock.

Pique: What's the worst trend in music right now?

C.M.: Lip Synching, do people still do that? Big, poppy, commercial, made for the masses music with no soul.

Pique: Name one artist or song the other loves that you would love to delete from their Ipod...

D.M.: I was rollin’ in Chris’s Jeep and he had on some 2001 raver techno or something, maybe that could go.

C.M.: Whatever. Actually Dave just took care of that problem for me and accidentally wiped out his whole iPod. Ha!

Pique: Speaking of Ipods, hit shuffle: What are the first three artists you come across?

D.M.: Kings of Leon, Stone Temple Pilots, Van Morrison.

C.M.: Black Crowes, Thin Lizzy, Big Sugar.

Pique: While we're on the subject, what's your take on downloading music for free? Are you of the school of thought that artists should embrace it, and make money from touring, or do you think people should just stop being so damn shady?

D.M.: It is what it is. That’s the system. We’re going to have to tour and market in a new way.

C.M.: Well I’m not gonna lie. I grab tunes off the ’net here and there. However, if you’re putting out some heart and soul there are ways to get it out there so people must purchase it for something and give the artist props. I like what Radiohead did with their last album — they went with no major record company and let the fans pay what they wanted for the album online. That was cool.

Pique: What's the last CD you bought?

C.M.: I think I just grabbed The Racontuers — Consolers of the Lonely, off Itunes.

D.M.: Sparta.

Pique: What do you think about big events like Pemberton Festival and Whistler Music Festival coming to town? Do these events make things better or worse for local artists?

C.M.: I think they’re great. Look at all the locals who got to play up in Pemberton, how cool was that? The festival definitely made it rock for local artists.

D.M.: Live music is great. We are lucky to live in a town where you can see a wicked band — often for free!

Pique: It's BBQ season — what's the best time of day to fire up the grill, and why?

C.M.: Well that depends on what you’re grilling, and who’s there with you.

D.M.: Yeah, I’ve been known to do some midnight BBQ sessions.

Pique: Aviators or Risky Biz-style shades?

D.M. & C.M.: Aviators all the way!

Pique: Where's the best place to be on a sunny day in Whistler?

C.M.: One of its beaches or chillin’ to some Spy vs. Spy tunes on a patio.

D.M.: Bike Park or swimmin’ in Lost Lake on your lunch break.

Pique: Upcoming gigs?

C.M.: We play on The Brewhouse patio every Wednesday and Thursday from 4 until 7.

D.M.: Dusty’s has us down there for the next four Fridays in the evening starting at 9. We’ll also be at the Dubh Linn Gate and Merlin’s later in the month. Check the Pique!