Dan Mangan

What music are you listening to / art are you checking out these days?

There are a few acts from the west coast of Canada that I've been listening to a lot and I'm convinced they will do very well over the course of 2010. The first is Aidan Knight from Victoria. He bounced around in a bunch of bands for a while and now has a solo record. I've never heard him record or perform anything that wasn't bowlfuls of awesome. I don't even think he has distribution yet, but his record 'Versicolour' will get some fine attention.

The other is Yukon Blonde. They used to be called Alphababy, but they moved from Kelowna to Vancouver and got their ducks in a row and found a new name. Their self-titled debut is throw-back and contemporary at the same time... Great stuff. Amazing live.

There's also a band from Eau Claire, WI called The Daredevil Christopher Wright, who I played with last June - they blew my mind. They don't have a release in Canada, but if you can get your hands on 'In Deference to a Broken Back', it will be worth the search.

What music are you listening to / art are you checking out these days?

There are a few acts from the west coast of Canada that I've been listening to a lot and I'm convinced they will do very well over the course of 2010. The first is Aidan Knight from Victoria. He bounced around in a bunch of bands for a while and now has a solo record. I've never heard him record or perform anything that wasn't bowlfuls of awesome. I don't even think he has distribution yet, but his record 'Versicolour' will get some fine attention.

The other is Yukon Blonde. They used to be called Alphababy, but they moved from Kelowna to Vancouver and got their ducks in a row and found a new name. Their self-titled debut is throw-back and contemporary at the same time... Great stuff. Amazing live.

There's also a band from Eau Claire, WI called The Daredevil Christopher Wright, who I played with last June - they blew my mind. They don't have a release in Canada, but if you can get your hands on 'In Deference to a Broken Back', it will be worth the search.

What music are you listening to / art are you checking out these days?

There are a few acts from the west coast of Canada that I've been listening to a lot and I'm convinced they will do very well over the course of 2010. The first is Aidan Knight from Victoria. He bounced around in a bunch of bands for a while and now has a solo record. I've never heard him record or perform anything that wasn't bowlfuls of awesome. I don't even think he has distribution yet, but his record 'Versicolour' will get some fine attention.

The other is Yukon Blonde. They used to be called Alphababy, but they moved from Kelowna to Vancouver and got their ducks in a row and found a new name. Their self-titled debut is throw-back and contemporary at the same time... Great stuff. Amazing live.

There's also a band from Eau Claire, WI called The Daredevil Christopher Wright, who I played with last June - they blew my mind. They don't have a release in Canada, but if you can get your hands on 'In Deference to a Broken Back', it will be worth the search.

Why should people, especially youth, vote?

Because they can. Because active and discerning democracy works and apathetic democracy allows jerks to manipulate the system. It's important that people understand how privileged we are in Canada. I believe an informed, engaged and open-minded society can make good decisions; both for themselves and for their involvements internationally.

For you, is there a connection between art and democracy? What is it?

I think there is a connection between a healthy artistic community and healthy democracy, for sure. I think democracy is about seeing clearly, being aware of what's important and asking questions. Regardless of where the governing party lies on the political spectrum, the electorate should keep them under a watchful eye. Often, the artistic community intuits things that are just below the public radar - they express concerns in ways that stimulate us to look again, think about our values and ask more questions.

There is a reason why oppressive governments are in a rush to censor art. Art flags the problems and issues that people deal with and makes them tangible, as an immediate reflection of the community.

Why do you care about your community, when it is so easy not to?

Not caring for one's community sounds sociopathic, doesn't it? If we care for our family and friends, we also need to care about the larger picture. The "not in my backyard" mentality is dangerous... If I mow my own lawn but decide not to share my mower with my neighbour who cannot afford one, eventually their yard's overgrowth will cause weeds, pests and problems in my yard too. The world's backyard really is our own - everything is connected.

What do you look for in a politician? What do you expect from your Member of Parliament?

A glimmer of humanity at the end of all the jading crap they dealt with to get elected.