Source: Time Colonist
Have you ever been wodering if the Simple Plan guys do any sports? The Time Colonist interviewed Sebastien few days ago about his bands’ participation at the Winter Olympics celebrations in Calgary last Saturday – and since it’s the Olympics, they talked with Sebastien mostly about sports and keeping fit.
Are they punk? Are they pop? Do they have any rock cred whatsoever or are they just a boy band in disguise?
That’s been the focus of countless Simple Plan stories since the Montreal rock band released its debut album eight years ago, but really, who cares about any of that at this point? The important thing is, the band has a fair legion of fans and today Simple Plan is set to perform a free concert at Olympic Plaza in Calgary, in celebration of the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.
That’s what you call a prestige gig. So, we figured, when we get the band on the phone, let’s talk sports, which we did, with guitarist Sebastien Lefebvre.
HERE ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THAT CHAT:
Q: Hi, Sebastien. Did they set me up with you because you’re the biggest jock in the band?
A: Sort of — I’m not a real active sports guy … I’m not very good at anything. I took up golf this summer, but I’m not very good at it. When I was little, it was either snowboarding or playing guitar, so I picked up the guitar and I guess that turned out all right for me. … But I love watching the Olympics. When we did our second record in Montreal, the Summer Olympics was on and we had the TV on at all times while we were recording.
Q: How do the members of Simple Plan keep fit?
A: Our live show is our way of keeping fit. We’re drenched when we get offstage. Whenever we’re [touring] Canada or in Europe we try to find a hockey rink and go skating for a couple of hours during the day. I skate all right, but I have a hard time with braking. Chuck [Comeau, Simple Plan’s drummer] is the best. He’s a big hockey guy. Jeff [Stinco, lead guitarist] is all action. He loves hockey and golf. And Pierre [Bouvier, the singer], he surfs a lot.
Q: Is there anybody in the band that’s the polar opposite of athletically inclined?
A: David [Desrosiers, Simple Plan’s bassist] works out a lot. He’s very much in shape. But he does not play any sports. We do not put him on skates. We do not give him a golf club. He can’t do it to save his life. He keeps saying he’s a really good soccer player, but we have yet to see it. I’m not sure that it’s true. He’s probably the one in the band that looks the most like a jock, but he’s the one that does the least sports.
Q: Is there a particular event you’ll be following closely at the Olympics?
A: Well, clearly hockey. … And I’m always a big fan of the skiing long jump. That’s insane to me the way they take off and fly. I can’t imagine learning to do this sport. You’d probably break your neck, trying to get it right. … It’s amazing to me.
Q: How do you feel about the Team Canada hockey roster this year?
A: I’m stoked that there’s a lot of kids from Quebec on that team.
Q: How does it feel that your band is headlining one of the biggest Olympic celebrations in the country?
A: It’s very much an honour. I sort of compare it to the athletes that compete. We got picked to play a show for the Olympics. That means we’re probably up there, as far as Canadian bands go, and that’s very flattering. If there were a rock ‘n’ roll Olympics, I like to think we got picked to represent Canada.
