The New Music

Kingston, Ontario is the former capital of Canada located just outside of Ottawa and halfway between Montreal and Toronto. Known mostly as a university town (home to Queens), Kingston saw its music scene blossom in the late ’80s and ’90s, with bands like The Inbreds, The Headstones, Moist, Weeping Tile (which featured Sarah Harmer) and most famously, The Tragically Hip, paving the way. But the last decade has seen the city become stagnant from an outsider’s perspective. Despite being only two men, PS I Love You should single-handedly put Kingston back on the map.

That might sound like a colossal task, but it’s not nearly as colossal as the sound that emanates from the pounding drum kit of Benjamin Nelson and the virtuosic guitar work and yelping vocals of Paul Saulnier. The band’s debut album, Meet Me At The Muster Station (out now on Paper Bag), is a sonic juggernaut reminiscent of the scrawling, guitar-driven ’90s indie and alt-rock boom. In just a year, they’ve attracted universal acclaim (including a favourable 8.1 from Pitchfork) and found shared bills with the likes of Diamond Rings, Japandroids and Frog Eyes.

Saulnier answered some questions during the American leg of their North American about their album title, paying homage to Joy Division in their video and why there’s hope for Kingston’s music scene.

When it comes to Kingston and music, only a few bands like The Tragically Hip and The Inbreds come to mind. Am I missing something?
Kingston is a musical town with a lot of great bands of all sorts of different genres. But it’s the sort of scene where you only really know it if you’re in it, so to speak. When I was a kid I was totally into the hip and the Inbreds and I would also include Weeping Tile (that’s Sarah Harmer and Luther Wright’s old rock band). My favourite current bands from K-town are The Gertrudes, False Face and Madam Raz.

What is the significance of a muster Station?
A muster station is the place on any large boat where people are supposed to gather if the boat is sinking to get on lifeboats. On the Wolfe Island ferry, in Kingston, the muster station is near the front of the boat. It’s where I like to stand up on these little steps that are there and watch the city get closer or further away. I guess it’s one of my favourite spots in all of Kingston.

Did PS I Love You form as a duo? Was there ever any discussion to expand?
PS was my solo project for a couple of years before becoming a duo. I wasn’t really looking for a drummer or any other band members, I asked Benjamin to drum with me for one show just for fun and it went so well that it became permanent. Things are going really well with just Benjamin and myself and there currently aren’t any plans to expand. We get the sound that we want with what we have. Umm… sometimes I think about how it would be cool to have an organ player in the band but the right person hasn’t shown up yet and I’m not really looking. If it happens, it happens.

What are the pros and cons of only having two people in the band?
Pros: It’s easy for us to agree on what our sound should be like. We fit nicely in a van or small motel room.
Cons: We can’t drive yet.
That’s pretty much it.

You were working on music by yourself for a number of years. How hard was it for you to invite someone else to be a part of it?
It was pretty easy. Benjamin and I have a good musical rapport. Adding him to the band did not compromise my songs in any way it only made them better. I can see how it may have been hard if I auditioned people and tried to find someone that way. I think what works with Ben and I probably wouldn’t work with anyone else.

You guys were previously in a band called Magic Jordan. That’s a pretty awesome name for a band. What happened to it?
It just kind of fizzled out. It happens.

Did you realize that if you Google “PS I Love You” the band is the fourth result – three behind that delightful rom-com starring Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler? Any thoughts on how to secure that #1 spot?
Hopefully people start forgetting about that movie soon and also we start winning Junos or whatever. Ha ha ha. That’ll do it.

The common reference for PS I Love You’s music is late ’80s/early ’90s alt- and indie rock. But your riffs to me sound as inspired if not more than ‘80s metal, like the dual riffing on “Facelove” and fret tapping in “Butterflies & Boners.” How much of a fan were you guys of bands like Pixies, Dinosaur Jr. and Mudhoney?
When I first started learning guitar I was a metal head. I’ve never been a fan of Mudhoney but I do like the Pixies and Dinosaur Jr a lot, but I don’t really listen to either of them very often. I think after seeing the Pixies live I was like, “Okay, I don’t want to listen to their records anymore, but I’ll go see them again in a heartbeat.” The same goes for Dinosaur Jr. Both of those bands live shows made their records sound like just a tease, or something.

A few weeks ago, Paul had a couple of guitars stolen. How did it happen and what’s the current status?
Two of my guitars were left unattended for a few minutes and they got grabbed. Friends of mine in Toronto put up posters with pictures offering a reward and sure enough, someone called and we got the guitars back. I’m not sure if someone intended to steal them or hold on to them because they thought they might get stolen or something like that. Whatever. I’m just happy to get them back. My advice to any other touring bands out there is always be holding on to your guitar at all times, no matter what.

In your video for “Facelove,” you remade Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart.” Where did the concept for that come from? What made you want to pay homage to such a classic?
It’s one of our all-time favourite songs and videos. And watching the Joy Division documentary I learned that they rehearsed and wrote songs in a warehouse with no heat. And for their video they just simply filmed themselves in that space, doing what they do. We make music in a very similar environment and when [director] Colin Medley heard about this he wanted to make an homage video.