7" Survey: HSY

Every edition of this season’s Long Winter, the first 350 guests through the doors at The Great Hall will receive a free split seven-inch from Scion Sessions, each side featuring a song from one of the night’s featured artists. To compliment the releases, we’ll issue a seven-part questionnaire to each of the artists involved, giving the subjects an inch (about 85 words) of space to answer each of our questions.

The February instalment of the Scion Sessions Split 7” Series features a track each from HSY and Teenanger. In this questionnaire with HSY, singers/guitarists Anna Mayberry and Jude (just “Jude.” Like “Cher”) talk about getting lost on Ottawa’s Rideau Canal, how high school milieu inspired “Slimeball,” and how HSY evolved into what it is now. Read the full questionnaire below.

Long Winter: Who are you and how did HSY come together?

Jude: HSY is Anna, Link, Kat, and Jude.

I started the band a few years back with an ex-girlfriend, but quickly realized it wasn't gunna work. From there I had different people come through. Having Link join the band was what really kicked things off, because it allowed me to move the project in the direction I had wanted since the start. From there, Anna and Kat joined the band and now we are HSY.

LW: How about “Slimeball” – what inspired that?

J: “Slimeball” was inspired by all those assholes I went to high school with and dated all the good looking girls (which I could never understand), its also our "Oh Shit" by The Pharcyde. So take what you want from that, it’s just a stupid song.

Anna Mayberry: I feel like it's about people confronting hate.

LW: For lots of listeners, this will be their first point of access to HSY’s music. Where does this song fit into the rest of your catalogue?

J: I suppose it fits in just right with all the other songs we've done – loud and obnoxious.

AM: Ya, smack dab in the middle.

LW: Once they’re turned on to this, what releases (songs, EPs, albums, or otherwise) should people pursue as logical next steps?

AM: We put out our first seven-inch EP last fall on Buzz Records. There were a few tapes before that too, which are long gone in any physical format but the tracks are all up on our Bandcamp page (hussywhore.bandcamp.com). Our first tape is silly - there's an acoustic version of “Tartar Mouth.” Haha.

Really though, the “next step” for HSY is coming out really soon!

LW: When you think of winter, what’s a memory that stands out for you?

J: I broke my ankle sledding when I was a kid. It happened when it was getting dark one night and I couldn't walk, so I had to drag myself up a hill and back to my house. I also got lost on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa once when I was like nine years old. I was on a family trip and naturally I didn't wanna be there, so I just skated away from my parents, and soon enough I was lost. Eventually some cops picked me up and brought me back to my parents. I still remember one of the cops slipping on the ice, which was pretty hilarious.

AM: Sounds like you were a complete menace. I'm picturing baby Jude in a snowsuit, like Randy in A Christmas Story, totally flipping his lid.

LW: How do you survive winters in Toronto?

J: Wearing many, many, many layers. I wear five t-shirts, two long-sleeve shirts, two pairs of socks, one sweater/hoodie, and one-to-two jackets. Basically I just stay indoors as much as possible; it seems to work.

A: Toronto winter is so tame compared to so many places! Just wear real winter boots, ya dolts.

LW: What are you looking forward to for the February edition of Long Winter?

A: Seeing everyone I've ever met and chatting for two minutes before getting swallowed up by crowds of confused strangers. Also, Sexy Merlin and Not the Wind, Not the Flag will probably blow some minds.

Interview by Tom Beedham