| You can say what you want about Nardwuar the Human Serviette (my co-worker Chris recently admitted he’d like to punch him in the nose), but for me, the plaid-hat sporting punk rock journalist is undoubtedly among my all-time top five Canadian dudes (the other four being Daniel Bejar, Pierre Trudeau, Marshall McLuhan and Dr. James Naismith, the inventor of basketball).
Over the years, Nardwuar’s nerdy antics behind the microphone, both onstage and in interviews, have provided a reliable source of interest and enjoyment, and have now been compiled on his first foray into the DVD world – Doot Doola Doot Doo…Doot Doo!
"It’s the natural progression, I guess," says Nardwuar over the phone in his now familiar chirpy tone. "I formed a band, The Evaporators, then joined CRTC radio in Vancouver and did a radio show for awhile, then started presenting gigs with my band and other bands. After that, I thought. ‘Why not put out some records?’ Then after doing that for awhile, I started putting out a couple of videocassettes, and after a few videocassettes, I eventually put out a CD. Then after putting out CDs for awhile, I decided it was time to finally put out a DVD. Oh, and we also had 8-tracks in there as well."
On the five-hour, two-disc set, over 60 of Nardwuar’s favourite interviews are included – with everyone from musicians and actors, to politicians and Michael Moore.
"Some of it actually goes way back to 1993, like me interviewing Mikhail Gorbachev, there’s some of that on there," says Nardwuar. "But basically most of the stuff is from the last couple of years, and it compiles my two MuchMusic specials Nardwars I and Nardwars II, as well as some live show footage. I guess you could say this is kind of like a sampler or introduction package."
When asked which of his favourite interview subjects are included on the DVD, Nardwuar provides a wide variety of answers.
"Rapper Rahzel was amazing," he says. "He used to be with The Roots, and he actually taught me how to beat-box. Snoop Doggy Dogg is on there again – I can’t get enough of The Doggster – but overall, my Corey Feldman interview has not been topped.
"There’s also an encounter with Franz Ferdinand with us driving around in a dune buggy in Stanley Park in Vancouver…. It’s one of my favourite interviews because, well, the dune buggy is involved, and I also got to show them a Franz Ferdinand 8-track that I had found. This was also an excuse to show them all of the other funny 8-tracks that I have, like a Sex Pistols 8-track and a Kraftwerk 8-track."
The DVD also includes live performances and music videos by The Evaporators, as well as by several mysterious two-pieces known as Thee Goblins, Thee Skablins and fan favourites Thee Disgoblins.
"I just really wanted to compile all of the stuff I’ve done, put it out there and see if anyone’s interested," says Nardwuar. "There’s lots on there to explore with both short little blasts of interviews and the unedited long ones, because it’s kind of hard to decide exactly how to present it. Some people like the full interviews, but some people just like the short ones, and don’t want to sit through 36 minutes of me with Ian MacKaye."
So as comprehensive as the DVD may sound, it is obvious that Nardwuar has plenty more goodness left over, which will also be released in the near future.
"There are tons and tons more interviews from the earlier years that will probably be on subsequent DVDs," says Nardwuar. "For instance, I have interviews with Kurt Cobain, Courtney Love, stuff from ‘the grunge years’ – that’s what I thought the next DVD would be called. I have stuff with Sonic Youth, Nirvana and Timothy Leary. I don’t know if he really has anything to do with grunge, but we’ll put him in there because he was kind of an acid guru, and I guess lots of grunge people were really into taking acid."
For more information or just general LOL’s, visit www.nardwuar.com. |
Copyright ©2006 FFWD. All rights reserved.