Quick-fire Questions: 10 minutes with Veranda Liv
A band with roots in Helsinki that cut their teeth in Montreal before being forced out of Canada for visa reasons will always be a fascinating prospect, even without hearing the music. Such is the case with Veranda Liv, who now call the English capital London home. Whilst ostensibly post-punk, their sound draws on everyone from Tortoise to Women and is packed with as many surprises as such a range might suggest.
Comprised of Helsinki friends Tristan Petsola and Miguel Nyberg and former Pottery member Tom Gould, Veranda Liv crystallised their lineup in Montreal before they were forced apart by Canadian law. Since then, they’ve found their footing in their new home and are fresh off the road supporting Tim Darcy’s post-Ought outfit, Cola. They also recently released their hypnotic debut single ‘Your Life In The City’, which was recorded between their old Canadian home and London by Valentin Ignat – who recorded Cola’s Deep In View – and Seth Evans, who plies his trade in Black Midi and HMLTD.
“‘Your Life In The City’ had a previous life as a live song when we lived in Montreal,” frontman Tristan Petsola tells us of the band’s debut single. “It was a bit long and convoluted, so we took the strongest bits and worked around those. It really came together when we had a writing session in a cabin in Finland”.
Adding: “The last part made everything click as it opens up the tenseness of the preceding parts. Lyrically it switches to the first person in that bit, which I see as a result or hidden secret of the kind of person I’m describing earlier. The song really stems from seeing this one hot guy on a dancefloor biting his lip so ostentatiously yet awkwardly while dancing that it made me think where that comes from.”
With all that in mind, we caught up with Tristan to better get to know Veranda Liv. This came in the form of a round of quick-fire questions. After all, if you don’t have long to get to know someone, it’s best to pick their brain on the issues that really matter.
Quick-fire Questions: 10 minutes with Veranda Liv:
1. What song do you want played at your funeral?
“I have instructed my friends to play the Britney Spears ‘Baby One More Time — National Anthem of the Soviet Union’ mash-up at my funeral.”
2. Who is the greatest songwriter of all time?
“Patrick Flegel.”
3. Could you rewire a plug?
“No chance.”
4. Who the fuck is Mark E. Smith?
“That was for him to know and for us to try and find out.”
5. What’s the most memorable show you’ve played to date?
“A recent one – playing with Cola at Oslo in London. We’d been talking about doing a show together for a very long time, and it was magical when it finally happened.”
6. Favourite podcast?
“TrueAnon.”
7. Dream five-piece supergroup?
“Jonny Greenwood, Dorothy Ashby, Olivier Fairfield, Sue Tompkins, and Patrick Flegel.”
8. What was the last book you read? And what school grade would you give it?
“Amulet by Roberto Bolaño, 9-“.
9. Who was your first celebrity crush?
“Britney Spears.”
10. How often do you practice?
“As a full band, whenever we can, as we live in different places. I go to our practice space around twice a week and most often bang my head against the wall for hours wondering why I even try until something clicks, and it all feels worth it again.”
11. If you could have made the soundtrack for a film, what would it be?
“The Ocean’s 11, 12, and (to a lesser extent) 13 soundtracks are some of my absolute favourites. I wouldn’t want to change anything about them, so I’d pick the soundtrack to Ocean’s 14 if and only if David Holmes is unavailable.”
12. One strange food quirk you think everyone should try?
“Pickles with Russian sour cream and honey.”
13. What is your go-to takeaway?
“A very spicy Pad Kee Mao.”
14. What is your most controversial arts-based opinion?
“Ocean’s 12 is better than Ocean’s 11.”
15. Are The Beatles overrated?
“If I were answering these questions a couple of years ago, my answer to the last question would have been the same as to this one.”
