iheartthemusic decided to choose a few keys players to interview during CMW 2010. Here is the first of many informal chats that we had with some talented individuals. Introducing Jonathan Chandler (guitarist/lead vocals) and Christopher Wilson (drummer/vocals) of Amos The Transparent.

iheartthemusic: I’m really excited to be here at CMW, it being my first time, but for you guys it’s not; you were here last year and played with Black Diamond Bay. Are you glad to be back?

Jonathan: Yeah, we played with Black Diamond Bay and Michou. The venue was packed, everybody was drunk and singing every word louder than I could. It’s so much fun here. Toronto’s a great vibe, especially during this festival…everyone is in music mode and ready to go. We love it, and are definitely glad to be back. (Toronto’s) starting to feel like home.

iheartthemusic: You guys just released the EP My What Big Teeth You Have, and were up for a Verge award – congrats, by the way -  what else has been going on with the band?

Jonathan: The biggest thing that’s happened to us is that we entered this radio competition in Ottawa called ‘The Money Shot”, and we ended up with $50,000. We lost to Hollerado, but for the record, we’re all friends, and we like them…

iheartthemusic: And you’re playing wth them tonight!

Jonathan: Yeah, it seems like ever since then, we haven’t been able to avoid each other; here and in SXSW. So, that (radio competition) was the big thing, which has kind of opened up the door; now we’re writing and getting ready to release a full length record.

iheartthemusic: That’s so good to hear! I know that on your last full length record, Everything I’ve forgotten To Forget, Jonathan, you were the creative centrepiece or the album’s lynchpin, but for “Teeth” you sort of de-centralized creative control. I’m wondering what it was like to let go of the creative reigns? How does that sort of transition work?

Chris (laughing)(to Jonathan): You’ve got a really good answer to this one!

Jonathan (laughs): Well, like I said, Chris has been the #1 partner from the beginning. When we started the album, it really just was Chris and I. So when we were making/writing that record, it was just me primarily writing the songs. I’d bounce ‘em off Chris and we’d arrange them together, and brought our friends in to play the parts, whereas with “Teeth” we widdled away and really formed a real band, so it was a good way to showcase how far we have come.

Chris: Even “Teeth” was still Jonny’s total songwriting, with the band having more input/influence, but I think you’ll even see with what’s coming up, the band’s really taken over. (Amos) has really become a band now. I think it’s been a slow, but good progression from intially just the two of us working together to having more collaboration, and for this upcoming record, it’s been the first time we’ve all actually sat in a room together writing songs before going into the studio. It’s been really great having everyones input and working through it as a team.

Jonathan: I bring skeletons of songs to the band, but I’m purposefully not thinking about drum parts when I’m writing them, not thinking about what the bass is gonna do. I’m really starting to get a “band” feeling…which is wicked.

iheartthemusic: Do you think this sort of change in dynamic has benefitted your sound?

Jonathan: I honestly feel like everyone has more of a home in the band now. It could have been perceived before that people were kind of like ‘hired guns’ to do things, and I can tell we’re playing more like a band now, we’re acting more like a band now just because everyone is in that happy place.

iheartthemusic: Where do you guys see the band taking you from here? What are your collective aspirations?

Chris: Hopefully out of my basement! (laughs) No, obviously we want to do this as our life.

iheartthemusic: Yeah, I hear you guys all still have full time jobs outside of the music industry?

Chris: Yeah, we don’t make really any money doing this, so we have to support ourselves, our greater families.

ihearttemusic: How do you balance both obligations?

Chris: It’s busy. Balance is hard, but you work your hardest to do what you need to do at home, play the shows when you’re on the road. It works out. We want to do this as our “fun job”.

Jonathan: It comes down to the fact that this is our passion, so we make it work. The end goal is just to have as many people hear our music who wanna hear our music. Have fun, and enjoy.

iheartthemusic: Let’s talk about people who want to hear your music. Is there any specific city or town in Canada you guys love to play because the fans are so great?

Chris: I think the small city of Toronto is probably my favourite place to play in Canada. I think the reaction and the response here has been absolutely amazing. Everytime we come here it’s usually like “this is better than our hometown”. Ottawa’s great, but Toronto’s always a blast. There’s always a lot going on down here, and it’s definitey worth the trip. We always have a good time when we’re down here.

iheartthemusic: So glad to hear it! We’re some of those fans! (laughs all around). What about the internet? It seems like for so many indie bands, the internet has been a really amazing means to more lucrative ends in terms of getting your music out there, the heightened exposure, the push and promotion, the free streaming, the blogs etc., but on the flip side, the internet is also the source of free and illegal music downloads and this takes – much needed- money right out of pockets like your own. So, the internet: scourge or saviour?

Chris: The internet has been great. I’d never complain. We’re at the point in our careers where we just need people to hear our music. If you’re gonna download it, well, it kinda sucks, but it’s a benefit for us because someone’s gonna get to hear our music. And you know what? Download the music, and come to the live show, buy the ticket – even a t-shirt – and that’s fine. You’re never gonna stop the downloads, so you might as well just accept it…

Jonathan: and firgure out how you can use it to your benefit. There’s now countless ways to interact with fans, and ultimately grow more fanbases. I just found out today we hit gold in terms of people stealing our music, all because of over 5,000 downloads of our one record. So, that sucks, but look at the positive: there’s over 5,000 people who just got the record. Hopefully they like it, and it’ll turn into ticket sales.

iheartthemusic: Funny Question: You guys did a cover of Alannis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know”, is she one of your favourite Canadian artists, or do you have hatred equal to hers for Joey Gladstone from Full House?

Chris: (laughs) The cover came from a tribute show in Ottawa for CBC Radio. It was getting artists together to pick a song or two to play. That’s how it came about. Jon picked the song though!

iheartthemusic: Hey Jagged Little Pill was a good record! (laughs)

Jonathan: It was a good record! Actually we were the final addition to the show, and it was Alan Neil from CBC who said no-one has done “You Oughtta Know” yet, and I was like “Really? No-one’s picked her song? So great! We’ll do that”.  I really like tearing things apart, so what I did was listen to the words and, although she did it as an angry song, if you listen to the words without the music, it can be a really heartbroken song. So, we figured we’d just switch it up.

iheartthemusic: So you don’t dislike Joey Gladstone?

Jonathan: (laughs) Nope. He’s fine. Shit happens.

** catch them back in Toronto April 17, 2010 with The Junction!

interviewed by Brittany Smith

photography provided by Renee Rodenkirchen