15 Minutes With The Folk

Following the release of their 2014 album We All Say, The Folk (made up of Sara & Emma Bortolon-Vettor, Mark Ferrari, and Liam Magahay) spent four months writing, polishing, re-writing and ultimately recording their second LP, Every Colour, Present Wonder.

The Folk describe their music as FuckPop: “To fuck is to multiply, pleasure, do. Pop is for everyone. This is FuckPop; a distorted vision of digestible music.” Their colourfully atmospheric and orchestral songs liken such classic rock artists as Frank Zappa and Pink Floyd, while drawing inspiration from John Prine and Uncle Tupelo/Wilco.

The Folk is now in the midst of their Ontario, Quebec and Eastern Canadian tour, stopping in Toronto on September 26 at the Silver Dollar Room. We got a chance to speak with one half of The Folk, sisters Sara & Emma Bortolon-Vettor.

What are your favourite places in Toronto?

SBV: Videofag, The AGO, The Silver Dollar Room, Gladstone Hotel, The Smiling Buddha.

EBV: The Silver Dollar Room, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and Gladstone Hotel—Come Up to My Room and Grow Op are two of my favourite events.

What meal brings you immense pleasure?

SBV: Anything lobster.

EBV: Our Nonna Maria’s lasagna.

The receipts in your wallet would indicate what?

SBV: I smoke and buy gasoline and fancy salads from my local independent grocer.

EBV: I buy a lot of gas, bus tickets, and beans.

What did you think you were going to be when you were 8 years old?

SBV: Performer.

EBV: A cross between a guitar player, a scientist, and an artist. Hasn’t changed.

What makes you happy?

SBV: Really good weed.

EBV: The ability to successfully create what’s in your head.  

What makes you cringe?

SBV: Bad weed.

EBV: Selfishness.

What quality do you loathe most in others?

SBV: The inability to empathize.

EBV: Ego.

What, in your opinion, is overrated?

SBV: Man buns.

EBV: Hype.

What is the one thing you wish you could change about yourself? Why?

SBV: Massive fake breasts. Like FF. Just to say I got ‘em.

EBV: I wish I didn’t bite off more than I can chew and try to attempt everything all at once. I don’t accomplish much with that mind frame. I think the patience and commitment to work more linearly takes age and experience.

As a child or teen, what first got you really interested in music?

SBV: The vinyl collections of my Nonna Shirley, my dad, and my Zio Lore.

EBV: We always had tenants living at our house growing up. One of the tenants was Sue, who gifted her classical guitar to us for our 9th birthday. It was natural to play and just felt right to make music from then on.

What word or phrase should we use more often?

SBV: Happy Birthday!

EBV: How dare you doubt yourself?

When do you feel most creative?

SBV: Autumn.

EBV: When I’m in a position to be isolated and observe.

Art is…

SBV: for everyone!

EBV: a celebration of what it truly means to be alive.

Every Colour, Present Wonder is available for Stream / Download. Check out The Folk on Facebook, Twitter and Bandcamp.