Interview: The Last Dinosaur (FEAT. CAPITAL LETTERS)

Welcome, friends, to a very special update of this very special blog. Today marks a momentous occasion in the history of Pretending to be Japanese. A very lovely couple of blokes, Jamie Cameron and Luke Hayden (better known as The Last Dinosaur), agreed to let me interview them, in what turned out to be an interview cherry-popping for all of us. Surprisingly, it went quite well.

So, without further delay, The Interview:

Jocelyn: It seems like you guys have a lot of projects going on musically. How did The Last Dinosaur start? What sets it apart from the other things you're doing?

Jamie: Basically, Luke and I met at college (when we were 17) and have been friends ever since. I'd been recording my own songs since i was 16 by myself. We got in a band together at college but didn't actually write or record together for a while.

I started another band called Since I Was A Little Girl which attracted a small label from the UK. We agreed to release a CD in 2003, but we were in a bad car accident and James (my friend, the other guy in the band) passed away. We still released the CD though and I had a good relationship with the guy who owned the label.

Luke and I were still friends throughout all of this and eventually we started to record a mix of guitar and piano with a friend rapping over the top and the same label wanted to release our EP. That band was called Lostboy, which sort of fizzled out and there was a while where I was just recording on my own, but randomly one day late last year we decided to record something together late at night. That became the beginning of "The First Last Dinosaur Song."

And then it seemed to fall into place, and we didn't understand why we hadn't recorded together properly before! So, we would meet up and stay up late into the night when the magic seemed to be there and just record whatever we came up with. It's different from the other things we do because of what inspires it and how we approach it I think.

Jocelyn: So is that what you mean when you call Luke your "musical life partner?"

Jamie: Yeah. That's because he's always been there throughout what I've been doing and now I can't imagine doing anything in the future without him being involved somehow.

Jocelyn: How did you come up with "The Last Dinosaur" as your name?

Luke: Luke.

Jamie: Which is sort of true. When we were coming up with a name Luke randomly said "The Last Dinosaur," which he decided would be better as "Our Last Dinosaur," which became "Your Last Dinosaur." This carried on for a while until I suggested the first idea was the best (which is usually the case).

We both loved Denver The Last Dinosaur when we were younger. I guess, strange as it might sound, the name reflects certain feelings I'd have when I was younger and trying to relive those feelings that have been lost due to age.

Jocelyn: When you were kids, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Luke: I wanted to be a Thundercat.

Jamie: Did you actually?

Luke: Yeah, I had the sword. But it turns out I'm actually He-Man.

Jamie: I wanted to be a musician, which is sort of painfully boring and obvious compared to Luke's answer.

Jocelyn: You've done a better job of realizing your goal though.

Jamie: Ahah! Yes!

Jocelyn: So where do you see yourselves in five years?

Luke: Uh... I dunno... I guess... 27.

Jamie: Five years? Wow that's so far away, I wouldn't even like to hazard a guess. But there will definitely be a lot of music involved. As long as I can carry on doing music and not have to work a job that makes me horribly depressed then I'll be happy.

Jocelyn: What's your favourite Last Dinosaur song?

Luke: I have a real problem picking favourites. I like "The Song Playing At The End Of The Film Of My Life." I've listened to that the most probably, but I'm too indecisive to pick!"

Jamie: It's really hard for me too, "Home" is such a personal subject for me, but then there's "The First Last Dinosaur Song," which has a sax solo by our friend James Slade which just blows me away every time I hear it.

They were each born from such different situations and thoughts that I guess it depends on the feeling I had at the time. I think perhaps if I had to choose it would be "Home" for me though, just because I put so much into it.

Jocelyn: When you're not playing music, what do you do?

Jamie: Luke works for his dad and gets paid a lot and I work for Blockbuster and get paid very little.

Luke: PS3. I skateboard. I love my movies too. I love Donnie Darko. Not the movie, just him. Although, I do love the movie.

Jocelyn: The movie would have been better if they'd use the original version of "Mad World" instead of that sappy cover. Imagine looking at Donnie's destroyed room/dead body while listening to straight up new wave.

Jamie: Yeah, we love Tears for Fears, so agreed. And the way they used "Head Over Heels" in that film is amazing. I used to listen to that song a lot when I was younger. On a stolen mix cassette that my dad made my sister for her 10th birthday.

Some 80's bands are amazing, despite the popular opinion that they are all rubbish (except from the hipsters). Talk Talk and The Blue Nile are two of my favourite bands. Talk Talk especially. For Me, no band inspires what The Last Dinosaur do as much as Talk Talk.

Jocelyn: How do you feel about Gwen Stefani covering "It's My Life?"

Jamie: I really ony listen to the latter three Talk Talk albums, so I never felt protective over the earlier stuff.

Jocelyn: Well, you already possibly said two of them, but I wanted to know what your top five favourite bands of all time are.

Luke: Inlets, Sparklehorse, The Constantines, Elliott Smith, Kidsaredead.

Jamie: I couldn't possibly pick a top five, because I'm a geek, but here are a few people I love: Inlets, Sparklehorse, The Constantines, Kidsaredead, Broken Social Scene, Karl Blau, Atronauti, The Tupolev Ghost, Jenny Hall, Animal Collective, The Delgados, Explosions in the Sky, David Crosby, Stina Nordenstam, Savath & Savalas, Jim O'Rourke...

I could go on forever probably, so it's better I stop now!

...Jeniferever! We forgot them! We love them!

Jocelyn: Well, I think that's it. Unless you guys have anything else you'd like to say.

Jamie: Yes! Please draw us a dinosaur, befriend us on Myspace, and watch our pretty video!



Thus ends our first interview. As a special gift to you, my loyal readers, Jamie sent me "Home" in mp3 form. Here it is, available for your listening/downloading pleasure.

Good luck with the dinosaur drawings!

-Jocelyn