For a man with such a lustrous head of hair, wears many hats 鈥� lead singer of 麻豆传媒映画garage rock institution the Smugglers, CBC radio host and author of three nonfiction books (Adventures in Solitude, Lonely End of the Rink and Dirty Windshields). For years, he also wrote the beloved 鈥溌槎勾接郴璖hakedown鈥� column for the Westender newspaper. Now, Lawrence and his weekly musings have returned to the fold, thanks to multi-team deal involving the Courier, 麻豆传媒映画is Awesome and a yet-to-be-determined third round draft pick.
Prior to submitting his comeback column, Lawrence talked to the Courier about wool garments, the benefits of dishwashing and how he鈥檇 fare in a fight with his bandmates.
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You are known for your CBC logo-emblazoned Cowichan sweater. How many do you own?
Two. The original CBC one, which I鈥檝e worn in all 10 provinces and all three territories. And the company in Richmond, a little mom and pop knitting company, knitted me a Mr. Dressup-, Beachcombers-era sleeveless Cowichan vest, which is bright blue and orange and red. So I wear that one in the summer time.
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What was your first job in which you received a paycheque?
My dad is a strict conservative and he instilled a strong work ethic in me. So I鈥檝e been working steadily since age 14. I鈥檝e never been unemployed鈥� My first job ever was dishwasher at the Big Scoop restaurant in Horseshoe Bay 鈥� me and Nick Thomas of the Smugglers. He bought a Les Paul guitar and I bought a 鈥�62 Valiant with our savings from the job 鈥� both were $500. We worked the dish pit in there for $3.65 an hour.
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If you weren鈥檛 , writer and musician, what line of work would you be in?
I鈥檝e always loved movies and I鈥檝e always loved storytelling鈥� and I鈥檝e never been that good of an actor, so I always thought I鈥檇 be a screenwriter.
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What was your first car?
That 鈥�62 Plymouth Valiant. White, red interior, with a set of bull horns on the hood. Its nickname was the Frosty Bull and it was the terror of the North Shore.
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Is it true you once owned a Cabriolet convertible?
Yes. I鈥檝e owned a lot of convertibles鈥� I received a lot of sexist remarks over that car.
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In recent memory, what is the longest amount of time you鈥檝e gone without bathing?
In the summer, when I鈥檓 up in Desolation Sound, I鈥檝e probably gone two weeks without applying soap to my body.
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What is the grossest thing you鈥檝e ever eaten?
I鈥檓 a picky eater so when we went to Spain with the Smugglers I thought most of what they were serving us was gross鈥� So finally one night they served us nachos and I was like, finally, took you long enough. And I鈥檓 biting on the nacho and the nacho will not break鈥� but turns out what I was eating was a pig鈥檚 ear.
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Do you follow any exercise regime?
I try to do 120 push ups a day at home. But my main source of exercising is cycling to and from work.
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Do you have any dietary restrictions?
I鈥檝e learned that I have to avoid any rich chocolate dessert because that will come out the other end within 20 minutes. Violently. Extreme duress.
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If the current lineup of the Smugglers were to fight each other, how would you rank the outcome?
[Drummer] Graham number one because he鈥檚 from Nanaimo. Then [guitarist] Dave because he鈥檚 so big and strong. Then [guitarist] Nick. Four, me, and then five, [bass player] Beez. I think I could pound him. But the Smugglers have never physically fought each other, and I鈥檓 proud of that.
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Who鈥檚 the biggest celebrity you鈥檝e hung out with and/or seen naked?
I met Christopher Walken in Florida, we talked about the movie The Milagro Beanfield War, which he was in and I liked quite a bit. I鈥檝e physically touched David Letterman. I鈥檝e met Jay Leno鈥� The naked one, I鈥檇 have to say my wife, [singer-songwriter Jill Barber].
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Who would you like to see play you in the movie of your life?
Jude Law.
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What鈥檚 the last book you鈥檝e read?
I鈥檓 currently reading Rowing the Northwest Passage by Kevin Vallely. The book I have on tap is the Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga.
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What the last piece of music you purchased?
I just bought a bunch of records the other day at Red Cat on Hastings. Bahamas鈥� new album called Earthtones and First Aid Kit鈥檚 new one.
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Do you collect anything unusual?
I used to collect a lot of things, but once I got married my wife put a stop to most of the collecting. I used to collect salt shakers, old trophies, records, hockey memorabilia鈥� At this point the only thing I still collect is vinyl LPs.
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What is something about you that would surprise people?
I鈥檝e never tasted coffee. The beverage of coffee has never crossed my lips. I鈥檝e never liked the smell鈥� And it could have been because when I was a kid, smoking went hand in hand with coffee. And when I was working at Big Scoop I had to deal with a lot of coffee cups filled with cigarette butts, which might have something to do with it.
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