cornershopstudios met up with Dan Mangan in Mavericks’ stairwell to delve deeper into his album Nice, Nice, Very Nice, pondering the effects of technology, roaring lions and puzzle pieces.
Question: Is technology bringing mankind closer together or driving it farther apart?
Answer: I have a love-hate relationship with technology. I do worry if we’re gonna lose some of the important human to human connection that is so vital in establishing us as human beings. I think it’s pretty clear, and somewhat evident to most people, that eventually humans are going to rid themselves, we’re gonna be the makers of our end. And whether that’s in 20 years, 2,000 years or 20,000 years, it’s just a question of time.
Question: What does it take to stand right next to giants and roar beside the lions?
Answer: I feel like there’s so much talent, so much great music in the world, that I always felt like I was trying to match up, trying to prove myself, and that’s what that line is really about, standing next to giants and trying to learn from them and at the same time compete with them.
Question: What piece of Vancouver do you feel you always take on the road with you?
Answer: It sounds typical but the mountains are always in my brain.
Question: Is an accomplished life one where you’ve found all the puzzle pieces?
Answer: I don’t know if you ever find all the puzzle pieces. I think an accomplished life is continuing to look for the puzzle pieces even when it seems fruitless and to make sure that you are surrounded by people that you can forever look for the puzzle pieces with.
Question: Favorite word?
Answer: Radtacular
