20 Questions With Stephen Ramsay of Young Galaxy

Young Galaxy’s third, and most recent album, “Shapeshifting”, is pretty damn gorgeous. It reminds us of so many other artists we love but in a new way where it sounds entirely their own. There’s a distinctive “album” feel throughout, which is to say you can just press play and let it go. It’s got all the airy ethereal stuff we like about Bat For Lashes, but it’s also got that sunny Sunday morning omelet making feel that early Phoenix albums had. If that makes any sense at all. In any case, we think you can listen to this album while you study, at your mom’s place for dinner, or in bed with a lover. It’s hopeful enough that it sounds upbeat and happy, but not so up-tempo that you can’t listen to it at the office. It’s gonna sound great outdoors on the concert circuit this summer for sure. Shit, we’re even digging the cover artwork. Just go buy it. You won’t regret it. Besides, you can say you were one of the firsts when they’re up for the next Polaris. Oh, and band mate Stephen Ramsay took our 20 Qs. Look at that, fun.

1. What is your dream of happiness?
Pantless afternoons full of Ayahuasca, Pimm’s and Ginger, and lawn bowling in pristine white suits

2. Blonde or Brunette?
Rodent

3. What is the quality you like most in a person?

Killer abs

4. What do you fear most?

Tied for 1st: death and eternal life

5. 808s or 909s?

606s!

6. What’s your biggest regret?

Not becoming a professional athlete

7. What’s your fav bar or club in the world?

Tied for first: Cafe De Dokter, Amsterdam and The Angel’s Share, Manhattan , NYC

The Crow and Gate, Nanaimo , British Columbia

Some crazy bar in Tokyo with a bar shaped like a triangle that sat something like 4 people and had a tiny deadlocked japanese girl playing devastating dub reggae

8. What’s the one thing you can’t live without?

The front door key to my apartment

9. What are the 3 musicians dead or alive you’d like to see perform?

John Bonham

Syd Barrett

Jesus

10. What is your favorite decade in music?

September 1973

11. If you had to choose, would you rather go blind or deaf and why?

What a horrible question! I guess blind, seeing as I’m a musician

12. How old is too old?

Me

13. Where do you see yourself in 15 years?

See question one

14. Who’s your hero?

No more heroes

15. What’s your favourite colour?

‘My favourite colour is gold’

16. What song could you live without ever hearing again?

What’s playing on commercial radio this moment?

17. Metallica or Madonna?

Madallica, the perfect rock beast. Less effeminate than Metallica, less manly than Madonna

18. What’s your most hated vice?

I don’t hate my vices anymore. We have an understanding. Is eating too fast a vice?

19. Who is the most tragic figure in history?

Poor Billy Mumphry, who died from ‘unbridled enthusiasm’

20. What are the top three live shows you have ever seen?

The Verve, 1991, Vancouver – Space rock is amazing when done well and you happen to have eaten hash brownies

Spiritualized, 1995, Vancouver – Space rock is amazing when done well and you happen to have eaten hash brownies
Tindersticks, 1995, Vancouver – Art rock is amazing when done well and you happen to have had 25 glasses of red wine