Spectres are a post-punk band from Vancouver BC that have been on the forefront of the genre resurgence since 2005 and are commonly cited as kicking off the renewed interest in this sound. Emerging from the DIY Punk underground, Spectres vocalist and founder Brian Gustavson wanted to blend the grassroots and independent ethic of anarcho-punk with the anomie and cold, modulated sounds of the 1980’s Post-Punk and death rock. Though the band’s output has matured with time to embrace a wider range of new-wave and shoegaze influences their ethos remains rooted in anarcho-punk. The blending of these influences allows for the curious juxtaposition of the ’80s influenced pop sensibilities with lyrics that explore the alienation and cynicism of modern life and the search for hope in an increasingly terrifying world. One of the band’s core strengths is its sonic aesthetic, which ranges from brooding and confrontational dark punk to ethereal pop-influenced dance anthems. Spectres’ live show harkens back to their punk origins bringing a direct and aggressive approach to their performances intended to convey a feeling of estrangement and urgency to the audience. After working with several different DIY labels over their first 12 years as a band Spectres signed with Artoffact Records in the summer of 2018.
Name:
Brian Sven Gustavson (Spectres vocalist)
Genre:
Primarily Post-punk and Synth Pop
Founded:
Roughly 2005ish
# of Albums:
5 LPs 4 EPs
Latest Album:
Spectres – Hindsight, it’s more a collection of singles, rarities and unreleased material than a proper full length album though.
Latest Single:
Spectres – Tell me
Latest Video:
Favourite musician growing up:
Steve Ignorant
Favourite musician now:
Ginger Root
Guilty pleasure song:
Serious Drinking – Love on the Terraces
Live show ritual:
I generally try to find the nearest cheapest bar to bolster my reserves.
Favourite local musician:
A three-way tie between The Moor, Actors and Sektion Tyrants.
EP or LP?
LP for collecting purposes EP for listening purposes.
Early bird or night owl?
Night owl
Road or studio?
Definitely, Studio. Spending time on the Road can be fantastic but generally starts to get stressful after the first week.
Any shows or albums coming up?
Spectres – Hindsight is available now through Artoffact records.
My other project Nouveaux – Debut LP coming in early 2022
Where can we follow you?
Spectres: Instagram | Bandcamp
Nouveaux: Instagram | Bandcamp
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Rapid Fire Vancouver Qs
Favourite local restaurant:
Yama Cafe, They make a fantastic lunch set.
Favourite street in your city:
Wall Street I love all the green space that lines the road with views of the ocean.
Favourite park in your city:
Burrard View Park, it’s got amazing views of the north shore mountains and provides a perfect backdrop to have clandestine drinks and watch the world.
Favourite music venue in your city:
The Bullet Farm or the BlackLab
Favourite music store in your city:
I haven’t bought a lot of music in Vancouver since Singles Going Steady closed, but my favourite semi- local record store would be Fascinating Rhythm in Nanaimo.
