The Pack A.D. is Canada’s answer for the rising blues-rock genre. They often get compared to The White Stripes and The Black Keys because they are a two piece band that happens to find inspiration in the blues. Although similarities can be drawn Becky Black, guitarist, and Maya Miller, drummer, defi- nitely bring a different style of raw emotion and blues. Mass Media: The first question I’ve got to ask is what is your least favorite question that you get asked all the time? Just so I can avoid it. Becky Black: “Who are your influences?” I think that’s my least favorite. MM: Is there a particular reason or is it the fre- quency at which it gets asked?BB: It’s just a hard question to answer; it’s just like… not a short answer. It’s like well right now I’m listening to this but I’ve been listening to this for years. I really like all genres of music it’s really hard to say what in- fluences me, and its movies or writ- ers… it’s just a hard question it’s like “well this one person influenced me.”MM: Ok I’ll avoid that ques- tion for you. BB: Ok.MM: Why did you start playing guitar and was it your first instrument?BB: Actually, I think the first instrument I played was the flute. It wasn’t for very long; I thought it would be cool to be like Jethro Tull. I realized I couldn’t re- ally rock a flute. So I ended up pick- ing up guitar as a hobby. I didn’t really start playing guitar to be a rock star it was just something to do. NowitseemstobewhatIdo every day. MM: So you didn’t re- ally see yourself as a guitarist?BB: No.MM: So what did you want to be?BB: When I was really young I wanted to be a fire fighter, but that wasn’t really realistic. I wanted to be a professional athlete.MM: Re- ally? What sport?BB: Either Soc- cer or lacrosse; I probably wasn’t good enough or…. I didn’t practice enough. I don’t know, it requires a lot of training and I’m kind of lazy, so that didn’t really work out. Then I wanted to be a professional artist but is there such a thing as a pro- fessional artist? Not really. MM: Not until they are dead.BB: Yea exactly. The same could be said about some musicians, maybe not as much. So yeah I just had a bunch of hobbies; I never really considered a career. Music was hobby that turned into a career. MM: Do you have any advice for people who are picking up guitar? BB: I taught myself so I didn’t really learn how to play correctly. My advice would proably be to get some lessons, or pick up a book and learn chords Also, start with acoustic cause then when you move to electric it’s a lot easier because it doesn’t hurt your fingers as much. Build up your cal- luses on acoustic first.MM: So get calluses?(Laughter)BB: Yeah and don’t worry about buying an expen- sive guitar. MM: Which do you en- joy more playing live shows or re- cording the album?BB: Playing live shows defiantly, I think it’s defiantly more representative of us. There’s something a little sterile about any- thing you record. It’s like the differ- ence of watching live theater or a movie, anything can go wrong. Live is just more exciting. MM: How did you start playing drums?Miller: I started playing because we started a band. MM: So you just learned as you went?Miller: Well yea, I took some lessons. There are two ways you can drum, you can be totally mathematical, which is what drum- ming basically is, math; or you can be much more of a feel drummer, which is what I am. I don’t drum quiet normally. I might actually learn guitar just so me and Becky can switch on some songs. She’d still have to sing though.MM: So you don’t have a singer’s spirit?Miller: I do fantastic karaoke. I do incred- ible Led Zeppelin like you’ve never heard before. As far as actual sing- ing…. I don’t know about that. MM: I feel like picking Zeppelin is a bold choice as far as karaoke goes. That’s risky; you’re living on the edge.Miller: It is seriously like the only thing I can nail. The Pack A.D. rocked Boston not too long ago so they might not be back for a while but check out their music, videos, and future tour dates at ThePackAfterDeath.com