Music

NXNE Questionnaire: Chad Valley wants to buy all of the used '80s jazz-funk records in Toronto

by Nicole Villeneuve

Oxford, UK’s Chad Valley (aka Hugo Manuel)’s ’80s influenced synthpop will fit right in in Toronto—especially considering how influenced it was by early Feist. He tells us about his plans to go up a tall building, buy used records, and avoid Pavement-sounding bands at this year’s NXNE.

AUX: Say you get to play tourist for a full day while you’re in Toronto. What do you want to do?

Chad Valley: Well I normally like going up tall buildings/mountains or stuff like that whenever I’ve got time to kill. I love big city views, and the kind of satisfaction of seeing something tall and then going up it. So I hear there is a pretty big building in Toronto right? So yeah I would totally go up the CN Tower or whatever its called nowadays and then maybe find some second-hand record shops to buy some old 80s jazz funk that nobody else wants anymore.

Is there anything you’re looking forward to seeing or adamant about avoiding at NXNE?

I’d definitely try and see Magical Cloudz and especially Mozart’s Sister. She is my latest obsession. Her EP is banging and I bet she is great fun live. Mind you, I probably won’t get to see either of them because I’m only in town for 24 hours and I’m playing two shows…or maybe I just won’t sleep. In terms of things to avoid, I’ll probably be trying to avoid every slacker Pavement tribute band that is playing.

What’s the best and worst thing about big festivals like NXNE?

I really like the wild, carnival kind of vibe you get in cities that are normally kinda docile. Lots of people getting very excited/stressed and drunk/high means a lot of fun is there to be had if you want it, but you can avoid it if you like. At SXSW I’ve usually avoided the excesses that are so freely available to save my voice and my sanity, but I have a bit of time off after NXNE so I might indulge. The worst? Having to lug your shit around town when its like that.

Who’s your favourite Toronto artist, and why?

I’m a big big fan of Feist’s first album, when she had funk. “One Evening” is one of my favorite all-time songs, and “Leisure Suite” too—there is so much suave soul to those songs, it’s been a big inspiration to me for a long time. The Reminder is cool and the latest one too, but she ditched the funk!

Tell us why your show is the show everyone should make sure to see.

Because I don’t give a shit and I just want to make everyone smile.

What else is Chad Valley up to that we should know about?

Writing house music, making a mixtape (like all the cool guys these days), planning my second album, getting really into Belgian beers.

Chad Valley plays at BLK BOX on Saturday, June 15 @ 10pm, and at Sidedoor on Saturday, June 15 @ 12am. Full schedule details can be found at NXNE.com.