Tony Dekker: I’m Tony Dekker from Great Lake Swimmers, and we’re (referring to Erik Arnesen and Miranda Mulholland) 3/5ths of Great Lake Swimmers and we just played the song “Still.”

Lindsay Colip (SPINearth.tv): Who wrote the song and how was the rest of it flushed out after the lyrics were written?

TD: I think I ended up finalizing the lyrics just before we recorded it, right before our recording session, so I was still working on that song right up until the point where we did the recording. The idea of the instrumentation on that song was just layered guitars. I think I played guitar in three different capo positions on the song. Erik plays some banjo…

Erik Arnesen: Yeah, I did two tracks of tenor banjo.

TD: Our friend (Justin) Nace played an old duolion guitar from the 1920s, a steel guitar, and we just layered up as many acoustic sounds as we could to flush out the track for the album.

LC: Does it sound different when you play it live?

TD: Yeah, we’ve arranged it for the band to play live. We’ve added drums and Miranda is with us on violin for this tour so we’ve arranged it for violin as well.

LC: Where was the first place you played it live?

TD: I don’t know, that’s a good question…

EA: In cornerbrook, newfoundland.

TD: That’s right, cornerbrook, newfoundland.

LC: I know you guys have done some covers. Who is a band you’d like to cover and visa versa, who would you want to cover a great lake swimmers song?

TD: Hmmmm…let’s see…I’ve covered Joni Mitchell recently, I’ve covered a Tom Waits song. We’ve been covering a Buffalo Tom song. They're a band from boston who we like a lot.

LC: Which song?

TD: Tailights fades. In fact we might play that one tonight, I was thinking we should throw that one in the set tonight. It’s really fun to play. I don’t know, who would cover us? Who would cover great lake swimmers? Erik?

LC: I thought you just said ‘Air’ instead of ‘Erik’ as someone to cover you. I was thinking, hmmmm interesting…

LC: (laughs) That’s a great idea.

Miranda Mulholland: That’s not a bad idea.

EA: Dr. John.

LC: Why did you choose to play that particular song today?

TD: I think it’s sounding really good with the band. I’m really liking the way that song is turning out live. It’s been a really fun one to play on tour. We’ve been on this tour for the last, I guess we’re about 1/2 way, about 2 1/2 weeks in on a 5 week tour of the us and that one has been a really…(a very loud car alarm goes off and everyone eventually starts chanting ‘beep beep beep beep’ while nodding their heads)

MM: Dance party!

EA: Sample that and put it in the song tonight!

TD: (laughing) It’s been a super fun one to play live and we’ve been really enjoying playing it on tour.

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