A few of their favourite things: a look at P.E.I.'s Paper Lions — through their stuff
'One of my most treasured items is a hand-knitted sweater that was given to me as a baby'
These nice young men are in the news again this week — indie pop band Paper Lions and their newest album, Full Colour, are up for four East Coast Music Association awards, leading P.E.I. with four nominations including Group Recording of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Entertainer of the Year and Fans' Choice Video of the Year.
Colin Buchanan, David Cyrus MacDonald and brothers John MacPhee and Rob MacPhee originally formed The Chucky Danger Band in 2004, changing it a few years later to Paper Lions.
The members of Paper Lions agreed to show off a peek of their lives and loves through some of their favourite things, and it turns out they're a nostalgic bunch.
Colin Buchanan
Buchanan has put some hours in on the guitar over the years and he can really roar, his demeanour usually dead serious as he wails away. Then, he shares his favourite thing, and a glimpse at his softer side — literally.
"The only stuffed animal I kept from my extensive childhood collection," he writes vai email, sharing the above photo of his furry companion.
"I think my aunt got this for me when I was just a baby. His name, Doggy. As you can see, I chewed his tail off."
Buchanan also produces the work of other musicians, including Kinley Dowling and Emilee Sorrey.
John MacPhee
"My wife and I recently purchased the Catholic rectory in Iona," shares lead vocalist John MacPhee, who lives in the home with his wife and three small children. "Built in 1872, the house style is gothic revival and we love it!"
The house is not far from where the lads grew up in Belfast, P.E.I., going to school together.
MacPhee's renovations, it turns out, have been as fearless as his stage performances.
"One of my favourite memories was 'finding' our master bedroom. When we purchased the house, we knew there was a sealed-off, south-facing attic that would make an amazing master bedroom. Problem was, there was no way of getting in, so we had to cut a hole in the wall to access the room."
Rob MacPhee
Bassist Rob MacPhee and his wife live in Charlottetown, where they've also purchased a heritage home and are busy parents to three little ones.
"One of my most treasured items is a hand-knitted sweater that was given to me as a baby," MacPhee reveals.
His mother has a picture of Rob wearing the sweater in a park in Philadelphia.
"She held onto the sweater until I had children, then gave it to me to pass on to them. It's now too small for my oldest, and too big for my youngest, but still makes for a real cute father-son-sweater collage," MacPhee says. Aww.
David Cyrus MacDonald
Drummer MacDonald was occupied being a new dad this week, so he didn't get to share his favourite thing — I'm guessing it's his new brand daughter, Priya!
In the past, however, I've interviewed MacDonald about his very unique and beautiful drum set, hand made by P.E.I.'s Amiel LeBlanc at East Coast Drumcraft. The maple shells are wrapped with poetry written by MacDonald's father, former P.E.I. poet laureate Hugh MacDonald, and they're dear to his heart. A recent article in Moden Drummer magazine reveals that MacDonald has them tuned just so to achieve certain sounds.
Come back to CBC News: PEI soon for more profiles of Islanders through their "favourite things."
- MORE P.E.I. NEWS I Joy of sax: Winterjazz celebrates 10 years on P.E.I.
- MORE P.E.I. NEWS I 'It's a very moving thing:' Al Tuck reacts to tribute CD
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
