Classic Spins with Held In Secret's Mathieu Mazerolle

Say what you want about our polite neighbors to the north, but they're good folks. 

My favorite thing is how the rest of Canada is so willing to adopt French speech, and not just any French, but Quebecois French in order to uphold the dual languages of their home and native land.

Like when you get anything anywhere, and I mean anywhere in Canada, it's printed in English and French.

Except...ironically...in PQ. But, let's not go too deep into their personal divides when we here in the USA have ever so many as well.

But let's talk to Matthieu from Held In Secret about inspiring albums. Check out their VIDEO whilst reading.

1. My favorite kind of album is the concept album. The Wall is my absolute favorite. Beyond the amazing songs, it has spectacular nostalgia for me. What's your favorite one and why? 

My favorite kind of album is the concept album for sure, I'd like to give Silent Planet's album "Everything Was Sound" as an example because it's metaphorical structure and it's unpredictability really illustrate the ambient atmosphere that we were trying to create for our album. 

 2. My very first album was Live Evil b Black Sabbath. Since then I've had a strong affinity for the live record, even if they're a bit fake. KISS set the bar with Alive!. Surely, it was fake, but it's got the best concert feel of any one.

Tell me about your favorite live record?

My favourite live record would definitely be Bullet In A Bible by Green Day, this live rendering of American Idiot is sure to bring your nostalgia and melancholy to the table. this awesome album went in-depth into a story about a young boy that wants nothing but to leave his rotten town. 

Powerful message and still one of my favorite albums of all time!

3. There are a great number of records I've turned to for my moods. What do you listen to when you're angry? Sad?   

Few people actually know this, but I hardly ever listen to metal in a regular day, I tend to listen to sad indie pop-punk songs 90% of the time because the depth illustrated by the sadness feels real, and I think most artists really find their peak in their saddest songs, regardless of the genre.

4. One of my friends laughs at me, routinely, for loving the Misfit Toys of albums by major bands. Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed, Carnival of Souls by Kiss, Diabolous En Musica by Slayer, etc.   

 What's the strange one that you love?   

I'm a fan of music from all genres and backgrounds. In a day, I can listen to Mac Miller's new posthumous album, and then switch to some heavier stuff, I'd like to mention a favorite artist of mine called Hobo Johnson, he's kind of a rapper but not really. 

His music is sad, deep and nostalgic, but his flow is electric and his shy personality becomes a persona on stage. Super interested, pretty weird, overall Awesome

5. It's almost fashionable to release live versions of albums or re-record the old ones. King Diamond is releasing a concert with Abigail front to back. Roger Waters has done The Wall twice. Which ones do you have in your collection?  

I don't really have an epic collection, but I do own Bullet In A Bible by Green Day as well as Simple Plan's live version of "No Pads, No Helmet, Just Balls" and it brings me back to 2005 every time I listen to them!