By: Dean Westington
DW: Where did you come up with the name End-Time Anarchy?
V: Its really kind of funny. Its almost as though it was sitting right in front of us our whole lives and it wasn’t until we opened our minds enough to see it, that the perfect name for our collective project jumped right out at us.
L: Um, it’s the end-time, and we’re here to cause anarchy, duh.
DW: So, Valerie, you describe yourself as the artistic one, who are your major artistic influences? And Lenore, to what do you attribute your “random and bizarre” personality?
V: That is a tough question. I really like Robert, Maxon, and Aline Crumb. I really got a lot out of Tool videos when I was younger. Tough question.
L: I attribute my ADD to it. I seem to have a new thought every 2mins, and things just pop into my head. I can’t really explain my thought process, it just happens. And usually, I just say what I’m thinking. I have no clue where my thoughts come from, maybe pixies?
DW: What does E-T A hope to achieve in the weeks, perhaps months to come?
V: Well, End-Time Anarchy of course!
L: Ummm, Anarchy?
DW: Will we be hearing much about politics all over North America from you ladies?
V: Who knows what the future may hold, Dean? What I can tell you is when we’re interested in something, blog posts will follow.
L: Politics are a touchy subject, but I’m sure if something comes up that we feel needs attention, we’ll discuss it.
DW: Whom would you consider your mentors?
V: My first mentor was my first Chef. Under a calm demeanour, he was a true genius of level headed and epic proportions that changed my life, as I knew it, forever.
L: I don’t really think I’ve ever had any mentors. No one person has ever really inspired me.
DW: Is it a big release to be, perhaps painfully, honest with your reader/viewer public?
V: A big release? Like an orgasm? Yeah, I guess telling some people how much smarter they could be if they just opened their own eyes and started asking questions instead of settling into routine of indifference, yes, that could be considered orgasmic. I guess.
L: People have always called me blunt. I think it’s my purpose to tell people what to do.
DW: What do you think of Internet social networks like MySpace and Facebook?
V: I love it and I hate it. Its quite like being given permission to cyber stalk the people in your life that you may or may not barely know, which is AWESOME. On the other hand, it's very high school, what with the backstabbing and public break-ups for attention etc.
L: I go back and forth. I like them sometimes, for staying in touch with people and getting to know more about new people. But I also find it a pain to keep it updated sometimes, and a hassle.
DW: So, it has been said that you both are fans of body modification. Do either of you have “bod-mod” to speak of?
V: I have back and arm tattoos and pierced ears and nose.
L: I have pierced ears and nose, and 4 random tattoos.
DW: What are your opinions on consumerism these days?
V: Well we don’t make fun of the cattle-like existence of Western culture for no good reason. When one is constantly bombarded with ads promising a utopianistic view of the world based on the purchase of products and services, it’s hard not to follow the herd. (Laughs profusely) Isn’t it funny, that in this day and age we can’t figure out that eating a whole apple is better than eating reconstituted apple syrup product from concentrate? But when one is naked and the other has a pretty package and a multi-million dollar marketing campaign behind it, it’s easy to see why one is mistaken for the other.
L: People get too blinded by brand names, it’s the easy choice. We need to get back to buying local, helping out local businesses and going back to our roots.
DW: Have either of you been lawn bowling?
V: What the hell kinda question is that?
L: Well, there was this one time.. Wait, oh, you said lawn bowling, um, no then.
DW: Just trying to keep your attention fresh, ladies. What is your least favourite human trait?
V: Definitely the need, want and execution of perpetuating negativity. Humanity can be such a good, a great entity but it sometimes seems that even the sweetest of the sweet get off on the negativity perpetuity of gossip and fabricated emotions.
L: Ignorance and intolerance. People who just refuse to learn and increase their intelligence, or just pay attention. People who concern themselves too much with others lives.
DW: Favourite retro find?
V: Vintage Canadian Cookbooks.
L: Old toys I remember from my childhood.
DW: Whom do you consider the greatest up and coming artist/musician these days?
V: Fabio Napoleoni, Visual Artist. His work is so touching and interesting and I want the world to know how wonderfully honest and brilliant it is.
L: Hmm hard one. Almost daily I’m finding little known bands that I really end up liking, but I’m not really sure who I’d consider to be the greatest.
DW: Is the Lenore-Valerie combo a good partnership?
V: So far, so good. (Laughs out loud) Being that this is the 24th year of our friendship, I’d say things are right on track. Although this is our first major project together, I think we have the right combo of creativity, interest and know-how to make End-Time Anarchy something to talk about.
L: As long as Valerie keeps me on track, and stops me from going off on a tangent about pineapples, I think it’ll work out great.
DW: Last Question before we wrap it up, ladies. What was the biggest change of 2009, personal or otherwise?
V: Well aside from an uber intelligent US President, my own personal vegetarianism and End-Time Anarchy, not a whole hell of a lot. (Laughs again.)
L: Giving in to myself and trying not to stress so much about things I can't control. Not everything needs fixing, and I've come to realize that.
