Get to know a Static contributor: Kristian Pedersen

kristian pedersen

Static’s second issue, First Times in Toronto, is out October 20th. So to celebrate, over the month, you’ll get to know the contributors of the issue through some of their first times in Toronto.

Kristian Pedersen has made himself the “fun guy” of Static Zine by far. In issue 1, he made a maze & interviewed Heartbeat Hotel and in this upcoming issue, you’ll have plenty of fun with something he’s constructed out of words (or no words). Kristian also designed Static Zine’s awesome first ever cover, and holds a special edition that was printed on blue paper at the copy centre. When KNP’s not doing all these fun design things for Static, he works at a university, writes Christmas music, watches movies and DJs at the Magpie (TONIGHT, in fact).

First time I felt like Toronto was home was when the regular waitress at the pub near my school started knowing what I wanted without bringing me a menu. After I got over feeling predictable and unoriginal, I felt like that I somehow belonged. At least at Richmond and Sherbourne.

First job was at H&M at the Eaton Center. I worked in the stock area and learned quickly that if you played Joanna Newsom on the CD player, everyone would be too terrified to ask you to do anything.

My first Apartment was the high rise at the corner of Queen and John, right in the middle of Grange park. The location was wonderful, but the roommates were not. One started using my organ to make “avant garde” music in the middle of the night, which she recorded as our outgoing answering machine messages. On the bright side, I lived near Kensington!

First favourite neighborhood was Little Italy. The first time wandered alone downtown I was blown away that convenience regularly stores stocked Jones Soda, and that Soundscapes had every album I read about in Exclaim.

First concert was: By Divine Right and Matt Pond PA at Sneaky Dees. I was only eighteen at the time but fortunately didn’t get stopped.

First bar/club I went to was the Townhouse in Sudbury. I was only 18 at the time, but managed to borrow a friends ID and spent the day cutting my hair and finding glasses just like his. It worked without a hitch. That was for a Constantines show, during the Shine A Light tour.

First outdoor concert was Broken Social Scene at Dundas Square. The bill was Great Big Sea, a french play about flamingos and Menstruation, headlined by BSS. It’s still the weirdest event I’ve ever attended.

First record store: Mudshark Media in North Bay. It only stocked Punk music and Guided By Voices vinyl. That was enough to tide me over until a move to Toronto.

First in-store was: Cuff The Duke at Soundscapes, right when the second full length came out. It was packed and on a very humid day in the middle of the summer. Hottest concert I’ve been to… And not just because of Wayne Petti.

First favorite book: Tietam Brown by Mick Foley. A coming of age novel written by a professional wrestler. Shut up.

First library was the North Bay Public Library. I once stole a Ghostwriter VHS from them, and got charged 80 dollars for it.

First celebrity sighting was Spencer Rice from Kenny vs Spenny. While walking in cabbagetown with my roommate Sam, a van pulled up with him inside asking where a restaurant was. I explained that I had lived there for years and never seen it. It may be that Kenny was messing with him. He got angry and drove away.

First kiss was: Whitney Brown after awkwardly tangoing to “talk to me dance with me” by Hot Hot Heat. Please don’t do the math. I wasn’t very cool.

First heartbreak was a little awkward.

First New Year’s was last year at my best friend’s house in North Toronto. Until then I had stayed in my hometown for new years.

First Valentine’s Day was the day after my first girlfriend dumped me. #awkward.

First time I stayed up all night was in the fifth grade. I somehow tore a tendon while sleeping and couldn’t go back to bed. I stayed up all night watching infomercials.

First time I got lost was: On my way to an emergency dentist on the North end of Yonge street. Apparently when you get high enough you can’t see the CN tower anymore.

If I had a last day in Toronto, I would Grab a wrap from wrapido and sit in Kensington Market, walk to Soundscapes to buy just about everything in the consignment section, then get some pulled pork at Sky Blue Sky and sit playing board games at Snakes and Lattes.