Toronto’s The Mendozaz are set to unleash their most ambitious and hilarious work to date, the eight-song concept EP The Completely Fictional History of This Great Nation of Canada, out November 3 on Cartridge Heart.

Introduce yourself… (Where are you from, what band do you play in etc..)   

My name is Jonathan Sohn and I grew up in downtown Toronto. I sing and play guitar in The Mendozaz. I also run an independent label called Cartridge Heart and publish a quarterly music zine called Plastic and Wax.

Why do you play music?

I've always been a creative person and the process of writing and recording is really gratifying. When the right melody connects with the right sound texture, it can be exhilarating. I know that sounds really pretentious. I'm fortunate to be wired in a way that hearing a great song gives me chills. I get the same rush from performing live. It's extremely addictive. Honestly, if I wasn't playing music I don't know what I'd be doing with my life.

What was a major influence on you as an Artist/Band?  

I've gleaned two pieces of wisdom that have kept me afloat. John Schisler from New Invisible Joy impacted on me that performing needs to be fun. I try to enjoy every second on stage. Brian Vander Ark from The Verve Pipe impressed a melody-first mentality on me. There's no right way to write a song, but I feel that my best stuff has come from writing a great melody to start and building from there.  The Mendozaz are heavily influenced by the punk sound of the 90's. We listen to a lot of Green Day, Blink-182, Descendents, Offspring, Less Than Jake, etc and make zero attempt to hide it.

What’s a favourite book or film?

Two of my favourite books are Rant by Chuck Palahniuk and World War Z by Max Brooks. Both books are presented as oral histories which is an interesting way to do fiction. Instead of drawing word-pictures as prose tends to do it takes on a more conversational quality. Songwriting can feel like that too when writing lyrics. You literally get to talk to the listener. This is who I am. This is how I feel. This is what matters.

Do you prefer the recording process or performing live?

I enjoy them both! It's a cop-out answer, but to me one feeds the other. After recording I can't wait to hit the road and play the new songs for people. And after a long stretch of shows I'm itching to record something new to freshen up the set.

What would be a dream collaboration?  

I'm a huge fan of the band Marvelous 3. Their frontman Butch Walker is a prominent producer who's written/recorded basically every genre and it would be great to team up with him. I'd also love to co-write with Dexter Holland from The Offspring. He's a genius and an enigma and it would be great to just pick his brain.

Describe a favourite album.  

There was this band from San Francisco in the 90's called Black Lab and they released an album called "Your Body Above Me." It's a crazy concoction of moody post-punk and mainstream radio rock. The singer Paul Durham could swing from sweet pop melodies to unhinged Bowie-esque screaming. The lineup totally changed after that first album and they went in a different musical direction.

What's your favourite local haunt?

I spend more time at the Bovine Sex Club than anywhere else. They consistently bring in great bands and I love the atmosphere there. There are four TVs over the bar that play an assortment of cult movies.

What's your strangest experience while performing live?

When I was just starting out I had a group of overzealous young women charge the stage and just start dancing with us during a song. On the surface this sounds ideal, but in the moment I didn't know what was happening.

If I were pursuing anything other than music it would be…

I don't want to imagine this scenario! Seriously, though, I'd be writing for some other medium. Definitely keeping up with the album reviews. Maybe finally finish that television pilot.

What are some of your favourite aspects of being a musician in Toronto?

The best part about Toronto is that there's always something new. It's also the worst part. If I wanted to, I could see three bands I've never seen before seven nights a week. 356 days a year. There aren't very many cities where you can see 1,000 bands in a year.

If you weren’t playing music in Toronto where would you be ?

Montreal. They have a great appetite for punk rock. I love visiting Montreal and I can't wait to return with The Mendozaz.

Any sage advice for young musicians?

The same advice I was given: it needs to be fun. Play the music you want to play. Write the music you want to write. Enjoy every step.

The Mendozaz upcoming EP The Completely Fictional History of This Great Nation of Canada weaves satirical spins on Canadian folklore with riotous riffs and unflinching absurdity. The EP releases November 3rd ON CARTRIDGE HEART. Latest single American Werewolf In London, Ontario’s out now!

Pleased To Meet Me: The Mendozaz