Busy Doing Nothing! (Mint/Nardwuar)

Nardwuar wears a lot of different hats, and we’re not talking about his signature tam-o’-shanter or the tuque that got stolen by that bloated anus from Skid Row. The Human Serviette is a garage rocker, a college-radio DJ, a jaw-droppingly well-prepared celebrity interviewer, and a record-label owner—but first and foremost he’s a music fan. His true love is local music, and he possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of its history.

For this new compilation, Nardwuar put on most of those hats simultaneously: he called upon some famous friends, most of whom he has interviewed over the years, to pay tribute to some Vancouver classics. He rounded things out with some brand-new songs by his own Evaporators and put it all out on his eponymous label (in conjunction with Mint Records).

Franz Ferdinand’s take on the Pointed Sticks’ “Real Thing” is a touch more swirly than the original, but the Cribs’ version of the Dishrags’ “Death in the Family” is surprisingly faithful, considering that it’s an all-boy band covering an all-girl one. The Evaporators also take on the Sticks, turning in a manic “All the Bad Girls”, and Nardwuar and the boys team up with old friend Andrew W.K. for “I Hate Being Late When I’m Early”, which seems destined to become another in a long line of shout-along numbers to get the audience whipped up at Evaporators shows.

Speaking of which, if you haven’t seen Nard and his band play live, you are missing out on one of Vancouver’s truly great rock ’n’ roll experiences. Luckily for you, there are two chances to see the Evaporators on Saturday (March 3). The first is a free all-ages show at Neptoon Records in the afternoon. That evening, the band opens for Andrew W.K. at Venue. Not only is Nardwuar an unrivalled expert on local-music lore, he’s earned his own place in it.