Bands with cats – We Found a Lovebird’s Larry Lechner and his cat Earl

– by Cheena Jean Normandin

Your band and role:

Singer and guitar player in We Found a Lovebird. Band name came from a sign I saw stuck to a garbage can that said ‘We Found a Lovebird, if yours call …’. When I suggested the name I never thought they’d take it seriously but here we are some seven years later still explaining it.

What’s is your cat’s name?

Earl because he’s grey…like the tea, Earl Grey.

What is Earl’s origin story?

My daughter’s friend’s cat had a litter and he’s from that litter. Interesting how that works. He’s about 13 years old which I think is old in cat years, so he basically sleeps 20 hours a day. Any surface is a potential sleeping surface.

Who feeds Earl?

I’m on 24/7 alert to his every need. Sometimes he tests me. I know it because he finds me wherever I am, meows and leads me to his food and water, as though they’re in need of attention. But no, they’re topped up! He’s just testing his emergency response system. Gotta admire that.

What do you think Earl’s theme song is? Oh, something sleep-related - “Dream Weaver” by Gary Wright. Or, because of his regal bearing, maybe Royals by Lorde.

What is the most impressive thing that Earl has murdered? 

Never seen him actually murder anything. But he did capture and corner a mouse once and then he just sat on it. Or maybe he fell asleep – not sure about that.

If Earl sees a GIANT spider. What is the course of action? He runs away from flies so a GIANT spider would freak him out. Then he’d need a nap.

Where is the last inconvenient place that Earl has fallen asleep?

Well he’s very social and he likes to place himself in the middle of the action. But of course he then falls asleep which can be off putting for guests.

If Earl threw a raging party, what are the staples on the playlist?

Pillows. Oh you mean music-wise. Let’s see, because he can’t really use any of my music-playing devices – being a cat and all – he’d once again be relying on my support. Luckily I know his tastes. We’d start with some chill Jus Post Bellum and then maybe American Analog Set, move on to some War on Drugs and Besnard Lakes and King Tuff. Then maybe get local with Vancouver band Dumb or Black Mountain. That’s the way his tastes are runnin these days.

If you wake up in a Freaky Friday situation with your feline- what’s the first course of action on his behalf? On yours?

Well, for me it would be a delight to be waited on so thoroughly, so my first course of action would to test the emergency response system. For him, it would be a rude rude awakening. What!? I have to get up off this shelf/floor/pillow/bed/spider/mouse and actually do something!?

We Found a Lovebird in action.

Visit wefoundalovebird.com for more info. Listen to the band’s new album, Lobby, on the We Found a Lovebird bandcamp page.