Chris Bilton recently caught up with Toronto rocker DANKO JONES for Eye Weekly during the band's Canadian support tour with GUNS N' ROSES. An excerpt from the interview is available below.

EW: You’ve talked before about how European audiences are more receptive to heavy music. Has that been part of what’s kept you interested in the bringing the rock?

Danko: "Yes, it has played a huge part. There has never been a time where I haven’t listened to heavy music. But when you’re around it… like, it took me years of touring in Europe and then one day I just woke up and went, 'I get it. I get Norwegian black metal.' And that was because we hit Scandinavia a lot. It just spurred my desire to get into all things metal."

EW: Speaking of which, this past year has been great for Canadian metal, don’t you think?

Danko: "Well, if there’s one thing that’s positive about this whole ANVIL joke thing — because I think it’s kind of embarrassing in a way — it’s hopefully brought the spotlight onto Canadian metal. Because The Ones I Condemn by SACRIFICE is phenomenal. And when everyone in Canada is giving Anvil awards and accolades; meanwhile, Sacrifice puts out this great album, VOIVOD put out this great album post-Piggy [recently deceased guitarist Denis D’Amour], and there are other bands like KATAKLYSM and BLOOD CEREMONY — it kind of reinforces this FUBAR, Wayne’s World stereotype. I feel that academic-oriented people are really into metal; it takes a lot to play it, and it’s not necessarily played well by Wayne’s World [types]. Like I could do it, but it would sound like FUBAR, but if you want it to sound like OPETH, you have to put a lot more studying and effort into it."

Go to this location for the complete interview.