Brunch is a favourite past time shared by many and should be an extraordinary experience, one that you will cherish. Vancouver has some wonderful places for brunch. Each of the places I visit is unique for what is offered along with the type of service and selection of dishes. I am on a journey around the city to find these extraordinary places and, at the same time, I will be joined by a notable personality who may be a Film Producer or Director, Musician, Arts Festival Director, Actor or other well-known individual for Brunch at restaurants in and around Vancouver.

For my twelfth brunch in this series, I was joined by Musician Bif Naked at Edible Canada at the Market in Vancouver talking about Music, being Vegan and more!

Bif Naked is a Juno Award-winning, Indian-born American-Canadian multi-platinum record selling rock singer, writer, poet, motivational speaker and actress.

Her musical career is vast, prior to her solo career, Bif played with punk bands Gorilla Gorilla and Chrome Dog. She has toured Europe, the United States, and Canada as a headlining act, and has performed on bills with Snoop Dogg, Billy Idol, Dido, Sarah McLachlan, Sheryl Crow, Chrissie Hynde, the Foo Fighters, the Cult and many more. She recorded a version of “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” for the MTV: TRL Christmas CD. She was also featured on the Ready to Rumble soundtrack with a cover of Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It”, the Celebrity Deathmatch soundtrack with “Vampire”, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s soundtrack with “Lucky”. Solo albums include Bif Naked, a self-titled album, Purge, and I Bificus. In 2005, after narrowing it down from over 50 songs, she released Superbeautifulmonster with 13 tracks. The Promise was released in 2009 and was dedicated to her fans. Sick, Bluejay, You’ll Never Know were mixed by Juno Award winner Mike Fraser. She has made appearances in music videos for The Offspring’s “The Kids Aren’t Alright”, Moist’s “Believe Me” and “Silver”, Liveonrelease’s “Get with it” and Simple Plan’s “Save You” near the end along with other people (such as Sharon Osborne and René Angélil) who have been treated for cancer. In 2011, she recorded a duet with Vancouver yogi and Nettwerk recording artist Will Blunderfield for the international version of his album Hallelujah.

She has had an extensive acting career as well, from being on the The Chris Isaak Show in 2000, to becoming the first host of the CBC Television series ZeD in 2002. In 2003 she appeared as a judge of a fictitious reality show in the TV series Cold Squad. In 2007 she narrated the chronicles of her and her spouse’s life in Bodog’s web reality show “Bif Naked Bride” up to the wedding finale.

How long have you been singing?

I have been singing professionally since I was 18, I dropped out of school to tour with “Gorilla Gorilla” and opened for “DOA”.

What came first being a Poet, Spoken Word or Music?

Poetry came first, been writing since I could read, my parents are both academics. I was obsessed with the writing of Anais Nin. Spoken Word came on at the same time then music. In 1996, I put out a spoken word record.

Have you always wanted to be a musician?

Never wanted to, still don’t. For 14 years I was a ballerina, I thought I would have a dance career. Fell into theatre, then ended up on tour for 20 years.

What Genre is your music?

It is malleable, every song is different, and a hodge podge of genres and I am lucky to be able to do it.

Has your music style changed over the years?

A little bit as I have, and trends have. I am a lyrist more than a music writer. My musicians present me with rites first.

Bif and Richard were both served an Amuse Buche tomato to whet our appetites, Bif had the Harvest Salad ($11) with Okanagan pears, sundried cranberries and local greens. Richard had the Albacore Tuna Salad ($14) with fingerling potatoes, kale, spinach and wild mushrooms and then had a Grilled Cheese Sandwich ($10) with brioche, Farmhouse brie, smoked cheddar, Dundarave olive jam and Okanagan Apple.

What is your favourite food?

Zucchini – I could eat it 3 times a day, forever.

What is your favourite restaurant inside and outside Vancouver?

• In Regina , Saskatchewan it was “Heliotrope” it is no longer there.
• In Vancouver, “Organic Lives”.

What do you do in your off time?

• Yoga classes
• Painting
• Writing my book
• Photography
• Nature
• Being with my dog
• Volunteering
• Working in hospitals with sick people
• Spending time at home

How far in advance do you plan your concerts?

My managers book them and then I am told when and where to go. I have been fortunate to have the same manager for the last 20 years.

Do you come from a musical family?

Not at all, my father is a dentist, and my mother is and educator and nurse. Both were missionaries in India previously.

Where was your most recent musical trip?

In Ontario and Alberta in December, 2011.

Where is your next musical trip?

I am putting out 2 records this spring, one house record done while I was in chemo and the other is the acoustic record. I will go and perform to support the records.

What is your favourite music festival that you have performed at?

Rock im Park – in Germany

What is your favourite city for live performance music?

Used to be Halifax at the Marquee, now it is Vancouver.

Is there a music festival that you have wanted to perform at and have yet too?

I would love to perform a music festival in China or Singapore.

Who are your mentors?

• Joe Keithley of DOA
• Chi Pig from SNFU

Who are your favourite musicians to collaborate with?

Will Blunderfield – Yoga Instructor/ Musician – he is on twitter @wblunderfield

I would like to collaborate with rappers, jazz singers and metal.

Are there any musicians who have influenced your musical career? If so who?

Being on tours with Kid Rock, Bergeron of the Johnny Carson Show, Anita Baker fan, Kenny Edmonds, Desmond Child.

What’s next for you or what’s on the horizon musically speaking?

• 2 records coming out in 2012
• Working on a book on my life
• Speaking engagement at a conference in Victoria called Breathe Now.

How many Tattoos do you have?

I have 50 tattoos now, I got my first tattoo when I was 16 years old.

Tell me about the N tattoo that I see on your left wrist and the O tattoo that I see on your right wrist.

I kept getting married and could not say no, I got these two tattoos that say NO, got them 15 years ago.

When did you go Vegan?

I went Vegan in my early 20’s while on the road touring with my 1^st husband who was vegetarian. I never ate pasta anyways and thought this was the best way to go healthwise. I can eat anything from bananas to papayas to blueberries.

Tell me about your experience with Chemotherapy and eating.

At the beginning of my Chemotherapy I had a craving for yam rolls and ate 36 rolls in one sitting. Nutripinia causes a phase of being psycho hungry, after Chemo I went back to my usual food routine of a RAW diet.

What is your view on eating a RAW diet?

There are lots of rules around what is and isn’t raw, now I am more relaxed about how the foods are prepared or eaten than I was before.

How did you get into Motivational Speaking?

I joined the National Speakers Bureau 2 years ago to talk.

 

Style: A La Carte

Attire: Casual

Time: Saturday and Sunday 9:00am – 4:00pm

Edible Canada at the Market (opposite the public market on Granville Island)

1596 Johnston Street, Vancouver

Menu: http://www.ediblecanada.com/bistro.php

For Reservations, please call 604-682-6681

Stay tuned to my next guest Interview along with the next Brunch in and around Vancouver.

By: Richard Wolak