July 2009 Archives

If you weren't already aware, 2008 was proclaimed the year of Toronto heavy-metal band Anvil. In the past year and a half, the group has achieved their biggest taste of success since their formation in 1973.

 

As teens in high school, Anvil drummer Robb Reiner and vocalist/guitarist Steve 'Lips' Kudlow made a pact with one another that they were going to be in this band together forever. And they meant it. After having faced career ups and downs that would have torn most bands apart in a fraction of the time, Reiner and Kudlow stuck to their guns and to their belief in the band, refusing to throw in the towel at any point.

With an impressive 13 albums in their discography (the first having been released in 1981), Anvil had all of the hallmarks for success long before 2008-2009. Best defined as a band with a raucous attitude, thundering drums and buzz saw guitars, there is no reason why the band should not have achieved the success akin to the bands they had toured with including Bon Jovi, The Scorpions and Whitesnake.

Fate works in strange ways though. You can blame bad band management or shoddy record contracts; the fact of the matter is, Anvil hasn't always had an easy go.

A chance meeting with a dedicated Anvil fan at a show at the Marquee Club in London in 1982 would prove to be crucial to their success in the current decade. At that show, the band met a teenage fan named Sacha Gervasi. Gervasi was enamored with the band, even going so far to become a roadie for the group on one of their Canadian tours while he was supposed to have been visiting his father in New York.

But as the years passed, Gervasi and his friends in Anvil drifted apart. While Anvil continued to make records and toil away in nightclubs, Gervasi attended the graduate screen writing programme at UCLA and ended up writing the Steven Spielberg directed movie, The Terminal.

After many years of non-communication, the two parties would reconnect via the internet. Gervasi invited his old friends down to LA for a weekend where the band members presented him with the complete Anvil catalogue, oblivious to the huge success that Gervasi had achieved.

It was at this point that Gervasi decided that an Anvil documentary was a necessity. Few bands had been through the proverbial ringer like Anvil had; what was even more remarkable was that the band members remained committed throughout the ups and downs they had encountered.

"When Sacha told us he wanted to make a documentary on the band, I felt like we had won the lottery," admits Anvil guitarist/vocalist Steve 'Lips' Kudlow. "I mean, here's a guy who has worked with Steven Spielberg, is a known Hollywood writer and he wants to make a movie about my band? It was such a no brainer."

Kudlow says he felt it important that Gervasi focus on the present-day Anvil rather than making their history the movie's focus. Included in the documentary is a European tour which, in true Anvil fashion is highlighted by ups and downs.

"That European tour wasn't as hard as people think it is. That's what the road is about," Kudlow reasons.

"I've been doing this for 35 years man," he continues. "I'm sure most people saw that part of the movie and thought 'how could do they do this?' but it provides a look at what bands lives are like prior to you seeing them going on stage."

As also seen in the movie, Kudlow notes that their European tour was done via camper bus, more for economic reasons than for dramatics, though.

"We've been touring North America in camper buses for the past 20-30 years so the mode of transportation wasn't new to us. We had never toured Europe in a camper bus though; we thought it would be fascinating and a lot of fun. I think it made for an incredible movie.

"If we had done that European tour on a bus, our movie would have ended up looking like every other 'band on tour' movie out there.

"It was a disaster waiting to happen but we were making a movie so our attitude was simply 'let's go out and do it!'" Kudlow says.

Indeed, Anvil: The Story of Anvil has helped give the group a second lease on life, a long 25 years after they could have originally hit it big. The movie premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2008 and went on to win the Audience Awards at the Los Angeles and Sydney film festivals.

Rolling Stone proclaimed the movie to be "the year's best rock movie" while celebrities including The Osbournes, John Mayer and Keanu Reeves have touted the movie for its heart-wrenchingly honest portrayal of the band.

Among those who have taken in the film are the one and only Angus Young, the legendary schoolboy guitarist from AC/DC. After Young saw the documentary, he extended an invitation to Anvil to open AC/DC shows in Moncton, Boston and East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Frankly, it doesn't get much bigger than being hand-picked to play shows with AC/DC.

The newfound opportunities coming Anvil's way aren't lost on the band, however. They realize that few bands are given one shot at success, let alone a second chance.

With that, the group is busier than ever which means loved ones at home are seeing less and less of the guys in the band. The members of Anvil have gone from working jobs to support recording and touring schedules to making Anvil their full-time job.

"We've been very busy and it ends up having an effect on the home situation. I'm not around as much and that can be stressful," admits Kudlow. "Life comes in balances though and you have to accept the good with the bad."

For better or for worse, their schedules won't be clearing anytime soon:

VH1 are releasing the Anvil documentary on DVD this coming October with the band set to tour Australia and Japan in the near future as well. For those overseas shows, Kudlow says that they are bringing audiences the Anvil Experience where the band performs immediately after the movie is screened in theatres.

If there is one huge takeaway from the Anvil story, it is that a strongly-rooted determination does pair with good fortune from time to time. It also shows that good things come to those who wait even if it means 25 years of waiting.

Anvil will be performing alongside AC/DC on Thursday August 6 at the Magnetic Hill Concert Site. Tickets are available online at http://tickets.moncton.ca.

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Both Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs (of all-girl band The Bangles) have each found the sweet taste of critical success in their respective music careers over the past two decades. The duo has paired up for two volumes of music where they revisit some of their most favourite songs from decades past. 

The most recent volume of these songs, Under The Covers Volume 2, sees the pop pair covering songs from the 1970s. And a diverse set of artists they cover: The Raspberries, The Grateful Dead, Tom Petty, George Harrison and Yes are among the 15 bands and musicians covered on the 16 tracks on the record. (The duo covers two tracks from musician and producer Todd Rundgren).

Sweet tells me that he and Hoffs first met when Sweet was playing an acoustic show at a music store in Santa Monica, California. The pedal steel player who was sitting in with him for the show was working on a record of Hoffs and Sweet had suggested that she stop by to lend her vocals to some of the songs.

The two quickly hit it off from there, discovering a mutual love of music rooted in the 60s and beyond. According to Sweet, the song selection over the two Under The Covers records has been driven by a love of those specific bands and songs rather than trying to capture the 'essential' songs from the 1960s and 1970s.

"The song selection process between us has been very haphazard," Sweet admits down the line from his home in California. "We didn't go into these records with a master list of songs we each wanted to cover. In 90 per cent of cases, it was the songs that we both got excited about which would make the cut.

"The 70s record (Volume 2) is very different from the 60s record in that it touched a lot more chords in us because of the memories centered on those songs."

Hoffs certainly has no lack of memories associated with many of these tracks and is delighted to share her memories with [here] Magazine:

"The Todd Rundgren songs and his album Something Anything I totally associate with being 17 years old," Hoffs explains. "I graduated high school in 1976 and that record was my whole summer that year, through the time of transition from high school to college.

"Yes was a band that my older brother got me into. I loved Jon Anderson's voice and Steve Howe's guitar playing. I remember my brother bringing home a book or program from one of their concerts and I was just completely taken with them," she says.

Those purchasing Under The Covers Volume 2 via online retailers such as iTunes have the option of purchasing a deluxe version of the record where listeners are treated to an extra 10 tracks from the duo.

This collection of extra songs that primarily focuses on slightly different sides of the 70s: Covers included among the bonus set are songs by Television, The Ramones and Queen. Sweet and Hoffs both felt strongly about the bonus tracks but didn't feel they necessarily fit well among the rest of the collection, hence the relegation to bonus or deluxe edition status.

"The Ramones were one of the reasons fixed in my mind of why I wanted to be in a band," Hoffs says. "They were the ultimate band to serve as a transition from these giant stadium acts like the Stones and Led Zeppelin into something more real and artistic."

Even with the economy in tatters, Sweet and Hoffs are taking their songs to the road this coming fall. Hoffs noted that the duo will be playing acoustic shows in venues like coffee houses to create a more intimate feeling and closer relationship with their audience.

"In July, we played our first show together at the Grammy Museum and it was in this acoustic format. The songs are very stripped down and we found that it made the songs all about the emotion and the melodies," says Hoffs. "Even in The Bangles, we have never pursued the acoustic side of things. I find it exciting because there's no place to hide. I found it a little bit scary but it is a lot of fun."

At the end of the day, do a couple of seasoned vets like Sweet and Hoffs concern themselves with how their versions of these songs are received by the original artists?

"You're always worried about how the artists will like your version of their song," Hoffs laughs.

"But having the opportunity to have Lindsay Buckingham play on Fleetwood Mac's 'Second Hand News' and Dhani Harrison come in and bring his positive energy to George Harrison's 'Beware of Darkness' was awesome. Having these guys in my studio was mind-blowing and a little surreal."

Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs' latest collaboration Under The Covers Volume 2 is in stores and available online now. I highly recommend checking both collections out for those needing a pop-filled dose of nostalgia added to their day.

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Pop musician and former New Brunswick resident Jennifer LFO is returning to her birth province for a show in Saint John at the Blue Olive on August 1. She is promoting the recently released Songs From The Alien Beacon album, made with the assistance of famed Canadian producer Michael Phillip Wojewoda in his Toronto studio.

Jennifer LFO was born in Saint John and relocated to Hampton where she spent her days on her parent's hobby farm. She remained in New Brunswick until she completed high school then spent a year in Quebec City before relocating to Toronto.

"I was always involved in music and drama and didn't really understand that these things could still be pursued by staying in New Brunswick," she says.

"Once I moved to Toronto, I started joining bands and pursuing acting. And at this point, I am still able to do a lot of acting and voice-over work to support my music. I'm hoping the tide will turn a little bit to allow music to be the dominant force in my life".

Songs From The Alien Beacon, her third record, was recorded in Wojewoda's studio over a three to four month period, an eternity to most musicians. But the extended recording sessions were born out of necessity as well as an experimental vibe which she and Wojewoda explored during the course of making the record.

"Making the record was woven into the patterns of what was happening around us. I got into studio when the chance presented itself," Jennifer notes.

"Michael and I would take a chunk of time and work on my record. Then Michael would go work on someone else's record. Some might consider the process to be disjointed but I loved it as it gave me time to look back on what I had done and then come back and tweak things further.

"It really helped me to gain a different perspective and allowed both Michael and I to contemplate what we were doing. It took a little longer then most records should take to make but I feel as though it paid off," she says.

According to the artist, the extra time spent making the record gave her the opportunity to add a full pallet of instruments, resulting in a very specific sounding record.

Having a studio and various musical instruments at your disposal could be both a blessing and a curse as the recording process could have theoretically gone on forever. "I'll be the first to admit that making this record was very experimental. Michael encouraged me to be open to different ideas and not worry about any preconceived notions about what the final product would be," Jennifer says. "There was always the temptation to keep going with recording and constantly adding more things into the mix but I also wanted to finish the record and get it out there. I got tired of telling people about the great record I was making without a finished product."

Jennifer LFO's upcoming show in Saint John will actually mark her first performance in the province, something that she is really looking forward to.

"I've never actually played anywhere in the Maritimes with my band. I am very excited to be bringing them out!"

Jennifer LFO's new record Songs From The Alien Beacon is currently available for sale via her website as well as via iTunes.

On the web:

www.jenniferLFO.com

www.myspace.com/jennfoster

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Toronto band Billy Talent has struck gold with their first two records and if early sales of this newest record are any indication, their third record is on the same track of success within Canada at the very least. Mega-producer Brendan O'Brien is manning the control board for this newest album and the benefits of the band working with him are immediately heard. 

One of the first things I noted is that O'Brien seems to have brought out the best in Ben Kowalewicz's vocals; the high-pitched vocals that dominated their previous efforts and hits are instead melodic and focused. As a whole, BT is tight as ever as they pound through heavy-hitting songs like Tears Into Wine, Devil On My Shoulder, Diamond On A Landmine and first single Rusted From The Rain.

If this isn't the record that finally introduces Billy Talent to big-time success in the US, I will truly be surprised.

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In stores now to coincide with their reunion shows in the UK is this double-disc retrospective on the popular Brit-pop band Blur. Sure, Oasis might have sold more records but Blur certainly held their own in the hit and shit slinging department in relation to their much publicized "feud" with their Brit-Pop counterparts. Blur's popularity really picked up steam on this side of the ocean with 1994's Parklife record and would endure for the next number of years, producing hits such as Tender, Parklife, Girls and Boys, Song 2, The Universal and Beetlebum. 

Midlife features plenty of early Blur material in addition to their better known tracks, making this compilation a great way to reintroduce yourself to the group.

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Originally released in 1983, Pyromania was Def Leppard's third record and would go on to sell more than 10 million copies. They were the poster-boys of pop-metal in the early days of MTV, bolstered by their boyish good looks and hits like Rock Of Ages, Foolin' and Photograph. This deluxe edition has the original record, remastered for optimal sound quality as well as a bonus disc of a live show recorded in Los Angeles in 1983.

Shediac's got the blues coming to them. No, this has nothing to do with a decline in tourism, the economy or anything of the like.

 

 

They literally have the blues coming to them.

From Friday July 31 through Sunday August 2, Shediac will be hosting the third Shediac Blues Festival at different venues throughout the town. The festival is attracting local names like Theresa Malenfant and Glamour Puss performing alongside notable artists such as Wes Mackey and Fredericton's Keith Hallett.

Wes Mackey will be performing on Sunday August 2 at the Festival Tent. Born in the Southern US, he has had the unique distinction of having played in the backing band for such renowned blues artists like Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed and John Lee Hooker and even backed up Motown legends Martha and The Vandellas.

"Way back in the day, I played in a band called The Rock n Roll Kings," Mackey explains from his hotel room in Montreal, "and we used to back up all of the acts which came through the University of Georgia for shows.

"There was no rehearsal and absolutely no advance notice of what songs these guys would be playing during their set. You just got up and played!"

The list of artists that Mackey has backed is impressive to read about now so it is all the more astonishing to hear him admit that at the time, backing these guys really wasn't that big of a deal.

"They were all just regular guys; there was nothing special about them then. Now it's a lot bigger of a deal when we talk about them; a lot of those guys have gained legendary status in the blues world."

Mackey even had the chance to perform with another Motown star.

"One time I was playing in New York City at a club called Smalls Paradise," Mackey relays. "It was owned by Wilt Chamberlain and was directly across the street from the Apollo Theatre. Stevie Wonder would drop by and do guest spots with us after his shows across the street; it was right around the time of his hit 'Signed, Sealed and Delivered' and was a pretty cool thing to be a part of."

Sharing a bill with Wes Mackey is Moncton blues band Glamour Puss, who is reemerging into the music scene after lying low for a period of time. Glamour Puss guitarist/vocalist Travis Furlong is looking forward to the band's return to the stage and to the blues festival specifically.

"The Shediac Blues Festival is going to be awesome. We know we will be seeing many familiar faces and can't wait to make new friends at the show," says Furlong. "Having a blues festival so close to home and in a beautiful area like Shediac is a huge treat. We are proud and excited to be a part of such a well-planned event."

While rock and roll and country music festivals have proven their popularity in the Maritimes, the blues festival is catering to a growing number of fans and according to Furlong, gives a much needed boost to the genre in the Maritimes and beyond.

"An event like The Shediac Blues Festival is integral to the growth of blues talent and gives a much needed venue for established local and international blues acts," Furlong states. "Perhaps most importantly, the blues festival gives fans a chance to hear their favorite music, or to find blues music for the first time. Young people are growing tired of formulaic music and are turning to local young blues and jam bands for something real."

Nick Cormier is a member of the Moncton-based Eric and the Blues Band, a relatively young act who cite artists like Led Zeppelin, Carl Perkins and Eddie Cochran among their influences. They will be using the festival to showcase their songs after answering the call for submissions that was put out by the festival.

"My father mentioned an article in the Times-Transcript mentioning that the festival was looking for bands. I submitted some material from the band and a few weeks later, we got word that we had been accepted," Cormier says.

Indeed, the blues aren't an old man's game anymore, although some would dispute that it was never was exclusively so anyway. To help drive interest in the blues across various age groups, the opening night of the festival will see a "battle of the bands" competition that will see five bands, including Cormier's, compete for a $2,000 prize.

Furlong sees much value in such a competition, as it can only serve to further develop younger acts taking an interest in the blues and helping to ensure blues bands for audiences in the future.

"The mainstream rock and country festivals that the region has hosted have done a great job at getting our area on the map," Furlong says. "Now, I think we should shift our focus to helping local blues bands to be some of the opening acts for these huge shows. Getting exposure for our homegrown blues talent to promoters, managers and others within the industry is the next logical step."

Cormier agrees with Furlong, noting that he would consider it to be a great feat to see blues acts take a more prominent role in festivals that are not typically blues-oriented, such as the recently held Evolve Festival in Nova Scotia.

With the public's support, the Shediac Blues festival will serve to fuel interest in the genre and continue to flourish over the coming years. Support of the smaller music festivals is just as important if not more so as the large scale festivals as it shows that the region is able to financially support multiple music festivals and also show that there is a demand for non-commercial music as well.

I highly recommend taking in some of the best new and established blues talent at the Shediac Blues Festival.

For more information on the Shediac Blues Festival, call (506) 532-5333.

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Canada has been a hotbed for music in the past 40 years having produced jazz greats like Oscar Peterson through indie-rock heroes Eric's Trip and Arcade Fire to classic rock like The Guess Who.

 

  

One genre that the country hasn't been so quick to beat our respective chests over, however, is that of dance music. But with any luck, Montreal band Creature will lead the future charge of Canadian dance music.

Formed in Montreal in 2004, the members of the band knew one another from various other groups within that scene but hadn't actually made music together.

"We ran into one another at a party and started discussing our influences. We were all into bands like The Cure, Joy Division and New Order and figured we should try practicing to see where it leads," Creature keyboardist and vocalist Cowbella explains. "And even though we had all played in so many other bands, each of us was immediately comfortable within the confines of Creature."

And though bands such as Creature and the Scissor Sisters are starting to make inroads in North America, Cowbella admits that they have been accepted with open arms in Europe and in France specifically.

"We've had great shows in Montreal and Toronto but when you get outside those major metro areas, crowds are a lot more reserved and slower to get into the show. We can usually get the crowd up and dancing by song seven in our live show but at that point, we've only got a few songs left to play!"

Indeed, Europeans seem a little more free-spirited and embracing of different styles of music, something Cowbella agrees with:

"The major difference is that dance music is really big throughout France. It is seen as an art where here it is considered to be more of a pastime. I think it's the same with hip-hop.

"It seems as though the audiences in France can appreciate the musical layering and how the instruments interact with each other."

Earlier this spring, Creature had the opportunity to bring their music to China, playing Beijing and Shanghai as well as other cities over the course of three weeks. And even though the language barrier proved to be challenging to the band, music is a universal language which the Chinese understood loud and clear.

"The crowds were very enthusiastic," Cowbella recalls. "It is such a different environment to be immersed in though.

"There was so much raw energy there; people drinking out on the streets and just ready to play hard in general.

"It is an interesting cultural mix though. Musically, the Chinese heard Jay Z at the same time that they heard The Clash and Nirvana for the first time so you see and hear a lot of diversity in the music being made by these new Chinese punk-oriented bands."

So if you've got a pair of dancing shoes that you're aching to break in, bring yourself down to The Blue Olive in Saint John where Creature will be performing on Friday July 31. On the web: www.creatureband.com

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Atlantic Canada has always been home to a variety of music from the traditional celtic music that the region is known for to punk and heavy metal bands.

Five years ago, a record label with its roots in heavy metal and specializing in "exposing the seedy underbelly" of the Canadian East Coast was formed in Halifax by Josh Hogan. That label is Diminished Fifth Records and is helping bring Atlantic Canadian metal to the global stage.

In the last three years, the label has released seven albums and has secured distribution for their product throughout Canada, the US and the UK.

Truth is, the Maritimes have always had a viable heavy metal scene, but it hasn't truly been given due attention. Adding fuel to this fire is the fact that this past year's East Coast Music Awards ceremony was the first year which had a category dedicated to heavy metal and loud music. Better late than never, I suppose.

As coincidence would have it, Hogan was a vital part in this category being created, working behind the scenes with the East Coast Music Association for over two years before the category was finally added in 2009. But adding a category into the mix of an established awards show and conference isn't a simple task by any means.

"Introducing the category took a long time because the metal scene in this part of the country has always been underground. Had we not started a petition in the summer of 2007 to show that such a category would be supported, I doubt that the wheels would have turned," Hogan explains. "We had to submit a formal proposal to have the category introduced and then it turned out to be a 'chicken or the egg' scenario. The East Coast Music Association couldn't necessarily support the creation of a category for a genre that did not have any members and the potential members who are in the metal bands didn't want to join the association if they were not going to be represented with a category."

As fate would have it, the inaugural year that the heavy metal/loud category was introduced, the award found a home with one of the bands signed to Hogan's label "" Moncton's Iron Giant.

Indeed, if there's anything Hogan seems to be acquainted with, it is hard work and determination. It is good to note that others beyond the Canadian borders are taking note of Hogan's work ethic as well.

Recently, Diminished Fifth Records signed an American distribution deal with Relapse Records, home to legendary Canuck metal pioneers Voivod as well as The Dillinger Escape Plan, F*ck The Facts and Brutal Truth. This means that Hogan's bands can count on a solid distribution chain south of the border, giving groups like Gallactus and Orchids Curse the opportunity to spread their gospel to their American neighbors.

The affiliation with Relapse has Hogan on cloud nine as the label is one of his all-time favorites and has spawned many of his favorite bands as well.

"Oddly enough, Relapse had approached me about doing this deal, which makes it even better!" Hogan enthuses. "After we had announced our affiliation with Sonic Unyon Distribution in Canada, Brian from the label e-mailed me to find out who was handling our catalogue in the US. And the rest is history!

"When I started the label, I had little in the way of expectations in the very beginning. I initially started the label as when it came time to release my band's debut album, I realized there was little to no support for the East Coast metal scene. And then by the time we released the first compilation CD (The Music of Artisanship and War), I knew this was something I had to keep doing.

"To look back on the last three years, I've overwhelmingly exceeded my initial expectations of the label."

If there is one thing that is clear though, it is that Hogan is in it for the long haul, as demonstrated by his steady focus and determination which has got the label to where it is today. And even though the label isn't raking in the millions yet, Hogan is able to foresee a time that his day job might be a thing of the past, allowing him to focus on the label full-time.

"I'm still working a full-time job but for the first time ever, I can foresee a time where I might no longer need the day job. Both Diminished Fifth and Hogan Media Relations (a publicity company Hogan recently started) have grown rapidly in the past six months.

"At this stage in the game, I am still trying to pay off the massive debt I ran up in the first two years of operation and am reinvesting all revenues back into the business."

Now don't go getting the impression that Hogan is one to complain; truth be told, he's too busy mapping out future label releases to bellyache about the fact his label isn't turning a profit yet. It's a love of what he does that is propelling him forward.

The label's next release will be Black Moor's debut album 'The Conquering' which will be available on August 25 in Canada. Later this fall, Thy Flesh Consumed releases their newest.

"Our third release is still a bit of a secret but I can say that it centers on a New Brunswick-based band and will be announced at the end of July."

For more information on Josh Hogan's label, check out his website at www.diminishedfifthrecords.com; Hogan Media Relations makes its home at www.hoganmedia.ca.

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On Friday July 24, The Centre for Speed Motorsports Park in Shediac is hosting the first show in what will hopefully become an annual ritual at the speedway. The venue is hosting a classic rock show with this year's show featuring legendary Canadian band The Headpins playing alongside Moncton bands Loaded Dice and Glamour Puss.

 

Originally formed as a side project to their band Chilliwack, Bryan Macleod and Ab Bryant founded The Headpins and recruited vocalist Darby Mills and drummer Bernie Aubin to complete the lineup. Mills gained instant recognition for her powerful vocal delivery and the band quickly shot to stardom, sharing stages with Loverboy, Heart and Kiss while their records would go on to attain gold and platinum status in Canada.

As far as Loaded Dice vocalist Don Coleman is concerned, Mills is one of Canada's greatest female rock vocalists of all time.

"They have garnered so many hits like 'Don't It Make Ya Feel', 'Turn It Loud' and 'Just One More Time' during their career," Coleman says. "There is a demand for live performances from bands from this era; fans who saw them in the past and want to relive the experience and then the demand from younger fans who have never had the opportunity to see them."

Loaded Dice is a Moncton band made up of vocalist Coleman, Paul Leblanc, Craig O'Neill, Dave LeBlanc and Freddy Prosser. The group plays a variety of cover songs including tracks by AC/DC, ZZ Top, Deep Purple and Bryan Adams.

And although Moncton group Glamour Puss has been laying low in recent times, the band never actually split up, contrary to rumors.

"We never broke up," Glamour Puss leader Travis Furlong confirms. "We still love playing together; I think that the friendship that we have is rare.

"We just aren't in people's faces like we once were. Glamour Puss has been together now for almost 15 years, and were on the road for probably 11 of those years. Right now, the members of the band are enjoying work in some side projects while we're still finding ways to grow musically within our band."

Coleman has been working with the show's promoters to help ensure the success of the event. According to him, tickets for the show are selling briskly and that one successful show will lead to another that will lead to another that will lead to another.

"I think the goal of this type of show is to help create an affordable alternative to the big festival shows that are so popular in the region. The show will bring spectators a more personal concert experience that includes an excellent venue, friendly staff and world-class entertainment," Coleman states.

There are two tiers of tickets available for the show: regular tickets to the show are $25 while you might want to entertain picking up VIP tickets for roughly double the price.

The VIP ticket includes preferred spectator seating, food and beverages as well as onsite parking for a reasonable price of $49.50.

Additional information on the show can be found online at www.centreforspeed.com or by phone at (506) 388-2415.

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After taking a delicious detour back towards their rootsy beginnings on 2007's Sky Blue Sky, Wilco settle into a groove which combines the various musical styles of their previous records while still moving the band forward with gusto.

Opening track Wilco (The Song) is a masterful way to start the record; this loosely woven rock song leads into the more obscure-sounding Deeper Down. Canuck songstress Feist lends her sweet vocals to the easy-going You and I before moving onto You Never Know, a track that at times combines the influences of George Harrison's My Sweet Lord and Tom Petty's Jammin' Me with Wilco's own twist. Tracks like the intimate Country Disappeared and Solitaire as well as Sonny Feeling and the slow burning album closer Everlasting Everything show why Wilco have carte blanche when it comes to making records these days.

It's going to be tough for any other band to beat this for the title of album of the year.

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Former Beatle George Harrison might not have had the solo career commercial highs of Lennon or McCartney but he still produced many terrific, memorable songs captured on this new retrospective.

From his earliest solo hits such as My Sweet Lord, All Things Must Pass and All Those Years Ago through his 1989 hits Got My Mind Set On You and When We Was Fab, Let It Roll focuses on the genius of Harrison's work without placing a tremendous amount of focus on his Beatles work as one prior Harrison compilation had done. That being said, Harrison's Beatles staples While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Here Comes The Sun and Something are here but in live form from 1971's Concert For Bangladesh.

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Even though The Who's 1967 album The Who Sell Out was reissued as recently as 1995, the initial re-release was nowhere as comprehensive as this latest edition. With an amazing 53 tracks spread over two discs, there is much to take in and enjoy.

Original album tracks Armenia City In The Sky, I Can See For Miles and I Can't Reach You are among my favorite tracks from The Who, period.

The bonus material featured includes the complete original mono mix of the album, some additional "commercials" as well as songs a-plenty. There is a killer studio version of Summertime Blues, a great alternate mix of Mary-Anne With The Shaky Hand and loads more that you really have to hear for yourself.

Having to sift through 53 tracks might be too overwhelming for some but for collectors like me, it is heaven.

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Formed in Toronto in the mid 1980s, roots-rockers The Skydiggers emerged from the city's music scene at the same time as Cowboy Junkies and Blue Rodeo.

The group is celebrating their 20th anniversary with a retrospective CD entitled The Truth About Us; an impressive 22 track compilation heavy on memorable melodies that will leave the listener wondering why the band haven't yet achieved massive success akin to that of Blue Rodeo.

Founding member Josh Finlayson notes the disc does indeed mark a milestone in the band's career:

"It was nice to participate in the ceremony of going through our catalogue. I'm not usually one who likes going through the past but looking back on your work, you can gauge where you are at as a songwriter at that specific time. One of the most interesting aspects of this record for me was having the chance to choose songs that we felt were real benchmarks in our career as opposed to including only 'hits.'"

With the modest success that has come The Skydiggers way in the past, the group has entertained a somewhat revolving door of musicians backing Finalyson and vocalist Andy Maize.

"Andy and I often play as a duo but the premise of doing this retrospective was the 20 year benchmark we had reached; the band hasn't always been a full-time band though."

This has allowed Finlayson to pursue other opportunities outside of the band including record production (Finlayson produced the latest record from Moncton band The Divorcees) as well as performing on records by Gord Downie, Mary Gauthier and Tom Wilson from Junkhouse.

Nobody says that the music business is an easy life though. Throughout The Skydiggers' career, the band has lived through no fewer than three record deals with three separate labels.

"Our first record was on Enigma which ended up going out business," Finlayson says. "Out of those ashes came FRE and long story short, they didn't have the funding in place to sustain their operations."

The band released three records on FRE before signing to Warner Music for their fourth record (1997's Road Radio) which is the only title in their discography to be issued on a major label.

"When we signed to Warner Brothers, we were under the naïve impression that they were going to partner with us, when in fact they weren't. It really was a one-sided relationship."

The group has been independent since Road Radio, and according to Finlayson, being independent has its pros and cons.

"There is a two-sided reality to being independent. Even in today's day and age, having a record deal doesn't give you a huge advantage but there are definitely some pluses. Having the money and resources to promote what you're doing is sort of a key to success," he said.

"But the reality is that there are so many bands competing for consumer's dollars. Even for a band like us who have sold respectable amount of records, our challenge right now is figuring out how we reconnect with our fans," he admits. "It's hard to rise above the din of the other music that's out there when you're an independent band.

"One great aspect about being independent is that you have the freedom to do what you want, when you want not to mention you own everything at the end of the day. After our experience with Warner, we realized our autonomy was more important to the band then an association with a record label."

Finlayson is hopeful that they will be successful at reconnecting with those fans that enjoyed the group during the course of their career but that there are a couple of different factors that they have had to consider:

"I think the retrospective is a good start," Finlayson says. "We're lucky that we put in a lot of hard work and we've always had a loyal fan base.

"I don't think anyone is denying that rebuilding the band is going to take some work and some patience. The days of us starting our shows at midnight are done; our fans have jobs, kids and lives that it wouldn't be conducive for us to go out and play a bunch of bar shows.

"We have to find the right venues to play in each city that will entice those people to come out to see us. That is the challenge we're faced with and what we have to figure out.

"But it's something we are looking forward to."

The Skydiggers first career retrospective The Truth About Us is available for purchase in stores and online through most major retailers such as iTunes and Amazon.

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Cork City, Ireland pop band Fred is making their provincial debut on Friday July 17 when they perform at The Blue Olive in Saint John. The group is touring through Atlantic and Central Canada behind their latest record Go God Go which was released nation-wide this past March via Toronto independent label Sparks Music.

Listeners interested in exploring what Fred is about will be delighted to uncover a band intent on having a good time. Pairing tush-shaking rhythms with fun keyboards, Fred are making some of the most infectious pop music available today.

Reached at his band's rehearsal space in Ireland, Fred guitarist Joseph O'Leary is downright jovial, chatty and emphasizes how much the group is looking forward to their return to Canada.

"Every time we go to Canada, the shows get better and better," O'Leary says. "One of the first Canadian shows was when we played the North By Northeast Festival in Toronto last summer. We were fortunate that the show was sold out, which was great, but even the people from our label Sparks couldn't even get in to see us!" he laughs. "Things have really fast-forwarded at a great pace for us."

The group's latest record Go God Go (their third album) was released in Europe in May 2008 and saw the band earn accolades from the likes of influential music papers such as NME. O'Leary says that while they have always made music for themselves first and foremost, earning reviews from papers like NME certainly isn't a bad thing to have on Fred's resume.

"There's no question as to its helpfulness but we've never gone seeking the press or making music specifically for the purposes of getting good press. Maybe that's why it has taken us the length of time it has taken us to reach a level of success!" O'Leary laughs.

"We've never worried too much about whom we are getting kudos from but it certainly is great to get it. It definitely helps bring more people out our gigs and helps with radio play as well. We just keep digging away and going about our business."

Indeed, things are picking up for the Irish quintet on both sides of the ocean:

iTunes recently featured Fred track "Skyscrapers" as their complimentary download of the week which scored the group 25,000 downloads.

On the opposite side of the world, the group managed to simultaneously chart two singles ("Skyscrapers" and "Running") and have secured a slot on the Oxegen Festival; one of Europe's biggest music festivals which will expose them to over 100,000 spectators.

Music festivals in Europe tend to bring diverse genres and bands together in a way that seems to be slowly catching on in North America. As a general rule, Europeans seem willing to embrace non-mainstream bands and make them superstars.

"Generally speaking, that's true. And I am sure Canada is the same as this, but when you get into different territories and areas, audiences can be very different.

"Ireland is very embracing of all different kinds of music," O'Leary continues. "We've done gigs throughout Europe and I can safely say that the Irish love their music.

"We did a show in Norway, a country where people really love their heavy metal and soft rock, interestingly enough. And during the show, the crowd was really subdued and just kind of stared at us but once the show was done, we found out they really dug us. So really, it's different everywhere you travel."

With Go God Go finding new life in Canada after already having been on store shelves for a year in Europe, O'Leary says the band is preparing to start writing songs for a new record and then clarifies:

"If our manager is reading this, the new record is written!" he laughs.

"We definitely have some great ideas being thrown around but nothing concrete yet. But we will start the writing process soon. Our manager wants to maintain this momentum we've got working in our favour so he'll be anxious to keep us working."

I'd highly recommend you not miss your chance to see this rising Irish pop band while you have the chance to do so!

For more information on the group, head over to the official Fred website at www.fredtheband.com.

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Vancouver sextet The Brandon Paris Band is headed to New Brunswick for shows in Fredericton and Moncton next week for what will be their first trek into the Maritimes. The band is supporting their most recent record Pocket Full Of Holes, which was independently released this past April.

The group, who mixes rock, pop and reggae into a potent mélange of music is quickly earning a reputation for their powerful and energetic live show, which according to vocalist Paris, has to be seen to be fully appreciated.

"Every one of our shows is highly energetic and interactive. That seems to be the feedback we receive from club owners after our shows, as well. A lot of club owners say the band is electric when we are on stage and it makes for a brilliant show," Paris says. "I think we tend to be good at waking the crowd up if the audience is a little on the reserved side. And the fact we are mixing these different genres of music attracts hip hop fans and rock and roll fans in equal amounts."

The Brandon Paris Band is staunchly independent, overseeing their own show bookings and management and has even managed to place the video for their song Can't Hate You in medium rotation on MuchMusic. This independent spirit was largely fanned by the flames of disappointment the group experienced with a former label that they had been signed to.

"We had been signed with Koch in 2006. We had a single which was charting which was really exciting but the label only got our record released seven months later. It was a nightmare," Paris says. "Once the record was released, it wasn't properly promoted; there was no money for marketing and promotion so it was virtually dead."

Paris says the experience was a key part in furthering their development and was a huge motivator in them seeking to take the power back into their own hands.

"We're constantly learning about the business," he admits. "We have been able to build excellent relationships with people at radio, in the media and club owners. I really don't think our relationships with these people would be as strong as they are if we were depending on others to do the work for us."

"We are hoping that these relationships will help financially sustain the band in the future and allow us to continue making music for years to come."

With over 30 dates booked across the country on their current tour, it seems as though the band's hard work is paying off. Paris admits that radio has been a little reserved in picking the band's songs up for airplay but that they are winning people over one by one.

"As a general rule, people are very open to new music and our band. Radio is a little more careful when supporting a band like ours though which crosses so many different genres.

"We've heard we are too reggae for rock stations and too much rock for other stations," Paris says. "We understand that radio doesn't want to risk losing or alienating their listeners but as we get out there, we are definitely seeing progress being made, which is all we can ask for ... "People don't tend to get us as a group until they see us live."

The band will play at the Paramount Lounge in Moncton on Thursday July 23 and in Fredericton at the Musiplex on July 24. The group calls www.brandonparisband.com their online home.

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Described as "an exceptional, eclectic singer/songwriter who defies easy characterization", David Ward is stopping by Crumbs Café in Fredericton to perform on Tuesday July 21.

Ward spent almost two years promoting his debut record Never Meant To Know before travelling to Ghana, West Africa to study traditional drumming, song and dance under the tutelage of the Kusun Ensemble.

"I was in Ghana West Africa for a total of four months "" one month on the coast studying music, song, and dance and the other three months inland, up in the mountains in a rural community called Ejura where I taught music, math, English and PE," Ward explains.

"Living in Ghana was an incredibly valuable experience for me. First and foremost, being in Ghana strengthened my belief in community. Though I felt myself an observer most of the time, I never felt as if I didn't belong and that's because of the people and the incredible spirit that seems to pervade across the country. Everything appears to be shared from food, to lodging to music and art. It is an incredibly generous and spirited culture."

Ward is a committed advocate to change in the community through various endeavors and initiatives known as CHANGE projects. At his shows, Ward places a guitar case or piggy bank at the front of the stage which he uses as a pressure-free way to encourage the audience to donate their spare change for use in his various charitable projects.

"I think my experience in Africa had a large effect on why I do these CHANGE projects "" this idea of community," Ward says. "Just by living we affect the world around us so I figured why not affect it in a positive way and take a few extra steps to make a few greater changes in our community "" be it our local or our global community. The idea of community is one of the most powerful in the world to me and if we treat others like they are a part of our community "" which they are "" I feel there would be a lot more understanding, warmth and positive growth."

Ward recently finished up residencies at a couple of intimate Toronto music venues, temporarily relocating from his BC home.

"Both of my Toronto residencies lasted from January to June of this year and ended only because of this tour I am embarking on. The residencies had provided me with a place to spread my wings, learn what works in my show, consistently re-evaluate my art so I can find out where it fits and feels good for myself, and garner new fans.

"Living there gave me many opportunities to explore the work of others. It is such a vibrant city and can be overwhelmingly so because of the high volume of unique, quality events happening daily."

This summer, Ward is embarking on a 20 date, solo Eastern Canadian tour with half of those dates slated for the Maritimes. With acclaim from across much of Canada and Europe this will be David's first foray into the east coast of Canada.

So if you're in the mood for some unique music on Tuesday evening, make sure you stop by Crumbs Café on King Street in Fredericton to catch David Ward. Those interested in discovering more about this exciting artist can visit his website at www.davidwardmusic.com.

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Since regrouping Son Volt in 2005, Jay Farrar has been on a hot streak of making excellent records. 15 years after their original formation, their music still lies deeply rooted in the alternative country-roots realm but with the exception of The Jayhawks, few artists or bands do it any better than this. 

American Central Dust starts with the low key Dynamite and Down To The Wire before moving into more traditional country-sounding territory on Roll On. Other album highlights include the simplistic Exiles and the lonesome Cocaine and Ashes.

As a whole, the record is one of the band's most intimate and compelling to date. Rarely can desolation sound this appealing to the common man.

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Watch out folks - Something Delicious are out to screw with you. I mean this in the most endearing of ways though. The Moncton band's debut record seamlessly shifts from aggressive metal inspired vocals to funk to loungy-pop music, sometimes all in one song making for a varied and exciting listen. Even with such a diverse musical palette driving the band forward, the band is tight as all hell. 

Taking cues from bizarro rock inspired / experimental bands like Mr Bungle, the rule with Something Delicious is that they don't follow rules. Check out tracks like Publicity Stunt, Faker and Gamblor for one of the most musically original releases to emerge from the Moncton music scene in recent years.

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From Calgary, Alberta come the plaintively named The Dudes. Sure, the name is simple and so is the music they are making for that matter, but that doesn't make them any less kick-ass. The Dudes end up owing much to classic-rock bands with a hint of soul (yes, soul music) peeking through the vocals of Danny Vacon. They stake their territory, offering plenty of fuzzed-out guitars and a tight rhythm section on tracks like Mr. Someone Else, Pretty Lies and Ever Been To Taiwan. 

Chances are these songs are much more powerful when seeing the band in concert but until then, listening to them on CD will do just fine. This sure ain't rocket science but no one ever said that rock n roll had to be so.

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It's been a long road to get to this point but Moncton musician Mel Keith has finally released the follow-up to her last record, 2004's Imitating Hercules. On this fantastic new record, Keith's songs walk a line somewhere between Sheryl Crow-inspired pop on Is Anyone Here and Don't Walk Away to more deliberate, poignant moments like You're Not Here and You Shine.

With only seven songs (plus a fun remix of Don't Walk Away) and running only 30 minutes in length, Keith has assembled a strong disc of material. These songs help make the five year span between efforts to be more than worth the wait while also showing why she is one of the Maritimes' most essential talents.

Listening to Ryan Bingham's sophomore record, you'd swear he has lived a full life of heartache and pain in the relatively short 28 years he has inhabited this earth. Comparisons to The Black Crowes are warranted (especially considering ex-Crowe Marc Ford is in the producer's chair) but so would comparisons to someone like Steve Earle or Bob Dylan; Bingham is a hell of a story-teller and tends to stick to the Americana end of the spectrum.

Highlights include the rootsy Dylan's Hard Rain and Tell My Mother I Miss Her So while the group flexes its rockin' guitar abilities quite capably on the anthemic Bluebird and Roadhouse Blues.

Everybody and their dog knows that the internet has revolutionized the way we interact with the world around us. In the pre-internet days, we bought our music in record stores and we watched television in our living rooms. Times were pretty simple.

 

But as times change, so do the opportunities for innovative new programming to find a foothold in a business that has been largely dictated by big networks raking in millions of dollars in advertising each year.

Aux TV (www.aux.tv) is a Canadian-based website which plays host to over a dozen different music-related shows. Although their shows are strictly internet-only at the present time, they will be moving into traditional TV broadcasting avenues this fall when they launch the Aux Music Channel. The station, which bills itself as "real music television" plans to feature live performances, music videos as well as artist profiles and interviews.

One of the shows currently broadcast on the aux.tv website is Master Tracks. Hosted by Moe Berg and Laurence Currie, an episode of the program runs under 30 minutes and features the duo working with a band with the ultimate goal of going "from demo to download in one day".

Truthfully, the program couldn't have selected better hosts to rely upon to help the bands they are working with in achieving this goal.

Berg is the front man for the fantastic Canadian rock band The Pursuit of Happiness, who toured the world throughout the late 80s and into the 90s. While the group doesn't have a whole lot on the go these days, their hits I'm An Adult Now and She's So Young, among others, have been burned into the Canadian consciousness. Over the past decade, Berg has been steadily building his production resume, including work with The Cliks and Robin Black.

Currie is a producer and engineer who has worked with bands such as Sloan, Buck 65 and Moncton's own Hope. From 1995 through 2005, he ran Idea of East Studios in Halifax before moving to Toronto to further pursue recording and production opportunities. When it comes to Master Tracks, Currie is the engineer responsible for recording the band's performance. He helps to ensure that the recording process meets the technical specifications needed to have a quality final product.

Berg explains the process behind their show in a little more detail for [here] Magazine:

"I do one evening of pre-production with each band so that the song is together before we hit the studio. There is still some massaging of the song once we start recording at Metalworks Studio but it would be too much to have the band have to relearn a song and then record it all in one day."

So far, Berg and Currie's track record is flawless to date in meeting the one day turnaround they are tasked with:

"We haven't had to go 24 hours with a band yet," Berg says. "The biggest challenge is exactly that though, getting absolutely everything done in one day.

"Some days everything goes well, the band is tight, they come prepared and the day goes fairly easily. Other days though, technical problems arise and it takes a little longer.

"We've always gotten great results though. All the bands we've worked with have been really good bands," he says matter-of-factly.

To date, Master Tracks has shot 13 shows with another eight slated to be shot in August. Berg isn't one to be complaining about business being so good.

"Initially, Laurence and I were picking the bands we wanted to work with for the show," Berg states. "Now that the show is on air though, we are getting requests from bands to work with them."

With Aux's traditional TV channel launch imminent, Berg and Currie just might find their schedules becoming even more hectic. Once their show starts reaching an even bigger demographic of potential bands and musicians, I suspect there will not be any shortage of groups eager to leverage the experience which Berg and Currie bring to the table.

To watch Master Tracks, head over to www.aux.tv and watch the duo work their magic with some of the country's best up and coming talent.

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Saint John band 16th Avenue is headed to Moncton to play a show at the Riverview Kiwanis Skate Park and Youth Centre on Friday July 17.

 

 

Formed in 2003, the punk-pop group is continuing to promote their 2006 record In It To Win It. The group has moved approximately 1,500 copies of that record between physical sales and via online avenues such as iTunes. They received decent radio support and airplay for their single "Tentativa Favorita" which led to the group touring across Canada twice and around the East Coast even more.

16th Avenue Drummer Chris Claessen says this taste of success also helped to broaden the group's fan base and give them the motivation to do their best, to top it with their new record which is slated for release in early 2010.

Last summer, they went to Toronto to record their new record with a relatively big name producer (who shall remain nameless). However, those sessions didn't work out so well, to put it nicely.

"We had aimed to record the follow up to In It To Win It in Toronto last summer," Claessen begins to explain. "We felt as though we had grown, our songs were a lot stronger and we were very happy with the direction we were taking."

The experience was the first time that the band had worked with a producer who also excelled in song writing.

"It was hard watching some of our favorite song parts disappear but we were learning how to create hit songs," Claessen says. "A few weeks of recording and partying turned out some great material and all of us were eager to reach the finish line.

"Assuming the producer's guidance was what we needed, we found it odd when he told us we weren't recording for a whole week while we rented a very pricey house in Toronto. And once we got back to recording, everything was different. Our producer was really deep in to some addiction issues and it is not a good environment to be in when your producer is never there, and when he is, he is barely coherent or conscious."

Tensions mounted and eventually, the producer pulled the plug on the entire project. The producer turned over what had been recorded to the band, telling them they could choose to do with the songs whatever they wanted.

Returning to Saint John without a record and no plans to finish it "" not to mention $30,000 of debt and broken spirits "" was the last thing that 16th Avenue wanted or could have expected. Claessen says the band was unsure if they could even continue because of the financial and emotional strain that their experience in Toronto had brought into the group.

But one important trait of any band is to be able to pick up and move on, even when the cards are seemingly stacked against them.

"At the end of the day, we have a bond that won't easily be broken. That experience made us stronger; we have never been more excited with the new songs we have written," Claessen states.

Indeed, the future is looking bright for 16th Avenue with tour dates and more in store for the band over the summer:

"We are currently gearing up for an East Coast tour which will take us through the Maritimes over the next couple of months and included in there is our first Moncton area show on the 17th, which we are really looking forward to."

With a video for "Tentativa Favorita" ready for release and plans to record an EP this fall, it seems there will be no stopping 16th Avenue anytime soon.

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Almost eight weeks ago, [here] Magazine ran an article on a music group called Under Pressure Music (or UPM for short). Now it isn't often that we would run a follow-up article on the same band, unless they have got some major news to report.

UPM consists of only two members, one of whom lives in Moncton, the other in Stratford, Ontario. Using the internet, they fire off songs to one another for completion and have worked in this manner for the past while. In fact, the two friends and band mates have not been in the same room in the past decade.

Intriguing, isn't it?

UPM has garnered massive airplay via their Reverbnation website located at www.reverbnation.com/underpressure. To date, they have amassed over 115,000 plays of their songs, which tend to straddle many genres of music rather than sticking to just one.

The band's latest fortune and good news comes with thanks to Microsoft. They were asked to forward an e-mail to ten of their friends for the chance to get $2,500 from Bill Gates himself. If you didn't already know, that last statement is a joke.

In all seriousness though, their newest stroke of luck does in fact come from Microsoft. Not long ago, the software giant reached out to the influential music websites Reverbnation and Myspace to gauge their interest in running a pilot program to examine the feasibility of helping influence the way that music is distributed across the web.

Visitors to www.myspace.com/windows will discover that UPM are one of 1,000 artists whose songs are available for download. And it is not strictly limited to independent artists:

UPM is kept company by other bands such as The Lemonheads, The Soundtrack Of Our Lives, and Bif Naked.

"Based on numbers from our Reverbnation site, we've been told to expect upwards of 50,000 downloads of our song 'Too Late'," UPM member Doug Biggar explains. "And even with 1,000 songs to choose from across the globe, we've been lucky enough to sit among the Top 100 of all genre popularity polls. The key to an opportunity like this is to really promote the hell out of yourselves."

Biggar explains that this promotion has been given a soft launch, meaning Microsoft have let the bands shoulder the responsibility of the promotion to date.

"We believe that they are just letting the artists do the initial marketing around this to see how much interest is being driven to the site. Once they have been able to get a sampling of the traffic, interest and downloads being driven to the site, Microsoft are then supposed to be launching ads to help promote this even more.

"It was hinted to us that Microsoft are gearing for what they hope will be serious competition for Apple's iTunes and want to give exposure to independent bands in a way that was just not possible before," Biggar says, acknowledging that the final product model may differ greatly from what is currently being offered to consumers.

Regardless of what's to come with the future of this promotion, being given the opportunity to be involved with the initial launch was indeed no small feat for any of the groups involved.

Another thing that is for certain is that the benefits which Under Pressure Music stands to gain from this promotional push are huge. Even if the band scores a modest 10,000 downloads of their track, that many more people are then acquainted with what UPM have to offer their fans.

"¦And I would say that is just about all any band can ask for in today's ever changing musical landscape."

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If there is one thing that roots-country troubadour Justin Townes Earle has inherited from his father, it would be his knack for not mincing words. And if there is one other trait that is clear as day during the course of our conversation together, it is that Justin Townes Earle has a great grasp on where he has been and where he is headed in life.

 

The 27-year-old Earle was born in 1982, just a few years before his father's music career would take flight in a major way. Some might argue that the younger Earle playing music is as natural as Colonel Sander's kids going into the chicken business.

Justin cut his teeth in his father's band The Dukes on and off for a number of years through the 90s and into the current decade. His solo career came about after being kicked out of his father's band for escalating substance abuse after which point he intended on quitting music. "My substance abuse never interfered with my live performances," he says down the line from Madison, Wisconsin. "But it was going to start doing so; it was f*ck*n' my life up. After I was pitched out of The Dukes, I sold all my guitars and didn't write a single song for two years. I had given it all up.

"But then I realized that I had the choice of dying in the streets or making something of myself," he admits. "And finally, I decided that I didn't want to be another link in the white trash train even though I will always be white trash from Nashville, Tennessee."

From the desolate feel of the album's track to the bluegrass slant of "Halfway to Jackson" and "They Killed John Henry", Midnight At The Movies is an enthralling and compelling listen for fans of his father as well as Hank Williams Sr. Even Earle's take on The Replacements' "Can't Hardly Wait" is exquisite; infused with touches of mandolin while still staying true to the original.

White trash or not, one listen to Earle's newest record and the listener is taken into his world; a world where his songs and lyrics betray his relatively young age and show an old, experienced soul doing what he does best: telling stories and making music.

Earle is extremely grateful for where he is at today and admits that the experience with his father gave him a wealth of knowledge that he is using to this day.

"I learned a lot of things about the business and how it runs. I had no false ideas that I was going to start making music but it is a little different for me than it is my Dad. He walks out of his bus, gets handed a guitar and plays his show," Earle laughs.

"While I was on the road with The Dukes, it was more important for me to learn the business side as opposed to the performance side so I took notes of how people in the crew interacted with the venue crew and things like that... And performance wise, I learned to avoid dead space between songs. I grew up in the south and all my first gigs were all little honky-tonks where once you lost crowd's attention, it was hard to get it back."

Justin was given his middle name Townes as his father's tribute to Townes Van Zandt, a Texan singer-songwriter and a hero and mentor to the elder Earle. When he and Van Zandt met in the 1970's, Steve was immediately enthralled by Van Zandt's troubadour life. Did Justin ever have the opportunity to meet his namesake?

"I met him when I was a kid. He was a very dark but interesting man," he says. "When my Dad met Townes, Townes was 25 years old. Townes was a pretty man, wrote beautiful songs and was wild as shit. He had the ultimate poetic troubadour life at that point and everything went great for him for a long time but then it all started to fall to pieces.

"I'll put it this way: It would be really wonderful if we were just musicians. But it's called the music business for a reason."

With such deep roots and experience in the music business, Earle need not worry about his destiny in the biz. The richness that his music holds will keep him busy for much longer than he needs to worry about.

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Seeing how roots-pop-rockers The Wallflowers debut record barely registered a blip anywhere, it is not terribly surprising that their first career retrospective picks up with their sophomore record Bringing Down The Horse. Unfortunately, the band never quite recaptured the success they found with that sophomore record on their subsequent albums; it is not for a lack of quality material though: 

Naturally, Bringing Down The Horse has the greatest representation on this compilation, with five tracks including hits 6th Avenue Heartache, One Headlight and The Difference. Their 2000 record [Breach] is probably my favourite record of theirs and is represented by four tracks including highlights Sleepwalker and the melancholic Hand Me Down. 2002's Red Letter Days offers great tracks like the lushly subdued Closer To You and How Good It Can Get. Previously unreleased track Eat You Sleeping fits well along these other tracks; it doesn't break new ground as much as staying true to the band's history.

This is a decent way to sum up The Wallflowers career to date. I can only hope that this isn't going to be the last chapter in their career.

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Iron Maiden remains one of the world's biggest heavy metal bands for a reason. Over the past 30 years, they have consistently packed in crowds at their shows. Flight 666 is a 16 track audio companion piece which accompanies a video documentary of the same name. Recorded in 16 different cities around the world, fans have no trouble drowning out lead singer Bruce Dickinson on numerous occasions. The crowd comes through loud and clear on Can I Play With Madness, Aces High and Run To The Hills, all the while Iron Maiden plays the perfect soundtrack to accompany the fervent sing-along.