Nemo

Once a week I indulge in a music project with my good friend Ken.  We've written material over the past 10 years and have been making an effort to practice them up and start playing live.  Here's one of the first songs we wrote.  It's called Nemo and it's theme is about escaping society.  Life can get so overbearing with all the bad news, dictators, social problems and overall corruption that sometimes all you want to do is retreat into isolation.  Told from an outside perspective and based on Captain Nemo we touch on his initial rational for wanting to dive deep down into the sea.

Cafe Paris

So it finally happened, I got to see a group of musicians called Cafe Paris.  It couldn't have been a more picturesque setting. A breezy sunlit summer evening at Marina Park.  Sail boats racing in the harbor, the smell of food trucks in the air and a very pleasant capacity crowd lounging comfortably in their fold up chairs.

Cafe Paris, an ensemble of highly respectable local musicians not just playing 'jazz', but FRENCH Jazz! They have been around as a group for at least 2 years to my knowledge, often playing the Foundry on Jazzy Thursdays.  I am intrigued by all things French - be that film, art or music.  So when Blanchet and Pepe started doing Cafe Paris, I just had to see them.

There's something comforting, nostalgic and just very relaxing about this particular brand of music.  If you've ever seen the movie Chocolate there's some great period music that makes up the soundtrack.  Cafe Paris strikes a similar chord for me.

This was also my first Live on the Waterfront experience and it was fantastic.  Very well organized and the sound technicians responsible for what the crowd hears was top notch.  If you've attended Live on the Waterfront - this is of no surprise, but if you haven't yet checked out this wonderful summer long event, you just have to go!

Cosmic Seam Is Tracked

Our first song is completed and no more is to be recorded for it.  It is ready for editing and mixing.  We spent the last session adding a few sprinkles of guitar notes here and there.

Of possible interest to the audio geeks - we borrowed a technique from Mutt Lang and Brian May.  You see some of us have been on a Def Leppard Hysteria kick for the last month and we've been watching a lot of the behind the scenes action of how that classic album was recorded.

One little nugget we came across was recording little guitar noodles. Mutt Lang made them track each  note  separately. The result of this time consuming process was that no note would be cut off or muted if it was on the same string.  Each note would have the same sustain.

I had a little 3 note run we wanted to record with this technique.  To make it official - Mike dug out an original Rockman X100 guitar amp simulator - the same one they used for the recording of the guitars in Hysteria.

To take a it a step further - we did it twice.We ping ponged the notes so each note is either left channeled or right channeled (ala Brian May).

Once that was completed - there was one 'space note' we needed to end the track with.  Ken was up to pluck harmonics on both low and high 'E' strings.  One set of notes.  Pretty easy right?  Unless you were up against a practical joke that would make it near impossible to get it right.

You see - we had a separate track up in the mix that made some guitar noise shortly after the spot where Ken had to hit his mark.  Every take - he thought he screwed up.  I figure this went on for about 8 tries before he caught on.

Let's just call it studio initiating.

Oh yeah - I snuck into the studio early in the week to lay down the bass tracks.  It didn't take Ken long to figure this out upon playback.  He was crushed - but as always - a good sport about it.   I think he's earned his lumps and is now fully and completely a studio musician.

Prep work for the next tune has already begun and Mike hopes to have the drums tracked for next week's session.

Percussion Rogue

We took a brief break over the holiday to spend time with family and loved ones.  But that didn't stop Mike from jumping in the studio to track additional percussion tracks.  Sneaky sneaky!

I haven't heard it.  I've only seen these photos.  Looks like Mike had as much fun as one can when left to his own devices (egg shakers, chimes...)

I will try and convince him to bounce the percussion tracks for a sneak peak :)

Something Ends, Something Begins

The end of winter is finally upon us.  This week was my last game of indoor co-ed soccer with my team Pixie Caribou.  Weather is finally getting sunny and i hope the snow is finally finished..

It was a hard fought campaign, i don't think we won a single game and i think we may have had one draw.  But that's not why we play. Exercise and camaraderie is what indoor co-ed footy is all about.

As always, the end of the season is sad. But it always ushers in the spring.  As something Ends, Something Begins.

Sports will do wonders for burning off pent up frustrations, the endorphin release of intense exercise and the 'team' element always helps social side of things. There's a great sense of belonging. It's finished for this season - i need something to fill the void.


With two close friends, a 9 song writing expedition has commenced.  Four songs from a demo recorded over the last 2 years has now grown into a full album.

There's a different type of synergy.  Its very pure when you get in sync with others with music.

Something spiritual.

It's even more inspiring when you wake up in the morning with a tune you helped craft stuck in your head.

With this new chapter being written, i look forward to this project. It is a great combination of song ideas, form and direction.  7 of the 9 songs have been charted out and we're on the verge of tracking





 

Poor Young Things Return

LU Outpost saw the return of Thunder Bay’s prodigal sons – The Poor Young Things.  Perhaps a rougher and  grittier Poor Young Things.  PYT you see moved to Toronto a while back. They immersed themselves in the Toronto music scene and their latest collection of songs due out in the very near future capture the essence of their surroundings.

Take your pick - the lyrical commentary of big city life, the comforting guitar melodies a mongst a soundscape of raw distorted chordings, or the harmony laden anthem like choruses – PYT showed they've evolved and matured in their musicianship and song writing. Their songs have a bit more drive, edge and power to them - no doubt attributed to their big city influences.

Poor Young Things dedication to their music showed as they put in an inspired performance to the allegiance of fans that filed into the Outpost.  Their new found energy was quite evident in their enthusiasm as the guys left no part of the stage untouched.  Putting it all out there – every song rode a wave of honesty and authenticity.  What was a vacant dance floor moments before PYT hit the stage – was turned into a frenzied surf of fans, friends and family. 

Poor Young Things have been working with acclaimed producer Jon Drew (The Arkells, Alexisonfire, Tokyo Police Club, Stars,).   Their new album release date is to be announced in the very near future. They have also just released their latest video - Let It Sleep.



PYT will be cris-crossing the country again on another  tour.  They'll be back in Thunder Bay in December.  

Motivation to write music

Really inspired today.  Read Deadmau5 " united we fail" blog and he really pushed my 'creativity' button. 

He read a short story and was motivated to write a soundtrack to express what he was feeling.

To take it a step further, he posted his creation on soundcloud and allowed others to contribute lyrics and melodies. These were not A list celebrity singers, but pure musically inclined artists that created something for the sake of creating.

DeadMau5 was blown away when he heard a submission which comprised of 2 verses.

The guy read the description of what the track was about. He read the story to get inspiration and then wrote some melody and lyrics.  Pure music creativity.  No influence of perception, money, ego, motive.  Just pure creativity.

Here's the entire article: http://deadmau5.tumblr.com/post/19570452553/collaborations-songwritting-and-the-like