blogTO | Posts by Joe

blogTO | Posts by Joe http://www.blogto.com/ Toronto blog Copyright 2009 Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:41:29 PST http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Gregory Pepper and His Problems with Woodworking and Hearts and Toronto Gregory Pepper and His Problems is an unusual, musical fella. I don't know him personally, but I was sent this picture of him and his cat, and his song topics range from being a john, to a fairly descriptive - and possibly accurate - song about building a boat. It's tough to pigeonhole his style of music, so I won't bother.

With two upcoming Toronto shows -- November 5th at Kensington's Teranga and November 7th at the Mod Club -- with the Islands, I decided to give Gregory (which is not his real name) a inquisitive phone call...

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/11/gregory_pepper_and_his_problems_with_woodworking_and_hearts_and_toronto http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/11/gregory_pepper_and_his_problems_with_woodworking_and_hearts_and_toronto Music Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:03:09 PST Music Joe Zabukovec 2009-11-03T19:03:09 The Vanishers Talk Rockabilly The Vanishers perform rockabilly - a genre I used to consider somewhat strange.

Four years ago, I would have sworn that the fusion of country, punk, and rock could never work on any level, but exactly four years ago something changed for me. While I was checking out a punk band at the Kathedral one evening, I ended up staying to check out the following act and it changed the way I will view rockabilly forever.

I met up with Paul Pengelly (vocals) and Paul McGrath (guitar) at Sneaky Dee's for a beer and to chat about how they ended up here, their new album, and the scene in Hamilton.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/10/the_vanishers_talk_rockabilly http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/10/the_vanishers_talk_rockabilly Music Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:38:03 PDT Music Joe Zabukovec 2009-10-31T18:38:03 Slow Down, Molasses and the Comfort of Flux At times, Slow Down, Molasses are hard to categorize. They're a grassroots ensemble from Saskatoon, but pegging just who "they" are is difficult... because they are not always composed of the same members. That may make it seem as though people are constantly being kicked out and are thus always disgruntled, but the process is actually surprisingly harmonious.

They're just finishing up a national tour and will be stopping at the fairly new Toronto venue, The Garrison on October 29th to play a final gig before returning out West.

I had to get the skinny on this band, so I arranged a phone interview with founding member, Tyson McShane. This is his story.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/10/slow_down_molasses_and_the_comfort_of_flux http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/10/slow_down_molasses_and_the_comfort_of_flux Music Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:36:48 PDT Music Joe Zabukovec 2009-10-28T18:36:48 Amy Millan on Elephants and Tears Amy Millan, of Stars fame, is moving forward as a solo act. Though it's not her first album, Masters Of The Burial, is arguably her best work yet. It's a calming composition of her own tracks peppered with a few covers and is what I describe as morning music. Millan is a poignant proof of the amount of talent often contained in the many-membered bands sprouting up across Canada.

She's currently in the middle of an ambitious North American tour with Bahamas accompanying her as the opening act. They both play the Mod Club on Wednesday, October 14th.

I went for a brisk bike ride down to the Arts & Crafts headquarters for a quiet discussion with Millan in the boardroom. Topics contained in the day's docket included, but were not limited to, the new album, people, and elephants.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/10/amy_millan_on_elephants_and_tears http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/10/amy_millan_on_elephants_and_tears Music Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:29:35 PDT Music Joe Zabukovec 2009-10-12T15:29:35 We Are The City, on Enjoying Many Firsts We Are The City are exactly the type of band that I look for. Fresh, new music, coming from a group of guys young enough to be experiencing the grueling industry for the first time. I think that they might even like it.

They recently notched their first full-length, first national tour, first music video, and experienced their first time seeing the country we live in through the window of a Toyota 1988 Land Cruiser. This will also be their first time playing a Toronto venue outside of a music festival.

When I first got Cayne McKenzie (lead vocals, piano) on the line, he didn't even know where he was...

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/09/we_are_the_city_on_enjoying_many_firsts http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/09/we_are_the_city_on_enjoying_many_firsts Music Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:14:24 PDT Music Joe Zabukovec 2009-09-28T19:14:24 Drinks with Sheepdogs at The Dakota Tavern As Saskatoon's The Sheepdogs descended down the steps of the Dakota Tavern and sauntered their way over to my bar stool, it was obvious that I was about to speak to a band mid-tour.

I shook hands with the members, who were all dressed in 70's folk-rock attire, and I moved to the back of the bar to chat with Ewan Currie (lead vocals, guitar) and Ryan Gullen (bass, backing vocals), while the rest of the band did a sound check.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/09/drinks_with_sheepdogs_at_the_dakota_tavern http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/09/drinks_with_sheepdogs_at_the_dakota_tavern Music Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:26:42 PDT Music Joe Zabukovec 2009-09-28T17:26:42 If Make Your Exit Are Monks, Then Music Is Their Faith The five members of Make Your Exit were excitedly handling and examining their new EP, Remind Me The Reason I Came when I arrived at the Red Room. I think only two of the five looked up as I joined their table and it reminded me of children opening Christmas presents. They were excited and it was cool to watch.

On top of that, while I had mentioned that I only needed one or two members to be there they had insisted on all coming to meet me. While it makes it harder for me to transcribe (there are seriously three Mikes in the band), it shows a group solidarity that really shines on stage when all members of an ensemble are so committed and eager.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/09/if_make_your_exit_are_monks_then_music_is_their_faith http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/09/if_make_your_exit_are_monks_then_music_is_their_faith Music Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:24:54 PDT Music Joe Zabukovec 2009-09-21T17:24:54 Patrick Brealey Makes Me Want to Go to Church Whenever I meet someone who's thirty or under, actively creating folk music (or some variant of the genre), I'm always somewhat puzzled. I am generally interested to know their motives, and I wonder how they got into it. I guess it's like finding out that someone plays the harp. So, I have at least one question to ask Patrick Brealey.

With the release of his second album, Mercury in Songbirds, and an upcoming show at an interesting venue that I've never been to, I now had at least three good reasons to sit down with Brealey in the corner of an Ossington favourite, the Communist's Daughter.

More...

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/09/patrick_brealey_makes_me_want_to_go_to_church http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/09/patrick_brealey_makes_me_want_to_go_to_church Music Sun, 13 Sep 2009 16:21:04 PDT Music Joe Zabukovec 2009-09-13T16:21:04 Secret Broadcast Has Even Richard Branson Dancing Secret Broadcast are quickly becoming something. In two years, this Calgary-based rock band has accomplished a more than a few memorable feats, and experienced enough encouragement from industry big-wigs (Richard Branson of the Virgin empire) to keep them working hard at their craft.

They had already embarked on their tour to promote their first full-length, 'Exploding Spiders,' so I was happy to settle with a phone call from Toronto-native, Matt Lightstone (guitars, vocals) instead of the usual sit down interview. He told me about how sometimes just picking up the morning paper can land you in a band.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/09/secret_broadcast_has_even_richard_branson_dancing http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/09/secret_broadcast_has_even_richard_branson_dancing Music Sun, 06 Sep 2009 16:34:58 PDT Music Joe Zabukovec 2009-09-06T16:34:58 Corduroy on Nicolas Cage and the Toronto International Film Festival Corduroy has stepped it up this past year. After four months of what they describe as "a stagnant period," the songs started to come quickly, they began playing the Toronto circuit heavily, and with a demo released and an EP on the way, things look on the up and up. They're certainly not the band of yesteryear. I guess they've been really reinvigorated by a new member and a new name.

We arranged to meet up at the Red Room and discuss all of the above and a TIFF kick-off party they are scheduled to play. And, of course, Nicolas Cage.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/09/corduroy_on_nicolas_cage_and_the_toronto_international_film_festival http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/09/corduroy_on_nicolas_cage_and_the_toronto_international_film_festival Music Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:04:36 PDT Music Joe Zabukovec 2009-09-04T17:04:36 Tiny Danza Is Not the Next Limp Bizkit I was first introduced to Tiny Danza through a friend while we were out drinking on a Tuesday night. I laughed at the suggestion because he and I are generally on different levels with music - I enjoy good music and he prefers the sound of chainsaws to a heavy bass beat - but he insisted that they were worth checking out, so the next day I went to their MySpace page. After listening to the first track, 'Hindsight,' I knew I had to go through all of the songs. For once my friend was right! (But only once...)

Shortly thereafter I arranged a meeting at Nirvana with Galen Hogg (rap vocals) and Andrew Santaguida (keyboards). Sweltering from the heat to the point of danger, we came to the conclusion that if we didn't hydrate ourselves we would surely perish. We thus immediately ordered two pitchers - one was water, the other was not.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/08/tiny_danza_is_not_the_next_limp_bizkit http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/08/tiny_danza_is_not_the_next_limp_bizkit Music Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:14:26 PDT Music Joe Zabukovec 2009-08-19T17:14:26 The Most Serene Republic and Seven Minute Instrumental Symphonic Pieces (and Sean) Arts and Crafts indie darlings, The Most Serene Republic, released their latest full-length ...And The Ever Expanding Universe on July 14th, 2009. For me, TMSR is a band that is due to start making big splashes in the national music pool. That's not to say that they haven't put out good records... nor am I trying to say that they haven't played any great shows to terrific reviews. I'm simply trying to emphasize that they have yet to stand out at their label when I think that they possess the ability to do so.

To discuss the new album, their North American tour, and a surprising amount about Sean Woolven (guitars, and the official "seventh member"), I headed down to the Arts and Crafts office for a little board room meeting with Adrian Jewett (vocals, trombone) and Ryan Lensson (back-up vocals, piano, and self-described "tyrant").

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/08/the_most_serene_republic_and_seven_minute_instrumental_symphonic_pieces_and_sean http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/08/the_most_serene_republic_and_seven_minute_instrumental_symphonic_pieces_and_sean Music Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:31:05 PDT Music Joe Zabukovec 2009-08-12T20:31:05 The Junction Re-Learns What it Means to Be Independent I was genuinely happy for The Junction when I heard that they were picked up by a major label a couple years ago. I can still remember seeing them play in the auditorium of my Brampton high school and the first time they were mentioned on mainstream radio. To see their hard work finally pay off was very satisfying.

But a lot can change in two years. The four piece became a trio, their label dropped them mid-tour, and the future of The Junction became dark and uncertain. But there's a light at the tend of the tunnel in the form of their new album, Another Link In The Chain. This meant that it was time I met up with Matt Jameson (bass) and Brent Jackson (guitar, vocals) at Nirvana to talk about this roller coaster their career is on -- and to find out if it's on it's way up... or down.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/08/the_junction_re-learns_what_it_means_to_be_independent http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/08/the_junction_re-learns_what_it_means_to_be_independent Music Sat, 08 Aug 2009 17:39:14 PDT Music Joe Zabukovec 2009-08-08T17:39:14 More Or Les Bringing More To His Live Shows
No stranger to hip-hop, More or Les has released two critically-acclaimed albums, has spent time touring North America and Europe, and is going to officially release The Les Kils EP tomorrow.

As an MC, producer, and DJ, with more than a decade of performance experience under his belt, I thought it was important to give this seven-track disc a listen. After that, I knew it was just as necessary to set up an interview to discuss what Les and soundboard fanatic, Fresh Kils, were about to drop.

As soon as I got Les on the phone my first question was regarding his team-up with Kils, and his answer made it very clear that this wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision.

"It's been a long time coming. Kils had more of an influence than people might think on my last album [The Truth About Rap]. He really kicked me in my ass, basically, to get it finished. In terms of songs, order, quality - all that. To top it off, it's his live production."

Sometimes when I picture a DJ, I don't see a DJ - I just see a laptop. Apparently Kils brings more than his laptop to the stage.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/07/more_or_les_bringing_more_to_his_live_shows http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/07/more_or_les_bringing_more_to_his_live_shows Music Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:02:37 PDT Music Joe Zabukovec 2009-07-23T17:02:37 David Blair Almost Packed it in, but America Wanted More Most often compared to Jason Mraz and John Mayer, David Blair is no spring chicken and he is fine with that. But in 35 years I think he's managed to pick up the tools that he'll need to keep building his career.

In the 90s, David spent his time in an up-and-coming rock band that opened up for acts that would become Nickelback, Theory of a Deadman, and Default. Instead of breaking out, his band broke up.

So in the early 2000s, he made the grown-up decision to pack it in and settle for real life... but it just wasn't in the cards.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/07/david_blair_almost_packed_it_in_but_america_wanted_more http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/07/david_blair_almost_packed_it_in_but_america_wanted_more Music Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:46:28 PDT Music Joe Zabukovec 2009-07-16T18:46:28