Guitars, tips and great music discussions
Now this banjo player is the perfect fit for any band looking for that certain something or for a band that is crying out for more stage presence in their group. If your interested in getting a hold of him, please e-mail me. ONLY SERIOUS inquires will be replied back to!
I wonder if this is Bubbles father?
Keep on Jammin’
So it looks like the band KISS is about to tour again, this time with a change to their line up. Boy, Gene hasn’t aged a day now has he!
Keep on Jammin’
The Queen Elizabeth Theatre, on the grounds of Toronto’s C.N.E., is the most recent musical venue that is underused and just screaming to be found! In a large urban city with 2.5 music lovers, there are not a lot of medium sized halls to attract the middle of the road type of band. So this beauty from the past is just desperately trying to re-invent herself to us!
I tend to be a lover of architecture and it’s history. When ever I run across a real gem of an older building, I often wonder what it looked like in it’s glory years and what important historical events played out in it. Yes, I am a hopeless romantic, drawn into it’s orbit and the Queen Elizabeth Theatre (QET) is no exception! Just check out the QET History Photo Gallery’s History Gallery slide show section of the above link to see what I am referring to!
While as a young guitar player from the country, going to the CNE when I could, I marveled at buildings and the performers that played there! I recall going there with my brother many times to see bands in either the Music Building/Carlsburg Pavilion (which originally was the Provincial Government Building in1926) or the unforgettable CNE Grandstand/stadium to experience the giants of rock and roll of the time period. Yet, we always passed the QET without taking notice of her, too bad.
So has anyone here ever been inside the QET or seen a show there? I would love to know what you thought of it and what the sound was like. I hope you took a few pic’s to share with us!
Keep on Jammin’
There was a song, not so long ago, that was considered Canada’s unofficial national anthem. Today sadly though, it has now been almost erased from memory. The song was called The Maple Leaf forever!
But who was behind this great forgotten anthem, where did he make it, what was the history behind the song and most important to me, where did he live?
This is a story of how I just happened to bump into the tree that dropped one of it’s leafs on this man’s shoulder, which in turn, helped him pen the song The Maple Leaf Forever!
When I was young, I recall hearing this song that was often hummed at my grandparents house. I can’t remember much of what it was all about, but I do have fond memories of it. Ones that made me feel comfortable, relaxed and that gave me a sense of being at home.
Later on in life, I heard this song being played in an instrumental version mostly on history/documentary shows. It was even played at a Toronto Maple Leafs game in the glorious Maple Leaf Gardens! If memory serves me correctly, there were no words that ever accompanied it.
Then a couple of years ago while going to a local gardening shop with my wife in the Greenwood and Queen St. E. part of town, we found no street parking nearby our local gardening center, damn! So I had to look for a place to park on one of the side streets. When I finally found a spot, I got out and across the street there was a small house, with people walking in and out of this tiny, but quaint little it home. After closer inspection, I noticed a City Historical Plaque out in front of it, attached to this majestic Maple Leaf tree on front lawn. Upon going over to see it, I thought to myself, hey why not, let’s check it out!
The Plaque that was on the Tree
Alexander Muir
1830 -1906
Principal of nearby Leslieville Public School who was inspired to write Canada’s national song “The Maple Leaf Forever” by the falling leaves of this sturdy maple tree.
Erected by
The Orange Lodge of British America
So now I found myself inside doing a small tour of this home and reading some of the literature that was there. It basically was about Alexander Muir and this song called The Maple Lead Forever.
At first I didn’t connect this song that was playing through a small stereo in the parlor, with the memory of that song that I had listened to as a kid. It all of a sudden hit me that, this was the home, that had THE TREE that dropped one of it’s leafs, onto the man, who had created Canada’s unofficial second national Anthem called The Maple Leaf Forever, huh! Imagine that, someone else who lived in my neighbourhood that was part of Canadian Musical History! The eastern part of the city of Toronto, especially East York, really ROCKS!
After realizing that I had left my wife at the garden store now for quite some time now, I quickly picked up as many brochures as I could and off I went.
Keep on Jammin’ in the east End!
Just in time for celebrating for the much anticipated inauguration of Barack Obama, here’s to our American neighbors and their next president!
Keep on Jammin’ Barack!
This is one of the best of the British Progressive Rock band that brings back the best from my memories of the 1980’s music scene.
The band had everything going for it. Great vocals, musicians and most importantly the music itself!
When ever I hear any of their fantastic compositions, I love all the memorable moments that I associate with them!
I never had the honour of playing this style of music with my old band Pylis but if I could turn back the hands of time, Same Old Song would be the one I would have played with them. This is the best in my mind. Which one is yours.
Keep on Jammin’
In some peoples eyes, Vinyl is a far superior musical medium then CD’s, period! I for one am one of those who do subscribe to this point of view. Being a musician, quality should always come first. Sure, CD’s might be easier to carrying around or they might be simpler to exchange from one user to another, but are they really better sounding then vinyl?
I got the idea for this post from another almost extinct form of communication – the newspaper. It was from an article in The Toronto Star in the Entertainment section called Have you Heard?. I’ve see this topic being thrown around in the media almost weekly now. Are people honestly trying to revive this former superior sound medium, vinyl, or are they just filling out space on a page?
It gets me thinking about vinyl’s more and more every time I see the word “Vinyl”. Am I the only one who has this effect when seen in print? Upon seeing this word, I can’t help but reminisce about going to a buddy’s home when I was younger with my favorite vinyl albums under my arm. It not only brings back great memories, but it makes me yearn for THAT GREAT SOUND! Do you know what I mean?
Going to Ken’s place, and putting on some YES on his impeccable turntable was the best! The control knobs were in the middle position, yet the sound, no matter what the album was on the turntable, was always incredible! I think he always used a “concord” stylus/cartridge on his table. He also had this Phase Linear TUBE amp that COULD NOT BE BEAT! As for his speakers, I think they were basically Cerwin Vega.
Our collection of vinyl is fairly modest, in comparison to some collectors out there. It covers many genre’s of music as well as some regional indie bands and the odd one hit wonder. Most are in good condition, but they are constantly calling out my name for attention! The stereo we have is an old Akai Stereo that is solid state, I got rid of my tube stereo ages ago, no room. When I have put on an album, it has a certain resonance in my mind. It just sounds more full and warmer then my CD player!
Our CD stockpile, that I’m looking at now, is quite vast! In our JVC XL-MC222 CD carousel we have 200 alone. We should have picked up that 500 one when we had the chance. The amp is a Panasonic SA TH400, that has this synthetic Quad sound that is not all that bad, but I’ve heard better. We also have a Pioneer DV 563A DVD player that plays SACD’s.
So what is your take on this subject? Do you think vinyl is really making a comeback? Do you still have your old turn table and if so, what is it!
Keep on Jammin’
I hope that your kid doesn’t get the same clarinet that this guy is using, for next years curriculum! I don’t think that he is using the mouth piece … or is he? I wonder if the guy behind him is the official paper turner?
Keep on Jammin’
Well hello there everybody, Happy New Years!
My wife, our little black lab Midnight and I just hung out at home on this past New Year’s Eve and just watched some of the many celebrations from the warmth of our couch! I wonder what BIG Jon was doing that night?
We just sat back and watched one of the local New Year’s bashes that was on City TV. They were broadcasting from the fabulous Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto, but as usual, it sucked! The line up, according to their website, was pathetic to us and not all that entertaining, just as in recent years of their covering this event. Why can’t they make their show Canada’s Premier New Years Eve event? How come great bands never play this show?
So later on we changed the channel to the Niagara Falls New Years Party, held at Queen Victoria Park and as usual, it was fabulous! It’s the kind of show that would be great for anyone of all ages to see. I guess 30,000 attendees can’t be too wrong? This is the type of quality event that City TV should be holding in Toronto.
The Niagara Falls opening act was none other then Roger Hodgson, former co-founder and singer for SuperTramp. His show that night was worth going to see, even if it was only him on the bill. He did his show in a unplugged format, along with this multi-talented musician who was the perfect fit for Roger. His set list was like going back to Supertramp’s hey day!
Then came this indie band called Justin Hines. The guys style had this real familiar and comforting feel to it, we really liked it. Even Midnight stopped what she was doing at times to listen to this guy!
After the big count down came Canada’s Kim Mitchell! He was the founder of Max Webster and his playing style is a pleasure to behold!
I realize this post is a little bit late, but I’m still recovering from such a great show and the holidays!
Happy New Year everyone!