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Well …

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Ok good readership, it’s time for part II of Chris’s excellent adventure!

The day started off with great excitement! I was going to put plan II into effect.

I had brought my guitar to work to do a little practicing at lunch 1/2 hour before I went off to play in front of Mr. Max himself, Kim Mitchell, at the street level Q-107 booth in downtown Toronto. I was on the hunt for a little quiet jam room to hone my trade.

1st, the theatre (that’s how us Canucks spell it) room, damn it’s locked! Then off to the large conference room on the 4th floor, ah, somebodies in there! With broken heart, Larivee guitar and lunch in hand, I headed off to the old smoking area outside.

PERFECT, nobody there and it was nice and sheltered from the mid afternoon sun, with a little breeze to help unwind. I unlock the unbridled enthusiasm, and guitar out of my case and start jamming! This went on for awhile until I had to return back to work. At this point I said to myself, “bring it on!”.

My great boss Liz in the recovery room (oh lets not forget Jennifer), whom I am sure is reading this now, let me go a bit early that day for my inaugural stumble, I mean graceful leap onto the national radio scene!

I got home, put my tools of battle (or as Arlo Guthrie put it “instruments of destruction” from Alice’s Restaurant) in the car and off I went ready to conquer the world!

Parked the car, took my tools out of the trunk and headed off to the promised land! Got in front of the street level booth with heart and adrenalin just a racing and then … he swiveled around… slowly!

The look on his face was truly as sight to see. With raised eyebrows, he mouthed the words ” I don’t have any tickets left”.

Keep on Jammin’ (or in this case crying!!!)




Part one of trying to win Max Webster Tickets

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Well faithful readers, I am very desperate to get tickets for the super-Canadian Music Event of this millennium!

I decided to go down to Q-107 at the Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Toronto and attempt to obtain some tickets to this cherished show.

I put on my jacket, picked up my guitar and made a sign. I was determined to grovel and beg Kim Mitchel, the D.J. and Mr. Max himself, to give my wife and I tickets to the show!

I finally arrived in front of the street level Q-107 booth with guitar and sign in hand. I just set up my sign, took out my faithful Larrivee L-03 and with Kim Mitchell’s back against the booths window, knocked on the window. He turned around and at first glance he must of thought that I was one of those “more then a little misunderstood” street people.

He then glanced down at my sign and started to laugh! He then started to say, through the glass, “I have no tickets for you.” He then opened a side door and said that the office was now closed, and he said that they should have more on hand”. I then asked him if I could come down this Wednesday and play the song “On the Road” for him and hopefully get some tickets for my effort. He said sure, but said “You would/may have to play it on the air.” I said I’d do anything for tickets.

So please listen for me to be playing LIVE at Q-107 online and click on the “Listen Live” button. I will also try to tape it and put it on another post. Hopefully, if this happens it will be around 6 pm EST.

The pictures should say it all.

Just before I left!

Begging for max webster tickets 3

When I got back from the mighty “Q”

Begging for max webster tickets 2

Keep on Jammin’, cause you never know when you might win some tickets to the original MAX WEBSTER!!!

Oh Damn I wish I wrote that tune, oh hi Kim

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Now this is a song that I wish that I could have played live, back in the day, let alone write it!

Every single time I hear this song on Q-107 or on my CD home/car stereo, my mind conjures up these feelings as a young impressionable guitar player back in Brantford.

I was being influenced by jazz and free jazz that allowed my mind wonder off into another realm. You know how they say that classical music lets your mind work on different levels simultaneously, Max Webster‘s unique arrangements, work in this fashion as well.

So here’s to Max Webster!

BTW, if you are part of the Max Webster never have seen them live club , PLEASE go out and see them for probably the very last time this Thursday, May 24, at the Docks. This is a Q-107 30th Anniversary Event. Honestly, do your Rockin’ Roll Canadian Duty!

Keep on Jammin’

Calling all Hosers, Take off, eh!

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Note: please play the bottom youtube thingy then start reading the letters, I mean words eh, you hosers.

Oh my God they’re back again! Bob & Doug are having a Two-Four Anniversary coming up this May two-four(when else eh?) on CBC and this is to be the final one, once and for all!

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Check out the SCTV site and the Maclean’s article about these guys! PLEASE read the whole Maclean’s one, it is the best of them all!

These guys were HUGE in the 80’s. I remember when they came back to Toronto one time and the cops had to close down the Don Valley Parkway(DVP) for a while! The reason, thousands of well-liquored fans staged an impromptu parade up and down it! Only in Canada, eh?

The song, that I whistled at the Hospital while moving patients around the Surgical floor’s, was one that brings back fabulous memories from my childhood. You know, some of the patients that were on Morphine sang along doing the “koo, oo, oo,oo, koo, oo, oo,oo!” part and it was a BLAST! I even recall figuring out the piano parts and attempting the song live at High School, damn that Geddy Lee and his 10 octave voice!

Does anyone have a close encounter of the hoser kind out there that would love to share with us? If so, you nappy-headed hosers, get those fingers moving right now, eh?

Keep on Jammin’

BTW the wife has a post about Canadian culture and a bit about Bob and Doug too. Check it out.

The girl in the picture

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The girl in the picture is named Kim Phuc. This picture is the one that has haunted my childhood memories.

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The first time I saw it on TV, I was with my parents and I was stopped dead in my tracks. I recall asking them what these kids were running from and they told me that during the Vietnam war the V.N.A.F. (Vietnamese National Air Force) accidentally bombed a village called “Trang Bang” which was 25 miles west of the capital city of Saigon, with Napalm.

I couldn’t get it out of my mind then, and it still conjures up those same emotions even when viewing it after all these years.

I have just found out that she lived literally down the street that we live on, about 3 blocks away. She even gave birth to her 2 children at the hospital that we both work at. I never in my wildest dreams, thought that I would one day have even the smallest connection with this person.

Kim Phuc also has a great non-profit Foundation for children who are victims of war. She has a great Canadian connection and now identity that makes me proud to be Canadian.

This event, that unfolded right in front of our eyes, is one that I can remember where I was when I first was first exposed to it, how about you?

Keep on Jammin’

This is a Video of what happened to her on that horrific day.

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