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Best Canadian band that you never heard

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Well this is a follow-up post from my last one.

Most music lovers in Ontario in the 80’s, were exposed to and grew up with some of the most extraordinary musical talents. But the ones that were

I bet that these guys would have done well for themselves in the European market. Bands of that era especially Saga, which had a huge cult following in Germany, shows that it can be done! Some of them tended to just peter off a bit in their later stages of the European introduction.

I just thought that I would introduce to you all, to an eye opening Canadian talent that changed my view of how to play in a uniquely Canadian way. Some of you I highly recommend you listen to this a couple of times, to really appreciate it. The guys are truly showing us here their advanced interpretations of just how to play their music to us here. Imagine the guys who influenced them!

I would just killed to play this song live with the old Pylis band. Our keyboardist Tony could play anything on those damn black boxes of his! The guy is just way too modest for this world (you got that Tony?).

So without further adieu … Ladies and Gentlemen … FM!!!

Oh, BTW, Nash is the guy in the bandages.

This little ditty is of them during their Gary Neuman period. There is a great hint of Roxy Music and Yes in there to tantalize your musical ear as well.

Keep on Jammin’




The Band is mostly Canadian eh?

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I’ll bet my life that most non-Canadians did not know that THE BAND was made up of mostly Canadians. They hail from the same neck of the woods that I came from. The History of “The Band’s” connection with Ontario is well documented. I am originally from Brantford and it happens to be in the middle of the area from which they all originated. Must be something in the water?

Well to tell you the truth, I didn’t realize this until a couple of years ago.

I had heard stories of one of them, Robbie Robertson being from Canada, but as far as I knew, they were the biggest and best in the world in my opinion, and I figured they must have been from some other place in Canada.

Check it out:

Robbie Robertson, is from Toronto but spent a lot of his younger years in the Six Nations reserve. I use to go there a fare amount and had friends from that area. It’s not far from Brantford.

Rick Danko lived in Simcoe. My family went to the Simcoe Winter Lights Festival regularly. They put on this great Christmas light show near the downtown part. There is great park and it has a small river running through it and the best time to go is when it is snowing heavily! You will think that you are at the North Pole, really great little town.

Richard Manuel is from Stratford. This is quite the quiet town. It’s around the Kitchener-Waterloo (which had it’s name changed from Berlin, during World War II) and is now known for the Stratford Festival. This is a Shakespearean festival that every kid from the southern Ontario area went to see many times throughout their childhood. The theater is a must to see if you enjoy great acting and visual effects.

Garth Hudson, is from London Ontario. My sister lived there for a while and I went there the odd time. Nothing really special about this place, but if I went there more often I probably would have found something.

Who says us Canucks are only good at hockey!

keep on Jammin’

The Grand Old Danforth Music Hall

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The Danforth Music Hall is quite the fixture in my neighbourhood. It’s been around since the 1919 and originally called “Allen’s Danforth theatre”.

It had it’s hey day back when Vaudeville acts where all the rage! It changed it’s concept and purpose a number of times and eventually was called the “Century” but kept it’s distinctive beauty intact.

They’ve just renovated this gem on “The Danforth“, known by the locals, and is fully up and running. They have underwent extensive renovations from top to bottom that reflects it original Grandeur. New state of the art sound/lighting system, new seats that are wider (now that’s worth it weight in gold in itself), updated lobby/washrooms and bar area!

This is the kind of jewel that you pass everyday and say to yourself, ” I gotta get in there some day!”. Well, hopefully I will not have to wait that long.

I just went to their site and found a treasure trove of musical talent that is just screaming out to me to go see! Besides, there is tons of parking and seconds away from the subway.

These are a few of my choices that have caught my eye!

Rick Wakeman, the man is a musical genius and machine when it comes to the keyboard (Tony, you gotta see this guy to believe him)

Stephan Stills, now this is a guy you want to go camping with, imagine the sing songs around the fire! (Stevie my favorite brother-in-law, keep this date open)

Rickie Lee Jones, she would be a nice addition to one of my backyard parties. (Jon, will we see you there?)

Just to name a few! My eyes are on Rick Wakeman.

Their site is easy to navigate plus there are some video’s of the artists in their “Events” section, just in case you want to refresh your memory of who they are.

So if your in my neck of the woods, check out this Grand Old Lady and hope to see you there on Aug. 17th/07 when Mr. Wakeman is playing.

Keep on Jammin’

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.

trangbang.jpg

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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