"The Barking Eye"

First, what is Prog Rock?  Well, it's short for "progressive rock" and quite simply it's music that in most cases incorporates songs with odd time signatures, technical structures with many parts, extended lyrical story lines, extended instrumentation just for starters.  Of course, that is not always the case and there are prog songs that are short.  Some prog rock music is based on concepts like for example Rush's 2112, or Queensryches Operation Mind Crimes.  Bands that you may or may not know as prog rock are "Yes, Rush, Saga, The Jelly Jam, Platypus, Marillion, Dream Theater and many more.  My favourite band Porcupine Tree has introduced prog rock to a new generation and is amazingly popular at this point in time.

So, what does the Sault have to offer in prog rock music?  Well, to be quite honest, not much, HOWEVER, there are a few bands that have ventured into the prog rock arena locally.  Recently I came across the band  "Machines Dream" that will be making their live debut November 27 at Lop Lops. The members of this band are as follows, Keith Conway: Guitar, Vocals, Ken Coulter: Drums Brian Holmes: Keyboards, Bass, Craig West: Bass, Guitar, Vocals.  Machines Dream has invaded Facebook and here is a bio snippet from their site.

 "Three of the four members had played together before, in 2008 at a one-off Christmas show, performing a bunch of covers by bands such as Roxy Music, Pink Floyd, Gary Numan, and others.

In early 2009, bass player and vocalist, Craig West recruited the other band members to work on a nice little solo album.
Craig, along with drummer Ken Coulter, keyboard player and bassist Brian Holmes, and guitarist Keith Conway began free-jamming, writing material together, and having a rather fun time in doing so. They put out an EP as Craig West Band. But it wasn't prog enough!  So screw the solo album! They renamed the band 'Machines Dream', feeling that it reflected both their sound, and their collaborative process. The group perform songs they have written, in addition to dedicating time in each performance for pure improv, creating new prog as they go."

On their Facebook site they have a song preview for a song called "Mad For All Seasons" from what appears to be an EP they have set to release.  The problem folks is that Facebook does not allow linking to videos and some music audio files you post on it so promoting these types of media are useless with Facebook.  So, I can't post a preview of the song here.  I have sent a message to one of the band members about a possible link to the song from another source.  With that said, always consider the option like Youtube for video and audio in addition to Facebook or better yet, just use MySpace for your bands main page.  It allows everything to be linked.   The song posted is quite good and the sound is also on the money.  Style wise, there is a flavour of Porcupine Tree but only a taste.  They have PT as an influence which is how I became interested in this local band.  Here's a link to their Facebook page but if you're not a member, you won't be able to view much.  Actually, there isn't much to see on their site yet anyways. Facebook is very limited at this point in time.  http://www.machinesdream.com/
Another prog rock band is the duo of Mike Cliffe and yours truly, ME!  I won't go into a long bio of the band but I will simply say that Mike and I have a common love for technical music and we always like thinking outside the box of mainstream music.   Our song "Dog's Breakfast" (preview video below) has odd time signatures and a little over the top musical expression with a little edge thrown in for good measure.  Cliff and I and a few others will be involved in a project in the near future that involves a Disney connection. ;-)  No details yet but when things are set to go, you can be sure I'll post about it here.   In the meantime, Mike and I have another song called "Evil Tuba" that will be released to the public soon.  As always, free for your hearing consumption.

For me progressive rock, jazz and jazz fusion have always influenced my own playing and musical tastes. I will be honest in saying that basic rock, metal and country, although enjoyable to listen to, is not what I want to do creativity wise or playing wise on drums.  It bores me in a lot of ways.  Prog rock stretches your imagination and most of this type of music has a depth that modern radio friendly music just doesn't have.  My own solo music also has a prog vibe to it just because it's what I grew up listening to.  It kind of gets in your blood. :-)  When writing prog music the challenge is merging the parts to make it sound smooth and somewhat seemless.  Progressive rock kinda died in the late 70's because some bands just started to stick whatever parts they could together to make these epic songs
and it just failed.   The idea of prog rock in my opinion is to take you on a journey but there has to be some type of depth.  In my own case, I like to throw a little humour in for good measure.


My own songs "The Drones" has that sarcastic humour.  An instrumental tune I wrote called "Crab Apple Orchard" was also written with prog intent.

    Mike Cliffe & Glen Thomas - Dog's Breakfast (Video)



I'm just touching the surface of the local progressive rock underground scene.  If you have any info on prog rock bands hiding in Sault Ste. Marie, drop me a line.  I'd love to hear about you and your music.

Yes kids, we have yet another installment of the "Attack of the Garage Bands" series. The purpose of this topic is to touch base with local bands that do their own home recording and the tools of the trade they use. It also gives people a chance to hear music from local musicians and support their efforts.

"Riverin" is a two piece band featuring Matt Hicks and Matthew
Clement. Matt and Matthew record their music in their own basement recording studio known as "QuarterTone Studios". The music of Riverin is what I call experimental but you can definitely hear influences of Nine Inch Nails in their songs. The production on their music is quite good and we will discuss what they used to obtain this quality along with their writing process for their material.

After a few messages back and foth between the band, here is what the band uses for gear but also the procedure they use to create their unique brand of music.

Matthew: "Well Matt and I both write the music. We start with an idea (either big or small and on any instrument we use) and just keep bouncing other ideas back and forth until we have a song.
     As for gear in the studio, we use M-Audio BX5a Deluxe monitors, M-Audio Keyrig 49 MIDI Controller, M-Audio Fast Track MKII Audio Interface, Apex usb mic (soon to be replaced with the M-Audio Lunna II), Sony MDR-V150 Studio Monitor Series Headphones, Epiphone SG Special, Fender Squire P-Bass, Fender Squire Strat, Rotosound strings, and Ernie Ball Super Slinkies. Westbury 5 piece (Matt's drums), with Sabian B8s (14" hats, 14 & 16" crashes, 10" splash, 20" ride, 18" china, and an Ice Bell). With the hardware in my studio (QuarterTone Studios), I use a 2.6GHz processor, 160 gig 17" iMac with 3 gig memory, and a 13" MacBook Pro with 160 gig hard drive, 2.53 GHz processor,an 4 gigs of memory as a mobile studio. For software I use Apple's Logic Pro 8 Studio on both Macs. I also use FXpansion BFD2. First thing we do when recording, are the drums, then guitars in that order. I have been using BFD2 a lot recently because of the different plug-ins available instead of Logic. After that Matt and I go through our other tracks, consisting of bass, piano, synths, and strings. We spend the majority of our time working on synths, and keys coming up with as many different textures as we can. Then the very last thing we record, is vocals. I do my mixing, adding of plug ins and other effects. Then I go to WaveBurner (a part of Logic Studio) and do the mastering."

The guys tell me they are looking to expand to a full basement recording studio in the near future.  This is always a good thing since it gives you full control over bigger and better projects.  Many bands are investing in their own studios and registering their own personal "Indie" record labels.  I know in my own case, my label is "Barking Eye Productions" but their are other local ones like "Murderous Butterfly Music" and Wishtunes.  The new breed of garage bands want full control and that goes from the writing and recording right down to doing their own graphics and promotions.  That's what makes the garage band scene so great in my opinion.  These musicians achieve full creative control and their music actually gets noticed.

Here is a short bio of the band Riverin:

Formed in 2009, in Sault Ste. Marie Ontario, Riverin consists of two former members of Dirty Virgin. Matt Clement and Matt Hicks met in 2006 when Hicks joined Dirty Virgin. After
a few years off and on with Dirty Virgin, Clement left while Hicks stayed in the band for a
while later. Hicks and Clement remained in contact and decided to start a project together.
They wanted to make an original sound, with an original feel. Putting together elements
from their heroes, Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Motley Crue, Guns and Roses, among
others they formed Riverin. The music contains elements of the standard instruments such as
drums, bass, and guitars and others like piano, synthesizers, orchestral pieces, and other
various instruments that the guys wanted to put together to create an original sound. The
bands EP RIVERIN, which was recorded at Hicks’ QuarterTone Recording Studio in Sault Ste.
Marie, is almost finished, and will be released soon. The band is looking for members to
fill out the roster and get the band on stage.

Please support this local band by visiting their official Myspace Website below.
http://www.myspace.com/riverinonline

Now, for a chance to listen to the "Riverin" brand of music, check it out below.

Blackmeat Powder is a heavy rock metal band based out of Peterborough Ontario Canada featuring
Blain Konkle - Vocals --- Sully McMahon - Bass --- Brad Davidson - Drums --
- Rob Bowler - Lead and Rhythm Guitars --- Paul Tikkanen - Lead and Rhythm Guitars.
(Paul Tikkanen is not in the photo above) 

Here is a brief bio from their website:

"After a failed attempt to resurrect another band and not wanting to lose momentum or the musical bond they had formed, Sully McMahon, Blain Konkle, and Rob Bowler walked away from the project, and started their own band. since that time, they've been recording in rob's apartment, affectionately known as the argyle abyss, losing things, relaxing, drinking beer, and laughing. they started looking for a drummer and finally found one in Brad Davidson, an old friend of the guys. last, but not least, they brought in another guitarist, Paul Tikkanen, to bring the edge to the band, that final piece of the Blackmeat Powder puzzle. hopefully by Christmas 2010 they will stumble thru the empties with the first Blackmeat Powder cd for all to hear!!! "

Paul Tikkanen is a local Saultite that left the city years ago to follow his musical dreams in original music.  He had his own band "Tikkanen" for a number of years and released a very solid debut album with that band.  After that, he was in numerous projects before taking a 13 year hiatus.  He returns in

Here are song samples from the band.  One song is called "Mulletboy"and it reminds me of Rush's "I Think I'm Going Bald".  It's also got a little humour in it which reminds me of the writing style of the band Max Webster. Listen to it and other tunes at the link below.
Music by Blackmeat Powder

Paul and I spent some time in our youth writing music in a band called "Thansis Colle".  At the time, no one wanted to hear original material and I remember doing a gig where we actually had the plug pulled on us because they hated what we were doing but honestly, that band was a highlight to my career and to this day I love the music we created.  Paul is a very talented guitarist and definitely has a style that is unique.  At the time we were together, no one sounded like him and that really got me interested in playing drums in his band. 

Stay tuned for vids of "Blackmeat Powder" as soon as I get them. ;-)

I have a solid installment for Part 2 of the Flashback Attack series brought to you by The Barking Eye Blog.   One of the most talented musicians locally in the past few decades has been bass player Tim Harrington.  Most these days may have heard his name but have no idea of what Tim has done.  I'll give you just a brief history.  Locally, Tim became well known as the the bass player for the band "Riggy Zomba" that featured local singer Dale Corcoran, guitarist Chris Lloyd, keyboardist Howard Bertolo and drummer Augustino DeMartinis.  This band would later become the well known touring act Vandl with a few member changes along the way.  Tim would later play bass for Lee Aaron, Aldo Nova, The Works and a band that should have made it but didn't called "Wall of Silence".  

"Wall of Silence" put out one album called "Shock to the System".  The album is quite good and production is killer but unfortunately it was released in the doom year 1992 when grunge rock sent many melodic rock bands to their early graves.   "Wall of Silence" was one of them.  The album is worth a listen if you can find it but today is your lucky day because some sweet lovable music lover has posted most of the album on Youtube so sit back and enjoy a few tracks from the album that includes the solid bass playing of local artist Tim Harrington.   Other band members include Brian Malone lead vocals, Jim Huff guitar, Stuart Zaltz keyboards and Scott Lucas drums.

As a special bonus for all those doubting the old Freq about Tim being with Aldo Nova, I've added 2 videos that include not only one local Sault musician named Tim Harrington but a second local talent in videos with Aldo Nova.  The other being keyboardist Howard Bertolo who played with Tim in the band the Works and Vandl. Now if that wasn't enough I've added some ultra rare 1991 live footage of an Aldo Nova show featuring Tim Harrington along with Phil X. 

Here is the track listing for the Wall of Silence Album - "Shock to the System"

1. Shock to the System

2. Edge of a Heartbreak
3. It's Only Love
4. Last Nite
5. Blood Is Thicker Than Water
6. Addicted
7. Prove Your Love
8. Skin and Bones
9. Stop the Rain
10. Nobody's Hero

And now, a few songs for your listening pleasure.

Wall of Silence - Shock To the System



Wall of Silence - Addicted





Aldo Nova - Medicine Man



Aldo Nova - Blood On The Bricks




LIVE FOOTAGE of Aldo Nova with Tim Harrington and Phil X on guitar 1991
"Fantasy"

The first batch of videos are from the local band called "Cherry Crush"  featuring musicians;
Taryn Bugyra - Vocals
Jules Cote - Vocals, Guitar
John Amendola - Bass, Vocals
Justin Marandola - Drums


  The band has more of a dance music style than a rock one which is what I thought they were going to be but none the less, the band is good.  I'm sure they'll be quite popular once they have a few more gigs under their belts.   Here is a taste of the band via videos from their Youtube group.  The vids really show how strong Cherry Crush is vocally with Jules and Taryn sharing lead.

Cherry Crush Youtube Videos



   Next, we have a new video by Sonny Boy Mick.  Sonny Boy Mick is local singer/ guitarist and former Saultite, Steve McPhail.  The song is called "Nobody's Better Than You" and it can be viewed at this link. "Nobody's Better Than You Video".  The song and video are well produced and the music has a very folk rock flavour to it.   I did a write up on Steve a while back so you might want to check the archives on the Barking Eye for that.




From Sault Ste. Marie Michigan we have a few live videos from the band "The Hixx" featuring the merging of members of the old band "Mama's Boys" and "Hogan's Goat".   The band plays classic rock with a taste of country thrown in.   Local guitar great and owner of Grooves Music, Gary Hatch plays lead guitar in this band and some lead vocals on the second video. The band has been playing steady over the river.   Check out a video of "the Hixx" doing the Cars song "Let's Go" here >>   "The Hixx - Let's Go Video" and also the band doing the classic C.C.R song "Born on a Bayou"



Last, we have a video by Mike Cliffe, local guitarist and songwriter. This is a video Mike created for the song "Dog's Breakfast" that he and I recorded a little while ago.   The song is an instrumental experimental tune in the style of 70's Prog rock.  View the video at this link.
Dog's Breakfast Video by Mike Cliffe



Enjoy!

Glen "The Freq"

Local singer/ musician Dale Corcoran, who now lives in the U.K. has a new project in the works and it is called "There Were Four".   This is a Beatles Tribute act but one that showcases the Beatles solo work and also a renunion that never happened to the real band.  "There Were Four" are currently rehearsing and recording demos for their promotional ads and will hopefully be touring soon.  The band apears to be managed and promoted by Accent Entertainment based out of the United Kingdom.

The lineup of the band is as follows:


Shaun Friedrich as John Lennon

Peace and Love


From The Cast of "There Were Four"
 
I've heard a few of their demos that are posted on their Facebook page and they sound pretty good and Beatle-ish.  Hopefully the will have a complete website done soon with video and audio samples.   The samples available on their Facebook site cannot be linked to this site so for now, you all have to suffer to hear them OR you can become a fan on their site and get a taste. :-)
 
Glen "the Freq".

As one of CD Plus's employees Darren put it, "it's the end of an era".   After serving our local Soo community for well over 10 years, the franchise known as CD Plus has closed it's doors in good ole Sault Ste. Marie along with other communities, leaving all us fans of rare and obscure music and movies to fend for themselves.  Some may not remember the excellent CD shop known as Mr. Disc back in it's day but they were with owner Todd Gordon, the leading CD establishment specializing in getting the public rare material to sink their teeth into.  I LOVED that store but with the internet, piracy and used CD's selling so cheaply, Mr. Disc closed it's doors some years ago.  To fill that huge void, CD Plus made it's appearance in 2 locations locally but was later merged to the Cambrian Mall location as a single outlet.  Jake and the great staff there were the best and my own experiences with the staff and the material they could get for me were nothing shy of excellent.  I think Jake spent more time researching rare music and movies at home than he did at work so he could be on top of the game when dealing with customers at work.   You got to know the staff so well that in my own case,  they knew my tastes and any new release by artists I loved were already ordered and sitting there waiting for me.  It felt like I was on cruise control. They also promoted my own bands by letting us sell our CD's through their shop and put up posters.   My biggest enjoyment was buying old monster movies from them as Jake was on top of classic horror, sci fi and monster films.   All that is gone now, leaving us huge music and movie collectors like myself to deal with crappy square box jungles like Walmart where you can't special order anything but worse, nothing underground in the way of music is presented.   I can only say that I am stunned by CD Plus pulling the plug on our local store and wish Jake and staff the best.  Many thanks to all of them for feeding our addictions with truly rare media.  I've not talked to Jake yet but I hope that maybe, just maybe, a new independent CD and DVD joint might arise from one of these employees.  You just never know.  We can dream can't we? :-) Until then, thanks for all the great service, friendships, movies and music.   Best of luck to all of you.

Glen "the Freq".

  It's been almost a year easy since I recorded drum tracks for Wishbone's second album which was supposedly called "St. Misery".   I've heard it may have changed and I've also heard that they're recording Wishbone 3 and abandoning Wishbone 2.  These are rumours of course.  The fact is that it took me a lot of effort to get a copy of the album the band and I worked hard on and recorded.  I also recorded their first album plus did all the graphic work for it, their website and tons of other promotional things.  Like many bands, we had a bad divorce and getting a "deserved" copy of  Wishbone 2 was not happening even though I had easily earned it.   So through my own connections I finally got a copy.  I present you 5 songs from the 12 song album that if the band does get their shit together and release it properly like the first album, it will be worth a listen.   Personally, I'm proud of the material and how it turned out and the band played a lot better on this offering than the first.  So here's a taste of the long awaited Wishbone 2 album which at the time I recorded it, was called "St. Misery".


The Messenger by Wishbone

Johnny Fisco by Wishbone

Race For Time by Wishbone

Devil's Dancing Shoes by Wishbone

Highwire by Wishbone

Enjoy!!

Glen "the Freq"

Yes, if you haven't noticed already, I enjoy digging into the archives of our local music history and presenting many artists that most have not heard of, or haven't heard of in a long time.  I decided to create this section of the Barking Eye blog to showcase those long forgotten musicians who helped develop the local Sault music scene.  Please pass this page on to your friends as we reflect on
some very talented individuals who continue to  write, record and perform music.

First on the list is guitarist, singer, songwriter Steve McPhail.  It's been a long time since Steve has played the local music scene but there was a time his band Edison Slave, or Bedrock were common names throughout the local scene.   Edison Slave enjoyed a long loyal following here and I'm sure most fans miss them.   Steve hit the road with Bedrock but it wasn't too long after he was in the band "Total Stranger" with musicians from outside of the Sault.  Total Stranger went on to record 4 albums and toured throughout Canada.  I was lucky enough to see "Total Stranger" on 3 or 4 passes through the Sault on their tours.  Now a days, Steve plays in the band "Sonny Boy Nik" (http://www.myspace.com/sbmmusic).   The song I present today is from the first self titled "Total Stranger" album.  The track is called "Things You're Missing".  It was released around 1985 if memory serves me correctly.  Steve sings lead vocal and plays guitar on this song.


"Total Stranger-Things You're Missing"


Second, we have Frank Rodi, an extremely gifted guitar player who still has many fans around the Sault.  Frank is also a solid vocalist and song writer but it's his guitar playing that got people's attention.  Frank played in numerous local bands in the late 70's and 80's but he eventually found songwriting and original material to be his main focus.  The Frank Rodi Project was basically Frank, his material and a selection of guest musicians who helped him create and record his music.   How do I know this?  Well that's easy. I was the drummer on 2 of Frank's first recordings with the "Project".   2 songs were done during the first sessions.  One called "Jimmy" and the one I showcase today on this first Flashback Attack installment.  This song is called "Candy".   These 2 songs are more commercial sounding as Frank was shooting for a Journey/ Boston flavour at the time.   The musicians on this recording are as follows:  Frank Rodi - guitar and lead vocals, Gigi Micelli on backing vocals however he sings lead on the song called "Jimmy".  Both have similar voices. Bass duties were Dama Chandamo, keyboards Tony Bafone (I'm not quite sure on his name) and me, Glen Thomas on drums.  We rehearsed the 2 songs in my basment one night and recorded the next day at the now defunct Satelite Sound Studios.  All I can say is that is was a lot of fun.  The last local band Frank was part of before moving away from the Sault was called "Holy Diver".  Frank still records today and you can visit his website at (http://www.myspace.com/rodiproject).  Here now, is the song "Candy" by the Frank Rodi Project.  Time frame on this tune eludes me but I'll say late 80's early 90's.


"Frank Rodi Project - Candy"


Now for a really rare treat.  Third, we have local vocalist Paul Pozzebon.   Paul back in the 80's was one of the Sault's finest rock singers.  Paul was hired into a later version of my band Driver and we took 2nd place in a battle of the bands at the Back Door bar many years ago.  We were the only Canadian band in the show.  From there, Paul and I connected again in a band called "Hostage" and we recorded a song called "Too Much".   That song is rare but not as rare as the one I present today.  Paul was always busy writing and recording  and I just happened to find this ultra rare recording of his song called "In the City".  Guest musicians on this recording are not known to me.  It's been too long and there is no references to go off of.   It does sound like Frank Rodi on guitar but that's a guess.  It is Paul singing on the track.  He is the one that gave me this song almost 2 decades ago.   Paul was right into Judas Priest at the time and you can hear a little of that influence in this song.  After the band "Hostage" folded, Paul just vanished and I have no clue where he went.  He seemed to have dropped from the music scene altogether.  I will say honestly that probably only a handful of this recording exists today so enjoy one of the Sault's finest rock singers, Paul Pozzebon and his song "In the City" here on the Barking Eye's Flashback Attack.

"Paul Pozzebon - In the City"


I hope you enjoyed the first addition of this series.  Stay tuned as there are more rare tunes coming soon.

Glen "the Freq"

     Over the past few months local guitarist/ song writer Mike Cliffe and I have been working on music material that we are releasing at random for anyone who cares to listen to it. Mike and I have mutual friends but oddly have never met. Our music creations together happen purely through the internet.  If Mike has an idea, he sends it to me and I add parts or if I have a suggestion, he retools the idea.  It's been a fun experience.  We use similar software that allows us to exchange sound files which we place in our own specific software. It sounds more complicated than it is.  The result is the ability to create music with other people without ever leaving your own house or moving one tiny bit of gear.  I LOVE IT.   Mike and I have musical tastes that are what I'd like to call "out of the box". This simply means, it's not your normal sounding music.  Mike and I have a common theme in our individual original music that requires a listener to be open minded as this "stuff" is not always like the warm  fuzzy music you hear every day on the radio.  It is what you might call "abstract art".  We have done a few songs together with more in the works and we've also included another online artist "Karin Beckerus" for vocals and keyboards on a song called "Bad Regime". Karin has written tons of material and also enjoys collaborations with other musicians.

Our newest song is called "Dog's Breakfast" and features Mike Cliffe on guitar and guitar synths and me, Glen Thomas on drums, bass and keyboards.   The song is based on an idea by me for a prog rock song with an old 70's flavour.  We wanted some odd time signatures in it and some tempo changes.  A lot of prog rock songs back then sounded like a bunch of short stories tied together to make one giant song.  This is kind of that idea but squashed into a 4 minute song.   The guitar riffs are Mike's creative edge as I suggested he try and come up with some tight machine type rhythms for a certain part. Mike spends a lot of time writing so he can come with an idea in the blink of an eye.  It's uncanny. :-)  We attained the machine type rhythm by having the drums and bass follow the guitar riff for each picking part Mike did.  Sure, we could have made it even tighter like todays "perfect" sounding music but honestly, we wanted to attain some realism here. ;-)   To soften the edge just a bit but add some growl, I played keyboards over top of this part using some great Native Instruments software that produces one of the best sounding Leslie "Deep Purple" like organ sounds you can buy without dropping thousands of bucks on a real one. |O|   Mike added some underlying guitar synth sounds in the background to help blend the parts together and again, give it the 70's prog rock feel and sound.  Neither Mike or I know how the finished product is going to sound as we put it together.. We just send ideas back and forth and see if they work.  We add and subtract parts and see what clicks or for the most part, sounds interesting together. ;-)

We hope you enjoy the music we create and we do understand if you don't "get" what we're doing.  Creating this music is just a lot of "brain candy fun" for Mike and I and if it's not your cup of tea, that's totally fine.  Most music in the progressive rock style has to find it's audience and it's not always easy.  If you like what we're doing, let us know as there will be more music coming soon.

Here is the link to our 2 latest songs.

Dog's Breakfast - Mike Cliffe & Glen Thomas
http://www.reverbnation.com/tunepak/2897543

Bad Regime - Mike Cliffe, Karin Beckerus & Glen Thomas
http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_4671010

Ok.  This is a bit confusing but from what I understand, this particular tribute band is called "The Beatles Experience" and the tour is called "Beatlemania on Tour".  Not to be confused with the actual Tribute act "Beatlemania" that played here last winter.  I think I have this correct.  There are soooo many Beatles Tribute acts out there and I've listened to quite a few and I'll say that some are just bad.   The original "Beatlemania" was great but that branched out into a franchise with numerous bands of the same name, touring the world.  I saw the original which is by far the best.  Another good one is "Rain" which again has a long time history of a top quality show.   The band that's coming here in September is ok.  Not the best.  Their videos on their site don't do them justice but if you like the Beatles and their music then September 15  at the Kiwanis Theatre at 8 p.m. in Sault Ste. Marie is for you.  Tickets are $39-59.   I love the Beatles so I'll probably venture out to this show. 
You can visit the the bands website here.  http://www.thebeatlesexperience.net/   I always hope Tribute acts "look and sound" like the originals but lately, most have given up looking like them.  Kinda sucks really ;-)
The one thing that is cool is that this Paul McCartney plays a left handed bass like the original Paul.  That is rare.   See ya there


Freq :-)

         Born in the heart of the great Lakes, Sault Ste. Marie Ontario Canada where he resides with his son Noah. Errol Monchka has made a career illustrating commercial illustration. Being able to create an array of styles, this talent has been a great asset to corp. art directors. Being able to illustrate extreme photo realism to powerful graphics, there is no end to the direction Errol has been able to enter. When assignments slow down, you can usually find Errol working on some amazing self promotional work. Presently Errol has been working on illustrations for Play Station and has raised the bar for digital creations.  Errol states, "I believe artists should constantly challenge themselves to create better work every piece they create." "Don't be afraid to push the limit of your skills." Errol is always willing to correspond with fellow artists to discuss everything from airbrushing, digital art, to marketing. Feel free to contact Errol anytime.

Errol's work has been viewed by many local Sault folks as they pass the Wardlaw gas station on Wellington Street West.   The entire building was airbrushed years ago.  Before that, he airbrushed the interior of the old Eastgate bar in florescent coloured murals that stood out with the aid of black lighting.  His paintings took up entire walls in the bar.  His most famous piece is one of the Edmund Fitzgerald ship that was lost in a tragic storm. This print can be purchased online ..."HERE".

Errol for a time was involved in airbrushing T-shirts with famous music and film stars as the theme. I saw a few when he first did them and they were stunning.  He recently did  this one of Bon Jovi below.

One of my personal faves of Errol's work is this one below that took Errol nearly 5 years to complete.
 
More local artist showcases are coming soon, so stay tuned.

Glen "the Freq"

Here is another installment of  Barking Eye's "Attack of the Garage Band" series.   This time around, we feature local guitarist/ singer/ songwriter, Tym Morrison.  The focus of this series is to showcase what local musicians use to record their original music which means, the gear, techniques, software, etc.   Tym is a well established local musician who basically crafted his music himself playing all the instruments himself and or programming drum parts or using drum samples.   Here is a run down of what Tym used throughout his recordings.

Tym Morrison:

Local musician Josh Norling had 2 of his saxophones stolen from outside of the Solo Trattoria Restaurant
yesterday.  Please read his personal message posted earlier today on Sootoday.

"To whom it may concern, My name is Josh and I'm a musician. I was performing at a benefit last night at Solo Trattoria, and just before I left the gig my friend's car was broken into and two of my saxophones were stolen. I'm a music major in university and performing with these saxophones is how I make my living. If all the SooToday.com readers could keep a lookout for an LA Sax tenor and soprano saxophone in a Reunion Blues gig gag I would greatly appreciate any information. Also if any pawn brokers, and music stores could keep an eye out for them and notify the authorities. Thank you. I can be reached anytime at 1-705-919-4133, I can also be reached at 759-1556.
Sincerely,
Josh Norling"

Musician theft unfortunately has been a growing problem in the local Sault area and a number of people I know including myself have experienced the horror of having your prized instruments ripped off. Simply put, if a thief wants your stuff badly enough, they will get it and that doesn't matter if it's in a bar, house, car etc.  You can take precautions and yes folks, there is insurance for musicians.  Here are a few things to know.

1.  Be aware that normal household insurance will normally only cover $2500 worth of music gear.  If you want more covered, like myself, you must pay extra for it and it must be on it's own insurance policy.   This only covers gear that normally stays in your house.  If you want to use certain gear on gigs, then you will need insurance that covers your gear on tour.   The world insurance leader for musicians is "Lloyd's of London" (http://www.lloyds.com/).  Even our local Musician's Union has insurance plan info through this firm.   Of course, if you want to play, you've got to pay.  Most insurance for your gear is based on the dollar worth of your gear. For example, for every $100 worth of gear you pay $2.   Serial numbers and descriptions (photos of the actual gear) are all pluses when getting insurance but also for record keeping.  REMEMBER....House insurance will cover your instruments "IF" you get and pay for a separate policy  but the gear can't leave the house.  This is very important.  Car insurance is also tricky as it will only cover so much so you have to be clear with your insurance broker on your intentions.  Bottom line is, you can't replace a good quality instrument as no 2 instruments are alike.   I have insurance policies on my gear and it costs a fair amount but then again, I have quite a bit and most gear just stays at home.   It's best to be safe than sorry. 

2.  Bars and Venues you play will normally "NOT" cover stolen music gear as these businesses have no clue what you own and yes, you could lie about what you have.  I've had friends get their entire stage of gear stolen with no insurance.   They got nothing!!!   Be aware of this ok?   The insurance companies want "proof" of what you own and if you have no proof of your gear, you're up the creek without a paddle.  Create a manifest list of every nut and bolt and serial number of all your gear down to the last wire along with photos and descriptions and present it to your insurance company but also give a copy to your local police.

3. Take tons of photos, copy all serial numbers, write down accurate descriptions of your gear right down to the scratches and dents in your gear.  All this leads to proving ownership of your gear.  If you have no serial numbers on the gear,  get an engraver and create one in a spot not noticeable to the public.  If you have microphones, engrave the inside core of the mic, for guitars, engrave the wood behind the pick guard, for drums, engrave the inside of one lug on each drum.  Try anything to get a serial number on your stuff if there isn't one already but even add one as mentioned just in case.

4.  It is nearly impossible to get music gear back because in most cases, the people that steal it either leave town or keep it in their own house for years or dismantle it and use the parts or  in most cases, sell it off to someone else.  There is some hope as a few people I know have had their gear found and returned.  One found his guitar on Ebay and quickly notified authorities.   One person I know, who had his guitar registered, was called by Toronto police when his guitar was found in a Toronto pawn shop.  Cops always check the pawn shops for stolen gear.   His guitar was returned.

5.  NEVER leave stuff in your car.  You're asking for it to be stolen.  If you leave it in your car, you're advertising it for a quick grab and take.   I've known numerous musicians who have suffered loss from a car break in.   Just don't leave it in a car, it's that simple unless you have someone you know stand there keeping an eye on the car.  When loading your gear up at night, "NEVER" leave your gear moving vehicle unattended.  Always have a spotter.  If you have a Cube Van like me,  back the truck tight up against a wall so as to not give access to the back draw door of the truck if it's full of gear.  If they can't reach the lock, in the center of the door, you're protected.   I have heard of one instance where the thieves used a rolling car jack to jack the back of a cube van up at the back wheels, and roll the truck forward to access the back door of the cube van and steal the gear, but that to me was someone scouting the bar where this band played. Most thieves aren't walking around with a 3 ton car jack. ;-)

6.  For quick one night gigs, have a used instrument that you know you won't miss if it gets stolen.   I always have 2 cheap drumsets I use for gigs I feel might have a potential theft problem.  If you're doing a top gig and you need to use your best gear, don't leave it out of your site or if at least have a spotter.

7.   Never leave small things on stage like mics, capos, harmonicas,  tuners, pedals, cymbals etc.  You're asking for it to be stolen. You must remember thieves come in all shapes and sizes and yes some are employees in the establishments you play. Don't trust "ANYONE"  in a bar. Things can be taken quickly and people you don't know hanging around your stage could be scoping your gear.  Always be observant of strangers near your stage.  When you're not at the bar and your gear is there, you're relying on the employees to keep an eye on your gear but the fact is, they they have their own job to do and they can't watch your stuff 24/7 so there is opportunity for thieves to steal during the day while the business is open and you're not there.

8.  Always file a police report on your stolen gear.  If you don't, you're an idiot and deserve to have your gear ripped off.  After that, check the pawn shops, EBAY,  used antique stores,  local music stores, Customs, online sites that sell gear locally but also talk to people who work at the bar you played in.  Find out if anyone saw someone suspicious.  Yes, even check people you know, ask the question, who do you trust?

9.  Cover your stage gear with black sheets.   This is a simple thing and what it does is hide what you or your
band is playing.   You'd be surprised how much you notice people uncovering big black sheets on a stage then just a person grabbing a guitar pedal.   It's like a giant flag and even bar employees can notice someone moving sheets to get to your gear.   Sounds stupid but it actually works.

It is unfortunate when a friend or fellow musician loses their gear to theft.   We all go into a unity mode and we want to get the persons responsible.  In the case of Josh, the musician experiencing this today, music is his income and definitely a huge part of his life.   Musical instruments are not cheap to replace and musicians become one with the instruments they have developed their craft with.  It's like getting stabbed in the heart.
I've had gear stolen and some of that were cymbals.  My favourite cymbal to be honest and someone in our local community now has it in their possession without my permission. ;-)   It's a horrible experience and not one I'd wish on anyone.


Keep an eye and ear out for Josh's saxophones.    The good thing about this theft is that their aren't many sax players around so if it shows up in pawn shops, music stores etc.,  it will hopefully flag some awareness.

I came across this site a long time ago called "The Sault Music Scene" that features, for the most part, bands that played the old "Zombie -a- Go Go" non alcoholic bar that use to be on Gore Street in good ole Sault Ste. Marie.  This site also features bands that use to play that bar when is was called the Centennial.  Upstairs, there use to be a bowling alley and downstairs was a hall that many many bands played over the years.  I girl named Anita and her sister leased the main floor to start the Zombie - a - Go Go bar which ran for quite a while.  I played there quite a few times with a band called Driver and with a band called Spy vs Spy.  I have nothing but fond memories of the shows there along with the owners..  There is a massive history of local bands that have played within the walls of that old building (said to be haunted ;-) and a lot of it is showcased on the Sault Music Scene's Facebook page.  Over 300 photos of bands and posters of some of the Sault's most interesting music acts are posted on this site.  The site was started by local drummer Don MacDonald who also graced this old establishment.   You can join the Sault Music Scene Facebook page by going ........>"HERE"<   Check it out, you won't be disappointed.  You may just remember some of these old bands. ;-)

Yes, local guitarist/ singer Jules Cote has another band ready to hit the local bar scene.  You may remember Jules from past bands Bangers and Mash, and Johnny Lunchbox.   Advertised as a dance band, Cherry Crush features Taryn Bugyra (vocals), Jules Cote (vocals, guitar) , John Amendola (bass, vocals) and Justin Marandola (drums).  Tayrn was in a band with Jeremey Salatuk (Wishbone) years ago that I believe was called "The Chosen".  Definitely a solid vocalist.   Jules is also a very talented musician and this pairing alone is worth checking out Cherry Crush.   Taryn is the owner of the local bar Foggy Notions so I'm sure their first gig will be there.   They are presently advertising on Facebook so if you want to join the Cherry Crush network of fans, visit the  "Cherry Crush Facebook Page"

For many years since the closing of  Northern Raceways (originally 5th Line Speedway), the rumour of this great stretch of property being a concert ground has been circulating.  Why you ask?  It's easy to understand.  This area is perfect in size for holding concerts plus it's away from the city to cause any noise problems and most of all, it has 2 access roadways to easily funnel traffic in and out.   There are a few snags however.  There are people that live near this track and the noise of stock cars pretty much angered them to the point that when talk of a concert ground surfaced years ago, they went on record as saying NO to any concert ground being built.  There was also a concern of property damage from concert goers.  Another plus if this was to become a concert area is the fact there is a campground just down the road.  It's a KOA campground and it would surely benefit from people camping there from out of town for certain events.  Of course, if you weren't a concert goer, I'm sure the concert volume would discourage you. :-)

Over the years, I have mountain biked back where this old racetrack use to hold weekly events.  I was also there in the hey day of racing at this track.   I submitted photos a few years ago to a Canadian racing publication dealing with "Ghost Race Tracks" around Canada and mentioned that this Northern Raceway track lay asleep, waiting for something to bring it to life again.   Some of those photos are below.   The grand stand is still standing being that it is a metal framing but the wood planking is rotted.  Tons of trees have grown through the grand stands but the drag strip and racing oval still remain.  Putting a huge stage in the middle of the oval with refurbished grand stands and tons of parking area along with room for food venues can easily be seen if you were to walk the area.   It's a gold mine sitting, waiting for development. 

So why has it not been developed?  It's puzzling since there is a lot of industry up in that area including our local city dump.  There are trucking firms up there and for the most part, a handful of residential homes.  Those I do believe are the key to the problem.   I do know since I was a kid, some of those homes have been bought up for businesses so it looks like one by one, houses are disappearing.  Could this be the wait?  When the houses are gone, then a concert ground be built?  I don't know.   It's prime property so almost anything would benefit.   None the less, every summer since the U.S. Castle Farms concert grounds closed, rumours have flown about this Northern Raceway track becoming a concert ground.    I personally think it would be a great thing.   Imagine giant music festivals here?  Headliners?   There's so much room that you could easily get top name acts. 

There are just no definite facts on these concert ground rumours.  This has gone on for decades really and nothing ever happens.  Each season, the trees grow bigger and the grand stands of this old raceway dissolve a little more.     Maybe, something will happen now that we see big name acts are playing our local Essar Center and the need for more space and parking come into affect.    Only time will tell.

Below are photos of the grand stands, track area and parking areas as they now are after years of being forgotten. The grandstands are huge and the old track is a 1/4 of a mile oval.   In the satellite photo from top to bottom is racetrack property.  There is actually more not shown at the bottom of the photo.  Left to right, the track property is about an inch to 2 inches on either side of the oval.  More so on one side than the other.  This is massive property for a concert ground.   Take a ride out there sometime and see what I'm talking about.  The photos don't really give you the total image of the property size.    Just think of the possibilities.. ;-)

Out of all the controversy, canceled shows, battle of the bands and all the hoopla, one photo says it all and it's this one posted on the Rad Zone site. True, there are some great photos from the show and even video of Tuesday night's KISS concert at the Essar Center but to me, this is the photo that tells it all. Local boys "Garden of Bedlam" got to play their dream concert after some tense moments of show cancellations by KISS. After all the bands participating in the contest to win an opening spot for this KISS show, beating out over a dozen bands, there was a time it was all for nothing for Garden of Bedlam when the much hyped KISS show was cancelled, but this past Tuesday, Garden of Bedlam were given their chance as the rescheduled show actually happened. I'm sure there is a lot of envy from the other local bands that participated and lost the chance to open for KISS but I'm sure there will be other chances.

Congrats to Garden of Bedlam on their chance to open for KISS, but also to KISS for keeping their word. ;-)

The Freq

I've decided to preview 6 songs by my cousin's band "Mile Wide Grey".  The band is simply 2 guys enjoying the art of making music without following any rules in song writing.  The band started in the mid 1990's  and proceded to release 2 albums before 2000.   The first album was called "What's True is Changing" and was released in 1996 by the label "10GEV Records".   My cousin Chris and I exchanged CD's at that point as I had just released an album with the band Rainhorses.   It was pretty cool to hear that another family member was into the music thing like myself and we both enjoyed talking about each others album. My cousin Chris and his band mate Brian were playing small clubs in the New York area at the time, doing sets at 3AM in the morning for no money.  The thing is, they loved it and it was never about money.  The band later put out a 2nd album called "Superior" in 1999 with a change in writing style but again with very unique results.  I found that I really enjoyed their music as at times they had a comical slant to their writing.  I just got the impression they didn't want to be taken seriously yet, their song topics always caught my interest.  They did get some cool sounds happening in their recordings and they weren't afraid to experiment with different instruments and sound effects.  2 piece bands don't seem to be as rare these days with bands like the White Stripes or the Black Keys around like they were back in the 90's but that's what my cousin wanted to dol. I will admit, I'm not a fan of watching a 2 piece band live but music wise on recordings, I do enjoy it.

My cousin Chris and his brothers use to come visit my family  from southern Ontario back when I was a kid.  We always had a great time especially out at my uncles camp on Lonely Lake. Chris and his brothers were what you'd call "brainiacs" and very interesting to hang around with.  ;-)   Chris in his youth was a singer in the Saint Michael's Choir which is noted for it's long history and tradition of excellence and high standards in musical achievement.  Let's just say that you don't just walk in and join this choir. ;-) This choir is know around the world. As my cousin got older, he was bitten by the rock music bug, and like many of us, our lives became partially dedicated to creating and playing music.

My cousin Chris and his friend Brian have kept their band "Mile Wide Grey" a slight mystery in that they only use their first names and there are only 2 photos of them.  It's all part of their plan.   In 2008 after a long hiatus, rare tracks appeared at their record labels site for a free download and I was lucky enough to grab them.  No 3rd album was produced for these songs but I have a few of them now, along with a few from the first 2 albums for you to preview.   It's difficult for me to describe their music but I do love it.  Their record company describes their music as follows:

Each and every song is the world short circuiting while driving through the desert.
Each and every song is a love song.
Each and every song is graffiti scrawled by a rabid sophomore in the bathroom at an AC/DC performance.

Here is a review of their 2nd album "Superior".

"Local SLACkers Mile Wide Grey, slap happy apathy rock. Noise pop from THE underground. The Mile Wide Grey is guitar/vox and drums humming w/ plenty o’ reverb particles. Looking-down-a-staircase guitar lines with plenty o’ tasty overdubs. T-shirt and jeans vocals often bolstered by treated background choruses (whispersville on #5, answering machine style on #1,#3,#7) #9 is sad like the HAL-9000 singing “Daisy”#11 is a linear accelerator solo live-mic. Quantum radio activity. -Aunt Bea Factory".

Here is the Mile Wide Grey Discography

 "What's True is Changing" 1996

 Track Listing
1. lardass
2. scratch
3. ffr
4. people I saw once at cbgb
5. Bombastic Interview
6. Green Coat
7. drift drift drift
8. marginal zero

"Superior" 1999

Track Listing
1. S. & the Drone
2. El Dorado
3. Bird!!
4. Bad Aspect Ratio 
5. Cool Now
6. Loose-Fat/Paper Cup
7. The 9:30 Silence
8. Menuet in G
9. Parking Meter, Expired
10. Attention: The Beam is Coming On


Rare "Mile Wide Grey" Tracks were released as a free download. 2008.

Below are 6 songs by my cousin's band  "Mile Wide Grey". 

 

 



 

 Yes it's true.  The movie "Full Moon Lightnin', directed and produced by filmmaker John Gardiner that  documents the journey of the Floyd Lee band featuring local guitarist Joel Poluck, has won best DVD of 2009 in "Living Blues Magazine".  Just so you know how big of a deal this is, Living Blues Magazine has been around since 1970 and has been a leader in blues music journalism.  This is a great accomplishment for Joel and the Floyd Lee Band.    I still find it hard to believe that Joel (from Sault Ste. Marie) started out playing Van Halen and Steve Vai guitar riffs and then throughout his life absorbed so much of the blues music culture.  That to me is true dedication.
Congratulation to all involved with this film.  If you haven't seen it, slap yourself first and then go buy it or rent it.  You won't be disappointed.  Please visit the official website of "Full Moon Lightnin'" ...  >>"HERE"

After a weeks holiday it's time to update what is coming up on The Barking Eye.   First,  I have contacted the bands "The Blackberries" and Greg from "The Billy Bastards" for info about their recording technique for the material they release through their sites.   Hopefully they send me the goods soon ;-)  Also, the long over due showcase of  local singer Dale Corcoran  along with artist/ graphic designer Errol Monchka.   I am still waiting for George from Crank Sound Distribution for time to get an interview happening.  This is his busy season and we'll have something for you when his schedule opens up.

Numerous recent metal music news stories can be read at Rob's  ""Sault Metal Scene"  and for that reason, I won't repeat those stories here.  Sometimes it's unavoidable as a lot of artists in the Sault crossover different styles of music.  There is enough features to satisfy everyone throughout the numerous local forums.

News Breaks and Rumours:

The old Eastgate Bar has been sitting idle for what seems like years and a recent article on Sootoday says the bar has had an offer placed on it.  Rumours are that the building may be a seniors home or something to that effect.  I'm sure if this falls through, the building will be demolished but you never know.   I do believe the city now owns the property because of unpaid taxes.

Rumours have been going around again about the old stock car track on 5th Line possibly being a concert ground.   When this rumour flew 10 years ago, the neighbours pretty much shut that idea down because of the noise factor.  I'm looking into this again and will hopefully find the details if this is just talk or a possible entertainment facility.   When the Castle Farms concert grounds shut down years ago, there was interest in recreating that concert vibe via the stock car property which  now sits vacant. Every few years this rumour surfaces and it would be cool if they did in fact develop this property for entertainment. 

Local Band CD's coming soon.

Wishbone has recorded their 2nd album.  No release date announced yet.  They are currently rehearsing with new drummer T.J. Case.

Garden of Bedlam are also set to release their latest work and will be featured as the opening act for KISS this August.   Having their CD  finished and printed for this show would be a stellar achievement and in my opinion an absolute must for the  recognition and sales.  I hope they can pull it off.  Can you imagine the exposure?  ;-)

That's it for now.

The Freq

Well, here it is folks, the mysterious main stage list of entertainment for this years 2010 Rotaryfest.  I hope it was worth the wait. ;-)  I'm glad that Rotaryfest is continuing with the Jazz in the Park series.  It's good to hear other styles of music and if you're a fan of Dock's jazz night, you'll see a lot of familiar faces Thursday at Rotaryfest.

Friday sees repeat performances by some of the Sault's most popular bands including Mustang Heart who have easily been together for a decade.   This band features the great talents of Marci and and Dama Chindamo on vocals and bass, Adam King on guitar.

Saturday features the debut of Huckster to the main stage who have just released a CD called "Designed for Real Life" along with  Buffalo Alice making their first appearance.  Also Saturday is the Bruce Springsteen Tribute act "Glory Days" featuring hometown musicians Serge Trembley (lead vocal/ guitar) and Paola Erme (drums). 


The Stage
Location: Clergue Park
Thursday July 15, 2010 6:00 PM - 10:30 PM

JAZZ IN THE PARK
6:00 Bob Jenkins Band
7:00 Sault Swing Band
8:30 Jeff Holmes Jazz
9:30 Jazzy Goodtimes

---

The Stage
Friday July 16, 2010 6:00 PM - 11:30 PM

6:00 Obsession
7:00 Brass Tax
8:00 Thin Ice
9:00 Mustang Heart
10:00 That's Chester

---

The Stage
Saturday July 17, 2010 2:00 PM - 11:30 PM

2:00 Huckster
3:00 Cover Fly
4:00 Buffalo Alice
5:00 Spyder's Web
6:00 Catfish Hunter
7:00 Boogie Fever
8:00 Bone Yard
9:00 Glory Days- a tribute to Bruce Springsteen
10:30 Cheesie Smurphy