UPCOMING SHOWS: Sunday, February 18th at the Gaslight in Toronto.

As a solo artist I perform under my name, Alex Leggett. I’m also lead singer in a new group called Campground. GENRE

My solo project is in the style of folk and Americana. The music of Campground is more alternative/indie rock. WHERE’D YOU GET YOUR START

I’ve been writing and performing solo for about 14 years. My career has taken me through many different bands and projects, but the solo acoustic stuff was always a primary focus. I was inspired by lots of different artists from a young age so when I started playing guitar it just seemed natural to start writing as well.

Campground has been performing as a band for about 2 years. Mitch Cawley, who plays bass, is from my hometown of Gananoque. We’ve know each other for over 15 years and have jammed on and off for a long time. I met Charlie Cohen, who plays drums, while attending Harris Institute in Toronto. We were both enrolled in the Recording Arts Management program and just hit it off. He’s my favourite person from Newfoundland.

I met Emily Conchie, who sings and plays violin in the group, through Mitch about 6 or 7 years ago. Emily and I played a show together at the Mansion in Kingston, ON and I thought she was great. Neither of us had any idea we’d be in a band together years later. We initially formed the band as a way to provide backing to some songs I had written, but quickly turned into our own outfit writing together. WHO PLAYS WHO (YOUR INSTRUMENT)

My favourite instrument is my acoustic guitar. I don’t leave my house for too long without it. It’s my muse and my way of writing. Combined with some words and melody, my acoustic guitar can be incredibly cathartic. YOUR FIRST INCLINATION TOWARDS THE GREAT ART

I took lessons when I was 11 years old. That lasted a few months before I grew tired of it and wanted to watch more television and read comic books. I turned back to the guitar when I was 14 and in need of some guidance, something I could identify with. It was rotting in the corner and I decided one day that I would take a serious crack at it. I haven’t looked back since. STORIES FROM THE ROAD

I’ve played everywhere! Haha. Not quite everywhere yet, but really any place that’ll have me.

I’ve toured across Canada a few times, performed in Turks and Caicos for a month, small gigs in the UK and the USA. My favourite venues are usually in small towns in rural Canada. Cafes and pubs where the music is appreciated and the people are honest about what they don’t like and what they love.

It’s humbling to perform. Every show is completely different and has ways of being amazing or totally messed up. It’s beautiful.

I’ve played some amazing shows and some totally weird shows. The few that come to mind are in the front doors of a Staples where everyone looked at me very confused, the park in Winnipeg where my sister and I were booed, and the cafe in Moose Jaw where it was just the barista and me. They’re all great stories now though, so every show is still appreciated! TAKING MUSIC TO HIGHER LEARNING

I attended Harris Institute for the Arts and got my Honours Degree in Recording Arts Management. The course has changed names a few times since, but it’s still one of the best in Canada. It was a great eye- opener about the industry and where it was heading. I’m going back to school this summer though to freshen up, since so much has changed in the industry. WHAT ARE YOUR SONGS ABOUT?

I write all of my solo songs and contributed a few for Campground, though we primarily co-write our songs now.

Bob Dylan once said write ten songs a day and keep one. I’ve been working toward that ever since I read it 10 years ago, haha. A song can take me anywhere from 5-minutes to 4-years to complete. If I feel that something has really got potential I like to wait until it feels complete and try not to force anything on it. One of my latest songs was written about Jim and Pam from the Office, and the poor timing of their relationship. I was starting to fall asleep and it just popped into my head.

SHOULD ARTISTS WRITE THEIR OWN SONGS?

Yes, I think it’s very important to write your own material. First and foremost, it gives you more value as an artist and performer. You create more opportunities for yourself and allow new sources of revenue aside from live performances and merchandise. “I’ve seen covers go over really well and I’ve seen covers bomb”

I think it’s important to understand why you’re choosing to perform the covers you chose. What value does it give to your set? And this is strictly from a live performance standpoint. I think covers are great for online material. They can keep you and your audience engaged. The more content you can put online, the better. DO BANDS HAVE TO BE TIGHT-KNIT IN ORDER TO MAKE MUSIC MAGIC?

I don’t think they need to be tight knit, but it helps if you get along!

When performing and writing, everyone should feel comfortable and let the music speak for itself. If you’re dealing with in-band arguments and general negativity it will probably show in the music. This is how I operate as a rather sensitive individual. Other artists (Lennon and McCartney for example) were able to thrive on the competitive energy in the band and wrote some amazing songs. It really depends on who you are and how you deal with conflict I guess. I choose to feel comfortable and happy with the people I make music with. ARE YOU PLAYING THE FAME GAME?

No, but recognition is important and that can be a fine line. It’s always nice to get a pat on the back and have someone say “you did good kid.” I think that’s what we’re all striving for as artists, to just be heard and hopefully understood. QUICK SHOTS 1. Your all-time favorite food: Poutine 2. If you could live anywhere in the world it would be: Nashville 3. Best musical advice you’ve ever received? This changes constantly but one that struck me recently stands out. I asked a fellow musician if he was making a living making music. He said “yes, but I don’t make all of my money playing music.” It gave me a new perspective on what “making a living” means. It was very positive.

UPCOMING SHOWS: Sunday, February 18th at the Rivoli in Toronto.

We’ve been called “vibe-rock”, “jangle-indie-babies”, “concise prog” etc. But it boils down to an eclectic blend of genres and styles that you can wrap into some kind of . HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR BAND? Nathan and I (Devon) have actually known each other since we were 11, playing hockey. We started jamming at 14 and formed out high school band, Brautigan.

When everyone parted ways for post-secondary whatnot, we sought other people to form a project. Meeting Alex on craigslist, we went through what feels like countless lineups, band names and auditions for four years before eventually meeting Bea, who had moved here from Qatar for art school.

Now we’ve been together for over a year and it’s looking like the sky’s the limit! WHO PLAYS WHO (YOUR INSTRUMENTS)

I’m generally fond of Fender guitars through late 60s Ampeg amps. I play a variety of guitars, acoustic and electric, but I always gravitate towards a Telecaster or Yamaha acoustics.

Nathan’s been a Sonor guy for a while now, though he cut his teeth on a Mapex (we still use it for practice and it’s pretty okay!) He generally uses a jazz setup, a mix of cymbals from Zildjan, Sabian, Dream, etc. sort of medium weight, which is good considering we’re playing considerably louder than usual.

Alex is a big Mark Bass fan, and while she was original fond of Godin basses, she’s been dead set on “Black Betty” – a G&L – for some time now.

Bea is more of a pianist, and has a beautiful home Yamaha electric, though she’s really into bass and guitar lately. She listens to the heaviest music out of all of us, lots of doom and sludge metal, and so her guitars are usually set up extra low, like we’re talking B-standard! SELF-TAUGHT VS LESSONS

We’re all mostly self-taught. I certainly am with guitar, but I have some sense of theory (though I forget the terminology a lot) due to having taken piano as a kid, and bass clarinet from grade 7-10.

Alex is pretty much entirely self-taught, but she’s got a leg up with a degree in sound engineering from RAC.

Bea’s classically trained on piano, and has basically been singing since diapers.

Nathan took guitar lessons, but where drumming is concerned, what you hear is pretty much all touch and ear. He’s our theory guy. The man has crazy perfect pitch and excellent sense of how notes and chords fit together. STORIES FROM THE ROAD “We were supposed to play one and some guy shot a fire extinguisher into the crowd before stealing cash and cards from a few people,” Myself included. We were supposed to play next but the party got shut down pretty quickly... I guess the goons come out with a popular event happening.

I'm a pretty aggressive guitar player so there are lots of broken strings; once I broke two at the Gladstone and Nathan and I both cut ourselves playing, so lots of blood flew that night. I always bring two guitars though, just in case. MAKING THOSE BRAINS BIGGER

Bea currently goes to OCAD for animation. The rest of us went to university - Nathan graduated from Rye-High (I was there too! Wasn't my flavour) with a New Media degree. Alex has two degrees, one in HR Management from York and the aforementioned Sound Engineering Degree from RAC. WHAT ARE YOUR SONGS ABOUT?

We’re very collaborative and often stray from the original piece for the sake of making into Animal Type music. I write a lot on guitar, and Alex writes a lot of progressions as well.

Bea writes most of our lyrics, some of which the rest of us have written or contributed to. But most of the time, especially recently, it's been a melting pot of bits and pieces that add up to a full song when we really dig our teeth into them.

Some songs happen in a day, some in 3 hours, and some over the course of months as we revisit or revise them. Everything we write or record is done with a keen sense of “where to be and how to be it” for the benefit of the song. DO BANDS HAVE TO BE TIGHT-KNIT IN ORDER TO MAKE MUSIC MAGIC?

Chemistry comes in weird forms. Mostly you have to trust your instincts and feelings - sometimes you need to put personal differences aside because you recognize the chemistry that exists musically. But generally if you simply don’t enjoy someone’s company, whether the music is good or not, it's hard to keep it going. ARE YOU PLAYING THE FAME GAME? Nah, as long as we can quit our day jobs and keep playing music to people for the rest of our lives, we don't need the grandeur of stardom. Our major goal is playing Massey Hall, if we can do that, in our minds we’ve “made it”.

After that, everything is icing. Music is about people, and sharing emotions and thoughts. If listeners appreciate it, we’re doing a good job, but half of it isn't up to us. We’d keep playing no matter what ceiling we hit, or break through.

Yes - there in fact IS a basic geometric shape that has two equal sides - and what's amazing to me is that so few people know about it. It's called a Vesica Pisces - and it's the foundation of Sacred Geometry. It's well worth Googling and learning more about! The circle, triangle and square are only part of the bigger picture. GENRE

I'm primarily a progressive solo looping guitarist - an explorer - a modern one man band. I play in many styles, but am mainly interested in creating sounds that fuse heavy and dark metal inspired guitar with swirling stereo looped layers of ethereal and mystical magic - sounds that altogether defy genre categorization. WHERE’D YOU GET YOUR START

TWO SIDED SHAPE is only now emerging as a performance act and has very slowly grown in a completely organic way. As it's just me (and the occasional guest percussionist, etc.), it's taken many years of personal development and dedication to create a unique and meaningful sound. LIFE AS FOUNDER OF “TARAS GUITARS”

Well - as it turns out, all of my obsessed interest in guitar and other world instruments has lead me to literally reinvent the guitar fretboard to allow for the OUTWARD bending of strings. Out of necessity and curiosity I've had to create a new instrument - a new type of 'super guitar'.

I am the founder of WWW.TARASGUITARS.com and we are in the development stages of making the VP- 1 (Vesica Pisces 1) a guitar that in many ways is unlike any other on the planet.

It's a bit of a shocker at first when you realize what it does differently - but it's very logical, comfortable, and a complete hoot to play. The production VP-1 will be completely magnificent!

I wanted a guitar that would first of all allow me to transfer my classical guitar technique to an electric instrument - i.e. I wanted a non-radius fretboard with flat, straight frets.

The really big change, however, is that I envisioned and designed an expanded fretboard that would let me bend the strings 'outward' like an Indian Sitar player.

As unconventional as this is for a traditional guitar player, outward string bending opens up a window into a world of new musical possibilities. For example, there are endless new blues/rock/metal string bend combinations that would be physically impossible to play otherwise on a straight neck guitar.

It really is radically cool! I'll go into much more detail about this stuff on the TG website. YOUR FIRST INCLINATION TOWARDS THE GREAT ART

My mom sang opera and my dad played cello. I grew up in the 1980's listening to all the great prog rock guitarists, classical guitarists, Indian sitar players, and lots of traditional Chinese and African music. So, naturally, the music that I make now has been duly inspired. “I studied and worked as a photojournalist in the early 1990's. In retrospect, it seems the perfect

primer to becoming a guitarist!”

I've always been interested in classical and flamenco guitar technique and do my best in studying both of these disciplines. I was lucky to have a great classical guitar teacher for a few years back when I was a teenager, but I am now strictly a hybrid electric player - an outward string bending pioneer. It's all great fun! YOUR MUSIC-MAKING PROCESS

As well as the Frippertronics-inspired looping music that I make, I also write original finger style pieces that are composed for and played on my VP-1 outward string bend guitar. I'm perpetually exploring new combinations of notes to bend in unique ways. I then work these new sounds into polished compositions or improvisations.

At this early point in my performance career I find that a blend of original material and well-considered covers is best. Part of my job is to show the capabilities of my outward string bend VP-1 guitar, so people like to see and hear both new original material and established recognizable tunes. ARE YOU PLAYING THE FAME GAME?

Yes, but not in a traditional sense. I want my guitars to become 'famous' and I want to have as many people hear and understand them as possible. As I've found interesting new territory in the guitar world and spent many years developing my ideas and techniques, etc. - and because this is ultimately intended for the betterment and advancement of the electric guitar and its players, I don't think it's unreasonable to seek an appropriate measure of recognition.

More importantly, though, I'm looking forward to the day that other progressive guitarists emerge and find fame whilst playing one of my funky VP-1 guitars! Soon, I trust! Soon! QUICK SHOTS 1. Your all-time favorite food: Mind food – Books! 2. If you could live anywhere in the world it would be: In a pyramid located exactly on the equator. 3. Best musical advice you’ve ever received? Practice, practice, practice...

GENRE

Alternative Rock WHERE’D YOU GET YOUR START

I started music at an early age. My first stage appearance was at the age of 4. I started doing Funk R&B, soul and reggae. When I was 13 I recorded and wrote Rap music. My influences at that time were Michael Jackson.

I Formed my first band in 1999 called Frantic and then released an EP titled “Dinner At M'as”. I later played with a few bands around the circuit - Magdaleina and One End Left. WHAT INSTRUMENT DO YOU PLAY

I always loved music and started to understand it more at the age of 12. I [play] the guitar. I can play drums and a little bass but I write on guitar. PLAYING LIVE

[I've performed at] less likeable places to play. The Jail House Rock when it existed, Club Zone (later known as Club One), Cafe Campus on both floors, Kola Note, Hard Rock Cafe, Club Soda just to name a few. Every place to play was a good experience!

I'd have to say an embarrassing moment would be a hooker tried to hit on me while me and the band were loading our gear for the show. I asked her if she wanted to help us [laughs]. THE BEST ADVICE OR COMENDATION YOU’VE EVER RECIEVED

As an indie artist a major label sent me an anonymous email commending me for my song writing, stating if I never make it to the podium (My goal!) know that I think you’re a terrific artist. HOW YOU WRITE AND ALL ABOUT YOUR SONGS

I write all my music and words. The material I write covers a lot of love... lost love. Different situations... Addictions/drugs/alcohol, the world and how I see things from my standpoint. Most songs are experiences or putting myself in situations and gaining a deep sense of emotions to how I'd feel.

The [song writing] process is me singing melodies alone and then building with guitar, getting the tempo laying bass and guitar, strings, overdub guitar's, building the structure... Last but not least the vocals. Another thing to mention is many of my songs have been placed in TV shows: Icarly, Sam and cat, Zoey 101, ROAD RULES, the 2010 Nagano Olympics.

I started creating this project in 2012 in Vancouver BC, writing all the songs and imagining what instruments I wanted in my sound. Typically it started with me (Shon Wong) and through open mics and friends I started to build the band in 2016. Since then band members have changed and the current roster seems to be pretty solid. GENRE

Rock. YOUR FIRST INCLINATION TOWARDS THE GREAT ART

As a kid I've always wanted to be a musician. The two posters on my wall were Bruce Lee and Jimi Hendrix. It wasn’t until my father passed in 2000 that I decided to teach myself how to play and it wasn’t until 2013 when my girlfriend at the time passed away that I decided to pursue my dreams for real and make something of these songs I've been writing. I guess I just realized that life is too short to regret not following your dreams. STORIES FROM THE ROAD

I've performed in Nashville, San Francisco, Richmond World Festival, Chinese Classical Gardens in Vancouver and various bars and lounges in Vancouver.

There was a miscommunication for the agreed time of our show at The Chinese Classical Gardens (we were the first band they've let play a show like we did inside there) and during our set security tried to kick us out and shut us down. But I got the crowd into chanting for us to stay and they let us stay a little longer.

IS IT IMPORTANT FOR BANDS TO WRITE THEIR OWN STUFF?

Me personally it’s important to have my own identity and sound and writing your own music is the only way you can do that. Tell your own truth.

Again, I think it all depends on what you want out of your musical journey. I think some bands are happy just playing music by being a cover band. I meet tonnes of musicians who are extremely talented but can't write so they make a living out of playing music. Which is fine if that's what you want and you have no need to be original.

For me I don't do any covers as my need to be original far outweighs the need to play music. The time it takes to practice a cover song, I'd rather put that energy into writing something of my own. Also, I think it’s a slippery slope when you start playing cover songs as the draw for people to come to see you is based on you doing a cover of a song and not your own tune. Not to say I won't do covers but not until I establish my sound first. YOUR SONG-WRITING PROCESS

I write all the songs and design the arrangements and blueprints for the idea of the songs. My songs are primarily based on my life or things I see or feel.

I like making short stories and try to make an EP follow a storyline.

The music making process is mysterious, as I’ve written songs in a day and some other songs have sat in the back in my brain for years. But as the saying goes, sometimes you have to wait for the song to write itself. That’s probably what I enjoy most about music making. Seeing an idea you had in your head grow into the butterfly it becomes organically. But as I write more and more, it does get easier and you learn what you like. DO BANDS HAVE TO BE BEST FRIENDS IN ORDER TO CREATE GREAT MUSIC?

No. I think bands need to have good musicians who are selfless and good listeners to make good music. Find your spot, stay in your lane, keep in the pocket and understand the bigger picture of the song.

If bands don't get along then get new band members. Life is too short to deal with people who drag the whole project down. I'd rather make do without and restructure then deal with someone's bullshit.

For the most part most bands break up over the smallest things but usually it stems from animosity towards someone or something that just reached its boiling point and was never dealt with. Musicians aren’t the greatest communicators at times and hold things in or have passive aggressive tendencies to deal with it. Instead of just airing the beef right away and squashing the problem, you ruin a good thing. IS BEING FAMOUS IMPORTANT TO YOU?

Being recognized for my work, art and unique style is important to me. If fame is a by-product of that then great. Otherwise I might as well start doing covers on YouTube.

We formed in 2010. As seasoned musicians playing in a number of different types of bands in the Lacombe Alberta area, we had a desire to come together to write and perform original music.

Tony, Brad and Grant all played in a 20 piece big band. Tony and Orion played in a Country Band. Together we found Steve the Bass Player and we were preforming our 1st major gig five months later at a Canada Day celebration for over 3,000 people. GENRE

Rock, country YOUR FIRST INCLINATION TOWARDS THE GREAT ART

All of us started as kids.

Steve the Bass Player has played professionally or taught music for 30 years. Orion has played professional for 25 years.

Brad the Drummer and Grant the horn player have both played professionally 25 years ago and have come back to pro gigs with Tap9. Tony played guitar as a kid and started playing professionally with Tap9 seven years ago STORIES FROM THE ROAD

We have played to 5,000 in a few festivals. We play a number of bars and saloon throughout Alberta. Our wildest show was the Francophone festival in Red Deer AB in 2003.

This was the second time we played this festival but that year the weather was -17 Celsius with blowing snow. We had heaters blowing flames on the stage and had to tune every 5 minutes. Grant the horn player burnt his horn trying to warm it up. The crowd was small but mighty!

IS IT IMPORTANT FOR BANDS TO WRITE THEIR OWN STUFF?

YES! In fact this is what we work for. There is nothing better than having people reacting to your original songs. That’s . YOUR SONG-WRITING PROCESS

We all right the songs. Typically one of us brings the base song and we work on it together. Most of our popular songs are ready for performance and recording fairly quick.

Typically we then go to a producer and studio and finish the song. For our last five releases we have worked with Bart McKay in Saskatoon MB. Our last song “Bluejeans” charted on Canadian radio and our new song ‘Superhero” is just now releasing to Canadian Country radio. IS BEING FAMOUS IMPORTANT TO YOU?

Not fame, connection. We have to use media to get our word out but connection with our music. It’s what drives us.

Sound Ceremony is a rock band that consists of Ron Warren Ganderton on guitar and vocals, Levente Reti on the piano and organ, Keith Turner on bass guitar, Ron Froehlich on sax and Joe Logic on drums.

We have been recording for about three years now on new for release in 2018. Plans for second album are also being worked on. HOW DID YOU START THE BAND?

In the 1970s I met Keith Turner, the bass player from Quasar prog band in London, on a street corner waiting to cross the street at Shaftesbury Ave. He was carrying a guitar case. I said, "Hello are you in a band? I play guitar and write songs." I got his phone number. We started recording THE SOUND CEREMONY GUITAR STAR ALBUM shortly after that meeting.

Now back in Canada, we are recording producing new album for release on vinyl cd and new digital formats. I like to play piano or electric keyboards. I compose and do arrangements on piano. It inspires different chord inversions and sequences than I do on guitar. YOUR FIRST INCLINATION TOWARDS THE GREAT ART

I first decided to play music when I was 12. It came as a natural gift self-taught. Then took piano lessons. Studied guitar and music theory London England at Addison Institute in Shepardsbush. I also studied Avant guard improvisation at City Lit College in Holborn. For several years I did courses in electronic music and recording engineering. That’s where I recorded my first Sound Ceremony album.

Back in Canada I did a year of Music Technology program at Douglas College in New Westminster, upgrading from analogue to digital recording. I have been studying guitar techniques, chord inversions and song composition with Greg Delaronde for about four years STORIES FROM THE ROAD

SOUND CEREMONY BAND has performed in U.K Europe Canada and U.S.A. I will never forget playing at the Smiling Buddha in Vancouver it was a stripper bar then. On the way home the Ludwig bass drum fell off the flat deck truck. We drove up and down Kingsway looking for it. Never did find it.

Then in London, UK, we were booked for Boxing Day only to find the club closed and no one let us know. Band was very disappointed. We got rebooked and did a no show for revenge. Embarrassingly to say. ALL ABOUT YOUR SONGS I write all my own songs. I have currently collaborated with Levente Reti the keyboard player on the new album on song titled Spell Piano Backwards. My songs are about life events, travelling world locations, relationships, addictions, booze. My song writing process is usually a gift from inspiration. I say "where did that come from?" a dream, who knows! Consciously I get some lyrics, compose a verse, chorus, then a title. Now a days I have a title or topic then put pen to paper. COVERS, OR ALL ORIGINAL?

I left Canada in the UK punk movement; Canada had only cover bands. I wanted to do my own songs original alternative rock. I was in Toronto at the Nickelodeon bar, Rush was playing led zeppelin and Rod Stewart songs. I did not get it. Obviously, they did.

The importance of being original is a must in the end. The occasional cover for crowd pleasing can be fun. When I played in a band as a teen ager we played Gloria and Louie Louie and audience went crazy! We played the same songs 2-3 times same night. They screamed play it again so we played it again on request. ARE YOU PLAYING THE FAME GAME?

Fame is not important to me nor is fortune, it’s not a competition it is my passion an art or reason to live my life. I never started song writing to get a number one in charts. It’s my creative expression. I do not need an award or trophy to fulfill my life nor a badge to say I am the best. I AM WHAT I AM. I love doing it. Fame fortune comes with a lot of baggage I just do not need. I wrote Guitar Star all about that. QUICK SHOTS 1. Your all-time favorite food: Chinese and donair kababs 2. Best musical advice you’ve ever received? Don’t Give Up 3. If you could meet any artist, living or dead, who would it be? Beethoven. I heard he was deaf. I guess eye to hand memory got him by.

I currently fill in on bass and vocals with a Dixieland band called the “Lakeridge Dixie Stompers”. I also do a solo act playing guitar harmonica and vocals under my own name “Robert Laing” as a solo artist.

I live in Oshawa. The Dixieland band I play base and sing in, is in Ajax, or Durham Region. Lots of good musicians out here. GENRE

I play and have played many genres, but as a solo artist, I play an acoustic, vocal and harmonica mix of old time, country folk, jazz, bluegrass shamozal. WHERE’D YOU GET YOUR START

I have been singing since I was old enough to talk. I started to play guitar to accompany myself, and later harmonica to add a lead to the mix. After playing solo and in many different bands, and losing a few close friend musician/pals to various ailments over the years, I went full circle and wound up playing solo again. YOUR FAVOURITE INSTRUMENT

I have had many instruments over the years, and have many various instruments that I use depending on what I am playing. Mostly when I’m out doing solo gigs, I use a Martin D-18.

I put together my own harmonicas, using Blue Moon harmonica aluminum combs, with Hohner Special 20 reed plates and covers.

I had a couple nice guitars stolen in 1974. One in Gastown, Vancouver, BC, and one in LA, California. In the 80’s I had one burn up in a house fire. Just left the top and neck. YOUR FIRST INCLINATION TOWARDS THE GREAT ART

Started to sing as early as I can remember, but I did not get involved in serious bands until high school. Pretty well self-taught instrumentally, although I did take flute in high school, but vocal training was in the church choir as a young boy growing up. GREAT MOMENTS AND… EH, NOT SO GREAT

There is a picture of me in the centre page of the Toronto Sunday Sun on July 1979. I had been playing a Pickin’ In the Pines in Fermosa on the Saturday. I’ve played a lot of acoustic music on and off through the years. I remember my mother phoning me, waking me up to tell me about the Sun Picture. I was a warm up band for a Marty Robbins headline, with the Stoneman Family in Guelph. I have started a song with the wrong key harmonica. That’s embarrassing.

IS IT IMPORTANT FOR BANDS TO WRITE THEIR OWN STUFF?

No. WHAT ARE YOUR SONGS ABOUT?

Several of the songs that I’ve written and play, were written and finished the same sitting mostly. My songs tend to be about music, traveling, love and war. I do a lot of different cover tunes as others can sometimes say what I want to better than I can. DO BANDS HAVE TO BE TIGHT-KNIT IN ORDER TO MAKE MUSIC MAGIC?

Music needs to be tight. Everyone involved need to know what’s going on and know it well. If you don’t get along maybe you should go on your own and try it.

If money is the reason for staying together, and it’s a lot, work it out, or lose it, or move on. You may be leaving some of the best people you ever made music with.

One of the biggest problems of getting along is probably artistic expression and choreography with other members, or not being able to express yourself as you want because of others interference. ARE YOU PLAYING THE FAME GAME?

Yes and no. Yes, because with a certain amount of fame can come some probably well needed stability, and all the work you have been trying to find. No because of some of the other problems that fame can bring. QUICK SHOTS 1. Your all-time favorite food: My Grandmother’s risotto. 2. If you could live anywhere in the world it would be: Southern Ontario, although at my age it would be nice to get away from the cold for a little while in the winter. 3. Best musical advice you’ve ever received? The time when my band at that time “The Wellington County Kickers”, was the local warm up band for Marty Robbins. I was behind the stage, peeking out from behind the curtain when I’m not sure if it was Donna or Ronni Stoneman, came up behind me to have peak too.

I said I was a little nervous, and she said, and I’ll never forget as long as I live. “Hell Boy, go on out there and play. All you friends are out there and they all want to hear you. Get on out there!” She reached out and took my hand and when she did, I felt this huge flow of energy surge through me. Never felt anything like that before, or since.

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