Feb

10

Boule Noire’ (literally ‘Black Ball’) was the recording and performing psuedonym of Quebec music star George Thurston, an abandoned child who overcame his harsh beginnings to become an international recording success. While not widely-known to English-speaking audiences, he was such a significant artist in his native French language that upon his death he was referred to as the ‘Quebecois Stevie Wonder’ by that province’s Minister of Culture, an accolade that he truly deserved.

George Thurston was abandoned at birth; thought to be the child of a U.S. baseball player, he was adopted and raised in a small town in rural Quebec, where his black skin made him the centre of attention - he later attributed this for his constant desire to be in the limelight. When his adopted mother became quite ill he was declared a ward of the state and taken away from the only family he had ever known at age 9, and placed in a series of foster homes. A troubled youth who had already been incarcerated in reform school and well on his way to a criminal career, George Thurston’s life was changed by a random act of kindness - a total stranger gave him an old guitar, and George Thurston became a musician.

His prolific recording career begins with a cover of a Frankie Lymon song, ‘Jeune Fille’ (My Girl) with his garage band Les Zinconnus; the modest success of which led to an invitation into another group 25th Regiment, who had a minor Quebec hit covering Shocking Blues’ ‘Venus’ in 1969. His talent and drive attracted the attention of Tony Roman, a hyper-aggressive and well-connected record promoter, who gave him the connections he needed to begin working in the studio; over the next five years he worked as a musician and arranger with Michel Pagliaro, Robert Charlebois, Nanette Workman, Claude Dubois and others, constantly learning and developing his musicianship.

Again coincidence plays a role in Thurston’s career - kidding around during a session in Alabama with musicians from the Muscle Shoals horn section, he started loudly singing a tune in French. No one understood what he was saying, but his vocal style was so impressive and dynamic that it lead to his first record as a vocalist. Released under his own name as the disco era was gaining steam, ‘Aimes tu la vie comme moi?’ became an instant club hit in Quebec, and, during a promotional tour, a television host introduced him as ‘Boule Noire’ - literally ‘Black Ball’, but also a french slang term for an ‘Afro’ hair style. The nickname stuck.

His follow-up album, ‘Aimer d’amour’ was a monster hit, selling more than 100,000 copies worldwide. It was the first of several Boule Noire albums to utilize the Muscle Shoals horn section, creating a powerful combination of compelling disco rhythm and funky R&B; it propelled him to superstar status in the disco movement, with considerable sales in the United States and Europe as well as Quebec. He continued to be prolific and worked with other artists as well, writing and recording for Toulouse and Alma Faye Brooks, among others. As the disco era faded, he turned his attention to reggae, recording several very popular albums with a unique French soul flavor. In 1980 he released an English-language album ‘Premiere’ simultaneously with a French LP, ‘Primitif’; and toured internationally. Over the succeeding years Boule Noire also worked as a television personality, produced records, and founded the Zion Yant record label, and Unidisc record distribution, which became a key player in the Canadian music industry. He then showed his virtuosity by playing all the instruments on his 1987 release, ‘Les Tour Des Iles’; and in 1990 unexpectedly had a massive club hit in Europe, when his big debut ‘Aimes tu la vie comme moi?’ was rediscovered and remixed, selling a staggering 800,000 records worldwide. He next had big success with two different interpretations of the Beatles ‘Let It Be’ in 1995. He continued to record, while becoming a highly popular weekend radio host in his native Quebec.

In 2006 he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer; and immediately flew to Las Vegas to marry his long-time partner, Loraine Cordeau. Active until the end of his life, he released a new CD entitled ”Dernier Rappel’ (’Last Call’); as his end approached he completed work on his autobiography, but was too sick to attend the book launch. Publicly celebrated in his native Quebec to the very end of his life, George Thurston passed away in June 2007, at the age of 55. The love-starved orphan had ended his days cherished by thousands of fans. Prolific to the very end, he had written a song titled ‘Final Destination’, a moving ballad dedicated to his young son about life and love; it was played at his funeral to a church filled to capacity, while hundreds of fans stood and waited patiently outside to honor his life and music.

Feb

10

(image courtesy Discorder Magazine)

Ridley Bent is a Canadian singer/songwriter who began his recording career by blending his unique storytelling with various music genres to create a sound that was called “hick-hop” and grew to become one of the cornerstones of Vancouver’s young alternative country movement.

Bent was born into a military family in Nova Scotia and spent his youth as an “army brat,” traveling extensively and eventually spending his formative years in Alberta. He started learning to play guitar at an early age, listening to such bands as Rage Against the Machine, Sublime, and the Beastie Boys. He moved to Vancouver by way of Whistler in 2000, getting a job as a security guard, a vocation that gave him lots of time to read such Americana authors as Louis l’Amour and John Steinbeck. These authors greatly influenced his writing style — character-driven story lines with such strong narrative themes as drugs, desperation, ambition, love, racing, unrequited love, and murder, all told with dark humor, skilled rhyming, and a novelist’s feel for plot twists and unexpected sentiment. Bent began moonlighting as a performer, developing his live presentation while performing at open mic nights and busking on the beach.

At the 2002 BC Festival of the Arts, he met producer Chin Injeti, a former R&B vocalist whose enthusiastic support led to the recording of Bent’s first album. Blam collected together five years of Bent’s narrative songs over backing tracks of hip-hop, funk, scratching, and even hard rock riffs to create a unique sound that became labeled as “hick-hop.” The album was released to considerable acclaim and independent airplay in Canada; Bent was able to tour steadily, both with a backing band and as a solo artist. His live performance enthralled his new fans, both for his on-stage charisma and his creative playfulness, as audiences chuckled at his jokes and innuendos while gleefully rocking out.

Even before the recording of Blam, Bent had been attracted to Vancouver’s alternative country and roots community, absorbing performances and hanging out with such talented locals as Dustin Bentall, Kent McAlister, Luc Doucet, and the Seams. Signed to a recording deal with Maple Music as a solo artist, he now could hire top-notch backing musicians, and with his focus shifting away from the “hick-hop” mishmash of musical styles toward the sounds of Bob Wills, Hank Williams, and George Jones, he started collaborating with the musicians of the local country scene.

His sophomore album, Buckles and Boots, was released in 2007 to considerable acclaim. Writing with long-time collaborators Cameron Latimer, Adam Dobres, Dustin Bentall, and producer John Ellis, the album evokes comparisons to Tom T. Hall (”Bobby and Suzanne” is a direct homage to Hall’s “Turn It On”), Dwight Yoakam, and George Jones, and shows a giant progression for Bent. His voice is rich, masterful, his backing band superb; the songs are focussed and intelligent, utilizing traditional Western swing arrangements to highlight his narrative style and lyrical cleverness.

Bent continued to be highly active in the Vancouver music community while supporting this latest release. He formed the trio the Bottle and the Truth with Dustin Bentall and Cameron Latimer and performed and recorded as part of Barney Bentall’s ambitious Grand Caribou Opry. With each new performance and project it is evident that Bent is a considerable new talent, and although he may never shake the “hick-hop” label, he’s proving that his true gift as a storyteller and songwriter is best heard in a country music setting.

Feb

10

Images in Vogue had modest success as a new wave band in Canada in the 1980s, with a synth-based pop sound not unlike Icehouse, Japan, or Depeche Mode. Unlike those bands, Images in Vogue were unable to establish a successful career, despite modest success at college radio and as a live act; rather, their overt commercial aspirations led directly to the departure of their most talented members to form the groundbreaking shock-industrial groups Numb and Skinny Puppy. The name of the group preceded the actual formation of the band, as guitarist Don Gordon and bassist Gary Smith, playing in a local band called the Pinups, discussed forming an electronic band with a cool name: Images in Vogue. In 1981 they advertised in a local music magazine for a keyboardist with his own equipment, listing their influences as Simple Minds, Japan, and Ultravox. The ad was successful, bringing Kevin Crompton (percussion, synthesizers), Joe Vizvary (keyboards, synthesizers), and Glen Nelson (keyboards, synthesizers) together with Gordon, Smith, and Pinups singer Gary Johnson. The members pooled together their resources to buy some new equipment, including a Pro-1 synthesizer and a drum machine, and began writing and recording.

Like many of the groups in the robust independent Vancouver music community, IIV chose to record and release their own initial recordings independently. Releasing a five-song demo in 1981, they played their first live concert at a fashion event, with another emerging new wave band, Moev. Encouraged by the warm response, IIV again entered the studio to record a four-song EP; however, once finished the band decided that singer Gary Johnson was not appropriate for the sound they wanted, and decided to look for both a new singer and management.

A DJ at a local club had been playing their demo tapes and been quite enthusiastic about the band’s prospects. Kim Clarke Champniss became the band’s manager and immediately proved to be the right choice, organizing a high-profile concert, then quickly firing the unacceptable singer and organizing the search for a replacement.

Dale Martindale was a student at the Emily Carr College of Fine Art and had no experience as a singer or musician but was interested in the job. Referred to Gary because he looked like the drummer for Japan, it became obvious immediately that Martindale, although inexperienced, was the right choice; and from that time Martindale became the voice and most prominent face of the group. Manager Champniss quickly organized a debut show for the new lineup featuring Martindale in a tiny Vancouver nightclub. It generated considerable local publicity and was videotaped for a cable television broadcast. It was also the first meeting of the group with a local music student, Dave Ogilvie, who would become the band’s long-time producer and engineer, and go on to be influential in the careers of such artists as Skinny Puppy and Nine Inch Nails. For Martindale’s next performance, Champniss scored the opening slot for Depeche Mode’s first concert in Vancouver; the generally positive reviews from that cemented Martindale’s place in the IIV lineup.

With no record deal yet, the group released Breaking Up, the first single, as a limited-edition pre-release recording. Pressing only 500 copies, it was distributed to Canadian college radio and, added to many playlists, gave the group its first taste of national exposure. A road trip with Glen Nelson as support led to the decision to add him to the group, as guitarist and keyboardist, upsetting the balance of the band and eventually leading to the departure of Don Gordon to form the industrial band Numb.

In 1982 a new EP, Educated Man, was released, featuring the new lineup, and their first video, for the song “Breaking Up,” debuted. Champniss realized that the record companies were not going to come to Vancouver and sign the band, and decided that the priority for the next year was to tour to eastern Canada and get a record deal. The strategy worked — interest in the band grew as they performed across the country, and backstage at a concert in Toronto, again supporting Depeche Mode, they were offered a recording contract by WEA Canada. The band accepted on the spot, and Champniss stayed in Toronto to negotiate deal points. The band returned to the West Coast to support Roxy Music in two cities. Those large concert settings exposed the limitations of Martindale’s vocals, fuelling some dissent within the group.

Kevin Crompton (cEvin Key) and Don Gordon were of like minds, interested in the music of the European electronic underground like Throbbing Gristle, the Legendary Pink Dots, or Chris & Cosey; and fascinated by the emerging harder industrial sounds of such acts as Portion Control, Einstürzende Neubauten, and Front 242. They were not interested in the commercial “new romantic” approach to electronic music, and as Champniss negotiated with WEA, they began working on side projects and recordings, the most interesting of which was Kevin Crompton and Kevin (aka Nivek Ogre) Ogilvie, laying the foundations for projects such as Skinny Puppy and Hilt.

With the WEA deal finalized, the band recorded and released the Lust for Love EP that fall, the title track of which became the band’s Canadian breakthrough hit. WEA financed an expensive video, and they did large-scale tours with Bryan Adams and then Duran Duran. The tour with Duran Duran cemented their image as a pop new wave band, and their underground/experimental side was unnoted. However, the band’s relationship with WEA Canada was seriously strained when Duran Duran asked for IIV to be added to their U.S. tour dates and WEA refused tour support. Tensions were exacerbated further when WEA lost the master tape of “Call It Love,” the next single scheduled for release, and during the remixing Don Gordon angrily left the group, to be replaced by Ed Shaw of Strange Advance.

IIV then won two Canadian U-Know (people’s choice) awards, for Most Promising Band and Most Promising Male Singer. WEA presented a short list of potential producers for their debut album release, and it was decided that former Spooky Tooth keyboardist Gary Wright (who also had his own Top Ten hit in “Dream Weaver”) would be appropriate. It turned out to be a terrible choice; Wright had a lackadaisical work ethic compared to the band, and he had no talent for working in the studio with the group’s instrumentation. The resulting recordings were more guitar-based then electronic, fitting squarely into the dance-pop milieu, completely overshadowing the band’s electronic and experimental aspirations. After it was finished, most of the bandmembers were seriously disappointed, and they asked WEA not to release the album. Meanwhile the members all began to dabble in side projects — Crompton, particularly disgusted with the direction of the band, began enthusiastically working on the first Skinny Puppy EP, while even manager Champniss worked on his own side project, called DanceSpeak.

In late 1984 WEA, trying to recoup some of the money lost on the Gary Wright sessions, decided to release a single and 12″ EP entitled Rituals, featuring the single “Rescue Me,” to radio. It was a failure, even though some stations did play an alternate track, “Call It Love.” The reaction and the dysfunctional

inner tensions in the band left WEA and manager Champniss equally dispirited. Champniss eventually tendered his resignation (going on to be an influential and popular MuchMusic DJ) while Crompton prepared to release the first Skinny Puppy EP on Nettwerk Records.

Despite this, the band did not give up. Dave Ogilvie remixed the song “Call It Love” for a WEA France release, and with a popularity boost from a Canadian-released video culled from a live performance, the band was energized. “Call It Love” was added to a few radio stations across the country, leading WEA to start talking to the group about reconsidering the release of the Gary Wright sessions. IIV re-recorded the keyboard parts and remixed all the songs, and recorded a new song, “King’s Service.” The resulting album was released as In This House, while “King’s Service” would prove to be Crompton’s last recording with the group.

The band toured Canada again to coincide with multiple CASBY (People’s Choice) award nominations; “Call It Love” went on to be their most successful single yet. The success in eastern Canada lead to the decision for the band to relocate to Toronto, where there would be greater opportunity for them to find new management and a more committed record company. They prepared a new video and single, entitled “Save It”; however, as the date for relocation came closer, Crompton announced he was quitting the group, finding the ambition and vision of Skinny Puppy to be more compelling; he was replaced by Strange Advance’s Derrick Gyles.

The band found it very difficult in Toronto. They were in considerable debt from financing the video and recording of “Save It,” and without a record deal, they were dependent on live concerts to support themselves. They attracted a new manager, who was able to negotiate the release of a 12″ entitled In the House on Quality Records. Produced by Dee Long — a former member of Klaatu and the producer of another Canadian band in IIV’s musical territory, Rational Youth — the 12″ only had modest sales and airplay. Still, it made an impact with fans, and in 1986 the band was again nominated for CASBY awards, this time winning both Group of the Year and Single of the Year honors. Their decision to move to Toronto to make more contacts paid off. Ray Danniel’s SRO Management, best known for providing career direction for Rush, signed the band to a management contract and their Anthem Records label.

Popular music taste was changing, and to distance themselves from the growing public disaffection for synth pop as well as the constant change of their lineup, the band considered changing its name to the Spell. After discovering that name was already being used by an Australian band, they decided to remain as IIV and released the album The Spell in 1988; still, the cover art did not have the name “Images in Vogue” on it. The album, while receiving considerable airplay on MuchMusic, was not successful at radio or with the record-buying public, and left the band in considerable debt and still plagued by internal conflicts and changes. They broke up, then reunited to play a farewell concert in Toronto at the Opera House in 1991. All of the members continued to work in the Canadian music industry, either as performers or producers.

Revived interest in ’80s music led to the release of several compilation CDs in 2002 and 2004, compiling various remixes, live songs, and studio recordings; they were well received, leading to a brace of reunion shows in Toronto and Vancouver in 2002 and 2004, respectively. The live shows were warmly received; however, there were no future plans for performance or recording.

Feb

10

YOUNG CANADIANS Biography

February 10, 2008 | 1 Comment

Art Bergmann, Barry Taylor, and Jim Bescott formed the K-Tels in Vancouver in early 1978 and, along with D.O.A., the Subhumans, and the Pointed Sticks, created the influential Vancouver independent music scene. Their sound, defined by Bergmann’s acerbic songwriting and blistering guitar work, was more power pop than punk, yet their incendiary live performances quickly made them darlings of the Vancouver hardcore scene. Perhaps more importantly, the K-Tels were instrumental in opening the legendary Smiling Buddha Cabaret to original bands, being the first of countless new bands to perform in that venue. The local label Quintessence Records contracted them to release a single; before it was released, the K-Tel corporation, notorious for releasing low-budget compilation LPs, threatened legal action over the name of the band, and so they became the Young Canadians.

Their career was to last less than two years, during which they release two EPs and a single, toured Canada with the Boomtown Rats, and, most notably, wrote the Canadian punk anthem “Hawaii,” an acerbic and unforgettable attack on middle-class values in the 1970s. After the breakup of the band, Barry Taylor went on to form the popular club act Roots Roundup, while the self-destructive Bergmann’s succeeding groups and solo career made him one of the key figures in the Canadian alternative music scene. His career ended quietly and ignobly when the onset of arthritis made it impossible for him to continue playing guitar. Much of the band’s music continues to be released and reissued, and the original vinyl is highly coveted among collectors.

Feb

10

Singer/songwriter Max Bygraves was enormously popular in postwar England, releasing a steady stream of popular “singalong” records while being widely seen and heard on television, radio, and in the movies. His most famous catch phrase was “I wanna tell you a story!”; his own story is a real-life tale of rags to riches.

Walter William Bygraves was one of six children of Battling Tom Smith, a flyweight professional boxer and occasional dockworker, in London’s rough East End. Bygraves showed his talent early, singing and doing impersonations for customers along his paper route and at parties, and was tapped for a solo performance at Westminster Abbey under the sponsorship of his music teacher. He joined the RAF at the start of the second World War, and on his first night in the barracks entertained his fellow troops with an impersonation of “The Cheeky Chappie,” a 1930s music hall comedian named Max Miller. His fellow soldiers started calling him “Max,” and the name stuck.

Bygraves married a WAAF sergeant in 1942, and continued to entertain his fellow soldiers, being asked to perform in larger and larger concerts. After the war, Max tried to find work as a carpenter, and was considering emigrating to Australia, when the BBC approached him about doing an ex-servicemen’s show. In addition to Bygraves, They’re Out featured such up-and-comers as Benny Hill, Harry Secombe, and Spike Milligan; the show’s bandleader, Jack Payne, was impressed enough by him to invite him to join his orchestra. By 1951 Max had played the Palladium, been featured on some radio and television spots, and become friends with rising comic Eric Sykes. Sykes began writing for Bygraves, first in a radio script called Educating Archie, which was to be his breakthrough: Sykes played a ventriloquist dummy, and Max his comic foil; the show became a big hit, making Max a national celebrity.

His first album, entitled The Cowpuncher’s Cantata, was released in 1952, to capitalize on his new fame. The title track mashed up four catchy hit songs — “The Cry of the Wild Goose,” “Riders in the Sky,” “Mule Train,” and “Jezebel” — and promptly hit number one on the new Hit Parade charts. Max Bygraves had arrived as a superstar. He headlined the Palladium, starred in movies (most memorably the lead in Charlie Moon), famously bought a Rolls-Royce with the license plate “MB 1,” supported Judy Garland in New York, and was awarded the Order of the British Empire. He rode the “Cowpuncher’s Cantata” formula to enormous financial success, spinning out a series of popular hit records using continuous medleys of popular songs, even using the mash-up concept in his titles — he released ten albums alone in the Singalongmax series, as well as multiple releases with such titles as Singalongpartysongs and Singalongmemories.

Bygraves retired to Australia in the 1990s, and published his autobiography, Max Bygraves in His Own Words, in 1997. He was coaxed out of retirement for a series of tours with the Beverly Sisters in 2002, then did a farewell set of performances in 2006. His recordings remain quite popular, and many titles and compilations are available on CD. Not bad for the poor son of an occasional dockworker!

Feb

10

Born Adam Nyerere Bahner, Tay Zonday is a graduate student in American Studies at the University of Minnesota. While growing up, his parents discouraged him from listening to popular music, giving him piano and voice training directly; his mother’s experience as a stage kid and Juilliard student shaped her belief that the life of an arts professional led only to struggle and poverty. Later, after randomly collecting MP3s through Napster and other downloading services, he found his only interest in music was creative, not as a consumer; he continues to ignore popular music and insists he only listens to his own music now.

Bahner chose his stage name at random, after querying Google and getting no response (four months later the search term returned 700,000 web pages referencing “Tay Zonday”). On April 22, 2007, Zonday uploaded a video for his song “Chocolate Rain” to YouTube.com, making the lyrics and melody available to users through a Creative Commons license. The video, cheaply made in his living room, shows the charismatic Zonday playing an electric piano and, paced by an off-camera drum machine, repetitively singing a catchy melody, with slight variations in tone and stance, for almost five minutes. The Creative Commons license allowed any YouTube user the rights to use the material for his or her own productions. At the time, Zonday felt he was uploading an unfinished work, and wanted feedback from the online community about his creative effort. For first two months that the video was available, it quietly attracted an average viewership; only when Russ Houghton of U.K.’s SKY-TV uploaded his version — “Chocolate Rain” (ORIGINAL SPOOF) — did the audience seriously begin to grow. Houghton’s rewrite of the song, adding humorous topical (read: anti-George Bush) lyrics and dubbing in flatulence sound effects, directed viewers to the original video — and viewers came. The haunting repetitive melody quickly became an Internet sensation, generating over five million views in the summer months, while inspiring over 4,500 video responses on YouTube, from such varied fans as Tre Cool (Green Day), John Mayer, and McGruff the Crime Dog.

Part of the appeal of the original “Chocolate Rain” video is the contrast between Zonday’s boyish demeanor and his unique baritone voice, which has evoked comparisons with James Earl Jones, Paul Robeson, and Crash Test Dummies’ Brad Roberts, among others. The lyrics seemingly decry institutionalized discrimination and racial injustice, yet upon closer inspection are best described as engagingly cryptic. These elements combined with the haunting melody fueled considerable Internet speculation, fan support, and parody, building until it became routinely named “the most listened to song in the world” and “viral” by the mainstream press. An unsigned artist with no commercially available product, the shy academic Zonday suddenly became the focus of considerable public attention — appearing on television’s The Jimmy Kimmel Show, CNN, and VH1 — and he was the subject of countless newspaper stories. He posted other songs to his website and YouTube, and hoped for a recording contract. Given the novelty nature of his appeal, however, it is uncertain if Zonday will be able to establish a career through his startling and unexpected success, or whether history will view him as simply 2007’s musical version of the pet rock.

Feb

10

The husband-and-wife musical duo of Les Paul & Mary Ford enjoyed immense popularity in the 1950s, with their popular appeal based as much on their musical talent as the revolutionary recording techniques developed by Paul. Both were music industry veterans when they came together as a couple, both professionally and romantically. Les Paul was one of the giants of music innovation in the 20th century, inventing multi-track recording, studio techniques such as “close miking,” and — most famously — designing and building one of the first solid-body electric guitars. Iris Summers originally was a country music singer and guitarist, working with Gene Autry and Jimmy Wakely, and one of the Sunshine Girls trio, appearing briefly in the film I’m from Arkansas. They were introduced to each other in 1946 by Gene Autry, and their chemistry was obvious — they started performing together almost immediately. To make their billing simple, Paul selected “Mary Ford” from a telephone directory so her name would be almost as short as his. Their romantic and professional careers seemed perfect — married in 1949, they began broadcasting The Les Paul Show to a national audience on NBC that same year.

The combination of Paul’s technical genius and their national radio audience propelled them quickly to the top of the charts. Paul was an innovator in using multi-track recording, which had generated instrumental pop hits for him earlier in his career; now he was able to use Mary’s voice for his most important studio experiments to date. First, he successfully achieved a close-miking effect by placing the microphone within six inches of her mouth, producing a warm and intimate sound. Then, by duplicating her performance on multiple tape tracks, it seemed she was harmonizing perfectly with herself, an effect that instantly connected the listener with the emotion of her recording. Together, they changed forever the sound of pop music. From that point until 1954, the duo of Les Paul & Mary Ford had a 16 Top Ten hits, including an astounding five Top Ten hits in a nine-month span — “Tennessee Waltz,” “Mockin’ Bird Hill,” “How High the Moon” (which stayed at number one for nine weeks), “The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise,” and “Whispering.” Then, from August 1952 to March 1953, they had five more Top Ten hits: “My Baby’s Coming Home,” “Lady of Spain,” “Bye Bye Blues,” “I’m Sitting on Top of the World,” and “Vaya con Dios” (which stayed at number one for 11 weeks).

They faded from the charts, as Paul’s revolutionary studio techniques were adapted by other artists and producers. Mary grew disenchanted with the work and tour schedule of the music industry, while Les was happiest working, and so their relationship grew distant, resulting in a bitter divorce in 1964, which forever ended their professional association. Mary Ford died at the young age of 53, in 1977, from diabetes-related illness. A year later, In 1978, Les Paul & Mary Ford were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Les Paul has won countless awards, the latest being in 2006, at the age of 90, when he won two Grammys for the album American Made World Played by Les Paul & Friends. Despite the onset of arthritis, Paul continues to perform weekly at the Iridium club in New York.

Feb

10

For two decades the Skydiggers have been integral members of Canada’s vibrant folk-rock scene, garnering considerable critical acclaim and community support despite repeated industry setbacks and limited commercial success. Inspired to write songs after attending a concert by the Hi-Fi’s (later Blue Rodeo) at the Cabana Club in Toronto, founding member Josh Finlayson formed an acoustic duo with Andy Maize in 1988, quickly attracting attention with their strong melodic vocal harmonies. With the additions of songwriter Peter Cash, drummer Wayne Stokes, and bassist Ron Macey, the Skydiggers rapidly became darlings of the Toronto club scene.

Less than a year after forming, the Skydiggers became the first signing of the new Canadian branch of Enigma Records, releasing their self-titled debut LP in 1990. Sales were modest but the record garnered two charting singles at Canadian radio, “Monday Morning” and “I Will Give You Everything,” giving the group the foundation for the first of many Canadian cross-country tours. Despite their growing popularity, their new record company was unable to promote the album properly; soon the slim economics of the Canadian music marketplace and the collapse of the U.S. parent company forced Enigma Canada into bankruptcy. Undeterred, several former members of Enigma formed FRE Records, bankrolling and releasing the second Skydiggers album, Restless, in 1992. Critically acclaimed, Restless spawned their biggest hit single (”A Penny More”) and is considered by many fans and critics as the high watermark of the band’s recording career.

FRE and Enigma Records were then picked up for distribution by Capitol/EMI, which reissued the first album and released the album Just Over This Mountain in 1993, which ironically — after three records and a dozen tours of the country — helped earn the 1993 Juno Award for Most Promising Group of the Year. In 1995, the band signed to Warner Records, releasing Road Radio; simultaneously, FRE Records went bankrupt, discontinuing all of the band’s back catalog. The lineup of the group also changed: most notably, Peter Cash left to form the Cash Brothers with his brother Andrew; only Finlayson and Maize have remained steadily part of the Skydiggers.

The next release, 1997’s Desmond’s Hip City, was released on the independent DROG Records label, and shows the band experimenting with a harder sound, and even features some slight trip-hop influences. In 1999, frustrated that their best-selling album, Restless, was still unavailable due to the legal limbo surrounding FRE’s bankruptcy, the band independently released Still Restless: The Lost Tapes, assembling a newer version of the album around the original rehearsal tapes. Since then, they have also released There and Back (2000), a live recording from Toronto’s Horseshoe Tavern on HipCity Records, the rootsy Bittersweet Harmony (2003 on Import Records), and an acoustic collaboration with the Cash Brothers (2006 on Maple Music).

Maize and Finlayson continue to tour Canada as a duo, as well as with established Canadian artists such as Blue Rodeo and Cowboy Junkies. Most notably, Andy Maize has used his many bad experiences with record labels to create a thriving independent Canadian record label and distributor, Maple Music, responsible for successfully releasing and promoting such Canadian artists as Paul Brandt, Tegan and Sara, Matthew Good, Loreena McKennit, Daniel Lanois, and Sarah Harmer.

Feb

10

The Neins Circa originally formed as the Neins in 2002, and quickly became popular in the small clubs in and around Vancouver, Canada. The quirky six-piece band recorded its first EP, The Neins, in 2003, which quickly sold out, mainly at the group’s high-energy live concerts. The band’s constantly shuffling lineup had started to revolve around guitarist/singer Cameron Dilworth, and, catching the eye of New Pornographers frontman Carl Newman, the Neins were invited to support his 2004 solo North American tour. Touring as a four-piece band, they played 25 shows across Canada and the United States, generating considerable buzz with their upbeat performances and offbeat songwriting. When they returned from touring, though, they were forced to alter their name, as another group had prior claims to the Neins, and growing tension in the band led to an exodus of most of the members. Undaunted, Dilworth continued to write new material, and eventually put together a new lineup, recording the CD Sunday Anthems for release on Carl Newman’s Blue Curtain label.

They attracted the attention of the Canadian broadcaster CBC, and recorded a Radio 3 Studio Session (much like the legendary John Peel sessions of the BBC), and, invigorated by this attention, recorded a second album, Please Feel Free to Enter the Tipi. Released independently in Canada, the CD quickly became popular on CBC Radio 3, establishing the Neins Circa and their unusual, highly stylized alternative pop sound to a national audience. Vancouver-based Copperspine Records quickly signed the band, and re-released and renamed the album in May 2007 as Sleeves and Wigs. By this time the lineup was Cameron Dilworth, vocals/guitar; Sean Gilhooly, drums/vocals; Erin Jane, keyboards/vocals; and Elaine Fung, bass/vocals. The group solidified its fan base with a series of local shows in Vancouver, before Dilworth announced his plans to relocate the Neins Circa to the U.K. for a year, beginning in the fall of 2007.

Feb

10

The Avant Garden performed a unique blend of spirited fusion, blending rock, jazz, space rock, and psychedelia to create a complex, multi-layered soundscape. An aggressive, high-energy foursome from Sacramento, CA, the group formed in 1993. Originally calling themselves Spirit Circle, they went through several personnel changes, settling on their final lineup in 1997: Flamp Sorari on flute and alto sax, leader Brian Gould on guitars, Miles Gilster on bass, and Jason Kenney on drums. The Avant Garden began playing concerts in California in 2000, and shared stages with such artists as Melting Euphoria, Deus Ex Machina, Mushroom, and Spock’s Beard. With producer Chris Dugan they recorded their debut album, Maelstrom, in 1999, enlisting multi-instrumentalist Steve Roach to add his inventive touch to several tracks. It took until 2002 for them to release the album to considerable acclaim from progressive music fans; the first pressing of their CD sold out quickly. However, the economic realities of being a prog fusion group from Sacramento proved to be far too great, and the band quietly disbanded later that year.

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