Back in February I had a chance to be one of the judges for season two of “Out Of The Shell”. It was a great night of music with good people and by the end of it the eight finalists had been chosen. Each week’s featured band is a surprise but with Guelph bands The Medicine Hat, The Durants and Tear Away Tusa all making the cut, this is one YouTube channel you’ll want to subscribe to so you don’t miss out on any of these great performances. We asked the guys at Out Of The Shell for a little history on how this project came together and the rest is their response…

Out of the Shell is a self-financed/non-profit initiative focused on bringing local musicians to the forefront of a growing worldwide community of online entertainment.

Out of the Shell was developed as an internal idea to help increase the exposure for artists that had recently visited our recording studio: “Turtleshell Studio”. We found that artists were looking for ways to have their music both listened to as well as seen, not on TV, but on the internet. From the time that the studio officially opened in 2012 until the official launch of the first season of Out of the Shell in June, 2013 we had been very interested in exploring the multitude of new mediums of video and the power of YouTube.

Josh has extensive musical and photography experience and Jake, the engineer for Turtleshell Studio, had the experience to support the technical aspect of sound and video production. Both incessantly talked about the possibility of a music video project based out of the studio. Having both dabbled in the medium throughout their careers; together, both men felt that 2012 was the perfect time to utilize this unique opportunity at the studio and create something of substance for the artists we already knew.

In the beginning (Jan 2012) a few pilot/trial episodes were filmed with the help of a few friends. The results were archived and taken as good learning lessons to prepare us for the future.

Officially, the first episode was recorded in the Spring with a Guelph punk rock band called The Nasties. Hosted by our friend Gerry Turple, he would introduce and
interview each of The Baudelaires, ATMOS, Barrett’s Privates, Well Charged, Object 221, Steven Vincent & Ambre McLean for what would inevitably become Out of the Shell Season 1, airing June through August of 2012.

Following a successful first season, we decided to reach out to a few of our favorite music supporters in the community to lend us their help getting the word out to offer this opportunity to a larger base of diverse talent that surrounds our area. It was important to us to offer this opportunity to more artists than just the ones we knew. So we ran a contest. We found some local music big wigs to help us judge the content and select the finalists. We brought in a great crew to help film…..

The artists were all fantastic….
And
We are finally ready to launch season 2!

Episode one airs Thursday May 1st and the series continues each Thursday throughout May and June. Subscribe to Out Of The Shell on YouTube to make sure you don’t miss an episode!

This Saturday Hamilton band The Zilis will play along side Guelph‘s Fitness Club Fiasco, both Kennedy Cult and Goodnight, Sunrise of Toronto share the bill as well. Born from the ashes of Dean Lickyer, The Zilis have recently released their second EP, Sketches II.

You would never guess by how polished this record is that it is only their sophomore effort. Pulling from a wide range of styles, The Zilis have created a modern version of something you’ll recognize. Blues with blistering leads and solos, Funky Bass lines and Rock N’ Roll pop sensibilities create a fun and danceable record that you’d be happy to put on at home but will translate great live. If you get a chance to come out on February 1st to see The Zilis in Guelph. DO IT! And bring your dancing shoes.

Sketches II will be available February 4th or at the CD release party February 7th in Hamilton.

Head’s up! Turtleshell Studio are looking for musicians to appear in season two of their web-series Out Of The Shell. If you’ve got a newish song and would like to have a professionally recorded live performance video of said song, you’ll probably qualify.

The guys from Turtleshell Studio will be on Underplayed & Underpaid at 6:05 pm today on CFRU 93.3 if you want more info .

OR

If you want more info on how to register or to see if you qualify, click here.

The Monsters of Schlock are self described as “The World’s Most Extreme Two Man Circus Sideshow Comedy Magic Extravaganza”. These Guelph natives have truly made a name for themselves taking on some of the craziest record breaking attempts for a chance to get in the Guinness Book of World Records and performing their legendary sideshow act for fans all over the world. Burnaby Q. Orbax and Sweet Pepper Klopek perform at the eBar along side some other freakshow friends. We got in touch with Orbax to learn a bit more about The Monsters of Schlock.

Music Lives: How do you decide which Guinness Records to break? Do you research things, make up your own, etc?

Burnaby Q. Orbax: It took six years of submitting proposals to GWR before they finally accepted an attempt of ours, which was the brand new record for mousetraps on the tongue. Guinness has a strict policy of safety first for their records, and it took quite a long time until they decided that we weren’t just crazy, but that we were professional crazies. That record was set by Sweet Pepper in Vancouver (27), broken in Milan Italy (40), and decimated in Hollywood (47) where it stands today.
Since then, and after our multiple appearances on different GWR TV shows, they’ve become very open to our ideas. Still, the guidelines are very strict. Guinness World Records are all about measuring something. The fastest, the heaviest, the most in a minute, so coming up with ideas for new records often takes a LONG time of batting about ideas.

ML: What kind of training do you do for certain stunts? How does one practice getting hit in the head over sixty times? Do you test, for example, cookie sheets, or is that something that is regulated by Guinness?

BQO: Most of our records are somehow tied into stunts that we currently or in the past have performed in our show. That at least gives us an idea as to what is actually a feasible record attempt. In terms of the actual records however we have a strict ‘no practice’ policy in effect. We either commit to the task or don’t do it at all. There’s no room for failure when the TV crews are filming, and it adds to the excitement of the event. We are literally testing ourselves to see if we can do it or not.
note: we will be attempting to break our current record for the heaviest weight lifted from hooks in the arms by lifting a Wellington keg on Thursday!

ML: You had your own group of Guelphites performing with you at one point and Pepper was in the bands before and/or between performances, is that how you met?

BQO: From 2004 – 2009 we played Guelph pretty regularly with a whole troupe of freaks as the Great Orbax Sideshow, at times with Pepper in the freakshow or with his band The Legendary Klopeks playing with us. Over time it’s changed and transformed into the show we do now, which is the Monsters of Schlock. As a two man comedy show it makes way more sense for us, both onstage and off. My brother Pepper and I met face to face over a decade ago at a body modification event after being adopted into separate families as kids, and have been performing together ever since.

This show in Guelph will be a bit of a throwback to the old shows, however, as we’ll be bringing up two fellow freaks from the US. It should give this event a real cabaret/vaudeville feel.

Our good friend Donny Vomit comes from the immortal home of sideshow, Coney Island, where he carved a name out for himself there. Sword swallowing, juggling, whip cracking and hammering nails into his face are only a few of his skills. As well we’re bringing up the great deceiver, the man with the best abs in all of burlesque, Albert Cadabra. Albert’s the front man at Ripley’s: Believe It or Not! museum in Times Square NY and is not only a strip teaser and sideshow freak, but a master magician.

ML: Your show has evolved over time, when did you feel you guys had it polished to a point where you could travel (last summer in Vancouver, European tour) as much as you do?

BQO: Our first cross Canada tour was in 2006 and this coming summer will mark the fifth year that we’ve toured Europe. Last year alone we toured both the East and West coasts of Canada, traveled the UK extensively, played Helsinki for the first time, and opened for the Rolling Stones at the world’s largest music festival in Glastonbury. When do you know you’re polished enough to tour? You don’t, really. Performing is a constantly changing thing, and your show is always changing depending on the venue, the country, and the people in attendance. They key is to create something you’re confident in and get it out there. With the internet and social media the way it is today it’s easy to find an audience, just sometimes you need to travel to get to them!

ML: I’ve seen you perform with several musical guests over the years, do you have a favourite? Is there a band you’d like to share the stage with? Pepper is in a few bands and always has been, lets give them all a shout out!

BQO: We’ve performed with quite a few bands over the years. Sons of Butcher, the Matadors, Caution Inc and the Blue Demons are specific favourites. But when it comes to the greatest band of all time I would have to say it’s The Legendary Klopeks. 20 years strong the greatest punk band of all time has the greatest front man of all time my brother, Sweet Pepper Klopek. Pepper has also fronted the thrash band Skullkrusher, as well as his latest project Church Pussy. You can find them ALL online!

http://youtu.be/h8Lydct6dHA

Visit The Monsters of Schlock on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/themonstersofschlock. You can also buy tickets to their upcoming show on Thursday, January 9th from Music Lives!

The follow-up to Mandroid Echostar‘s self-titled debut EP has been a much anticipated release, not just in their home town of Guelph, but in Southern Ontario as a whole. Having been warned by the band not to expect a repeat of their first release I didn’t know what to expect but was eager to listen none the less.

Citadels opens with a slow guitar track relying heavily on singer Michael Ciccia’s voice. It’s something you’ve never heard from Mandroid Echostar before but it sets the stage for the same amazing storytelling that the band is becoming known for. Imagine going to the theatre and having the narrator come out to deliver the prologue before the play actually starts. That’s exactly what “A Death Marked Dream” does. As the song fades out, the curtains open and the action begins. The smooth sound of an electric guitar creates anticipation and as soon as drummer Matt H-K counts “Ancient Arrows” in with his symbol you have a feeling that something epic is about to happen (and it does). That feeling remains for the rest of the EP.

By the time “Haunted Vows” is about half way through you realize that Mandroid Echostar are playing songs about love in a medieval place in time. Most bands in heavy genres try to avoid the topic of love unless they’re really mad about losing one. “I can’t find love here, so we’re going to march until I find some” seems to be the paraphrased message to the army. The chanting parts of the song create an anthem that is a call to arms to all, if you’re willing to come along for the rest of the ride. You are on a quest to find the main character’s true love. “To The Wolves” takes you through the travels of this quest, ultimately finding this love, but it’s going to take a lot of work to actually make it happen. Mandroid Echostar find a way to musically and poetically get this message across to the listener.

The final act (this whole album listens like a play) starts with “Ethereal Dawn”. The songs starts with such a crispy riff that you’ll want to pour milk on it and eat it like cereal. This is where the conflict becomes apparent. This love that is worth saving has become a real struggle. Our hero can’t seem to find where it’s gone but he knows it’s worth saving. One thing that has always amazed me about Mandroid Echostar is their ability to use their guitars as a means of communication. Rather than leaving all the responsibility to the singer, Stephen Richards, Sam Pattison, James Krul and Adam Richards have collectively figured out a way to SPEAK with their guitars. The final track, Citadels, starts down right evil. You can tell that the force holding back our hero is now in control. He’s still trying so hard, but the back and forth between our hero’s story and the good and evil guitars continues to intensify. The calmness with less than three minutes left in this 29-minute EP just crush you. You want the climax at the end of the story. You want to know what happened to our hero and their lover. I’m not going to ruin the ending, but the suspense should be eating away at you already. All you need to know is that the curtain finally does fall.

You can grab Citadels right now on Mandroid Echostar’s Bandcamp. I strongly suggest you do!

I’ve realized a few things since my last post for Guelph Music Club. One, that this IS definitely the decade where most of my favourite sad music comes from. Secondly, I moved in to a new house over a month ago and have yet to sort my record collection, making my inner Rob Gordon cringe. It’s not entirely my fault. I have broken leg debt, so I work 6 days a week at my day job. One night a week I “work” doing Name That Tune, and I also spend a few hours a day updating and attending events featured on this very website. The other reason I haven’t thrown on High Fidelity and sorted my records is that this house and therefore my turntable isn’t grounded properly. When I listen to vinyl, it hums like a….you get the idea. If it makes my readers any happier, I’m still living out of a suitcase, constantly washing the same two loads of laundry on rotation, so I have fresh clothes. I had my turntable and stereo hooked up on moving day and was even able to locate my Billie Holiday record in time to supply dinner music. Anyway…..

The last thing I realized since my last post is regarding one Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails fame. He was, musically speaking, the closest thing to an older sibling I’ve ever had. Again, read my last post to learn about how I discovered Pink Floyd. Maybe I’ll just dedicate a whole separate blog post to him in the near future. Anyway….In 1994 I bought my first Disc-man (it was $300!!!!) with my first full time summer job. This is when I decided to expand my musical horizons a little and, because as a 17 year-old with a bunch of disposable income, why not try to have every single CD in the HMV Top 40? My first three CDs ever purchased were Jar Of Flies, Alice In Chains, Siamese Dream, Smashing Pumpkins and The Crow Soundtrack. Not only is The Crow Soundtrack still my favourite of all time, it introduced me to Joy Division by way of the Nine Inch Nails cover of Dead Souls.

Joy Division could be the seed that grew into a whole tree of spin off genres. They are the link between punk and new wave. The controlled chaos of  noise no doubt influenced Industrial bands like Skinny Puppy and Nine Inch Nails. Their lyrical content is on par with Emo bands from the 2000’s. Joy Division just seemed to be more sincere and less whiny about it (maybe that is just my age talking). You can easily hear their influence on current bands like Interpol, She Wants Revenge, The National and Editors.  They weren’t the tightest band or have the polish that New Order possessed, but Joy Division brought a different kind of soul to music that has been often imitated but never duplicated. So yeah….Unknown Pleasures. Pick number three!!! Enjoy! Don’t get too sad about stuff involving things.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVvoQIdD80U

So it seems like the Guelph Music Club has discovered the decade where the Winter of my discontent began. One of the other albums I listen to every year, alone, in the dark, on my birthday, is Pink Floyd‘s Wish You Were Here. Like many Pink Floyd albums, each side plays almost seamlessly from song to song with almost no indication as to when one song ends and another begins. This is true for the opening five parts of “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”. An apparent tribute to former member and now late, Syd Barrett, who apparently did too much acid and went crazy…Or something like that.

I didn’t get introduced to Pink Floyd in the traditional way as a teenager, like from my parents or best friend. Instead, Trent Reznor had mentioned them in an interview saying how he had always admired them for creating full albums over trying to write hit songs, which is something I’ve always admired as well. Trent mentioned The Wall but my Dad only had one Pink Floyd record on vinyl (this was before the internet). Fast forward until my next serious grounding, and I was listening to Dark Side Of The Moon on repeat.

“Wish You Were Here“ the song was never released as a single but it’s probably the most well known. “Have a Cigar”, with it’s funky bass line and guest vocalist was the hit and only official single. Probably because it’s one of only two songs under six minutes.  In one of my favourite concert moments (moments NOT concerts) ever, Velvet Revolver (yeah, that forgettable super-group)  ended their show with this song. Have you ever been to a show where EVERYONE in attendance knew every single word?! It’s chilling in the most amazing way. What added to this, that you didn’t notice at the time, was the house lights were slowly coming up while the band performed the song. The whole audience was so caught up in the moment that when the song finally ended you knew the show was over, and you really didn’t need anything more.

When Guelph band Odd Years asked us to review their new album Drawing Lines, I jumped at a chance to get an advanced copy. I’ve got to know a few members of the band since starting our website and they’re some of the busiest musicians and nicest guys in town.

There is something on Drawing Lines for everyone. It’s a little bit country. A little bit rock and roll. Sometimes a little quiet. Sometimes loud. The slide guitar work on “Patient” is amazing. “Sea Widows” starts with some great vocal harmonies and the vibe you get from “Take You Anywhere” reminds me of some of the biggest bands of the early 1960s. The album is well paced and the production is spot on for their sound.

The most amazing thing about Drawing Lines is how absolutely relaxing it is. You could have the worst day of your life and within one play through be fully relieved of all stress. That is the power of music! If you’re really desperate for Drawing Lines, as you should be, Odd Years is Missed Connection Records‘ Guelph band of the month. Track down a download card and get ready for some musical relaxation therapy.

Odd Years‘ official CD release party is happening October 9th at The eBar!!! Click here for more details!

Visit http://oddyears.bandcamp.com/ to stream Drawing Lines and learn more about Missed Connection Records at https://www.facebook.com/MissedConnectionRecords.

I went to a rock show, as I do. When a rock show is a CD release, I usually pick it up. We need to support our musicians and this way I know I’ve done my part. A few weeks ago I grabbed Guelph guitarist Nick Johnston‘s latest CD, In A Locked Room On The Moon. I really had no idea what to expect as there isn’t a lyricist/singer to be found on any of the ten songs on the album. I grew up loving Sci-fi movies, space themed Lego and He-Man. So as soon as I opened the disc and gazed upon the artwork of Mark Rehkopf I knew I was going on a journey.

In A Locked Room On The Moon opens with “The Evil Stepsister”. It’s a little crunchy and inspires mischievous thoughts. You don’t know where Nick Johnston is taking you but the groove is so thick you don’t care. The diversity of all the musicians that appear on this album is unreal (look it up on-line, it’s seriously impressive) and the way they all seem to play off of each other is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle that is this album. The lead on “Even If It Takes A Lifetime” is understated and chill while the hard rockin’ blues of “Trick Question” could have appeared in your favourite movie about any town with tumble weeds and tough-guys. Midway through you find “Sandmonster”. It’s a Latin inspired song and the album’s first official single. “IALROTM” incorporates all of the styles of guitar you’ve heard before but without ever going full blues, full hard rock, full metal or full any genre. I felt like I was taken on a trip, via rocket ship, to all the important stops in guitar rock history.

So why doesn’t Nick Johnston get a few featured vocalists to come in and collaborate? It couldn’t hurt, could it? I now know that when you have the talent-pool that Nick Johnston is part of and surrounds himself with, you really don’t need the help.

If you didn’t get a chance to check out our first edition of Music Lives print, here’s the show we reviewed from back in July. Enjoy!

If you’ve never been to one of The Medicine Hat’s shows, you’ve probably interacted with a member of the band somewhere in Guelph and not realized it. One may have made your lunch at a local eatery. Maybe another member probably stood next to you at a show, enjoying and supporting the Guelph music scene that they’ve become such an important part of. If you’re a Downtown Guelphite you’d recognize at least one member of The Medicine Hat but maybe you wouldn’t know from where. That’s how I felt at The eBar when I arrived super early for their show on July 10th. I was surprised to find out that I have crossed paths with almost every member of the band, in just my Downtown Guelph, daily life.

GAIN Music and The Medicine Hat have had a great working relationship in the past and the buzz around the band’s CD release party for Old Bones, was no exception. Adding Ptarmigan and Mara & The Marigold, both bands hailing from Toronto, as support didn’t hurt either. I was lucky enough to be able to have a drink on the patio with all the bands before the doors opened. Everybody was super excited about the night and happy to be apart of it. The eBar was already filling up by the time Mara & The Marigold started their set and, by the end of Ptarmigan’s set, filled to the brim.

You could feel the anticipation in the audience as The Medicine Hat took the stage to tune up. Everyone was to the front of the room as close to the stage as possible and it was almost as if everyone were holding their breath in wait for them to begin. When The Medicine Hat finally did address the crowd, before a note was even played, the place erupted in a cheers and applause that lasted almost their entire set. Three songs into their set, I knew that Old Bones was one CD that would sell-out, like the show ultimately did, and made my way over to the merch table to make sure I got a copy, losing my spot to the side of the stage. I’m lucky and happy that I did though because everything about The Medicine Hat’s CD is just as good as their amazing performance. This was an event, with a band, for a CD, that everyone was waiting for, and nobody left disappointed.

Thanks so much everyone! We’re all getting really excited here at Music Lives. We still have about a day and a half left in our campaign, but we’ve already surpassed our goal! I’ve started this update several times and every time I came back to it, someone had donated to our cause/grabbed themselves a sweet perk or advertising space, and I had to start over. There is still some advertising space available, if you feel like squeaking in under the wire. Click here to check out what’s left. Here is what has happened over the last week or so:

More good news for the Music Lives Mix Perk, about fifteen Guelph bands have committed to donating a song to the CD, so we’ll probably be breaking it up into two CDs. A few of the bands are just wrapping up some new material in the studio, but we feel it’s worth the wait. You’ll be getting a few unreleased songs! If you’re a Guelph area band, there is still time to get in on this. E-mail me!

Timing can be everything and with how well the campaign was going already, we saw a deal that we couldn’t pass up. We already bought a printer! It’s better than the one we previously thought would be in our budget, so we jumped on it! It prints over 11X17, is a higher quality, has higher resolution and has a better warranty. We’ve had some fun the last few days, playing with settings and trying out different paper and ink combinations. The quality is amazing and we can’t wait for you to see it.

You should also start following our team if you don’t already. Kelly is and always has been our lead designer for the website and she, whether she’ll admit it or not, is really enjoying the challenge of going to print. She’s been my catalyst and chief motivator behind the scenes since before Music Lives was even a thing. If you see us doing something new or trying something different, it is usually Kelly‘s idea, with my spin on it. Next up, the other NEW boss lady, Editor-In-Chief, Katy Butters. Some of you already know Katy as one of your fabulous bartenders at Jimmy Jazz. She’s always had a love for the written word and live music, for as long as I’ve known her. Katy comes to us with a pile of experience from Velvet Rope Magazine and we’re lucky and honoured to have her on board.  You can check out some of her writting featuring Eamon McGrath at Kazoo! Fest, Guelph‘s own, Mandroid Echostar, and she even got to meet Henry Rollins!

Chuck and Teresa will still be contributing, online and in print. Chuck will be continuing to helping me out by covering a lot of the punk and metal side of things. Head over to the Guelph Metal Heads Facebook Page and give it a ‘Like’ if you’re into that kind of thing. Teresa will continue to march to her own drum, writing her Music Monday feature for the site. She always writes from the heart. Sometimes Teresa exposes bands we’ve never heard of and should keep an ear out for, or she reminds us of bands we may have been in love with and forgotten about, all with a personal twist. And then there is me, the Music Lives guy. I didn’t coin the term, in fact, I get called that a lot when I’m out and about. I’ll still be out everyday, finding events to add to our listings, for both the site and print versions of Music Lives. On top of that, my evenings will still be full of live music in Guelph, going to shows to review or to buy CDs to review, snapping photos and helping out the scene, anyway I can. There are some other potential team members hovering around the fringes, but for right now, that’s THE OFFICIAL TEAM.

So there you have it folks! Updates will become more frequent as our campaign comes to an end tomorrow and we’ll let you know when all of your perks are ready to go. We can’t tell you how grateful we all are that you, our contributors, our readers and our friends, believe that we could pull something like this off. Thank you so much!

Now, if I could only find a date to our official release party….

I was raised on some Classical Music, but not a lot, so this assignment for Guelph Music Club was a little tricky. I associate most of my favourite pieces with movies. It’s kind of surprising that Classical Music isn’t utilized more in modern cinema. Most movies have an original score, when, if they wanted to save a HUGE amount of money, they could use almost ANY piece of Classical Music they wanted, for little or no cost. Almost all “famous” pieces were composed or written before copyright laws. I’ve read a few books on the evolution of the music industry, Appetite For Self Destruction being my favourite, and it’s weird that we’ve pretty much come full circle. Pre-copyright musicians didn’t get royalties for their recordings either. That’s a whole book on another subject, RANT over, here’s  a couple of my favourites Classical pieces.

Remember, remember…

The only downfall of vinyl is the volume that you can play it at. You can get feedback through the needle or the bass can cause the record to skip itself. As a kid, it was an actual thing for my Dad and his buddies to try and find a turntable/amp/speaker/needle combo that wouldn’t skip when turning up your music. According to legend, in other words, what my Dad told me, certain recordings of 1812 featured ACTUAL CANON FIRE, guaranteed to skip any needle in THE WORLD. The song was also featured in the ending scene of V For Vendetta. I didn’t want to post it and ruin the end of the movie for anyone, so you can watch it here.

What’s In The Box?!?

Already posted as an honourable mentioned by שּׂreckedΔngle™, Bach’s Air on a G String became on of my favourite pieces of Classical Music after seeing Seven. It plays during the library scene, while Morgan Freeman does all the research and thinking. Sometimes when I’m reading or writing, listening to music with vocals can become distracting. I like Bach for those situations.

Beware!!! Sadness Below

I couldn’t remember if there was restriction on year our pieces had to be from for Guelph Music Club. To be honest, I might have skipped this whole assignment if not for Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber from 1936. I started this post back on Thursday at my day job. I searched out this song first, being one of my Top 20 songs of all time, and then had to put my laptop down and stop. I have to confess, I have no idea where this song takes me. I get a little choked up and my breathing gets heavy, every time I hear it. It’s intense sadness hits me in a way no other song does. Whoever had the idea to use it throughout Platoon is a genius.

Now you probably need some cheering up. Crank this! It still sends shivers down my spine!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODh8_f9f_2s

Picking a sports song or stadium anthem for Guelph Music Club could be a little tough for me. I go to stadiums and arenas for rock shows, not sporting events. I see Iron Maiden, Guns & Roses and Foo Fighters at the ACC, not the Leafs. I haven’t been to a Jays game since ’94. I’ve done rounds of Name That Tune only using songs from Jock Jams, usually around NHL and NBA playoffs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMQzfncqOQc

I mean I’m sure they must use this song at ball games, it’s about baseball, right? At what age did I discover what this song is actually about? Who knows! This song came out the year I was born, the album is one of the best selling albums of all time, so I know I must have heard this song off and on MY WHOLE LIFE! But I was quite a late bloomer and better at Math than English, so I imagine the sports context in this song went right over my head until my teens. I still don’t know what all the bases represent. When I was younger holding hands would have been first base. Then in high school, kissing. Now that everybody can see pretty much anything and everything on the internet, have the Bases been changed? The comic below sums it up perfectly. I think more complicated game, like Football would be a better metaphor for sex, but at the same time, I don’t understand how Football works either.

Recently GAIN Music hosted the Guelph stop of Courage My Loves’ Becoming Tour at Van Gogh’s Ear with Guelph band Mandroid Echostar joining them on several dates. They were joined by Uxbridge band Air Marshal Landing, performing in support of their new record, You Used To Be Me and Guelph band BoomEcho. In a rare occurrence, a band, all the bands in fact, were EARLY for their load-in times, with Courage My Love being the first to arrive. The night was all uphill from there!

Guelph band BoomEcho started things off with an energetic set of their 90’s Alternative meets Pop. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing BoomEcho a few times now, they have a great loyal following that were paying attention from the get go. Having a funky, fun, dance-rock band opening for headliners being rooted in Metal and Punk could have been risky but BoomEcho played a great set to an audience that was willing to listen and won over some new fans.

Guelph band BoomEcho start the night off.

Next up were one of my new favourite bands, Air Marshal Landing. These guys impressed me back in April when they played at The A.N.A.F. and they were kind enough to send us their brand new album, You Used To Be Me, a couple weeks before release. The album is getting rave reviews from everyone (check out their Facebook Page for more details) and they don’t disappoint live. Being only the second time Air Marshal Landing have visited Guelph, I feared their set may fall on deaf ears. They played a whole set of their brand new material piquing the crowd’s interest. Guelph is such a musically gifted city and it’s great that the out-of-towners are welcomed with as much enthusiasm as our own. Air Marshal Landing write and perform the type of songs you’ll move closer to the stage for.

Mandroid Echostar are always happy to play in front of their hometown, and Guelph comes out in droves to cheer them on. By halfway through the first song of their set, almost everyone at Van Gogh’s Ear were collected right up against the stage. The boys have been in the studio recording their second EP as of late, but showed no signs of stage rust. Mandroid Echostar, the gentleman they are, asked permission to play a few of these new tracks, sending the crowd into a frenzied applause. The new songs are a departure from their debut EP but are just as good, maybe better. “Progressive” bands should make “progress” and it’s great to see Mandroid Echostar challenge themselves. The last song of the set saw everyone in the front row put their arms around each other while singing along. The audience was primed for PARTY MODE, and Courage My Love started setting up to take us even higher.

Considering Courage My Love hail from the KW area, it’s kind of shocking that this is only the second time they’ve played Guelph. They’ve been building a following in the GTA and the buzz surrounding the new album, Becoming, has been positive. Based on their youthful appearance, you might expect Courage My Love  to be just another pop/punk band, but they use the history of punk, metal and pop, take the best parts of each, and make them all fun to watch and listen to live.  Ultimately, Courage My Love blindsided me with their performance, playing their instruments faster and harder, nailing every solo and every vocal, all while bringing the crowd along with them for the ride. This is one band to watch and watch out for. Courage My Love don’t mess around and are already polishing a live show ready for thousands.. So, what did I learn? Never judge a band by their album cover.

Courage My Love Online

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Happy Canada Day! I figured it would be festive to share a few of the Canadian bands I’m listening to right now. First up is East Coast band, The Stanfields. They played a Badlands Music/GAIN Music show in Guelph this past Saturday at Van Gogh’s Ear. Bryan at Underplayed & Underpaid will be playing some of The Stanfields songs on CFRU 93.3 at 6:05 today if you like what you hear.

Watch out for Ottawa band, The Balconies. It’s really easy to do because they’re all over social media. Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Instagram and they even have their own App. I’ve followed and enjoyed this band since they played Jimmy Jazz a couple years back. Please come back to Guelph soon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gxoo91od9kY
A band that is recently exploded onto my radar is Air Marshal Landing. I can’t give these guys enough praise. They’re fun to listen to live or at home. If you like to dance around your house to Arctic Monkeys or Franz Ferdinand, check out Air Marshal Landing. They played Guelph twice pretty recently but if you missed them you should study up for next time.

Speaking of dancing around, Soon This Will All Be Gone by catl is has been in my Top 10 played vinyl since I picked it up after seeing them live a while back. They’ve had some line-up changes and just toured through the deep south but catl is another band that needs to come back and visit Guelph soon.

A band coming BACK to Guelph this week is Harlan Pepper. A little bit Country and Rock & Roll, from Guelph for a while, now in Hamilton, Harlan Pepper have written the best cottage song since Patio Lanterns. They’ll being playing the A.N.A.F on July 5th with a few other great bands. We’ve reviewed them previously, if you want to check it out!

We are proudly Canadian here at Music Lives and I know I speak for all of us when I wish you all a safe, happy and fun Canada Day!

Last week, Guelph band Adverteyes released their sophomore LP, Cultures, to their Bandcamp profile. After a cassette release in January and debuting some of their new material at last month’s GAIN Music Festival, a lot of people, including myself, have been eagerly awaiting this release.

On my first listen, I noticed that Cultures doesn’t play through like I would normally want an album to. I usually prefer forty-five minutes (22 minutes on vinyl) of continuous music (like  most Pink Floyd or Nine Inch Nails albums), with the songs ordered in a way that takes you up and down. What I did find, and now ultimately like, about Cultures, is that it listens like a play or book, in three chapters. It’s almost like there is an introduction, conflict and conclusion, not just from the beginning to end of the record, but in each of the three chapters as well. Cultures, Adverteyes, is telling you a story, so I used my imagination, and just listened.

This is the part of the review where I would usually break down a few of the key tracks, talk about production (which is great), point out the album’s strengths and weaknesses and boil it all down to a verdict on whether or not to buy the record. I can’t do that with Cultures. Every song is an important part of the story. The first track, Romancing The Stone, is like meeting your tour guide. The song introduces itself, the album, and the band. “Hello. We’re Adverteyes. We will be taking you on a forty-five (46:19) minute journey. Please, lean back, get comfortable, and close your eyes.” So, I followed my tour guide’s instructions. With a little imagination and a willingness to go, I went away with Adverteyes.

These are the first words that popped into my head as my journey progressed as Cultures played through:

Outer space, magic carpet ride, belly-dancing-gypsy pub, Marilyn Manson voice, excited, scared, Willy Wonka tunnel, happy & carefree, love, ghosts, an old church, longing, slowly watching a candle melt into a puddle of wax, dancing, struggle, victory, relaxation, anxiety, relief, exhale

 There are so many layers to Cultures that trying to describe the album with a few adjectives about the sound, influence, emotion, location or mood, would be unfair. I felt taken away, via many different forms of transportation, to different locations, and felt different emotions with each arrival. I haven’t had this type of experience from an album in seven years, let alone by a Guelph artist. If you like adventure and imagination in your music, Cultures by Adverteyes is for you.

Don’t miss Adverteyes’ homecoming and official Guelph album release party this Friday!

Wow! It’s been some time since I’ve made a post personally, but something caught my eye on Facebook today that I just couldn’t shake. It is, in fact, the day of Kurt Cobain‘s birth. Now, I know, I’m treading on some seriously sensitive subject matter here. There are those that love him, and those that don’t get what the big deal is about Nirvana. I am the former. But to put things in perspective, I started high school September 3rd, 1991. Twenty-one days before Nevermind was released. That album changed our whole musical landscape. Smells Like Teen Spirit was already in heavy rotation and was actually supposed to be the lead up to Come As You Are, which was supposed to be the hit. My peers and I latched on to it, and the rest is history. Up to that point my favourite song was the collaboration between Public Enemy and Anthrax doing Bring the Noise, and my favourite album was Appetite For Destruction by Guns & Roses (you’d have to pay me a pretty penny, like millions, to never listen to that album, start to finish, again. I have it on vinyl, original pressing, no big deal). I can’t believe how hard it would have been to find Sonic Youth tapes pre-Nevermind.

So here is our conversation copy & paste style. You should all check out Dallas’ Blog and follow him on Twitter. It doesn’t really matter if you agree with either of our points. Opinions and arguments about music are what makes some of us tick. Dallas has spent the entirety of our friendship working with youth, the mentally unwell and volunteering for St. John’s Ambulance. Dallas cares about people and about Guelph. However, he is, in fact, a Flyers fan. Nobody’s perfect.

And my rant continues….

And then I said…

I was in the worst news ever category….Here is the full article.

For the most part though, I feel Nirvana and Kurt Cobain‘s suicide is still fresh in a lot of ACTUAL music lovers minds. I think the band’s legacy will be either diminished or become greater over time. Jimi Hendrix changed things and influenced many a guitarist to be loud and distorted. He influenced the Heavy Metal sound for sure. John Bohnam changed drumming. Janis Joplin changed our impression of what a female vocalist should sound like (listen to Joss Stone for example). Elvis, I’ll love him until the day I die, never wrote a song, but was a great performer. I wonder though, were any of them white noise in their time? What did Jim Morrison actually change in the genre of what is now known as Classic Rock? All of these artists have been gone for 30 years or more, but they are revered as having this profound importance in music history. I think only some of them deserve it.

This list can continue with people we’ve lost over the last 20 years. What about Shannon Hoon, he had something to do with the song No Rain? No one talks about Layne Staley, of Alice In Chains, and his legacy. What about Cliff Burton, know his name? The singer from Drowning Pool. The drummer from Avenged Sevenfold….

What’s great about music is that it affects us all differently, and all rock heroes are our own. If you attach yourself to a song or album or band, that relationship is important to you, and you alone. It means something in a certain time and place. No one can take that memory or feeling away from you. Rock Stars do dumb things. Overdose, suicide, drown, die in plane, car or bus crashes….Let’s be honest though, some of these things have happened to someone you love. Someone you actually knew. That you talked to. That mattered to you on a personal level. We only actually love the musician and music that are presented to us through whatever means they, or their “people” deem appropriate.

I’ll always be glad that Nirvana‘s Nevermind came out when I was 14 years old, no matter what anybody says.