7 posts tagged “canada”

You already know that I'll have a lot to say about the whole experience, but for now (because I'm desperate for some sleep) I thought I'd share this photo from fourth row at last night's Police concert:

Yes, Stewart, that green blur you saw was me.  Thank you for pointing at the flag, and especially for the big smiles and eye contact.  Thank you for the opportunity to meet such incredible people.  Thank you, Kellie, for letting me be a part of this crazy Kryptonite history.

If you could perform alongside any artist (actor, dancer, musician, etc.), who would it be, and what would you perform? 
Submitted by Kristin.

 

There are three songwriter/composer -type people I'm hoping to work with someday.

The first one is Stewart Copeland.  Right now there's this little matter of a huge reunion tour with the Police, but his "day job" is writing soundtracks for film.   He's used to having all of his fingers in the pie, like me (writing, playing, singing, producing, etc.) and the more I listen to what he's already done, the more I believe we could come up with some wicked magic stuff together.  I suppose that performance-wise, I'd like something big and classical, with violins and piano and a big horn section, and of course some heavy artillery.  I think a lot of harmony would be in order, as well as many different layers of whatever we can jam in there that sounds good.

Francois Dompierre is an award-winning French Canadian composer, who wrote soundtracks for many films (most memorably, perhaps, was Denys Arcand's "Decline of the American Empire").  I grew up listening to his classical instrumentals, and if you listen to the more melancholy tunes I write you can hear where some of my influences came from.  Although there might be a language barrier -- my French has gone downhill since high school-- I think it would be brilliant to team up with him someday and write a very chanson triste.  And because he's my Dad's cousin (they look so much alike!) and we are related, I am betting he'd be open to thinking about it.  Before my Grandma passed away, she encouraged me to contact him, but being who he is he's very hard to get in touch with.

Danny Elfman, of course, is the talented dude behind the Simpsons theme song, and half of the coolness you'll find in Tim Burton movies.  I didn't know about him until someone compared my songs to his, and they are indeed very much in the same style and sound similar.  I don't know if he'd want to work with someone who isn't much different than he is, though.  Also I haven't gotten any phone calls from Tim Burton, asking if I'll score his movies.  Still... it would be fantastic to collaborate with him someday.  Even if he'll just let me watch his spooky choir in action :)

Three other people I'd love to work with: Jack Lenz (a Canadian songwriter who has worked on many and varied projects, like Nanalan' and The Passion of the Christ), and Rachel Portman (UK soundtrack artist for many of my favourite films from the 90s -- Road to Wellville, Cider House Rules, Beloved, Home Fries, etc.).   Mitch Girio has been a hero of mine since I first met him, and though we did collaborate together on one song, it was done long-distance. 

I'd give my -- actually, I don't know what I could say here that would fully explain what I'd do, give, kill, or die for -- just to work with these talented and impressively awesome people.  I know it's been said that living out a fantasy is never as fun as you imagined, but in this case... I know it would be even better than I imagined.

As an added bonus, since we are talking about partners in the spotlight, here's a song that Mike Southern (formerly of King Apparatus) and I wrote together:

...but now I'm back.  It was my one last grab at summer, one actual soak in the fleeting sun, one final feeling of freedom.

I spent the weekend at my friend's cottage, sans husband and kids, near Bancroft, Ontario.  Chicks only, no cleaning unless it was necessary (and it never was).  Exceedingly loud music at all times (mostly Copeland's "Too Kool to Kalypso" or a giant Police CD with about 80 songs on it, with me teaching Marina how to do the running man).  And of course... lots and lots of cocktails, wine, coolers, and beer.

Those were the rules.  Here are the photographs.

I'm just getting caught up on a bunch of things.  It's been quite the summer: big family barbecues, concerts, parties, friends, kids, vacation, house renovations.  So logging in today I got quite a shock.

Last summer, my friend H. went out in a boat with his son-in-law, E.  They never returned.  The authorities searched, the families searched, special groups were formed to search, strangers who never met these men searched, but all that turned up was the empty boat.  The family offered a reward for any info.  Still nothing.  We waited and prayed and lit candles.  There were no bodies.  After many days, long after most people would have, we gave up hope that they were still alive.

Eventually, the body of H. washed ashore.  We grieved, and hoped that we'd soon have word on his son-in-law, E.  Now we do.

We still don't know exactly what happened.  I'm filled with sorrow for his family, but grateful that they have this closure.  They have begun a trust fund, through donations, for E.'s three small children left behind. 

My own family, who risk their lives doing volunteer search and rescue for the Canadian Coast Guard Auxilliary, are often called to go out and find strangers who are lost.  E. himself was a volunteer paramedic for Toronto's Jewish Emergency Response Service, Hatzolah.  If you could take a moment today and give a silent thanks (or offer up a little prayer) for the firemen, paramedics, search and rescue, and other volunteers who put their lives in danger to save the lives of people we love... I would be eternally thankful.

 

I am heartsick.  Stunned.

My friend Shylagh died this weekend.  She was rushed to the hospital but she passed away due to a blood clot.  She was so young, so fun, so wickedly grand.  She loved animals, she loved our country, she loved having really funky hair and being an original.  She didn't take any shit from anyone and didn't care how you felt about that.  I admired her.  I adored her.

Then.  Snuffed out, so quickly, just like that.  Like a pinched candle flame. 

I am at a loss for words.

Goodbye, Shy.  Save me a seat over at the warmest spot by the fireplace.

xo

 

What are the 10 most memorable music performances you've seen? (Remember, "memorable" may not be good.) 
Submitted by Bill. 

I think every music performance I've seen has given me thrills.  And I mean major, major thrills.  I remember being a little kid and going to the high school to see their band play, and while everyone else was chatting and poking each other, I was just in raptures.  If you could mainline concerts, I'd be an addict for sure.

1) High School production of Oklahoma!

I was in the eighth grade, about 13 years old.  The whole town was talking about the good looking headbanger who took the lead role of Curly.  He stole the show.  He stole my heart.  And although I didn't know it, the man who was to be my husband was playing percussion for that musical.

2) Depeche Mode (with Nitzer Ebb opening)

My very first major concert.  We got to Pine Knob and I was hugely dehydrated.  I was with my first boyfriend, who is English and a DM fan from the word go, and my friend Anne-Marie and her boyfriend.  I remember the funny smelling cigarettes and thinking they just smelled like American cigarettes (yes, I was very sheltered).  Nitzer Ebb was really fab, but... oh my... you know what happens to you when your favourite band gets on stage.  Pine Knob is an open-air venue, and 'Shmode played while the sun set... the sky behind them was red and orange.  It was so incredible.  My ears rang for days.  And I went to work the next day in a regular shirt, because my friends believed that it was just so WRONG to wear a tour shirt at all the day after the concert.

3) The Forgotten Rebels with the Ramones

I saw these two bands in one night at a small, small bar in London (Ontario).  It was as incredible and dream-like as you're thinking.  The Rebs were trying to regain their youth again (and in their position, who wouldn't?) by talking sexy and looking really lame for it, but we laughed and secretly rolled our eyes at each other and screamed like rabid fans, and they seemed to be happy enough with that.  I had to stay out of the mosh pit because I hadn't worn my Docs, so I got hiked up onto the bar to sit, and one of the Ramones stared at me the whole concert, never mind which one.  I moved around constantly to keep him from doing that because my boyfriend was furious with me for getting looked at, but he searched me out every time.  I was too young to even think that it wasn't my fault, to have someone else look at me, but my boyfriend locked me in the car when we stopped at the convenience store when everyone else got out, and screamed at me about it.  Other than that, great time.  I also remember something about several jokes with the same punchline... "mighty presumptious of you"... but that could be a different thing altogether. 

4) Erasure, Phantasmagorical tour

To know these guys is to love them.  I went with my husband (who was "just" my boyfriend at the time) and he thought it was a freakshow.  They started the show with a big swan cart moving out to center stage, and Andy in a dress and boa and his capital-V Voice.  Eventually they pulled out the big guns, though: a small tractor with Ontario plates (ERASHR I believe it was!) carrying keyboards and Vince... Abba songs... and yes, dancing naked men in chaps.  At which point the first act was done and we were sent off to do what people do during intermission, and to be honest the dancing naked men in chaps is not something you ever think could be *followed*.  Smike wanted to leave but I said no way and he stayed, and thank God he did because it was right after that that he got it.  He got the show, and enjoyed it, huge.  One other thing I remember about this one is that I danced like a crazy person and sang (these guys know *harmony*, you just cannot NOT sing) while everyone just stood up and watched... except for this one guy behind us who danced too.

5) Depeche Mode, again

The concert was memorable only because I went with my former boyfriend, who told everyone we were back together, even though I had made it clear that would NEVER happen, and I was living with Smike at the time.  Also because I got to see my friend Stephanie, and drive my new car to Windsor and the states.  I don't remember much else about the concert except that we were off to the left, and there were a lot of screens with stuff on them that were pretty cool.  There was no Bondage Angel this time, but you know, only one concert can be your first.

6) The Wolfgang Press

This was an unbelievable soak with serendipity.  Smike and I went to see them, and when we went into the theatre we took the balcony stairs.  Right after we got up there, security closed them off.  So we had a private balcony viewing of this really great band, which was hugely romantic, and also quite fun.

7) Billy Joel and Elton John

You would have to be a moron of some sort to not understand what it's like to see two such huge mega giant superstar idol legends play together.  I went with my friend, Mike, who got me tickets to go for my birthday.  So a bunch of us, Mike and I and a vanload of strangers, drove up to the Sky Dome in Toronto.  And guess what?  The seats we had were on this horrible angle.  It felt like you were going to fall, right straight down a thousand feet to the very ground, parting everyone's hair in front of you with your body as you fell.  It was so terrifying I started to cry, which was mortifying, but Mike and this very nice couple got me out of there right away.  The Sky Dome staff came over to us as we left, and... yes... gave us floor tickets.  So we saw those very huge talents with their double pianos right in front of us.  They were so close that Elton's many and varied latex suits looked like they were very shiny garbage bags.  Don't tell him I said that.

8) King Apparatus

Ska band with a Juno, thank you very much.  Very talented group of guys with the kind of music and lyrics that everyone loves.  I saw them with Smike when they did their big reunion tour a few years back, after I'd just had a baby (and amazingly my old figure back).  Thanks to Mitch (Girio, of King Kong Girio fame) we are always put on the guest list, and getting to run around backstage to see them is a great highlight of any concert.  But the music... man... endlessly powerful, party-intense, and ska-riffic.  King Apparatus baby, comin' atcher ear...

9) The Artichokes

Two things: Juggling potatoes, and the band offered everyone some of their fresh-baked bread.  How could someone NOT find that memorable?  Lee's Palace, Toronto (with Karen and Smike) and again on the guest list.

10) The Orchard

Drastic call from the twins: Smike, can you come play drums for us at our gig?  Sure, why not.  Dawn, the singer, wore a wedding dress she'd bought from a second-hand store.  And me... well... I got to hear a song I'd written performed live :)

 

This summer my husband and I are going to see the Police (yep, neither you nor I are dreaming... I did indeed say the Police).  Every so often, I remember we're going and I freak out a tiny bit.

If you go, I'll be the one with my eyes rolled back in my head, looking like I snorted guitar solos like coke, and sighing orgasmically.