2000.03.01-05 Travelogue: Toronto Canadian Music Week (http://www.cmw.net) 2000.03.01 Wednesday 0600 on road; thanks Alicia for great directions, made TO in 8 1/2-9 hours excluding pit stops including the Tool House Mueseum and Drilling Well outside of Bradford, PA. 5PM - check-in to Bond Place (65 E.Dundas) which I was directed to by my Social Director and Travel Agent, Mark Goldstein, drummer for By Divine Right (http://www.bydivineright.com). Pint of Labatt's 50 at Mick E. Finn's, Ryerson Polytechnic Institute (RPI) local bar. Souvlaki at corner grill with a garlic sauce so good it makes my teeth hurt. nap. thank you Tim Horton (24hr coffee) 12 midnight: Barcode (549 College Ave.) for pint of Guiness, Swing Gang playing, great authentic swing/jazz band, run into Captain Ron, multimedia mogul and occasional tourmaster for bdr. Another pint upstairs at Ted's Wrecking Yard where I've just missed Zoloto Station. The bartender is a trumpet player recently moved to TO. We discuss how the taxi drivers are out of control and drive like maniacs. 2AM goodnight 2000.03.02 Thursday +From: jonE notionsunlimited@mindspring.com +To: bdr@idirect.ca; feist@idirect.ca +Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2000 7:32 AM +Subject: Greetings in TO + + Melissa, + + Hi, I checked into the BondPlace yesterday. Would like to know if any + of the kids are in town would they like to meet sometime/where. I'll be + at the Horseshoe for Emm on Friday and bopping around town elsewise. + Ran in to Captain Ron at the Barcode last night. + + If you'd consent to a Meet & Great, how bout lunch? + + Take care, + jon + http://www.mindspring.com/~notionsunlimited 10AM obtain CMW wristband (CA$30) at Gate 7 Skydome. Paramusic (68 Dundas East) buy 5/1 Free; my new guilty pleasure: Melanie C (yes, Sporty Spice solo) Shwarma at Pita Falafel (227 N. Yonge), yummy. 5PM - vist Jose's place, though it turns out that it is Melissa's place (the manager for bdr and Feist http://www.feistworks.com/audiofeist), unfortunately she is sick and Jamie answers door, doesn't know any #s for Jose, but he is staying with his ma. 7PM - Pint of Labatt's Blue at Barcode; Holly Go Lightly sound check upstairs at Ted's Wrecking Yard, very strong pop rock. 8PM - Pint of Smithwicks at Horseshoe Tavern (370 Queen W.) wait for stage to open, chatted with the guys from 30 Odd 6 (http://www.30odd6.com) who were promoting their Sunday gig at Rancho Relaxo (300 College), gave me a band matchbook; quick check of the schedule and I had to tell them that I'll try, but they're stacked up against two other bands that I might try to see. They did seem pretty cool, though, and that puts me in the neighborhood of the Barcode/TWY, where I did want to tie up my time in TO... 9PM - Pint of Rickersons Red, Kid Lunch (http://www.teenageusarecordings.com) plays young pop rocking hard, first minute of last song sounds like openning of "You're not the only one" from bdr's "Bless this mess"; well, KL did do the bdr web site... 9:45 - Bottle of Blue at The Rivoli (332 Queen W.) catch the last of Soap Opera, good hard rocking. 10PM - The China White: bombastic, sarcastic and hard rock posing, loving it and playing it that way because that's how they like it and think is should be; song: "Crotch Rocket"; of course another bottle of Blue. 11PM - Pint of Canadien Lager at The 360 (326 Queen W.) Travel Agent plays; jazzy Spyro Gyro, good sax and guitar player. 12midnight - Pint of RR at Horseshoe for Blurtonia, really good heavy hard sensitive rock, they end a song on exactly the same chord as bdr's l.d.s.c. (E73); Can't quite tell but lead singer/guitarist is wearing shirt with an upside down american flag with the words above: "Stop Canadian" and below: "Infiltration". This seems really funny, because the drummer is wearing a purple shirt with big block, white letters: FBI. Some girl with a camera walks up to me and asks: "I am doing a class project where I have to take a picture of 36 strangers, do you mind if I take a picture of you?" I say ok and quickly throw on my do rag and open my eyes (at least I thought I did). I get a Blurtonia cd for CA$10 and go up to the band. Ian's shirt is actually Propaghandi... he says they gave it to him when he was on tour with them. These guys are really cool, all 4 sign their album; the drummer was just through the DC (@930) area playing with another band. 2AM - thank you Pizza Pizza (24hr pizza by slice, a slice is the width of two) - goodnight Coming up: Feist (!) at the Reverb (651 Queen W.) and of course Emm Gryner(http://www.emmgryner.com) backed by Winnipeg Manitoba's Transistor Sound & Lighting Co. at the Horseshoe. 2000.03.03 Friday The latest NOW (http://www.nowtoronto.com) listing for the Reverb doesn't list Leslie as playing tonight even though EYE (http://www.eye.net) does. This may be a blessing in disguise as it is 3 major blocks from the Horseshoe, and she was scheduled for the timeslot right before Emm's. A major block is where two-way intersections cross and there is always a light; it is also known as a leg. The minor legs are the intersections between the major legs and there are at least two one-ways, usually unlighted. I timed the walk last night and it was a cigarette, unless it was two because it was just that late and I don't remember. - >Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 09:40:39 -0500 >From: 3janemedia.com > >You should have seen Melanie C. after all the pints! > +Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 12:09 PM + To: 3janemedia.com + + I did look at the CD when I got home, too tired and drunk to wank off on it 8^) + but I did have to ask myself what the heck was I thinking + - >Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 13:28:21 -0500 >From: feist@idirect.ca >Jon, >I am so sorry but I am totally sick. I will be going out to see Feist at >the Reverb at 10pm tonight(Friday). how do you know EMm? Let me know your >phone number and I will let Jose know where you are! I am sorry about being >sick but I would not be good company for anyone. Let me know your number >and I will let Jose know. >Melissa > +Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 13:57 + To: feist@idirect.ca +Melissa, +Don't worry about it, sorry to hear that you're under the weather. +The number at the Bond Place Hotel is 416.362.6061 ext 817. +The latest NOW Reverb ad doesn't list Leslie, but I'll be there to make sure, +then scoot over to see Emm. I met Emm on her bulletin board when asking +about Transistor Sound & Lighting Co., then met her face to face on her Living +Room Tour in Philadelphia; really cool person. +See ya later and do get well +jon - Lindy's (401 N. Yonge) Burger mmmm.... 8PM - Reverb (651 Queen W.) Have to park a major leg west of where I start instead of where I end. Walking there, a patrol car has a taxi pulled over, it's about time. Sign says door open at 9 but they are already trying to get us slobs off the street. Bottle of Black Label (yes, that Black Label) in a festival cup (plastic). Leslie doesn't go on till ten, but the place is sold out, packed. Bottle of Export in a cup. Bottle of Canadian in a cup. Meet Christine and Kathleen, venue bookers at the University of Alberta. Leslie, low key loose set, quite the chantuese; she's playing a Guild copy of the ES-335 Jose plays; jokes about knowing her bass player since "I'll show you mine if you'll show me yours"; she mentions being at Ted's at 1, special friends. She gets down to business with "That's what I say, It's not what I mean", "Onliest", and ties it up with "Flight #303" and "Family" (it's cool, it's cool, to love your family). 11PM - Run into C&K and their friends on the way to the Horseshoe. They break off and catch a show at Cameron House (408 Queen W.) I'm standing in line (R&R pint, inside the club) behind a reporter from the University of Toronto, his cameraman has peeled off to catch something somewhere else. Robin Black stumbles squarely into my back and pushes around, jostling people and spilling some beers. Honest accident, the place is so packed and he's playing after Emm. Saw the Much Music Rapid Fax earlier interview him and he (and his Intergalactic Rock Stars) got signed after last year's CMW. They were also showing footage from other venues last night. Then Emm leads off with Summerlong. Make it through the gate, another R&R to hold me while I infiltrate the front stage area. She's playing "Disco Lights". When she introduces the third song: "This, is for the one, I love" I'm sure I'm not the only one blushing, and with so few words she has me bawling like a newborn and smiling all the while. Wow. No one's done that to me since By Divine Right's "Fucked Up"; I think her song is "Parting Song". The fourth song, "Julia" proves that the tslc of the backing band, Transistor Sound & Lighting Co., really stands for Tender Special Loving Care. I think Dino showed up with J Marcy and Marty K. to take Emm's songs to another realm. Emm has a song: "...I'll show you mine if you'll show me around..." (phonecall45). She also does "Every Single Word", even plays guitar on one song. (Pix and stuff http://www.radiosonic.com/cmw2000/) 12midnight - Rivoli, (bottle of Blue) Bionic: rock, Rock, ROCK!; darn if that doesn't look like Ian Blurton with them except that he is left handed, this guy is right handed, and the Bionic frontman is playing left handed. Jokes that they almost cancelled the gig with no drummer, but on skins is Lonnie James (?!!! http://www.teenageusarecordings.com) and now Ian is left handed, the other guy is right and yes, that is a B-52's shirt he is wearing. Maybe I was just crosseyed. 1AM - TWY pint O'Guiness - Peaches (http://www.teenageusarecordings.com) - see Leslie, we hug, I tell her that I hope Melissa is ok since I didn't get to meet them, she introduces me to the fifty thousand guys that are hanging on her, I can tell that they are preturbed that I dare touch the lovely Leslie, okay, there are only two of them; she excuses herself to go "find out what's going on". Peaches starts a raunchy electro rap accompanied by what looks like Leslie's bass player, he's not playing but co-rapping, P is doing all the music from a sampler keyboard; she calls him her Daddy; P is soon to tour Germany courtesy of Kitty Yo Records(http://www.kitty-yo.de/). Song: "I'm the kind of bitch that you want with the kind of bitch that you want with the kind of bitch with". Pint O'Guiness. Leslie joins her for the last song! Thank you Tim Horton. +Emm, + + GREAT set at the Horseshoe, let me know what becomes of any releases, that was awesome! + + Will try to get to the performance at the conference.... + + jonE + +Mar 04, 2000 03:55:08 A.M. goodnight. Coming Attractions: Leslie West with a guitar seminar at the daytime conference (I did bring my '62 Gretsch); does 30 Odd 6 win out over The Gruesomes and Twin Fold; I must see the Insectgods... and of course, postcards. 2000.03.04 Saturday - >Date: Sat, 4 Mar 2000 09:07 >From: mom > >Sounds like you're having a good time and drinking alot. > - +Date: Sat, 4 Mar 2000 09:27 + To: mom + +Having a great time, and if you check the log, it's about a pint an hour. + - 9 postcards out (CA$0.55 each). Dilemma, dilemma. I have US$2 with change and CA$20 with change. It takes CA$3.50 to cross the border, CA$12 for the conference day pass. And I still have bands to see tonight. And I still have to drive back to DC tomorrow...and I only have half a pack of cigarettes...sorry Dave, I was going to bring you a six pack of C'plus back but.... 1PM - I walk down Yonge St. to the Westin Harbour Castle Convention Center, sans guitar. I am reminded of the infamous Kim Fowley song Sunset Boulevard where all the poseurs walk the strip with their guitars pretending to be in bands. No silly, I didn't pawn it, just left it in the room. 2PM - Emm is gracious enough to sign a postcard that I'm sending to my 15 year old cousin in Kentucky and another one I'm sending to iota (2832 Wilson Blvd), yes the little matchmaker me. Jason Krause (Kid Rock guitarist) is doing the autograph signing session next to the stage, they move him outside when Emm is about to play, I think he sneeks in later to check it out. I talk to J and it's not Dino but another member of the extended Transistor Sound family. They basically do the last four songs of last night's set. 3PM - I have a shopping bag full of promo items, industry rags, and whatnot. Easily worth about US$50 in resources or more. Some group Serial Joe is listed on the stage schedule but no one playing. First and last gig they'll never play. Note to bands: if you get a gig, follow through and work with the venue to iron out not only yours but their logistics too. I don't know how many horror stories I've heard through the years. Some Jerry Stiller looking guy takes the stage, though thinner, standing straight and wearing leather pants and small oval sun glasses which the lenses flip out like barn doors opening. He throws on a guitar walks to the mic and says, "Hi, I'm Leslie West and I'm here on behalf of Washburn guitars and I'm going to show you what this baby can do. You see, they have a little midget inside who's just alittle bit wacky." He plays hot metal licks for about 30 seconds and stops, calls his long time friend and original drummer for Mountain, Corky Laing. I look around and see Jason Krause in the crowd behind me near the sound board. They play some heavy interpretation of the gothic classical motif Grieg's "Hall of the Mountain King" from the Peer Gynt Suites (notably used in Fantasia) for about 5 minutes. Then he yanks the bass player up and they do, oh yes "Mississippi Queen". For about 10 minutes, hot Hot HOT!!! Corky is bouncing drum sticks during the jam into the audience, one flies towards the sound board and I snag it! I inquire one of the festival staff about this SJ character and it turns out it was only an autograph signing which they wisely moved to the outer hall, for as I leave, there are 50 BILLION 12 year old girls in line and mobbed around for SJ. Turns out he's some recently signed rap rock phenom nominated for a Juno, the Canadian equivalent of a Grammy. It's a shame, Sagans of young minds who may never find out or even appreciate what Leslie West just did or even what he has done for music (for himself, not just the industry). 8PM - I park where I know I'll end up. Drop into the Barcode because I have 3 hours until a band (Insectgods at the Bovine Sex Club, 542 Queen W.). My social director has passed through a couple of hours before, checking up on me? or just out ladykillin because I hear he was in a tie. 9PM - BSC - pint of Waterloo Dark for last of Tequila Mockingbird, they are 16-20 maybe the oldest is 24(?), anyway they're fun. Another Waterloo for Odin Red, who rock, and another Waterloo for the Insectgods and well try to walk three major legs on a full bladder; make it to the Barcode at 1AM and run into Captain Ron who gives some lowdown and I give him some lowdown, and I have to go rest. Apologies for everyone I missed but honestly tried to work out the logistics. 2AM - goodnight, Canada rocked me yet once again. 2000.03.05 Sunday No fee to cross back into the good old U.S. of Eh and besides, your Credit Card/ATM card works the same there as it does here, nice to have contingency plans, just be mindfull that when you get $100, that's Canadian and only about $67 US. 9 1/2 hours home including pitstops, 2 tank ups about 10-15 minutes each. POSTLOGUE: ---------- >Fri Mar 10 13:20:38 PST 2000 >cybal >Serial Joe is a 4 piece young rock outfit a la RATM. That's the style they adopt, anyway. They got >to play Woodstock and they seem to be getting bigger and bigger. I'm not much of a fan, but they're >well-liked. Particularly by the teenybopper set. I was at the Blockbuster stage when Leslie West >strummed a few chords. I also spotted Jason Krause. Too bad I didn't know who you were. I was at the >Shoe Friday as well before skipping over to the 360. An Acoustic Sin were AWESOME! I wish I had know >Jose was playing somewhere. - +Sun Mar 12 18:55:30 PST 2000 +StaciMaggot +I was standing just to the right of and in front of the sound board, wearing a black trench coat, +short brown hair and van dyke (moustache and goatee). Jason Krause was to the right and behind me +about 4 or 5 people diagonally. a la RATM is better than another Backdoor Boys.... - >Date: Wed, 15 Mar 2000 12:28:07 -0500 >From: info@teenageusarecordings.com > hey jon > checked out the site this morning, enjoyed the cmw story, captian ron rocks!! > i think we were at the same places for the same bands fri/sat > we are putting out a robin black cd single in april, did you see them play fri? > thought emm was good, a little dry for me though > saw the insect gods, but was somewhat dissappointed, didn't think they had > much going on > next time you're in toronto, let us know > keep in touch > talk you later > phil - >Wed Mar 15 13:57:36 PST 2000 >leoraSpleen >Staci- you were at the Horseshoe on the friday for CMW? Were you with Jose that night? cuz I saw him >there and went running up to him but sort of made a geek out of myself because I was in a pretty >insane mood that night.. so i may have seen you or something. - +Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2000 6:44 AM +To: info@teenageusarecordings.com + +hey phil, +missed Robin "Fucking" Black to see Bionic, who played with bdr and tslc in +London Aug 98 when I was up in TO the first time. I haven't heard Emm's Science +Fair yet, but in comparison to Public (and The Original Leap Year) her +performance at the Shoe was really astounding. +Yeh, I was sitting at the bar when the Insect Gods came on, and I guess I was +overhyped by whatever write up I read on them (either from Eye, Exclaim...), +because I got up and walked out after 2 or 3 songs, and I never do that to a +band (being a musician), not that they were bad, but I think you nailed it that +they just didn't have much going on. Odin Red (just before them) were alot +stronger and more rocking. +After looking at the street address for you kids, I realized I have walked by +there a few times; definitely next time I will give fair warning and pop on by. + +Take care, +jon + - >Date: Fri, 17 Mar 2000 12:28:07 -0500 >From: info@teenageusarecordings.com > >hey jon >the world is a small place sometimes, reading your story on cmw certainly >made me feel that way >ya, next time you're here let us know! >keep in touch >peace >phil > - +Sat Mar 18 05:53:14 PST 2000 +StaciMaggot +Leora - I was there standing to the front and right of the soundboard, just to the back of the dance +floor, in the middle of the stage. I didn't know Jose was there, but I think I may have spotted him +later at Ted's for Peaches; was he wearing like a Gaucho hat? I'd also be surprised if the kids +weren't at Leslie's show earlier. - >Sun Mar 19 19:02:19 PST 2000 >leoraSpleen >All I remember was that he had a blue toque on.. yup I saw him just before Robin Black went on.. That >show was so crowded I'm surprised I ran into so many people. - >Tue Mar 21 09:44:55 PST 2000 >cybal >CMW is such a blur now. How did I miss the Jos at the Horseshoe?? I ran into many folks as well that >week. It's hard not to at something like CMW. If I was looking for you at the Blockbuster stage, >Staci, I definitely would have seen you. By your description of where you were standing I was about >10 feet away from you!! - Subject: it's a fine life really Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2000 22:43:43 -0700 From: elevate@sprint.ca hey jon-- thanks for the email. i went and read your travel diary and it was a fun read. you sound like a pretty cool person, travelling all over the place just for the rock. kudos to you. you live in falls creek, right? i'm ignorant to the geography of the us, but i was wondering if that's where the boys don't cry story happened. umm, i guess that's all i have to say for now. ciao melanie ************************************************************ elevate me later, the zine. canadian indie music and more. www.geocities.com/sunsetstrip/underground/2018 ************************************************************ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > The Song Corporation acquires popular "indie" label as Teenage USA becomes > new member of song family > > TORONTO, March 9 (CNW) -- The Song Corporation, an independent and > integrated music company in Canada that has defined its market position with > its business smarts and artistic vision, has added the innovation and > artistic integrity of Teenage USA Recordings forces to its artist > development team. Continuing to demonstrate strong growth following the > creation of the company, Song has been praised for its artistic vision or > "The Song Difference" and the emphasis this places on guiding an artist's > career to prolong their professional life and maximize their sales > potential, versus merely breaking records. > > The agreement between Song and Teenage USA will give Song a controlling > interest in the popular "indie" label and will bring the talents of Mark Di > Pietro and Phil Klygo to the forefront of the Song mission as Directors of > Artist Development. > > "We are absolutely delighted to have Teenage USA Recordings join the Song > family," said Song's President and CEO, Allan R. Gregg. "Mark and Phil have > proven time and time again that they are without peer in this country when > it comes to knowing what's happening musically, in the streets and in the > clubs. Their early discovery of acts, like Len and Scratching Post, who have > gone on to establish themselves internationally, is testament to this > talent. By putting Song's resources behind them, and giving them the full > mandate to continue to do what they do best, we have every confidence that > Teenage USA Recordings will soon be known throughout North America as the > best identifier and developer of new talent, anywhere." > > "We share the same ideas as Song when it comes to developing talent. Song > isn't trying to change us and we don't try to change our artists, " said Di > Pietro. "We just help our bands envision the possibilities and build on > their commitment. We put out records with the bands." > > The Song Corporation is a fully integrated independent Canadian music > company with recording, publishing and distribution assets from Attic > Records, TMP - The Music Publisher and Oasis Entertainment in Canada, and > artistic development, promotion and marketing, and distribution > relationships internationally. The company's shares trade on the Canadian > Venture Exchange > > (CDNX) under the symbol SOC. > > /For further information: Allan Gregg, The Song Corporation > > (416) 924-7664; Sharon Kirby, The Song Corporation (416) 924-7664; Mark Di > Pietro, Teenage USA Recordings (416) 341-0049/