August 2011

“Canada’s Got Talent” is Coming to a City Near You

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 08/19/2011 - 11:43
Canada's Got Talent

Story:Bill Delingat

The number one show in America is coming to Canada. The people who brought you Canadian Idol and Battle of the Blades are back with “Canada’s Got Talent.”


Insight TV in conjunction with  the City TV national syndicate are looking for the best of Canadian Talent. Public auditions for the competition series “Canada’s Got Talent”, slated to air in spring 2012, will take place in six Canadian cities this fall.


A spin off of the popular international ‘Got Talent’ format, the City TV original series is touring the country to find the most talented Canadians. “We are looking for a wide range of entertaining Canadians from every region, age and cultural experience,” executive producer Ed Robinson said in a release. “We welcome singers, dancers, jugglers, cyclists, fire breathers, illusionists, acrobats, ventriloquists, musicians, and anyone who has a talent they want to share.” The competition is open to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of all ages and any style of acts.


The auditions are already open with already over 7000 submissions being accepted on line as the show itself is still developing.


Judges are still in question and rumor mill has it that Howie Mandel who is if you did not know a true Canadian may be in the running for double duty here and in the USA.


Who would the odd makers like to see on the panel? Maybe Pam Anderson, Celine Dion, Debra DiGiovanni or maybe a little bit of comic spice with Tom Green?

THE TREWS: 
“Hope & Ruin”


Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 08/12/2011 - 13:17
Trews

(Bumstead/Universal)

With career that is five albums deep, The Trews have begun to grow comfortable in their own skin. “Hope & Ruin” is a shuffled deck that would seem schizophrenic from any other act. In this round, the band sounds its most Canadian which comes honestly from the production & co-writing influence of The Tragically Hip’s Gord Sinclair. Guitarist/vocalist Colin MacDonald gets to show the world what the Hip might sound like with an articulate and accessible lead vocalist on tracks like “One By One”, “If You Wanna Start Again” and the introspective “Dreaming Man”. Sinclair, meanwhile, gets to show how The Trews sound like with more dynamics and atmosphere.

But first they must mine the familiar in songs like “Stay With Me”, the Dave Rave co-written new single/video “The World, I Know” and the throw-back Celtic ditty “Love Is The Real Thing”. Nothing against these tracks per se but the beacons of light start with “Misery Loves Company” – a blistering speedy power pop manifesto that is only a few beats per minute short of going off the rails while the title track hints at the Trews’ contemporary thermometer by incorporating a timely Arcade Fire gang chant; the brilliant lyrical ode to bands that haven’t lived up to their fans’ expectations called “I’ll Find Someone Who Will” leaps out of the speakers on the back of Jack Syperek (bass) and Sean Dalton (drums);  “People of the Deer” is the lone Trews trademarked rock anthem “hit” as guitarist John-Angus MacDonald gets his Hendrix on.

DEE LONG: 
“LifeAfterLife”

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 08/12/2011 - 13:20
Dee Long

(Dee Long Music)

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and engineer  Dee Long continues his 45 year musical trajectory by re-inventing not just himself on his seventh solo disc…but his songs.

After a decade in the internationally celebrated mystery band Klaatu (the media thought they were The Beatles reunited) and another decade as a solo artist with Bullseye Records, Dee has decided to revisit his most successful Klaatu songs and re-design his solo material for a modern ear and, hopefully, a younger audience.

With the shine and sparkle of high definition stereo and authentic drum loop samples programmed by Long himself, he fleshes out unrealized song demos from the dawn of the early 1970s like “1, 2, 3, 5”, “Silver Ocean”, “Mexico”, “Collision Course” and “Whatever” and his mid-career solo tracks such as “Never Go Back” and “I Cry Out” that suffered at the hands of dated 1980’s production are finally given their due. But, it’s the Klaatu songs that benefit the most from being polished and put into a modern context.  Fan favourites like “Mister Manson”, “I Can’t Help It”, “Older”, and “Hanus of Uranus” (under its original title) are all here plus, arguably, his greatest song - “Little Neutrino” - featuring help from Canadian session drummer Randy Cooke and co-engineered by Grammy award winner John Jones.

Jaimie Vernon and The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 08/12/2011 - 13:50
Jamie Vernon

Story:Lenny Stoute

Photos: Courtesy Jaimie Vernon

(Jaimie Vernon has been an inspiring presence on the Canadian music scene for 25 years or more. This month Jaimie joined Cashbox Canada as a contributing journalist and we couldn’t be more delighted to have him.)

If you look in the new Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia under ‘Canuck' indie music icon’ you’ll see a picture of Jaimie Vernon. Ok, actually you won’t but that’s only because Jaimie himself has written the Encyclopedia and his innate modesty forbids such self-stroking in public.

After a quarter-century or so as performer, record label owner, encourager and supporter of Canadian indie talent, Jaimie Vernon is now making his greatest contribution to Canadian culture with the publication of The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia.
“ It started with (indie label) Bullseye Records, when I began accumulating photos, press materials and early recordings from large numbers of bands. I became aware there was nowhere to go for reliable documentation of all these bands that would go on to be large parts of the landscape By 1988 it seemed kind of natural that we would put out a music magazine, Great White Noise”, says Jaimie of the project’s genesis.

A huge quantum leap in the saga came via a chance conversation with major music journo John Sakamoto who mentioned that The Toronto Sun had licensed a music Encyclopedia but weren’t happy with it.

Bob Lanois In Motorcycle Accident

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 08/12/2011 - 13:33
Bob Lanois

Juno-nominated Hamilton musician Robert Lanois is in hospital recovering from injuries he suffered when his motorcycle hit a deer late Thursday.

Lanois, older brother of U2 producer Daniel Lanois, was injured when the collision occurred on a rural road near Hagersville when his motorcycle collided with a deer.

Michael Burke, a spokesman for Lanois’ record company Cordova Bay Entertainment Group of Victoria B.C., said in a statement Lanois was airlifted from the scene to Hamilton General Hospital. Burke said the long-time Hamilton resident has undergone surgery to continue to work on damage with current focus on his face and jaw.

Initially, Lanois was unable to speak, but was able to communicate with friends and family. He has since progressed since last Thursday’s accident to having the tubes removed and is now able to converse with hospital staff, friends and family. He is still in need of some medical attention but the prognosis is excellent.

It was just over a year ago that Lanois’ younger brother Daniel who built Grant Avenue Studios in Hamilton with Robert’s help, was seriously hurt in a motorcycle crash in California. Daniel has since recovered fully. It appears the deer that he hit ran unexpectedly in front of him as he rode his motorcycle on the night of August 4, 2011.  It is a hazard that you have to accept if riding on many country roads and increasingly on suburb and urban roads as well.