News

R.I.P. Andre Arruda

2017 has taken another one of our local talents.  If you are a fan of Kenny Vs. Spenny, then you will remember Andre Arruda (episode:  “First One to Laugh Loses”).  You may have seen him in American Pie: Band Camp.  Andre was born and raised right here in Kitchener Ontario.  He was better known for his stand-up comedy and he worked hard to gain a cult following.  At 3’ 4” tall, he had to work to stand out, and he did.

Andre passed away January 28 2017 at age 33, of Morquio’s syndrome.  This is the same genetic disorder that hampered his growth.  His sense of humour was to always poke fun at himself before somebody else could, and it worked.  He made us look at life from his perspective, but let us laugh doing it.

R.I.P. Geoff Nicholls

2017 rolls on like a mini-2016.  The latest casualty is former Black Sabbath keyboardist Geoff Nicholls who was on every Sabbath album from Heaven and Hell (1980) to Forbidden (1995).  He played bass and sang when need be.  For that period of Sabbath’s history, he was the only stable member excluding Tony Iommi himself.  Geoff passed at age 68, after a battle with lung cancer.  He was rarely pictured with the four “main” Sabbath members, but he was more important than most of them.  Rest in Peace.

KATHRYN LADANO wins KW Arts Award – Music!

Congratulations to Kathryn Ladano for winning the Waterloo Region Arts Award in the Music category!

Check out a review of Kathryn’s latest album with her duo Stealth right here.

For more information, please go to KathrynLadano.com

Way to go Kathryn!

KLADANO

RIP Paul MacLeod (1970-2016)

PAUL

2016 has taken another precious musical genius, and this time it hurts even more, because Paul MacLeod was one of our own.

MacLeod was the local prodigy that joined Skydiggers and launched an impressive series of solo albums.  I’d heard lots of Paul’s music over the years but it was only a short while ago that Uncle Meat told me, “You have to get the CD by this band called Hibakusha.  They are the local Rush.”  So I did and he was right.  5/5 stars.  That was the first CD of Paul’s that I bought.

Paul was very close to a number of friends of mine, Uncle Meat in particular.  His heart is now broken, his dear friend gone.  Below is my favourite Paul MacLeod video. Recorded live in the downtown streets of Kitchener, “Down on the Street” is simply amazing.  There are many people here that miss Paul.  Rest in peace.

RIP Sir George Martin

A multi-site collaborative memorial.  

Boppinsblog tribute – Jeff Beck Blow By Blow album review

KeepsMeAlive tribute

1001 Albums tribute

SIR GEORGE

Do you use social media?  If so, you probably know the same sinking feeling that I do.

You wake up in the morning and open your Facebook and/or Twitter.  Your feed is flooded with a certain musical artist.  “This was my favourite song of theirs…”, or “I still remember the first time I heard them.”

I knew this morning was one of those days when I saw Sir George Martin’s face, and heard tons of his music, all over my social media.  Another legend lost.  This time we can say he lived a long, fruitful life.  Sir George was 90.

Music writer Dale Sherman today highlighted that George Martin was the first real “modern” producer.  It was he who learned to push the recording studio to the limits.  He put his stamp on the songs, and was one of the first to do so.  They called him the “Fifth Beatle” and I think that is very true.  He was a collaborator, a teacher, and a genius.  Of course, he produced so many more bands than just the Beatles, but who will he always be identified with?  There is only one correct answer.

My personal favourite non-Beatles recording of his was Aerosmith’s cover of “Come Together”, and for the Beatles it would have to be “Tomorrow Never Knows”.  “Tomorrow Never Knows” was the most brilliant thing the Beatles ever did, sounding as modern today as it did in 1966.  Though it’s not the song that best represents the George/Beatles sound, I think this is their greatest achievement.

RIP, Sir George!

R.I.P. Jimmy Bain

2016, I fucking hate you.

R.I.P. Jimmy Bain, age 68, now the second member of the original Dio to pass.  And yet another Rainbow casualty.

Jimmy rocked.  Listen to some Jimmy today.

R.I.P. The Thin White Duke

Yesterday the world lost David Bowie, to cancer, at age 69.  While I own absolutely no Bowie in my collection (aside from covers of his music and guest appearances on Queen albums) I have always admired the man’s creativity.  He goes to places I don’t even understand, and maybe that’s why I never “got” David Bowie.  While recognizing his genius I was unable to penetrate beyond the singles.  Perhaps I should try again.

In the meantime, plenty of folks far and wide have posted tributes to the man, his music and even his movies.  Rather than pretend I know what I’m talking about, I’ll let these fine writers do it instead.  Rest in Peace, David Bowie.

And fuck you, cancer.

Last and not least,

  • Joe at 1537 – David Bowie R.I.P. (“The planet is, without a doubt, a touch poorer than it was yesterday.”)

 

BOWIE

He always looked so young.

 

RIP Scott Weiland – Thank You

Stonetemplepilotsthankyou

I’m not the right guy to do a Scott Weiland tribute.  My first CD was Thank You, the “best of” album from 2003.  Since I didn’t spend my young adulthood rocking to Stone Temple Pilots, letting them melt away my anxiety and youthful tension, I can’t tell you that Scott had that impact on my life.  However, I can provide links to people who did experience his positive impact.  These writers had some touching words about Scott and his music today.  Please share and enjoy these links.  Rest in Peace Scott, where your demons can never haunt you again.

Boppin’s Bop (Brian) – Scott Weiland & the Roundabouts – Blaster review and tribute

KeepsMeAlive (James) – RIP Scott Weiland

MixolydianBlog (Derek) – Scott Weiland

Resurrection Songs (J) – “I’ve been walking a lonesome highway, I felt as though I had no home”

My favourite STP song

R.I.P. Stephen Huss

PSYCHE

I had a customer at the old store named Stephen.  He used to quietly sell CDs, always in excellent condition.  He didn’t have much to say, but he was about the nicest guy you’d ever run into.  One of our staff realized that Stephen was the former co-founder of an 80’s electronic band called Psyche, with his brother Darrin.  He made several albums with them, starting in 1985.  Nobody ever bugged him about it though.  If he wanted us to know he’d have told us.

But the world is a funny place, and you run into people at the strangest places.  A couple years ago, I was going out with my wife to meet some of her friends for lunch.  She mentioned her friend Steve that was a musician.  Sure enough, it was Stephen, my old customer.  He recognized me, but misremembered me as working at a video store.  He and my wife became friends, since she relocated to Kitchener.  I just had no idea that her friend Steve was my customer Stephen!

She told me today that Stephen has passed away.  She’s just trying to absorb this news now.  I thought it would be nice to post some music for Stephen.  Rest in Peace.