“Adam Mowery told me that everyone in Saint John looks like they’re having the worst day of their life, and this is a good corner to observe that. That’s why I sit here,” says Mike Trask sitting in the diner on the corner of Union and Waterloo, or for the geographically-minded, the intersection of Strip Club and Sally Ann. The unobtrusive diner with its large windows makes for one of the best locations in town for inconspicuous character watching, and it’s become the go-to spot in Saint John for Mike and his band, The Precious Memories. Continue reading Mike Trask From Mudhill To The Precious Memories
Tag Archives: Music
What’s The Frequency, Kyle?
When the Beatles began playing in the clubs of Hamburg in 1960, it was the songs of Fats Domino, Lonnie Donegan, and Elvis Presley they were performing. When The Rolling Stones got started they were playing Chuck Berry, and Bo Diddley. The Who? The Shadows and The Ventures. For some, playing other people’s music can be a launching point, it can build an audience, and hone skills. For others, like Kyle Boudreau, it’s a calling, a lifestyle, and any opportunity to make music, “Some bands do original tunes, and they’d be ashamed to be in a cover band. I’m not. I’m not writing songs on Saturday night, 10:30 at my house. I’m out at the bar having fun, the band is playing. Why wouldn’t you do that? If I’m going to wake up fresh on a Monday to write some lyrics, then I’m not going to be able to do that.” Continue reading What’s The Frequency, Kyle?
The LaFleur Tales: Chaucer Reimagined
It’s a cold Sunday afternoon and I am sitting at the Roxstone Café, in Fredericton, NB. Leo LaFleur, Saint John resident, songwriter, vocalist, and musician, walks into the café and I wave him over. He is wearing a hoodie, t-shirt, jeans, pea coat, and boots; certainly not screaming time-travelling musician to me, but his music precedes him and introduces him as an artist caught between two temporal fields: that of modernity and of the middle ages. It draws his audience in, connecting that past to familiar modern themes. Continue reading The LaFleur Tales: Chaucer Reimagined
WTFunk: With Great Funk Comes Great Responsibility
John McLaggan, reluctant hero, and member of the quasi-plausible crime-fighting duo Tomato/Tomato, admits that it’s hard not to compare his involvement in the eight-piece super-group WTFunk to the Justice League; saxophones or no, they’re the benchmark for super-groups. Continue reading WTFunk: With Great Funk Comes Great Responsibility
Halifax Instrument Library: Instruments Wanted
This fall, Halifax has been all abuzz with talk of libraries; from the rising success of the Halifax Tool Library, to the brand-new Halifax Central Library, Haligonians are now, more than ever, embracing the culture of sharing. A third library is emerging on the scene in the form of a musical instrument library, being pioneered by the good folks at the Halifax Music Co-op. Interim Development Director for the Co-op, Stephanie Pronk, has been appointed as the fundraising champion for the library project. “The Halifax Music Co-op is all about making music accessible. That’s actually our mission: music for everyone. Currently, we’re really accessible in that you can come in, play an instrument, and there’s very little commitment from you; you just have to show up for your lessons and take part in the ensembles. You only have to pay as little as one dollar per year to be a member. Financially, it’s open to whoever wants to join; the only problem is that you have to come with an instrument because we don’t have any.” Continue reading Halifax Instrument Library: Instruments Wanted