Biography
From Grandpa I got my storytelling. His visits were rare, as he and grandma lived in St. Catherines Ontario, and we lived just outside Calgary, Alberta. They spoiled all 8 of us children (according to my dad) but the biggest gift Grandpa always gave us was to tell us bedtime stories of the “olden days”.

Grandpa’s stories usually involved exciting stuff like runaway teams of horses, shooting at wolves, or somebody getting body parts torn off. His tales were filled with gestures and sound effects. He really had a way of bringing them to life. And he listened when a kid told him a story. He made you feel your stories were important.

From Mom and Dad I got music. My Dad and my other Grandpa were both musicians. Grandpa Hubele (of whom I knew very little) was a very good organ player. My dad played fiddle in his early years, touring around southern Alberta with a country dance band. He and Mom would, very occasionally, play duets on fiddle and piano when we were little kids.

I can remember waiting til my parents went out. Since I was the oldest, I often babysat my brothers and sisters. I would sneak into Dad’s fiddle case to take out the fiddle and play it. Except I was always trying to make it sound like a guitar, and I played it like one.

We moved back and forth across the country, from Ontario to Alberta and back many times as I grew up. Dad kept trading up for jobs, and I was in a new school almost every year. I became a loner and a rebel. I turned to humor to make up for my small size. I’d find the biggest kid in class, figure out how to make him laugh, and I didn’t have to worry about the rest of the bullies. It pays to have friends in high places.

I believe I had an undiagnosed hearing problem caused by a trauma (now confirmed as a severe hearing loss). I never could quite understand the lyrics on the radio which was always on in our house, so I made up my own.

My earliest memories were of crossing the big empty fields which made up the neighborhoods of my youth, singing at the top of my lungs and making up words as I went along. My mom says she could pick me out of the flocks of kids coming home from school. I’d be waving my arms and singing to myself as I walked across the prairie.

I started writing songs in a serious way when I was 21 years old. A friend, who had been showing me how to play guitar, and I went out to live on the beach on Vancouver Island at Pacific Rim Park. I was picking away when a simple line kept repeating itself in my head. I wrote it down, and in ten minutes I had a song. It seemed to open flood gates, and for the next 2 or 3 years I wrote a song or two a week. I average about a song a month now. But, they are better songs.

(over)

Biography, page 2

To write successfully, I usually have to be alone, have all my chores done and time on my hands. Words and melody most often develop at the same time. It takes from 10 minutes to 1 hour to write a song. It takes me two weeks to learn it. I like to wrap a song around a good story line. They always come from my own experiences.

I was fascinated with the blues from the get-go. I came in through the back door. J.J. Cale, then Hot Tuna. Then B.B. King, Freddy King, and Muddy Waters.

When I heard Bonnie Raitt play slide guitar, I was gone. I had to learn how to do that. I followed her trail back to Mississippi Fred McDowell. “You want rock, you gonna have to put me in a rockin’ chair. I plays the straight and natural blues.”

I also paid attention to the songwriters, my favorites being Paul Simon, Harry Nillson, Willie Dixon, and Tom Waits.

My interest in jazz developed through my association with other musicians like Calgary’s late Chuck Tracy, a gruff, funny, kind of crazy lounge musician. He introduced me to Tom Waits, Mose Allison, and Fats Waller amongst others.

As well, it became a habit to listen to the great Alberta radio station CKUA on Saturdays. Bill Coull’s Jazz Show was a fifteen year course in ‘Everything You Should Know About Jazz’.

I also have a life-long addiction to comedy movies and comic books. One of my Dad’s jobs was as a projectionist in a small town. Once a week on Saturday night the local community hall was turned into a theatre. I was very young (3 years til 7 years old) but those old black and white 16mm movies of the Marx Bros, Chaplin, and W.C. Fields remain deep in my psyche.

I think this was a great influence on my writing. Most of my songs have a little humor and a strange twist to them.

I have worked as a laborer and heavy equipment operator and truck driver since leaving the University of Calgary after 4 years of unrelated courses and wandering interests. Previous to that, I had worked at the CPR as a ticket clerk. I began working at age 14 at the steel mill where my father worked. I did not graduate from high school.

I have written songs for 32 years. Recording began for me in 1978 with the Acme Sausage Company with Holger Petersen broadcast on CKUA. Since then, I have been on countless radio and tv programs. I have recorded 6 albums of original material, and I just finished recording my demo for the 7th, and most exciting, CD - ‘Down In Davis Bay’.

•  Somewhere down the midnight cafe

SOL 3, former heavyweights of Edmonton’s independent music scene have relocated to Vancouver and are poised to conquer Vancouver and beyond with their brand of well crafted, hook driven, guitar rock. Influenced by the great bands from every era in Rock n’ Roll history including the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Pixies, and U2, SOL 3 have evolved to create their own distinct and unique sound that pays tribute to all of the great Rockers of the past while maintaining a fresh and relevant sound for the modern age.
SOL 3 was first formed by song writing masterminds Blair Bellerose (guitars) and Lou Foley (vocals) in 1997. The two of them have in fact been writing together since 1991 and have developed an intuitive creative bond not heard since the early days of Jagger/Richards and Page/Plant. In 2004, SOL 3 recruited heavy hitter and long-time Vancouver musician Rick “Grizzly” Adams to play drums adding a new dimension of power to the band. Then in 2005, SOL 3 added ex Sarah McLachlan bassist and fellow Edmontonian Jeff Sawatzky on bass guitar.
SOL 3’s past accomplishments are many and include award nominations, radio exposure, and televised live performances. Their song Particles & Waves currently resides at number 8 on the New Music Canada charts and their song Manchu Picchu Cool is currently featured on the nationally distributed TEA volume 6 compilation CD.
SOL 3’s monster album, Ultrafade, is available now.
for further info contact Blair Bellerose.

•  GREAT INTRO!
•  Fans Scream for It
•  unexpected, but i like
•  Screaming Cheap Trick and Kiss
•  Gotta hear it live

Well I started writing songs when I broke my arm in grade 6 and have not stopped since. I have performed when I was in school and have written many songs.

•  kinda reminds me of the...
•  eighties to the max
•  When the lights go down...
• Niiiiiice
•  OMFG

It all started a couple years ago. It was a bit strange to start getting airplay before I'd ever performed in front of an audience. Sure it was a little weird hearing my songs on the radio while I was still in the studio recording my EP. Yeah, it was quite surprising to know that the songs I was recording just for the sake of having a record of my own music were out there reaching others.

Still... we appreciate what falls in our lap.

Since that crazy year we've played all sorts of great shows.

As of today, the second CD is half finished and features no less than 4 drummers.

Somehow I ended up playing bass on Sweet Misery... something to do with a last minute change and a 5 string.

We've gone through a few drummers, but we think Doug will stick around!

He's also a paramedic. I met Doug for the first time AFTER I had already recorded "Sweet Misery".

So what? Oh... Sweet Misery features a line about a paramedic rushing to the - nevermind... wait for the track to be released.

We like Ibanez.

Our first drummer is now a guitar player and sings in a punkish band. It's not as bad as when you find out your ex came out of the closet after they dumped you though.

Jonathan plays bass. He's like a musician magnet. I think he gets propositioned by bands at every show we play. Most times they actually want him to play bass.

We found our drummer on Craigs List of all things. I can't remember how much we got paid by his last band.

Mickael is the singer guy and guitar player. Someone recently told him he rocks it old school. He hasn't quite recovered from that yet.

Jonathan likes film, video game music, and Sleeps with Matches.

Doug likes Jägermeister, his new tattoos and Tool.

Mike likes science, family, and a little ecclecticism.

Sure there's more, but you'll have to give Jonathan a hug at the next show... he'll tell you more at that time.

Vincent Van Gogh “loved life so bad, his paintings had twice the color other paintings had”. So sings Jonathan Richman (on Rockin’ and Romance).

And that tells you something about musician Allison Crowe.

A modern lover of music, blogger Muruch frames it like this: "There's really no way to convey through mere words how much the music... moves me, or how I want other people to listen to and adore it as much as I do. Allison sings with such an intensity of emotion, it's easy to see why she's often quoted as saying 'Why music? Why breathing?'... that kind of artistic passion seems extremely rare these days."

"I love singing for people," says Allison Crowe. "It's a way to connect and share with others. Communication is crucial. Just being able to do what I do, to write and sing and perform, makes me feel not only alive, but incredibly lucky. Knowing at any moment everything could change, I don't take one second for granted."

Born 26 years ago, on an island, in the harbour city of Nanaimo, B.C., today Crowe's reach is global. The audience for her music videos and song downloads numbers in the millions.

"Allison Crowe has a voice to fall in love with," says UK music industry journal Record of the Day. "She is from Vancouver Island in Canada, descended from Scottish, Irish and Manx stock. She's exactly the sort of artist who can make serious headway on her own label and that's just what she's doing."

When this phenomenon 'from the islands' reached the mainland she steered a path clear of what Joni Mitchell knowingly calls the record industry’s “style inventions”. With Ani DiFranco and Loreena McKennitt as models Crowe created her own label. Since 2003, Rubenesque Records Ltd has released five critically and commercially successful albums: Lisa's Song+ 6 Songs; Secrets; Tidings; Live at Wood Hall; and This Little Bird.

"The first thing you notice about Allison Crowe is her voice. Rich and dark, it seems to come from a place most singers can only dream of accessing. Then there are the songs. Filled with raw passion and accompanied by Crowe's eloquent piano playing," writes Clodagh O'Connell (The Courier). Hers is a joyous sound: "Elton John meets Edith Piaf."

A sensation at the UK’s John Lennon Northern Lights Festival, “Canadian angel Alison Crowe gave one of the weekend's most magical moments," says The Scotsman. Festival Director Mike Merritt describes Crowe as "awesome" and "spine-tingling", noting her performance “put hairs on the back of your neck! She brought the house down."

A true grassroots success, Crowe’s praised not only as a singularly talented songwriter - on themes personal as well as worldly - and as a visceral performer, but, also, as a supreme interpreter of song. Her vital takes on such 21st century standards as Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and Joni Mitchell's "River" are applauded as "truly transcendent". Her Tidings CD, a mix of traditional carols plus songs of joy, peace, and redemption from the secular songbook, is an emerging classic: "music for the season and all time".

"Her voice celebrates the music with a bluesy rock-gospel intensity; her controlled vibrato, silken rasp, and powerful projection rivet your attention. This is no casual background music. be prepared to be amazed," says Hamline University Professor Of Law - and CD reviewer - Carol Swanson. "Every song radiates sincerity, creative flair, and emotional intensity."

”It takes a lot of self-confidence to tackle Aretha (Franklin)'s version of 'I Never Loved a Man...' but Allison does and nails it just as good as the Queen of Soul herself. Her piano playing is equally exquisite," says Bob Muller, curator of song covers at JoniMitchell.com in his review of Crowe’s newest album, This Little Bird. He sums up: "Treat yourself to one of the mightiest talents on the singer-songwriter scene today."

David Powell, Welsh-based tech writes: "I'm listening to 'Effortless' on (Allison Crowe's) This Little Bird album with my Pro-Ject headphone amplifier turned up about a quarter more than on most modern records. It sounds fantastic because unlike most modern records it hasn't had the **** compressed out of it to raise the loudness."

Vocalist, pianist, guitarist, songwriter, engineer, producer and arranger, Allison Crowe now lives in Nanaimo, British Columbia and Corner Brook, Newfoundland. From these home-bases, (spanning the full 7000 km breadth of Canada), she tours steadily, earning a reputation for exciting live shows that stir together her original songs with much-loved interpretations in an organic blend of rock, jazz, folk, Broadway, gospel and soul.

"Ever wonder what it would have been like to listen to a gifted singer/songwriter from Saskatchewan in a small, intimate hall before she became Joni Mitchell? Don't fret the missed opportunity. There's no need to turn back the clock. Check out Allison Crowe," says Robert Reid in The Record.

"Allison has a special gift that is so very rare in musicians today. She is true to her mind, heart and spirit," says Ross Hocker, long-time public broadcaster with NPR affiliate WGTE. Hocker, whose musical taste embraces Thelonious Monk, Bela Bartok and Charles Gounod, calls Allison Crowe's live performance "the most honest, heartfelt, and directly intimate concert in my entire life."

"In an entertainment world that increasingly genuflects at the altar of instant fame, Crowe seems an anomaly, building her career slowly and carefully," notes Adrian Chamberlain, of Canada's Times Colonist newspaper.

"Soulful. Alive. Joyous. Grievous. Real, true, music is what I want to make," says Allison Crowe.

You can lend an ear...

We're changing the band name. We will tell everyone what it is at the next show.

stay tuned.....

•  Shreddin' as usual :)
•  It's good shit.
•  Classic metal
•  ROCK!

Spygirl plays lush, melodic, elegant, and dark pop/rock. If Spygirl were a martini, they’d be equal parts sonic assault, naked duets and lush harmonies with a dash of drum & bass, and garnished with a twist of Canadiana - shaken vigorously, of course. If Spygirl were an outfit, you’d look geek-slick, full in all the right places and your ass would look hot.

Spygirl recently completed their second full-length album, pieces of evidence, slated for national release March 2008.

Spygirl was overjoyed to work once again with favourite musical wizard Tom Rothrock, who mixed a few songs on their 2000 self-titled debut. This time he came on board as Producer in full. Mr. Rothrock (who has also created records with some of popular music’s great recent innovators such as Beck, Elliott Smith, Elbow, Sloan, Badly Drawn Boy and James Blunt) helped the band create a spontaneous, relaxed and raw recording, due in part to his laid back mix of confidence, spontaneity, knowledge and love of music, and in part to recording much of the album live off the floor. The result is a group of songs that belong together, sharing a landscape that is lush, melodic, elegant and dark.

This is the band’s 12th year. The Vancouver-based 6 piece group was born out of a musical bond between founders Koralee Tonack (lead vocals, guitar) and Jane Gowan (trumpet, keyboards). The two initially formed Time Waits - the acoustically charming mother of today’s luscious pop child. The group included Jon Roper (guitar), performing mostly original songs written by Gowan. Several recordings were released on cassette. Now those are hidden away in boxes...somewhere. Eventually James Ong (keyboards) and Eduardo Ottoni (drums) joined, and with a fuller sound developing, the band released their debut CD entitled This Thin Disguise.

A collective desire to streamline the sound resulted in a less acoustic, more pop/rock sound. The viola da gamba and accordion, previously played by Ong and Gowan respectively, were abandoned in favour of keyboards, fender rhodes and trumpet. By this time other band members had begun contributing to the songwriting, creating excitement and freshness. As the direction of the music changed, so did the name, and the band’s self-titled debut (informally known as The Yellow Album) was recorded just as the transformation to Spygirl took place. The disc was nominated for a West Coast Music Award and also gained much positive media attention.

In 2005 Al MacInnes (bass) joined the band to add substance to the style. Now with a full line-up to carry the tunes, Spygirl released a 5-song EP as a precursor to the full-length album in August, 2005. The songs on this disc are homages to the band’s constant quest for the perfect pop epic. All the tracks from this disc were re-recorded on pieces of evidence.

Spygirl has toured in Canada and the UK, and plans to be out on the road again in early 2008 to support the new album.

•  Powerful voice. Melancholic sounds.
•  Hauntingly powerful
•  honey and sugar

I keep myself busy and keep myself out of trouble by writing new songs. I am connected to my family, friends and fans and my Black And White Album and tracks are my life experiences. I live and breathe music and its in my blood and Rap - HipHop is the fire that fuels it.

My music has brought me many places around the world and I am going to take it further by completing my next album. Skies the limit when you put dedication and perseverance together. Just wait and see I will take us to even more places - nothing will stop me.

When I am done we are going everywhere twice or three times around the world.

http://www.damirworld.com

•  Sounds like fight music.

'Soulful. Unique. Amazing.'

This is how listeners describe Heidi McCurdy’s voice.

'Sultry jazz-pop with groove and an attitude.'

This is how they describe her songs.

With hip rhythms, thick harmonies, clever lyrics and an eclectic array of influences (soul, jazz, world) Heidi’s music enchants listeners, and compels them to sing along. Her song Fickle Mind won first place in the Write On ’97 songwriting contest. In May 2004, her song Placebo earned Honorable Mention with international Song of the Year. She has won numerous awards on Garageband.com including Best Female Vocals and Track of the Day.

In the early ‘90’s, Heidi co-founded the world/funk band Yellow Belly, which released an independent CD, completed two cross-Canada tours, and had several songs top the charts on MP3.com and college radio. Yellow Belly shared stages with The Bare Naked Ladies, Papa Wemba, Steele Pulse, and 54-40.

Following that project, Heidi created her own ensemble of top musicians, and has been performing funky originals, jazz standards and neo-soul favourites ever since. She has also been a featured vocalist with the Alexander Browne Orchestra and Johnny Ferreira and the Swing Machine, and a guest with Brickhouse, Soul Stream, Jason Mitchell and Kia Kadiri. She has performed in Europe, the U.S.A., and Canada, including the Vancouver International Jazz Festival in 2005.

Audiences love Heidi for her unpretentious persona and soulful performance, her winning blend of natural talent and professional skill. Listeners everywhere are instantly transformed into long-term and loyal fans.

•  One of the best
•  Where has this girl been...
•  Poppitty pop
•  pick it up and move...
• Great Song!

FMTA initially formed in 2001 with Andrew Matecha and Steve Springman collaborating musically, working towards creating music of a unique, meaningful and notable heavy-industrial style.

After a few years of fairly reclusive songwriting and recording, FMTA gained a new member, Tyler Davidson, who brought the sound of his well-distorted guitars into the mix.

FMTA later released their debut studio-recorded EP, entitled "In The End, You Don't Exist", on December 8th, 2006.

At the beginning of 2007, singer Jen Langille was recruited to join the band, in a step to bring the band further realization of their musical & artistic goals.

More recently, the band have parted ways with guitarist Tyler Davidson but continue to write new material in anticipation of their next release.

Miriam Davidson is a versatile singer/songwriter and educator on the Vancouver music scene. Her experience in jazz, pop and classical genres has given her music a distinctive sound. Last spring, released her sophomore album Second Take.

In 1998 she recorded and produced her debut CD Subtexts featuring Jon Roper and Marc Rogers. All but three of the songs on the album were written by Miriam. She also sang background vocals for Rob Best's World Jive Big Band's CD "Motsola" in 1999. Miriam sang alto on the Laudate Singers CD releases Christmas Journey and Songs Of Heaven And Earth and Elektra Women’s Choir A Child Of Grace. She continues to be a principal member of the Laudate Singers who have just released their third CD A Baroque Christmas. In 2002, she toured Germany, Austria and Italy with the Capilano College Singers. In August 2003, she sang alto in the Festival Vancouver Chorus Gala Opening concert featuring world renowned conductor Helmuth Rilling conducting Schubert's Mass in A Flat. During the Christmas season, she sings in and manages an a cappella vocal ensemble Caminando as well as a seasonal voice and piano/keyboard duo with pianist Ian Cox.

•  fitting accompaniment
•  children's song set to ROCK?
•  
•  I like it
•  i like it

BRAVE by NUMBERS captures the essence of intense, powerful, inspiring music. The heartfelt singing and thundering guitar of ROBB HILL are blended with outstanding rhythmic bass from ANDREW HAY, and the heart pounding drums from one of the best in the business. BRAVE BY NUMBERS brings alternative rock to the table unlike most. The passion of the music and lyrics is felt with every strum of the guitar and pounding fury of the drums. BRAVE BY NUMBERS continue to create music that has a raw, energetic edge that pushes for more than is usually found in today's radio-friendly poppy songs. Brave By Numbers also has plenty of mellow, sensual songs as well. Your foot will be tapping and you'll be singing along to their upbeat songs. Check out upcoming shows & news at WWW.BRAVEBYNUMBERS.COM

Sugarblade was started in July 2004 when Miguel Staunton and Alec Brietzke first sat down together to jam out some songs. Both musicians had just come from broken bands and had been looking forward to doing an acoustic project to take a bit of a break. Realizing that the songs had real potential the duo decided to try the full-band approach once again. Recently coming out of a band herself, (Maverick recording artist, "Lillix"), Kim Urhahn seemed an ideal addition on drums. Soon after, Greg M., an old friend of Alec's, joined the trio on bass, thus completing the band. It became obvious after only a few live shows that Sugarblade had something special. The band gained a loyal following instantly and has been playing relentlessly to rave reviews and an ever-growing fanbase. The band released a 7-song EP entitled "Faux" in July of 2006, which has been selling steadily and exposing them to more and more fans. Several independent and college radio stations have recently added Sugarblade to their regular rotation and the band is poised to take their music to the highest level possible.
Sugarblade considers themselves a rock band with a hint of power-pop. The chemistry of this foursome lies in the fact that each member comes from a different musical background in terms of influences and styles. Take an instantly-recognizable vocalist with a style that is a blend of Morrisey, Muse, and Peter Gabriel. Add a guitarist heavily immersed in the glamrock and metal of the 80's, with a incredible knack for melody. Now add a rhythm section consisting of a rock-solid drummer with an ear for detail, and a metal bassist with a love for all music dark and angry. Combine those elements with great songwriting, a love for what they do and a sound all their own and you have Sugarblade.

•  like a classic
•  How to make a good...
•  Totally!
•  I love anything acoustic...
•  Acoustic Rock Ballad!

Israel Suicide was originally born in Ireland, and has gone on to travel the world finally landing in Canada.
Having toured with Chris Cornell, Audioslave, the White Stripes, the Von Bondies and many more major label bands Israel was signed by 8 Ohm Records in Vancouver.
Israel's voice has been described as "Chris Cornell meets Bono in a hellish evil nightmare." by Jeff Henning of RollingStone.
"An evil incarnation of bombastic violence starving for serenity..." says Henry Rollins.
Israel sings about pain, torment and injustice....love, guts and glory.
"It's all there in the "NEW" sound of 2008" says Paul Goebel of Metal Force magazine.
But don't take our word for it.....let Israel burn your brain at www.myspace.com/israelsuicide
Go on....I dare ya!

"When I was a kid I remember my mother saying it's OK to be a non-conformist. I thought that was somewhere between a capitalist and a communist..."

ARCTIC - the band and/or solo project of Marcus Martin - is all about duality. His childhood in Yellowknife, a small gold mining town in the Arctic region of Canada's Northwest Territories, was a stark contrast to his experiences in a private UK boarding school. He grew up in the land of lakes, trees, rocks and ice with true wilderness spirit and is equally at home sharing his ARCTIC adventures in any big city, where there are more people on one street than in his whole hometown.

Coming from the Tom Morello school of guitar texture, he has learned to challenge the listener by layering unique sounds usually found only in the electric guitar world. As a loop-based acoustic artist he tours with an 80 lb. effects pedalboard - not traveling light compared to most acoustic singer-songwriters.

His live set is where this duality takes flight, as he constructs each song before the audience, piece by piece. Influenced by both 70's progressive rock and conventional songwriters of the day, ARCTIC bridges a world of opposites together. He layers haunting melodies on top of his arrangements, improvising like a jazz artist, intertwining vocals and guitar into a chilled and airy soundscape.

"I think it's hard not to be an environmentalist, growing up on the land."

His environmental message is not watered down and mixed into his music: they are separate entities. His music is an introduction; it is the common ground between him and the listener. As many will attest, he does his best to meet everyone after his show to say hi. You never know where the conversation will go, but people always want to know more about the ARCTIC - both the region and the band.

Marcus is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

•  Compliment

Parlour Steps

Nine Mile Records presents Parlour Steps, a band that is creating something new: Thought-Rock! This is art-damaged beauty, music that is both stormy and playful; reflective of their west coast Canadian home of Vancouver. This is music that makes you want to move while making you think.

Within the modern, popular landscape, influence is drawn from emotional rockers Arcade Fire and The Pixies, combined with the lyrical elements of Sufjan Stevens and Tom Waits. Unafraid of asking big questions and taking musical risks, the world is taking notice of this exceptional band.

“Thieves of Memory” has been chosen from over 15,000 entrants as a winner in the world renowned International Songwriting Competition, placing Parlour Steps, and in particular chief songwriter Caleb Stull, in the international spotlight.“Thieves of Memory” can be heard on the Adidas Website and was just released internationally on the Sonicbids Listen Vol. 2 Compilation, raising money for hurricane relief as well as showcasing some of North America’s best independent talent.

They can be heard on the Canadian television drama “Whistler”, now syndicated in the U.S.

Nine Mile Records will be releasing Parlour Step's fourth full-length record “Ambiguoso” in Feb. 2008, to be distributed internationally by Burnside Records.

Radio play, podcasts, and web-streaming have launched the band’s music to listeners across the continent. CBC, college, and university radio play, in Canada and the U.S. has seen Parlour Steps charted in the top fifty played and requested artists in their format.

2007-08 is seeing Parlour Steps touring Canada and the U.S. in support of their new record, furiously playing to all open ears.

A complete electronic press kit, including MP3's, press clippings, and the band's latest news can be found at http://www.parloursteps.com/

Parlour Steps compact discs are distributed through Burnside Records, Scratch Records in Canada, online at cdbaby.com, or any of the major digital download sites (iTunes, MP3.com, etc).
Bookings are done through Rob Perron at File Under Music,

, tel. 604.628.5275

Contact the band at http://www.parloursteps.com/

Trike is a duo, comprising of Stephen Taylor and Xania Keane. Stephen plays keyboard, digital guitar, trombone and sings. Xania plays fiddle, glockenspiel, keyboard, sings, dances (Irish/Quebecois style) and raps.

Trike's style is Synth-pop, New Wave, with various other elements. They are audience-interactive, teaching people dance moves they make up. Their songs are catchy pop songs, high energy and dancey. Onstage, there is a great deal of theatricality and performance.

Their influences are: Pulp, The Cure, Talking Heads, Devo, The Cars, Belle and Sebastian, old Public Enemy, Magnetic Fields and Joy Division.

There is a lot of humour in the music, and the songs are pretty bouncy/happy, although there are also a lot of bittersweet emotions in the lyrics.

Addicted to performing, Trike has played almost forty shows since the beginning of September in Vancouver and Victoria, BC, Canada.

Trike also won $20,000 on "The Gong Show" (a contest which was on radio and television) with their instructive-dance song, The Trikey, which enabled them to go on tour to Europe in the Spring of 2008.

Their album, "The New Album" was number six on the charts of Kootenay Coop radio for three months.

********!!!SPECIAL ALERT FOR AFFICIENDOS!!!**********
shshsh!!
COMING SOON TO PROJECT OPUS. The loin-lubing cello years.
Recorded at last.

In the early 1990's SELDON nutured his talent on the North lsand with virtuoso cellist CHRISTIE STAUDHAMMER. By the late 1990's they were wowing intimate audiences around the Vancouver scene. Then continents separated them for many years. None of their music had been recorded. It had been played to the winds of the whispering forests and far flung northern beaches. It'd disappeared into the untold layers of Vancouver's buzz. Lost but for the memories of those who'd witnessed it.

BUT WAIT!!

On December 16th 2004 , the day before STAUDHAMMER moved forever to a place SELDON would never live, she was enticed into a secret venue in Vancouver and cello tracks to 4 of their classic songs were laid.
The mini-album "CumQuot", featuring Christie Staudhammer on cello, is now complete and is imminently available for digital-downloading.
-----------------------------------------------------------*
ANGELICA GOES TO #1!!!
In May 2005 the unlikely hit song Angelica , Track 9 of "THE BEAST WITHIN" , reached #1 on a top ten recommended list on podcast THE NEXT BIG THING.
Besides numerous webstations , the songs SAME GAME , CLEO , BURDSONG and ANGELICA are being played on co-op station Village 900 in Victoria B.C. , college radio stations including Kamloops , B.C. and C.B.C. Radio Canada.
____________________________________________________

ROGER SELDON
(Songwriter)

Born and raised in South Africa and travelling the globe now for over 15 years, SELDON finally managed to stop in one place long enough to record his 1st album "THE BEAST WITHIN" in Fishhoek , Cape Town late 2003. Mastered and manufactured in Vancouver , Canada , the album was officially and globally released September 2004.
With over 20 years of songwriting this tip of the iceberg truely represents the 1st unleashing of SELDON's beast within. This album is made up of an eclectic mix of songstyles with some of the earliest tunes mixed up with the new.

SELDON on songwriting :
...actually, I prefer to call it song-discovery. In the process of messing about with sound, melodies , riffs and soundscapes (pieces of songs) are revealed and the sensitive ear need just trace the song backwards and forwards to it's natural beginning and end. Often some arrangement is then required. Sometimes words accompany the song pieces and an entire perfect song is written in 5 minutes (eg BURDSONG). More often with me the song remains unarranged and wordless , sometimes for years (eg, DREAMCHAIN, music 1989 and words 2000) until time and self-discipline synergize. Luckily , in recent years I have been blessed with the friendship of some wonderful and serious poets who have allowed me the honour of using their words (eg GLIMPSE , ANGELICA).
Most of the songs can be played in a number of different styles. On this album they are mostly played in the style in which they were originally written. Criticisms of the album (which can be more revealing and paradoxically complimentary than laudations) include stylistic digression and lyrical obscurity. But then these ARE poems , and to ponder or not? that is the question.

Being a gypsy for a lot of years many of SELDON's songs have become popular at his regular low key appearances around the world. The Hibiscus Coast (see www.southernexplorer.co.za) , Plett , Cape Town; all in South Africa; and Vancouver , Nelson , Northern Vancouver Island and Kitimat in the Wild Northwest of British Columbia have been his regular stomping grounds. A few of his songs (HEAVY RAIN , DREAMCHAIN , BURDSONG , SAME GAME) have been covered by artists in some of these places (Larva Rocks , now known as DreamChain - Johannesburg , Sean Germond - Cape Town , Barbie Meyer - Margate).
He enjoyed a long and fruitful development period through the 90's playing as a duo with accomplished cellist Christie Staudhammer initially touring beaches , forests , houses & lakes about Northern Vancouver Island and later the coffeehouses of Vancouver City. They also played around Plettenberg Bay South Africa towards the end of the last Millenium. Sadly , no formal recordings of those years exist , BUT ; in December 2004 , the day before Staudhammer moved permanently to Florida , U.S.A. , SELDON managed to get her into a studio in Vancouver to lay some cello tracks for a future album. This is expected in 2006.

In late 1996/7 he joined bandmembers Liz Adams , Scott Blackley (Muzzy Pep, The Great Dividing Range) and Patrick Singh in the Whitehorse-based Yukon altpoprock band "HOOP" as bassist for their tour of the East Coast of Australia in early 1997.
2004 saw SELDON colaborating with songwriter/slide guitarist Malachi Greenidge in the duo Holy Joe & The sKeptiK. (Look out for Malachi on MySpace.com).
Mostly SELDON has been writing and jamming with any inspiring talent he intercepts in his wanderings to the abovementioned locales.

The last 10 years have seen SELDON splitting his time between the southern tip of Africa (music & surfing) and the Canadian West Coast (music , snowboarding and , most unfortunately , work).

His sold-out and packed-out gigs at the Sundance Javabar in Campbell River and The Common Bistro on Denman Street in Vancouver , as well as a genre-defining 6 week run of shows at Rocky Ridge on The Hibiscus Coast , South Africa, in July/August/September 2005 lead to a more formalised and intense gigging/touring schedule in 2006. January 2006 saw him playing The Duncan Garage Showroom in Duncan , The Spiral Cafe in Victoria and The Common Bistro in Vancouver. A repeat tour of the southern Zululand coast with 11 sequential Friday night shows at Rocky Ridge developing into a weekly festival of Original Music with SELDON hosting many untapped and rockin' locals.

Comments & questions , both musical and personal , can be sent to

"THE BEAST WITHIN" by ROGER SELDON includes liner notes and lyrics. It also includes BURDSONG ("the lovesong of the decade" as judged by lovers around the world). SELDON prefers that "THE BEAST WITHIN" be played LOUD.
IT MUST BE PLAYED ON DECENT STEREO EQUIPMENT.

•  I'll listen over and over.

Rio Bent is carving a new niche in the genre of punk rock. With powerful female vocals, intense guitars and explosive percussion Rio Bent is kicking out elegant raunch for the ages.

Winning over audiences wherever they play with a riveting ‘can’t take your eyes off them’ stage show.

They’ve appeared nation-wide on Much Music, toured from Vancouver to Montreal and shared the stage with such indie-punk greats as the Mad Caddies and the Black Halos.

Rio Bent is on the brink of releasing their debut full length CD, produced, recorded and mixed by Paul Forgues (Slayer, Hatebreed), Blair Calibaba (NoMeansNo, Propaghandhi) and Dave Rave Ogilvie (Nine Inch Nails, 54-40).

Graceful, tasteful and highly attractive,
Rio Bent is the grit and glory you’ve been waiting for.

•  the kids are alright
•  Pure Punk

Playing the compositions of Cam May, Sandy Barron, and Lara White, Remote Kid is a seven piece pop-rock band based in Calgary. An enjoyment of carefully controlled noise, vocal harmonies, and difficult arrangements is their hallmark.

•  They're back!
•  Another great one from Remote...
•  Really great stuff!