One Hit Wonder Time: Quarterflash

A video opens with a hot girl playing the sax, she lowers the sax to start singing...all pouty mouth and breathless vocal.

This is the start of the video for the taste of the day. The woman is Rindy Ross, the band is Quarterflash and the song is "Harden My Heart."

Quarterflash centered around a husband and wife from Portland Oregon. The song was first recorded with their previous band Seafood Mama. The re-recorded version would become their highest charting single...peaking at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

While they would have another single "Find Another Fool" reach the Top 20, "Harden My Heart" remains to this day, a mainstay of 80's music stations.

It has everything a hit song should have. A punchy melody, good vocal, and great chorus...it's the kind of song you will still listen to...even now.

"Harden My Heart"

Still have a soft spot for it.

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An Evening with Jonny Lang and Buddy Guy

The lights went down right on time.

First up Jonny Lang.

Starting strong with a little blues number called "Don't Stop (For Anything)" Jonny Lang literally pulled every note kicking and screaming from his guitar. The sound was crisp, the pickin' fast and furious.

While the more blues oriented portion of his set was really strong, I felt some of his more rock edged songs lacked the same depth. At one point his singing mimics each note as he plays, a lot of effort for not a big reward. Vocally, at times it seems he tries a little too hard. He does have a decent range, though not sure he uses it to his advantage. Simple rule...don't overthink the performance, let the guitar playing speak for itself.

"Redlight" was one of the high points of his set, as was a great cover of Stevie Wonder's "Living for the City."  Backup singer, I believe her name was Missy Hale, did one hell of a job trading off lead vocals with Jonny on that tune.

The moment of the night however was the last song, no surprise that it would be "Lie to Me." . What was a surprise was how it began. The band left the stage and Jonny stood there and sang the first two verses of the song alone with an acoustic guitar. While not nearly as monumental as Clapton doing "Layla" acoustically, it was a fascinating take on the song. Midway through, he switched to electric, brought in the band...and brought down the house.

Mr. Buddy Guy.

"I'm gonna keep on playing the blues man..."

The only way to know Buddy Guy has been around for so many years is the talent and stage presence. You sure can't tell his age by watching him. As he strolled onstage wearing his ever-present baseball cap, it was evident by his gait this was a man who still found pleasure in taking his spot behind the microphone. Buddy Guy is quite a character. A living legend, he has garnered enough points over the years to tell the to audience "shut up" as they applaud him, so he can tell a little anecdote about another musician. Buddy Guy, so respected, spends a lot of time complimenting other musicians.

He said a few times during the show that he doesn't rehearse.  He knows what he has to do...he just expects the band to keep up with him...and they did.

Starting out with "Nobody Understands Me Like My Guitar," Buddy showed what the old guitar masters have learned. You don't always need to make your guitar scream...sometimes it's best to let it weep.

"We're gonna do something so funky...you can smell it."

The blues standard "While You Were Steppin' Out (Someone Else Was Steppin' In),"  had everyone singing along. Just great stuff.. Buddy sang a song called "I'm 74 Years Young" ...his story of the blues. He ends the song saying "I wrote that song 2 years ago." Yes, 76 years young and the man had a smile on his face throughout the entire set. At one point Buddy left the stage still playing, and worked his way through the crowd. He walked through the lower level seating and ended up in the balcony, not missing a beat.

Truly inspiring.

The Jam

When you have two great guitarists on the same bill, there is an expectation they will jam. This night had both Buddy and Jonny together...and a young guitarist whose name you will want to remember. A great rendition of Junior Wells "Little by Little," gave way to the entrance of a 13 year old boy by the name of Quinn Sullivan.

According to Buddy, he first heard Quinn play at the age of 7. Well, Mr. Buddy Guy knows the blues and this kid is the real deal. Technically, he was the best guitarist on stage that night. To say the entire crowd was blown away by Quinn Sullivan is an understatement. He didn't sing at all Saturday night, and watching a few of his videos, I can't wait until he grows into his voice. Sharing the stage with two guitar greats, he had the attitude any lead guitarist should have...been there, done that, now just shut up and listen. Yeah, he's that good.

Here's a clip from a recent show where he opened for Buddy...Quinn Sullivan.
Remember the name.





My profile says "I've always been a rocker, but you can't beat the blues."...well, this was one great night of blues.

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Bob Welch: A Tribute From A Sentimental Lady

Maybe I don't remember or maybe it's just age catching up, but I don't recall a year with so many musical artists deaths.  Now we have another one...Bob Welch.

Reports indicate Bob Welch died yesterday at his home in Nashville of a self inflicted gunshot wound.

An early member of Fleetwood Mac, Bob Welch played a big part in the music style of the band moving from  a edgy blues band to a more melodic group, where it has enjoyed such monumental success. His resignation from the band brought about the next major change in the Fleetwood Mac line-up, as Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined the group.

"Your eyes got me dreaming, your eyes got me blind

Your eyes got me hoping, that I'll be holding you close tonight."

A guitarist and writer, Bob Welch also had a voice. And once you heard it, you would never forget it. The first time I heard "Sentimental Lady," the blend of vocal, lyric and melody was so beautiful, it could just about lift you off the ground. And once you heard the opening rift of "Ebony Eyes" you were hooked on the song for life.

Rather than taste the studio versions, let's have a live taste of three of Bob Welch's best and one more, not quite as well known song.

"Hypnotized"  live with Mick Fleetwood on drums and John McVie on bass and Christine McVie doing backup vocals.
"Sentimental Lady" live from the same show
"Ebony Eyes" live with Stevie Nicks
"Angel" 

"You are here and warm, but I could look away and you'd be gone..."

Easy journey Bob.

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A Canadian Exchange: An Interview with The Trews' Colin MacDonald

The Trews (L-R) Jack Syperek (bass), John-Angus MacDonald (lead guitar), Sean Dalton (drums), Colin MacDonald (lead vocals,guitar) Photo by David Bastedo

The Plan seems to be working.

• Form a band with family and friends. Check.
• Win a radio station battle of the bands. Check.
• Release an album, have it certified gold. Check.
• Watch a single reach #1. Check.
• Do it again. Check.

The Trews have done all of the above… and much more. Originally from Antigonish, Nova Scotia, brothers Colin and John-Angus MacDonald, cousin Sean Dalton and long-time friend Jack Syperek, have moved up the ranks from a small town band to a must-see act north of the border... as well as Australia and Europe. Along with non-stop touring in their own country, The Trews are now working their way through the United States in support of their 2011 release Hope and Ruin. Slowly but surely, they are building a loyal fan base by delivering high energy performances and lots of media work.

With 12 singles in the Canadian Top 10, including two #1 songs, The Trews have enjoyed a successful career, spanning four studio and two live albums. Over the years, The Trews have shared the stage with Guns N’ Roses, Kiss, Cheap Trick, The Tragically Hip, Kid Rock, Southside Johnny, Robert Plant and oh yes, The Rolling Stones.

Awards? They’ve had a few. Canadian honors include being five time nominees of the Juno Award, and being four time winners of the East Coast Music Award. The Trews are also two-time winners of the U.S. Independent Music Award.

At the tail end of their latest trek through the lower forty-eight, Trews lead vocalist Colin MacDonald graciously spent some time answering a few questions about music, influences and life on the road.

Kat’s Theory (KT): The Trews have made inroads in Europe and Australia, and are now stepping into the American music scene. Given the present state of commercial radio in the States, do you feel college radio or classic rock stations offer the greatest opportunity to get airplay?
Colin MacDonald (CM): Radio is still important but there are many ways for bands to break these days. We like getting radio play but we also connect to our fans through social media and an INSANE amount of touring

KT: Social networking has definitely changed the face of PR in the music business. The band seems to have a knack for it and is using it in some interesting ways. Thoughts on internet promotion?
CM: Social networking is only useful if you are making great music otherwise it's a waste of time. I happen to think we make great music, so it is helpful to spread the word about our band. But I get sick and tired of celebs that tweet their every meaningless whim and thought, that's just silly

KT: The Trews are doing a couple of more weeks in the U.S. then heading back to Canada. Bouncing in and out of the states and traveling by van is a slow, hard way to build a new fan base. It also shows your determination to make that fan base a solid one. What have you learned from your approach?
CM: Touring this much makes you weird and insane but we love to play and we love the people who support our band.

Photo by David Bastedo

KT: In 2009, The Trews released a second acoustic album called Friends & Total Strangers, and you did a 30 city tour in support of it. How hard was it after being on stage for a week or so, not to kick it up and go full out rock?
CM: The acoustic shows were a welcome change for us. It gave us a chance to focus on different aspects of our sound and explore our musicality, and not just rely on high energy rawk. It was also a welcome break on our tender ears that have all been damaged from INSANE amounts of touring.

KT: The Trews have shared the stage with The Stones, Guns ‘N Roses and Kiss, among others. Opening for Robert Plant across Canada had to be a thrill. Can you tell me a behind the scenes story.
CM: It was a dream come true, and of course a thrill. Robert Plant got mad at us for covering "Bohemian Rhapsody" in Edmonton Alberta. He reprimanded our drummer Sean in Calgary, and Sean's quote about the incident was "If you told me ten years ago that'd I'd be on tour with Robert Plant and he'd be reprimanding me backstage for covering "Bohemian Rhapsody", I would have said not in a billion years”.

KT: There have been descriptions of your sound being influenced by everyone from the obvious Canadian choices: The Guess Who and BTO, to Bob Seger, and my own thoughts of some REM and early Springsteen. Who were your early musical influences
CM: All of those guys, I am very flattered by these comparisons. We also like a lot of newer bands like 'The Shins' and 'Cadillac Black' . We are all big 'Tragically Hip' fans as well.

KT: Diverse is a word I would use to describe both your musical style and career. From hard rocking tunes like “Hold Me in Your Arms” to releasing a couple of acoustic albums, to easy rockers such as “If You Want To Start Again”, The Trews have produced quite an interesting mix of music. Has your sound come about from each member bringing in a different influence or is it a natural progression on the band?
CM: It’s a bit of both. Hope & Ruin was definitely a more collaborative effort so it was a combination of influences, whereas in the past, I have been a little more dominant in the songwriting process.

                       "take me away from all of this,
                        take me away with just one kiss."


KT: I recently saw an interview with the band where you mentioned your writing does not usually come from personal experiences. But hearing the lyrics and haunting vocal of a song like “Stay With Me”, it’s hard to think it wasn’t inspired by real life. Tell me a bit about how that song came together.
CM: “Stay With Me” was a melodic idea developed by Sean and John-Angus. The song is about love and obsession and not wanting to ever let go.

KT: In April, I saw The Trews open for Southside Johnny in my home state of New Jersey. It was the week of Levon Helm’s passing and both acts paid tribute to The Band’s drummer. The Trews joined Johnny at the end of the show for “The Weight.” With the 2 bands on stage and the entire audience standing and singing, it became one of those moments at a show where the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. What was it like for the band?
CM: You described it perfectly, what else can I add, the hairs in our beards stood up.

KT: Working with your brother, cousin and good friend has both an up side and a down side. When you’re not touring, are you all able run away from each other for a while, or do you just go back to writing and hanging out together?
CM: Every time we get off the road we stay away from each other for about a week, but we end up hanging out again after that. When I get home, I don't want to look at a guitar for about a week, I need to get away and clear my head.

"tonight I'll drink until the sun comes up,

             cause I don't care no more,  I'm  gonna fill my cup.

              Life isn't fair for sure, it's clear I've had enough

              and I can't stop laughing"

KT: A good drinking song is hard to find these days.  “I Can’t Stop Laughing” is a great one. 
CM: We wrote that tune about a bar in our hometown of Antigonish called Pipers Pub. We used to get drunk there all the time and I like that we commemorated it in a song.

KT: This tour has been in support of Hope and Ruin, which has had four singles released, that’s a pretty good shelf life in today’s age of the download. Are there plans for another single to be released?
CM: Personally, I would like to release one of the ballads, but we'll see….

KT: Multiple Choice: Taking the stage, watching the crowd sing your songs back to you, or the standing ovation at the end of the show…which one of the three gets your heart pumping the hardest?
CM: All of the above, nothing tops the energy of a great crowd.

KT: Finally, Speaking to an American audience, give me your best PR push for the music of The Trews.
CM: As said by an American seeing our band live for the first time: “Y'all are pretty good for a bunch of Canadians”.

Indeed they are. 


Many thanks to Colin MacDonald for taking the time.
Eternal gratitude... or something like that to Jeff Kilgour of the Tijuana Gift Shop and John Porter of Mood Indigo Entertainment for the heavy lifting.

For more information on The Trews:
The Trews Website 
The Trews on Facebook
The Trews on MySpace
On Twitter @thetrews

Article first published as A Canadian Exchange: An Interview with The Trews' Colin MacDonald on Technorati.
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Got It Covered: A Song For You

"I've been so many places in my life and times

I've sung a lot of songs, I've made some bad rhymes.

I've acted out my love in stages, with ten thousand people watching

But we're alone now and I'm singing this song for you."

So begins the taste of the day. It has been said Elton John has called this song an American Classic. It has been covered by countless artists and for my money...it is one of the most beautifully written love songs ever.

"A Song For You" was written by Leon Russell. He recorded it for his 1970 self-titled solo album.

"I know your image of me is what I hope to be 

I treated you unkindly, but darling can't you see 

There's no one more important to me, baby can't you please see through me 

Cause we're alone now and I'm singing this song for you"

Transcending all music genres, it has been covered by artists as diverse as Andy Williams, Willie Nelson, Herbie Hancock & Christina Aguilera, Joe Cocker, Cher, Aretha, Mavis Staples, Neil Diamond, The Temptations, Simply Red, Whitney Houston and Bizzy Bone (featuring DMX & Chris Noetz)...just to name a few.

"You taught me precious secrets of the truth withholding nothing 

You came out in front when I was hiding, but now I'm so much better 

And if my words don't come together, listen to the melody 

Cause my love is in there hiding"

Deciding which covers to use is the hard part. I'll try to highlight a few different styles, taste as many as you like.

"I love you in a place where there's no space or time 

I love you for my life, you are a friend of mine 

And when my life is over, remember when we were together 

We were alone and I was singing this song for you 

We were alone and I was singing this song for you" 

"A Song For You"  Ray Charles
"A Song For You"   Simply Red
"A Song For You"  Amy Winehouse
"A Song For You"  Joe Cocker
"A Song For You" Herbie Hancock & Christina Aguilera
and from the composer... "A Song For You"  Leon Russell

Lyrically simple, again it shows it ain't always what you write but how you write it.

Just singing this song...for you.

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