W is for Walk Off The Earth, Patrick Watson and the Weakerthans

     A few years ago, on a rainy, indoor recess school day, I found myself on supervisory duty.  As I entered the computer lab, one of the older kids beckoned me over and said, "Hey!  Mr. M.!  Check this Out!  Five people playing one guitar!"
     I walked over, expecting to see some sort of novelty act but, instead, I stood, transfixed, watching some very talented performers expertly playing one guitar and singing the most amazing song called Somebody I Used To Know.

     "Who Is this?" I asked.

     "They're called Walk Off The Earth."

     At the time, I had no idea that this was not their own song and was, in fact, a cover of the original song by Australian singer, Goyte.  All that I know was that this video was really well done and that the group seemed refreshing and original and that I liked them.  While still on duty, I called in the music teacher to watch the video and then, the Principal, too.  We were all floored!  Apparently, we were not alone.  At the time of the writing of this post, Walk Off The Earth's version of Somebody I Used To Know has been viewed over 2 million times!   Many people, myself included, far prefer the WOTE version of this song and that is where controversy took root.  Walk Off The Earth's version was being requested on iTunes and on local radio stations but, technically, Goyte's version was the legally-released song and, as such, it was almost impossible to hear WOTE's version through mainstream sources.  There was a lot of back-and-forth on comment boards between fans demanding that WOTE's version be more readily accessible, with just as many criticizing the band and accusing it of ripping Goyte off.

     In the end, both bands declared mutual respect for the other and, in retrospect, it is easy see how the publicity helped both performers gain attention and record sales as a result.  However, at the time, Walk Off The Earth became one of the most talked-about groups in the world.......and, they never even had a record contract!   Like The Weeknd, Walk off The Earth circumvented the traditional music industry route when it came to having their music heard by the masses.  They pioneered the use of YouTube and social media like Facebook and Twitter, to connect directly with their fan base.  Since that first video, Walk Off The Earth has released all of their songs on video first. In most cases, they released the videos straight from their own website onto Facebook and into the homes of millions of their "friends" and "followers".

     Walk Off The Earth has had a string of hits with other cover songs such as, Little Boxes, Some Nights and I Knew You Were Trouble. But, they have started releasing their own, original tunes, as well and have been achieving an increasingly higher amount of record sales and/or air play on mainstream media. Songs such as Summer Vibe, Gang of Rhythm, Red Hands and Rule the World have all become hits and have earned their fair share of airplay at my house via our various personal iTunes playlists and all across the country, too.

     This band, from Burlington, Ontario, just seems to be getting stronger and stronger. Their inventiveness and creativity can clearly be seen in the really cool videos they produce.  They appear to be having a lot of fun doing what they are doing and seem very relaxed and comfortable with the vision they have for their career and how best to interact with their fans.  It wouldn't surprise me at all if, on future rainy, indoor recess kind of day, that some other student doesn't call me over to say, "Hey!  Mr. M.!  Check out this really cool video!"   I know I'll be as impressed then as I was that first time, when I first watched "five people playing one guitar"
     *Just as an fyi, the video for Gang of Rhythm was filmed on the pier by the beach in my hometown of Cobourg, Ontario so, if you want to get a sense of where I am when I write these posts then, check out Gang of Rhythm.   




     When I first began creating these posts, it was with the goal of, hopefully, bringing some new and deserving artists to light.  With that in mind, allow me to introduce you to Patrick Watson.

     Patrick Watson is a very interesting performer because he appears as Patrick Watson, solo artist, as well as, Patrick Watson, the band.  Whether alone or accompanied, Patrick Watson has been wowing the music critics and his fellow performers for years.

     Born in the U.S. but, raised in and around, Montreal, Patrick Watson, has performed with many of the performers who make up the Montreal music scene such as The Dears, The Stills and so on.  Watson's first album, Closer To Paradise, won the Polaris Music Prize in 2007 and was nominated for a Juno Award. His second album, Wooden Arms,  was shortlisted for the Polaris Prize in 2009.  His songs have appeared on famous television shows such as Grey's Anatomy and The Walking Dead. 
   Patrick Watson has developed a devoted following who admire the inventiveness of the instrumentation and poetry of the lyrics used in such songs as The Great Escape, Noisy Sunday, Big Bird in a Small Cage and Lighthouse.  Currently, Patrick Watson has a hit song entitled, Love Songs for Robots. Moody. Atmospheric. Ethereal. Delicate and Intricate. Perfect. Patrick Watson.

     I will leave you with Winnipeg's The Weakerthans.  The Weakerthans were formed in the late 90s by members of two hard rock bands, Propaghandi and Red Fisher.  The goal was to create a more melodic type of sound than was possible within the constraints of their former bands.  The band name was chosen after a line, "What force on Earth can be weaker than the feeble strength of one."

     The Weakerthans have achieved both, critical and commercial success. Their second album, Left and Leaving was named one of the Top Ten albums of all-time in Canada in the very same reader's poll from Chart Magazine than had named Sloan as having the top album of all-time.  Obviously, readers of Chart Magazine enjoy their Alt-rock music written and played well.  The Weakerthans have been nominated for Juno Awards and have been shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize. They have won multiple West Coast Music Awards, as well as, being named Artist of the Year at the Verge Awards on XM Satellite Radio (other winners have included, Hey Rosetta!  Alexisonfire and Dan Mangan).
     The Weakerthans have produced several hit songs including, Civil Twilight, Tournament of Hearts, Sun in an Empty Room, One Great City, Left and Leaving and Aside.  This particular song, One Great City, is a great example of what The Weakerthans are all about; it is Canadian to its' core, unpretentious and down to earth, a sing-along song about Winnipeg...who knew?  Well, apparently, all of the folks singing along in the crowd did.  What a great Canadian band, The Weakerthans!!!

     Finally, a big tip of the hat to the following artists whose name happens to start with a "W":

Indie Rockers, Women, Singer/songwriter/producer, Hawksley Workman, Superb musical siblings, Martha and Rufus Wainwright, Lead singer of Sum 41, Deryck Whibley, Satirist, Nancy White, Rocker, David Wilcox,  Lead singer of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings/Junkhouse, Tom Wilson, Singer/songwriter/composer, Bob Wiseman, Singer, Karl Wolf, Country star, Michelle Wright, Singer/songwriter, Royal Wood, Bluesman, Jackie Washington, Alt-folk band, Woodpigeon, Alternative darlings from Montreal, Wolf Parade, Bourbon Tabernacle Choir founder, Andrew Whitman, The Lumberjack Singer, Hal Willis, Alternative band, Wake Owl, Bluegrass stars, The Wailin' Jennys, Alt-rock band, Whitehorse, Indie rockers, The Waltons, Rockers, Wide Mouth Mason, Weeping Tile and The Watchmen, Blues rockers, Wild T and the Spirit, Trenton, Ontario's own, The Wilkinsons and, finally, Indie rockers from Halifax, Wintersleep.

R is for Serena Ryder, Sam Roberts and The Rheostatics

     In this, our "young turks" edition of Canadian performers whose names begins with an "R", I will start with the ladies and give you a singer who has been a strong presence in the music scene for a number of years but who is now, just beginning to make her star turn on the national stage and that is, Serena Ryder.

     Serena Ryder has been performing for audiences since she was a little girl of six or seven.  Performing in Legion Halls and community events around the Millbrook and Peterborough areas, Ryder grew proficient in playing guitar and in marrying that sound to the poetry of the words she was expressing in the form of her original songs.  Serena Ryder came to the attention of Peterborough-area music producers and then, in turn, to performer, Hawksley Workman, who signed her to his label.  She has been described as having a deep, raspy singing voice and has been compared to "a young Aretha Franklin."

     Serena Ryder has won 6 Juno Awards in categories ranging from "Artist of the Year", "Album of the Year", "Video of the Year" or "Songwriter of the Year."  She recently penned the song, Together We Are One for the recent 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto and appeared live during the closing ceremonies with Pitbull and Kanye West.  She has enjoyed many hits in recent years such as,  Stompa, Weak in the Knees, What I Wouldn't Do and A Little Bit of Red.  Serena Ryder is definitely poised to have a breakout year in 2015 and the folks at the Millbrook Legion Hall couldn't be prouder.

  

     In 2003, a strange new respiratory disease swept through parts of Asia and then, because of an infected traveller contracting the disease in Hong Kong and bringing it back to Canada, Toronto experienced an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or, S.A.R.S.  Forty-four people died from S.A.R.S., most of them, in the Toronto area.  In order to contain the contagion, The World Health Organization officially deemed Toronto as being unsafe for tourists to visit.  This designation caused the largest city in Canada to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in tourism revenue.  Toronto's local economy reeled, almost as much as the medical community did.  So, when the S.A.R.S. outbreak finally stabilized, immediate attention was turned to revitalizing tourism and letting the world know that Toronto was a safe place to visit.  One of the ways that was deemed best was to hold a high-profile event, such as a concert. Thus, under the leadership of The Rolling Stones, AC/DC and Canadian comedy star, Dan Ackroyd, a large concert was planned for Downsview Park in Toronto. This concert became known as "SARS Stock".   The first performer of the day was a young man from Montreal named Sam Roberts.

     Sam Roberts grew up as a part of Montreal's burgeoning music scene, along with The Dears and Stars.  By the time The Sam Roberts Band came to play the S.A.R.S. benefit concert, he was already riding high on the success of his debut album called Brother Down and the two hit singles that emerged from it, Brother Down and Don't Walk Away, Eileen.  Since then, Sam Roberts has produced a steady string of commercially and critically successful albums, with hits such as Where Have All The Good People Gone, Hard Road and Bridge to Nowhere.  The Sam Roberts Band has won 6 Juno Awards, including "Album of the Year", "Artist of the Year" and "Video of the Year".
   
     Sam Roberts plays good, solid pop-rock tunes that speak to his love of Canada and of his craftsmanship as a songwriter.  While he has enjoyed a consistent rate of success, it was his great job launching the S.A.R.S. stock concert that is, perhaps, his most important and memorable moment as a Canadian musician.  Thanks, Sam!

   
     Finally, I will close out the "young turks" edition the letter "R" with a band that are, definitely, not young but, instead, have made a career of being inventive and unconventional, the iconic and influential, Rheostatics.  If I was a true cool kid with my finger on the pulse of the Canadian music scene, I would tell you that I knew The Rheostatics when they were playing shows at The Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto and making a name for themselves with their obscure, quirky takes on such famous Canadian songs as Gordon Lightfoot's Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.  But, during the 80s and 90s, my musical awakening was just beginning and my first real sense of who The Rheostatics were came from the opening line of The Tragically Hip's live album, Live Between Us, when lead singer, Gord Downie, famously declared, "This is for The Rheostatics...we are all richer for having seen them tonight."

     The fact that The Rheostatics were opening for the hugely commercially successful band, The Tragically Hip, is noteworthy on several levels. First of all, The Tragically Hip, like many Canadian singers and bands; especially those from Ontario, were hugely influenced by The Rheostatics.  To include them on a stadium/arena tour was to, not only acknowledge a musical debt of sorts but, also, to showcase the band in front of larger audiences than they had ever played for before, as if to say, "Come on, folks!  Don't you realize how great these guys are!?"  Already a cult band, The Rheostatics never craved commercial success.  They seemed content to be artistically excellent and to go against the grain of mainstream musical tastes. In fact, they have had only one Top Forty hit in their career; a song that won them a Genie Award (Canada's Motion Picture Awards) for Best Song for the movie, Whale Music.  The success that they achieved as a result of Whale Music nearly broke up the band. So, to be included on a national tour with The Tragically Hip, was a creative and intellectual experience like no other.

     The Rheostatics produced two albums that critics and fans routinely rate as being among the top dozen or so albums ever made in the history of Canadian music; Whale Music and Melville.   Whale Music was based on the book of the same name by author Paul Quarrington.  The "hit" song was called Claire and goes to prove the literary bent that was so characteristic of the band's approach.  In fact, one of the key members of The Rheostatics, Dave Bidini, has gone on to achieve a fair measure of fame and success as a writer of books and as a newspaper columnist.  To those who saw The Rheostatics live, for example, at their once annual eleven-night gigs at The Horseshoe Tavern which became known as The Fall Nationals,  the essence of who The Rheostatics were was best seen and experienced at their live shows.  A mixture of poetry, Canadiana, rock licks, sweat and defiance mingled with the smell of cigarettes and marijuana and the feel of sawdust and beer-soaked floors.  The Rheostatics are, arguably, the band that most closely conveyed the Canadian identity through their songs and live shows. Nary a hit but, a presence that reverberates across the land.
     Hopefully, you are richer for having read about them, too.

     A final big tip of the hat to these awesome performers whose name begins with an "R":

Robbie Robertson (solo artist and, of The Band), Punk/New Wave provocateurs, Rough Trade, Country star, Deric Ruttan, Singer/Songwriter, Ian Robb (of Fiddler's Green), Aboriginal Drag Queen/anti-bullying advocate, Iceis Rain, Alternative band, Rusty, Rockers, The Rainbow Butt Monkeys (later, Finger Eleven), Alt-rockers, Rymes With Orange, Alt-country singer, Justin Rutledge, Family pop stars, The Raes, Acadian HipHop band, Radio Radio, Two-time U.S. National Fingerstyle guitarist, Don Ross, Rappers, Rascalz, the first band I ever got drunk listening to, Rational Youth,  Alternative band, The Rose Chronicles, 80s rockers, Rubber (later Harem Scarem),  Indie band, Rah Rah, legendary rock band, Red Rider (with Tom Cochrane) and, finally, the band and the song that started this series all off, Rueben and the Dark.  It was Bow and Arrow that I listened to as I sank into my easy chair, decompressing emotionally and intellectually from the end of another school year and the return of my own life to me.  From Rueben and the Dark, I found Lowell and Love You Money and then, Hayden with Nowhere We Can't Go and then, shortly thereafter, came the desire to turn my free time into the productive project that you are viewing now.  Inspiration gives rise to creation. I hope you are liking my work.  :)