Isn't it neat?
It's for the very upcoming show by my new band WET DIRT, my post-giving up band. Post-giving up? See,my last project Hallmark
SONGS HERE
was to be my overtly "serious" group (like the others weren't? Yeeesh...ya want me to write my thoughts on musical comedy and the perceptions of? I will). I decided that if no one put the album out I'd give up. No one put out the album. Wish it would come out (that makes two now: Points Gray my late 90s acid downer folk album with Dan Bejar and Julian Lawrence still remains unreleased). But the music industry is a very conservative place and even when I try to write pop ballads they still come out odd. The music industry is also dying and people scramble. And if one makes music that resides in grey areas, labels have trouble with that. Even so-called "Experimental music" a ghetto/genre with all the trappings and restrictions.
When people ask me to drop one of my interests solely to give the deceptive appearance of focus (as opposed to using these interests to help each other in various projects) I say to them that I'll drop music and then they freak out telling me to drop acting instead- acting which, through a BC Tourism ad, paid for me to leave BC or, through that movie I was a slimy juror in, paid my rent for months! I know I ain't Strasberg-approved brilliance (some actors literally sacrifice everything just to act and only act and many of them rarely get the opportunity) but it's paid my way. Music? It gave me no money, no support, and lots of frustration! Even some people in 'successful' bands still have to have day jobs that are malleable enough to let them go off on tour.
People want me to keep doing making music? I am so DIY it hurts and I don't even want to be!
But the bug bit. I got the urge to play, I can't stop it. I really love writing songs, I love song-craft. I love performing and entertaining and being a showman and making people happy. I love singing and seeing what I can make my voice do for the song. I love making these little pocket universes called albums and pushing to make them to be as great and unique as possible. And touring! I miss touring!
With this band we went in with zero preconceptions-no mission statement- but what came out is distinctive and expressive. It's funny to use such a traditional construct of the 4 piece rock band and still be fresh and exciting! Tho the preconceptions were zero, I'm excited! I'm really happy with this band. It might even be needed as people are so inundated with sluggish collectives nowadays. I wouldn't want to play if I didn't feel it was somewhat needed. God knows, I need a band to entertain me when I'm having a bad week.
Here's the Press release:
WET DIRT
FRIDAY, JUNE 5th
The Silver Dollar (486 Spadina at College)
Doors: 9 PM
With House Of Lancaster, Husk, and Gettysburg
Have you checked out WET DIRT yet? Experience the fuss! Visceral! Using the traditional structure of a four-piece rock band WET DIRT offer up fresh experiences! WET DIRT is fresh! They got DYNAMICS!!!! Shooting from the GUT/HIP/GROIN/HEART/SOUL/MIND. WET DIRT brings entertainment back to the rock n roll stage with a firm hand on song-craft. Hard rock with just enough roll to make it curdle, throw in some softer songs for the ladeez, and it makes every body feel good! A hook-laden sweaty slab of meat with a third eye fixed on you. SUPER DUPER MELODIES/GRIMY DISTORTION/BIG BOTTOM END/SNAKE CHARMING CHARISMA.
Songs about invalids, redemption, hot beige, hot pink....
Line up: Robert Dayton (Canned Hamm, July Fourth Toilet, Hallmark) on vocals, Robin Fry (Rozasia, The Miniature Pancakes Band, Permafrown) on guitar, Tobey Black (The Gay, MAOW) on drums, and Simon McNally (Simon) on bass
House Of Lancaster are two ladies who play "electro grunge ballads" using keys and laptop and guitar and singing and drums. “We were named by a deadly snake who suggested House of Lancaster or the Toronto Blue Jays, and we thought they were both great but the latter would be harder to Google. It was at a Starbucks. We came together after I saw Laura dance with shakers on her wrists and ankles at a Josh Reichmann show. She has a magic face because she has been dancing/performing since she was a baby. I used to play in a band called city field. the songs are very melodramatic and i write them.
is that enough stuff?”
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