WHERE I PLAY: Kobo TownThe actual recording of calypso collective Kobo Town's latest album Jumbie in the Jukebox was a globetrotting affair, bouncing between Canada, Trinidad, and Belize. But for Trinidadian-Canadian frontman Drew Gonsalves, the actual musical genesis begins at his condo home nestled in Toronto's...Read More
WHERE I PLAY: The Dreamhouse"We knocked down everything," says Alex Bonenfant, recalling that first cold February day that he and business partners Adrien Gough and Henry Walter spent in the rundown, un-insulated space that now houses their recording studio. "Then we all got in our sleeping bags and slept beside the...Read More
WHAT I PLAY: Daniel RomanoDaniel Romano wants people to know he's serious about singing country music. Sure, there are other rockers who have put on cowboy hats and rhinestone suits, but not with the degree of reverence Romano displays on his new album, Come Cry With Me, a remarkably fresh sounding collection of...Read More
WHERE I PLAY: Yamantaka//Sonic TitanPsychedelic, theatrically-inclined "Noh-wave" purveyors Yamantaka//Sonic Titan could never be described as anonymous, but their semi-detached Toronto home-slash-headquarters (aka "the Glory Hole") blends into this drab, west end streetscape in Toronto all too easily. But as soon as you get to the...Read More
WHAT I PLAY: Azari & IIIComputer software allows music producers, especially of the electronic variety, to have a portable, virtual studio on a laptop, but Juno-nominated house collective Azari & III prefer to keep it analogue. Their cosy studio, close to Toronto's trendy Parkdale neighbourhood, consists of a live room...Read More
WHERE I PLAY: Leon TahenyNestled in the back of a series of studio loft spaces, you'd be hard pressed to find a better location for Candle Studios. Minutes from busy Bloor West, the area is flanked by industrial land to the south and train tracks to the east. Then there's the axe-throwing league across the alley. "The guy...Read More
WHERE I PLAY: Jean Sebastien Audet (Faux Fur, the You Are Minez, Zouk Fuck)As a teenager, what did you do with your summers? Most likely you got a lousy job, went to stereotypical red cup parties and tried with varying success to chase a love interest despite your acne. Pint-sized Calgarian Jean Sebastien Audet is not your average teen. At the tender age of 16, he...Read More
WHERE I PLAY: Revolution RecordingThere's no disputing that the invention of Pro Tools in the '90s levelled a serious blow to established recording studios, leading to the proliferation of smaller, more indie-friendly spaces. But that "new normal" never sat well with the team behind Revolution Recording, Canadian music industry...Read More
NEED TO KNOW: How To Get Some Sweet ReleaseIt's no secret that the music industry likes to have fun. If you participate in CMW, NXNE, New Music West, or any other industry conference, you'll probably end up at between one and 800 parties. The companies that throw those events ― labels, beer companies, music service companies ―...Read More
ASK ALLISON: What are SOCAN and SODRAC?My question concerns of copyrighting and its proclaimed officiating bodies and organs, and its effects and affects, in Canada, and further on the line internationally. [Investigating] institutions known as SOCAN/SODRAC, I couldn't help but to feel some ambiguous yet obvious nagging unease with...Read More
NEED TO KNOW: Friends In Need How Crowdsourcing Could Change Your CareerEvery would-be entrepreneur on the planet has experienced the following unfortunate realization: "In order to make money, I need a product to sell. In order to make a product, I need money." It's a frustrating catch 22, and can often lead to people abandoning their potentially life-changing ideas...Read More
WHERE I PLAY: JC/DC StudiosLike any DIY recording setup, JC/DC Studios has had a lot of obstacles in its 19-year history. So when John Collins and David Carswell received an eviction notice last spring, the producers took the forced relocation in stride. "We were just another group of people on the wrong side of the real...Read More
ASK ALLISON: What can I do with CD backlog?The record label that I run has an overstock of our previous releases from when we were more naive about what potential sales could be. I'm finding myself lugging hundreds of CDs from home/"label headquarters" to the next home/HQ. Distributors/press only seem to want newer product thus rendering...Read More
NEED TO KNOW: The Future of Music CoalitionArtists have always had a unique relationship with money. On one hand, the lack of it can be what holds them back from realizing their full creative potential. If art doesn't pay the rent, a part-time job becomes a necessity. Before you know it, the part-time job becomes a full-time job, leaving...Read More
WHERE I PLAY: Gordon LightfootWhen Gordon Lightfoot sang at Massey Hall in 1952 at age 13, earning a Kiwanis Festival first prize as a result, little did he know that it would be the first of 150 appearances ― and counting. Massey Hall has figured prominently in the careers of many renowned artists, from jazz legend...Read More
ASK ALLISON: How do I go about selling my songs?Over the last few years I've written a number of songs. I don't have the talent to be a performer, but I think that some of my tunes are pretty good. I was wondering how to go about getting my songs to other artists to record, and what sort of compensation would be reasonable to expect ―...Read More
NEED TO KNOW: The Evolution of FACTORBeing a musician of any kind is a pretty cool gig. After all, your profession involves being admired, applauded, meeting fans, traveling, and more. No question, there are some fairly great perks of the job, on top of the pure joy of creating. The reality of what happens behind the scenes, however,...Read More
WHERE I PLAY: The Rooster"Dove, is this the first time you've ever seen me play the cello?" Don Kerr asks his eldest son, who's sprawled on the floor of his dad's home studio, the Rooster. Engrossed in colouring a cardboard box, the six-year-old nods gently without taking his eyes off his work. In a sense, Dove's the...Read More
WHERE I PLAY: Slakah The BeatchildNeatly tucked away in a small, nondescript Scarborough strip mall, Slakah the Beatchild (aka Byram Joseph) is busy making music that is anything but. "I'm a huge believer in making your creative space really connect with you. The vibe is really important to me," says the Juno award-winning producer...Read More
The actual recording of calypso collective Kobo Town's latest album Jumbie in the Jukebox was a globetrotting affair, bouncing between Canada, Trinidad, and Belize. But for Trinidadian-Canadian frontman Drew Gonsalves, the actual musical genesis begins at his condo home nestled in Toronto's...Read More
"We knocked down everything," says Alex Bonenfant, recalling that first cold February day that he and business partners Adrien Gough and Henry Walter spent in the rundown, un-insulated space that now houses their recording studio. "Then we all got in our sleeping bags and slept beside the...Read More
Daniel Romano wants people to know he's serious about singing country music. Sure, there are other rockers who have put on cowboy hats and rhinestone suits, but not with the degree of reverence Romano displays on his new album, Come Cry With Me, a remarkably fresh sounding collection of...Read More
Psychedelic, theatrically-inclined "Noh-wave" purveyors Yamantaka//Sonic Titan could never be described as anonymous, but their semi-detached Toronto home-slash-headquarters (aka "the Glory Hole") blends into this drab, west end streetscape in Toronto all too easily. But as soon as you get to the...Read More
Computer software allows music producers, especially of the electronic variety, to have a portable, virtual studio on a laptop, but Juno-nominated house collective Azari & III prefer to keep it analogue. Their cosy studio, close to Toronto's trendy Parkdale neighbourhood, consists of a live room...Read More
Nestled in the back of a series of studio loft spaces, you'd be hard pressed to find a better location for Candle Studios. Minutes from busy Bloor West, the area is flanked by industrial land to the south and train tracks to the east. Then there's the axe-throwing league across the alley. "The guy...Read More
As a teenager, what did you do with your summers? Most likely you got a lousy job, went to stereotypical red cup parties and tried with varying success to chase a love interest despite your acne. Pint-sized Calgarian Jean Sebastien Audet is not your average teen. At the tender age of 16, he...Read More
There's no disputing that the invention of Pro Tools in the '90s levelled a serious blow to established recording studios, leading to the proliferation of smaller, more indie-friendly spaces. But that "new normal" never sat well with the team behind Revolution Recording, Canadian music industry...Read More
It's no secret that the music industry likes to have fun. If you participate in CMW, NXNE, New Music West, or any other industry conference, you'll probably end up at between one and 800 parties. The companies that throw those events ― labels, beer companies, music service companies ―...Read More
My question concerns of copyrighting and its proclaimed officiating bodies and organs, and its effects and affects, in Canada, and further on the line internationally. [Investigating] institutions known as SOCAN/SODRAC, I couldn't help but to feel some ambiguous yet obvious nagging unease with...Read More
Every would-be entrepreneur on the planet has experienced the following unfortunate realization: "In order to make money, I need a product to sell. In order to make a product, I need money." It's a frustrating catch 22, and can often lead to people abandoning their potentially life-changing ideas...Read More
Like any DIY recording setup, JC/DC Studios has had a lot of obstacles in its 19-year history. So when John Collins and David Carswell received an eviction notice last spring, the producers took the forced relocation in stride. "We were just another group of people on the wrong side of the real...Read More
Artists have always had a unique relationship with money. On one hand, the lack of it can be what holds them back from realizing their full creative potential. If art doesn't pay the rent, a part-time job becomes a necessity. Before you know it, the part-time job becomes a full-time job, leaving...Read More
When Gordon Lightfoot sang at Massey Hall in 1952 at age 13, earning a Kiwanis Festival first prize as a result, little did he know that it would be the first of 150 appearances ― and counting. Massey Hall has figured prominently in the careers of many renowned artists, from jazz legend...Read More
Being a musician of any kind is a pretty cool gig. After all, your profession involves being admired, applauded, meeting fans, traveling, and more. No question, there are some fairly great perks of the job, on top of the pure joy of creating. The reality of what happens behind the scenes, however,...Read More
"Dove, is this the first time you've ever seen me play the cello?" Don Kerr asks his eldest son, who's sprawled on the floor of his dad's home studio, the Rooster. Engrossed in colouring a cardboard box, the six-year-old nods gently without taking his eyes off his work. In a sense, Dove's the...Read More
Neatly tucked away in a small, nondescript Scarborough strip mall, Slakah the Beatchild (aka Byram Joseph) is busy making music that is anything but. "I'm a huge believer in making your creative space really connect with you. The vibe is really important to me," says the Juno award-winning producer...Read More
