GWNtertainment #42 by JAIMIE VERNON

Kiss me, I’m Irish. Somewhere in the deep recesses of my family tree my great, great grandparents came from hearty Irish stock and were driven to Canada during the roiling industrial transition between the 19th and 20th century in search of a more prosperous life. I have no way of knowing whether they did, but their progeny and the lineage that came after them  – including myself – thank them as we are most likely living out the lives they could have only dreamed of. But deep in our DNA we displaced Irish here in North America are still drawn to the Emerald Isle. Visiting there is on  my bucket list.

In my mind’s eye I can empathize with being homesick for a land that was one’s birthplace while being happy to have escaped its troubles. What one can hope for on this coming St. Patrick’s Day is serenity and peace – especially where current conflicts elsewhere give us pause to think of our own generational struggles. Here’s a song I wrote for a Canadian-Irish lass back in 1981 whose parents had watched The Troubles back home with angry dismay and sadness. I finally decided to record a proper version of this and dedicate it to the Guidens, and all emigre Irish the world over.

https://bullseyecanada.bandcamp.com/album/ireland-my-north-and-south-home

[GREAT WHITE  NEWZ]

* The Wave Length Speaker Series 2022 on Youtube is underway every Wednesday in March and upcoming guest speakers include:

March 16th @ 7:00pm EST — Sook-Yin Lee + Dylan Gamble

March 23rd @ 7:00pm EST — Keynote w/ Buffy Sainte-Marie

March 30th @ 7:00pm EST — Beverly Glenn-Copeland

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_9wGqAIGN5j8DqzhsEduTg/videos

* This past week Canadian guitarist Ziggy Sigmund passed away of undisclosed causes at the age of 56. He is best known for his work as a member of Slow and Econoline Crush. Our condolences to family, friends, and fans.

* Metal maniacs Fist will have a new album with 12 tracks on May 5, 2022 entitled ‘Alive.’ The new CD will included three seminal remastered tracks from their upcoming ‘Greatest Hits’ package. Pre-order your copy here: https://rockpapermerch.com/collections/fist/products/alive-cd-2022

* Chris Cachia channels Old-School MC energy with his modern Hip Hop stylings on “Abundant Bank.” The song is the lead-off track from his new LP ‘Persona.’

* Ottawa-based, classically-trained singer-songwriter and road warrior Rory Taillon has released a new video for his previously released single “Welcome.” The song is from his acclaimed album ‘Drifting’, which came out during COVID in 2020, when  all touring was halted, and the potential for a widespread campaign was shuttered. The hope is that the “Welcome” video will ease his disappointment and make up for lost time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yel3qbPrJ3w

* The Blackout Orchestra follows up their Fall 2021 single “It’s  Fine” with the new single/video “Tongues.”

* Ottawa singer/songwriter Victa harnesses late-night vibes on his single “Keeping Score.”

* Ontario-born, Nashville-based singer/songwriter Alexis Taylor brings us “Long Way From Home,” produced in Nashville by John Willis (Taylor Swift, Shania Twain, Willie Nelson).

* Ottawa guitarist and singer-songwriter Ash Ravens will serenade your  soul with the new song “Home.”

* Etobicoke’s Peter Serrado will be releasing the album ‘If It All Came Down To This’ this summer and the title track is the first single. https://open.spotify.com/album/7v144itR3p6F0NsIrCMo7F

* Rob Laidlaw and Ayden Jacobs brings us a beautiful new ballad on video entitled “Breathe.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFBYrxwUdDE

* North Battleford, Saskatchewan Folk songstress Jackie K celebrates gratitude in her  ‘70s-inspired “Dandelions Everywhere” from her EP ‘Look For The Little Things.’

* Kitchener, Ontario Alt-Rockers The Boys And I fire up the new lead-off single from their eponymous EP entitled “White Hot.”

* Toronto Tabla Ensemble and Bif Naked have teamed up for the song “Prayer For The Mother” from Toronto Tabla  Ensembles’ new album ‘For the Love of Tabla.’

* Wayward Saints are back with “Got To Give In.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt3Mp7PkvWg

* Harp veteran Jerome Godboo comes back after a long absence with the new track “Blues Ranger” from the new album ‘Golden Thread.’

* Alex Lifeson‘s band Envy of None has released the official music video for the song “Look Inside.”  The eponymous album will be released April 8.
https://kscopemusic.bandcamp.com/album/envy-of-none

* David Fitz has dedicated his newest recording  – a cover of the Elmore James song “The Sky Is Crying” – to the men, women and children of Ukraine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czzye6ZTXQU

* Vernon, British Columbia’s own Shawn Lightfoot brings us a nifty recreation of The Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRY0vX5baCU

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This issue was brought to you by: Aer Lingus – The Dirty Limerick In The Sky.Send us your news, views, and all manner of CANADIAN musical releases to promote and wave a flag for. Join the GWN Facebook page and drop us a message: https://www.facebook.com/gwntertainment

Keep up the fight!
Jaimie Vernon, 2022

=JV=

Jaimie “Captain CanCon” Vernon has been president of the on again/off-again Bullseye Records of Canada since 1985. He wrote and published Great White Noise magazine in the ‘90s, has been a musician for 41 years, and recently discovered he’s been happily married for 24 years. He is also the author of The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia and editor of “Sunny Days: The Skip Prokop Story.” Available through Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Jaimie+Vernon