Pat Blythe – Today’s column is brought to you by……and music

That one just popped into my head as I’ve just finished posting this week’s podcast.  I’m now 36 podcasts in, 36 conversations, 36 artist voices, 1,100 downloads, 29 followers and over 3,000 “listens”. People from all over the world including Australia, Europe, UAE, South America, the U.S. and Canada have been tuning in.  The purpose was to check in with local artists. As a neophyte podcaster, I had no expectations. Ten downloads made me happy to know someone was listening. Even though I’m still small potatoes, it’s like the little engine that could….it keeps growing by leaps and bounds. Still a guppy in the ocean of podcasts; but folks ARE listening and the music is being shared.

Pat Blythe – Musings…..thanks…..a few shows…..and music

Is it me, or are the days and weeks running into each other? It feels like I just finished a column and here I am writing another…..albeit late as usual. Today was one of those days where you just seem to bounce from one thing to the next. A 3am bedtime call after spending hours editing today’s podcast, was not conducive to an early morning rise, simply to rush downtown and open my maw for the dentist. Two hours later and I feel like my mouth has received the white glove treatment. Mr. Clean and the Lysol Lady have thoroughly cleaned and sanitized my mouth. Everything is now shipshape and spotless…..just don’t eat. It’s kind of like after your mom cleaned, tidied and dusted the living room. You couldn’t sit anywhere!

Pat Blythe – Will we ever learn? Kensington punks……and music

As I write this, today is the 21^st day of September in the year 2021…..twenty-one years into the 21^st century already! If we take a hard look back in the history books, has humankind really and truly changed? Are we more civilized, more intelligent, more advanced, more knowledgeable (or better at using the knowledge we have accumulated); more accepting, more just…..? I’m not so sure. Appearances can be deceiving!

Pat Blythe – Keep live alive…..and music

I could continue with the “cymbal saga”, but I think I’ll take a different tact this week….it’s all about the music. Summer is in full swing and coming alive with concerts, both public and private, on both sides of the border. In person or in car, people are attending in droves, almost desperate to see and hear their favourite bands and artists….live and alive. The camaraderie, the faces (both on and off stage), the laughter, the joy, the amps, the earplugs, the dancing, the oxytocin from the many hugs, all those endorphins coming alive, even mic or guitar feedback sounds good these days…..it’s literally impossible to replace any of this over the internet. We all need each other and the “in person” interaction and touch it provides.

Pat Blythe – Boom boom tsst…..Part One……and music

Why not?! I’ve covered the guitar, the violin, drums, the cowbell, all things keyboard and synthesizer….so why not the cymbal? There’s nary a drum kit or a percussion setup without them. From marching bands to the person in the back of the orchestra who sits patiently, waiting for the build-up and that one moment when they can leap to their feet to crash those two giant cymbals together for that dramatic crescendo……and then (like Christmas) it’s suddenly over. I can’t think of one child who doesn’t love banging and clanging those noisemakers together. So let’s delve right in, shall we.

Pat Blythe – The Women of Rock Redux Part 4 – The Queen of Rock……and music

During the Rock era, there were many women who attempted to build a life in the music business. Few actually survived. Those who did…..faith, determination and a boatload of talent got them through. They were not without their struggles, putdowns and letdowns (both personal and professional). With international sold out performances and millions of albums sold worldwide, these ladies who did survive were front and centre….unforgettable, never taking no for an answer, believing in themselves and not putting up with the shit. If they didn’t tell you how they felt to your face, they told you through their music and performances.

Even though these “Women of Rock” columns are part of a former series, further updates and research have expanded them. I’m not much for leaving stones unturned. Next week, Ann and Nancy Wilson get their update and their column. This week, may I present the undisputed Queen of Rock….a force to be reckoned with!

Pat Blythe – The Women of Rock Redux Part 3 – Debbie and Cyndi……and music. Chapter 2 – Cyndi!

Hello everyone. Here’s Part 2 about Debbie and Cyndi. Two unique women who dance to their own drummers…..whose talents encompass a variety of musical fields in two decidedly different decades. These ladies can pop and rock, disco down or jazz it up, sing the blues, or pour their soul into a ballad. Their many talents run the full gamut and they have led the way for a new kind of woman in music, adding their own twist and turns to rock and roll.

Quirky, outrageous, individualistic, sexy, daring, entertaining, exuberant, clever, brilliant, artistic and ballsy. These two ladies continue to awe and inspire new generations of performers. Flexing their creative muscles, they’ve “pivoted” again and again, constantly pushing the envelope and challenging the norms…..breaking down barriers. But in the end…..these girls just wanna have fun!

You can find Debbie by clicking HERE

The Women of Rock Redux Part 3 – Debbie and Cyndi……and music. Chapter 1 – Debbie!

Hello everyone. Let’s give a warm welcome to Debbie and Cyndi. Two unique women who dance to their own drummers…..whose talents encompass a variety of musical fields in two decidedly different decades. These ladies can pop and rock, disco down or jazz it up, sing the blues, or pour their soul into a ballad. Their many talents run the full gamut and they have led the way for a new kind of woman in music, adding their own twist and turns to rock and roll.

Pat Blythe – The Women of Rock Redux Part 2 – SOOOOOOZZZZZEEEEE…..and music

I seem to mixing up some of this series as I come across various versions from six years ago. I had Suzi with Joan and Chrissie but I’ve covered the latter two already. Beside, Suzi deserves her own column. So….although today’s piece is all about the Suzi Q, Joan and Chrissie are still part of her story.

I hadn’t thought of Suzi in ages…..eons really and surprisingly, out of the three women Suzi is the only one I’ve actually seen live. So, after trolling the internet (still my permanent residence these days six years later) I began to connect the dots and realized that not only she was a contemporary of both Joan and Chrissie, all three were the leaders of their own bands, a rarity for the times.