Pat Blythe – A Date, a Concert, a Show……and Music……

It’s Tuesday. It’s sunny. It’s summer…..with a vengeance! It must be “writing day” since it’s not raining and miserable.  As I sit and stare out the front window my mind is a complete blank, overwhelmed with the proverbial “to do” list, my brain is at the point where it’s decided to wipe itself clean. The human hard drive. No back up. Just select “reformat” and be done with it.  A blank page which is basically what I’m looking at. As my mind drifts into nothingness, you know that stare you get when you’re looking but not really “seeing”. Yep, that’s it. I could close my eyes and…..God forbid!!!!……nap!!!!

Pat Blythe – #MeToo/#NotMeToo and Rockin’ the Night Away…

Let me start by stating I am not a “political” person. I follow what’s going on the world to keep myself current but I don’t read nor do I decipher every minutiae that is written about “he who shall not be shamed” or anyone else for that matter. However, the latest in a very long string of accusations of sexual misconduct/harassment, particularly here in Ontario, well…..I’ve about had enough. I posted this in Facebook a few days ago and, generally, the respondents agree with me. What follows in a slightly edited version.
“For the first time in years, eons even, I sat down to read something other a computer screen (except for Tom Wilson’s book Beautiful Scars). This time it was the newspaper. The National Post actually. For some mysterious reason it keeps appearing on my front porch at least six out of seven days a week. But I digress……

Pat Blythe – HOME

I was introduced to a young lady several month ago at Cherry Cola’s. Her name is Sally Shaar. We chatted for a while….I can’t even remember if I gave her a business card…..shared a bit of information about each other (she found out I wrote for DBAWIS and I found out she was a singer in a band) and eventually we parted company.

Doug Thompson: A NEW BOOK ON THE CANADIAN MUSIC SCENE IS IN BOOK STORES OR ON KINDLES, OR HOWEVER YOU READ BOOKS THESE DAYS

Before I begin my review, I have to say that I have the utmost respect for anybody who sits down (or stands up for that matter) to write a book…whether fiction or non-fiction.  The amount of time and effort in research and the blood, sweat and tears that it takes to actually write it, can be monumental.  Having contributed to over a dozen books, I know that it takes true dedication and can’t be undertaken lightly.  Writing a book can (and often does) take over your life.

Roxanne Tellier: Shaping The New Sexual Revolution – 1960 Redux

You would have had to be living under a rock to miss the run up to Diane Sawyer’s two hour interview with Bruce Jenner on Friday, April 23. Jenner was dubbed  the “world’s greatest athlete” after winning  the Olympic Gold Decathlon in 1976, and has been the object of snide insinuations and ridiculing photos in the yellower media (and even the New York Times) for the last several months as he appeared to be transitioning from male to female before our prying eyes.

JAIMIE VERNON – AND THE AWARD GOES TO

I may have officially outlived my tenure as Captain Canada. I pride myself in keeping on top of the latest and greatest Canadian music. It’s my duty as the chronicler of all things CanCon. But last week I became an anachronism.

Pat Blythe: Ahhhh…the Junos – My response to Segarini’s posting of Jamie Vernon’s posting….of everyone else’s postings…..

Wellllllll……all I can say is “I was there”. Up in the nosebleeds with the rest of the folks in the so-called “cheap seats”. My date for the evening and I had a direct aim at the stage(s), perfect viewing. I have no idea what you couch potatoes were seeing at various stages of the programme, but it was definitely different from the TV version.

JAIMIE VERNON: DO THE FAN DANGLE-O

On Wednesday March 6th Canadian music legend Stompin’ Tom Connors passed away peacefully at the age of 77 from natural causes. Tom was a folk & country fixture around Canada for nearly six decades. He might very well be the last of the Canadian troubadours following in the footsteps of Wilf Carter (aka Montana Slim), Hank Snow, and the Canadian Sweethearts: Bob Regan and Lucille Starr. Connors walked amongst the rarified air of Canadian country Gods. He was a fixture at the legendary Horseshoe Tavern during its inception where his rousing songs and foot stomping put a hole in the stage – which the venue wanted him to pay for. On subsequent visits he resorted to stomping on a piece of wood to save the stage further injury – and Tom Connors became Stompin’ Tom Connors.