Pat Blythe – Remembering Frank Gutch Jr., Rival Sons, Conduit …and Music!

I can barely see the computer screen through my tears. All the memories start flooding back and the remembering starts all over again. I weep for myself. Grief is a rather selfish thing since the one who no longer walks among us is gone. They do not grieve. We do. We weep for our loss, not theirs. We miss them…..they don’t miss us. They take a piece of us when they depart, leaving a gaping hole in our lives and in our hearts….one we can never completely fill. Time will soften the edges but it never completely heals the wound, but the wonderful memories remain.

Pat Blythe – Pop Goes The Weasel, Bill Wood and The Woodies, Wanda’s, The BTBs……and Music!

I’ve actually finished a book!!! A real ” hold in your hands manually turn the pages” book.  Reading is deeply embedded in my DNA. I descend from a long line of voracious readers. It began at the age of four and never stopped. The comprehension/speed reading exercises they put us through in grades seven and eight have served me well. Chris and I used to read together in companionable silence, only coming up for air when there was something one of us just had to share…..or to make the tea.

Pat Blythe – ‘Tis the Season (well almost), a little Pretzel Logic, a Fundraiser……and Music!

It’s THAT time of year! December is closing in, Toronto’s Santa Claus parade has come and gone, coloured lights are slowly appearing on homes all over the city, the boxes of decorations have been heaved up from the basement with the help of a friend…..then there’s the Christmas tree to suss out (I always get a real one), more baking….and the list goes on. Christmas has always been my favourite holiday. The hidden five-year-old makes her appearance at this time of year as the joy of the season takes hold. It bubbles up and overflows, sometimes a bit over the top….so be patient. Trying to quell the child inside is almost impossible. Now I typically wait until December 1 to begin the transformation of the house, but this year, with so much going on, Jingle Bells takes hold a bit earlier although I do hold off on the Christmas movies and specials until the first of that magical month.

The Stories Behind the Songs – Part Two

It’s snowing!!!! Not those big, fat, fluffy flakes where one can almost cover your face. But it’s snowing…. Sigh. The grey, dull days of January with just a mere hint that the sun actually exists…..which begs the question, why doesn’t Bell Canada hold their “Let’s Talk” campaign on Blue Monday? That makes infinitely more sense than say, Robbie Burns Day. Why in heaven’s name would you pick the 25th of January for mental health awareness??? According to a number of sources, the term “Blue Monday” was coined by holiday company Sky Travel in a 2005 press release. Cliff Arnall, at the time a tutor at Cardiff University, had come up with a light-hearted formula to determine the most depressing day of the year which commonly falls on the third Monday in January. It’s now a worldwide phenomena. Everyone has jumped on the bandwagon and the term is used repeatedly by companies and organizations (there’s even a BlueMonday.org) and stories in all sorts of media abound. Newspapers recommend taking the day off, there are various sites that will calculate, on a yearly basis, which Monday is going to be “blue” so you can prepare…..the power of suggestion. Although the entire idea is considered pseudoscience by the scientific community, Blue Monday is not going away anytime soon. Did you know mosquitoes are attracted to the colour blue twice as much as any other colour?

Pat Blythe – Celebrations…..

It’s Tuesday night and ain’t got no money…..no….wait…..wrong song! It’s Tuesday night and I’m just starting my column….that’s it. This one will be short and sweet (so to speak). My lovely daughter-in-law Colleen has just finished giving me a Thai “massage”. The word massage is in quotes because it’s not really a “massage”.

Pat Blythe – Lights Out and the Power of Music….

Another week has passed and this stinking cold is still hanging around like a nasty smell (not that I can smell anything). It has wiped that smug “I haven’t had a cold in 10 years” look right off my face. I ended up with a high temp the other night so hauled myself out to see the doc. Lungs are, in her words, “crystal clear”. Damn!!!! It’s viral. So, here I sit, taste buds shot, no smell (not even burning toast), hacking and coughing and severely pissed off!! According to many, this nasty monster can hang around for weeks. I am NOT impressed. Tea with lemon and honey and curling up with my favourite sweater at night is all I’ve got. Okay, I’m done bitching and whining. This column will be another short one and a roundup of some of the upcoming music events.

Pat Blythe: 2015 – A Year in Summation

 

Personally it’s been, indubitably, a year of massive, incredible change….a complete turnaround….a 360….that’s two 180’s, and I’m still spinning. It’s been jam packed full of opportunities, challenges, reconnections, new connections, bags of music, loads of dancing, early mornings, late nights, no sleep, G&T’s, club hopping, previews and reviews, outdoor patios, fast food, fine dining, ear-splitting bands, (did I mention dancing), photo shoots, video shoots and writing. Okay, deep breath, plunging in, here we go….the year in review. Really!! ….and WELCOME BACK!

Pat Blythe: Toronto Scrapbook – Chapter Two

Well…. This was supposed to be Part Five of The Women of Rock. However, I’m going to take a break and fill you in on some of the sights and sounds of this dynamic city I call home….Toronto…. Hogtown… Muddy York…. The Big Smoke…. Tdot…. where I’ve been going, who I’ve been seeing, what I’ve been drinking (G&T w/lemon if you must know. Bombay Sapphire is the chosen one.) AND update you about an exciting event that’s coming to Toronto. Yep….it’s another Toronto Scrapbook!