Roxanne Tellier – Summer of Songs Redux

I’ve been overwhelmed, recently, with the events swirling around us. It’s too much. And today, although I had planned a look into trump and Ford’s plans to re-open schools this fall, I’m gonna take a pass, and a day off. Instead of current affairs, let’s enjoy the summer sun, and take a stroll down Memory Lane, to this slightly edited column that I first wrote in August of 2015.

How very different things look now, from the perspective of 2020, and this time of plague! Seems almost naughty to see people gathered together, without masks or social distancing! And I’m not sure if any of the places I mentioned then, are open now. Never mind… Take my hand, come along with me on the wayback machine, and forget about today for a while ….

Cameron Carpenter – 10CC – Hip Hip Hooray

Let’s celebrate. There is still hope. We get a chance to see them again and thank them for what they mean to the fabric of Canada. Recently we have had no warning and no chance to say thanks or goodbye, this time we do. My history with the band goes back a long way and I hope Johnny Fay, Gord Sinclair, Rob Baker, Paul Langlois and Gord Downie have a farewell tour that will go down in rock’n’roll history. Take your victory lap boys, you have earned it.  Tickets go on sale Friday June 3 and the dates are as follows:

Roxanne Tellier – Summers of Songs

This is not my Wet Hot American Summer. I’m not cavorting on beaches, fending off amorous, slightly intoxicated hotties while sprinting across hot sand in an improbable bikini, and then gathering around a romantic campfire eating s’mores while some talented and ‘mature’ looking fellow strums a guitar for a singalong.

Cameron Carpenter: The ABC’s Of Rock’n’Roll – A Place To Stand

“A place to stand, a place to grow – Ontari-ari-ari-o!” Those of us who were in public school in 1967 will remember this song as the unofficial anthem of Ontario which was played at Expo 67 and on countless TV commercials. Did you know it was written by Dolores Claman who wrote the iconic “Hockey Theme” which graced the airwaves on the CBC before every “Hockey Night In Canada” from 1968 to 2008?