Bands: Awake To A Dream, E.V.L. (Chris & Dean), Descending Affirmation (Chris), Laughing Casket (Dean)
Featured musicians for the months of July and August are team mates Chris Wilbur and Dean George. This dynamic duo not only rock out together in one band but two, Awake To A Dream (Prog Rock) and E.V.L. (Strong Rock). These guys are two of the most laid back guys on the scene except of course when it comes time to rock! Very entertaining and supportive of fellow artists. Please take the time to support Chris and Dean‘s projects by clicking on the links below.
Thank you for supporting local music and local musicians. This is the third installment of TWZ Musician Of The Month and we will feature a different musician each month. If you would like to nominate anyone for this honor please contact us with all the necessary information. Above all the candidate must contribute to the originality of the music scene and promote and support others in the scene. Let’s give credit to the people who make our scene stronger!
Back in early December, The Coach and Horses (156 Chatham St. W, Basement Level) hosted a local band as they recorded themselves a live album. In late December, that album was released.
EVLstarted as a recording project in 2007, has gone through numerous line-up changes and hiatuses (hiatui?) since then, and now has an album they call Strong Rock: Live! The “Strong Rock” part is a running joke the band has been going with for a while now, ever since they chalkboard outside Milk Coffee Bar described them thusly. Is it accurate? Meh. At times. Not exactly the wording that comes to my mind when I hear them, but I can see where one might think that
This particular collection of recordings starts off with In Your Mind, a rather eclectic track that mixes feelings of doom, punk, and being charged down by an army of occupy protestors, if they were to actually do such a thing. One of the best tracks on here, to be sure.
I’ll Keep Mine has a great moral, for any of those out there who might happen to be pro gay rights. Great to hear opinions on this issue, especially when they’re ones I can sympathize with.
And because this band is just that ADD, from there we move on to a song about a card game. Solitaire has a decidedly melodic, Bad Religion-esque feel to it that I found quite enjoyable.
Lead vocalist Jawn Dee’s stylings are generally reminiscent of Bill Manspeaker, but in the track Working Class Majority, I find that his connection to the Green Jelly frontman extremely apparent. This entire track is a perfect example of the fast and dirty sound I typically associate with this band.
When you listen to Jesus is the Law, try to tell me you can’t picture the main guitar riff in an action film. I dare you. And excitingly groovy tune, I was really digging the drums on this one.
In covering the Misfit’s song Skulls they really sped it up, and gave it an all-over more gritty feel, while still keeping in the theme of creepily needing skulls. As if it’s possible to want to put skulls on a wall in an un-creepy way.
Out of Reach is a classic EVL tune, one that I can easily see protestors chanting as they toss fists into the air. Also get’s the band back into their morally charged songwriting.
The Black Flag influence is easily noted in the track Glory.
One of my favourites to hear live, Villain has a heavier feel and encompasses all of the aforementioned influences and reminiscences. If all my favourite punk bands came together to make a song, I imagine it would be something like this.
Ending the whole experience with No, All by The Descendents is either very clever, or very lame. I’m torn as to which.
The band’s bass player Chris Wilbur did a great job on the recording and mixing, and now folks can get a taste of what an EVL show is like. Probably a good thing to have the available, as the band is set to return to their nearly perpetual state of hiatus after a show at The Dominion House Tavern on February 17th
Over all, let’s give this one an upside down cross, two and a half skulls, and a safety pin. Very enjoyable.
After opening today’s installment of The Windsor Scene with “Famous When I Die” by Magnificent Bastards, the show was just all-out insanity.
Today was our special pledge-drive edition, going along with CJAM’s week-long Pledge Drive endeavour, where the station aims to raise $30 000 to help keep everything running for the next twelve months.
To help me spread this message, local strong-rock group EVL came in to share the love. And listening to Dean and Jon’s pitches, they’re better at this than I am. Turns out I made a good call in recruiting people to assist with this.
The guys brought in a special CD, the “With Apologies to CJAM EP”, containing six “barn demos”. (Legitimately recorded in a barn, on a silver thing-a-ma-jig, apparently) We heard the second track off of that, “Glory”, in addition to a number of live tunes, including “Out of Reach”, “Villains”, “Solitaire”, and a special one they learned at my request, a cover of “Staying Alive” by The Bee Gees. In case you missed it; overly awesome. Gotta say.
I also played some excerpts from past interviews with local acts such as Anonymous Bosch, Tim McDonald, Vultures?, and Daniyal Malik, as well as my own special bootleg of Five Alarm Funk and interview with member Damien Walsh. Just as a reminder of what The Windsor has to bring you on a weekly basis.
There were some listeners who chose to show their appreciation by calling in and pledging, Andrew with $150, and Mike with $40. A big thanks to them, and everyone else who has pledged so far! We are at about the halfway mark, and still taking pledges! Visit CJAM.ca or call at 519-971-3630 (in Windsor), and toll free from Detroit, 313-963-6112 ext. 3630.
Thanks for the continued support for CJAM and The Windsor Scene! Tune in next week when I’ll be joined by Tom Baxter, CJAM host of Vizionary on Monday nights between 9 and 1030 pm, and avid supporter and participant in he local music scene. It will be great, make sure you’re there.
And in the mean time, take a listen to this week’s show in the CJAM Archives.
High Mother – Not For Another Day (Gotta Get Love – 2011)
Dave Russell – Rocking Chair (Unnatural Disaster – 2010)
Hammerdown – Burn it Down (EP – 2011)
Desertion – Love, Hate, Homicide (Welcome to Nothing – 2009)
The song that opened today’s show, “Holding You” by Trish Wales is a cover of a song originally written by Tim McDonald, who was last week’s guest on the show. A big thanks to both Tim and Trish for providing that some for me to spin today. Here’s another of Trish’s songs for you to check out;
Last Friday’s The Creepshow concert at The Blind Dog was everything that I could have hoped for. EVL, The Fourjury, and The Locusts Have No King all did a fabulous job opening the show and showing our guests just what Windsor has to offer musically. Punk, alt-country, and roots-rock bands that got the crowd warmed up for some wild psychobilly. To get all the details, and see some pretty rad shots, read the article.
On Saturday Inferno Fest went down on both stages of The Blind Dog. I hungout for a little while, liked some of what I saw, didn’t like some of it. Things were running behind, as would be expected – but by about an hour and a half? (I personally found this to be a bit excessive). There were also perhaps some organizational matters I might have handled differently, but I host a radio show, not concerts, so what do I know? All of those in attendance seemed to be enjoying themselves, and the bands as well, and that’s really what matters.
Coming up this Friday at FM Lounge is the High Mother CD release show with Curbside Sofa. These guys released a demo last year, which I was definitely impressed by, and the quick listen that I gave to their full-length leaves me with the same impression. This show is probably one to check out, and the band one to follow.
In another massive event of Windsor talent, this Saturday sees downtown taken over by the Songs for Sangha event, where bands are donating their performances to help raise money for Sangha Human Services Inc, a charity looking to help battle poverty in Windsor-Essex. There will be performances from fourteen local groups at three venues, starting around 10pm. There is a $5 suggested donation at the door, and raffles at each venue with tickets going for $5 each or 3 for $10. There will be a more in depth look at the event posted soon, so keep an eye out for that.
Tune in next week to The Windsor Scene on CJAM 99.1 FM between 5 and 6:30 for more on the city’s musical culture.
This week’s playlist, excluding live performances;
Brenda Eyler – Dream with Me (Dream with Me – 2008)
Crissi Cochrane – Coming Home (Darling, Darling – 2010)
Luna Borealis – Bed Bugs Inn (The Windsor Zene January Sampler – 2011)
Goliath – What Happened Last Night (Funweiser EP – 2011)
Assassinate the Following… – Death Row (Massacre of the North – 2009)
Desertion – From here to Oblivion ( Welcome to Nothing – 2009)
Tyburn Tree – Arch Stanron (Parliament of Trees – 2008)
Tim McDonald – Stand Tall (Somehow, Somewhere – 2007)
The Creepshow – Demon Lover (Run For Your Life – 2008)
The Locusts Have No King – Last Night In My Favourite Bar and The Repurcussions Thereof (Come One, Come All – 2010)
EVL – Out of Reach (I’ll Keep Mine EP – 2009)
Monique Belanger – Through Yellow Fields (The W Music Compilation – 2008)
This week I was joined in the studio by local songwriter, performer, and paramedic, Timmy McDonald. Tim’s songs have been covered by other artists, and the song that opened the show, “Dream with Me” performed by Brenda Eyler, is a cover of one of Tim’s songs from his 2007 release, “Somehow, Somewhere”. Tim also is set to play at numerous Relay for Life Cancer Fundraising events across Ontario, and is recording a song just for others that he cannot make it out to. He will shortly be travelling to Nashville where he will play various songwriter shows at popular venues including The Commodore Lounge. A name that you might not have heard before, Tim McDonald is nonetheless a figure in our local music scene, and someone I am happy to have had on my show. Keep an eye out for a new release from Tim in the coming months.
Here is a video of Tim playing at Rymer Hall in Nashville. For the anecdote behind the video, listen to today’s archive.
Last Thursday I attended a punkrock show at The Coach and Horses, featuring local and out of town bands. It was certainly something. After hearing and enjoying Suppressulant recordings, it was great to finally hear them play. There’s just something about oldschool, dirty, DIY punk that gets me every time. The Rowley Estate performed as well as always, with great stage antics and catchy songs that stray near to the realm of pop-punk. Playing their second show ever, Repetitions are only getting better. All the way from Boston, Pious Dogs had a bumpy start, dealing with a damaged snare stand, but they overcame that and got things moving with some rough and traditional punk that was nothing overly remarkable, but with guitars that were far too loud. I don’t even want to talk about The Swabs! If you’re looking for further explanation on any of this, there’s always the WindsoriteDOTca article.
I’m so excited for Friday that I can hardly contain myself. Psychobilly/Horrorpunk quartet The Creepshow return to Windsor for the first time since I was in like, grade ten. So it’s been a while. This is going to kick copious amounts of ass. Joining them will be new collaborative act The Fourjury, local indie-roots outfit The Locusts Have No King, and EVL, who need no further introduction. The best place to pick up tickets for this one is from Mr. Jamie Greer over at The Manchester Pub, who will supply them to you for only ten dollars. No joke. Go get one.
Saturday is an intense day for metal, with both Inferno Fest at The Blind Dog and The Heavy Diversity Show at The Coach and Horses. Inferno boasts 19 bands on two stages, raging for eleven and a half hours, all for only $10 if you go out and get yourself an advance ticket. The Heavy Diversity show features local favourites Weapon of Choice, blues-metallers Tyburn Tree, prog-rockers Perpetuate (coming from their gig at Inferno) and a band you should know, After Ashes. This one starts at 9, is 19+, and costs $5 at the door.
A great big thanks for Timmy McDonald for coming in today, he was a pleasure to have and I can’t wait to have him back.
Which local band or artist would you like to hear next on The Windsor Scene?
Featured musicians for the months of July and August are team mates Chris Wilbur and Dean George. This dynamic duo not only rock out together in one band but two, Awake To A Dream (Prog Rock) and E.V.L. (Strong Rock). These guys are two of the most laid back guys on the scene except of course when it comes time to rock! Very entertaining and supportive of fellow artists. Please take the time to support Chris and Dean‘s projects by clicking on the links below.
The Windsor Zene 