Tag Archives: coney hatch

CONEY HATCH – an interview with Dave Ketchum

2 Comments

Canada’s CONEY HATCH has a brand new 2LP (2 disc) anniversary edition of their classic debut album. The second LP in the set contains the band’s 1982 show at the famous Cleveland Agora, which, along with the added artwork, liner notes, and remastered sound, make this a great package for any 80s hard-rock fans. Dave Ketchum is a founding member of the band, and was a huge part of that debut album, driving classics like “Monkey Bars”, Devil’s Deck”, and the hit “Hey Operator”. The band is performing an acoustic show Friday, November 14 at the Redwood Theater, in Toronto. In this interview Dave talks about the band’s early days, working with Kim Mitchell, thoughts on the other ‘Hatch albums, what he did after he left the band and is up to these days, as well as the band’s upcoming show, and some of his influences and favorite drummers! This was a lot of fun. thanks Dave.

First, I want to talk about this release here (hold up new Coney Hatch anniversary LP), before we go back and talk about the album and the early days. This collects everything from that era that’s known to be out there, with the outtakes and the Cleveland show.

Right. It was Anthem Records idea to do an anniversary edition. It’s got lots of cool stuff in it. You know, they remastered the first album to today’s standards. And then someone found a copy of a show we did at the Agora in Cleveland, Ohio in 82.  The cool thing about the Agora was that, because I don’t know whether you know this, but we did the show at noon. And the reason for that is it’s all mic’d up and everything else, and it went out on a radio station to over a million people. So it was kind of cool, because Rush was playing in town that night. So we did the show at noon, and then well, I don’t know about everybody else, I went back to bed for a couple hours. Then we went out and saw the Rush show in Cleveland that night, and went backstage. That’s the first time I got to meet the guys in Rush. It was pretty cool.  And we joked that they played to 20-25,000 people at the arena, but we played to a million!

A lot went into the packaging, obviously. I’ve got the CD and the vinyl here. So, the colored vinyl, the gatefold and the inserts and that was all pretty cool. Did you guys have much say in all that, like, where you guys all kind of chipped in on that, or what?

Well, the pictures are mostly from Andy and Carl. They’re obviously all pictures I’ve seen before. Andy works very closely with Anthem, so he kind of had a lot to do with pushing the product through, having it made, and all that. I’ve known about it from the beginning, but I don’t think I personally did a whole lot for it, just kind of check-marked off things when ideas came up and stuff like that.

Did you save much over the years? Like from those days, did you save any like flyers or tapes or stuff like that?

I had a bunch of stuff from way back and it got lost in a house and it got filled with water in the basement, and I lost almost everything from the early days. So, it’s funny because through the years, Andy sent me some stuff, and fans have sent me things. A few years ago, I got a package in the mail and it had a bunch of the little singles. (walks over to collection to grab things) They sent me copies of the first few albums and then sent me a bunch of these little 45s, from the old days.

(*At this point Dave shows me some Coney Hatch promo singles from his collection)

I have a really cool Max Webster one. I don’t know how that got in my, in my collection (laughs).Well, actually, I do know how that got in my collection. Back in the early 80s, when we were with Anthem Records originally, when we were signed to them, and I lived in Toronto,  at the time, I’d go down to Anthem Records; they had this closet in their downstairs, and they’d have copies of everything that they produced, all their bands. They’d keep them in there as extras for giveaways or whatever. And I’d go down there. So I have most of the Max Webster collection; I have a pretty good selection of the Rush catalog, and of course, some of the Coney stuff. But yeah.

I’ve got a couple of 12-inch singles. (I show Dave a few 12 inch singles and LPs, including a few he signed backstage at LuLu’s in 1994, and my Japanese edition of the first LP)

I want to go back to the earliest days of the band, you and Andy formed the band in 79 !?

Yep.

I have seen some gig listings that go all the way back to then. So, wondering what kind of shows were you guys started out playing, what you recall of those days as far as what you played, and the other guys in the band?

 I had been playing in a band with a guy named Mark VanRemortel, guitar player-singer, that band broke up. And he had told me, “Oh, I got a guy I went to school with named Andy Curran. So, we got together and then they had another friend of theirs, whose name escapes me at the moment; and he also played guitar. We got together in… I want to say September of 79, and rehearsed a bit, and did some 8 x 10s – shots of the band, because that’s how you used to get gigs. Back in that day, you’d send out 8 x 10s. And then  just before the first gig, the original guitar player, he decided that he didn’t want to go on the road; so he quit. I had played back in 75, with a band. Now I was still in high school then, but I played in this band, And the guitar player from that band, a guy named Eddie Godlewski; he was lead guitarist in that band. It was called ‘Back Alley’, I think.

Anyway, so I gave him a call and he came along, and technically, he would probably be the very first guitar player for Coney Hatch, for maybe the first, )I don’t know..) six months or something like that. And then he, he decided he was going to go. So we put an ad in the paper, in the Toronto Star, because again, they used to have a category for musicians and stuff like that back in those days. And that’s when we got Steve Shelski, who, of course, is on all the albums. We carried on like that for almost a year. Then Paul VanRemortel was going to go back to college or school or something, and that’s when we put another ad in, and that’s when we got Carl Dixon.

What sort of stuff did you play in those earliest days? And what of the original songs from the first album were the kind of the earliest ones that you remember?

Well, we were young, and we weren’t sure what direction the band was really going to go in. We played a lot of like ACDC, Bon Scott, ACDC stuff. But then we’d go and play like The Police. We used to do this great song called “Drugs In My Pocket” (The Monks).  And we’d play some Cars. So  I mean, we were all over the road, when it came to what we were doing musically.

But as things started to kind of carry on….and I should say that back in those days, you played six nights a week. We had a manager, and he would get us gigs. We played every week. I think in 1980, we probably played 50 weeks of that year. And every week in a different place. Well, we’d repeat places, but it was mostly in northern Quebec and northern Ontario and not this far north, but Timmins, Sudbury, that kind of stuff. And yeah, we played six nights a week. So, you’d start to play on Monday, Monday to Saturday. Sometimes you had to do a matinee on Saturday. So, something, at noon kind of thing. And, then Sunday was your travel date to your next destination.

The cool part about that was, again, you played every day, and you played every day with a band, and in front of people, and you could get real feedback for what was working and what wasn’t working. And it was, obviously, a great way to learn our craft; it was a great way to learn your instrument. You just played so much. And it was great! In the 80s we were in our early 20s. We had an amazing time.

Really early ‘Hatch stuff… I want to say that “Monkey Bars” was a very early song. And, I think “Devil’s Deck”, I think those were the two very first songs that we did. And then we added things in afterwards, The funny part is, there were some songs that started off differently, very differently, and then eventually became what they were. There was one of the songs that we did that was called “I’m Lazy”. And I believe that became, “I’ll Do The Talking”, maybe. Anyway, we were starting to play these songs a few years before we actually recorded them, and things changed as they went along. I think “Stand Up” started off faster than it ended up being.  When we actually got into the studio with Kim Mitchell, he did a lot of stuff with that; changing tempo and stuff like that.

There’s obviously some outtakes from that album. Do you remember a song called “Car Stares”?

Yes.

I’ve seen that listed before. I’m sure I’ve seen it on a bootleg or something. But I don’t recall hearing it.

It was from our era where we were still hadn’t decided whether we were going to be like a rock band or, or, because it’s almost punky in sound. It’s really fast. That was an Andy song. He was the guy, mostly that was just in love with kind of the tail end of new wave – kind of punky stuff; and so some of his writing was like that at first. And, they’re songs that we either just never did, or songs that got rearranged later on and stuff like that.

I always found, especially on the first album, that dynamic of having the two singers and they’re being from two different influences, like two very different.

Yeah, absolutely. Carl’s more like, mainstream, I guess, maybe would be the…whereas Andy’s got a very different voice; I think, a little bit less mainstream and a little bit more unique. And he went for kind of the rockier, more melodic stuff, if that makes sense.

On that first album, you guys all had credits on that. What were a couple of the songs that you had the most hand in?  

Well, again, I’d say the two that I get credit for is “We Got The Night”, and then “Stand Up”, I believe those are the two that I have credit on.  Again, it had a lot to do with Kim, to be honest. He’d sit with me and we’d go through a few things. The drum intro to “We Got The Night” was something that I’d been messing around with, and Kim really liked it, and wanted to add it to the beginning of the song, basically. Originally, the song didn’t have that drum intro. And like I said, Kim really liked it, he was like,” No, no, this is great! Let’s put this at the beginning”. And with “Stand Up”, again, tempo-wise, feel-wise, that’s kind of what I brought to those songs. 

And the other songs that I really liked that were around… There was “Dreamland” and “Where I Draw The Line”, which was the one that got dropped for “Hey Operator”.

Yeah, it’s funny, “Hey Operator” came in right at the tail end. When you record an album, you put the bed-tracks, down for 15 songs, if you know, to have nine released, or whatever it is!?  So, there’s always stuff in the can, so to speak, that can be used, or don’t ever get used or whatever. And, some of the fourth album that we did was stuff that hung around. That was done in 2013, but some of those things were ideas from the 80s.

I got to be honest, I really like “Dreamland”. I thought it was a great song, and I thought it fit in really well with the album.  Of course, it was not on the original release, it’s on the anniversary release.  But again, a lot of those decisions were between not just the band, but the band and Kim and the band, Kim and the record label. So, you’re looking at that time, and I guess they fit. And obviously, adding “Hey Operator” was a good idea. I just thought it was kind of a shame that that we didn’t somehow add in “Dreamland”.

And we just, only a couple of years ago, actually, we did a show where we played the first album from beginning to end, and that included “Dreamland”  and “Where I Draw The Line” We have not played “Sin After Sin” since the since the early 80s.  And we’re going to do something kind of similar to that on November 14th in Toronto, at the Redwood Theatre.

We’re once again, going to get to play some of these songs that were never released for the first 40 years of our career. And, then now have been again. So, I think that’s kind of cool.

You guys went on to the second album, you had Max Norman brought in, and it kind of changed things a lot. Obviously, the first album had that flow of energy and the bit of rawness and all, that kind of went from song to song. And the second album seemed to be a little more of an attempt at more radio mainstream, with the production?

Yeah. You know, by that time, the record label was making a lot of decisions for us. Max Norman had had had a name in the business. The band wanted Kim to do to do the second album, and the record label talked us out of it. And, they wanted to use Max, Max had a history with doing the Ozzy Osbourne stuff. So Max was brought in. You know, if I’m being honest, it wasn’t as much fun for me. I loved working with Kim. Kim understood the band, Kim was almost the fifth member of the band. At least that’s how it felt. Whereas Max was much more of a engineer than he was a producer. Kim got into the songs with us better, Max just kind of barked out orders (haha). And don’t get me wrong, I listen to the second album now, and it’s definitely different than the first one. I agree with you on that. I’ve grown to like it more, like now than I did then. I think it’s got some pretty quirky things on there, and some very interesting things that we did. But yeah, it definitely was a very different experience than making the first album.

The second album, I always found it odd; there’s nine songs, and with the five on the first side…it took me a long time to get into the second side as much until I saw you guys last year when you did the whole album. It kind of made a little more sense for me, especially the last track, that everything kind of went together a little better, I think, hearing the whole album in its entirety live.

And that’s what I’m talking about. It took me a really long time to kind of get into the feel of it as well, to kind of really enjoy it. It’s funny when back in those days, because when you recorded everything live, like live on to track to make an album, it’s not like now with click tracks and all this other stuff.  I can listen to those albums now and really enjoy them. At the time all I could hear were the really, really minor mistakes and it used to drive me crazy. But yeah, when we rehearsed it, was it last year…to do the second album, and play it live from beginning to end, it was really refreshing. It was like, “Oh, okay”.  And playing it all together,  just like you said, playing it all together – it made it a lot more sense. I got a new appreciation for the second album that I never really had before. And actually, I really quite enjoy it now.

Do you have any favorites from that album as far as playing live?

I love the last song, “Music Of The Night”. The feel of it…

It has a very late-night radio…something you want to hear after hours.

It’s funny because “Music Of The Night” started off as just a jam. We were just horsing around, and we got into this really cool groove. All the music was done, and then Carl came up with the lyrics for it later. It wasn’t one of those songs that either Carl or Andy just brought in half done; it was literally made from scratch. That was fun.

You weren’t around for Friction, and I don’t need to go into what happened…

My wife and I had children.  So, for a brief time there I didn’t want to do the travelling. And I could see that our American record label had started to lose some interest in the band. So, I just thought ‘maybe I’ll get off this ride now’ , and let them carry on. That’s the biggest reason for it. And of course, Barry Connors came in and did the third album. I think they toured for about 6 months after that (I’m kind of throwing out numbers), and then the band broke up. And once we put it back together again a few years later, I was ready to start playing again and have fun with the boys. So really, I was really only absent from the band for less than a year, total.

You guys recently played the Friction album in it’s entirety, overseas. Did any of those songs have a beginning with you? Were you around for any of the ideas of what became songs on the album?

None. Again, once we decided to put the band back together in the later 80s… It was supposed to be a ‘one off’ show at Rock N Roll Heaven.  A friend of the band’s had died of meningitis, and he was English, and the family didn’t have the money to get him home. So we were going to do this one show to make up the funds to have the body sent back to his family in England. The response from the show was amazing, and that’s when we thought ‘OK, maybe we can do this a bit more’.  And the late 80s into the very early 90s we played lots! Lots of festivals in the area and playing weekends in the local bars and stuff like that.

And that’s eventually that turned into doing the fourth album, in 2013. We had an Italian record label (Frontiers) contact us and convince us to do another Coney Hatch album.

What did you think of Four? Were you happy with that?

Oh, I think it’s the best Coney Hatch album there is! It’s my favorite. That was done by us. Andy takes the producing credit on that album, but that was an album that was literally the four of us. And obviously, many years after the original albums, and time to grow as people, and grow instrumentally. I wish the fourth album had gotten more distribution…because it’s my favorite Coney Hatch album.

For me it’s the closest to the first one; it has that energy and raw edge to it…

Exactly. I couldn’t agree with you more. It is a modern version of the first album. I can only imagine, if it had been the second album, I think Coney Hatch would’ve been a much bigger band. There’s some really good radio friendly songs on there, and there’s some great groove stuff that the four of us get into. Great album! Again, absolutely my favorite album!

So, are you retired now?

Well, I am retired from my day job. I have a degree in child and youth work. And for 22 years, I worked at a secure custody young offenders’ facility in Thunder Bay.  So basically, kids under the age of 19. But, you know, everything from murderers to gang kids to whatever.  I retired from that in 2021, I believe. So, I think it’s been about four years that I retired from that job. And then, of course, immediately went out and joined a bunch of local bands around the Thunder Bay area, to keep myself amused. So, between Coney and three bands up here. I play in a 50s band, with an 81-year-old saxophone player. It’s just an amazing band; it’s so much fun. They’re very well known up here in northern Ontario. And then I play in sometimes three piece, sometimes four-piece rock band that does 70s, 80s, 90s, rock, and with about a 70% Canadian content – including a Coney Hatch song, we do “Monkey Bars”. And then my wife is also a musician, a phenomenal singer. And she has a country band that I was sequestered into probably about five, six years ago.  She’s an amazing singer, and she plays guitar, and then she plays bass as well. She is the basically the full-time bass player in this country band. Yeah, fun stuff. It keeps me amused.

You sound busy!  

Yeah, busy enough – rehearsals and shows, and trying to keep down the repertoires for four different bands. Yeah, it’s a bit of a thing, but…I am retired, so, yeah, it’s fun. And then throw in, I don’t know, the two and a half to three weeks of summer here in Northern Ontario (I’m, of course joking), but I also like to get out and play golf a couple times a week. So yeah, it keeps me busy.

Well, the corrections thing, is that something you got into after when you left Coney?

No, that was something after I had moved up here to the north.  We actually left Toronto, my wife and myself and our two kids. We left Toronto in 91 and came up here because my wife Bonnie is from Thunder Bay, and had a lot of family up here; whereas, at that time, my parents were living in Tennessee, so I only had a brother there. And he took over the house that we were all living in, and we came up here to be around a whole whack of family. It was great for the kids, because, you know, lots of lots of camping….If you’ve ever been to Northern Ontario,  as someone who’s been around a lot of this planet, for the four months, especially, of good weather, I will put Northern Ontario up against just about any place on the planet as far as being just beautiful. It just has so much going for it, hundreds, if maybe thousands of inland, beautiful lakes, and just great camping and fishing. And of course, for those who partake, I do not, but there’s great hunting up here.

Yeah, it’s a beautiful place to live. It was great for the kids to grow up, up here. It’s, especially, going back 30 years, it was a very safe place to live. Not that it’s not now. But It was a great move for our family.

And, just from then on, I just log in a lot of air miles, flying back and forth whenever I need to. It’s a quick…. between an hour and a half – two hour flight. And, I have family down there in Toronto. My brother is there, and his whole family, who also look after our mom, they live in the East End. My oldest son was in Vancouver for many years, and then he came back, …maybe almost two years ago, and is working in Toronto. So as an example, when I come down to do the Coney Hatch show, I’ll stay with my oldest boy, and him and I have a great time.

In the years after Coney Hatch, did you do anything like as far as recording, session work, or do you have any offers to do joining bands or anything?  

I did. But I was so kind of, I guess, for lack of a better term, I was just burnt out, by the end of 84.  I got some kind of interesting offers and stuff; but you know, we had just had our first son….  And, just didn’t want to travel anymore for a while. I had done it for a bunch of years. I just wanted to give that a rest. And I believe it or not, I drove a cab in Toronto for a while; it didn’t go all that well, but I did it for a little bit and then and then just got into… I worked for Ford, in their glass division for a while, and then ended up getting a truck license. And then I drove a crane truck for about the remainder of my time in Toronto before we came up to Thunder Bay. And, then I got into logging up here for a while. Now, still doing Coney Hatch stuff, once we resumed near the end of the 80s. I think 87 is when I think we started back. So, I was still in Toronto for that. And then when I moved up, I just kind of carried on where we were. We became weekend warriors’ kind of kind of thing. I mean, there was a time period there when my second son was born in 88, there was a time period there where Coney was working almost every weekend, at least three out of the four weekends, and, honestly, I didn’t need a job, so I stayed home and played Mr. Mom and looked after our youngest when he was a baby and, and my wife continued working. And then, and then like I said, when we came up to came up to Thunder Bay, I did some log hauling for a while and ended up getting hurt doing that. And then that’s when I went to college. And that’s how I got my child and youth work diploma.

Did you see the band? Like, after Carl left the band, they had a couple other singers in for a bit for a year.

Never saw any of the other parts of Coney except when it was Andy, Steve and Carl, and then they used Barry Connors from Toronto. I saw that; I think one show, just wanted to come out and say Hi to the guys. And again, I was still in Toronto, and saw them once, it was kind of short lived before it started to go into all these other variations of Coney Hatch.

And, of course, both Carl and Andy at different points, going off to do solo stuff. So yeah, no, never saw any of the other versions. And then, like I said, it completely stopped. I don’t know exactly when because I wasn’t involved and then started back up in 87. And, and I’ve been involved ever since. 

(A discussion about the amount of shows the band did when it restarted in 87 ensues, with me not be able to read CD covers and Dave trying to recall the 5-city tour for the Best Of release. Dave estimates the band did about 100+ shows from 87 to 91. I show Dave the front page of the local Niagara entertainment rag with Coney Hatch on the front from 1992).

I was at the show in Toronto, where you did the first album. And I was at the show last year, where you guys did all of Outa Hand. I seem to recall you guys went into the studio while you were in town. (I think somebody posted that).

We went in and did the basically the bed tracks. We did two more songs. And they are, to my understanding, close to being done. We just kind of put them in the can and put them away for a little bit just till we kind of needed them. And I know that the boys started.

They did some studio work, the three of them, they didn’t need me because my part’s done. I want to say early fall. So just recently, they’ve gone in and did a lot of the stuff. I’m not sure if the vocals are done yet on them. But anyway, they’re really close. So two more songs. And we haven’t decided yet what to do with them. The last time we had a couple of extra songs, “It’s About a Girl” and an Andy song, “Heaven’s On The Other Side”, and they were put on with the live album. So, again, we have two more songs. Andy’s song is called “R…..”,. and Carl’s is still untitled because as of the last time that we spoke about it, anyway, it was I don’t know if he had settled on lyrics yet… But we haven’t decided yet what to do with those two, whether we’re going to do another eight, nine, 10 songs and actually put out a new album. We have been in discussions to do that, or whether we will put it out with something else.  Hard to say. I do know, I believe we are going to record this show, the Unplugged one. And so I guess the two songs could go out with that. Just so you know, just so we keep the fans happy and give them stuff that they want to hear and want to listen to and …just keep putting out some new stuff every once in a while, that so that it makes sense to continue to come out and see us. (haha)

Will the Unplugged show will be like just the specific album or will be a crossover of  everything?

It is in line with the anniversary edition of the first album. So, it’s going to be the full first album, and I believe two of the tracks that were like “Dreamland” and “Where I Draw The Line”.  I don’t think we’re going to do the third one because it was never actually completely done. So, I believe that’s what we’re going to be doing is mainly doing the first album.

And again, we’re doing it Unplugged. I was starting off where I was just going to use bongos and now I’m going to use a real drum kit. But I doubt I’ll be using like real drumsticks.  I’ll use variations. There’s a drumstick that you can get that have a bunch of bamboo rods in it. It makes it a lot quieter.  So that’s plan A for me. But we’ll see where it ends up going. But the guys…I believe Carl is going completely on an acoustic. Andy is going to play acoustic bass, but I think he’s also going to play a couple of songs on an electric bass. And Sean is, from the last time we talked, is going to play kind of a halfway in between, if you will, an acoustic and an electric guitar, which will, still make it, I think, again, in this drummer’s opinion, a little easier for him to do solos and stuff like that. But still, it kind of sounds like an acoustic. That’s my understanding of the instrument he’s looking to play.

Do you keep in touch with Steve at all?

I don’t; but I don’t live in Toronto anymore. You know what I mean? So, I don’t really get an opportunity to see Steve. I know Andy and Steve were always really good friends. And I do believe they kind of keep in touch to a point. Last time I saw him would have been whatever the last show was. What did what did Tony’s East and West, what did they turn into whatever they’re called now(?) We played those two after we recorded the fourth album. So probably around 2014 would have been probably the last time that I saw Steve.

I saw you guys in 2014 in the Falls and I think Sean was playing then.

OK. So maybe it was 2013 because, again, that was the release date of Four. Maybe that was the shows that we did. That’s also very likely.

What did you grow up on as far as favorite bands, drummers and albums?

Well, I would say for me, Zeppelin – find me a drummer that doesn’t say John Bonham, right!? Ian Paice, Deep Purple, they were big for me. As a matter of fact, my earlier style, I would say mirrored Ian Paice a lot more than it did John Bonham. And then for me, bands that I loved, Aerosmith, again before they got sober (haha). I liked all that stuff. I saw them, I think, two or three times. And matter of fact, my youngest son – his second name is Tyler. And it’s purposely after Steve Tyler. And then again, just from learning to play, we were playing so much AC/DC, that there are times when we are putting our own stuff together, and Andy will literally say to me “Start off doing a Rudd!”, which is Phil Rudd, the early drummer for AC/DC. And that is just a pure and heavy 2 and 4, between the snare and the kick. And there’s others… I remember going to see Missing Persons, Andy and I, in the late 80s. We went to see Missing Persons in Buffalo, at this bar that Coney would play every once in a while, one of our favorite places to play. Missing Persons, which was Terry Bozzio’s band, and he was originally Frank Zappa’s drummer, and his wife at the time was the singer, and then some side guys (I apologize to them, I don’t know who they are). I remember standing there in this bar, watching Terry Bozzio play drums, and I leaned over to Andy and said “I don’t think Terry Bozzio and I play the same instrument!”  He was doing stuff that completely, so far out of my league. A different style of music of course, but he was doing stuff that made my jaw drop. And of course, being on the same label as Rush, there was a couple of different times that we got to go see Rush. And I had gone and seen Rush as a fan back in the early days. I’d seen Rush a bunch of times. And again, what drummer isn’t going to say that Neil Peart wasn’t one of the best of all time, right!? My dad played drums, so when I took up the sport…the sport of drumming , I think was in grade 5.. Anyway, he took me to see Buddy Rich once, and then I went to see him another time. And this was a guy doing stuff with a pretty small kit but just doing stuff that was unworldly. It was just amazing to watch.  I would love to say Buddy Rich was an influence, but he was more of a hero than an influence. I just couldn’t do what he did. But as far as what I wanted to be as a drummer, yeah there’s some Bonham in there, and Ian Paice, and throw in a sprinkle of Phil Rudd, I think you’d come close to what I ended up with.

Did you ever go and see some of the early Canadian bands such as April Wine with Jerry Mercer, or Lighthouse with Skip Prokop?

You know what, Lighthouse played my High School! It would’ve been 74, 75, somewhere in there. I was a kid, and I remember it was really cool, great band. And I got to see Max Webster that way too; again – played my high school. Kim and I had a great laugh over that.  You probably know that Carl got to play in April Wine for a couple of years. And actually, my oldest son roadied for them for a summer, while he was in high school. Him and Jerry became best of buddies because both my boys play drums, and my oldest one, he’s an incredible drummer, they both are! But seeing Jerry, the guy was like a machine. He was a phenomenal drummer, and some of the stuff he did, some of the off-time stuff that April Wine would do … They were one of those bands that should’ve been SO much bigger than they are. As much as they are in Canada – they’re legendary, but as far as the world goes, I am always shocked that April Wine was not a bigger band than they were. And Jerry was a big part of that. He was just a powerhouse. And again, even in his later years… I think in ’06 Coney Hatch got to play the Sweden Rock Festival, and April Wine was there, and I got to talk to Myles, and he absolutely remembered my son. And the connection between many Canadian bands, I mean we’ve done many shows with Goddo, we did a bunch of shows with The Headpins, we’ve done shows with Lee Aaron. Yeah, the Canadian market, when you kind of get to that level, it’s all kind of one big happy family.  It’s always so fun to do festivals in Canada because it’s like Homecoming, you get to see all these guys and girls that you’ve known for years; all these bands that have done well in Canada, and beyond, of course.

One of the first shows I saw was April Wine in ’84, and Jerry’s solos were a highlight of their shows.

Yeah, absolutely. And he did them right up until… and I went and saw them, I think this is when my son got hired, and Carl was playing in the band at the time. I think it was Jerry’s 65th (?) birthday, and his solo was as good as it was 30 years earlier! The guy was doing drum solos right up until the day he retired from April Wine.  

He was something to see, with the whistle going and everything…

Like I said, the man was a machine. I don’t consider him underrated – he IS underrated. I think he should be talked about in the same way that Neil Peart is spoken about; I really believe that. He did great stuff and is a cool guy.

(We end things with me showing Dave a few more things from my collection ;-))

*Live photos of Dave and of Coney Hatch, courtesy of Donald Gadziola – https://www.instagram.com/rushguyyyz/

LINKS:

www,coneyhatch.com

https://www.instagram.com/ketchum_dave/

https://www.instagram.com/coneyhatchmusic/

https://www.facebook.com/ConeyHatch

https://www.instagram.com/seankellyguitar/

http://www.andycurranmusic.com

http://www.carldixon.com

Coney Hatch (Anniversary Edition) [Blue/Orange Vinyl 2LP]
Coney Hatch (Anniversary Edition) [2CD]

CONEY HATCH – Classic debut album issued as 2LP set, upcoming Toronto show announced.

Leave a comment

Fans of Canadian hard rock legends Coney Hatch will soon be able to experience their classic self-titled debut album with fully remastered audio by acclaimed engineer Harry Hess. On October 24, 2025, “Coney Hatch” will be reissued via Anthem Records, marking the anniversary of the band’s gold debut album some four decades after its original May 21, 1982 release.  To celebrate this iconic release, the band have announced their only appearance of 2025 with a special up close and unplugged performance on Friday, November 14 at The Redwood Theatre in Toronto. To order tickets, visit: https://www.theredwoodtheatre.com/event-details/coneyhatch   This beautiful 2LP reissue breathes new life into the classic album. Featuring the group’s classic line-up (singer/guitarist Carl Dixon, singer/bassist Andy Curran, lead guitarist Steve Shelski, and drummer Dave Ketchum, the debut spawned such classic rock gems as “Devil’s Deck,” bringing out every searing riff and soaring vocal with stunning clarity and power. “After over four decades of touring and recording, it’s truly special to see this anniversary release come to life,” Curran says. “The artwork, rare photos, and the discovery of the Cleveland Agora live audio from our very first show in the USA add a perfect finishing touch for  the band and our dedicated fans.” And collectors take note: the blue/orange 2-LP edition is a LIMITED EDITION first pressing of ONLY 500 UNITS available!  To order the album, visit:  https://lnk.to/ConeyHatchAnniversary Adding to the release are never-before-heard “Live in Cleveland” recordings, captured at the band’s first-ever U.S. show at the iconic Agora Ballroom in 1982. This raw, high-energy performance showcases the band at their hard-hitting best and marks a key moment in their rise in the music scene just prior to joining Judas Priest on a 30 date North American “Screaming for Vengeance” tour. Dixon adds, “Our show at the Redwood Theatre will be the first time presenting the mighty Hatch sound in an Unplugged & Acoustic format. Still intense, with the same tightness and power that all these years together have built, but with more nuance and emphasis on the songs and vocals. We have some surprises planned and we can’t wait to show off our skills in a new setting!”  Fans can dig deeper into the band’s history with ultra-rare photos unearthed from the personal archives of the band members, offering an intimate glimpse into Coney Hatch’s early years. This release includes rare 1982 vintage audio sound bites from Kim Mitchell, where he reflects on producing the band during their formative days. This is a must-have collector’s item for die-hard fans and music history buffs. Anthem’s first pressing for Canada on opaque blue vinyl and translucent orange vinyl, includes: · The fully remastered debut album “Coney Hatch” · Three bonus Tracks: “Dreamland”, “Where I Draw The Line” and “Sin After Sin (Demo)” previously only available on UK import version of the album. · Never-before-heard “Live at The Agora Cleveland, 1982” recordings  · Ultra-rare photos unearthed from the band’s personal archives · Rare 1982 vintage audio sound bites from Kim Mitchell  Come Friday, October 24th, get ready to experience this ’80s rock classic like you never have before! 

CONEY HATCH ANNIVERSARY TRACKLIST: 
 SIDE A:1. Devil’s Deck (4:26)2. You Ain’t Got Me (3:25)3. Stand Up (3:31)4. No Sleep Tonight (3:21)5. Love Poison (3:44)6. We Got The Night (3:08) SIDE
B:7. Hey Operator (3:16)8. I’ll Do The Talkin (3:07)9. Victim Of Rock (3:11)10. Monkey Bars (4:21)11. Dreamland (3:43)12. Where I Draw The Line (3:53) SIDE
C:13. Sin After Sin (Demo) (4:00)14. Devil’s Deck (Live at The Agora Cleveland, 1982) (5:09)15. We Got The Night (Live at The Agora Cleveland, 1982) (3:15)16. Stand Up (Live at The Agora Cleveland, 1982) (3:15)17. You Ain’t Got Me (Live at The Agora Cleveland, 1982) (3:30) SIDE
D:18. Victim Of Rock (Live at The Agora Cleveland, 1982) (3:15)19. Where I Draw The Line (Live at The Agora Cleveland, 1982) (4:02)20. I’ll Do The Talkin’ (Live at The Agora Cleveland, 1982) (3:04)21. Dreamland (Live at The Agora Cleveland, 1982) (3:50)22. Love Poison (Live at The Agora Cleveland, 1982) (3:39)23. No Sleep Tonight (Live at The Agora Cleveland, 1982) (3:23)
  
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT: coneyhatch.com

CARL DIXON – Peaced Together, 6CD box set

1 Comment

“More than three years in the making, the 6CD box set will arrive in fans hands by October 24. You can pre-order NOW, with the full digital delivery due next month.”

PRE ORDER HERE

‘Peaced Together’ is a 6CD box set in a ‘fat-pack’ jewel case, limited to strictly 500 units worldwide and priced at $99 (including worldwide shipping).

Since 2022, Carl Dixon and MRC CEO Andrew McNeice have been swapping files, sourcing audio, digitizing tapes, reels and DATs and then starting over again with new improved files. JK Northrup has been involved all along the way, adding his thoughts and overseeing the remastering of every track.

Carl Dixon states: “PEACED TOGETHER is in part the realization for me of every artist’s dream; that people care about your work and want to share it with the world. It is, I hope, part of its charm that this project is based largely on music that has never gone through the stages of refinement, polishing and presentation to the world in big-bucks album releases.
This collection consists of my unreleased musical works save one or two exceptions. It spans many years and veers across different styles and genres, some more fashionable now than others, but I’m pleased that I can hear elements of my true self throughout. Some of these works were rerecorded for inclusion in album projects but most remained known only to me and to those who helped make them.
I am delighted to now have these many “hidden gems” released out into the wide world by Andrew McNeice and MelodicRock Classics. I hope they bring a measure of joy to all who choose to spend time listening. Rock on wit’ ya bad selves!” ~ CD. 2025

Carl Dixon is of course the world renowned Canadian guitarist, singer and songwriter, who has been fronting CONEY HATCH since 1981 as well as releasing 6 solo albums and writing with a whole host of chart topping artists along the way.

The 6CD set will be broken up into the following categories:
Disc 1 – Anthems Volume 1
Disc 2 – Anthems Volume 2
Disc 3 – More Rock & Some Roll
Disc 4 – The Softer Side
Disc 5 – A Little Centre of Left
Disc 6 – Tracks That Can’t Be Left Behind

These songs come from a variety of sources and eras, but it’s best left to Carl to expand on his earlier comment:

“The one hundred-plus tracks on ‘Peaced Together’ are evidence of a life spent in song writing whenever and however it could be done. From my earliest studio demos with my high school chums, to the most recent DAW creations from my home studio, it’s all expressing something that I thought needed to be said. We all write, sing and play our personalities through our art.
Here lies AOR Rock in various stages of development, sure, but there’s so much more in addition.
Some of the AOR stalwarts who appear on Peaced Together as co-writers and performers include Stan Meissner, Marc Ribler, Van Stephenson, Brett Walker, Taylor Rhodes, Kevin Savigar, Marc Ferrari, Steve Shelski, Jack Conrad and Steve Plunkett and that’s just Disc 1!
Harry Hess turns up in two songs we recorded during the run-up to the debut Harem Scarem album; that’s his unmistakable voice you hear on Too Much Paradise.
Songwriters are generally an affable, collaborative bunch and I learned much from all of my partners over the years. Special mention must go to Van Stephenson who was very kind and instructive in his gentle way when I was a greenhorn turning up in Nashville for the first time. Four of these songs are my collaborations with him.
Uniquely, eight tracks included here are collaborations with my father Ron Dixon, based on his poems and writings. Something of him endures through the music.
A VERY wide range of styles and approaches is heard on ‘Peaced Together’. Nashville, New York, L.A., San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Toronto and smaller communities; I travelled far and wide to meet great people and make these songs.
There’s lots of rock as you might expect with my history but also pop, blues, country and funk. Sometimes they were just for fun, sometimes it was like trying on a stylish hat to see if it looked good on me. I’m proud of all of these tracks, else I would not have put them out on display like this.
It’s crazy to me that we haven’t emptied the cupboards to make this collection.”

All pre-orders will receive the complete audio package well in advance of the physical delivery, and is the only way to guarantee a copy of this amazing set of songs in a one-off pressing.
It’s hoped most regular MRC retailers will carry copies of the set, but pre-order here to be guaranteed and get the full advance audio delivered soon.

The full track listing is as follows:

DISC 1
01. Buried Alive 3:18
02. Walk Through The Fire (Demo) 3:50
03. Cloud Of Love 5:16
04. Good Time To Be Bad 3:35
05. Don’t You See 3:20
06. I Believe In Angels 3:59
07. Love Strikes (Demo) 4.00
08. Edge Of A Heartbreak 3:41
09. Hold Your Fire 3:06
10. Kid Blue 3:21
11. Leap Of Faith 4:20
12. Love’s Gonna Take Some Time 3:18
13. Hot Streak Gone Cold (Demo) 3:35
14. She’s A Touch Like You 4:05
15. If Love Could See Me Now 3:44
16. Until The Dawn 4:13
17. Hard To Leave 4:03
18. All I Want 3:56
19. Fight For Your Love (vocal Jimmy Lawrence) 3:50

DISC 2
01. Fuel For The Fire 3:52
02. Against The Night (Demo) 3:51
03. Fools Paradise 3:03
04. Goodbye To A Good Thing 3:36
05. From Here On 4:51
06. Come My Way 3:39
07. Might Have Been 2:59
08. Here Comes Trouble 3:42
09. Taste Of Love (Demo) 4:33
10. Up To No Good 4:03
11. Animal Attraction 3:46
12. Bad To The Bone (vocal Andrew Elt) 4:12
13. Bad Seed 3:33
14. No Middle Ground 4:42
15. Shadow (Demo) 4:05
16. Magic Happens 3:54
17. Treacherous Emotions (Demo) 3:49
18. To The Love 4:13
19. I’m Rattled 2:39

DISC 3
01. A Fool in Love 3:30
02. Giving Up The Ghost 4:25
03. Too Much Paradise (vocal Harry Hess) 4:05
04. Across the Great Divide (Demo) 5:51
05. Knee Highs 5:38
06. To Fall In Love 3:18
07. Old Testament Rock 3:11
08. Don’t Walk Away Dreaming 4:35
09. Trust Me 4:09
10. Hot Florida Sunshine 4:55
11. Busted (Demo) 3:48
12. Illumination 3:49
13. Around and Around 3:22
14. Little Dancing Queen 3:58
15. I Know How to Treat a Lady (vocal Jimmy Lawrence) 3:42
16. Little Dreamer 3:58
17. Only a Fool 3:50

DISC 4
01. Can I Love You 3:34
02. Younger Generation 5:09
03. Where Do I Begin 4:06
04. Dreams Gone 2:25
05. Easy Words 3:59
06. Don’t Disappoint Me 2:58
07. Don’t Turn Out The Light 3:39
08. Song From The Island 3:04
09. Goodbye Eyes 4:59
10. Might Still Be in Love 3:15
11. Just Because 3.42
12. How’s Your World Spinning 3:55
13. Tell Her I Called 3:24
14. Green Diamond 3:00
15. Until The Dawn 3:57
16. Same Moon Shining 2:56
17. Thought It Would Be Fun (Demo) 3.49

DISC 5
01. Can’t Lose (What You Never Had) 4:17
02. Just a Few More Hours 3:08
03. Waiting In The Wings 3:27
04. Jacob & The Pig 3:39
05. That’s Right 3:11
06. Seven Day World 3:23
07. Angel On Main Street 2:50
08. Get Whatcha Wanna 3:24
09. Missing You 3:56
10. I Want You 3:53
11. Showtime 3:33
12. Stand Together (Female Vocal Jessica Benoit) 4:26
13. It Is What It Is 4:01
14. Was Your Heart Broken 4:03
15. Strange Way To Live 4:05
16. Keep Your Control 4:04
17. Behind the Open Door (Demo) 5:44

DISC 6
01. Together Takes Us Any Place 2:46
02. Make Up Your Mind 3:05
03. So Much Love 4:01
04. When I Remember 4:19
05. By My Side 3:17
06. Look For Me In Dreamland 2.53
07. It’s A Wonder 2:26
08. Just A Girl I Used To Know 3:35
09. She Breaks Your Heart 3.16
10. Strayed And Stolen 3.28
11. The Gizmo In My Head 2:24
12. Take It Out In Rock ‘n Roll 2:09
13. The Big 3-OH 3:14
14. Prisoner (with Jessica Palmer & Jessica Benoit) 3:31
15. Walk in Clouds 2:34
16. I’d Never Have Fallen 3:39
17. Theme from Tornado Hunters 0:45
18. Hendrix Tornado 0:53
19. The Blood Rises (Demo) 4:26

Carl here: – Some of these songs were written when I was this young!

Ten Favorite CANADIAN Live albums

10 Comments

A collection of favorite Canadian ‘live’ albums (ok, initially I meant to stop at 10…). I do realize there’s a lot more out there (and I have), so maybe a part 2 in the future (?). Feel free to drop omissions in the comments.

SAGA – In Transit

Released in August of 1982. My first and favorite SAGA album. I have a clear memory of buying this at the Eaton’s in the Rexdale Mall, not long after it came out. The mall was a few blocks from my grandmother’s house, so I’d go there when visiting. I bought it based on the 2 songs I’d heard on the radio – “On The Loose” and “Wind Him Up”. Loved this album – “Don’t Be Late”, “Humble Stance”, “Careful Where You Step”,… In Transit marked the end of the band’s best era (IMO). Still my favorite Canadian live album. Wish there was more from the shows tho’ to make an expanded reissue.

APRIL WINE – One For The Road

One of my first concerts was APRIL WINE at the Kingswood Music Theatre, at Canada’s Wonderland, just north of Toronto. What an amazing show! Too bad this was the band’s final tour, and more so a shame that this originally came out as a single LP. The 1985 release included 11 tracks, and really the band’s best-known songs, mainly from the 1978 onward era, though it only features 1 from the band’s final studio album Animal Grace (a shame they never played more from it). But “Anything You Want” was a killer opener, followed by classics like “I Like To Rock”, “All Over Town”, “Sign Of The Gypsy Queen”, and so on, plus a medley of ballads… But, there are a few glaring omissions with the original track listing, which was largely corrected years later with 4 songs added to CD and 2 LP reissues. All classic tunes and loads of energy capping off the band’s most successful era!

TEAZE – Live At Liege

In their day TEAZE only lasted about 5-6 years, 4 studio albums and their classic Live in Japan. But the band has reformed since 2019 to play a number of shows. This recent show (just released) captures the band, now pushing into their 70s, but you’d never know it from the energy and the lead vocals (Brian Danter). A dozen great rockers and anthems here, with favorites like “Back In Action”, “Touch The Wind”, “Heartless World” and “On The Loose” (which closes the set). If you don’t know anything about this band, this live disc is the place to start.

RUSH – Different Stages

There’s lots of RUSH live albums, but this is the one I play the most (from 1998)….and then maybe Rush In Rio (released 5 years later)…. But I like the sound of this one, and the set list, which features tracks from the band’s comeback pair of 90s albums – Counterparts and Test For Echo, as well as more from the band’s 80s (despite the glaring omission of “Subdivisions”). Love the inclusion of “Analog Kid” and “Big Money”, and newer favorites like “Driven” and “Animate”, plus the full 2112. Much prefer this to A Show Of Hands. it also came with a 3rd disc (bonus), of the band at London’s Hammersmith Odeon in 1978. Originally released on CD, but I see a 4-LP version was issued last year.

GODDO – Lighve: Best Seat In The House

Those first few GODDO albums were packed full of punchy, energetic rock tracks, and this 2 LP set was a bold move after just 3 albums, but it is a ‘must hear’, featuring all the band’s favorites (which, most of remained in the set forever). With what became their standard opening of “Anacana Panacana” (intro tape) and “So Walk On” and highlighted with best known favorites like “Sweet Thing”, “O Carole (Kiss My Whip)”, “Under My Hat”, and a 7+ minute performance of “Let That Lizard loose”. Years later the band repeated with 2nd Best Seat In The House, as well as an archived live release and a 35th Anniversary live set. I saw Goddo years ago in St Catharines, it was actually the first sit-down interview I ever did. Greg Godovitz recently put together a new version of the band to play shows to celebrate the band’s 50th Anniversary.

MOXY – Live In Toronto

Released in 2014 as Live In Toronto and also included as part of the band’s 40th Anniversary 2CD/DVD 40 Years And Still Riding High) release a year later (which I have). One of those ‘better late than never’ things, and with a new line up led by guitarist Earl Johnson and featuring lead vocals from Nick Walsh (Slik Toxic). 11 tracks (including the drum solo), taken from the band’s first 3 classic albums. Walsh was a great fit for the band as they went through favorites like “Out Of The Darkness”, “Nothing Comes Easy”, “Moon Rider”, “Sail On Sail Away”, and “Ridin’ High”. Johnson has a new version of the band currently playing shows, I believe.

LOVERBOY – Live In ’82

I was a fan, mainly of those first 3 LOVERBOY albums (and then someone brought In Mutt Lange (sigh). But Live In’82, (released last summer on CD & vinyl!) captures the band at their peak, playing songs from the first 2 albums (arguably their best). So you get high energy performances of their biggest hits like “Turn Me Loose”, “The Kid Is Hot Tonight”, and “Working For The Weekend”, as well as favorites from Get Lucky – “Jump”, “Lucky Ones” and “Take Me To The Top”.

FM- Retroactive: FM Archives Volume 1

Released in 1995, and I don’t ‘get’ the stupid title (as there was no further volumes), this was taken from the band’s 1994 short reunion tour to promote the CD release of their classic Black Noise album. I saw 2 of the 5 shows in small venues. The shows were awesome and captured well here. Don’t recall how many songs they played, but this includes 10 songs, notably their hit “Phasors On Stun”, and Black Noise favorite “Journey”, as well as best known songs like “This Lonely World” and “City Of Fear”, and their versions of “Shapes Of Things” and “Baba O’Riley”. A CD release only (included a retroactive CD-ROM track, don’t think I ever watched it), but would be nice if their was more from this little tour or the FM archives to hear some more.

CONEY HATCH – Live At The El Mocambo

The first of 2 live albums from CONEY HATCH, back-to-back. This one was recorded & video’d during CoVid, with a limited number of guests allowed in to see the show at Toronto’s legendary El Mocambo. A great mix, representing the band’s 4 studio albums, and long overdue. Not too long after came Postcard From Germany, which had been recorded in 2018. Hoping there’ll be more, as there’s a few good shows from the 80s (Cleveland 1982).

STREETHEART – Live After Dark

This 2 LP set was recorded following 6 albums from Winnipeg’s STREETHEART. Although I don’t think Streetheart’s albums were heavy, but more pop produced, Live After Dark showed the band rocked harder live. This features the band’s hits like “Action”, “What Kind Of Love Is This”, “Hollywood”, plus their excellent covers of “Tin Soldier”, and 12 & a half minute closing classic take of “Under My Thumb”! The band’s original line up would reunite and record 2014’s One Night One Take, but I’ve yet to hear that one. but Live After Dark is a pretty essential Canadian album.

THE GUESS WHO – Live At The Paramount

Another essential Canadian release, and better than simply picking up a ‘best of’ IMO. Live At the Paramount, from 1972, captured THE GUESS WHO in their prime; they had a ton of hits and some pretty cool album cuts, so this isn’t just a play through of the usual numbers. Only 7 tracks though on the original single LP (why!?), but there is favorites “Running Back To Saskatoon”, “Pain Train”, and the 16+ minute performance of “American Woman”! The CD version would thankfully add 6 more tracks and fix the running order.

Canadian Live Albums I’d Still Like to see…

A Foot In Coldwater – anything, be it from the early 70s or from one of the band’s reunion gigs over the years.

Santers – there is video of the band from Toronto, around 1982 or 83(?) Would be cool to master it for release.

Headpins – Saw the Headpins open for Loverboy in ’83, surely their must be a good live recording from that period(!?)

Harlequin – something from the band’s early 80s heyday, before they brought the guy from The Fixx in to produce!

Moxy – OK, something from the late 70s w/ Buzz Shearman.

Any other suggestions?

ANDY CURRAN – ‘Whiskey & The Devil, Interview

3 Comments
Photo courtesy of Donald Gadziola

Canada’s ANDY CURRAN may have been best known for his days and 3 album run in the early 80s CONEY HATCH, but following the breakup of the band, Andy would go on to record a few albums throughout the 90s. Albums released under such names as SOHO 69, CARAMEL, DRUG PLAN and LEISURE WORLD came later in the decade, but in 1990 his first ‘solo’ project was released simply as ‘Andy Curran’. A few songs received massive radio play across the country, and he was nominated for 2 Juno Awards in 1991, winning ‘Most Promising Male Vocalist’. That album was re-issued last year (in expanded box set form) for it’s 30th anniversary as ‘Whiskey & The Devil 30th’, as well as a 2LP colored issue. The extra LP included previously unreleased studio and live recordings. In this interview Andy recalls a lot from making that album, its success, and what came after, as well as detailing the bonus material. We also discuss SOHO 69, reissues, updates on ENVY OF NONE (w/Alex Lifeson) and CONEY HATCH, including the band’s plan to play the entire ‘Friction’ album (which they did) on a recent trip to the UK & France. And lastly, Andy gives us some great Canadian listening recommendations to check out.

I want to talk about the Whiskey and the Devil album. I know the box that came out last year, and I picked up the vinyl when I saw you guys in Oakville. So, a couple things right off the bat, obviously, is the title and the new artwork, because that wasn’t the original of either.

That’s correct. You know, I could be guilty of confusing people, but what I thought I’d like to do, Kevin, is all these years later, because it was a celebration or an anniversary issue, was to change it up a little bit. So I changed the artwork. That artwork was originally done by a very good buddy of mine named Bill Baker, and Bill is a tattoo artist. He has a tattoo shop in Toronto called Pearl Harbor Gift Shop, and he did that artwork for me back in the day, and it was on a t-shirt, and I just really loved it and thought, ‘man, I’m going to use it this time around’. And if I was to be really honest, when the record was released originally back in 91, I had a disagreement. It wasn’t anything hostile, but I never wanted to call the record Andy Curran. I wanted to call it ‘Soho 69’, and I had a title for the record called ‘Every Dog Has Its Day’, and they were adamant that it had to be called Andy Curran. And I was just like – I’ve always been part of the band; I always felt weird about calling the record after my name and everything, so I got a chance to finally get my way, and I changed everything.

The original seems to be a safe title and a safe cover, which is just the photo.

Yeah, I know. It’s weird because I literally had discussions with the label back then. I don’t want to use my photo. I don’t want to use my name. And they were like ‘Yes, guess what? We’re the record company, and this is the way it’s going to go.’ So, I wanted to change it afterwards, Kevin, and I got my way. Working with the guys at SING has been really great, and they were totally cool to just give me full artistic control on it, and so that’s the story behind the artwork.

On the original album, you have that emblem on the back there of that kind of eagle thing. Did you ever use that for anything?

Yes, the eagle logo we used quite a bit, and again, it was sort of a play on this whole ‘no tattoos’ thing. So going to my friend Bill Baker, he did the illustration for the eagle with the banner, and that was on our merch back then. I think we even had a backdrop with the eagle in the background. So, yeah, so we used that quite a bit back in the day.

You had quite a bit of success with this album. You had the Juno and everything, and you had like, the first three songs, I think, were all radio hits and singles!?

Yeah, that was a nice run for me. I mean, those songs, like “License To Love”, “No Tattoos”, and “Let Go” – they were all top ten songs at Rock Radio in Canada, and they were getting a load of airplay on MuchMusic with “No Tattoos” and “License To Love”. And I think that really propped up the visibility of the release of the project and helped me get a couple Juno nominations. The record was also nominated for, I think, Best Hard Rock Album of The Year, and I lost to some band called Rush or something. Yeah, that’s alright, I guess.

Did you tour a lot with this album?

We did. We were out on the road, Kev, for – when all things were said and done, we were out for approximately 18 months that year. The touring cycle was really, really quite long. Lots of solo dates, if I recall. Now you’re really stretching my memory here. We went out on the road with Glass Tiger and Haywire was one tour. We did a bunch of shows with my buddy Kim Mitchell. We did a bunch of shows with Rick Emmett after Rick had left Triumph and was out playing solo shows. And, I think probably the highlight for me was doing some dates with Rush, opening up for them on the Roll The Bones tour.

So, again, having the visibility of the Juno awards and all that airplay, it just fueled the touring cycle. So that might have been. It wasn’t a steady 18 months, but that’s how long we were out for on and off. Yeah.

You have live stuff on this new reissue. Do you have a full show of that or did you just kind of handpick some of the songs?

Well, there was a couple of live shows floating around that various people had recorded. And, with the live stuff that made the Whiskey And The Devil anniversary, I worked very closely with my buddy, and lead singer of Harem Scarem, Harry Hess. And Harry is a renowned mastering engineer and he and I were talking, and he said ‘man, your live band was so good back then. It’s too bad you don’t have any recordings’. And I said, I do, but they’re all on cassettes. And he said ‘well, I’ve done some pretty cool stuff with audio from cassettes. Why don’t you give it to me, and I’ll see if we can rescue it from the dead’. So, Harry’s got some really great technology, that works with basically upgrading audio from that format. So believe it or not, that was taken from a live recording that was handed to me on a cassette and Harry did some wonderful stuff with it. But, to answer your question, yeah, I cherry picked it because there were some songs that just didn’t really sound any good quality wise. So, we sort of focused on the ones that we thought sounded great.

I see you did a couple of covers. You didn’t just really stick to your own stuff there.

We had so much fun doing covers, man. Over the years, there was something about wanting to put my stamp on a few different songs that I really, really loved, you know? So, I’ve been a huge fan of the band WAR for a very, very long time. And I think I gravitate a lot to some of that old *funk just because of the baselines on it. But those two songs “Cisco Kid” and “Low Rider”, we always had a lot of fun with.

But we used to do a version of “Highway Star”. I wish I had a version of that Deep Purple one that we did. We did the Beatles “She’s So Heavy”. We used to do “Schools Out”. And I think we even did a version of Stan Ridgway’s “Mexican Radio”. I mean, these are songs that I grew up with and people are like ‘what are you doing? A hard rock version of “Mexican Radio”!?’ And I was ‘I love those songs’. But those two songs by WAR have just been old favorites of mine and I wanted to put them on there just to let people hear what we did, and best with those cover versions.

I like things that are different, and they sound different. They’re kind of out of their genre, you know!? And then you have the two songs that weren’t on the album that!?

As a lot of artists do, you go into the recording sessions with some extra material, just in case some of the songs don’t really pan out or, you never know how they’re going to go regardless of getting bed tracks done. You never know if they’re actually going to sound great or not sound great. So, “One Woman Man” and “Walk The Other Way” were recorded at the same time as I recorded all of the other songs, and I kind of had forgotten about them, to be honest with you. It was just such a distant memory that we had gone in and recorded those songs. And when Tom Berry from Alert Records gave me access to all of the original tapes, multi-track tapes, I was surprised to see two extra songs. I opened them up and I was like ‘Oh my God. I remember these two songs!’ The story behind them. If I recall is you’re always challenged with the amount of music that you can put on a side of vinyl and vinyl was still around. And so, we figured out that there was no way to get those two songs on vinyl. And if I recall, there was some business stuff going on about lawyers going back and forth about ‘Hey, you know, we’re, we’re only going to pay Andy up to 10 songs and we’re not going to put up 12 songs’. So, they just for no bad reason, just got shuffled off to the side. I just thought it would be cool to resurrect those ones. And I worked with my buddy, Vic Florencia, who is also a Juno award winner. And we thought ‘well why don’t we just those songs were finished. I was surprised that I had done everything on it. There was no extra overdubs required. They were finished and, but just never brought to life. So, it was a pretty easy thing just to get those tracks and remix them and kind of get them pulled out of the vault for people to hear. Because we used to play one of them live – “Walk The Other Way” – we played live for a long time.

There was no issue of what tracks you were going to put aside; was it was an easy choice, the first 10?

It was. I think when everybody sort of threw that through the list of titles into a hat and we picked them all, everybody was fine to leave those ones off and, full transparency with “One Woman Man”, that has a bit of a Southern rock-blues vibe to it. (And) we thought, we thought ‘does this even fit?’ And I’m a huge Lynyrd Skynyrd fan, and I just thought, ‘okay, well, guilty as charged’. That was me trying to add a little bit of Southern rock into the mix. Did it work? Did it fit? Maybe not. But all these years later, I really don’t care. I just was like, let’s put these in.

You also had a new single out “Looking For Love”, that came out a couple of months ago. And that’s a new recording!?

That is a brand-new recording. I’ll tell you how that came to fruition. *When I was talking to Geoff Osler, he is the CEO of SING. And he’s the guy that basically championed all of this and said ‘go ahead, Andy,.. I’m happy to work on this with you’. And he said, ‘but it’s really too bad you don’t have a new song’. And I said ‘that’s a stretch, man. I’d have to really put the band back together and go and write some stuff.’ I probably could get in touch with Glen and Simon, the original players. But I said, ‘what I do have is a demo of this song called “Looking For Love”. And we actually never got around to recording it’. And the premise of the song itself is based on a personal ad page in the back where people were. It’s almost like a version of a dating app. Now dating apps are so popular that the song topic might actually be relevant, even more so now with people on Tinder and all these different apps where they’re swiping to find mates. So, he said ‘well, we’ll go ahead and do it, pull it out and record it with the band’. So that song was originally written for my solo record. But I think one of the reasons we didn’t do it, it kind of starts off with bass, drums, guitar, almost a bit like “No Tattoos”. We thought ‘okay, we have these, but we can’t put both of them on the record. They are similar sounding’. So, we ended up shelving “Looking For Love”. And many years later, got back in the studio with Glen Milchem on drums and Simon Brierley, who both who played on the original record. And then I’ve obviously got a new friendship with Sean Kelly, who plays in Coney Hatch. I asked Sean Kelly to come in and do it. And all these years later, we resurrected “Looking For Love”.

Is ‘Whiskey And The Devil’ on CD as well?

We did not make this record available on CD. There’s been some discussion about doing that. I forgot if people still like to listen to CDs. I’ve got a huge collection. I’ve got a CD player in my studio. But a few people have been vocal about it. I don’t know. You’d have to tell me whether you think I should reissue it on CD as well.

I found over the last year, I’ve been buying more CDs, just because the way the price of vinyl has gone up. Plus, I play CDs in my car.

Yeah, well, it’s interesting that you mentioned it, because my friend Harry Hess, told me a lot of his fans still buy CDs. So maybe I got to put that on the to-do list and get a CD version of it.

With the success of that album when it came out, you then went with the band name SOHO 69 for the next album. Was there any pressure to follow up?

I don’t think there was any pressure, but it was a really, really odd chapter. Because you think about, I look back on it now, and it’s really just indicative of the music industry and life as a musician – just when you think things are going great, or you think you got the world by the short and curlies, the bottom drops out on it, right? So, when I was at the Juno Awards, and had won that Juno that night, I spoke to the record company, and they said, ‘By the way, we have to tell you congratulations, but we’re actually not going to be a full-fledged label anymore. So …you don’t have a record deal anymore.’ And I’m like ‘in what world does this happen?’ And you’re arguably celebrating something very successful, only to find out that you don’t have a record deal anymore.

I immediately had to scramble to just even find a home for the ‘Scatterbrain’ record, which I had already started working on. And there was all of this groundwork and all of this, great airplay that happens. So it did feel like there was momentum on this thing, and that I had to follow up on it really quickly. But because I didn’t have a record deal, it took some time. By the time ‘Kiss My Boots’ came out, off the SOHO 69 record, I had lost some *serious momentum on there, just trying to put everything together. And that deal with Hypnotic Records did not go well, like the honeymoon was over.

And when we released the record, we did very little touring on it. So, I look back on that chapter and thought, well, that was a tough punch in the chin, because everything went from super high to super low. And, after Scatterbrain, I sort of took this break to start working on the Caramel record.

*So, really a wheel fell off immediately after the Junos. And it really affected the lack of progress on it, to the point now where even if I was to go out and do some dates on this, and support this record, I wonder how many people would even remember ‘Licensed To Love’ or ‘No Tattoos’!? But it was a really tough chapter. It was mixed with highs and lows.

Yeah, I had Scatterbrain in the car this morning. The first like the lead off song starts and I was listening to this new Trapeze release the other day. It’s kind of got that same funky kind of heavy vibe to it. I thought the singles were great. So my next question is, would you ever like, between these albums and some of the other stuff you did in the 90s, would you ever contemplate taking a solo band or SOHO 69 on the road now and do a few shows?

Well, I have to tell you that my beautiful wife Monica is one of my best supporters. And she keeps saying to me ‘Andy how come you’re not going out and doing any shows with your No Tattoos band? And how come you’re not playing any Caramel or how come you’re not playing Drug Plan or Leisure World?’ So, I honestly have been talking to Sean and Glen Milchem about maybe doing some shows. Simon is a world-class pyro tech engineer that travels with all of these amazing bands and does pyro. So, his schedule probably wouldn’t permit Simon coming out, but I’ve entertained it.

But at the moment, I’ve been kind of focused on finishing off the year with Coney Hatch and the dates that we have in Europe and then also working on Envy of None. So there’s only enough time in the day. I gotta figure out how I can pull this off, you.

(talk of seeing Coney Hatch on Helloween 1994 at LuLus, which is now on YouTube)

I took my CDs with me that night and you signed mine. And so, I’ve got my Scatterbrain here and you wrote in it ‘if you’re not the lead dog, the view is always the same’.

Well, and listen, that’s a little bit of a play on the words. Like I had this artwork done for the record and it was ‘every dog has its day’. And there’s a really cool Toronto graphic artist by the name of Runt, and he did all the artwork at Lee’s Palace on the outside of the building. I got him to do this almost like an assembly line conveyor belt of dogs,. And they were all behind each other. And it just occurred to me that if you’re not the lead dog, you’re always looking up somebody’s ass, right!? So, you better get yourself in the first place. Yeah. I still want to use that artwork one day. And there is a song that I wrote called ‘Every Dog Has Its Day’ that was finished, and I might try to release that one too.

Who did the artwork for Solo69?

The Soho69, the Scatterbrain was done by my brother, Mike, and that was a bit of a play on an exploding brain and particles. We used to love Monty Python and some of their artwork was just like very, almost childlike where they would take things and cut it up. But the Scatterbrain record was also when the grunge thing started to happen. We thought we’d do a little joke and have everything in the tartan plaid grunge stuff. And by the time that record came out, when Nirvana came on the scene, anything remotely connected to hard rock or long hair was dead in the water. I remember hearing that track in Montreal going ‘this is amazing. My career might be over.’

It was really weird, because there’s lots of kinds of what I would call discrimination in the music industry. And there’s certainly age discrimination in North America that doesn’t exist in Europe. If you go to Europe, you could still see Status Quo playing or you could still see Rose Tattoo or Sweet or all these bands and nobody cares that these guys are in their 70s and they still go out. And then Coney Hatch falls into that category too. When we go over there, we have loyal fans that love us, and they still continue to see us. Not that we don’t in Canada, but in Canada, in North America, if you’re not young and if you’re not 20 years old or the next best thing, you easily get shuffled off into the side. And people forget about you. But in terms of styles changing, we can look over time, whether it was when our parents’ parents were listening to classical music and then Buddy Holly came on the scene and The Beatles that had just obliterated all of that kind of stuff. And then you think about disco and all of that stuff. It’s one of those things that changes all the time. And grunge really, really changed things. And it was a tough go for all of us at that point.

SOHO 69 got reissued back in 2004. Would you ever consider any kind of limited run reissue, including vinyl with it?

It’s interesting that you said that, because I’ve had a few people talking about trying to put that out on vinyl, because it was never out on vinyl before. But it’s always interesting when you get in touch with the old record company and ask them if they’re interested in doing it. But I remain friendly with them. But that would be fun; I’d like to see that on vinyl. I’d like to see the Caramel record on vinyl. I’d like to see the Leisure World record on vinyl. Those are things that, like the Leisure World and Caramel, I can control those. So I can get them out. And I’ve been thinking about doing that for quite some time now.

Now I’m assuming there wasn’t a lot of leftovers from that album?

There was a track that I had mentioned to you earlier on called ‘Every Dog Has Its Day’. I would probably add that to it and see what else is kicking around. I’ve got a lot of old demos that maybe I need to just get my buddy Harry Hess to resurrect them from the dead.

You’re playing the Friction album (with Coney Hatch) fully.

Yes, we are going to Manchester and to France, and our goal is on both of those nights to play ‘Friction’ in it’s entirety. We did, at the El Macombo, we played the first record for the 40th anniversary of that album. And then when we were in Oakville, we did the ‘Out of Hand’ record. We had a lot of fun doing that, just revisiting the old songs. So we haven’t played some of those, a few of them, we’ve never even played them. I don’t think we played ‘Burning’ Love’ – ever.! ‘Coming to Get You’ and ‘Champion’ haven’t been in our setlist in a long time, and ‘Stateline’. So, we’re going to dust them off, and do the entire record.

I did like the way they (Friction tracks) turned out on the Live in Germany album. I thought it was kind of minus the keyboards and it made it a little bit heavier than that.

Well, we’re thinking about recording one of those nights and maybe, you know, jokingly said, what about ‘Friction in France’? And we quietly went and recorded a couple of new tracks this year in Hamilton. At the beginning of the year, after we did the Oakville show. We kept Dave Ketchum in town and convinced Dave to go in the studio and hang out with us a little bit longer. So, our goal would be maybe to finish off those two songs, kind of like what we did with ‘Postcard’, where we had ‘It’s About a Girl’ and ‘Heaven’s on the Other Side’. Do the same thing and feed a couple of new tracks now that Sean Kelly is officially a Coney Hatch member. He’s been in our band for 10 years now, so we made it official with him the other day. We just thought it was time to let the new guy in on some stuff, so he’s been co-writing with me, and it’s been a lot of fun.

Do you foresee yourself doing just singles or do you foresee yourself ever doing a full album again?

I think the goal is to see what we come back from Europe with. If we’ve got some good recordings of those two shows, we might take a page out of the ‘Postcard from Germany’ and maybe do another live Friction record with some extra tracks on it. So, the goal would be to put out a full record.

I didn’t want to ask, but I wondered, because I was at those previous two shows, if anybody was actually recording them for future saving.

No, we didn’t record the Oakville show. It was a good night and I think the previous show at the El Macombo, we did record that. We just haven’t gotten around to listening to it just because we’re kind of focused on the Friction stuff, you know?

Did any of the songs that originated from you on that album (Friction) ever have a vocal put down by you?

That’s a well-documented difficult chapter for Coney Hatch with Friction, with the changing of drummers and me sort of stepping aside in the vocal department, but you know, ‘Coming To Get You’ and ‘Burning Love’, those two songs in particular were originally written by me and were supposed to be vocals by me. It’s funny you said that. I don’t know if we have old demo versions of those kicking around with me singing on them, but I think it would be so early that they might just be really bad rehearsal recordings of them. Carl’s a bit of a pack master, so next time you talk to Carl, ask him if he’s got a version of it shoved away in a closet somewhere, because he’s constantly surprising me with demos. He sent me some demos the other day, and there was a song that we had, I think it was called ‘Don’t I Know You’, and it was just dreadful. I said, ‘we’ve got to make sure that the world never hears this song’. He was laughing his head off! There were a couple others that didn’t make it to the A-list, so hopefully Carl doesn’t sneak them out and put them up online, because some of them I’d be pretty embarrassed for the general public to hear. it wasn’t our finest hour. (laughs)

Photos: Donald Gadziola

What else do you have on the go? Is there a second Envy of None album on the go?

Yes, We’ve been working really hard for the good part of this year on the second Envy of None record, and we had so much fun recording that first record that we just thought, why not? Let’s just continue. If all the stars align, there will be a new Envy of None record coming out sometime next year. But we’ve been chipping away at the stone on that one for quite some time and making some good progress.

Can you give me any underrated Canadian albums? Things that you would recommend to somebody that isn’t too familiar with Canadian rock.

I was a big fan of Queen City Kids back in the day from Winnipeg. They were a really cool band, and I don’t know if a lot of people know them. Obviously out West they know those guys. I thought Queen City Kids were a very, very cool band. There’s a very good friend of mine who’s a super talented graphic artist named Paulo Rizzo, and Paulo has a band called ‘Puddy’. Paulo has released some stuff recently that I think is absolutely crushing. That kid is super talented, so if you’re into really grungy mayhem rock, Puddy’s a good one. Obviously, my friends in Sven Gali, I really enjoyed working with them on their new record. There was this band that came out, and they kind of just came and went – ‘Priestess’! They were from Montreal, and they had some Queens of the Stone Age isms. Their first record (ed- ‘Hello Master’) was released back in 2005. What a great band! I would encourage anybody who hasn’t heard that record to really give it a listen.

And although they’re doing mostly covers, I really think my buddies in ‘Toque’ are doing a great job out there. They’re all super talented guys. I went to the induction of the Songwriters Hall of Fame on the weekend, and Sam Roberts got up. I just thought that guy’s so underrated. He’s got so many great songs. I think Sam Roberts is so great, the early Sam Roberts especially. There is a band on Arts & Crafts (Canadian label), I’m going to give you one more…This isn’t really a heavy rock band, but I’m going to tell you they’re definitely one of my favorites. I’m going to see if I can find this for you on there. I don’t think they’re together anymore, but that shouldn’t stop people from trying to go out and find it Arts and Crafts have a lot of pretty hipster bands. It’s a home of Feist. and Hayden is on that label too. I might have to text it to you because I played the crap out of this band. They’re called The Stills. There’s an incredible song called ‘I’m With You’ that I think is really good.

(And) Let’s not forget my buddy in Harem Scarem, Mr. Harry Hess. I’ve got to give him a shout out. My buds in Teenage Head are still kicking. I think that’s such a cool band. As far as I’m concerned, they’re the Ramones of Canada. If you want to go back and get an early kick in the teeth with some great Canadian punk rock, you’ve got to listen to Teenage Head!

So I gave you a couple of well-known ones and a couple of obscure ones, but yeah, especially like Priestess. The Stills did really well at Radio. Speaking of The Stills, there’s another band called The Standstills, which is a two-man band. One man, one woman. I’ve met them through the Tea Party guys. They’re another great band. I think they’re based out near St. Catharines.

Well, I know she’s unfortunately passed away, but Care Failure and Die Mannequin. I thought Care Failure was destined to be a huge star. Unfortunately, she passed away. But if anybody has a chance to check out Die Mannequin, it doesn’t get any more legit than that.

LINKS:

https://www.andycurranmusic.com

https://linktr.ee/andycurranofficial

*live photos of Andy courtesy of Donald Gadziola

SEAN KELLY – ‘Don’t Call It Hair Metal’, an interview

2 Comments

Guitarist SEAN KELLY has become a huge part of the Canadian rock scene over the past 2 decades. In the early 2000s his band CRASH KELLY released a number of albums, and since then Sean has gone on to work with numerous acts as a songwriter, recording artist, and live player – NELLIE FURTADO, HELIX, HONEYMOON SUITE, LEE AARON and CONEY HATCH! Sean has also released a new book which discusses 80s hard rock & metal and includes loads of interviews with legendary 80s players – Don’t Call It Hair Metal. This book, and Sean’s previous writing Metal On Ice can be easily found online and in shops. Below Sean talks about the book and the new CD (sold separately from the book), both highly recommended for fans of 80s hard-rock & metal. Check out the links below. (*Photos courtesy of Donald Gadziola).

So, the book, I’m assuming the CD is meant to tie in with the book as did with the ‘Metal on Ice‘ and the CD with that book?

Yeah, exactly. That was something we kind of knocked around before the book came out. We didn’t quite line it up with the book release, but it was something I really just kind of wanted to get out of my system, too. I had a bunch of cover songs that were used as B-sides for, Japanese releases, and those were mostly, the kind of early 70s type stuff or the 70S – mid-70s glam stuff. But I always wanted to cover a couple of these songs, and I thought it would be kind of a nice thing to have as a kind of a compendium to go along with the book. You could listen along, and that was the motivation.

I’m kind of on the fence about ‘covers’ albums, because some bands, I don’t know why they do them, but other bands, depending on the track listing – and what I like about this is the track listing, because it’s a lot of stuff a lot of people would not normally hear covered – like “Roxy Roller” and the WASP song and a few others there.

It’s funny, those were just songs that for some reason or another stuck with me, like “Sex Action” by L.A. Guns, that song has just always kind of resonated with me from a guitar perspective. I just remember the video, so I really wanted to kind of capture that feeling of, for that, like the Troubadour in the early 80s in L.A., and then also the early days of Twisted Sister, which is why I picked “I’ll Never Grow Up Now“. So, kind of really between the early 80s hard rock and Sunset Strip stuff and the 70s glam – that was my whole inspiration for doing the Crash Kelly thing anyway. So, it works as kind of a sign of what Crash Kelly was about, but it also works as a companion to the book.

Is Crash Kelly basically just yourself now, or is it still a band?

I used to say it was kind of like T-Rex or Marilyn Manson. I always considered it a band, whoever was playing with me at the time was in the band, but really it was a benevolent dictatorship, and it still kind of is. It really was my thing, although I have to say that the drummer, Tim Timleck, he’s been my musical partner on so much of this stuff for many years, and he’s definitely a band member. We’re actually working on some solo instrumental stuff for me right now, and the guy is just so talented on so many levels.

And you had a few guests on it as well. I’m just trying to think, Nick from Slick Toxic…?

Yeah, Nick Walsh. Nick and I were in a band together called ‘Revolver’, but I’m a massive Slick Toxic fan. Slick Toxic, really one of the reasons I moved to Toronto was reading about them in ‘Meat Magazine’ and them getting a deal, and then they made that amazing ‘Doing the Nasty’ record. So yeah, I did say it was great. I consider Nick a very close friend of mine, and it was great to have him on that. That was many years ago we recorded that; he’s got the Alice thing down. Nick is a master vocalist, he has his own sound, but he can also kind of catch the tonality of different artists, and he just did the Alice thing perfectly.

When did you move to Toronto?

I moved to Toronto in 1991.

So that was kind of like a tough period for metal and all that, because I remember getting those Meat Magazines and suddenly you had all the Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana and all these other bands that were on the covers and stuff.

That came just after. When I landed in Toronto in 1991, I’m from a smaller place, so it still very much felt like bands like Skid Row and Guns N’ Roses and Firehouse and Slick Toxic – they were still kind of the big bands, and then there was Extreme and Saigon Kick and all these bands. So, it felt like it was still very vital, and I remember getting to Toronto and immediately going to the Gasworks and seeing bands that were very much in that kind of 80s rock kind of paradigm.
But you’re right, what was really happening was a change of scene was happening, and when it changed, it felt like it changed overnight, and all of sudden things were radically different. And unfortunately for some of us, it was harder to find a place in that, because it seemed like some of the things I valued, like the way I played guitar or the way I looked, those things didn’t seem as relevant. It was a new way of thinking about things.

Regarding the book, what inspired the whole concept, I guess the whole premise of it?

Yeah, I think I got a little flack by some people because they said – “well, who cares about hair metal!? A lot of bands consider themselves hair metal.” But you’ve got to remember, when that term came out, it was after market. That was a term that was applied to 80s rock after the fact.
It was a pejorative term. It was a term designed to put it down. So no matter what it’s become – hey if you embrace it, you call it hair metal, you love it – more power to you! I actually don’t care. But where it comes from is from a pejorative insulting place, and that’s just fact. I’ll argue anybody on that.
And what I wanted to do was… and a lot of these bands have expressed frustration because really what they are is rock and roll bands. And the best of it deserves to be considered among the best of rock and roll. I don’t care what you say, Cinderella? Tom Keifer’s as good a musician as anybody who’s come before or after. So to lump him in under some pejorative title, I find it insulting. And I am an artist. I am a musician. I know how it feels to be lumped into something when it might not be appropriate. So this was a deeper dive into the best of it. Now, sometimes I would go back and listen to things and go, Oh, you know what? I can kind of hear that is formulaic. Or I had to re-investigate or reconsider some things that I initially had thought about some of those bands. But for the most part, I really wanted to tell the story and honor the contributions of those people that made up the soundtrack of my life.

You’ve got a lot of interviews. How much time or (I guess) over how much of a period of time did you collect interviews and stuff for?

It was over about two years. Every time I go in and write a book, I’m working on it right now. I’ll tell my publisher, ‘Oh, yeah, it should be done by this so and so.’ And I always need an extension because what happens is once you start talking to people, new ideas percolate. And new directions reveal themselves. Fortunately, I have an amazing publisher, ECW Press, and an incredible editor who’s become a dear friend, Michael Holmes. And he is so ‘writer friendly.’ He just wants you to write the best book possible. So, if I need more time, he’ll fight for that for me, and I appreciate that.

I know you’re friends with a lot of these people like Dee Snider and that. Have you got much feedback from them regarding the book or the album?

I did. And I have to tell you, on the album not so much because really, let me just talk about the album. The album is only available through rockpapermerch.com. Yeah, I didn’t put it up for streaming. And I’m not really pushing it, and Crash Kelly isn’t really touring. But I kind of like that because the people that are seeking it out are realizing it feels kind of special. It’s something that’s not widely available, and it’s not disposable, unfortunately a lot of great music starts to feel disposable in the age of streaming. You listen to half of a new song, and you go ‘that’s cool’, and it doesn’t stick. And music like anything else – like food and art, takes time to learn to appreciate it. So, I think the people that have actually gone out and picked up the CD and dusted off their CD player I think that they appreciate it.

Yeah, well, with me, CDs are for the car, mainly. I have my vinyl downstairs. But, but yeah, there’s a lot of albums. One thing is there’s so many albums coming out nowadays, it’s tough to keep up, right?

That’s it. And because the technology is such that we can record albums more efficiently, cheaper, I think there is a bit of a glut in the market sometimes, even with bands that, you know, ‘Heritage bands’, so it’s tough. And because you have the access to it, you can flip through and, skip ahead. It’s so easy. It’s not like rewinding a cassette or having to walk over to the record player, pick up the needle, right? I think sometimes good music that normally would have really sat in the listener’s mind doesn’t get a chance to do so.

I think like when we grew up, you put on an album, you had to listen to it, because you didn’t have much else. And you listen to it over and over until a couple weeks later until you got something else. But now you can get three or four things in a day, right?

Totally. And listen, to answer the other part of your question, I had some wonderful feedback, Dee Snider reached out to me to tell me how much he loved the book and enjoyed it. And I’ve had that from a few different people who really kind of told me that. That made me feel good, because I really was writing that to honor them, and honor the artistic motivation of these people.

What’s your take on some of these, a lot of these bands are still going and some of them are kind of like getting a bit of flack, like obviously Motley Crue and a few of these bands that are still going and kind of, you know, making changes and stuff like that!? And then you have other bands that are going strong still, they’re putting out decent albums and stuff.

Yeah, honestly, I think that it’s up to the listener, but people don’t stop being creative. And that’s something that the audience sometimes needs to understand about artists, like, “why are they just putting out new music, it doesn’t sound like their old stuff, or it sounds too much like their old…” Listen, these are just people who want to create, I think it’s important. I think it keeps it fresh for artists. And it kind of re-energizes them to allow them to go and deliver those hits that people love. Yeah, that’s important. And look, at this stage of the game, for artists from the 70s and 80s, a lot of it is based on nostalgia, but it doesn’t mean that they’re not creative people. So, more power to anybody who takes a shot at it and puts something new out there. I appreciate where it’s coming from. And, it’s funny, someone was talking to me about this whole thing about bands that replace members, and when is it too much – I think if there’s some kind of officially sanctioned line to the original band, like, I just had a great chat with Pete Agnew from Nazareth. And Pete acknowledges it’s not the same game without Dan McCaffrey, or Daryl Sweet, sure, but it feels so authentic. We just played a gig with Lee Aaron with Nazareth, and it feels so authentic because it has the blessing of the original unit. Listen, Daryl Sittler doesn’t play for the Leafs, but they’re still the Toronto Maple Leafs, you know what I’m saying? It’s a franchise, and if it’s fostered and passed along with love and respect and integrity, I think it’s a great thing.

With Coney Hatch you’ve done the two live albums, and obviously a couple new tracks. (Yep) Have you guys given any thought to or are you hoping to record something new with those guys?

Absolutely, in fact, you know, I can say there’s been a couple of new things that have been worked on, and I don’t know what format that’s going to take, but you know, we’ve been in the studio and worked on a couple of things, so you never know what’s going to be coming in the future.

Lee Aaron’s another one, obviously you’re playing with Lee. And I never really got into Lee much in the 80s and early 90s, but the last four albums or so, they’re very consistent, very solid pop rock stuff…(Thanks.) Yeah, so I guess what’s your whole thing with her, like how you guys work together and, you know, she’s pretty consistent putting out albums, right?

I mean, Lee Aaron is very much the captain of the ship. But she’s also very, very open to input. We all write together as a band. At first it would be, she would co-write with when I first joined the band, co-write with me or co-write with Dave, the bass player (Dave Reimer.) But now we just all throw our best ideas into the pot, and we work on it together, and it’s been a really great experience. She’s amazing to work with, very open, very collaborative, you know, she produces a record, she’s got the direction, but very open and it’s been a really rewarding experience.

You’ve, obviously you’ve worked with a number of Canadian bands, not just Coney Hatch and Lee Aaron, but Honeymoon Suite and Helix and a few others. Do you ever have stuff where you’re writing with somebody and you think ‘this is an idea or something that would really sound great on somebody else’s thing’, you know, like you ever have kind of a conflict, I guess, of ideas?

Well, not really. I mean, I’ve never kind of come up with something and said, ‘oh I’m going to hold on to that.’ I’m not really like that. I believe in working with the artist at the time, if I’m co-writing with somebody, you know. Yeah, sometimes you bring things that you think they’re going to really love and that they’re going to be – ‘oh, this is going to be perfect, this is going to sound exactly like a vintage track of such and such artist’ and they’ll go, ‘nah, that’s not really what I want to do.’ So sometimes that’s interesting. It’s like, ‘oh okay’. But I’m always open to it. When I’m trying to help, especially when I play with a band that’s had success or a history, I’m just trying to really help them flesh out their vision.

Now you grew up on a lot of the stuff you’re actually playing in now. So what’s, I guess, your whole experience of where you are now looking back at it.. I wonder if you can talk a bit about that, like how that experience of going from being a fan to a band member.

Yeah, I always try and keep that fan alive when I’m playing with those bands, because it’s that excitement in their music that kind of drew me into a career in music. So, first of all, it’s an honor; it’s definitely a thrill. But also, I think that that renewed sense of energy helps to renew them. They start to see the influence maybe they’ve had on other people. And I think it becomes this nice transaction of energy.

Now, do you have any Canadian bands you’d still like to work with?

Ha Ha! Yeah, I want to work with everybody! I’m energized by working with people. I’ve been so lucky to get a chance to work with so many. April Wine comes to mind. I almost had a chance to work with them, but it just didn’t work out. But yeah, Kim Mitchell – that’s someone I’ve always, you know, Kim is to me, the greatest guitar player this country ever produced, so I’d love to love to work with him. You know what!? There’s so many. It’s almost too many (LOL) to think about. But I’ve been sure lucky to work with the people I have. I’ll tell you that much.

In talking with a buddy of mine we’d mention the number of bands that Spider (Sinnaeve) would show up in as bass player. So, in mentioning you he said, ‘he sounds like the Spider of Canadian guitar players.’

I don’t even close to anywhere as talented or prolific. But I’ve been very fortunate. And it’s weird how it’s worked out. Helix and Honeymoon Suite were my first concert. And I got a chance to play with both of them and write songs with both of them. I play guitar because of Twisted Sister, and I got to star in a musical with Dee. It’s kind of crazy.

You’re also doing an acoustic thing with Carl (Dixon)!?

Yep, we have a new project called ‘Northern Strum’, which is a lot of fun. I love working with Carl, and Carl and I are no stranger to the acoustic thing together. We did it for years. But this has taken on a new element and really enjoying it actually working on a couple of new arrangements right now of classic Canadian songs and having a great time with it.

Yeah, that’s just gonna be a corporate thing perhaps!?

That’s kind of the idea, right!? But, you know, we kind of take everything from an artist’s point of view – it’s always really about making something that feels artistically satisfying. And sure, we need to make a living. But wherever we go, it’s always kind of coming at it from the idea of a recording act or recording artist or from an artistic point of view. It’s never about crass commercialism. It’s always about art.

Can you tell me a bit about your own record collection? Do you still collect a lot of records?

You know what, I wouldn’t say I’m a collector, but I buy a lot of records. And I buy a lot of vinyl, just for the thrill of the ritual of taking off the shrink wrap, reading the liner notes, that was very important to me. And like everybody else, I got rid of my record collection. I had tapes, I got rid of tapes, I had CDs. And now I’m just back to vinyl. I just like the ritual of it. I get excited when I see something, maybe it was something I couldn’t afford or couldn’t find when I was a kid. And I find it now. And that’s what it’s really all about.

What are you currently listening to these days?

I just listened to – on repeat, the new Michael Schenker Group, a couple of songs with the guests. So, I was blown away with Joey Tempest from Europe and Roger Glover on “Only You Can Rock Me”. So, I’m a big UFO fan, big Schenker fan. I’ve been listening to that. I’ve been listening to Teaze. I got back into the band Teaze. I’ve been listening to Teaze ‘Tour of Japan’, great 70s Canadian rock band, who are still active. I’m trying to think what vinyl I picked up recently. I grabbed that Kiss ‘Destroyer’ Deluxe version. So, some of the demos on that. But really, – Enuff’s Enuff, Van Halen, Cheap Trick… that’s the stuff that I listen to at home. But I recently started hosting a radio show on 94.9 Rock called ‘Generation X Radio’. And I’ve been getting hip to a lot of great bands like Damn Truth and Sierra Pilot, Art Deco. So that gives me a chance to listen to brand new music. So, kind of the new interpretation by younger artists on the classic sounds that we grew up on. So that’s been great.

You’ve written a few books. Do you read much as far as rock bios?

I read tons of rock bios! I’m constantly reading them. I’m looking forward to the new Cheap Trick one that’s coming out very soon. I forget what the author’s name is, but there’s a new Cheap Trick one ‘From the Bars to Budokan’, I think it’s called. So, looking forward to that. And my buddy Robert Lawson writes some great books. I’ve just been reading his Nazareth book. His Cheap Trick book is excellent; it comes more from a listener, record collector perspective. I just read a couple of books on Power Pop, which were collections of writings by other music writers. Oh, I just read a book I have to tell you about – ‘They Just Seem A Little Weird’ by my good friend Doug Brod. It’s an amazing book that connects Kiss, Cheap Trick, Aerosmith and Stars. It’s incredible!

One last thing I want to ask you is, of your Canadian albums, can you recommend a few of your underrated Canadian bands or albums?

Oh, underrated. Okay, I’ll go Slick Toxic ‘Doing the Nasty.’ I’ll say, underrated, Big House – their self-titled album. Teaze, anything by Teaze. I really love the ‘Tour of Japan’ album because they’re playing great, they’re on fire, they’re in some place that are excited to see them. It’s a great, great record! Underrated(?)….Well, you know what, that first Kim Mitchell EP is crucial. The one with “Kids in Action”.

I remember that, that got played to death on the radio here.

Yeah, there’s bands like Refugee and Orphan and even on the New Wave side – Cats Can Fly or Images in Vogue, you know there was so much world-class music coming out of Canada. And, even on the rock side, Brighton Rock…

I’d like to see somebody do a book someday on just like the top 100 or 200 Canadian rock albums that are less than obvious.

Yeah, that’s a great idea.

LINKS:

Sean Kelly
Don’t Call It Hair Metal: Art in the Excess of ’80s Rock

https://www.dundurn.com/books_/t22117/a9781459707092-metal-on-ice

http://www.instagram.com/seankellyguitar/?hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/rushguyyyz?igsh=MXVnY2RtNHlzamh4aw==

https://www.baytoday.ca/rooted/north-bay-musician-sean-kellys-new-book-dedicated-to-80s-rock-7360305

http://www.leeaaron.com/tour/

https://www.coneyhatch.com/tourdates

CONEY HATCH to celebrate 40th anniversary of ‘Outa Hand’ album

5 Comments

CONEY HATCH will be doing a 40th anniversary show to celebrate the band’s 2nd album Outa Hand.

Released in July of 1983, Outa Hand was produced by Max Norman (Ozzy, Y & T, Ian Hunter). “First Time For Everything” was the hit single from the album, and it also featured favorites like “Don’t Say Make Me” (another track picked up by FM radio), “Some Like It Hot”, and “Shake It” (promo single & video)

*For Tickets – https://www.oakvillecentre.ca/whats-on/upcoming-events/coney-hatch/

CONEY HATCH – Carl Dixon on new live album, upcoming show, and 1982’s debut album

2 Comments
Photo– DonaaldGadziolaPhotography

This weekend CONEY HATCH will be celebrating 40 years And the release of a new live album. Postcard From Germany will be released (and available at the show) in a 2CD set, coupled with the band’s classic 1982 debut album (remastered with bonus tracks!). In a recent exchange Carl Dixon answers questions on the band’s new release, as well as their first album, and (potential) future plans. Enjoy the read, and check out the links below. Tickets for this Saturday’s show At the El Mocambo in Toronto are available here – https://www.ticketweb.ca/event/postcard-from-germany-album-release-under-the-neon-palms-at-tickets/13483218

Q: ‘Postcard From Germany‘ has been out for a while via Cleopatra, what was the reasoning for this new release (rerelease?)? 

Carl: We wanted to make a Canadian territory release similar to our early days with Anthem Records, and it’s a great opportunity to pair the most recent with our remastered debut.

So….the 40th Anniversary of the first Coney Hatch album was celebrated at the end of last year, will this celebration on the 11th be different as far as the set-list goes? 

Yes, we’ll feature material from 5 different albums, including the song Andy sings on Postcard, Heaven’s on the Other Side which we did not perform last time!

Will there be some new merch special for this occasion? (a debut album shirt Perhaps)

There is a plan in motion to do just that. The Double -CD package will be available at the show also. 

Might we get (even down the road) a full performance of the Outa Hand album? 

Ah, clever lad, you’ve anticipated our next marketing ploy

Live From Germany turned out to be an excellent live recording; has it inspired (for lack of a better word) you guys to (want to) record any future shows? (Any chance you recorded last December’s El Mo show?) 

Ummm, we haven’t thought about going to the well for more live albums, now having two, but you never know what the future holds

Being your first time playing Germany, and knowing how big of rock fans/ supporters Germans are, what was your biggest memory and lasting impression of playing that HEAT Fest in 2018?

It was most memorable to feel the audience excitement and hear them singing along. We love playing Germany and all Europe.

Both of the new tracks came out very good,  and gave us 2 memorable Coney tunes.  Were you happy with the way they turned out, the feedback, and has this planted the seed for possible new Coney Hatch in the near future?

Very happy, yes. It’s About a Girl and Heaven’s On the Other Side have pointed the way to getting more music recorded together as a band with great new guy (ha, 10 years) Sean Kelly.

All photos courtesy of Donald Gadziola

Regarding the first album…. Looking back on writing, recording – the whole experience. What is the biggest memory for you from it? And what was the biggest thing you learned from it? (being your first album) 

The biggest thing we learned from recording the first Coney Hatch album was that it’s so important to pay attention to details on every level; the lyrics, the performance, the musical parts that each musician plays, the gear you select, the setting, the scheduling, , staying healthy, even what you do at meal times! 

Do you recall how you felt about the album when it was done and released and if you (guys) felt you had something really special or something you thought might be a big success at the time? (How did you perceive it at the time) 

Kim Mitchell (producer) was very confident that it would be a success when it was done, so we took our cue from him. We felt that we had achieved our goals and even surpassed them. There was no feeling that we’d missed out or been pushed around by the label or producer.

There were a few tracks left off of ‘Coney Hatch’ , which are included as bonus tracks n this new release. And I know ‘Where I Draw The Line’ was bumped in favor of ‘Hey Operator’, but what do you recall of writing and/or recording that one (lyrical ideas), as well as ‘Dreamland’, and even ‘Sin After Sin’? 

Where I Draw the Line started as a musical jam during one of the many rehearsal/writing sessions we did on the road in the early days. I wrote a lyric for it based on my experience of leaving Montreal after being in a band there for a couple of years. Dreamland came out of my blues-rock riffing, probably influenced by Bad Company and Humble Pie, and the lyrics were based on a mix of actual dreams and some dramatic waking experiences. Sin After Sin came from Andy’s love of Judas Priest and similar heavy rock, written about a girl who’d, umm, let him down shall we say. 

Any recollections on the photo taken that ended up on the back of the debut album? (where taken, etc..)

Ha, that photo! We had a couple of photo shoots to get an album cover image, and the label guys felt we showed no “attitude” in the shots we were getting. Tom Berry (Anthem VP) decided to bring a case of beer to the next attempt, and the results were considerably loosened up this time. What they chose from that day was a picture of four semi-pickled young musicians each about four beers in…

Any Coney plans for 2024 – as far as any reissues, archived releases (thinking Cleveland 1982), major festivals, ….? 

Wow, Kreskin, again with the anticipating! Yes, we are looking at Cleveland’82 as one option and some other products to release through Anthem, the record label name we are happily reunited with (even if it’s none of the same people). Some rumblings also of a new album if there is deemed to be sufficient interest from the public. Two European dates on the calendar for next October: Firefest in Manchester and Bully on Rock in France. hoping for more to come in over there!

LINKS:

http://www.coneyhatch.com

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063052548185

http://www.carldixon.ca

https://www.instagram.com/rushguyyyz/ (Donald Gadziola Photography)

CONEY HATCH to celebrate 40 Years, Issue special 2CD set

Leave a comment



CELEBRATE 40 YEARS WITH LIVE SHOW IN TORONTO ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH

 Coney Hatch, one of Canada’s iconic rock bands will release a live album titled Postcard From Germany via Anthem Records on Friday, November 10th.  In celebration of this release, Coney Hatch will perform their final live performance of 2023 at the famed El Mocambo in Toronto on Saturday, November 11th.

“We’ve been halfway around the world this summer with shows at Sweden Rock and Hamburg, Germany,” says singer/bassist Andy Curran. “So returning to the El Mocambo is a special homecoming for us. We love playing in Toronto, it’s where we began this ride, and it’s a perfect time to celebrate 40 years together.”


Recorded on December 12, 2018 at HEAT Festival in Ludwigsburg, Postcard from Germany is a live recording of Coney Hatch’s 1st-ever live show in Germany. Comprised of a double CD, in addition to Postcard from Germany, 2 new songs will be included, as well as a remastered version of Coney Hatch’s classic self-titled debut – which will include 3 ‘bonus’ tracks from that period (“Dreamland”, “Where I Draw The Line”, and “Sin After Sin” (demo).

The album can be purchased via the following link:  https://lnk.to/CH2CD

“It was our very first time in Germany and the show was electric,” recalls Curran. “It was full on combat rock!!! We flew many hours to get there and quickly settled in with German beers and Schnitzel. The final results were more raw and in your face compared to previous live recordings. We also included more songs from our ‘Friction’ record in that set list”.

Postcard from Germany features almost all of the expected Coney classics “Devil’s Deck”, “Monkey Bars” and “Stand Up” as well as two newly-recorded studio tunes ‘It’s About A Girl” and “Heaven’s on the Other Side”.

“This album has a different set list from the ‘Live at the El Mocambo’ record, plus two new studio tracks we recorded over Covid. I produced those two new songs and it marks the first time guitarist Sean Kelly has been involved with recording of new Hatch songs. Sean stepped in to the lead guitar role in 2014 and we’re proud to have him.” 

In addition to Curran and Kelly, the group also includes original members lead vocalist/guitarist Carl Dixon and drummer Dave Ketchum.

Regarding the two new tracks, the band was willing to give background info about each. Curran: “‘Heaven’s On the Other Side’ was written around the time we recorded ‘Coney Hatch Four,’ and we finally got around to finishing it during the lockdown. The message is simple…keep the faith and trudge on through the bad times because the good times are always just around the corner. I also felt I was long overdue to write another song about the devil!!”

Dixon: “I had an idea driving ‘It’s About a Girl’; women are wonderful, women got the power, women gave every one of us our life. We men will do anything to get their attention. It’s Always About A Girl.”

Along with the ripping live set recording, and 2 new unreleased tracks, ‘Postcard From Germany’ album will be bundled with a remastered edition of the band’s iconic debut record CONEY HATCH, produced by Canada’s favorite vocalist/guitarist Kim Mitchell. 

This special edition 2 disc CD will only be available for purchase at the band’s live show and at your favorite local record stores.

Tickets and VIP M&G’s to the Toronto show are on sale now and can be purchased here: https://www.ticketweb.ca/event/postcard-from-germany-album-release-under-the-neon-palms-at-tickets/13483218

LINKS:

http://www.coneyhatch.com

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063052548185

https://www.instagram.com/coneyhatchmusic/?hl=en

Coney Hatch

CONEY HATCH – Postcard from Germany (a review)

1 Comment

Recorded in 2018, Postcard From Germany was kept in the can for a few years, and is being released this week. It follows the recording & release of Live At The El Mocambo (2020/21). Postcard From Germany was recorded at the HEAT Festival, in Ludwigsburg, consisting of 13 songs. BUT, a few interesting things that make this a ‘must have’ for Coney fans. First, the set-list does differ from the El Mocambo show, with an emphasis on the band’s 3rd album Friction. That album was a big hit over there, so this set includes 5 cuts from it. The show sounds energetic, and the Friction tunes (with Dave Ketchum on drums, who wasn’t on that album), as well as with then-new guitarist Sean Kelly, and minus the keyboards(!) they rock a bit more (IMO). The band’s other albums are all represented, though there’s the glaring omission of “Hey Operator” – which was not performed that night (for whatever reason, really!?). The band gets a nice intro in German (their first time in Germany), and seem to have enjoyed themselves. But this album has the added bonus of including 2 new studio tracks, the first Coney Hatch tunes to feature Sean Kelly, and finished around the time of the El Mocambo show in 2020. “It’s About A Girl” has already been released as a (digital) single and video, a fun pop-rocker from Carl Dixon, with a catchy chorus; a song that could’ve been a major hit … in another time. The other new track features Andy Curran on vocals, “Heaven’s On The Other Side” is a heavier rock tune, the intro reminds me of “Boys Club” (from CH Four), lots of cool guitar throughout this; old school Coney fans will dig this one!

*Find this on Amazon or get the limited signed copies from Cleopatra > https://cleorecs.com/store/shop/coney-hatch-postcard-from-germany-cd/

*There is an Album Release bash/show for Postcard From Germany September 22 at the El Mocambo

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063052548185