David Gogo: Old Soul-Bender

David Gogo: Still Has it Going on  

by Christine Leonard

29 September 2017

It’s not hard to tease a tantalizing tale out of David Gogo. The renowned Canadian blues guitarist has seen enough of the world from both sides of the curtain to bend your ear for more than an evening’s worth of fat-chewin’ entertainment.

It only makes sense that the charismatic bandleader spreads his talents as widely as possible. It’s a chore he makes tidy work of dividing his time between performing with his three geocentric bands and taking his storytelling to the stage as the consummate singer/songwriter soloist. 

“I just had the tunes cranked. That’s what I do,” Gogo begins. “There’s basically two things that I do. When I play with my band, and I actually have three different bands – a band in B.C., a band in Ottawa, and a band in Holland – that’s the basis of what I’m best known for, but I also do solo acoustic shows. When a lot of artists do their unplugged shows it’s basically the same songs, but without the band. When I do my acoustic show it’s completely different.” 

Whether he’s performing his latest compositions or paying tribute to the history of the art form, Gogo’s reverence for the past remains a constant in his exploration of guitar virtuosity, as demonstrated on his most recent LP, the gritty Vicksburg Call (2015). This balance of playful innovation and respect for what has come before is also reflected in the way he presents them to his audience. 

“When I do the acoustic show the two instruments I play are a 1930 National steel guitar, like a resonator instrument, then I have an old Gibson that was built somewhere in the late teens or early ’20s of the last century. So, that’s much more of traditional blues and roots sound; I do a lot of storytelling during that show,” Gogo elaborates.

“So, if I’m going to tell a story about hanging out with Buddy Guy or B.B. King, it’s easier to do [so] in front of a crowd that’s not distracted. But then when I play with my band we rock out a lot more, and it’s all electric instruments. I think out of the 14 albums I’ve made two of them are acoustic and a dozen were electric. I really like to rock out and crank up the old Les Paul guitar through the Marshall and get that going!” 

Looking back at his own road to professional musicianship, Gogo recognizes how fortunate he was to encounter the many personalities who encouraged him early on in his artistic career. It’s a legacy he hopes to perpetuate and celebrate as he prepares to bring his electrified blues-rock back to some of his favourite western Canadian haunts.  

“I try to remember how kind a lot of the musicians were to me when I was a young person. People like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Albert Collins were very encouraging to me and just were fantastic. I think about it now, and I must have been a real pain in the ass, but they kind of accepted me and let me hang out with them. So, I try to return that favour. For 14 years I was involved in a Blues Camp that made music on Hornby Island; there was a lot of mentoring and not just that, but seeing people who’ve gone from being students to becoming professional musicians, [Edmonton’s so-called ‘Queen of the Swamp Blues’] Kat Danser being one of them. It feels good to be able to give back whatever you can.” 

David Gogo performs October 5 (with his band) at Ironwood (Calgary) and October 6 and 7 at Shakers Road House (Edmonton).

The New Pornographers: Unconditional Supergroup

The New Pornographers: Life Imitates Art

by Christine Leonard

22 September 2017

Orchestrating the polyphonic activities of the Vancouver-spawned supergroup known as The New Pornographers for over a decade and a half has given singer-songwriter/guitarist A.C. Newman a certain knack for capturing a musical snapshot of a moment in time and preserving its essence like an insect suspended in amber. Recently, when tasked with pulling together a cohesive sting on compositions for the band’s ongoing tour, Newman discovered that skimming through a scrapbook of past recordings unlocked the sweetest of memories. Those that have yet to be made.

“We always try and mix it up, it’s just about the math of how we’re going to split up songs, which takes a while cuz at the beginning of a tour because you’re just sort of guessing what the set will be,” says Newman.

“I feel like these days, we’re trying harder, especially on this record and Brill Bruisers (2014). It was the first time where we said, ‘Let’s go out there on stage and just try to be as close to our albums as possible.’ Whereas before that I think we were a little more lackadaisical about it, now we’re slightly more disciplined and it’s cool to go out there and go like, ‘Okay what you hear on the record – We’re going to try to do that live.’”

Thus far the popular response to conductor Newman’s dynamic, high-fidelity approach with Whiteout Conditions has been overwhelmingly positive. After all, what better way to secure affections of a new generation of listeners than by fulfilling every frustrated delinquent’s wildest fantasy and running amok in the hallowed halls of education? John Hughes would applaud the scorching adolescent angst vented in The New Pornographers’ video for their latest runaway single “High Ticket Attractions.”

“We were just talking to directors and Dan Huiting said ‘Okay, I know of a high school that’s slated for demolition and I think I could destroy it.’ And I said, ‘Let’s do that.’ The cool thing is that what makes that video look so high budget. It was real, filmed destruction! I made a couple of contributions to the video; I wanted the kids to have medieval weapons and I wanted a flaming motorcycle and after that, I was just, ‘Do what you want!’”

Ordering up battle-axes and stuntmen on a whim may seem out of character for a thoughtful alt-rock troubadour who has coaxed so many to crash on the floor, or psychiatrist’s couch, of his well-appointed artist’s studio. But truth be told, Newman has always had his eye on the prize, it’s just that the prize in question has gradually gotten a lot more impressive.

“We just did The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and every time I’m in those situations there’s always that feeling of, ‘Holy shit. How did I get here?’ It’s almost like the nightmare where somebody throws you into a situation that you’re not ready for. But before we ever did TV I use to think, ‘Can you imagine? What else it there? That’d be the coolest thing in the world to ever experience that – to be a band that performs on a late-night TV show!’ And then it just becomes this weird thing where it becomes our reality. And it’s always surreal, and it’s fun, but there is an element of that nightmare scenario where you’re like ‘Oh my God. I’ve got to go play my song in front of a million people and I can’t fuck it up!’ It’s like child is the father of the man.

The New Pornographers perform with Born Ruffians at The Commodore on September 29.

Yawning Man: And the Revolt Against Tired Noises

Yawning Man: And the Never-Ending Battle with Boredom

by Christine Leonard

14 September 2017

Waging a never-ending war on boredom, the lumbering Californian desert rock entity known as Yawning Man dates back to the golden era of the psych-rock fringe when the likes of Brant Bjork, John Garcia and Josh Homme caught wind of their free-wheeling space rock ways. From pulling off clandestine generator parties for a few friends the desert back in the mid-80s to performing in front of thousands of devoted fans at venues around the globe, founding guitarist Gary Arce has never forgotten the desolate internal and external landscapes that informed his early years.

“I actually lived at the Salton Sea, and believe me, the Salton Sea is not that romantic!” Arce recalls with a chuckle.

“I used to live near there, I grew up in the Palm Desert also known as the Low Desert. The place is a running joke with locals; cuz tourists would go there and find just a toxic puddle with dead fish on the shore everywhere. I just remember going there and walking along the shore thousands of dead fish and meth heads walking streets like the walking dead. In between where I lived and Mexican border, there was this weird culture of illegal immigrants mixed with meth heads mixed with dead fish.”

These days Arce is looking forward to hopping the border together with the band’s original bassist Mario Lalli and their 2014 addition known as drummer Bill Stinson, as Yawning Man prepares to bring their ponderous machinations to Canada for the second time in recent memory. Having fallen under the thrall of the land of ice and snow at last April’s 420 Music and Arts Festival in Calgary, the sidewinding trio is set for autumnal return, but this time as headliners.

“I’ve toured all over the world and I love Canada. It’s so beautiful and breathtaking and the people are super sweet and it’s just a rad place. This tour we really wanted to go back there, so we asked the agency for that to happen. This time we’re going as a headlining band and it’s our first time going out on our own!”

Hard to believe for a band that’s had such a lengthy and influential run. Although admittedly inconsistent, Yawning Man’s discography has attracted ample attention and garnered them many comparisons to other so-called stoner rock acts, although he understandably shirks that unimaginative label.

“I’m excited and I’m just hoping that people come out to see us because we get type-cast into this weird metal-desert-rock thing like Kyuss and all those bands.

And yeah, we’re from the same town as Kyuss and we’re friends with all those bands, but we are nothing like Kyuss. And I think hopefully people will start to realize that we are our own band.

We’ve never followed trends. Never tried to be metal or this or that. We’ve just done our own thing.”

Sighting the work-ethic and nonconformity of his favourite punk acts for a point of reference amidst the ever-shifting sands of public opinion, construction-worker-by-day Arce’s primal howl dredges up the heart of darkness from the bottom of the Salton Sea.

“Music for me is like another job; I do have a hardcore job. I do concrete and construction and I have to have a side of me where I’m mellow and I do love ambient dark music. I’ve always found something in it that’s mysterious and innocent. I’ve always been into that kind of sound.” 

Known for his ability to take a simple musical phrase and spin it out into an epic multihued shamanic yarn, Arce has come to realize the importance of channeling his creative impulses into increasingly defined forms. Edging away from amorphous compositions like those found on their foundational albums Rock Formations (2005) and Vista Point (2007), the threesome’s newest constructs refer to a predetermined set of musical blueprints.

“I started all these projects,” Arce explains.

“I’d call up all these friends and go ‘Hey, dudes let’s drink beer and jam!’ We’d take the best of improvised jams and make a record. It got to the point where all of the recordings I was doing were all fuckin’ jammie with no song structure and that started to get boring for me. I was under the gun and I just stopped. I told myself Yawning Man was one band where I couldn’t afford that attitude of just working off-the-cuff. Mario has moved and now he lives right near me, so we have closed the distance. We’re starting to get focused and write more structured songs, coming up with riffs and going back and forth and playing it until we both think it’s cool enough to keep.”

He concludes honestly, “I’m kind of a dick about the beats being a certain way. I always tell our drummer ‘Don’t play a silly four-four beat. Give me something different that fits, don’t play a dumbass rock beat over again!’ cuz I’ll get bored and once I get bored I get lazy and lose interest.” 

Yawning Man performs September 21 at the Palomino Smokehouse & Bar (Calgary) and September 23 at the Starlite Room(Edmonton). 

Mammoth Groove cultivates mammoth-sized grooves!

Calgary Beat: Mammoth Grove

by Christine Leonard
14 September 2017

September’s back-to-school regime is a questionably welcome event, but for Calgary students-of-life Mammoth Grove the requisite first essay question of ‘How I spent my summer vacation?’ is one worth crowing about. While others spent their dog days mowing lawns and painting fences, Mammoth Grove has been growing its fuzzy beard, working on its psychedelic moontan and observing the migratory behaviour of the Cowtown concertgoer.  

“In my experience music has been one of the most consistent, most enjoyable, most beneficial ways to make a living,” extolls lead singer-guitarist Devan Forster of his summer employment of choice. “I have a pretty hard time sticking through things I don’t care about, don’t believe in and don’t want to be a part of, which how I’ve felt about most jobs in the past. So music has been great, especially recently I’ve been jamming a lot. I’ve been downtown playing gigs, solo shows, open mics and just being out there and it’s working really well.” 

Catching the waves of humanity that wash across the core throughout July and August, Forster (who also performs solo under the name Silver Moss) has had ample opportunity to exercise his mind, polish his craft and gain a more fulsome understanding of the relationship between performer and audience. 

“I was out a lot for Stampede which is great, of course. Happy, smiley, drunk people everywhere. I was playing outside of the gates of the [Calgary International] Blues Festival as everyone filtered out and the middle-aged crowd was having a lot of fun. I’ve never been offered more joints, roaches, doobies, piece of hash, one-hitters. Mom and Dad like to have a good time out! On the train ride home afterward I had the entire car singing along to “I Won’t Back Down” on the Green Line. What can I say? Tom Petty’s been a gold nugget for me.” 

Sure he gets plenty of requests for CCR, Neil Young and Steve Miller, but it’s Petty who’s illuminated Forster’s quest for authenticity and self-awareness. By his estimation, it’s not just looking the part and delivering the goods, but bridging the gap between generations while exuding a signature sound that is entirely unique. 

“I play very few covers, I don’t really know many at all,” explains Forster.

“Right now the point of busking for me is to try out all these new songs I’ve been writing. And I’ve been writing lots! Mammoth Grove has this massive back catalog that we want to record and do stuff with, but we’re just kind of relaxing right now. After we went toured out to B.C. in May we figured let’s do our own things and enjoy the summer by soaking it up on the coast and playing on the streets back home.” 

Although this post-tour summer hiatus has been the longest of their collaboration, Mammoth Grove has been busily cultivating all of the elements necessary to flourish throughout the dark, cold winter months. Bound with wood, wire and an unquenchable thirst for beauty, Forster’s methods and approach have only grown stronger thanks to weeks spent pounding the pavement during his 21st-century troubadour bootcamp. 

“The biggest thing for me was just getting over that initial fear of busking. I was scared and I was nervous, but now I’m really into being able to rely on my voice and guitar," he continues.

"Mammoth Grove is always electric, but this summer I’ve been really only playing acoustic because it’s lighter to carry around. So, that definitely changes the sound and dynamic and everything about it. I’m really focusing on simple songwriting. I’ve noticed while busking that people connect with your voice way more than your guitar. I’ve been working on my vocal technique and range and it feels great to be confident in just what I am right here and now. ‘Blam!’ Until recently I felt like I had to be the singer, now I feel like I get to be.” 

Mammoth Grove performs September 21st with Yawning Man and Alex Perrez & The Rising Tide at The Palomino Smokehouse & Bar (Calgary). 

2/3 of Nothing: Punk on the Rocks

2/3 of Nothing:
Please Enjoy Responsibly! 

by Christine Leonard

9 September 2017

Hindsight may be 20/20, but that doesn’t mean you don’t gain a lot of clarity by going through that shit the first time around. For Calgary-based hardcore rock outfit 2/3 of Nothing the gravelly road to rock ‘n’ roll notoriety represented a tough age for the band who spent four years slogging it out in the pit before hanging up their gloves.

“Back in 1997, the jam space smelled like beer, cigarettes and pee. We didn’t take ourselves or our music seriously. It was more about hanging out and having an excuse to party. All of the songs were written under the influence so they could be played under the influence,” confirms guitarist Mike Davies.

That pattern of self-immolation started to take its toll and Davies was ready to take a step back from the proverbial canvas at that point. And he wasn’t alone.

“With so many conflicting drugs-of-choice, ego being one of them, infighting and addiction shortened the life of the band and we broke up in 2001,” fellow founding guitarist Trevor Lagler explains.

“Fast-forward to 2015, with several years of recovery under our belts, and Davies and I rekindled our friendship, which inevitably led to a discussion about putting the band back together. We wanted to go into the studio and record our lost songs.”

Recovery is a loaded term for 2/3 of Nothing, as the group may have distanced themselves from those negative habits and attitudes, but the goal of writing and performing riveting punk and metal-tinged tunes continues to be a shared obsession. Salvaging their friendships was the easiest part of the equation, according to Lagler; he credits the band’s comradery and willingness to laugh at themselves as being essential to the process of going back to the drawing board and drafting the plans for the future. Fortunately, the passage of time had not diminished their instrumental or songwriting talents and only served to amplify them.

“Dave (Countryman) is one of the most solid and under-rated bassists playing in the local scene,” confirms Lagler.

“He and Mike Davies go all the way back to the mid-80s; they co-wrote and arranged all of the band’s original songs. Mike is considered to be one of the best punk rock guitar players in Calgary and his level of experience, sense of humor, and personality help to keep things in the band light, and fun, which is one of the main focuses of this project.”

With that promise of keeping things pleasant and clearheaded, Lagler and Davies had little trouble roping Countryman and (recently retired) drummer Rich Johnson into their idea for a proper 2/3 of Nothing reunion.

“When the four of us got back together we discovered a different energy and perspective,” recalls Countryman.

“We were playing together again because we love each other and we enjoy playing as a band. Total 180-degree turn. This time we had an opportunity to grow the music as a brand and put some pride into it. We’re now coming from a place of humility, and just having fun. This album, we’ve created together, is called The High Cost of Low Living. It’s a historical record of the band and it is everything that has come before, with our new perspective stamped on it.” 

There’s nothing more empowering than an unclouded mind and a fresh mouth. For these Calgary rock vets that’s just two-thirds of the big picture.

“My lyrics range from taking the piss out of everyday mundane situations (from a very tongue in cheek perspective) to the more serious subject like life and addiction. Basically, we have serious songs and seriously silly songs. It’s all about maintaining balance,” says Lagler.

“Recording this album means finally tying up loose ends that are decades old. We are intensely proud of this accomplishment because this was the reason we got back together. People can expect us to be loud, tight, make jokes at our own expense and play some kick-ass punk rock ‘n’ roll music!” 

2/3 of Nothing celebrate their album release September 16 with headliners Gaytheist and Solid Brown at The Palomino Smokehouse & Bar (Calgary).  You can listen to the record online at https://twothirdsofnothing.bandcamp.com/.