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Favorite Canadian Band/Solo Artist?

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Canada has a lot of hidden gems when it comes to music and movies. The Canadian music scene was my first foray into seeing live concerts. And the first live band I saw has remained my favorite Canadian band, and that band is The Headstones. A couple of lads from Kingston. From the start they've been a take-no-prisoners, hard-as-nails, spit-in-your-face, rock and roll club band. No matter how big they get I get the feeling they will always be a club band, playing small club venues like Barrymore's and the like (where I first saw them) and I get the feeling that's how they like it, which is part of why I love them so much. They broke up a few years ago, I suspect because of front man Hugh Dillon's substance abuse problems. The day I heard they split up was a sad, sad day for me. Dillon subsequently straightened up, sobered up, and got his shit together so to speak. He started a solo project which was a completely different direction from the Headstones (I was not too fond of his solo stuff, and I was worried that a sober Hugh Dillon was a "softer, fluffier" Hugh Dillon), he also pursued his acting career, simultaneously starring in two highly acclaimed police dramas (Flashpoint and Durham County....two really great shows and Canadian tv at it's best if you ask me). Earlier this year my dreams came true, it was announced on Dillon's facebook page that the Headstones were reuniting for a short tour of Toronto, St Catharines and London, ON. And recently a new Headstones website has sprung up, and there is talk of new material...I am on cloud nine! Sadly I was not able to make it to any of their three reunion shows, but some youtube clips such as these prove that my reservations about Hugh Dillon's change in musical direction were premature, they still fuckin' got it!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mxYXIdTCMI

 

How about you guys? Who is your favorite Canadian artist and what part has Canadian music played in your life?

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I've been a fan of a lot of Canadian acts. Early Tea Party comes to mind. Lately, I've been listening to some Art of Dying out of Vancouver. Canada produces a lot of excellent indie and alternative rock, stuff we'd probably never hear if it weren't for the internet.

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I've been a fan of a lot of Canadian acts. Early Tea Party comes to mind. Lately, I've been listening to some Art of Dying out of Vancouver. Canada produces a lot of excellent indie and alternative rock, stuff we'd probably never hear if it weren't for the internet.

 

Yup I agree with you about early Tea Party stuff. I've seen them a few times, they got some brilliant stuff.

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Being a boy born and raised in Southwestern Ontario and being a teenager in the 70's, there was only one band from the area that made an impact... and that was MAX WEBSTER! No idea why they didn't make it bigger, especially in the States or even here.... Kim Mitchell was and is a genius, the band in and of itself was tight, professional and fun. Their stuff was the music of summertime.... I keep going back to "A Million Vacations" (dedicated to party summers at Grand Bend), High Class in Borrowed Shoes, Paradise Skies and then to Kim Mitchell`s solo stuff like `Go for Soda`, `Patio Lanterns`and Easy to Tame....

 

I still listen to it....

 

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over the year (a lot of year) I have heard a lot of really good canadian bands ... but aside from the realy famous .. the indy band I can't get enough of is "Great Lake Swimmers"

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That is so hard to pick a favourite. All the ones metioned I have fond memories of. Yet there is so much good current music too.

Lasting impressions though are of Dandy Bat who we used to see at the Edgewater in Montreal in the 70's and the Kitsilano Kat Kickers from Vancouver in the early 80's who left me with a love of The Hot Club Of France and Reinhardt/Grapelli.

The Band, Young, Hip, Odds, Rogers, McMster, lang, Beth Ferguson, it just goes on and on.

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obviously cause withiout saying RUSH.i also really love triumph, april wine and honeymoon suite.

 

as far as solo acts, one of the best female voice around Amanda Marshall.

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Too many to name, but here of some of my favourites (mostly from the past):

 

April Wine

Bachman Turner Overdrive

Tom Cochrane

The Guess Who

Great Big Sea

Jeff Healey

Kim Mitchell

The Headpins

Lee Aaron

Liona Boyd

Goddo

Neil Young

Bryan Adams

Honeymoon Suite

Jann Arden

JW Jones

Loverboy

Amanda Marshall

Sass Jordan

Saga

Frank Marino (Mahogany Rush)

Nickelback

The Band

Big Sugar

Powder Blues Band

Crowbar

Steppenwolf

Tragically Hip

Celine Dion

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Being a boy born and raised in Southwestern Ontario and being a teenager in the 70's, there was only one band from the area that made an impact... and that was MAX WEBSTER! No idea why they didn't make it bigger, especially in the States or even here.... Kim Mitchell was and is a genius, the band in and of itself was tight, professional and fun. Their stuff was the music of summertime.... I keep going back to "A Million Vacations" (dedicated to party summers at Grand Bend), High Class in Borrowed Shoes, Paradise Skies and then to Kim Mitchell`s solo stuff like `Go for Soda`, `Patio Lanterns`and Easy to Tame....

 

Ditto on that.

Saw both bands several times around Peterborough.

Kim M , Guitar Master. tasty and powerful.

My fave track...All We Are

 

obviously cause withiout saying RUSH.

as far as solo acts, one of the best female voice around Amanda Marshall.

 

Ditto on that too!

 

RUSH...three outstanding musicians in one band.

Fave track, Time Stands Still

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First live concert I ever went to was Burton Cummings - 32 years ago.

 

Jeff Healy is awesome. What a voice!

 

I really like Blue Rodeo, although I don't listen to them often.

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Being a boy born and raised in Southwestern Ontario and being a teenager in the 70's, there was only one band from the area that made an impact... and that was MAX WEBSTER! No idea why they didn't make it bigger, especially in the States or even here.... Kim Mitchell was and is a genius, the band in and of itself was tight, professional and fun. Their stuff was the music of summertime.... I keep going back to "A Million Vacations" (dedicated to party summers at Grand Bend), High Class in Borrowed Shoes, Paradise Skies and then to Kim Mitchell`s solo stuff like `Go for Soda`, `Patio Lanterns`and Easy to Tame....

 

I still listen to it....

 

 

The first time I saw Max Webster was at the old High School of Commerce at Gladstone and Booth. The year was 1978 and I was thin and gorgeous. My mom didn't like me wearing platform shoes, so I used to borrow my friends. I met one of my best friends (to this day we are still friends) in the washroom.

 

I guess you could say I was pretending to be high class in borrowed shoes. snark snark!

 

For you, OD:

 

 

 

 

102_5365-1-3.jpg

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There are soooo many great Canadian bands out there, who are for the most-part unheard of. It's unfortunate because there are some incredible bands making really great music.

 

My favourites are:

The Weakerthans (my all-time favourite band)

Constantines

Hey Rosetta!

Slowcoaster

City and Colour

Propaghandi

Tegan and Sara

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Lots more to choose from...

 

The 60s and 70s:

 

Edward Bear

Neil Young

Terry Jacks

Susan Jacks

Lighthouse

The Poppy Family

Joni Mitchell

David Clayton Thomas

Valdy

Buffy Ste Marie

Saga

Trooper

Harlequin

Prism

Chilliwack

Major Hoople's Boarding House

Fludd

Andy Kim

Patsy Gallant

Bruce Cockburn

Dan Hill

Murray McLauchlan

Triumph

Streetheart

Red Rider

FM featuring Nash the Slash

Cano

 

The 80's?

 

The Payolas

Images in Vogue

Platinum Blonde

Loverboy

Toronto

The Headpins

BB Gabor

The Spoons

Strange Advance

Skinny Puppy

Men Without Hats

Bryan Adams

The Kings

Gino Vanelli

Frozen Ghost

Northern Pikes

Sheriff

Glass Tiger

Corey Hart

Colin James

Luba

Parachute club

the Pukka Orchestra

54-40

Gowan

Zappacosta

Wall of Voodoo

Allanah Myles

Aldo Nova

The Pursuit of Happiness

Lisa Dalbello

Carol Pope and Rough Trade

Martha and the Muffins

Liberty Silver

The Box

The Arrows

Boys Brigade

Teenage Head

 

(okay, I did have a record store when I was a kid....)

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I've been a fan of a lot of Canadian acts. Early Tea Party comes to mind. Lately, I've been listening to some Art of Dying out of Vancouver. Canada produces a lot of excellent indie and alternative rock, stuff we'd probably never hear if it weren't for the internet.

I agree, early Tea Party rocked...

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Hoo boy, I have a feeling my list is gonna be long!

 

Teenage Head

Personality Crisis

Dayglo Abortions

DOA

SNFU

The Unwanted

The Headstones

The Tragically Hip

RAZOR

Sacrifice

Slaughter (not the glam rock slaughter the ass kickers from ontario!)

Propagandhi

Ab Irato

Cryptopsy

Into Eternity

3 Inches Of Blood

Rush

Annihilator

Inepsy

Comeback Kid

Skullfist

Diemonds

The Black Halos

 

I'll probably think of more later...

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Tea Party

Tragically Hip

Deadmau5

Matt Good (prefer his solo stuff, but also liked Matthew Good Band)

Hot Hot Heat (used to party with them before they hit it big)

Armchair Cynics (also used to party with them before they got big)

Alexisonfire

Rush

Loreena McKennitt

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I'll add a few more, and yes, some have already been mentioned

Stampeders

BTO

Randy Bachman

Farmers Daughter

Terri Clark

Shania Twain

Prairie Oyster

Bryan Adams

Just a few more added to the list

RG

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