In these times of polarized opinions, the idea of compromise seems out of step with the current political mood. As I was going over the back catalogue, I listened to one of my older songs that railed against the idea of bland middle-of-the-roadness.

What was I thinking?

Given the real risks of unfettered power in the (tiny) hands of an egomaniacal sociopath and his sycophants, the idea of boring mediocrity now seems quaintly appealing. I guess the moral is be careful what you wish for.

Regardless, for your analysis and listening pleasure, here is Happy Medium.

Happy Medium ©2013 R. Pelletier/Félix and the Cats

Verse 1
Is it a race to the bottom
Or a float to the top?
As long as I keep going
Why should it ever stop
I keep thinking in the box
Matching up my socks
Synchronize my clocks
Diversify my stocks

Chorus
I should not complain about the tedium
If I’ve settled for the happy medium

Verse 2
I like it in the middle
And that’s where I stay
It’s not that I don’t care
But not enough to sway
I keep sitting on the fence
Avoiding all suspense
Never cause offence
It’s just common sense

Chorus
I should not complain about the tedium
If I’ve settled for the happy medium

Instrumental

Verse 3
If I start a revolution
I’ll keep it in my mind
I know it’s no solution
I’m not the fighting kind
I won’t take a stand
Sitting on my hands
My head in the sand
I’d rather keep it bland

Chorus
I should not complain about the tedium
If I’ve settled for the happy medium
I should not complain about the tedium
If I’ve settled for the happy medium

That said, be well, really!

Just a short one this week…

A big thanks to fans, friends and family (Venn diagram at will) that came out to the Salty Dog last night. It was our first time there, and we hope not the last. The band loved the room. We were well treated (thanks Danny!) and played to our appreciative 3F base and an attentive local audience, the latter having never heard us before, or the songs since we are cover-free. We will let you know as soon as we book our next show there.

In the meantime, here is a taste of the evening: a live (meaning the odd off-note) rendition of Difficult People. The psychedelic drone for the intro was done using an E Bow through a looping pedal and assorted delay pedals.

Until next week, be well!

This past Thursday, I trekked out to Port Credit’s Door FiftyFive club (thank you GO Transit!) to catch a few sets by The Arsenals. I had personal reasons to finally catch this group play, which will become obvious when I talk about the band members. Regardless, I was not disappointed, in fact, this is one of the most fun bands I have heard, and seen, in a long time.

The first set opened with a few warmup instrumentals that featured guitarist (and Juno nominated recording engineer) Shane “Shaky J” Forrest, but as soon as everyone had arrived, the show began in earnest. The band takes you through quick and entertaining evolution of Caribbean music — Calypso, Mento, Rocksteady, Ska, and Reggae — explaining and energetically demonstrating each of these forms. Still, don’t believe the band is locked in to one genre, as the surprise at the end of set one demonstrates. I won’t spoil it for you.

I could not stay for the full second set, regretfully having to catch the last train back, but the band came back even more energized, and featured in particular multi-Juno and Canadian Reggae Music Awards winner Sonia Collymore on vocals. That alone would make the band worth catching.

Up front as well is Dizzy Minott, on trombone, vocals and unquestionably the band leader. Dizzy drives the whole group forward, with energy and humour but also a deep commitment to his craft and a love of what he does. On dual Yamaha keyboards, journeyman player and producer Dwight “Duke” Dawes tastefully incorporated the Bang, fills and bubble plus backup vocals without things sounding crowded and overly busy.

Of course, it would not be Ska (or Reggae) without a solid rhythm section. Ian Green on drums has an unusual drumming style (left hand for hi-hat, right for snare on a standard right-handed kit), but that doesn’t seem to do anything but improve his incredible timing and amazing fills.

NeMo on bass, yes FatC’s own, is solid and looks like he loves every second of the show. I cannot for a moment begrudge him playing with “that other” band.

For sure, The Arsenals would be my first choice entertainment for any party I would be having.

Here is a clip from a show a while back at the Orbit Room.

Félix and the Cats are not a Ska band, but there is one song in the repertoire that comes close to the feel, so I present a ROUGH demo to you as an homage to musicians who do it much better! No real drummer was harmed in the making of it — only Garageband loops. But you can be the best judge of that if you come to see us this Saturday at the Salty Dog, 1980 Queen Street East, Toronto. The show starts at 9 PM.

Cheaper Than Golf ©2015 R. Pelletier/Félix and the Cats

Verse 1
I have a confession
A problem I must own
It is an obsession
That I can’t leave alone
This need for expression
From which I can’t abstain
It begs for the question
Am I really sane

Chorus
Can’t let it go
It’s got a hold on me
Can’t let it go
It will not let me be
Can’t get enough
It’s all I’m looking for
Can’t get enough
I always crave for more

Verse 2
All my time and energy
In pursuit of illusion
I neglect responsibilities
Is it a delusion?

Chorus

Solo over verse

Chorus

Verse 3
“Cheaper than golf” I say
That is my rational
Although it drives me crazy
It’s good for my morale

Chorus Out

Until next week, be well!

Happy New Year, readers! Very happy to see the back end of 2016. Let’s hope for better events in 2017, US politics notwithstanding.

First some great gig-oriented news: the new year is looking good with shows lined up perhaps every month until April, with appearances at the Salty Dog, Saturday, January 14, the Amsterdam Bicycle Club, Saturday February 11, the Linsmore, Tuesday, March 14, and Relish, Saturday April 22. Details are in the sidebar. My new 2017 poster is on the left. The Salty Dog is a new venue for FatC, and we want to make a good impression, so we hope a lot of you can be there. The show starts at 9 — really!

Promo done, here is this week’s topic: pedal boards. Non-musicians are free to tune out at this point…

I wrote a bit on gear quite a while back, and even included a shot of some of the equipment in the ManCave. Included was the PedalBoard Jr, on the left below. Over the last week, I put in some upgrades, and it now looks like the version on the right.

version 1: a Mooer micro-flanger is partially cut off on the left.

version 2

I really have liked the smaller of my pedalboards for portability and a minimal stage footprint. I have recently started using a looper for live shows (hopefully tastefully), and added a second delay, so I had to figure a way to incorporate these without taking up more surface space. I also wanted to change the orientation of the tremolo pedal (the small black one in the top row (version 1).

After a few measurements, it became obvious that the only way to do this was to add a second level. I’d also have to swap the Boss tuner for the smaller TC Electronics that I use in PedalBoard Sr. After a trip to Canadian Tire and Lowe’s, all it took was a bit of sawing (a cheap plastic cutting board), some drilling, and paint to prep the “second floor” platform.

After extending the cabling for the 9 volt power supply, and repositioning some of the Velcro fastener, the whole thing was re-assembled. The great byproduct of two levels is that there is a space for cabling and jacks in the gap between the levels.

So here is another look at the finished product. I’ve had it out for a jam last week and it performed pretty well..just working on getting all the levels balanced.

Next week, back to the songs. There’s a new one freshly written and it may even end up recorded for that blog. Until then, be well!

We are back albeit one day late. I was making rather merry!

Last Friday was a continued exploration of Toronto’s live music scene, namely the monthly blues jam at the Peppery Cat, hosted by Mike Sedgewick. It was a pleasant surprise, not only because of the crowd in attendance (a good house which owner Larry I’m sure appreciated) but also for the talent attracted (Fraz and Arch, I’m thinking of you).

On a side note, I hope to get FatC (Félix and the Cats) in at species counterpoint and co-owned The Salty Dog in the new year. Talks are ongoing…

I will start by saying that I had never heard Mike play before, and was very impressed with his technique and feel. A true bluesman. He he is also a genuinely nice man, easy to approach and talk to, which is what is needed to be done to be part of the jam as there is no signup board.

I got a chance to do 3 FatC originals after a few other guest players performed, including a fiery set by Frank Consentino. I mention him in particular as current FatC drummer Greg Anzelc has played with Frank in the past.

Small world–wouldn’t want to paint it though. That’s Greg’s day job. Kudos to the band for more than just keeping up despite brand new songs for them and no charts.

The next blues jam is January 20, and I hope to be there again. Worth your while to be there too!

Until next week, be well!

This week went viral, but only in a biological way. After fighting off the flu, a cold promptly took its place. Fortunately it was low grade enough to not cancel our Thursday show at the Amsterdam Bicycle Club. The weather had other ideas and scared off people, so the audience was sparse. That said, ALL clubs were thinly attended, according to reports.

The rest of the week was occupied with work, and rebuilding mini-pedal board. Maybe a post on that will follow.

Tonight, this post is being sent remotely from Relish, where former Cat keyboardist Alan Zemaitis, the ever-popular and versatile Kyle Sullivan on drums, and jazzy Jesse Boxer-Meyrowitz on stand-up bass, are performing their annual and insanely popular Charlie Brown Christmas gig. This year, they’ve added a second show due to popular demand.

There you have it, short and sweet.

Be well!

Flu season is here, and even this cat is not immune. So, after a few days rest, I am back to a reasonably good status. During that time, when not outright unconscious, I caught up on a few music series on my “must see” list.

The first was Dave Grohl‘s Sonic Highways, available in Canada through iTunes. The series concept is simple: the Foo Fighters travel to various American cities and stay long enough to be inspired by it and record one song at some iconic studio there. The narrative of each visit covers the musical history of the city, the studio itself, and interviews with notable musicians, from which phrases and ideas, scattered like bread crumbs, find themselves woven into the lyrics of the song that closes each episode. This show has plenty to offer musicians and non-musicians alike, and you don’t have to be a FF fan to enjoy it. With buying the series, you get extras, including a more detailed summary of the recording process, which I turn the crank of any recording wonk.

Second, and still in the process of being viewed is Soundbreaking. If I have to choose one, this is would be it. Fascinating through incredible, often rare footage, and insights from the best in the business, it looks at music from the point of view of the producer. For non-musicians, or at least non-studio musicians, it beautifully illustrates what a good producer does, or at least should do. For all viewers, there is a greater understanding of why certain songs resonate, and what it takes to make and capture a great performance. As much as I have been learning about the technical aspects of recording, particularly over the last six months, it has given me cause to reflect on what and how I intend to go forward. It’s brilliant!

Finally, a call out to friends and fans that F&TC are at the Amsterdam Bicycle Club again this week, this time on a weekday. Good news is we get to start an hour earlier, so maybe you could catch a set? It would be great to see as many of you as can make it.

The details are in the sidebar. The big challenge on this gig will be how to play “Runner Up” with just 3 people. New toys may be in order. Come down and find out!

Until next week or Thursday, be well!

I would be remiss however to fail to mention the show this past Thursday at the Horseshoe Tavern. So, here is the review in super brief mode:

Moan Toys, aka Jace Traz: with the usual gang (Rob, David, Dean, Lawrie): never disappoint; best squirrel jazz solo ever.

Tragic Hearts: lotsa Marshall power, lotsa energy, same chords, couldn’t hear a word. Sorry!

Forty Seven Teeth: good pop sensibility; two girls harmonizing–always good. Which I could have made out the words better but I can listen to the EP. Promising.

Danger Bees: now we’re talking! Great new drummer! Tons of fun, but be nice with the stage banter, guys! Loved that it ended with Heartless Jane.

Venue: a piece of Toronto history, beer is reasonably priced considering the caliber of entertainment.

Sound: a disaster. Probably not the soundman’s fault (entirely) as the acoustics are dismal, but it often felt the level, especially the bass, was turned up beyond the space’s ability to absorb that much volume. Seemed reasonably good for Jace and Danger Bees at least.

Here are some pictures and clips from the show:

As promised last week, the demo of Runner Up. There are still glitches, as I still learn out to use Logic, rather than old trusty Garageband. Consider it a first draft. It was a challenge to do, self-indulgent and a lot of fun, particularly with the Mellotron track. Prog-Rock lives on. For an interesting demo of the Mellotron by Sir Paul McCartney, click here. Of course, I have no idea how I can play this live.

As also mentioned last time, I caught Park Eddy at the Linsmore. Even without Giordan Postorino on guitar, they put on a great show. Alan Zemaitis provided the chordal backbone on keyboards and ripped some awesome solos in between, Andrew Pacheco on bass was steady on, and Kyle Sullivan, Toronto’s most popular substitute drummer, sat in for Lowell Whitty and nailed it, as usual. But it’s Chloe Watkinson who is the band’s beating heart. When she sings, you are transported back to a time when emotional integrity rather than vocal acrobatics mattered. Chloe finds the note and doesn’t let go until she has squeezed every drop of soul out of it. She has the gift or being able to channel the essence of great rock vocalists like Aretha Franklin and Paul Rodgers.

I even heard a flavouring of Steve Marriott. It would be cool to hear the band do some Small Faces or even Humble Pie just to confirm that idea.

Park Eddy’s originals are catchy (get their album here), and their covers sound fresh, covering a surprisingly broad range of styles, but somehow a perfect fit for the band. I know that most of you reading this blog missed the show, you can catch them on December 9th at Grossman’s.

In gig news, I am happy to announce that we are back at the Amsterdam Bicycle Club, on Thursday, December 15, 2016, starting at 10 PM. Come on out and show the Holiday spirit by supporting live music. You can always sleep on the weekend!

Until next week, be well!

I’ve got a new song inspired by recent political shenanigans and loosely connected thoughts and events. Wanna hear it?

You have a choice:

Wait a week or so for me to finish recording the demo, or better yet, come to Relish tonight to hear me premiere it live.

Here are the lyrics as a teaser:

Runner Up ©2016 R. Pelletier/Félix and the Cats

Intro

Verse 1
I am the drunk that sings along
The same words to each different song
I’m Major Tom, I’m an Old Man,
It doesn’t matter, there’s no plan
The guitar player calls my bluff
It’s clear he’s really had enough
But it’s not me who’s seeking fame
Why should I be the one to blame?

Chorus
It’s easier to crash and burn
Than make the effort to relearn
Better to raze it flat than up
Better dead last than runner up

Verse 2
I am the man, the one unknown
Desperately checking on my phone
For reassurance from the world
Where striped and starry flags unfurl
But little birds can only croak
Their sharp and disappointing joke
The man upon the stump is king
The bell is cracked and cannot ring

Chorus

Verse 3
No one will listen anymore
My voice is lost, my life ignored
But others angrier will shout
The cursed words I can’t let out
And decree with their shrill demands
My fate be in their tiny hands
While stubby fingers punch the code
To make the torrid world explode

Bridge
I close my eyes and hold my breath
And stay under until it’s past
Will sun dogs greet me when I rise
Or will the skies be overcast?

Instrumental out

If you can make it, check out Park Eddy this Thursday at the Linsmore. Park Eddy is a super awesome cover band featuring one of the best rock vocalists I’ve heard in a very long time, Chloe Watkinson, and keyboardist extraordinaire and occasional Cat, Alan Zemaitis.

Until next week, be well!