When I was a kid we had tam tams, African clay flutes, a drum set, an electric bass and a huge record collection. When I got to high school, I picked the bass because everyone played guitar or drums, seemed logical. We did an eclectic playlist which given my ability to play just about anything became more and more complexe, we even did a cover of 21st Century Schizoid Man by King Crimson! I couldn't get enough of "Can you see the real me?" by The Who on Quadrophenia!

When I went to college I met other musician who were into composing and that's where it started for me. Collaboration is so thrilling, full of dynamics, ideas bouncing back and forth, so very stimulating!

I played a variety of styles including big band jazz, which introduced me to the stand-up bass, that vibrated with me, literally! I spent two semesters abroad studying French at the University of Caen in Normandy and met some outstanding musicians, one of which gave me music theory lessons once a week for the duration of my stay! He got me into slapping an coming back to the states where I studied at Salem State University I met some artsy friends who became yet another band in my belt, Butt'er Crunch. That was a fusion of Funk/Punk/Wrap/Hip Hop/Rock...

I moved back to Canada to an isolated region called the Gaspe peninsula and didn't find many people who could handle me, so I bought a bunch of equipment and went solo. That was a major adjustment, I wasn't used to doing everything myself and it was a pretty big challenge for me to write stuff.

My studio set-up was as follows, a Power Macintosh 4400 with Digital Performer, an Opcode Studio 3 MIDI interface, a Roland U220 sound module, Alesis D4, Alesis Microverb III, Roland Vintage Synth M-VS1, Roland Bass & Drums M-BD1 and a Roland A-33 controller, a Rolland electronic pad set-up as a drum set. I also had a microphone. Duh!

The Mac was plugged into the Studio 3 which in turn ran my Tascam Porta Two (4 track tape deck) via a sync code, so I lost an analog track and often had to bounce tracks and gained the power and potential of MIDI!

All of the tracks with the exception of Butt'er Crunch which were either studio productions or live recordings at gigs are me, myself and I.

I wrote, played all the instruments, well sort of, I suck at keyboards, so the MIDI set up with the Performer software allowed me to record building blocks and then create arrangements with those blocks. Pretty neat concept, if you ask me. I recorded and mixed everything myself, what can I say, I did my best without internet, well I had America online, but I was basically on my own.

Well sort of? At that point in time the entertainment in local bars was "des chansonniers" which I guess would translate to traveling singers? They would show up with elaborate MIDI controlled lighting and spectral analyzers and so many electronic it would boggle the mind. I would buy them drinks and pick their brains! For me they were not travelling singers, but travelling teachers!

I haven't played in years, so this is just for old time's sake I guess. I'm a little vague with the dates, well because it was a lifetime ago. I was in college from 1984-1989 and moved to Canada in 1990? Bought my gear in the decade following my arrival, the recordings span about fifteen years. Then I had a family!

Hope you enjoy!
Namaste

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