The holiday countdown continues and the memories keep coming back with them.
The friends you have when you can first start going out in the city on your own hold a special place in your heart for the rest of your life. The friends who call you up when they see those important two words before any show: “all ages”.
Coming into my musical own in Toronto in the mid 90s introduced me to so many things that went beyond the music… venues, after parties, places in the city I had never been to before.
Life is very good right now, but I find myself thinking the same three words every day when I post my song… “Take me back…”
Day 6 – Headstones – Cubically Contained
I’m a little older for this one and at res in University. We have an unwritten door open policy on the floor, which means your room door should only be closed if you are seriously studying (hardly ever happened) or sleeping.
It’s close to the end of the school year and money is TIGHT. I am even watching the balance on my meal card. But still, we want to go out so getting the cheapest beer we can off campus and drinking in the res will save us those dollar bills needed for the one or two drinks we’ll need at the bar.
I remember sitting around our room, a couple of people on the Sega Genesis, a guitar strumming out in the hall and this song on the radio. No drama, no stress, everyone just ready to have a good time on a Wednesday night.
It seems like such a simple time, looking back, full of simple pleasures.
When did life get so hard?
Day 7 – Weeping Tile – In The Road
On the way to my girlfriend’s family cottage in the Ottawa valley there’s a long road before you hit the dirt entryway and there’s a bend in the road with a huge maple.
This song comes on and I’m hearing it for the first time and it’s so beautiful that I want to hear it again, but don’t have time before we get back to the cottage so I pull over and rewind the tape she’s made for me.
It’s fall and the leaves are changing colour and the maple is a dark, amazing red, and it dominates my view as we sit there, listening to the song again, taking it all in.
Day 8 – Eric’s Trip – Allergic To Love
Another song off that same mixtape and an instant favourite. Quickly learned it and added it to my campfire repertoire on the guitar as well.
Day 9 – Emm Gryner – Acid
I am at a Spirit of the West concert and Emm Gryner is opening for them. I had never heard of her before and, from the reaction she was getting from the drunken crowd, neither had anyone else. They did not come here to see her and they were letting her know it.
Diminutive, with a quiet demeanour, she sat there, playing piano solo on the big stage where SOTW were going to come out with a far bigger sound fairly soon.
She played a couple of tunes and was visibly put off by the comments and calls coming from the crowd.
“Acid” is a song that starts out quietly but has some very strong notes in it later on where she gets the chance to sing with all her heart.
The crowd hated it and continued to call her out, but she pressed through and sang it with such forceful emotion she was able to drown them out.
It is one of the strongest musical performances I have ever seen and I was an instant fan. I bought her album the next day.
Day 10 – The Doughboys – Melt
Crush is a perfect album so it wasn’t a question of if it would make this list, but when and which song.
Not knocking the amazing tune “Shine” (RIP The Wedge on MuchMusic which adopted the song as their theme), but “Melt” has always been my favourite song on the album.
This one takes me back to riding in my friend’s car with his CD/car-adapter on my lap because the holder is broken. I’m holding the whole thing carefully so as not to make the CD skip when we hit the bumps in the road.
The sunroof is open and this song is just blasting as we head out for the night for food, parties and just good summer fun.
Just… take me back…