I had a chance to sit down and discuss (via cyberspace) my pal Dominique Fricot's new recording experience, and a few of his favourite things. Take a minute and read up on what he's all about here. I suggest you get in on what's left of his ground level because he's soon to be in high demand all over the region and likely North America/the World very very soon.
MZ: In your new song "I miss the 80's" you reference a number of pop-icons and artists but what I noticed was a hint or reference about your sister(s). Tell me what it is about your siblings and those relationships that inspired this song
DF: While the song talks about a lot of the pop icons of the 80's, I think what I was feeling when I wrote this song was my experience of being 4 or 5 years old and digesting culture through the filters of my two big sisters. All of the tapes I listened to, and opinions on pop culture at the time was very much molded by what they liked and what they were bringing home. As I say in the song "I'm too young to really know" the 80's. Which isn't really true because I was alive, but you made a good observation, my sisters had a big part in my perspective at the time.
MZ: Warne Livesey is a master producer. What did he bring to the table that was different then other producers from your previous work?
DF: Warne or papa dubs, dubya or Dubstep has an incredible ear for arrangement. His father was a jazz musician so I think that lends a bit to his ear for more elaborate chords and harmonies than other producers I've worked with. What I love about working with Warne is he follows the old adage to "serve the song" as most producers do but he has the sensibility to not make each an every song a radio single. Songs off my record like "hermit in the park" and "you can't leave me" are from he and I's favourite songs and I think it's because we let them be what they were: one a dark creepy ballad that turns into almost a trip hop groover, and the other a short little acoustic lament with a tasteful string accompaniment.
I think Warne has great honest sensibilities while having the pedigree to make a pop hit and get world class sounds on tape (digital tape)
MZ: Was there specific sound themes that you wanted to achieve with Warne? Were there unexpected or surprise moments on your new LP where you achieved something far better than your expectation?
DF: I wanted the string accompaniments to play a strong part in this record which I think we were fairly successful. For both of us the biggest surprise was where the song Saddest Thing went. We didn't really have anything more than a nice piano part and vocal and then we just started experimenting with electronic beats and putting delays on Rhodes. Once Warne sequenced that trippy beat every time we'd track or listen back I couldn't help but bounce all around the studio doing my silly weirdo dance.
MZ: I enjoyed your Vancouver locale name dropping on your previous record. Is the city of Vancouver in this new LP?
DF: Yes, Marty. There is. There's a track called Granville Bridge that was almost this name of the whole record, but I changed if last minute.
MZ: Do you have a favourite craft beer? What is it and where do you like to drink it?
DF: Nah. Drinking beer for me is something I do with friends. Really the most important thing for me is the company. Therefore I'll say my favourite beer to drink is whatever my man Cory Curtis (bass player on Sweet little fantasy, and Hannah Georgas) is pouring out of his beer fridge, and the best place to be is either on his couch or his deck.
MZ: Here we go. Who's your favourite Beatle? Why? and what's the song/era that connects with you the most?
DF: Knowing you, Marty, I feel like this whole interview was to get to this question. John Lennon hands down. I like his humour and how he spoke out the most with controversial/hilarious things. What era? I'd go with mid to late. His productivity may have slowed down but I think that's when the production and writing became more interesting and he had long left behind boy girl love songs. It's weird though not my favourite songs, loser and nowhere man are probably the songs I most connect with. Is that bad?
That isn't bad Dom. In fact, that's probably about right with me too!
--
Dominique's single "I miss the 80's" is available now on iTunes. I suggest you go grab it. And then check out all of his other music right away if you haven't already and curl up with a glass of red wine and fall in love with everything this homegrown Vancouver/British Columbian talent has to offer.
Love,
Marty
@martyzylstra
May 26, 2014
Show Review: the Ghost of a Sabre Tooth Tiger (May 23rd, 2014 at the Imperial, Vancouver, BC, Canada)
Sorry to state the obvious but Sean Ono Lennon has a legendary father. His hallowed catalogue and mythology that stands as giant as an elephant in a broom closet would make expectations on Sean's music career immensely difficult to imagine. That being said Sean's musical path has been eclectic possibly because he has been trying to find his niche. Having followed and appreciated his collected work from afar (Cibo Matto, solo, Chimera Records), and having dipped my toes into his discography numerous times I was upon finally listening to "Animals" from his new outfit The Ghost of a Sabre Tooth Tiger's new LP I determined that he has finally found a sound and lifestyle that truly suits him. This is his niche moment. With obvious comparisons to JL/YO - Charlotte Kemp Muhl is his Yoko as she is pushing his artistic legacy and is clearly his muse. And this record is glorious. It's hitting all the psychedelic glory of 1967 Summer of Love with modern inspiration from the always eclectic Beck's "Guero" or "the Information".
Once I'd digested the full LP "Midnight Sun" I decided to go to the can't miss concert of GOASTT at the Imperial on May 23rd here in Vancouver. Upon inspection of the venue, your mind is dazzled immediately at the quality of the room. For a meager $20 at the door (I recommend bringing cash as the Ticketfly system was glitching on this particular day as was the cash machine in the venue) it attracted me and my beautiful date (my wife and live music aficionado) to see the spectacle and grab a glimpse of the former Beatle's spawn. The crowd was sparse for the opener "Syd Arther" (RIYL Radiohead/ELO/70's prog with reverb) hailing from Canterbury, in England, but they blew me away with wide reverb drenched soundscapes and usage of a number of delays and unique instrumentation. "Dorothy" & "Edge of the Earth" were standout numbers in their short but concise set as was the new single "Garden of Time" from their newly release recording. I spoke to the multi-instrumentalist from Syd Arthur after the set and he was very approachable and was happy to discuss his gear and rig and initial impression of Vancouver with me. After a short break, the GOASTT hit the stage with the LP's opener "Too Deep" and subsequently tore through the track listing of the LP in track order. With a brief pause and some extremely casual and light sarcasm from Sean, the band lit up the stage and the room with "Animals" which is the clear standout on the record and possibly Sean's first "indie" hit. A few notes from my impression of the stage:
- I loved Charlotte's bass playing. She has a tasteful style and solid dynamics and plays a certain 60's finger style not that far off from a young John Entwisle.
- Sean's guitar tones were massive and intense. It should also be noted that Sean is a monster on guitar. He "shreds" nimbly over the fretboard and even broke a high E string during the last tune before the de facto encore
- The percussionist and/or roadie held down excellent rhythm with strong tambourine playing which complemented the drums perfectly.
- At times there was 3-4 part harmonies drowned in reverb. I personally think the live performance of each song captured the essence of the album's spirit perfectly
The interplay between Sean & Charlotte made me instantly think of his mom and dad's beautiful partnership in 1970 and I'm sure many people compare the two frequently in public but also in private. Charlotte would playfully banter with Sean and the running jokes of the night was that him and the guitar player were kicking her out of the band. She would sarcastically defend herself by mocking Sean and wispily striking evil poses with her bass pointed like a gun. Considering the story on how S & C met (Coachella, 2004), I feel like their story may play out similarly to J & Y - a perfect love story. I hope for them that it's less scrutinized and less public than many other pop stars of today's modern age and that they are able to create a true path for their public career and private life.
All in all, the sheer energy and enthusiasm of the GOASTT, with the charisma and charm of Sean, brought me to my knees in laughter, and nearly to tears with the soundscapes and song selection.
I hope that this first foray into a new psych-pop realm will satisfy the public's need for more from the GOASTT and that they will continue to make ever better music for many years to come.
Love,
Marty
@martyzylstra
Once I'd digested the full LP "Midnight Sun" I decided to go to the can't miss concert of GOASTT at the Imperial on May 23rd here in Vancouver. Upon inspection of the venue, your mind is dazzled immediately at the quality of the room. For a meager $20 at the door (I recommend bringing cash as the Ticketfly system was glitching on this particular day as was the cash machine in the venue) it attracted me and my beautiful date (my wife and live music aficionado) to see the spectacle and grab a glimpse of the former Beatle's spawn. The crowd was sparse for the opener "Syd Arther" (RIYL Radiohead/ELO/70's prog with reverb) hailing from Canterbury, in England, but they blew me away with wide reverb drenched soundscapes and usage of a number of delays and unique instrumentation. "Dorothy" & "Edge of the Earth" were standout numbers in their short but concise set as was the new single "Garden of Time" from their newly release recording. I spoke to the multi-instrumentalist from Syd Arthur after the set and he was very approachable and was happy to discuss his gear and rig and initial impression of Vancouver with me. After a short break, the GOASTT hit the stage with the LP's opener "Too Deep" and subsequently tore through the track listing of the LP in track order. With a brief pause and some extremely casual and light sarcasm from Sean, the band lit up the stage and the room with "Animals" which is the clear standout on the record and possibly Sean's first "indie" hit. A few notes from my impression of the stage:
- I loved Charlotte's bass playing. She has a tasteful style and solid dynamics and plays a certain 60's finger style not that far off from a young John Entwisle.
- Sean's guitar tones were massive and intense. It should also be noted that Sean is a monster on guitar. He "shreds" nimbly over the fretboard and even broke a high E string during the last tune before the de facto encore
- The percussionist and/or roadie held down excellent rhythm with strong tambourine playing which complemented the drums perfectly.
- At times there was 3-4 part harmonies drowned in reverb. I personally think the live performance of each song captured the essence of the album's spirit perfectly
The interplay between Sean & Charlotte made me instantly think of his mom and dad's beautiful partnership in 1970 and I'm sure many people compare the two frequently in public but also in private. Charlotte would playfully banter with Sean and the running jokes of the night was that him and the guitar player were kicking her out of the band. She would sarcastically defend herself by mocking Sean and wispily striking evil poses with her bass pointed like a gun. Considering the story on how S & C met (Coachella, 2004), I feel like their story may play out similarly to J & Y - a perfect love story. I hope for them that it's less scrutinized and less public than many other pop stars of today's modern age and that they are able to create a true path for their public career and private life.
All in all, the sheer energy and enthusiasm of the GOASTT, with the charisma and charm of Sean, brought me to my knees in laughter, and nearly to tears with the soundscapes and song selection.
I hope that this first foray into a new psych-pop realm will satisfy the public's need for more from the GOASTT and that they will continue to make ever better music for many years to come.
Love,
Marty
@martyzylstra
May 25, 2014
10 AMAZING songs to download now (#4) - RUNNING MIX
Song #1: Banquet by Bloc Party
Song #2: Wreckin' Bar by the Vaccines
Song #3: AO by TV Heart Attack
Song #4: Tenderoni by Kele
Song #5: Walk Idiot Walk by the Hives
Song #6: New Low by Middle Class Rut
Song #7: Your Body is a Weapon by the Wombats
Song #8: Miami by Taking Back Sunday
Song #9: Stuck for the Summer by Two Hours Traffic
Song #10: Them Kids by Sam Roberts
Song #2: Wreckin' Bar by the Vaccines
Song #3: AO by TV Heart Attack
Song #4: Tenderoni by Kele
Song #5: Walk Idiot Walk by the Hives
Song #6: New Low by Middle Class Rut
Song #7: Your Body is a Weapon by the Wombats
Song #8: Miami by Taking Back Sunday
Song #9: Stuck for the Summer by Two Hours Traffic
Song #10: Them Kids by Sam Roberts
May 24, 2014
May 22, 2014
My Top 6 reasons to Cycle Commute in Vancouver
I hate commuting.
I recently purchased a used bicycle and have noticed that my quality of life has improved. I'm not an expert in cycling however as I slowly get into the sport I've noticed a few things. One of which is that the city of Vancouver is beautiful to cycle in. Cycling lanes are everywhere and if you get used to them and use them you'll notice how great they are.
From a recent post in the Vancouver Sun:
In the past generations, the car has been seen as a symbol of coming of age and of freedom and of whatever. Now people are actually seeing that maybe it’s the opposite, maybe it’s tying them down to car payments, parking fees, gasoline, insurance, and general bad health spending 90 minutes in traffic on average per person per day.
I read recently a statistic that teens aged 16 to those in their early 20's are not getting their drivers licenses as much and instead as they have decided to utilize transportation which is at a freemium right now: cycling and/or public transportation.
A recent local study in today's paper suggested to me that people in this city are unhappy with commuting and dislike the congestion, the travel times, and the limited parking. I would suggest that for a couple months of your accrued gas, insurance & parking fees, you could own a very good high end commuter bike and would support my thesis to switch to biking.
here are my 6 reasons to cycle to work in Vancouver:
1) health. cycling is as good or better for your health that walking. A 60 minute commute per day in your car is probably going to run you the same amount of time on a bike in the city of Vancouver. 60 minutes of cardio a day will make your life better.
2) save money. let's add it up. $30/week on gas + $125/month on insurance + $100 on parking + $50 on maintenance + car payment/lease payment/depreciation (for sake of argument $150/month) = $6,660/year (extremely conservative) for car expenses.
3) it's faster. you can get from Coal Harbour to Gastown faster than you can drive/walk/transit.
4) environmental concerns. Cars burn fossil fuels. Simple
5) you will have a more productive day. There are too many studies to list regarding exercise and improving your overall wellbeing
6) it's really easy to get around.
I don't have the answers but maybe this will help you make your decision and push you over the edge
Love,
@MartyZylstra
I recently purchased a used bicycle and have noticed that my quality of life has improved. I'm not an expert in cycling however as I slowly get into the sport I've noticed a few things. One of which is that the city of Vancouver is beautiful to cycle in. Cycling lanes are everywhere and if you get used to them and use them you'll notice how great they are.
From a recent post in the Vancouver Sun:
In the past generations, the car has been seen as a symbol of coming of age and of freedom and of whatever. Now people are actually seeing that maybe it’s the opposite, maybe it’s tying them down to car payments, parking fees, gasoline, insurance, and general bad health spending 90 minutes in traffic on average per person per day.
I read recently a statistic that teens aged 16 to those in their early 20's are not getting their drivers licenses as much and instead as they have decided to utilize transportation which is at a freemium right now: cycling and/or public transportation.
A recent local study in today's paper suggested to me that people in this city are unhappy with commuting and dislike the congestion, the travel times, and the limited parking. I would suggest that for a couple months of your accrued gas, insurance & parking fees, you could own a very good high end commuter bike and would support my thesis to switch to biking.
here are my 6 reasons to cycle to work in Vancouver:
1) health. cycling is as good or better for your health that walking. A 60 minute commute per day in your car is probably going to run you the same amount of time on a bike in the city of Vancouver. 60 minutes of cardio a day will make your life better.
2) save money. let's add it up. $30/week on gas + $125/month on insurance + $100 on parking + $50 on maintenance + car payment/lease payment/depreciation (for sake of argument $150/month) = $6,660/year (extremely conservative) for car expenses.
3) it's faster. you can get from Coal Harbour to Gastown faster than you can drive/walk/transit.
4) environmental concerns. Cars burn fossil fuels. Simple
5) you will have a more productive day. There are too many studies to list regarding exercise and improving your overall wellbeing
6) it's really easy to get around.
I don't have the answers but maybe this will help you make your decision and push you over the edge
Love,
@MartyZylstra
May 20, 2014
10 AMAZING songs to download now (#3)
Song #1: Just another Girl by Alexandria Maillot
Song #2: Legs for Daze by Owl Skowl
Song #3: Sacrifice by Jay Arner
Song #4: Blackie by Rykka
Song #5: I heard I had by Dear Rouge
Song #6: Ruby by Louise Burns
Song #7: the Heart of Juliet Jones by Tough Age
Song #8: Animals by the Ghost of a Sabre Tooth Tiger
Song #9: Showering with Wine by Sunshine
Song #10: Date Night by Needles/Pins
Song #2: Legs for Daze by Owl Skowl
Song #3: Sacrifice by Jay Arner
Song #4: Blackie by Rykka
Song #5: I heard I had by Dear Rouge
Song #6: Ruby by Louise Burns
Song #7: the Heart of Juliet Jones by Tough Age
Song #8: Animals by the Ghost of a Sabre Tooth Tiger
Song #9: Showering with Wine by Sunshine
Song #10: Date Night by Needles/Pins
May 13, 2014
10 AMAZING songs to download now (#2)
Song #1: Diamonds by Rolla Olak
Song #2: Like U want 2 by ACTORS
Song #3: Liza by Colour the Wild
Song #4: I saw you from a distance by Adam Gardner
Song #5: Young Ones by Girlfriends and Boyfriends
Song #6: Girls by Fake Shark Real Zombie
Song #7: Marching by Bodhi Jones
Song #8: Just another Friday Night by Carpenter
Song #9: Army of One by Falling for Scarlet
Song #10: Nothing Goes My Way by Marty Zylstra
Song #2: Like U want 2 by ACTORS
Song #3: Liza by Colour the Wild
Song #4: I saw you from a distance by Adam Gardner
Song #5: Young Ones by Girlfriends and Boyfriends
Song #6: Girls by Fake Shark Real Zombie
Song #7: Marching by Bodhi Jones
Song #8: Just another Friday Night by Carpenter
Song #9: Army of One by Falling for Scarlet
Song #10: Nothing Goes My Way by Marty Zylstra
May 12, 2014
May 6, 2014
10 AMAZING songs to download right now (#1)
Song 1: Lovers Outta Love by Mardeen
Song 2: Better Off by Fighting for Ithaca
Song 3: Reaction by Acres of Lions
Song 4: Letterman by Gay Nineties
Song 5: Girls by Laurell
Song 6: Sunday by Paul Filek
Song 7: Shake your Money by the Rockies
Song 8: Magic by Two Hours Traffic
Song 9: Queen by Pompadoors
Song 10: Our Last Song by Dominique Fricot
Bonus: Between you and me by Jody Glenham
May 5, 2014
May 1, 2014
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