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Local Guides
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Hamilton Music Notes
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by
Ric Taylor
October 16 - 22, 2008 |
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EATING GLASS
While Eating Glass may one of the newest additions to the local
hardcore scene, the band has some veteran help behind their new
vinyl EP, Feed Them To The Vultures. Recorded with Jason
O’Young, the 7–inch features Jeff Beckman (Haymaker) artwork
and is being released on High Anxiety, the label started by Chris
Colohan (Cursed). Eating Glass are some of the younger set
offering the newest take on a long standing tradition. “We’re all
pretty young but we’ve started going to shows at a really young
age so I’d say we’re young veterans of the scene,” smiles vocalist
Jose Lopez.
With Spencer Arnott (drums), Jason Whitney (bass), Ryan
Rogers (guitar), and Jason Pottruff (guitar), Eating Glass members
come from Burlington, Hamilton, Kitchener and Toronto
geographically. Musically the members of Eating Glass come from
the same sludgy stew that gave birth to some of their
inspirations. “Playing shows with bands like Cursed, To The Lions,
Vatican Chainsaw Massacre and others in small rinky dink places
are always a good time and the energy you get from playing small
crowded places like that is like nothing I’ve ever felt before,” says
Lopez. “There’s just something so positive about being in an
environment with other people that share the same views that you
share and that are there for the music and the message, not the
fashion and the merchandise.
“I don’t really care what people end up calling it,” he adds on
the band’s genre. “To me it’s not hardcore or metal or punk or
thrash or any of that, it’s just Eating Glass. Being put into a
specific genre isn’t what’s important to me; the message behind
the music is what I’m interested in. I want people to read the
lyrics and open their eyes to what’s happening in our world.
“We’re a society that’s driven by war, religion, money, and
corruption and everyone just seems to be okay with that. But
there’s only so much you can do without ramming this kind of
stuff down people’s throats. I don’t want to be the kind of person
that tells someone what we are, what we believe in and all that
sort of crap. I just want people to listen to the record, come out to
the shows, and make up their own mind. The music is always
going to be there for them to listen to and the message will be
there along side it. All I can do is hope that people are paying
attention.”
Whether it’s the thought inspiring lyrics, the weight of
sound, or the frenetic live show, local fans and even the older
vanguard are taking note of Eating Glass. With the record release
party set to be held at Arnott’s home — The Pomona House —
things are easily going to get as crazy as the new record sounds.
“This record is basically the culmination of the last year of
hard work,” notes Lopez. “When we were recording we wanted to
capture the live sound and just make the record as raw as
possible. When we play live I just try to be as angry and crazy as
possible. The other guys in the band just try to play as loud and
as fast as possible.”
“Every show at The Pomona House just feels like a big party
and it’s a great atmosphere,” adds Lopez. “Every time we’ve
played there we’ve had a great response and I can only imagine
how it’s going to be for our record release.”
EATING GLASS PLAY AT THE POMONA HOUSE (234 POMONA AVE.)
WITH THE ENDLESS BLOCKADE, MOLESTED YOUTH AND MORE.
DOORS OPEN AT 7PM AND $5 GETS YOU IN.
CFMU’S 30TH REUNION
Embracing the egalitarian punk rock ethos, breaking down the
division between performer, presenter and audience — in the
‘70s, university and college campuses across North America
expanded on the original ‘60s FM revolution and truly gave the
power of the airwaves to the people. Student run stations had tiny
budgets, low broadcast signals, inexperienced DJs and yet these
little stations made up for any shortcomings with a wealth of
enthusiasm and heart from a primarily volunteer staff. An
audience hungry for this honest medium slowly developed and
would change popular culture.
By the end of the ‘80s, record companies realized the
importance of the underground network these radio stations
offered with a relatively small but rabid demographic of listeners.
This network helped nurture alternative culture and their would
have been no Nirvana without it, nevermind any and all of the
other once underground sound that was grown thanks to such
stations.
McMaster University’s 93.3 CFMU FM was the third such
station in Canada and was instrumental in bringing the world to
Hamilton. After 30 years, the station remains a media beacon for
those that are willing to seek it out. “We’re always around the
bottom rung when it comes to radio stations. That’s fine — we’re
here for a purpose, and that purpose is not a mainstream one,”
says CFMU Program Director James Tennant who began
volunteering at the station in the ‘80s and took over the helm in
1999. “We’ve continued to raise fundraising totals, digitized many
of our processes, started the C+C festival, and currently we’re
working on a new, modernized website as well as a new Spoken
Word department more dedicated to the community and
community involvement.”
CFMU remains a vital part of the local community, whether
its constituents realise it or not. And some of its former
volunteers continue to affect a larger community. Broken Social
Scene’s record company? Started by a former CFMU Music
Director. Huzzah! Musicians like the Junior Boys got to share
some of their faves long before the international media craved for
their commentary. Former CFMU’ers are now at Y108, CHTZ, the
CBC and a host of other media outlets.
A few current volunteers have stuck it out for the better part
of 30 years but every year a new influx of wide–eyed radio
enthusiasts yearning for something different join the fold. This
weekend, a smattering of staff and volunteers congregate to
celebrate an important hallmark for a radio station that has meant
a lot to so many.
“It’s pretty laid back,” remarks Tennant on the planned
reunion this weekend. “It’s a chance for people to chat. There are
people from across the span of 30 years, so it’s old and young
combined. We’re just going to have some dinner, listen to some
tunes, show off the new digs, and say a few words.”
There should be a lot to say, with some resounding
discussions on how to keep the station at the cutting edge. That a
radio station survives three decades of community, political and
societal change is astounding enough and yet most of Hamilton
probably doesn’t know it exists. Will the station break another
music artist like Nirvana? Will it foster music that no one else will?
Will it allow a voice to the downtrodden, marginalized and
ignored for another three decades? “I think we’ll continue to do all
that and more,” says Tennant. “The internet has largely taken a
similar role in our world, but it often reaches the converted —
you’re not likely to go to a social justice website until you know
the URL. You can, however, be flipping the CFMU dial and hear
something that interests you. That happens all the time; I get
calls from people who aren’t listeners per se, but happened to
have been listening. You’re still not hearing an Aboriginal show,
or a queer show, or a hardcore show, or a Japanese music show
or any such thing on any other kind of station.”
THE 93.3 CFMU FM 30th ANNIVERSARY REUNION HAPPENS THIS
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18TH. BE A PART OF THE CFMU OPEN
HOUSE FROM 4:30-6PM. OPENING RECEPTION FROM 5:30-7PM
AND THE REUNION DINNER IS 7PM IN CONVOCATION HALL.
TICKETS ARE $30 PER PERSON. REGISTER AT WWW.
MCMASTER.CA/UA/ALUMNI/PROGRAMS_EVENTS.HTML OR
1.888.217.6003. CFMU.MCMASTER.CA
MISSISSIPPI KINGS
The Mississippi Kings have spent the last decade finding where
their interests lie. Growing up in front of a lot of their fans and
now finding themselves with more mature tastes, they now pay
homage to some of the inspirations they feel swelled somewhere
down that crazy river and while for some older fans might find it
quite the leap, The Kings simply feel it’s what they’ve been
searching for — and for quite a while. This weekend, a near
lifetime of learning is set loose with the release of The Mississippi
Kings’ Long Time Comin’. “The Mississippi Kings is a culmination
of everything we’ve done, but at the same time it’s something
completely new,” explains vocalist Nick Cino. “This is the first
time we’ve had a genuine artistic vision of what we want to do
and we have the ability to present it proudly.
“We started playing music together when were 15, and now
we’ve just turned 25,” he adds. “Even though we’ve been doing
this for a while now, we feel we still have a lot to prove within the
music scene, and this album is our mission statement.
“We want to go out and remind people that rock n’ roll is still
alive, and that there are still musicians out there that can channel
and learn from the great music of the past and still create
something new. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of bands out there
writing real songs these days, and our revolution is to simply go
out and play songs that are a representation of music that we
love, which seemed to come from a place of real meaning and
heart. No flash, just great songs that hopefully will get people on
their feet!”
With Mike Ventimiglia (guitar), Dave Marini (bass), Dan
Stajduhar (drums), and Ivan Katkic (keyboards), Cino and
company offer straight up but meticulously crafted soul, country
and blues songs. The new disc showcases a confident and
competent band — performing songs that keep you on your toes
— from both a dancing and listening perspective.
“You never quite know what the next song is going to bring,”
notes Cino. “I find most albums by artists of any merit are like
that. Take any of Paul Simon’s albums or even The Beatles —
mixing folk, pop, psychedelic rock, Eastern music and more on
any given record. The sound of the band shouldn’t be dictated by
a specific genre. Too many bands these days stick within specific
confines and eventually their sound gets stale. I couldn’t see us
being strictly a soul band or strictly a rock band.”
If you dig The Band or Marvin Gaye, you could find
something to like about Long Time Comin’ and with their eyes set
on getting as many ears as possible to the songs, The Mississippi
Kings offer a simultaneous CD and digital release this weekend.
Fans around the world will be able to download the songs
(TMK have a tentative European tour set for this January to grow
their fan base internationally) but this weekend they bring the
music inspired by the Mississippi to their home base in Hamilton
and they’re expecting you to be as excited as they are. “Our
shows are meant to fun, a show where you can come stomp your
feet with us and let it all hang out,” smiles Cino. “We have a blast
playing music and we show it, and we want the audience leaving
feeling like they’ve seen a band that loves to play rock n’ roll.
Music is meant to be fun, and if the audience isn’t sweating as
much as were when we’re done then we haven’t done enough!
“We’re one of the only bands in Hamilton that still keeps
the roll in rock n’ roll, and if people like good rock n’ roll
music then they should come check it out! We’re five young guys
who can play some blues to ache to, some soul to sing to, and
some rock to dance to; what else do you need?”
THE MISSISSIPPI KINGS CD RELEASE PARTY HAPPENS SATURDAY,
OCTOBER 18TH AT THE PEPPER JACK CAFE WITH CAM MALCOLM
AND THE OWLS AND GINGER ST. JAMES. DOORS OPEN AT 9PM
AND $10 GETS YOU IN, OR $15 GETS YOU IN WITH A CD.
WWW.THEMISSISSIPPIKINGS.COM
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