From: owner-headline-girl-digest@smoe.org (headline-girl-digest) To: headline-girl-digest@smoe.org Subject: headline-girl-digest V2 #52 Reply-To: headline-girl@smoe.org Sender: owner-headline-girl-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-headline-girl-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk headline-girl-digest Tuesday, March 9 1999 Volume 02 : Number 052 Today's Subjects: ----------------- re: Northern Sounds show #2 (was: re: headline-girl digest...) [Steve I <] Re: Say it ain't so! [James McGarry ] emm in montreal [little pieces ] Announcement: Cicero record release party in Toronto [Steve I ] re: Melanie ["Tab Siddiqui" ] Bits and pieces of recent posts... ["Tab Siddiqui" Subject: re: Northern Sounds show #2 (was: re: headline-girl digest...) Jessica wrote, in response to Tab: >> C'mon, tell me who it is! I won't tell, cross my heart and hope to die. >> ;-) Is it Sarah? And is the 'special guest' rotating with the rest of >> you guys? Because I can only stay until 11:30, 12 or so if it lasts >> until 1. Can't wait for the show, though. :) > >I will let Steve tell you all if he wants to. :) Don't want to ruin the >surprise... heh heh. I will give you guys a hint--you haven't heard her music >_yet_, but you all know who she is. :) She's very good. No, it isn't Sarah >Slean either (wouldn't that be nice ;)... She's an unbilled special guest of Jessica's, so I'll let her reveal the identity of our mystery guest if she wants to. However, I'll throw out another hint, she's not a Toronto artist. Steve ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1999 08:54:51 -0500 (EST) From: James McGarry Subject: Re: Say it ain't so! On Sun, 7 Mar 1999, Andrea wrote: > I remember hearing something about Melanie actually having something to > with the website's actual design, b/c she studied that at some point in her > life. How true that is, the site if pretty cool :-) Anyway, imho, Emm's Mel's site also seems incongruously up-to-date for a corporate site, it even has _regular_ diary updates. Mel is actually funny... ...in a goofy sort of way. Not as funny as Jan Arden though... Me, I don't care who wins, its a nice kudo, but its not gonna change the way _I_ feel about anyone's music. Its just a good excuse to dress up :-) James. ========================================================================== James McGarry | jmcgarry@UoGuelph.CA - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- An artist should be fit for the best society and keep out of it. - - John Ruskin ========================================================================== ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 08 Mar 1999 11:47:14 -0500 From: little pieces Subject: emm in montreal hey all, last night i went to the cabaret in montreal to see emm. it was the most amazing performance that i've ever seen. she did two covers this time (a french song -- does anyone know if emm's fluent in french cause she sure seems it -- and crazy train). after the show, i went backstage and gave her a good luck card for the junos (i guess it didn't help). we talked for a few minutes (she is soooooo nice!!!!), took a picture and i got her autograph. i asked her if she was planning to watch the junos and she said that she probably wouldn't have time. i don't know if anyone else thinks this, but i really don't think her cds give justice to emm's live performances. this is the second time i've seen her, and both times, i walk away speechless with how incredible her voice is and what an amazing musician she is. does emm have a band that sometimes tours with her though? while it's obvious she can carry herself alone, i was wondering if she always performs alone or if she's ever had a backup band. laura ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 08 Mar 1999 14:34:08 -0500 From: Steve I Subject: Announcement: Cicero record release party in Toronto Hiya folks, sorry for the massive crossposting... Listen up, Cicero fans (and Emm Gryner fans!)! - --------------------------------- CICERO record release party for "Out of Nowhere" his debut March 17 @ Ted's Wrecking Yard Come one come all. - --------------------------------- Cicero (aka Dylan White), a very talented singer-songwriter emerging on the Toronto scene, is currently the sole act on Emm Gryner's Dead Daisy Records label. Steve ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1999 14:46:36 -0500 (EST) From: James McGarry Subject: Re: emm in montreal Laura, On Mon, 8 Mar 1999, little pieces wrote: > this, but i really don't think her cds give justice to emm's live :-) You don't know how common an observation that is :-) > performances. this is the second time i've seen her, and both times, i walk > away speechless with how incredible her voice is and what an amazing > musician she is. does emm have a band that sometimes tours with her though? > while it's obvious she can carry herself alone, i was wondering if she > always performs alone or if she's ever had a backup band. Emm has had a backup band on a number of occasions... Steve might be able to shed some light on the old(er) band... her current line up includes: Kevin "Foxy" Fox: Cello, guitar Fil Bucchino: Bass Stephen McGrath: drums Kevin has played with nearly everyone in the Canadian Music scene: Sarah Slean, Hayden, Damnhait Doyle, Melanie Doane, David Usher, Dayna Manning, etc., etc., etc. Fil is in or has played with every Guelph band, I swear!: Flashlight, House of Velvet, Mambo Nation, Corduroy Leda even! (an "all girl" band!), I'm only surprised when I _don't_ see him on stage ;-) Stephen McGrath also from Flashlight (sometimes and early drummer), has done some recent gigs with Sarah Slean. And a little bird told me that he and Fil are also in a brand new hardcore band. So three very experienced, very suave musicians. Flashlight is also on STOMP! Records out of, you guessed it, Montreal. Look for their new CD _Running_Season_ out "realllll sssoooon now" on Stomp! James. ========================================================================== James McGarry | jmcgarry@UoGuelph.CA - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions; life is plurality, death is uniformity. - - Octavio Paz ========================================================================== ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 08 Mar 1999 14:49:52 PST From: "Tab Siddiqui" Subject: re: Melanie Okay, I must say I'm a little disappointed in the whole "Melanie vs. Emm" thread... Yeah, so they were both up for the same award. I think they were both equally deserving, and while I'm disappointed Emm didn't win, I'm very glad Melanie *did*. As a longtime fan of Melanie's (we're talking nearly 5 years now), I think I can clarify some of the points made in some of the recent posts. First of all, Melanie's success or recent profile has very little to do with the amount of money Sony is supposedly spending on her. Yes, they did a big promotional push for her album. Yes, they pushed the flashy new website. BUT both these things are part of the new Sony strategy for *all* their domestic artists. They saw how the advertising and websites helped break artists like Chantal Kreviazuk and the Philosopher Kings last year, so they utilized the same type of push for Melanie. Those two aforenetioned acts also broke because of their heavy touring, which is why Melanie is also touring frequently (not to mention that they know that she is amazing live, so that can only help her). And it's really important to note here that Sony did *not* give this kind of support to Melanie's last album. Not because it wasn't good or anything of the sort, but because they didn't really know what to do with it, and were still developing as a label at the time. Sony Music Canada has only in the past 2 years really come on strong for their domestic artists. I've talked to Melanie about this, and she is just thrilled that they are showing her a lot of support this time around, because she saw first-hand that even good albums can disappear without a trace without some measure of label support. And the *reason* Sony decided to throw their full support behind Melanie this time around is not only because they finally have their act together, but because everyone at the label *loved* the songs on "Adam's Rib". The previous album, "Shakespearean Fish", was beautiful, but a lot of the songs sounded the same, in the same quiet, folky vein. It took a whole lot of songwriting and development for Melanie to find her lower register and learn to incorporate all her musical talents in the songs. And when that happened, everyone took notice of the great songs that resulted. As a fan, I really don't understand all these complaints I've heard on the list that her album isn't that good, or that is "soudns the same". That couldn't be farther from the truth. While the songs on "Shakespearean Fish" definitely sounded too similar, I think one of the strengths of "Adam's Rib" is that there are so many different tempos, instruments, and textures. Perhaps the fiddle is too prevalent, but that's who Melanie is - a fiddler. She wanted the album to express that this time around. I agree that there's nothing like catching her live - the woman plays practically every instrument around and plays at least a couple of them in concert - but then again, many artists sound their best in a vibe-filled, live setting. For those who actually know her, Melanie is a very down-to-earth singer-songwriter, an *artist* who lives for her music. The very idea that she's a label construct or overly-hyped "rock chick" is laughable. I'm just so glad she's finally getting some recognition from both the public and the industry - it's about time. As for Emm, it's a shame she didn't win anything this weekend, but I have no doubt we'll be seeing her at the podium accepting myriad awards in her surely long career. :) [Sorry for the length of this - I just felt the need to clarify some stuff.] - - Tab :) ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 08 Mar 1999 15:08:15 PST From: "Tab Siddiqui" Subject: Bits and pieces of recent posts... Okay, I know I've said my piece, but I thought I'd just reply quickly to a few bits and pieces from other folks: Steve wrote: >I saw her play at a magical (and criminally poorly attended) show at >the Bathurst St Theatre 2 or 3 years ago with Suzanne Little and >Damnhait Doyle. Melanie Doane OWNED the place that night. (Tab was >there too and she'll back me up on this). I'd really gone to see Can I just say, that was, and still is, one of my favorite shows *ever*. And everyone who knows me knows I'm a huge concert-goer, but somehow that little show sticks in my head. It wasn't really promoted much or anything, so it was basically an audience of the performers' family and friends, and the handful of us fans - barely half the place was full, but it's a beautiful little venue that's rarely used now, and the vibe of that evening between the audience and the performers, and between each of the gals, was just... wow. :) >Suzanne Little, and Damnhait Doyle who was getting hugely hyped back >then, but for me, Melanie put on a show that put the others to >shame. Playing a charming brand of Exactly. I'd gone to see all of them, but Damhnait, mainly, but Melanie, as NOW Magazine put it in their review (which I saved!), stole the show. >maritime flavoured folky pop and switching between guitar and piano >and SCORCHING electric fiddle, she completely captivated the entire >crowd. That was the only really extended set I've ever seen her do (as in, an hour or more - she's only been an opener mostly on the current tour), and in that hour, she alternated between acoustic and electric fiddle, acoustic and electric guitar, piano, banjo, and mandolin. Anyone want to comment on her musical talent *now*? ;-) Andrea wrote: >I remember hearing something about Melanie actually having something >to with the website's actual design, b/c she studied that at some >point in her life. How true that is, the site if pretty cool :-) She's well-versed in many arts - she used to be an actor, and she dabbled in fine arts as well. She had a hand in the website design, you're right, and she continues to keep on top of it by filing the online diary entries and having a say in the layout, etc. Oh, and Jess - it's not that I don't like Hayden - I *do*. I've actually gone from not liking him to liking him quite a bit recently. It's just that I think he's a great songwriter, but a slightly overrated musican/singer, that's all. - - Tab :) ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 08 Mar 1999 16:19:25 PST From: "Tab Siddiqui" Subject: Whoever mailed me about the "Summerlong" single... Yeah, me again. Sorry for the heavy posting, but someone (Bob? Brian?) had mailed me about how they got a "Summerlong" single off some website that sold promo singles cheaply. Anyhow, I checked out the site, and they didn't have any Emm, but they *did* have some other stuff I was interested in, so I e-mailed them and put in a request (pre-order type of thing), but I never heard back from them at all. Can whoever it was who mailed me about the site in the first place e-mail me, please? I've forgotten who it was and I just want to ask you about your ordering experience and for the website address again. Thanks, Tab :) ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1999 20:11:01 EST From: Songbird22@aol.com Subject: re: melanie You guys, I don't _hate_ Melanie Doane and I certainly think she's a talented musician... Her CD just didn't have that much of an immediate, lasting impact on me the way, say Emm or Hayden's did. And I didn't find her songwriting as strong as either of theirs--BUT--I appreciate her hardwork and struggles and admire her for that, particularly as a musician starting out, and I definitely understand that she deserves to be recognized... I haven't heard Shakesperian Fish yet, someone was supposed to tape it for me and either forgot or he hasn't sent it yet... but a few of the songs on her newest CD are well-done... I did not mean to personally attack her or make it sound like she's a Sony puppet in *any way*. Good for her that she won a Juno tonight and finally was recognized for her efforts. Sorry--sometimes I jump to reply without thinking something through completely (d'oh!) and presenting a better argument... - -jessica np: beth orton, live nr: "the reader" ------------------------------ End of headline-girl-digest V2 #52 **********************************