Unknown Artist

Nearly a decade ago, I started  a band in Guelph, Ontario called Dear Me. There aren't many recordings  from that time, but we did have one of our first out-of-city gigs  recorded. That gig was at The Rockpile in Etobicoke. It was an old heavy metal venue that had a decorative electric chair next to a mug shot wall. We had only been a band for a couple months at most and we were all still getting used to playing these songs. Between a nearly complete  lack of monitors and inexperience, it certainly wasn't our best show,  but we had a great thing going on in those days. Join me as I stroll down memory lane, listening to songs I almost never play anymore...but maybe I should.

At the end of 2015, I met Tim Coker at the legendary Grumpy's open mic. Together, we started The Misprints. Ok, we started 16 Towers that turned into The Misprints and we may have had a few other names in there as well. That year, we played at every open mic we could and quickly started getting paid gigs. Our band grew into a 6-piece with saxophone, bass, drums, lead guitar and two singer/songwriters, me and Tim. We played at Brutopia, Anti-cafe, The Bar Fly, The Pistolero and many others. We performed at POP MTL at Bar LeRitz with the Maybe Greys and May Have. Shortly thereafter, we lost our sax player to New York and everyone else just fell apart. But, we have a recording of the first time that Tim Coker, Christopher Poolman and I got together to make music in Tim's big room in the gay village. It was pretty magical.

Matt and I worked together on the Bluebird EP we recorded in  Wakefield last December. Since then, we've continued to play together on  each other's songs. He came into the studio this summer while the  quarantine was relaxed and we had a nice, chill time. Matt’s  latest project is a cross-national collaboration with Brandon Carswell  produced remotely between Montreal and Nashville during the early stages  of quarantine. Check out Nice Dreams.

Wanda Waterman is a strong advocate for social change. She is a  musician and poet who often interweaves the two to create her own sound.  We talk about feminism and relationships, child abuse and  transformative justice, and her relationship with her sister. Check out Wanda's website, The Mindful Bard. Unknown Artist Season 2 is recorded live @ The Library courtesy of Godberd (Email for details).

Before COVID came in and  crashed our party, Steven Lee Rachel came into The Library and played us  some tunes. We had some good chats about life, social media and music. Steven Lee Rachel is the musician behind Goblin Butler <--Click for latest release!

Erik Fines is a  Peterborough-born local musician who plays in many local bands. He's  also a talented songwriter in his own right. I apologize for any  rogue tambourine -- Erik allowed me to jam with him on it despite having  nearly zero experience and not having ever practiced with his songs. You can follow him on Facebook and Instagram.

In the before times, we had Aly Marguerite in the studio. Great chats with the long-time host of Chick Pickin' Mondays at the legendary Grumpy's bar. Check out her new music video for PTSD, her EPK, her 2019 promo video and her new album on Spotify! You can also find her band, Old Time Honey, on Facebook, Bandcamp, YouTube and their website.

Hanorah talked with me about  her experience auditioning for La Voix and healing through sexual trauma  and depression. It's important to be able to make space to talk openly  about these experiences so that we can exorcise our demons and open up  to better things. Check out Hanorah on Facebook, Instagram and listen to her album, For the Good Guys and the Bad Guys. Photo credit : Monse Muro Unknown Artist Season 2 is recorded live @ The Library courtesy of Godberd (Email for details).

Anthony came into the studio  with his walkman to play with some tracks he had prerecorded on tape and  transported us to another dimension. You can find his album 16kbp Future Nostalgia here and his teenage throwback music here. Photo credit @cath.rip on Instagram Unknown Artist Season 2 is recorded live @ The Library courtesy of Godberd (Email for details).

Melissa Major came into The Library, sang some tunes and talked about gender norms and Banana Bread Sundays. You can follow her on Instagram Unknown Artist Season 2 is recorded live @ The Library courtesy of Godberd (Email for details).

RedFox is a five piece  indie-folk band based in Montreal, Quebec. Their sound is primarily  comprised of acoustic-based music with hints of indie rock. Played by a  5-piece ensemble which includes bass, guitar, violin, banjo and  percussion. Their dynamic and energetic sound is influenced by bands  such as Punch Brothers, Mumford & Sons and Paramore. Website Unknown Artist Season 2 is recorded live @ The Library courtesy of Godberd (Email for details).

CW : sexual gender-based violence Naghmeh and I talked about Nirvana, the state of women's rights in Iran and living the musician life. Website | Facebook | HearNow | Bandcamp | Instagram Unknown Artist Season 2 is recorded live @ The Library courtesy of Godberd (Email for details).

Marie Hamilton brought her harp into the studio and told us some stories about her magical trip  overseas, the furry friends in her life and our favourite languages to  road rage in. Website Facebook Bandcamp Instagram Unknown Artist Season 2 is recorded live @ The Library courtesy of Godberd (Email for details : info[at]godberd[dot]com).

In this episode, Emily Carson-Apstein and I talk about banjos, protests and dental hygiene. You can find their projects online here : Rattus Rattus : Facebook Instagram Bandcamp <br> Dagger Harbour : Facebook Instagram <br> The Dusty Faces : Facebook Instagram Bandcamp <br>

Carlisle Evans Peck recently came to Montreal on his current tour promoting his album, Electric Porcelain. You can find more about him and his music here.

Mars on the Harp is a Montreal-based musician steeped in the forests of B.C. She has just released her debut album, Music For the Moon. Check out her music and projects here.

That Nikki You Know is a Montreal-based musician born and raised in the Ottawa Valley. You can listen to more recordings here.

In the hottest heat of the summer, Frisco Lee stopped by for a session. He is a Montreal musician who played this year's Folk Fest and plays frequently around the city. You can listen to his music here, follow his YouTube channel here and get updates from him here.

Clerel is a Cameroon-born Montreal musician making a big splash in the  music scene with his performances at The International Jazz Festival of  Montreal. You can find him on all the sites here!

Clerel is a Cameroon-born Montreal musician making a big splash in the music scene with his performances at The International Jazz Festival of Montreal. You can find him on all the sites here!

Clerel is a Cameroon-born Montreal musician making a big splash in the music scene with his performances at The International Jazz Festival of Montreal. You can find him on all the sites here!

Tim Coker of the band From Somewhere shares stories about LA, Vietnam and Montreal. Check out videos from West Lake Sessions here, here and here. Subscribe to his YouTube channel here!

Nahji is a Montreal-based, Beirut-raised musician composing and performing a wide range of styles. Check out his most recent release here! Also, this episode is actually being released on his birthday! Happy birthday! 

Part 3 with Claire Porter. Check out Claire Porter's new EP here!

Part 2 with Claire Porter. Check out her new EP here!

Claire Porter is a maritime musician who spent the last decade making music in Montreal. Currently, she is planning on returning out east just after she releases her EP June 27, 2019. Check it out here!