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Sounds like the Rheostatics are going to break up


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Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, and I may well turn out to be wrong on this one but it sounds likely and the source is airtight. Basically what I've heard is that Tim Vesely was the first to want to pull out, whether to pursue his group the Violet Archers or otherwise. I don't know much about what his rationale is or might be. I think Bidini would like to go on with it without Vesely but then Michael Phillip-Wojewoda also pulled out- half a Rheos does not a Rheos make. Also this is complicated by Tielli's enduring vices foremost seemingly being alcohol but I have heard tell that it runs deeper ('how deep is your war') and that he needs rehab. I gather Bidini is a stick with it sort of guy having married his long term sweetheart and the sense is that he is the one really holding on to the Rheos. Interestingly I read an article about Alan Pigguns going out on the road with Bidini recently and he mentioned that the tour was currently booked as the Rheostatics but that it would likely be changed to a Dave Bidini and Friends billing- he didn't allude obviously to any potential break up but given the background I'd heard this bit of info might add to the story. Maybe a tour was booked and now it has to be filled. I'll be interested to see how this all turns out but as I mentioned it sounds fairly legit as far as rumours go.

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interesting, indeed. i wonder how this will go.

tim wanting to pull out doesnt surprise me. since the first time i ever saw the rheostatics i've referred to Tim as "Bitter Tim". he always seemed the most smug and least wanting to be there. i never felt bad that he was my least favourite rheo because i dont like many of his songs.

martin's *vices* (should they exist) also wouldnt come as a shock to me... gut feeling...

i always wished wojewoda never got the gig, and well, bidini will always be bidini - im sure he'll find ways to keep himself busy... writing, playing hockey, what have you...

on the bright side of a rheos break-up, for me at least, is the prospect of more killer solo martin. for that reason alone i've kinda secretly (and sometimes not so secretly) been waiting for the day.

it'd be sad to lose such a true canadiana outfit, but it'd just be the band - the music lives on.

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The Tim news also comes as no great shock to me. When we saw the Rheos at the Winter Nationals this year, Tim seemed out of sorts and was yelling at Dave. They weren't going to do an encore but after a long wait, Tim emerged to do a (terrible) solo tune and then pouted his way through the rest of the encore.

Glad I saw them when I did, as many times as I did, but as we all know, one way or other, nothing lasts forever in rock n roll.

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Scottie, what a sad story :(! Sad overall; it'd be shitty thinking they wouldn't be putting it out there for live audiences anymore. They're still hands-down among (imo) the best bands Canada has ever produced.

I hate to pick favourites out of any band, but the first of the Rheos ever to go was (is) certainly tops in my book for his attitude towards music. I'm glad he's still playing lots.

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I presume a few people have read 'On A Cold Road' Bidini's book - it's mainly other people's stories about life on the Canadian road (notably except for the Band - Bidini told me those books had been done) - anyways the Rheos story about Dave leaving the band was to the effect of them being in Ireland and Bidini throwing a chocolate milk at Clark saying 'I don't hate you Dave!.... I hate you'. Classic.

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Hey,

When I first saw the Rheos in 1996 at the green sprouts music week all ages show I was skeptical.

I had "Whale Music" and "Introducing Happiness" and I didn't know how they we're going to presume to pull off those albums live.

They opened with "Fan Letter to Micheal Jackson"--and it turned my frickin hair around.

Prog-folk meets psychadelic metal!!!

I never could have imagined that four people could make that kind of controled chaotic beauty.

When they were on they sounded like Pink Floyd, Yes and Stompin Tom rolling down a set of stairs together and somehow managing to land on the downbeat.

I quickly realised that all the album production was their way of dealing with the fact that their live show was, at its best, completely uncapturable.

That was a serious Saturday afternoon.

Not every Rheos show I ever saw was like this--but a few were. That's more than I can say for most.

I'll miss them if they go.

Jef

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When they were on they sounded like Pink Floyd, Yes and Stompin Tom rolling down a set of stairs together and somehow managing to land on the downbeat.

Well put!

I had the good fortune to have been able to see them the first time ca. '89-90, and they had a looseness to them then that was totally endearing, in large part because when they came through, they were just riveting. They set the highwater mark for me for stage banter, though :). I've seen few bands be that piss-yourself funny between tunes.

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