edger

Oh great, now I've gone and outed myself. Shame. Boat loads of shame...

I was just about to say that I don't get it either, but then had to admit to myself that i do have some suppressed love for Reckless.

This sounds really amazing. Thanks for sharing. Oh and... most convincing, epic sentence ever !

Oh boya boya. Great night! Nice to see the boys sell the place out. So much fun from start to finish.

Hoping to be able to make this show for sure!

Very cool. I've finally got back into skating after a couple of decades of hiatus. I forgot how much fun it is (despite not being very good). I was just thinking about how great it would be to have access to the canal.

Thanks again everyone. Especially for the unicorns.

Thanks a bunch guys! You sure help to make the introverted day-to-day life of a PhD student a whole lot more entertaining and grounding. Thanks for the company and the birthday wishes.

Oh and they will be interviewed, and presumably playing some tunes on 93.3 CFMU McMaster Campus radio tomorrow at 6:30.

I particularly like this write-up in today's View as well. The boys have certainly had their ups and downs over the years, but I can attest their energy is in the right place and I suspect Saturday they are going to blow the roof off. Just sayin'... http://www.viewmag.com/14061-Hamilton+Music+Notes.htm Hamilton Music Notes by Ric Taylor January 26 - February 1, 2012 The Fat Cats’ Shine Box Two decades ago, five guys started a residency at a local club – a night of jamming with good vibes. It wasn’t long that the Fat Cats drew in crowds and it marked the beginning of an odyssey of musical exploration. Over the years, their reputation would grow as one of Hamilton’s premier live acts but they’d only decide to record twice – Cruelty’s Cure in 1994 and Daredevil in 1998 – in all of those years. These days, Todd Gillies (lead guitar and vocals), Chris Gatchene (guitar and vocals) – songwriter, David E. Hill (bass), Josh Williams (keyboards, harmonica and vocals), and Ed Casasanta (drums) have developed careers and families outside of music across Flamborough, Guelph, Niagara, Dundas, and Brantford but the band remains something dear to their hearts and the hearts of fans that still flock to the live gigs. The Fat Cats aren’t kids anymore but the music still captures that youthful love of the music that first drew them to the stage. Now, 14 years since their last recording, the Fat Cats are back in the city where it all began with their new CD, Shine Box. “The main focus for the band has always been the live shows and it’s tough to keep count of how many shows we’ve actually played since 1992,†notes Gatchene. “We toured western and eastern Canada several times. Along with playing at typical music venues for a touring bar band, we also had regular stops in some of the more remote communities, where you would play at a community centre and the whole town or island would come out for the party. But over the last decade, some band members started getting into other things like school and starting families. We still perform on a regular basis, but the amount of shows we play in a year is much less, and now we are looking at maybe less gigging at bars and more time spent creating new music. “But it came to a point where it only made sense for us to document the songs,†he adds. “We just wanted to have something to have on hand at shows.†That new music showcases a band as creative as when they first started, with a spark that is now a little more matured. For a band that likes the spontaneity of the live stage, going into the studio might have seemed a little daunting but recording with fellow long–time musician Carl Jennings at Westmoreland Studio helped guide the project in the right direction. “We still remain true to a certain music style and sound since in the early days, but we’ve matured as musicians and as people, and this has impacted the band, how we relate to each other, how we approach music and songwriting,†explains Gatchene. “When a band is feeding off the energy of the audience and each other, and manage to take things to another level musically – whether it be through high energy jams or great vocal performances. It takes solid chemistry amongst the players to achieve this as well, and great songwriting to top things off. It’s all these elements that we strive for as musicians through live performances and when it comes together it creates special moments, and you can see the smiles on people’s faces. “It has been difficult for us to capture our live sound in the studio,†adds Gatchene. “The Fat Cats are known more for the live shows and improvisational jamming, we tend to keep things flexible. We were more open to exploring what the studio could offer us in terms of sound and technology. The album is a good representation of what we do live, with a splash of Carl’s special sauce added to breathe a slightly different life into the songs. For me, the title of the CD, Shine Box, relates to a modest approach, perhaps our unpretentious nature in the music business. We’re not doing this to be superstars, what we’re doing is honest – like shining shoes.†Humility aside, the Fat Cats are skilled technical players that draw from a wealth of styles – but it’s the heart in the songs that is sure to capture fan’s ears. Just being a band for two decades could be accomplishment enough for the Fat Cats but the new recording offers the possibilities of so much more in the future. “The key to our longevity is that we love playing music and we’ve formed long–term friendships with one another,†smiles Gatchene. “There have been highs and lows over the years, but it is ultimately something we enjoy being a part of. Also, I think it’s fair to say that we aren’t in it for the money, or out to push sales on people. Sure, it’s good to get paid and have people buy our album, but it’s something we haven’t been relying on in quite some time in order to make a living. “At this stage, we are happy to be releasing our new long–awaited studio release,†he adds. “We want to focus more on writing new material and even consider recording again in the future. It has been such a long time since the band has celebrated a studio release. We’re looking forward to the opportunity to share the album with the fans, and I think they are looking forward to supporting us as well. The Fat Cats will still play, fans will come and dance, but it won’t be the end of the story. We’ll ultimately continue on in Fat Cat fashion, playing music, having fun, and sharing a positive collective experience.†The Fat Cats play this Saturday January 28 at This Ain’t Hollywood with the Allniters. Doors are at 8pm and $10 gets you in or $20 with a CD.

Ba dum bump. And keep an eye out for some press they are supposedly getting in the Hamilton Spectator (I believe on Thurs. Jan. 26th).

I heart him

That's pretty cheap by today's standards

I'm a kind of thinkin' that its about time I caught their live act...hmmmm....

I didn't know this... Probably not in the cards for me though

You know you've held it in long enough when no smoke comes out when you exhale. Yeesh.

A really great closing statement to an unsettling circumstance. That fan may just have spared your life, or personal safety. I'm glad the two of you are physically ok, and inspired by the beauty you continue to see in your surroundings.

oh rats..I'd managed to block the whole 'Dylan was an asshole' thing outa my mind... “He who’s not busy being born is busy plagiarizing†I jest. Admire the man. I suppose a little controversy and hypocrisy now and again is good art.

Maybe Dylan will plagiarize you

Maybe we need an artists' forum on here? Plant some images...put em up on facebook too if you haven't already. Could go viral...but I suppose there's always the whole artistic/intellectual property piece to worry about

Is there a co-op store in your area that you can join? I know of a couple in Hamilton where instead of paying to have your art housed at the store, you put in say a days work at the store. And every artist does so on rotation. Not sure if the co-op still takes a cut if you make a sale or not. I'm sure that varies...

Too bad about a conflict that night, otherwise I'd try and be there for sure

Oh yes Amy. Good call!! That's got my number one vote now

That was another upside/downside of being pregnant. I swear I could tell something was spoiled from across the room. Avoided many potentially unpleasant ingestions but then there's the whole ignorance is bliss bit...