Avril Lavigne to Release First Ever Greatest Hits Album
Dee Lippingwell – Award-winning Photographer succumbs to Cancer
Jim Cuddy Announces New Solo Album and Coast to Coast Canadian Tour
Shawn Desman Announces Headlining Show at Toronto’s HISTORY

DAVE GUNNING – STORIES & SONGS FROM A MAN WITH BIG SHOES TO FILL

Music Express
DAVE GUNNING – STORIES & SONGS FROM A MAN WITH BIG SHOES TO FILL
“It was rock and roll to me. He might as well have been the King. Now I could walk a thousand miles, and it would be like I stood still. Spend my whole life trying, and I’ll never fill those shoes.” Words penned by Dave Gunning, from his song, “Big Shoes” (We’re All Leaving, 2009), about Canadian iconic folk musician,... Read More

JANN ARDEN’S VOCAL MAKEOVER

Keith Sharp
JANN ARDEN’S VOCAL MAKEOVER
Approaching her 12th album, Jann Arden was facing a career crossroad. After more than 35 years in the music business, the 52-year-old Calgarian could not be faulted if she started to wind down her career, continue with the TV celebrity appearances and execute the odd nostalgic concert tour. Yet for Arden, nostalgia at this point is not an option. As... Read More

TERRY DRAPER – When The World Was Young

Keith Sharp
TERRY DRAPER – When The World Was Young
(Magentalaine Records) That mystery band that was Klaatu Is long gone but one third of the trio’s creative force, Terry Draper is still flying the band’s flag with solo recordings that still maintain the band’s Eighties’ mentality. Listening to the record’s title track plus other songs like `All The King’s Men’, `To Whom It May Concern’ and `No Life Before... Read More

Jess Moskaluke – Cool Licks & Hot Lips

Roman Mitz
Jess Moskaluke – Cool Licks & Hot Lips
Jess Moskaluke’s new album and her first full-length release is called Light Up The Night. The first single, Good Lovin’, has already burned up the charts and the second one, Cheap Wine and Cigarettes, is poised to follow. Like Justin Bieber, the pretty chanteuse was discovered on YouTube where her sensational country covers created a huge following for her. This... Read More

JANN ARDEN – Everything Almost

Keith Sharp
JANN ARDEN – Everything Almost
(Universal Music) Think of Jann Arden’s music and you think of lightweight melodic compositions. Think of producer Bob Rock and you think of classic hard rock releases by the likes of Metallica, Motley Crue and Aerosmith. Yet mix the two of them together and the result is a dynamic combination. Yes there is still a healthy dose of lightweight melodies... Read More

Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

Keith Sharp
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Karl Wolf stares at the gold and platinum awards that adorn the walls of his Montreal-based Lone Wolf Management and Record label and wonders aloud why people in Canada’s record industry still consider him to be a one-hit wonder cover artist. “It bothers me that this industry looks at me as a cover artist,” an issue he will address with... Read More

BIG MUSIC FEST ANNOUNCES DETAILS FOR BREAKING BANDS

Music Express
BIG MUSIC FEST ANNOUNCES DETAILS FOR BREAKING BANDS
(April 24, 2014 – Toronto, Ontario) As part of Big Music Fest, the 3-day music festival being held at McLennan Park in Kitchener, details for Breaking Bands, an Ontario wide band search competition dedicated to finding and breaking the hottest emerging talent in the province are now available. Qualifying bands are urged to submit applications at www.sonicbids/breaking-bands Mark Higgins, President... Read More

Surprised Killer Dwarfs Fan Gets VIP Treatment

Keith Sharp
Surprised Killer Dwarfs Fan Gets VIP Treatment
Riley Conrad-Rosser received the surprise of a lifetime when he and his mother Kasi attended The Killer Dwarfs concert performance at Hamilton’s Club Absinthe on Friday April 17th. Stricken with cerebral palsy, 16-year old had never attended a rock concert previously when Music Express photographer Ted Van Boort arranged for a special surprise. Not only were Riley and his mom... Read More

MUSIC EXPRESS BOOK REVISITS A GOLDEN ERA

Keith Sharp
MUSIC EXPRESS BOOK REVISITS A GOLDEN ERA
The book we’ve been talking about in this online magazine for the past 18 months, will debut on Amazon and in your favorite book store in May when “Music Express – The Rise, Fall and Resurrection Of Canada’s Music Magazine” (Dundurn Press) finally rolls into retail. Those of you who were involved or aware of the Canadian music industry in... Read More

The Metal Queen Has Re-Drawn Her Sword

Keith Sharp
The Metal Queen Has Re-Drawn Her Sword
Lee Aaron is starting to feel that bug again. When she hits Ontario for a three concert stint that kicks off at Ottawa’s Brass Monkey venue on Thursday followed by appearances at Toronto’s Rockpile East club Friday and Rockpile West on Saturday, the Vancouver-based former Metal Queen is continuing a coming-out process that she initiated in 2013 when she made... Read More

Do Make Say Think duo scores with new dramatic comedy Algonquin

Music Express
Do Make Say Think duo scores with new dramatic comedy Algonquin
Given that he and creative partner Ohad Benchetrit composed the soundtrack for Algonquin, a new dramatic comedy film set partly in the titular Ontario park, I feel obliged to ask Justin Small if he has ever visited Algonquin. He has. Some 30 years ago with his family, although his memories are understandably hazy. “At one point they took us out... Read More

COREY HART – Ten Thousand Horses

Keith Sharp
COREY HART – Ten Thousand Horses
(Warner Music/Siena Records) How ironic is it that Montrealer Corey Hart should release one of the best records he has ever recorded as his farewell offering to the music industry. But that’s exactly what he’s done with the April 8th release of “Ten Thousand Horses”, his first offering in over 16 years. A record that culminates Hart’s performing career that... Read More

BACHMAN-TURNER OVERDRIVE – Not Fragile (40th Anniversary Edition)

Keith Sharp
BACHMAN-TURNER OVERDRIVE – Not Fragile (40th Anniversary Edition)
(Universal Records) How fitting that BTO should re-release a deluxe version of their 1975 ground-breaking “Not Fragile” release just weeks before being inducted into Canada’s Music Hall Of Fame, March 30th at the Juno Awards in Winnipeg. Finally, a silly internal spat between Randy Bachman, Fred Turner, Robbie Bachman and Blair Thornton has been resolved that now allows the feuding... Read More

THE COOPER BROTHERS 40TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT – Friday, March 21, 2014

Music Express
THE COOPER BROTHERS 40TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT – Friday, March 21, 2014
~ CENTREPOINTE THEATRE The Cooper Brothers, along with a little help from their vast array of musician friends, gave a monumental performance in front of a sold out crowd at Ottawa’s Centrepointe Theatre. It was a celebration of their music, that has stood the test of time, since their first release, “Finally”, in 1974 under the Polydor label. “Ottawa was... Read More

COREY HART DELIVERS ¨TEN THOUSAND HORSES¨ AS A PARTING GIFT TO FANS

Music Express
COREY HART DELIVERS ¨TEN THOUSAND HORSES¨ AS A PARTING GIFT TO FANS
Tuesday, April 1, 2014 – For immediate release Canadian superstar to close out performing career with new album, sold-out arena show and self-penned memoires. It seemed that Canadian superstar Corey Hart had come out of nowhere. In 1983, no one knew his name. In 1984 no one could escape it. His self-penned hit “Sunglasses At Night” was a monster smash... Read More

HEADSTONES & RUSH BIG WINNERS OF 2014 MUSIC EXPRESS AWARDS

Keith Sharp
HEADSTONES & RUSH BIG WINNERS OF 2014 MUSIC EXPRESS AWARDS
More than 10,000 Music Express readers have cast their on-line ballot for the Long & McQuade 2014 Music Express Awards with Rush and The Headstones leading the way with three awards each. Rush, who claimed three ME awards in 2013, repeated again this year, winning Top Group, Top Live Performance (Arena) and Top Compilation Release for their Clockwork Angels-Live Rock... Read More

Sam Roberts’ Three-Year Perpetual Cycle

Keith Sharp
Sam Roberts’ Three-Year Perpetual Cycle
Sam Roberts calls it his `three-year cycle. The time it takes for him to write, record, release and tour a specific record before he has to do it all over again. This, according to Roberts, is also why he always seems to be on a perpetual comeback. “It seems my plan to release one or two albums a year has... Read More

Just right for the blues – Doucette

Music Express
Just right for the blues – Doucette
Deerfoot Casino, Calgary | February 22, 2013 When Jerry Doucette first came to radio’s attention in the 70s, his signature song “Mama Let Him Play” included the line “He’s too young for the blues, he’s still inside his first pair of shoes.” A statement of simple rock and roll fact wrapped in a tidy metaphor: youth is for reckless abandon... Read More