Experimental

Arranger, Canada, Experimental, Novelty, Pop, Producer, Punk, Rock, Songwriter, Toronto, United Kingdom, United States July 25, 2012

The Monks’ Bad Habits hard to break

An anomalous punk hit in Canada gets a loving tribute at the Horseshoe. By: Nick Krewen Special to the Star, Published on Wed Jul 25 2012 “Nice legs, shame about her face.” If you’re old enough to remember those lyrics, you’ll recall that circa 1979-1980 there was a band named The Monks that owned Canadian Top 40 radio for a spell with the novel ditty “Drugs In My Pocket.” The…

Accordion, California, Experimental, Indie, Indie pop, Producer, Saxophone, Songwriter, Trumpet, United States July 18, 2012

Beirut: Down to brass attacks

Gypsy-pop band coming to Sound Academy leading a wave, says frontman Zach Condon. Messy-haired ukulele (“a joke at first,” he says) leads the indie-folk band Beirut.       Nick Krewen Special to the Star, Published on Wed Jul 18 2012   Is brass making a comeback? Beirut’s Zach Condon certainly thinks so. At the very least, the Santa Fe band’s lead singer, songwriter and trumpet player is doing his…

Cinema, Composer, Electronic, Experimental, Film Scores, France, Jean-Michel Jarre, Pop, Producer, Songwriter, Synthesizer May 4, 2012

M83 synthesizes some stardom

Gonzalez puts keyboards front and centre, and the result is a sold-out Sound Academy. Nick Krewen Special to the Star, Published on Fri May 04 2012 When Anthony Gonzalez was seven years old, he took a hit of Oxygene that changed his life forever. Gathered around their living room with the rest of his family in Antibes, France, the future principal of M83 watched fellow Frenchman, electronic music synthesis and…

Alt. Rock, Arranger, Business, Cinema, Composer, Dance, Electronic, Engineer, Experimental, Film Scores, Guitar, Mixer, Music Industry (Trade), New Wave, Piano, Pop, Producer, Rock, Songwriter, Synthesizer, Technology, Thomas Dolby, United Kingdom April 1, 2012

Thomas Dolby, past, present and especially future

Entertainment / Music Eighties pop star, tech entrepreneur, now game designer — and through it all, a science obsessive.   Musician Thomas Dolby in his travelling “time capsule.” By: Nick Krewen Special to the Star, Published on Sun Apr 01 2012 Ever the inventive sort, Thomas Dolby is bringing a special guest to Monday night’s gig at the Mod Club: his own time machine. “It’s a 1930s Teardrop trailer that looks like Jules Verne customized…

Arranger, Chicago, Cinema, Classical, Composer, Dance, EDM, Electronic, Electronic, Experimental, Film Scores, Funk, Fusion, Grammy, Herbie Hancock, Jazz, Joni Mitchell, Orchestra, Oscar, Piano, Pop, Producer, R&B, Songwriter, Soul, Synthesizer, Technology, United States October 20, 2011

Herbie Hancock gives it all a try

Herbie Hancock gives it all a try | Toronto Star Longtime Gershwin fan’s Massey Hall show just latest outlet for broad-minded creator.   Herbie Hancock at home with keyboards both acoustic and electronic … thanks to Miles Davis. Nick Krewen Special to the Star Published on Thu Oct 20 2011 Legendary jazz innovator Herbie Hancock might be considered something of a prodigy, but that doesn’t mean he’s taking his upcoming…