Arranger

Rock ‘N Wrestling

A VERSION OF THIS APPEARED IN THE KW RECORD NOVEMBER 23, 1999     By Nick Krewen   Jim Johnston may not be a household name, but he’s ready to rumble. Last week, he bodyslammed Mariah Carey‘s Rainbow to the mat and placed Foo Fighters‘ There’s Nothing Left To Lose in a Tongan Death Grip. He drop-kicked Counting Crows‘ This Desert Life out of the ring and bulldogged Choclair‘s Ice Cold…


Capturing The Sound of Silence

  Far from the madding crowds, sound hunters search the wilderness for an elusive ingredient for their recordings — absolute silence   Nick Krewen The Ottawa Citizen Sunday, July 25, 1999 It’s another long, sweltering day in the tropical rainforest, and Kevin O’ Leary is on safari. With an assistant who doubles as photographer at his side, and more than 30 kgs of gear each strapped to their backs, they…


Rush Future Uncertain

Nick Krewen The Kitchener-Waterloo Record December 24, 1998 On the eve of their 25th anniversary, the future of Rush is uncertain. A pair of personal tragedies suffered this year by drummer and lyricist Neil Peart, namely the double blow of losing his daughter and wife within a few months of each other, has placed a question mark on whether the enduring Canadian band will continue. “It’s difficult to discuss a…


The Book Of Secrets Revealed

PUBLISHED IN CANADIAN MUSICIAN     Nick Krewen   When it comes to exploring her Celtic ancestry, Loreena McKennitt leaves no stone unturned. She’s trekked to the far corners of the Earth following her muse, this one-woman dynamo on a mission of cultural renaissance. Her travels have taken her to London, Ireland, Athens, Istanbul, Sicily and even a ride on the Trans-Siberian Railway to inspire her latest masterpiece, The Book…


Michael Brook: Toronto Native a Player on World Music Stage

Grammy Bid Defies Years Of Obscurity Nick Krewen Toronto Star Monday, February 24, 1997   He’s played in volcanic caves on The Canary Islands and recorded one of his four solo albums during a press conference at The London Zoo’s Aquarium, but Michael Brook says a gig he performed in the late ’80s with visionary keyboardist Brian Eno topped them all. “We performed at the opening of a Shinto temple…