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THE BAND PLAYED ON

    I Am A (Hidden) Camera

    I first heard Toronto’s Hidden Cameras at the home of filmmaker/pornographer/zinester G.B. Jones around Christmas time (how very strangely appropriate) when I was on my way to visit the light of my life, my boyfriend (again, it is apt, as this outfit is prone to declaring that MUSIC is itsboyfriend), in the form of a one-man, four-track project by main man Joel Gibb.

    These days, the band is an octet (in fact, including dancers, they were about twenty-strong when I saw them in June, 2002), and has been known to perform everywhere from actual churches to porn theatres (it could be argued by someone more facile than me that there is little difference), spreading the word of "gay folky church music". It is also recording an album as an actual ensemble now, as opposed to the charmingly lo-fi and idiosyncratic CD, which was entitled Ecce Homo (but of course). I have yet to obtain a copy of my own, but I hope to, and I could only say that, even for miserable commie atheist sinners like me, it was an astonishingly beautiful and even moving mixture of the sacred and the profane (note: I do now have a copy, and I still stand by the above). Look for them in a cathedral near you…drop to your knees and testify (or whatever), sisters… (Further note: There is a single, 'Ban Marriage' out as of yesterday, and an album about April, on Rough Trade out of England).

    While you’re at it, check them out at www.musicismyboyfriend.com or drop them an epistle at [email protected].

    Chicago Trees Bear (no pun intended) A Strange Fruit

    Chicago has come out (tee hee) with some of my favourite rockin’, punkin’, butt-fuckin’ and/or cunt-lickin’ outfits, be they Scott Free, the faboo Three Dollar Bill or, now, The Rotten Fruits.

    I would like to say that the fact someone in the band wrote to me and said I was a woofy bear has no bearing (there’s that turn of phrase again) on my writing this piece – but surely you know me better than that by now. J

    The fact that their lead singer has a slight resemblance to someone on whom I used to have a crush may have been a secondary factor.

    However, listening to their righteous MP3s and reading their bio was the main motivator.

    I hope they won’t beat me up too severely for quoting from their own introductions, as I’m not sure I could top them (it might be fun to try to top them, of course, and I’m not entirely adverse to being beaten – but I digress…).

    GERM: Chubby-chasin’, beer-drinkin’, punk-a-rockin’ shit talkin’ maniac who works his throat in more ways than one. (editor: oooh, I’m in love already… J )

    DONOVAN: Guitar licks, lipstick trix and a big fat fix.

    MARK: Bass thumpin’ … (editor: yeah, thump those four strings – you know you want ‘em… J )

    MYA: The sticks, the clicks, she likes the cold beer and hot chicks.

     

    Check them out at www.rottenfruits.comand/or enjoy. (They have reformed with a new line-up, evidently.) J

    THE VOYD!! THE VOYD!! (YES, A PAINFULLY MUTATED RAINCOATS REFERENCE…)

These fellows also wrote to me, but without any manipulative, if welcome and flattering, comments on my woofiness. Of course, since they ARE fellow Canadians, perhaps they were just too polite to be that deliciously crass. J

They describe themselves as grungey and socially conscious, which is a fair summation. A band that has put out albums entitled "The First Gay Album" and "It Doesn’t Pay To Be Gay Or Anything Else The Bewildered Herd Deems Deviant" must have some activist streak, especially living as they do in Saskatoon (for you Americans, imagine Nebraska or, more pointedly, Wyoming).

They consist of a quartet of 20-year-olds, being: Kevin Walby (vocals/guitar); Ryan Pegg (drums); Paul Bazin-Webster (bass) and Darren Miller (guitar) and have existed for four years.

Even cooler from my point of view, they are coming to Kingston on June 13, a gig which has been confirmed through Kingston Punk Productions. I am not entirely clear where, though I’m sure there will be posters (probably the Scherzo), and I am also not certain if it’s a Pride Event (the schedule isn’t out yet), but I know I’ll be there. (Note: I went, but it started so late, and I did have to work the next day, so I was actually not able to see the complete show, including their performance, but did give them a copy of this 'zine :) ).

Check out MP3s and links to getting their CDs at www.voydmusic.com.

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