Tag Archives: Canadian music

CANADIAN BLUES BALLADEER DAVID DEACON RELEASES NEW ALBUM “GOOD DAY GOOD NIGHT”

I had the pleasure of attending the album release party for DAVID DEACON at Toronto’s The Rivoli last night. His new 8-track album, released Oct. 6th is titled Good Day Good Night and features original songs based on his own life experiences, having lived and survived seven decades of thrills, near tragedies and multiple career changes. Sung in his signature bluesy balladeer style, each track will ignite our own imaginations and memories, and sitting there last night I was reminded of so many of my own experiences over a lifetime of similar length and diversity. I had the pleasure of chatting briefly with David backstage (pictured above) and was able to interview him a few days prior to his concert so I’ll let him share his thoughts in his own words…..

David, congratulations on your new album. It sounds like your original songs are the culmination of an exciting and diverse lifetime and multiple careers. What inspired you to create this 8-track album Good Day Good NightThis album has been driven by a combination of new thoughts I wanted to explore and a change of style in the music itself. I have been moving towards more lyrical songs as opposed to the poetic lyrics and bluesy sounds that tended to drive earlier work. Now I have a greater focus on melody and groove, and I have been enjoying the simplicity of work that lets the hook carry more of the momentum in the whole piece. I think one of the most interesting parts of any creative career is the evolution of the artists viewpoint. Mine has evolved to a less complicated structure in both sound and lyric.

This and your earlier 2023 album, Four, come two decades after your previous album Strangers in the Morning…what took you so long?  It was a combination of things, but a large part was money. There came a point where I needed to focus on making a living again. The good thing is, when I started writing again, the hiatus meant there was a lot of material that seemed to come out quickly and easily. Over the last 2 years it has resulted in 13 new songs and 5 reworked ones, which I feel is about as prolific a period as I have encountered. There also now seems to be a pattern in my life where I leave painting for awhile and then come back to it or leave writing for awhile and come back to it. Maybe this is similar for a lot of people, but with two different disciplines to work in the gap is greater with me.

Many of the tracks on GDGN are based on life’s struggles, disappointments, challenges – at age 70, do you feel good/better times are ahead of you now?  I think that most of writing comes out of the struggles, the journey as some would say. When things are going brilliantly, we don’t tend to reflect on it too much, we just enjoy it. I always liked the quote from Emerson which goes “The people who stop at life’s first success are the world’s spiritual middle classes.” I think the more engaged we are in life, the more likely there will be struggles and disappointments, but all good learning comes with an element of struggle. I think my writing celebrates the struggle but doesn’t get lost in it or maudlin about it. I hope that’s true….and yes, I hope I continue not to “go gentle into that good night”.

How important are your paintings and visual arts and do they inspire your lyrics…or visa versa?  My art seems to come from much different thoughts than my lyrics, although all my visual work focuses on people and pretty much all my writing does as well. It’s just you are engaging a different set of reference points. The old saying a picture is worth a thousand words is to me not true, but a picture can precipitate an emotional or intellectual response that is very different than words. I think that is why I tend to be doing one or the other, not both at the same time.

As a big auto racing fan, I have to ask you about your earlier experiences in endurance racing and prior to that, your motorcycling career. I understand you suffered near-catastrophic injuries coming off your bike, then switched to cars….you just don’t give up! Is that how you’ve tackled all your different endeavours?  I remember the first time I raced at the 24 hours of Le Mans and going down the Mulsane straight at 220 miles an hour (approx. 360 KPH). Racing in the eighties was still very dangerous at that time, with two men being killed that weekend. There was a place called “the kink” which before they put in the chicane on the Mulsane to slow things down, was daunting. The car would skitter a little and I finally did it for a few laps flat out and it scared the hell out of me. I told Hans Stuck this (who was driving a sister car) when I got back in the pits and he said “don’t worry David, after a couple of hours, you will be used to it”. It was really funny, but it didn’t feel funny at the time. But there I was at one o’clock in the morning and going flat out through the kink with my lights only lighting up the entry point not the apex, and not really even thinking about it anymore. I think that was my most tangible moment of understanding that we just have to drive through fear. Taking on a renewed music career at this stage in my life means that I am still trying to drive through fear.What do you hope your fans/listeners get from your music? And where can they purchase CDs or listen via streaming services?  Where people can get my music is on every streaming channel, such as Spotify, You Tube, Apple Music etc. Believe is my distributor and they ensure its availability through all the sources.

As to what do I think people might get from my music? I think hopefully they like the sound and groove but also, I know that when I read a book I underline passages which say something particular to me. I think I have a point of view on life which is a fairly rich way to draw the best out of experiences both good and bad. It is essentially based on a philosophy of “you are what you do” and tries to put emphasis on being sure to be fully engaged as much of the time as possible. As a result, I believe a lot of people might underline some of my lyrics if they read them in a book.

You can hear David’s new album via your favourite streaming platforms such as…Spotify, Amazon, YouTube, Apple, etc.
And you can follow him on social media:
Facebook –  Facebook.com/DavidDeaconMusic
Instagram –  @ddeaconmusic
Twitter/X-  @ddeaconmusic

David’s been getting lots of media attention on radio and online so watch for upcoming concerts, and make sure you check out all the tracks on Good Day Good Night – I guarantee at least one will speak to you!  Thanks to Kevin Pennant of Pennant Media Group for the invite.

CANADA’S LEGENDARY QUEEN OF SCREAM STILL ROCKIN’ OUT WITH HER NEW “DARBY MILLS PROJECT”

Canada’s Queen of Scream, DARBY MILLS, has been earning her living doing what she loves – singing & performing for her loyal fans – since 1978. And as she’s said in a previous interview when asked if she’s feeling a bit too old for rock & roll, “I’ll talk to Mick Jagger then let you know…”  When I arrived in Toronto a few years prior to Darby’s professional debut, it was the height of the disco era and all the clubs pumped out Donna Summer, Barry White, KC and the Sunshine Band, and the Bee Gees. As much as I loved disco, the dancing, the dubious fashions and platform shoes, I also loved to rock and roll but I had to wait until the early 80s to hear that voice, that growling, loud empowered woman’s voice that belonged to Darby Mills, fronting the Headpins band.145_origWhen you mention Darby Mills to anyone who’s a rock fan, you see a smile come across their face and a nod of recognition – this woman has earned her place in Canadian rock history. First working in cover bands, then a jazz/blues group and a funk/soul band in Alberta, finally accepting the invitation to sing with the rock band Steelback and heading back home to BC with them. Darby built a solid reputation on stage, fans flocked to see the band and its rocker chic out front. More gigs, more miles, more exposure to big international acts, both opening for and singing with, established Darby as a leading light in the Canadian music scene. Then came the Headpins…and then came the drama!  I encourage you to visit Darby’s website where you’ll find an in-depth history of her career and, in particular, her years with The Headpins (weblink at end of story).

I recently spoke with Darby from her home in BC and asked her if she’d share a few thoughts on her new Darby Mills Project (sadly sidetracked by Covid that has shut down Canada’s live music venues) and her experience as a woman in a male-dominated music genre….. 49121065_2626607834016328_5956634531585851392_nDarby, your first introduction to “performing” in front of crowds was as a young aspiring figure skater – did the discipline of sports training over a 12-year period affect your life and work ethic as a recording artist and stage performer?   Absolutely, the sacrifices made by myself and family were huge. As a competitive skater (pictured below with trophies almost as big as her) you miss out on many events outside the rink, even holidays, as training was first and foremost. No skiing or girls’ hockey (my Dad coached) and summer escapes where out of the question, but I did attend skating summer camps most of my teen years. As for the actual performance, it gave me the basis for nerve and confidence. Even though to this day there is still a tingle that hits me just before the show.9498496I understand as a youngster you spent many summers at your family’s cabin and your dad would sing as you all sat around the nightly campfires – apart from him, who were your early musical influences or inspirations?   Many many influences I’ve had over my life time. Early on, I listened to all the pre-70’s LP collection of musicals my parents had, then I got into Linda Ronstadt, Tom Jones, The Eagles, Ann Wilson, The Who and of course Led Zeppelin. It was at that point I was introduced to Janis.

You’ve been a part of several ground-breaking Canadian bands (Steelback, Headpins), honing your chops and touring throughout the 80s – what lessons did you learn during that crazy period that now allow you to take the lead with the Darby Mills Project?   In the late 70’s, after graduation I moved to Calgary where LIVE music was everywhere! Jumping back and forth from there to Vancouver many times until 1980 when I was recruited by the Headpins. My early Rock experiences consisted of searching out the correct band for my abilities and interests….and there where many!  And every time I got fired (lol) I learned more about the rights and wrongs as well as the prejudices of those in the industry. To me the answer was to become one of the guys best you could and grow a really tough skin.142662660_702376817098503_808680119311385062_nYou’ve also toured with some of rock’s greatest bands such as KISS, ZZ Top, Whitesnake and Aerosmith – were you treated differently in such a male-dominated environment or were you accorded the respect you had well-and-truly earned?   Each band is different – I’ve seen actions that are kind at heart and supportive, as well as those that are destructive and mean-hearted, meant only to undermine the success of the opening act!  WITH kiss 1982What is the significance of your “Letting Go” tattoo? Did you get that ink after you decided to take a break from your career in the early 90s?   I got the “Letting Go” tat to remind me that there was more to come.  My life was not all about what once was.  Sadly, I had been told that should I leave the Pins, I would never work again. Those people I’m guessing, had forgotten that I had already accomplished such a feat. In fact, I was the only member of the Headpins band except Brian “Too Loud” McLeod to do so!  I have earned 2 solo recording contracts, one to MCA America in 1986, and the second in 2001 with MCA Canada. Then in 2016, 36 years into a revised version of the Headpins, I felt it was past time to step up and bring something new to the table. This was not accepted by the members and I felt trapped in a downward cycle. At 56 years of age, I knew it was NOW OR NEVER. It was time again to take on that challenge.  Proudly I can say that I have now obtained a worldwide distribution deal with True North Records. 142172612_755571281744144_5778864844485981381_nAfter spending time away from the stage and recording studio to raise your family and care for ailing family members, why now, why the Darby Mills Project?   After losing my recording contract with MCA in 2002, I felt it was time to start a family. Married 10 years at that time, my husband a I both agreed. 6 months into making that decision I got a call from a former Pins drummer. He asked if I would sit in with his cover band here and there, but shortly after that I found I was pregnant with our first child. Behind the scenes, I had been dealing with a lawsuit for the past 5 years. The Headpins had acquired substantial debt to the former manager and even though I had been fired from the band, I was personally being held responsible for its repayment. With no record deal on the table and now our first baby on the way, I gave up on all counts and let the government step in.  I felt the health of my unborn child was more important than fighting over money I neither had nor made from the band, so my public defender suggested I declare bankruptcy. Those where the only months I did not work as a singer/performer. I had worked at this profession for 44 years by that time.  And now I will say that Covid-19 has given me the longest break in my life time!

The Darby Mills Project allows you to reach out to long-time fans and play with musicians who had also experienced the highs and lows of the 80s and 90s.  How gratifying is it to find fans so loyal and vocal when you take the stage (pre-Covid days, of course) and have you had younger new fans reach out to you as well?  I guess they see themselves as the ones who where down in the trenches with us all these years. The Rock’n’Roll era of my generation will likely never be experienced in the same way ever again. What a time we had!!Ted VanBoort

Photo courtesy Ted VanBoort

Obviously performing live concerts or touring is off the table until the pandemic is under control, so have you participated in any online concerts or have any plans to do so?   We spent more money than we made this last year doing a new 13 min video – six Headpins tunes mashed up into a medley.  We “The Darby Mills Project” get asked at every show, why aren’t you doing this or that song? My answer was always “because we are not the Headpins”.  It was never my intention to be the Headpins as a solo artist. They have a new singer and have worked steadily since my departure.  But the questions just kept coming, so the guys in DMP suggested we do a medley of Pins tunes so we can make the ticket buyers happy. DONE!  Paid for and ready to watch.  My thoughts for 2021 are that if there are no signs of live shows coming back into play, we’re working on another adventure that I’ll speak about when it happens.    Stan Pietrusik (2)

Photo courtesy of Stan Pietrusik

I was sorry to hear of the tragic loss of your beloved father due to Corona Virus – what advice do you wish to share with your fans about health and safety precautions?   I spoke out publicly a few days after my Dad passed. Global TV news reached out to see if I would be interested in sharing my thoughts and it took some consideration as I know there are still so many who feel we were being lied to and the back lash would be harsh.  My family stayed away from Dad as he was in a long-term care home. We did NOT want to be the ones to inadvertently take the Covid virus into his care home. We followed the rules set by government regulations and called him every single day to stay in touch best we could. For 10 months he stayed safely tucked away from the world.  BUT THE WORLD GOT IN!  Covid landed in our little town with a handful of cases for a month or so but then after Christmas and, I can only surmise those who did not follow the stay home regulations, BOOM, three local care homes were on total lock down.   3 – 4 – 5 cases then 35 then 68 and now we hear about all the deaths. It is REAL and will take out so many more of us before we reach herd immunity.

I did get messages from the naysayers, such as “It’s a hoax”. There were those who said, “Why should we worry about the likes of him, we should think about all those small businesses that are out of business for the fear of losing the old”. Well, I TOO am part of the OLD! I TOO am out of business!  But I can still find compassion for those trying to be part of the solution rather than those who are looking only for fault and someone to release their frustrations on.  May the Universe find compassion for us all ‘coz boy, are we messed up!

~~~~~

Thanks, Darby, I really appreciate you sharing your personal, painful thoughts on dealing with the frustration and fear of Covid. On a happier note, I strongly recommend clicking thru to watch the 2018 Telus Original documentary on her career “The Queen of Scream”.

…and if you would like to follow Darby for news of upcoming releases and, hopefully, live shows later this year, check out her website where you can also purchase her music: www.darbymills.com111_orig