A Chat With Jesse Northey-Musician & Producer

I’ve had the opportunity throughout my career of interviewing some fairly big-name artists like Lady Gaga, Randy Bachman, Tommy James, Keith Urban and Toby Keith. It was always a thrill for me when for some strange reason their management would actually agree to do 10 minutes with me. But I’d have to say equally as thrilling in a different way was talking to the artists who were just getting started. It was fun to see their passion for music and their hope for what was about to come. Such was the case for Jesse Northey.  Jesse appeared on a number of occasions on my Scene & Heard segment both as an individual artist and with his band Jesse & The Dandelions. Along with the passion that drives any artist he possessed an intelligence and a maturity for what he was getting into-a rare trait for someone who was in his teens. I watched his growth from what I thought was a band with potential to a band that I thought was sophisticated and smart. I was actually blown away by the last Jesse & The Dandelion CD. That acumen for music has helped him transition into the other side of music-producing. Jesse is actually making a living in the business and while his main focus is recording other people’s work, he still has his own project with his band that he’s working on. I guess like in real life, dandelions never really totally go away. In this case that’s a good thing.

Get us up to date. You’re running Jesse Northey Productions in Edmonton. Talk about how you got to this point and the kind of work that you do.

I definitely have made the move from Lethbridge to Edmonton and it’s been very rewarding. I first was worried that I would have a hard time finding any audio work but within only a few months I was busier than I could keep up with! I started out at a great venue called The Artery doing live sound and it was a super welcoming environment. Through that I met a ton of musicians and started finding my community. I transitioned into recording bands full time and now that’s all I do!

How important was your time in Lethbridge?

Lethbridge was extremely important to me. I fell in with the right crowd really quickly and it really was an environment where I could grow. I went through the Digital Audio Arts Program at the U of L and it gave me the time and the resources I needed to hone my craft. It’s a lovely place to call home and it has a surprisingly vibrant arts community compared to cities that rival it in size.

It seems anyone with some kind of digital knowledge can put out a song on their own. What do you like to say to musicians who want to go that route?

I say put out as many songs digitally as you want! The issue however is if anyone will actually listen to them or not. After that it becomes a game of building your musical identity, finding the right audience, and marketing it properly which can be a lifetime of work to figure out. Other people hire professionals but it depends on what stage you are at in your career. Creation is great though and I encourage people to record and share their work.

Talk about music in your life growing up.

My mom used to play organ for a church so I suppose that’s where it started. I always enjoyed singing though and was in various choirs growing up (LCI Chamber choir). At some point I started playing guitar because I was getting beat up for my other hobby which was figure skating! Life can be funny.

Who were your biggest musical influences?

My parents only listened to The Eagles and Bryan Adams while I was growing up, so I’m sure that rubbed off in some way. I definitely like harmonies so I guess we can thank The Eagles for that. Otherwise I like bands like Beck, The Flaming Lips, MGMT, Tame Impala, The Shins, and many more!

If you could produce anyone’s album today, who would that be?

I feel pretty lucky actually. I’m currently working with an artist named Colleen Brown from Edmonton and I’ve wanted to work with her for years. It’s neat to finally reach that goal and put other things into perspective. I think for big artists I would just love to be an assistant on some sessions and really learn some more. It’s always a growing process. 18-year-old me would be proud of where I am now, and I have no idea what 25-year-old Jesse (currently) can expect over the next 5 or 10 years.

Can a musician or band make any money by just putting out a CD or is it imperative that they go on the road to promote themselves?

It’s definitely harder than ever to make many in any way in the industry these days so it’s mostly just important to think what kind of life you want. Some artists just record and try and write jingles for money and others love being on the road. I think I’m still making up my mind but it’s definitely a long road in order to make money in music.

What’s the biggest challenge for you right now doing what you do?

I feel pretty lucky that I have a career in music, and I feel I shouldn’t take that for granted. However there is always a desire to take things to the next level and think bigger and take music to bigger audiences, recording wise or live band wise. I think the challenge is how to do that effectively, on a budget, without sacrificing too much of a healthy normal life. I want to work smart rather than work hard, so there’s a lot of mental work that goes into what the next move.

You’re still doing your own music. Is that your first choice or is producing becoming the go-to thing?

I definitely pay my bills with engineering and production so that likely takes the forefront as far as my career goes at this point. However they are all connected. If I do a great job on an album it brings attention to my own band as well and vice versa. I think I will always make my own music and it will continue to grow relative to my production career.

What’s the latest with Jesse & the Dandelions?

We were lucky to get an AFA grant so we’ve been working ridiculously hard on a brand new album. It’s likely to come out in spring of next year. Mostly the Dandelions are just laying low and I’m trying to make a master plan to execute when the album is done and the time is right.

What is your ultimate goal in this business?

I think I really just want the respect of my peers. That could also mean the Canadian Music Industry, but at the end of the day I want to be making music I’m proud of, pay my bills, and have a strong community.

What advice do you like to give to kids who want to make it in the music industry?

I think the biggest thing is to get as involved as you can. Go see a ton of shows. Be friendly with people. Learn your craft, work hard and be persistent. There is no clear path and any way that you can carve out a spot is legitimate!

What Late Night talk show would you like to perform on?

I would love to hang out with Conan. I don’t know if I would even have much to say but I think he’s a great host and has good taste.

You have a beard. Discuss.

I definitely get egg yolks and ice cream in it all the time. It’s an added bonus if I want to save food for later. Other times it helps me looks more attractive, or at the very least I stay warm.

Where do you see yourself in 20 years?

On a beach in Hawaii with girls feeding me grapes. It would be a private island that I paid for in gold records. Let’s hope!

Barb Marchuk-Music, Passion, Love of God

Barb Marchuk is a talented singer-songwriter who has a passion for helping others. I seem to remember first hearing about Barb when her name was mentioned numerous times winning various talent contests. I got to know Barb better initially when she was promoting her country-flavored CD that attained great success internationally and more recently I would interview her regularly on my Scene & Heard TV segment about her tireless fundraising efforts to help the people of the impoverished areas of South Omo in Africa. She was gracious in lending her talents to sing a haunting version of “Mary Did You Know” on my Christmas CD that benefited the Fetal Alcohol Society in Lethbridge. She’s about to embark on another journey to Nashville to record another album and to my surprise, one of her bucket list items is to do a duet with me. (Do you know Itsy Bitsy Spider, Barb? Let’s talk.)

You’re a very spiritual person. Were you always or was there specific time in your life when you made a choice? 

Such a great question.  I believe we are born with an insatiable hunger for God that many of us try to fill with the ‘flavor of the day’ – whatever that looks like.  Friends, career, parties, drugs, drama, family, relationships, God…. I went for the former for a long time until it didn’t make sense anymore.  Then, I made a choice for God.  Best thing I’ve ever done, hands down!

Music is a huge part of your life. What were some of your influences growing up?

My mom’s family was pretty musical and so my grandmother, my mom, and my uncle were big influences on me.  When I was growing up, playing the piano and singing were therapeutic and I believe, the “Carpenters” and I solved many a problem back in the day 🙂  My music teacher, Mrs. Barbara Walker at Wilson Junior High School was my single biggest musical influence and mentor and then later on, I admired the big voices like Wynonna and Martina McBride, Whitney….and more.

You have tirelessly given of yourself to help the people of South Omo. Take us through how you got involved and what motivates you to continue to help?

I remember watching a show on TV where Cal Bombay (of Cal Bombay Ministries) was trying to help the southern Sudan people after many had been abducted and forced into slavery to the northern Sudan people.  At the beginning it was such a desperate situation and all that he could think to do was purchase freedom back for these people.  I had actually heard about this several times before with little effect on my life.  After all, it was another story on TV, in a place I knew nothing about, to people I didn’t know and what could I do anyway?  But something was different as I watched this time.  I saw Cal sitting under the only tree the land boasted of for miles, with a briefcase on his lap, waiting patiently as, over a distant, dusty hill, a line of people began to make their way single file toward the tree.  The line started with several armed, masked men, followed by so many more people in shackles and chains, followed by more masked, armed men. There was little discussion as each party knew why they were there.  The first chained man was released and brought before Cal.  Cal took a pre-bundled amount of money from the briefcase and handed it to one of the masked men.  The first prisoner – now a free man, was asked to stand on the other side of Cal.  The second person in line was unchained and brought before Cal and the same transaction occurred.  And the next, and the next…. But far too soon the money in the briefcase ran out.  You could see the hope and desperation in the people in line as they calculated whether the money would make it as far as their position.  Then you could see their sorrow and helplessness as they were told to turn around and march back to where they had come from.  Freedom wouldn’t be had for them today.  I remember feeling like someone had punched me in the stomach – I was literally gasping for air.  I knew then, that I would never be able to live my life the same way I had prior to this day.  I ended up meeting and getting to know Cal and helped him with his ministry for several years before I met Paulos Gote from South Omo.  Paulos’ story compelled me equally and because there was almost no one else to help. It’s amazing how God can put a love in your heart for people you have never even met.  It was so good to get to travel there and see the results of our community’s hard work and commitments to the people of South Omo.  One tribe actually wrote me a letter telling me that although they were so very grateful for the support we had given them in helping them get an agricultural program off the ground as well as bringing them clean water, (both for the first time in recorded history) they felt they had reached a point of self-sufficiency and wouldn’t be needing our services any longer.  They encouraged us to help their neighboring tribes.  This is no small thing as the Arbore tribe consists of more than 100,000 people.

What is the number one thing the people of South Omo need right now?

The truth is, the number one thing the people of South Omo need is to hear the Word of God.  In every success story that we can tell, lasting change happened only when the Word of God came first. There is a group called, “South Omo for Christ” that is bringing solar audio Bibles to the tribes and the impact has been remarkable.  Another one of the most effective projects we did was the Sawyer Water Filter project.  A team just came back from South Omo and the reports are amazing.  The rates of disease and death have drastically been reduced in the areas where the filters were introduced.  We only brought 100 filters over and for a population of more than a million, we obviously need more.  An idea was brought to the table regarding using the filters as a means of micro finance loans for people to create a business from the clean drinking water with the filters and so that is to be explored also.  This is a tremendous way to bring clean water to the people and anyone wishing to continue to help with that project would be contributing to an amazing project.

We all endure hardships over the course of our lifetime. Has there ever been a time when you question why God is putting you through those difficult events? 

🙂  Oh, yes.  But reaching the half century mark has given me a perspective that I haven’t always enjoyed.  As I look back at those difficult times, I see how He carried me and sheltered me through each and every one. He protected me from so much – even when I am sure I disappointed Him greatly.  Joseph in the Bible was betrayed by his brothers by their decision to sell him into Egyptian slavery (he ends up being second in command of the land, however).  The brothers later on are full of remorse and regret and seek his forgiveness.  Joseph told them he forgave them as he saw that what they intended for evil, God used for good.  God allows things sometimes that we don’t understand but He always brings us through.  He has never left me alone and He can and does use it for good.

When are you the happiest? 

In those moments when I truly realize what life is all about.

When did you realize you had some musical talent? 

When I was in grade one at Galbraith school, there was a knock on the door and I was asked to speak to a lady in the hallway.  She had me sing a song for her and that was the beginning of my Kiwanis Music Festival career.  But I think when I sang a song I had written once and someone cried and told me they knew what I was ‘talking’ about, I realized that it was not just about singing. There are a million good voices out there.  I hope I can always possess the ability to tell the story through the song

You’ve been to Nashville to record in the past and you’ll be returning soon. Explain the vibe down there.  

Oh my goodness!  It’s like I am a kindergarten child walking into a University lecture – each and every time.  These guys are so talented.  That talent is only superseded by their graciousness and willingness to help and make my material sound like real songs!

Do you write your own material? If so how easy or hard is it to come up with a song. It must be a process.

Yes, I have.  Most of the time it is the subject matter that is the most difficult to come up with – pretty much everything that can be sung about has been sung about.  On this project, like many I suppose, the writing was crucial.  I have had the privilege of co-writing with a couple of gals – Sara Folden and Jana Roth (crazy funny sisters that put up with me somehow) who have helped me tremendously!

Talk about your next trip. What kind of an album can we expect? 

This album has been a lifetime in coming.  The title track is a song I wrote called, “Mercy”.  The title of the Album is, “Mercy – My Story His Glory”.  It is a compilation of songs that help me tell my story and the amazing way that Jesus has moved me in my life.

Is it important to sell as many albums to recover your costs or are you doing this out of need to satisfy your artistic side?

Any other project, I would say yes! – as I am not independently wealthy by any stretch of the imagination.  In this case, the need to pay for the project or even satisfy my artistic side definitely falls into the background.  I hope that the songs on this album might resonate with someone, somewhere… someone who relates to some of the things I have experienced and maybe doesn’t really know how to deal with it but can see through my story, that there is amazing life on the other side of victimization, tragedy, and poor choices. They just don’t know where to look to get there.

Does age have anything to do with the ability to sell an album? Do you think about that at all?

I have thought about that my entire musical career.  I think I was 35 when I did my first album.  I knew then that it would be an uphill battle because of my age.  Now…. well, I’m a few years older, but hopefully wiser….  AND… they say 50 is the new 30 so actually I’m younger now than I was then!  LOL.

Do you ever wish you had taken more time to focus on your musical career?

No…. I needed to focus on my family.  Ultimately, wife and mother are the most important roles I play.

What advice would you give to kids who want to get into the music industry?

Never compromise – nothing is worth that.  Do what you love – whether that is playing to a room spattered with a mere several listeners or an arena full of fans – and stop if the love stops.  Life is too short.  Fame and fortune are O.K., but they are not what brings true happiness.

Top 5 albums of all time.

I can’t choose 5 in any set order 😦  Sorry!

Top 5 female vocalists of all time.

Whitney Houston, Barbara Streisand, Wynona, Celine Dion, Lisa Mulgrew

Who’s the best minister you’ve ever seen preach? 

Ooh, that is tough.  I have so many favorites.  Not sure it’s the messenger as much as the message.  My pastors rank right up there with the best for me but sometimes, it’s not even an ordained minister preaching that brings the most impactful message.  Pastor Daniel Zopoula from the Mis City Church (where I attend) told me once to ‘preach all the time – when you have to, use words’.  I have seen that kind of preaching in many people that I come across in my daily life.  When you least expect it a sermon can come by way of a smile, a gesture, an act of kindness, compassion shown unexpectedly, a friend relating an experience… you know what I mean?  Those are some of the best accidental sermons I have heard.

What’s on your bucket list? 

I might disappoint you with my answer as I have done most of what I really want to do, but I would love to visit and  perform in Australia and go back to some of the countries I toured previously with my country albums…  Also, I would really like to sing a duet with Mark Campbell sometime 🙂

Where do you come out on a Performing Arts Centre in Lethbridge?  

I haven’t given this enough thought to give you a great answer, but I will say this…. music was a lifeline to me when I was growing up and beyond (well, I guess I am still growing up lol) and if something like a performing arts center in Lethbridge can throw that out to anyone here, whether it is in participating or in enjoying the arts from the audience, I am all for it.

How can people donate to South Omo?

They can get in touch with Paulos Gote and Pastor Harold Cooper at Central Church of Christ here in Lethbridge (403-327-4774).  The ministry is now being run from the church and is renamed Galata Ministries.  http://www.galataministries.org   As I mentioned, Paulos is now the Executive Director and is doing a great job.  The needs are still there and are great so any support is appreciated.

Those Smoking Days…

It’s August 26. That’s only 4 more months until the Boxing Day sales.

It’s another smoky day today. It reminds me of when my mom told us that she finally quit smoking and then proceeded to go down into the basement “to do some laundry.” She’d light up and because all smokers think no one can smell what they’re doing she thought she was getting away with it. She forgot that smoke rises. We never let on we knew. To her credit, she eventually made up her mind that smoking was not a good thing and she really did quit cold turkey one day. We were all very proud of her.

It also reminds me of how stupid having non-smoking sections in restaurants were. I remember specifically going into one restaurant in Lethbridge. They had two tiers. The smoking section was on the lower level. Right beside it was a railing and up one step was the non-smoking section. Maybe the railing was supposed to keep the smoke away from you. It was rather ludicrous. Yet for some reason we all seemed to just accept it.

The casino was bad for non-smokers especially if you were a black jack player. It seemed that everyone but me was a chain puffer. And if they weren’t it was like everyone at the table planned it out. One guy quits, another starts up. You’d always have to throw your clothes into the laundry when you got home.

And don’t get me started on Bingo Halls. I remember going in to do Greetergrammers. We’d only be in for 5 minutes but it seemed like you were just caught up in a massive forest fire. Again, clothes in the laundry.

In my 20s I frequented the pubs and the bars. Smoking was rampant in there as well. I never gave it a second thought. It was just part of the culture. Just like when my mom would get into the car with us kids, she’d light one up. Same in a bar. (My mom wasn’t with us by that time, just to be clear.) I can’t imagine how much our clothes reeked at the end of the night. And me being me, I had no problem putting on the same clothes the next day. No wonder I never had a girlfriend until I was 25.

Smokers were pretty militant back then as well. They didn’t like to be told they were bothering other people. I remember being on a radio station promotion where we took a group of people skiing into BC. We were at a table in a restaurant on the ski hill. Our winners were smokers and started to smoke. A couple next to us asked politely if they would mind not smoking until they were done eating. Our winners reluctantly agreed but when it was apparent the non-smokers were taking too much time to finish, the smokers began to voice their opinion with mocking, impatient “Ahem!!” sounds until it became so uncomfortable for the non-smokers that they finally got up and left. I was rather embarrassed but because it was my responsibility to keep our winners happy, I couldn’t really say anything.

All radio and TV stations used to allow smoking everywhere. I remember the library at LAFM had absolutely no ventilation. Everyone on air but me smoked. That room was horrible. I’d come home looking like I had just smoked 10 joints because my eyes were so red. (Not that I know what that looks like but I’ve been told.) I don’t know how I never got emphysema.

It’s funny how we just went along with what seemed to be the smoking majority. Today when I go into a restaurant or bar or casino or bingo hall, it’s so nice to not have to inhale what another person is inhaling. Sorry smokers but you had your day.

And every now and then when I go into a place like Earls and the gal at the front says, “For how many?”

I like to say, “Two for non-smoking.”

I get that awkward, confused look because the young gal doesn’t remember the smoking era. I chuckle to myself. My wife slugs me. It’s all good.

The Senses Of Time

It’s amazing how the human senses work. A certain smell, sound or taste can instantly transport us to an event or period of time from our past. For example whenever I hear the opening guitar lick of Reelin’ In The Years by Steely Dan I can close my eyes and feel like I’m back in 1973 cruising around Lethbridge in the hot summer heading down to Indian Battle Park to meet up with a bunch of high school friends. That song was playing on the radio the entire summer and we all loved it. We’d have to crank it up especially when it got to the legendary guitar solo. We found our own little spot among the brush and we’d build a campfire. We’d inhale the smoke and our clothes would reek when we got home. And in those days, I’m sure I put on the same clothes the next day and did it all over again. I figured they got aired out enough if I slung them over my chair. There may have been a couple of beverages going around. I can remember it like it was last Thursday. I may have also had my first awkward kiss that summer. (Yes, it was with a girl.) It was a wonderful time in my life and the song still has the ability to put a smile on my face even though I’ve heard it 3.5 million times by now.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=steely+dan&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=929E6B619CA9FA785AC1929E6B619CA9FA785AC1

And then there’s the smell of newly mowed grass. For some that smell just makes you sneeze but for me I can instantly go back to the start of football practice. Junior High. The Bombers. It was usually the end of August or the beginning of September. It was often quite hot and because we did a lot of calisthenics I was quite often nose deep into the Kentucky Bluegrass. (Or whatever it was.) I can’t say that I enjoyed that part of football practice although I learned later in life to appreciate that exercise can get you into pretty good shape. We did a lot of jumping jacks, push-ups, lunges, and sit-ups. I remember we had to yell out every jumping jack: One!! Two!! Three!! to 50. My voice hadn’t changed yet so I was the only one screaming with a high-pitched girly sound. I couldn’t wait to hit puberty.

We ran a lot. I recall one instance where the coach said, “O.K. once around the school yard!! The last two to finish will have to go again!!” I was short with very stubby legs and at that time my one bag-a-day potato chip habit wasn’t doing me any favors. I came in dead last despite my valiant efforts. And then to add insult to injury, I was so upset I started to hyperventilate and cry. That’s just not a good look on a football field.

We did a lot of contact drills. I was not a fan of having to go one on one with… well anyone really because I was the shortest and weakest of the entire group.

We’d end up the session with doing sprints. Those were killers. You’d start at one end of the field, go out ten yards, come back to the beginning, then go 20 yards…then 50 yards…then 100 yards, each time having to come back to the beginning. Again, I was short but I was slow. I somehow managed to make the team two years in a row. We won a championship the first year. (I sat on the bench.) We lost in a play-off the next year because of an off-side call. Football was a love-hate relationship for me. I loved the game but I hated the preparation. I have to say I was lucky to have coaches like Terry Royer, Dave Gallant and Jim Zook. They were tough but they taught me a lot about discipline. To this day whenever I see them on the street I’ll try to run them over. (Just kidding.)

There’s a look at some of my sensory history. I’m sure all of you have your own images that are conjured up by a sound or a smell.

I was going to talk about taste but my wife tells me I don’t have any. Badumpah!!

The Snow of August 22, 1992

Ah yes, Lethbridge weather. Where do we begin to talk about the slings and arrows of our meteorological capriciousness? (I’ve been looking through a thesaurus. Capricious means unpredictable.) Anyone who’s lived here for any length of time will know that Mother Nature gives us everything. Always has. Massive snow storms, flood inducing rains, hail that could kill a small cat and wind that could blow your utility shed to Medicine Hat. We get nice days too.

Let’s go back to 1992. The weekend of August 15^th we had our annual air show. Temperatures soared into the 30s. If you spent any length of time looking up to the sky you’d not only get a kink in your neck but chances are you got a face burn from the hot sun. I was out in the back yard having a barbecue well into the evening and I was wearing shorts. It was a pleasant night. Even the mosquitos decided to stay away for the weekend. They probably went to Saskatchewan.

Six days later on the evening of August 21^st 1992, I remember driving home and seeing a massive dark cloud formation that was moving in. I remember specifically thinking how ominous the horizon looked and concluding that this is it. I probably don’t ever have to buy a lottery ticket again because Armageddon is coming. So I had some beer and went to bed.

And then I woke up in the morning and looked out my front door to see my birch tree bent waaay down to the ground because of the massive amounts of wet, heavy snow. My lawn was white and I could see a robin sitting on a branch with the look of, “What the *@#$ just happened?”

It snowed. It was AUGUST and it SNOWED!!! Never in my life had I ever seen the white stuff in the month that is supposed to be the dog days of summer. The week before I was sweating like A-Rod taking a urine test. A week later I had to relocate my snow brush.

Two big records fell that day in 1992: Record snow fall of 16.8 cm. Record low temperature of 0.2 celsius.

Did I mention it was AUGUST!!!?

I’m sure there were a few patrons of Whoop Up Days last night wondering if they were in the right month as the temperature plummeted to single digits.

You were.

It was August.

It happens.

That One Night At Coco Pazzo

Seeing that Coco Pazzo shut its doors for what apparently is for good is heartbreaking. If you count the Trevi days it was one of the longest running restaurants in town. I never had a bad meal there. The pasta was always fresh, the service was always friendly. I learned how to pronounce Strascinati. I always enjoyed talking to Frank Suriano or Tony Rose. I had my wedding reception there. (I still feel bad about setting the table cloth on fire that night but I digress.) Apparently when Debra Winger was filming Betrayed in southern Alberta, that was her go-to restaurant. Country superstar Toby Keith called their steak one of the top 10 steaks he had ever eaten in North America.

But Coco Pazzo evokes one memory that I’d rather forget. Coco Pazzo gets no blame for my misfortune. It just happened to have been the site of an ugly event. And it was all my fault.

The Greetergrammers were hired to sing happy birthday to an unsuspecting 18-year old at Coco Pazzo. I called my partners in crime, Lloyd Pollock and Dave Mikuliak. It’s a pretty standard call. We’ve done it thousands of times: “Coco Pazzo. 7:30.” We meet in the parking lot. We pop into my car. We sing over the song once. We go in. Embarrass the hell out of the victim. We leave.

On this night it was bitterly cold. I was the first to make it. I parked in the lot adjacent to Coco Pazzo. There was a sewing place there at the time. (Not sure if it’s still there.) Dave shows up and meets me in my car. Lloyd pulls up beside me. He has his cousin with him. Lloyd comes into my car, his cousin stays in Lloyd’s car. We rehearse the song one time. (After 20 years we’ve got the routine down pretty good.) I figure since Lloyd’s cousin is in the car beside me, I’m just going to keep my car running with the keys in it. And of course leave it unlocked. I hate coming back to a cold car. What harm could possibly come to my new Saturn? Yes it was brand new. I had just bought it about 2 week prior to that night.

Lloyd, Dave and me went into the restaurant and did the song. The victim appeared appropriately embarrassed yet happy for what had just been inflicted on him. We were in there for no more than two minutes. Just as I was heading out the door, Lloyd’s cousin came rushing in saying, “Your car just got stolen!!!”

“Ya, right. Good one.”

“No, really. It just got stolen.”

I walked out to see the empty spot where my car was.

That is not a good feeling.

Turns out there was a rather inebriated fellow who just happened to be walking down 3^rd Avenue at the exact time I had left my warm car. He saw this as an opportunity to get a free ride to wherever he was going without having to feel the harshness of the cold night. I think he thought it was his lucky night.

I called the police. They came. Keep in mind I just did a Greetergram so I’m wearing a sombrero and a sequined jacket.

I said to the officer, “Please don’t give me a lecture about leaving my car running with the doors unlocked on a cold night.”

He had a smile.

“I wouldn’t think of it.”

Later that night I got a call from the police.
“Mark, you’re going to need a new car.”

Apparently, my new friend had “borrowed” my car to go on a bit of a joy ride. He backed up from the parking lot and broke the front window of the sewing shop. He side-swiped two parked vehicles and eventually wrapped my car around a light pole in front of the Lodge Hotel on Scenic Drive. (He probably got distracted when he tried to figure out how to stop the Barry Manilow music that was playing on my 12 disc CD player.) When police arrived on that scene he apparently was rather agitated that the ride had come to an end and was not entirely cooperative. I think he was charged with about 15 different offenses including driving without a license, impaired driving and resisting arrest. Thankfully, no one got hurt.

My car was totaled. It was the shortest length of time I had ever owned a new car.

I never leave my car running with the keys in it anymore. No matter who is watching over it.

Lesson learned.

In the meantime, I’m still going to miss Coco Pazzo.

The Voice-Not the TV Show-It’s Kyle Gruninger of New West & Incura

You may not remember the name Kyle Gruninger after taking in a New West show this summer but you’re definitely going to be saying, “That guy with the voice and that hair….I mean. Wow!!” His dynamic vocals and flailing tresses are worth the price of admission. His rendition of Stairway To Heaven in last year’s show still ranks as one of my top 5 moments ever on the Yates stage. Aside from his memorable performances downtown Kyle is also the front man for the theatrical hard-rock band Incura. The band is based out of Vancouver but Kyle loves to come back to his hometown to belt out a tune or two every summer. Lethbridge audiences are thankful for that. Kyle took some time between hitting the stage and blow-drying his mane to answer these questions:

Describe what life was like for you growing up in Lethbridge.

I loved growing up in Lethbridge. I grew up with a very close knit family and a close group of friends consisting of mostly actors, dancers and musicians. Did all my schooling while attending chamber choir and drama productions. Eventually I went to university here and studied performance.

How important was music to you in the early years?

Music was a part of my life very early on. My mother was the church choir director as well as took me to “The Phantom of the Opera” at the age of 5. I was hooked to the dark tragic melodies at a very young age and continued the obsession into adulthood.

What was the first record you ever owned?

It was the show CD from “The Phantom of the Opera” I’d listen and sing to it all day everyday growing up, while taking breaks to watch the movie “Cry Baby” and do the same thing.

Who were some of the artists who influenced you to become the kind of performer you are today?

Of course getting into live theatre and musicals at a young age greatly influenced the performer I’d become. Somewhere along the way I found hard rock and metal music as well. I’m guessing around 13 years old I got into bands like Slayer, Pantera, Nirvana, Slipknot and Korn. The sounds of Queen entered my life in my late teens and changed everything. Following that I started writing music heavily and listening to less.

You’re a rock and roll guy with your band Incura and yet you keep coming back to Lethbridge in the summer to do New West. What is it that makes you want to return?

I enjoy both creative outlets in different ways. My band lets me write and perform my own music. New West is where I started really performing for larger audiences. It helped me hone my skills as a performer/musician and still does so today. Pushing myself musically, creatively, studying and performing some of the greatest songs ever written. Plus, my best friends in the world are there. They’re the biggest reason I come back.

What do your rock purest fans think of you doing a music/comedy revue like New West?

The fans of Incura are honestly just fans of good songs, and entertaining shows. Incura’s theatrical elements draw a musically diverse and intelligent group that are accepting of a range of genres and performance. I love looking out from the stage in New West and seeing people wearing Incura shirts.

What’s the latest news with Incura?

I was just in California recording before I flew back to start rehearsals. We have a new record coming out in October this year and will be hitting the road shortly after that. Spring will bring a European tour and release as well.

I’ve always known you to be a smart and savvy guy when it comes to the business side of signing with a record label, making a record and then touring. What are some of the biggest things you had to learn when you got rolling into the field?

You’ll only get out what you put in. There are always people out there working harder than you. If you want to be successful (whatever that is to you) then you gotta give 100% of yourself to it. If you’re not willing to invest all of yourself, time, and money into it is you’re doing, then nobody else will either.

What’s the most exciting gig you’ve done so far?

I’ve played some amazing venues in the past 10 years. It’s always the shows that i play in my hometown (Lethbridge) that I enjoy the most. Playing for and getting to see your best friends and family is always a welcome treat from what can be a long lonely time on the road.

And of course I always love to hear about the nightmare gig.

I’ve had technical difficulties, lost money, forgot equipment, slept in sketchy hotels, in 24 hrs McDonald’s but nothing feels worse than calling a city you’re playing in the wrong city name. I’ve done it once and have vowed never to do it again. Just a terrible feeling, and pretty embarrassing.

You have one of the most incredible voices I have ever heard with a range that goes so high that only rare breeds of dogs can hear you. Do you take any precautions to make sure your voice stays healthy?

Hahahaha, Mark you make me laugh, Hahahaha.

Yes, I do take precautions when performing. I don’t drink caffeine on show days, drink plenty of water don’t smoke, don’t eat anything spicy, or hours before a show, I try to talk as little as possible, I stretch fully, steam, vocally warm up and drink a warm tea concoction while performing. I don’t know if any of it helps, but I’m a creature of habit and I’ve never lost my voice or had vocal problems.

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you?

Always question why.

As an artist in a business, what’s the most important thing for you? Ie; giving the record company what they want or doing what you want or are there a lot of compromises?

Happiness and finding a fulfilling purpose in life is always what I strive for. In music and business I base all my decisions on if I can lay my head down and sleep at night and still feel good about it. Then I’m okay with it. Nothing is worth doing if you’re unhappy or its affecting your life in a negative way. In saying that, I can do some pretty risky things and still sleep at night. Success lies beyond the fear wall.

Talk about this summer’s New West Show and what people can expect.

The summer show is full of energy and the most amazing songs. I’ve never sang more in a show then I do in this one. I’m pretty stoked on singing Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.

Your top 5 favorite vocalists living or dead.

Freddy Mercury

Janis Joplin

Michael Jackson

Daniel Johns

Maynard James Keenan

Who has the best rock hair you’ve ever seen, living or dead.

Any metal band from the 80s: Poison, White Snake, Warrant and Cinderella all had pretty amazing rock hair.

Have you had the chance to meet any of your idols in the music business?

The Canadian music industry is pretty small, so I’ve been very fortunate to open for, and meet some of the bands I used to listen to growing up. From Our Lady Peace, and Finger 11 to Alexis On Fire. Opening for and touring with Stone Temple Pilots and Apocalyptica were also amazing experiences.

Who would you like to meet?

God. I have a few questions.

Could you ever see yourself doing movies?

I can very much see myself getting into film in the future. But for now, Incura is my main focus.

In 10 years you will be….

Life in general is pretty unpredictable, and mine even more so than most. I lavish in the fact that I don’t know where I’ll be, what I’ll be doing, if I’ll be alive or who I’ll be with. I live each day to the fullest and strive to be grateful and happy. In 10 years I hope to be just as happy if not happier than I am today in wherever life takes me.

Get Down runs at the Yates until August 29. For show info and tickets go to their website:

https://www.newwesttheatre.com/

The Time I Talked To Ice Cube

With the release of the movie “Straight Outta Compton” this weekend I was thinking back to a few years ago when Snoop Dog came to the Enmax. One of his opening acts was Ice Cube. Ice Cube was part of the influential and controversial hard core rap group N.W.A. “Straight Outta Compton” is the biographical account of N.W.A. I knew nothing of rap music nor did I particularly like the genre. However it was my personal mandate with the TV station to try to interview anyone of note who came to Lethbridge as a sort of historical record. I really had only heard of Snoop Dog so I tried in vain to get a one on one with him. That wasn’t going to happen but I did get Ice Cube.

I admit I had a preconceived idea of what I was getting into. I am a white guy who grew up in a predominantly white environment who has no point of reference to the struggles of young kids coming out of a violent and racist upbringing. Why would Ice Cube want to have anything to do with me? How can Lethbridge relate to Compton? Was I going to get short, one word answers? Was I going to be ridiculed for stupid questions and obvious lack of knowledge about the rap scene?

I was nervous.

It didn’t help that when the promoter brought me and my cameraman to Ice Cube’s dressing room there was an entourage of some rather large very serious looking men guarding the door. Oh geez, I’m not gonna get outta there. Thoughts of ending up in the Oldman River with a strategically implanted microphone came to mind.

But then, out came Ice Cube. All my fears were eased. He couldn’t have been nicer. Thankfully he seemed to have gotten a lot of that early pent-up anger where he gained the reputation of being a real bad boy out of his system. As far as I could tell there were no guns in the dressing room.

I think the fear mechanism you have in your brain to help you forget scary stuff kicked in so I’ve forgotten most of what I asked. I do recall questioning him about bringing his style of music to a venue where the audience would be 99% white. (I was apprehensive about asking that.) He said it was all about sharing the love no matter what the make-up of a crowd was.

Also, because he had just done some movies and southern Alberta was home to a number of recent Hollywood films I asked him if he would ever consider doing a sequel to Brokeback Mountain. (My cameraman looked at me as if to say, “You didn’t just ask him that.”)

He actually laughed (whew) and said, “Not a chance.”

It turned out to be a pretty good interview. Everyone got out alive. As we exited the venue we inadvertently walked passed Snoop Dog’s dressing room. I think he was making herbal tea or something. It was quite an aroma whatever it was.

Hurrying Hard-A Chat With Darrell Of The World Curling Federation

Darrell Ell did a tremendous job running the Lethbridge Curling Club when he was General Manager. When I was doing the Scene & Heard gig he was always up for an interview willing to promote the sport he was so passionate about. That passion really came across in each and every segment we ever did and I’m sure that kind of enthusiasm helped him to land an amazing job with the World Curling Federation. When it’s 30 degrees outside in the middle of summer there is still a lot of planning that goes on. His job takes him all over the world. He took a minute out of racking up a few more air miles on Air Canada to answer a few of my questions:

You are the Competitions and Development Officer with the World Curling Federation. Explain what that job is?

On the Competitions side, my role as a WCF CDO is to serve as the Technical Delegate consulting with the Host Committee for our World Championships.   That means that if Lethbridge were to host a World Championship I would work alongside the local organization committee.

Since I have been with the WCF I have been the TD at World Men’s, World Women’s, European, European C, Mixed Doubles, and Seniors Championships.

On the development side I have instructed at Curling Camps and Clinics for Junior and Adult Curlers.  We also teach the teachers through our Instructors and Coaches Training Courses.

I am also a Business of Curling Facilitator and in this area we work with curling clubs to help them with the business side of curling.  Contrary to what some curlers think, Curling Clubs are businesses and they must operate like a business to remain viable.

You still live in Lethbridge while the Federation is based out of Scotland. I suspect you have a lot of air miles?

Yes, I am fortunate that I am able to do my job from Lethbridge and yes, you are correct about the air miles, I average over 85,000 air miles a year and I travel exclusively with Air Canada / Star Alliance (I hope your viewers see this shameless plug) airlines and while we have all heard horror stories, Air Canada and staff have been very good for my travel.

Travelling from Lethbridge can make for longer travel days, but it is so nice to check in with people you know at our YQL airport.  Plus, it is nice to breeze through security with only 18 people getting on the airplane.

Is this your dream job?

If it isn’t, it’s tied for first.  I can’t imagine what could be better.

I get to work with a great group of people on our WCF staff.  In my travels I get to work with an enthusiastic group of volunteers that is hosting our World Championships.  They all love the game as much as I do, and all want the events to be successful.

Over the years I have learned, and this was long before my WCF days, that I could walk into a curling club anywhere in the world and I would be welcomed as a family member.  That still holds true today and what is really interesting is as you become familiar with this new group of friends, someone in the group knows someone you know.  The world may be large, but the curling family is larger!

When did curling “sweep” you off your feet and make you want to make it a career? (sorry)

I grew up in small town Sask.  Back in the days of the outdoor hockey rinks and after taking a couple of shots with pucks where I didn’t have equipment (I played defense and wasn’t smart enough to get out of the way), and freezing my feet it just seemed that hockey was not the game for me.  That and the fact my father was a Volunteer Member of our 2 Sheet Curling Club Board and had a key to the club, I could go and throw stones whenever I wanted and in this case it was okay “to throw stones at houses”.

As I was nearing the end of my 22 year military career and trying to decide what I wanted to do when I grew up there were two jobs that I thought would be interesting.  Golf Professional and Curling Club Manager.

By this time in my life, I had by then served in every position as a volunteer in a many curling clubs in Canada and Europe.  This included icemaker and janitor and while I felt I had the skills to be the janitor, I didn’t feel I was ready to be a Curling Club Manager.   But I was ready to learn the Golf business.

I decided to enroll in the Golf Management Program at Lethbridge College.  After a couple of years at Lethbridge College I was fortunate to have apprenticed at Paradise Canyon for a couple of years.  In, 1997 an opportunity came to apply for the GM position at the Lethbridge Curling Club and I was hired for that position starting September 1^st 1997.

Curling has given you the opportunity to travel all over the world. What have been some of the highlights so far?

I wrote earlier about the friendliness of curlers and that is one of the highpoints.  Instructing at the 1^st Curling Clinic in Korea and throwing the first curling stone in the country is also another highlight.

Curling is a great social game and having the opportunity to play the game with my wife has to top the list.  While living in Europe we were able to travel to different countries playing in their spiels and meeting and learning about their cultures while there.

Most recently the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics rates in the top 10.  My role was as the WCF Representative for Doping Control in the curling venue and to pre-empt your question, no I was not the sample collector.  My role was to ensure coordinate the Doping Control Chaperones so they could meet with the athletes immediately following a game and before the athletes left the field of play.

Being so close to the athletes, at ice level and I got to see their “thrill of victory and their agony of defeat” which to those losing the semi-final playoff games was devastating.  Four years of their lives gone.

Right next to this moment was the next day, when those same teams had to come back to play the bronze medal game and to hear one of the athletes (who had been a student of mine in our WCF Junior Curling Camp 10 years ago) tell her teammate after they won the bronze medal game say “see I told you the sun would come tomorrow)

You’re a level 3 curling coach. What kind of satisfaction do you get from that side of the sport?

My favorite moments in instruction are when the athletes are successful! Whether it is the first time they slide without wobbling, throwing the first stone that sits on the button or the first takeout.  The joy and elation that you see on their faces and hear in their voices is priceless.

My second favorite would be to see the team and students you have worked with in junior camps be successful – winning a spiel, their national championships, world championships and even Olympic Medals.

While curling is perceived as a very social sport, to get to the highest level you have to be in good shape just like any other sport. What’s a training regimen of a serious curler?

I would love to say I know exactly what that training is from my days as a player, but I was never good enough to compete at the highest levels.  (You know the old saying, those than can play, those that can’t coach or take administrative positions).

But I have witnessed and listened to players talk about their training as they prepare for the next season.

At this time of year, players are working on strength and stamina, especially the sweepers.  Curlers fitness is not what it was in the days that Export A and Labatt’s were major sponsors.  Top-level curlers, most are carded Olympic athletes all have access to their countries National Olympic Fitness trainers who help them design programs tailored for them and their sport.  Most if not all include visits to Physio and Massage Therapists Sports Psychologist’s because mental preparation is a big part of the routines the teams go through as they play through a spiel or championship.

What kind of cost is associated with a curler who gets to a world championship? There are so many levels to go through and so much time involved. It would seem to me that a curler either has to have some great sponsors or be financially independent.

Curlers in Canada have a very strenuous road to travel in order to achieve their goal of a National and World Championship.

For curlers in other countries the task isn’t as difficult as the number of curlers they are competing against is significantly smaller than in Canada.

However for all curlers regardless of nationality, to win a world championship you have to play against the best competition.  You have to play on the best ice conditions and that requires they have to travel to Canada to get that experience.  There are competitive curling tours in Europe that are helping those teams gain the needed experience, but the talent pool is not quite as deep in Canada.

Travel and accompanying expenses require that you have to have some very generous sponsors, family members and friends.  The Olympic carded athletes in some countries are full time curlers as their funding allows them to support themselves and family while travelling around the world curling.  Those full-time curlers are few and far between; Scotland, Switzerland, Norway and Sweden provide this type of funding to select athletes.  Canada provides a monthly allowance and other benefits but not to the point where Canadian athletes can quite their full time jobs to curl.

How would you describe a typical Canadian curler?

Having been away from Canadian curling for over five years I don’t know that I could accurately describe a typical Canadian Curler.

But, I recently participated in a Business of Curling Symposium and from surveys, the typical Canadian Curler is:

Male, White, between the ages of 12 – 17 and 35+, speaks English, lives in a Prairie community of less than 100,000 with a partner and children, has at least a high school diploma and a household income of at least $100,000, employed full time and accesses the internet daily.

What has been the best tournament you have ever been to and what made it so good?

Canadian Mixed Championship 2000 – Lethbridge Curling Club – This was the first Canadian Championship we had hosted at the club while I was the Manager.  We had a great committee; we had great club and community support.

The party zone or patch was located over top of sheets 7 – 10 in the curling club and every night, 10 minutes after the last game was over, the bands or DJ started and the party began.

Where is the sport of curling in terms of growing internationally

We are seeing growth and interest all around the world.  If ice rinks were as readily available as soccer pitches, I can’t imagine how many would be playing the game today.

TV coverage in China and Japan is unbelievable, and other countries also have shown great ratings.  For the Vancouver Olympics, Canada had the 8^th highest viewership of curling with China and Japan the top two.  Brazil was in the top 5 in viewership and while they have curling stones in the country they do not have any active curlers in the country.

The insulated tent or Portable Curling Facility project that I am involved with could be just the thing that will provide a low-cost alternative for building a dedicated curling facility and then watch out, the number of curlers will explode.

What’s the summer like for you? Is it a down time or is it never ending?

While the World Championship season runs from September through April, our curling business is year round.  There is certainly not as much travel during the May through August time period, but we use this time to host Curling Camps, Business of Curling Symposiums and prepare for the upcoming events including site visits and meetings with the local organizations.

For each championship we usually will visit the event site twice before the actual championship in order to meet with the organizing committees.  We want to be able to help them help us to run our championship.   Those visits are key to developing a strong relationship with the committees and a successful event.

Aside from curling what else do you enjoy?

Golf, reading and listening to music.

Over the years I have learned you don’t really know a person until you have played a round of golf with them.  The person you thought the most kindest, gentlest can be just the opposite on the golf course and it is amazing how those people you always thought were the smartest somehow forget how to count when they are adding up their strokes.

When I play golf it is me against me.  If I play well, I feel good and if I play bad it is still me and even then, after I analyze my score consider the bad shots that I hit that I don’t normally do I can still feel good about what my potential score could have been.  It is easy to find the negative but a lot more fun to put a positive slant on it and then you can’t wait to play again.

With all the time spent on an airplane on international flights having a good book on your IPad helps make the trip seem shorter.

I love listening to music and listen to just about anything, but when the radio is on it is on Country 95 and that is in Lethbridge and anywhere else in the world that I am, thanks to streaming.

I always love to hear people’s top 5 albums of all time are. So?

I don’t know that I can narrow it down to five albums so I would prefer to name artists and they are listed randomly.

Reba

Il Divo

George Strait

Celine Dion

Cher

Best concert ever?

Il Divo in Calgary a couple of years ago.  Gail and I had front row tickets and a microphone stand was directly in front of us.  Sitting that close we could clearly see and feel the emotion as they sang.  They were awesome.

Most recent – Blake Shelton Calgary Stampede 2015.  Blake’s personality is like we see on “The Voice”.  His sound Is just like you hear on his albums and he is very good at engaging the crowd. 

Who in your mind were the best male and female curlers ever?In today’s game for Male curlers, I would have to say Kevin Martin and Randy Ferbey if you are basing it on titles they have won.

Best Women Curler – I would have to say Jennifer Jones.

However, the teams of yesteryear played under much different ice conditions and with less than good curling stones I would likely rate the Ernie Richardson Teams from Sask as some of the best players of all time.

What’s the most remarkable curling shot you’ve ever seen?

There are a number of shots in the TSN top 10 shots and all could be the most remarkable shot.  If I were to pick, I would have to pick two, Sandra Schmirler and Jennifer Jones both made incredible shots to win their games to advance to the World and Olympic Championships.

Do you foresee any kind of technology that could improve the game?

I am a user of technology (after someone shows me how) and the wrong guy to talk about how technology that could improve the game.

However, web-streaming and TV coverage of all of the games on the ice during championships allowing the viewer to select from one of the games and watch their country or favorite team play rather than what the TV director has chosen.  I think this would be a welcome addition that could help the sport grow in our newer associations.

What about any rule changes?

Curling, like golf is a game of tradition and curling is played under the Spirit of Curling, which is prominently displayed in all of our Curling Rule Books.

However, we are seeing and hearing of infractions that have occurred where teams have not played the game under that Spirit and I would be in favor of any rule change that would see the player’s honesty and integrity being front and center during a championship.

Where do you see the sport in 20 years?

Looking into my crystal ball, I would love to say the game would be played all around the world with growth from the current 54 Member Associations to 100.

Anywhere where there is a hockey arena, we can have curling ice.

The PCF project that I have been involved with involves the WCF purchasing an insulated tent and all of the equipment necessary to make ice and deliver that to a successful bidder.  The idea is we back the delivery truck up, set up the structure, plug in the equipment and add water and viola curling ice.

This first trial project should be ready to go in Finland in November and we believe it will show our members an inexpensive way to have their own dedicated facility rather than having to share a hockey arena and playing at less than ideal times on less than ideal curling ice.

Taking A Ride With “The Hitch-Hiker” Film Maker J.P. Marchant

I met local film-maker J.P. Marchant earlier this year when he asked if I would do some voice-over work for his independent film, The Hitch-Hiker. I waived my usual $100,000 fee and demand for only red M&Ms and went to one of the recording booths at the U of L. I have to say that there is quite a dedicated group of individuals in southern Alberta who are keen on not only coming up with movie ideas but actually seeing that idea through to fruition. J.P. just found out that his movie has been accepted to the Calgary International Film Festival. He took some time out from his hand-crafted director’s chair (I made that up) to answer these questions. (I’m hoping my voice made it to the final product and didn’t end up in the trash file. It’s all digital now. No such a thing as the cutting room floor.)

What got you into making movies?

I’ve always been a cinephile which also means, by extension, that I’ve thought about producing films as well. However, making a film was always something of a pipe dream for me because I figured that I hadn’t gotten into the game early enough, didn’t know the right people, have the right skills, etc. This all changed when I took a filmmaking course at the Film and Video Arts Society (FAVA) (www.fava.ca) in Edmonton a few years ago which tossed me into the deep end of filmmaking and forced me to make a 5 minute short film.

Describe your film The Hitch-Hiker.

The Hitch-Hiker is a 1960s period thriller about a young mechanic whose car breaks down (how ironic is that?) on a lonely backcountry road. He hitches a ride with a passer-by and gets much more than he bargained for. It’s predominantly presented in black and white and takes some visual elements from Film Noir and German Expressionism.

What influenced you to do a film in this genre?

I’ve always loved the look and feel of older films. I adore B&W and films that play with low-key lighting and expressionist elements. I wanted to do a psychological thriller, and the visual elements lent themselves to this. Musically, I have an interest in stuff from the 1920s-1960s, especially old country, western, gospel stuff, and later rock’n’roll, rockabilly, etc. I used to go to music festivals where bands would be playing this kind of authentic music and they’d be fully decked out with period clothes and hairstyles. It was awesome. I developed quite a collection of stuff from contemporary bands who’ve strived to maintain an old-time authentic feel to their music. As I started to think about the kind of music I wanted to use for The Hitch-Hiker, I realised that my 1950s-60s music selection was central to the picture and I started going through it to find songs whose themes fit the movie. Then it was a matter of tracking down those artists and getting their permission to use their songs. I think most of the artists were quite surprised to get a request to use their music (that might’ve been recorded on analog equipment and aimed at a tiny specific audience) in a short film! I also managed to track down and get permission to use a couple of actual 1950s/60s-recorded songs which was quite a thrill. I gotta say that I’m very pleased with how well the music compliments the picture and I’m hoping that viewers will gain an appreciation for that sort of thing.

What kind of a budget did you have to get this thing done?

Budget? What’s that? Seriously though, the budget on this was practically ZERO. Everyone who worked on it was a volunteer. The City of Lethbridge let us shoot our driving scenes at an old unused building for free, and a Hutterite colony south of town let us shoot on their property after Paul Crown (a local butcher around those parts) vouched for us. We shot on weekends which allowed me to continue working at my full-time job to feed everybody. We did get a $2000 grant from the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers (www.csif.org) which went a long way towards getting us practically all of the gear we needed, so that really helped but this was an entirely volunteer affair.

How does a low budget film-maker go about getting actors to do this movie?

There are many different ways of doing it and no single way is the best. What I wanted to do was have my script sorted out and a list of cast and crew. I was then going to take this info to help me draft a proposal for applying for arts funding. If I got funding I was going to pay my cast and crew. Of course, in my case I did everything backwards and couldn’t make the application deadline so I relied on word of mouth and personal connections to find my actors; I had met them on the set of another production that a friend of mine had done so I knew their work and was able to brainwa- convince them that The Hitch-Hiker would make them famous and fabulously rich.

How much does your other “real” job get in the way of doing a project like a movie?

Technically, since we shot on weekends my M-F 9-5 job didn’t get in the way of the project during production. The only thing that got in the way was the physical tiredness and having to drag my butt into work on Monday mornings. I think the pre-production stuff was more exhausting than anything else; I would work my M-F 9-5 full time job during the day in front of one computer, then turn around and work on my personal computer the rest of the night. It was like some of those routines of writers that I’ve read about – Kafka, T.S. Eliot. There were many days during pre-production that I sat in front of a computer for about 16 hours a day. And of course there is the whole mental stress side of things during the whole project that I don’t need to get into. Post-production could also be similar some days, although the time pressure was off so staying self-motivated was a bigger challenge.

How satisfied were you with the final product?

I don’t think any filmmaker will ever tell you that they were 100% satisfied with their film. Given the scant resources we had, the fact that I was juggling a full-time job, and trying to motivate a cast and crew of volunteers with myself and my Director of Photography doubling as producers, I’m pretty proud of what we were able to accomplish. You always wonder, however, if there was more you could’ve done, or how things would’ve turned out if you’d done this one thing differently…

Would you have liked a little more time to finish the film?

It would’ve been nice to have an extra day. Our shots on our last night were pretty rushed and we were working into the wee hours of the morning with people becoming very tired and cold. It would’ve been nice to be more methodical and less rushed with those final shots. All’s well that ends well though, and if the audience can’t tell what the ‘poor and rushed’ shots are, then I’m happy.

You are given the opportunity to work with any film maker in the business. That would be….?

I would either say Guy Maddin or David Lynch. I love Maddin’s work and think that some of his stuff is brilliant and dark, while still managing to maintain a comic edge and joie de vivre. I also love Lynch’s work, and am constantly amazed at the fact that he’s managed to make a career out of films that are dark, creepy, and surreal.

What’s the biggest challenge in doing a movie on this scale?

I think for me personally the challenge was keeping everyone motivated and on-board with the overarching vision/goal. Because it was 8 days of shooting spread over 4 weekends, there was a risk of losing people.

Your film got selected for the Calgary International Film Festival. How exciting is that?

It’s super exciting. At first I thought, “well, it’s an Alberta film fest, so my chances were probably really good,” but then I started realizing how competitive it is and how fortunate I am. They only accepted 8 submissions for the category that The Hitch-Hiker is in.

What do you hope will be the end result of being in a Film Festival like this?

I’m hoping this will bring more visibility to everyone’s talents who worked on the film. Most of the people that worked on The Hitch-Hiker were students at the University of Lethbridge; most of them will be going on to get jobs in the industry, and nothing beats one of the projects that you were worked on getting into a competitive international film fest. On a personal level I hope this will make it easier for me to attract more collaborators and get funding on future projects.

Filmmaking is such a competitive and tough business. What makes you want to do it?

Well I’m in a special situation in that I still work a full-time job while doing this on the side. So filmmaking isn’t my livelihood, which in one sense frees me from having to produce stuff that will be super popular and sell lots of copies. In that respect, every project I’ve worked on is a project that I’ve loved because it was something that I wanted to do. So for me creativity and fun are more important than financial figures, and this keeps me motivated. Just think how excited and motivated I would be if I managed to make some real money at this…!

How long do you plan to keep doing movies? When does it just become an expensive hobby?

I’ll keep doing it for as long as I’m physically capable of being on a set. And heck, maybe when I start to slow down I’ll move more into a producer’s role. I figure if I keep making short films it shouldn’t get too expensive for me because I like to make films on the cheap. I would like to do a feature sometime in the future; however, I’ll only do it if I can get some funding to pay people and get some help (Producer(s), an Assistant Director, production manager), etc.

Describe THEE movie you want to do.

A feature film based on a Thomas Ligotti story that takes place in a sort of post-industrial wasteland. The main theme of the story is the degrading and alienating effect on the protagonist of working for a mysterious all-powerful corporate entity that demands more and more of its employees and every now and then sends one of its company managers off for “training”…

Here’s comes the tough stuff: Give me your top five greatest movies of all time.

Ugh my “top X” films are probably around 50 or 100, and my favourites aren’t necessarily the ‘best’. I think if I were to look at my list of flicks that I’ve watched several times and continue to revisit again and again they are: Eraserhead, Apocalypse Now, Stalker, Blade Runner, The Thin Red Line, The Mirror, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, 8 ½, Citizen Kane, My Winnipeg or Heart Of The World, Once Upon A Time In The West. How many was that?

Other notables by category (if I may):

Westerns: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Rio Bravo, The Man Who Shot Liberty Vance

Drama: A Woman Under the Influence, Tokyo Story, Wild Strawberries, The Seventh Seal, The Blue Angel

Sci-Fi: Alien, The Thing, Solaris, The Empire Strikes Back

Silent stuff: The Passion of Joan of Arc, Greed, Man with a Movie Camera, Safety Last, Haxan, City Lights, The Last Laugh, Metropolis, Sunrise

Film Noir: Sunset Boulevard, Out of the Past, The Killers, Double Indemnity, Night Of The Hunter, The Asphalt Jungle, Scarlet Street, The Big Heat

Comedy: Annie Hall, American Splendor, Ghost World

Weird stuff: Mulholland Drive, anything by Deren, Bunuel, Cocteau, Jodorowsky, The Brothers Quay, Svankmajer

Top five best actors.

I’m breaking the top 5 rule again: Robert de Niro, Al Pacino, Robert Mitchum, Charles Bronson, Edward G Robinson, Anatoly Solonitsyn, Takashi Shimura, Jimmy Stewart

Top five best actresses.

Tilda Swinton, Meryl Streep, Lauren Bacall, Sigourney Weaver, Helena Bonham Carter

And of course, top 5 best directors.

Since I’ve broken the “5” rule already: Tarkovsky, Scorsese, Murnau, Lang, Fellini, Ozu, Kurosawa, Lynch, Jodorowsky, Deren, Coppola, Leone, Bergman, Truffaut

If you ever win an Academy Award, give me a taste of what your speech will be.

I better not jinx this by saying anything…

Check out the Hitch-Hiker trailer: Be afraid. Be very afraid.

http://www.thehitch-hiker.com/#!info/c10fk