Dead and Divine strive for greatness, not laundry By Lindsey Rivait
Arts Editor
August 5, 2009 For some bands, being on the road and away from home can be a hardship, yet for others, being home can be a major inconvenience.
 “Being home and not being on tour is just awful. I have to do my laundry and all this stuff. I’m spending my day doing laundry, it’s terrible. It’s no fun at all,” explained Dead and Divine’s guitarist Chris LeMasters, who considers the road his home away from home.
The band released their second full-length studio album, The Machines We Are, on Aug. 4, and will be playing at the Chubby Pickle on Aug. 5. Dead and Divine brings a high energy performance with them, so expect to see and hear lots of excitement at the Chubby Pickle.
“Expect lots of amps at friggin 11. It’ll be nice and loud. We’re pretty crazy,” promised LeMasters. >> | Going beyond your top five favourite albums By Andrea Keelan
Lance Writer August 5, 2009 We all have our top five favourite albums.  These include songs we cannot live without, songs that have possibly changed our lives in some way, and songs that have influenced who we will be after we have heard them. Chris Smith takes these ideas and feelings that come from influential music and lists the 101 Albums that Changed Popular Music.
In the preface to the book, Smith makes it explicitly clear that the albums that made the cut may make some music fans cry out with rage. However, he asks the reader to remember they aren’t reading a book on favourite albums, but influential ones.
These albums changed music as we knew it or influenced other musicians to create their own sound. So, if your favourite album didn’t make the cut, you can rest assured that one of the 101 listed certainly influenced it. Also important to note that the focus of this book is strictly how these artists affected North American music. >> | Black Moss Press comes full circle, celebrating 40 years By Amber Pinsonneault
Lance Writer
August 5, 2009 Fifty years ago, Marty Gervais walked into Stephen Leacock’s summer home and decided then and there he would become a writer.
He had gone there for a visit after the former home of Canada’s pre-eminent humorist became a museum. As he walked into the office of the late Stephen Leacock he noticed pages scattered among the dark oak desk and his mind began to wander.
At that moment, filled with inspiration, Gervais started a new chapter in his life.
Since then, he has become a well-known writer, journalist, photographer and the owner of the local publishing company, Black Moss Press.
Gervais recently returned to Orillia to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Black Moss Press at the Stephen Leacock Summer Festival.
Accompanied by his authors, John B. Lee, Roger Bell, Marilyn Gear-Pilling, and Mary Ann Mulhern, Gervais reflected on his first visit back at the Leacock home: “It was nice being here with my authors,” said Gervais in the company of John B. Lee, Roger Bell, and others. “It’s neat the way the circle closes.” >> |
