2007
Colin James - Little Big Band III
I am very proud of the couple of songs that Colin & I wrote for this album. It was a challenge to try and write some vintage swing sounding tunes that would match up with all the fantastic classic material he had chosen for the album. I think the two of us put our heads together and came close. The band is so killer that anything they touched would turn to pure honey.
Category: Co-wrote
Adam Levy - Washing Day
Adam and I share serious mutual friends so it was natural that we would become actual friends. He flew up and spent a few days in my shack writing songs. We wrote two and one is on this beautiful and heartfelt album called "Washing Day". His guitar playing absolutely slays me. Cropper with Scofield chops. All feel. Deadly. He has been in the Norah Jones band for many years and she is one lucky lady.
He has many great records available on his website. They are on the Lost Wax label:
http://www.adamlevy.com/
Category: Co-wrote
Jimmy Rankin - Edge of Day
I had the flu last winter in Halifax. I staggered up the road from my Colin James gig and Jimmy took me into his warm kitchen. The snow was about 18 feet high outside but it was sunny. We wrote one and a half songs and drank tea. I was introduced by my pal Tom Wilson. We ended up finishing a song that he and Tom had started. That one made the record. My other buddy Colin Linden got tapped to produce and did a fine job. Much talent on here.
Category: Co-wrote
Liam Titcomb - Can't Let Go
Liam is a great friend and sickeningly talented young man. Would you believe he is only 15? OK...he's older than that...but barely. He sounds like he's 35. That won't get you very far in this world but it makes me like him. We spent a couple of laugh filled days in Toronto writing songs and the songs ended up on this great album. Buy it on CD Baby.com, or maplemusic.com or itunes...but buy it.
Category: Co-wrote
2006
Rex Goudie - Under the Lights
Rex was a Canadian Idol runner up and this is his first album for Sony. The good people there asked me for a song and I sent them "Write It In Lighting". Rex recorded it. Thanks Rex.
Category: Wrote
2006
Tom Wilson - Dog Years
Tom has ended up being one of our nations treasures. A good friend who can own a room whether performing or just plain entertaining. There's a lot here to love. Although we wrote the song "Little Domino" together my favourite song is actually "I'm In Love With the System". There's a duet on here with my friend Rosanne Cash too. Go get it.
Category: Co-wrote
2005
Colin James - Limelight
I think this is one of Colin's best. There is lots of off the cuff and rootsy action here. I helped write a few songs and, as usual, there were good times. Go get it at colinjames.com
Category: Co-wrote
2005
Stripper's Union: Local 518
Rob Baker (the Tragically Hip) asked me to his party and I ended up being the one with the lampshade on my head. Rob and I collaborated on a dozen songs. We both sing them and Pat Steward (drums), Doug Elliott (bass) and Simon Kendall (organ) are along for the ride. Check out strippersunion.ca and buy the CD. Released by Universal Music in Canada on June 14th 2005.
Category: co-produced, wrote, played
Northey Valenzuela
Jesse Valenzuela and I finally put these songs on tape (or its virtual equivalent). A tremendous amount of rewarding fun. A remastered and better looking version will be available in Canada on True North Records by late February 2006. The CD makes its U.S. debut on Fuel2000/Universal in March 2006. US peoples can get it here.
Category: co-produced, wrote, played, helped mix, master and record
2004
Bob Kemmis - Arena Ready
A labour of love. Long in gestation but fresh in approach. Bobby & I worked really hard in short spurts over a few years. The album ended up being pretty lush and 60's pop heavy. Tune into bobkemmis.com for details on the CD.
Category: produced, co-engineered, mixed, played
2004
I'm working on this...ech hem...
I know this is some of the most important information in the universe so I am trying hard to put it together before it is forgotten. The problem is that some of it was forgotten before it had a chance to be recognized. In some cases that was good.
Category:
2004
Damhnait Doyle - Davnet
One of the songs from our long ago writing session managed to come back and land on this new CD.
Category: Co-wrote
Blair Packham - Could've Been King
I sort of produced a bit and wrote almost diddly squat. This is all Blair at his best tackling some heavy themes with some light hearted louts on board. I'm honoured that Blair would come out to Vancouver to lock himself in a room with "Sharkskin" and let us punt his songs around. A true soul singer. He sang the tracks as we all played and he kept the vocal takes. Do you know how rare that is? Do you know how brave a singer you have to be?
Category: co-produced, wrote, played
2003
Glen Phillips - Live at Largo
There is a live version of "Back Up On My Feet" on here.
Category: Co-wrote
2003
Craig Northey - Giddy Up
Slapped together in the voluntary North American work break brought on by 911. I just dug back into demos, kept the good parts and built around them. Recorded while wearing a bathrobe and scratching my 5 day facial growth.
Category: Played, Produced, Sang, Solo Recording, Wrote
2003
Rosanne Cash
Proud to have written the opening song on this great album. Played congas on the back of a guitar in NYC. THE Rosanne cash sang my words. John Leventhal noodled out some guitar brilliance. Shawn Pelton & David Rhodes bouyed me along. Sheryl Crow was later enlisted to sing the candy...not a bad days work.
Category: wrote & played
2003
Colin James - Traveler
We made this one in LA's "Paramour" studio with Mark Howard. I only dove in the pool once. The place is haunted ...in a good way. "Juno Reactor" were making the soundtrack for the Matrix II on the other side of the pool and Fiona Apple & Jon Brion were upstairs into the wee hours. A nice hive of music.
Category: co-wrote & played
2003
Wide Mouth Mason - Rained Out Parade
Spent another week with the boys in the Saskatoon rec-room. One of our efforts made it onto the album.
Category: Co-wrote
2003
Arlene Bishop - Cut A Man's Heart Out
I think I just sang a bit but I might have played a guitar part that later became a piano part. Arlene sent me some tapes and I fooled around and sent them back. She had her way with the tracks. The record is way good. You have to buy it. A brilliant and funny, in a good way, writer and performer.
Category: Sang
2002
Blair Packham - Everything That's Good
Actually I can't even remember if I actually played on this...but I think I did some mailorder tracking. I love the album so much that I am putting it up here anyway
Category: Played
Vince Ditrich - Supertonic
My 'ol pal (and sometimes drummer in Strippers Union) Vince made a solo album and invited me to the writing party. He is best known for smashing the skins for "Spirit of the West"
Category: Co-wrote
2002
Jesse Valenzuela - Tunes Young People Will Enjoy
Jesse "the Stallion" Valenzuela and I are old friends and notorious laughing idiots. One of our songs ended up on Jesse's 1st solo outing. Look for a whack of our other collaborations on OUR upcoming CD.
Category: Co-wrote
2001
Waltons - Liv
There is a live version of "Middle of Nowhere" on here. That's the one I co-wrote for "Empire Hotel".
Category: Co-wrote
2001
Bruce McCulloch - Drunk Baby Project
Brucio and "the 500 Hangovers" (Me, D.Elliott, P.Steward, V.Jones & Brian "Stacked Up" Connelly) holed up in Bath Ontario's "Bathouse" to record this gem.
Category: produced, wrote & played
Wide Mouth Mason - Stew
Four songs on this album came from my winter week in a warm Saskatoon rec-room as an honourary member of this fine band.
Category: Co-wrote
Glen Phillips - Abulum
Glen and I wrote a song under a grapefruit tree on our good chum Tom's LA patio. Tom was away for the week. I hope he knew we had the keys. . . Glen drank your beer. It wasn't me.
Category: Co-wrote
2000
Odds - Singles Individually Wrapped
There are some interesting original or alternate versions on here. I'm more interested in the b-sides compilation that may one day surface. Postoddsumous.
Category:
2000
Damhnait Doyle - Hyperdramatic
Got together with Dav and wrote a couple of songs in the Odds old stinky basement space on Granville Street. One of them is on here.
Category: Co-wrote
Paul Hyde - Living Off the Radar
One of my local heros came around and we wrote and recorded the demo for the opening track. Those tracks went to Hawaii and came back refreshed.
Category: co-wrote & played
Colin James - Fuse
My first record with Colin. Enjoyed working with Mensa Club poster boy Joe Hardy. I learned so much on this record and made some life long friends.
Category: co-produced, wrote, played
1999
Sharkskin - Sharkskin
One of my greatest labours of love and the best record to make. Written partially "on the floor" in a two day live session at Mushroom studios in Vancouver. Jim Rondinelli (Bedbugs) flew up to record it and we recorded straight to stereo tape...no mixing...no fuss. Our love of the MGs and the Meters drove us to it.
Category: co-produced, wrote, played
1997
Bob Kemmis - Kemmisutra
This was one of the first times I felt like a real producer. Bob brought together some great players and I got to say crazy things to them and fool with their heads in order to achieve some off-kilter stuff. Did some of my first engineering and payed the price. Steven's mix saved me from myself. The first Sharkskin performance is on here. Ironically it was pieced together instead of being performed live.
Category: Produced
the Waltons - Empire Hotel
Steven Drake and I got to produce a couple of Waltons tracks. We loved that band so it was an honour. Jason Plumb is a freak of nature. He can sing like this at 6am. I've seen it. I wrote a couple with Jason and we have been friends ever since.
Category: Co-wrote
1996
Murray McLachlan - Gulliver's Taxi
My pal Barney Bentall was producing the legendary Canadian folk tunesmith Murray McLachlan and he recruited the Odds to play on a couple of cuts. Tom Wilson was in on that day too. What an honour.
Category: Played
1996
Odds - Nest
Some say, "never put a fish on the cover". I thought it was, "never have a brown album cover".
Its not just a fish. Its a flying fish. Maybe sales will pick up now that "Life of Pi" is a bestseller.
Category:
1996
Kids in the Hall - Brain Candy
Scored the film, co-wrote, performed & co-produced the "Death Lurks" tracks, Odds have a song on here too. Grivo was a complete dickhead to work with. He coughed a loogie in my Fresca.
Category: Produced, Scored, Wrote
1995
Odds - Good Weird Feeling
This one went platinum. Now it doesn't work in my CD player.
Category:
1995
Kim Stockwood - Bonavista
We met Kim back in the "Good Weird Feeling" days. She's in the "Truth Untold" video. We kept in touch. Later Jim Rondinelli got to produce her debut album for Capitol. I think they needed more Cancon so I was hired to play some guitar and sing backing vocals on the first single. I loved the song. I think Jill Sobule co-wrote it and I like her too.
Category: Played
1994
Taste of Joy - Trigger Fables
Vince Jones was producing this album for Nettwerk. The band was great and had done some shows with the Odds. I was asked to play some guitar...which I did...but somewhere along the way they asked me to play harmonica. This could be my only recorded harmonica playing. Aren't you excited about tracking it down? I've heard myself playing with Zevon on some bootleg tracks but this is officially released stuff!
Category: Played
1993
Odds - Bedbugs
Followup album. I think it's sounds have held up the best over time. I don't know why. Our foray into ridiculous semi-immortality began with "Heterosexual Man". The photo on the back is us having an argument about what that song was going to do to us. Satire = novelty in the end. At least Beavis & Butthead liked it. The label's "weiner & donut" publicity campaign haunted us at every stop.
Category:
1992
Warren Zevon - Mr. Bad Example
Learned a ton from Warren as the Odds travelled as his band & opening act on this tour. He'd always ask how much his CD cost in the last music store. I'd say "23 bucks Warren". He'd say, "THAT'S NOT ENOUGH!". I checked on Amazon. This one's now going for $44.00. Life imitates a good joke.
Category: toured as band member
1991
Odds - Neopolitan
First Odds album but really our third. The first two "cassette albums" were sold from the stage during the three years prior. Who taped over theirs? We were Canadians "discovered" in LA and when we finally got around to a tour of Canada everyone thought we were from Australia. The plan was working perfectly so far.
Category: