What 2009 brought to my stereo
Jan 15th
It’s time to reflect on the year – here’s what I most often found myself listening to:
Soren Anders – I know a hundred ways to die. What a delicious secret talent this fellow is. I need to make it to New York at some point to take in a live show; I hear he can reproduce most of the recorded arrangements. Most addictive track:
Soren Anders and The Staves – Proof Conjecture
Miranda Lee Richards – Light of X. Became obsessed with a track from this album for quite a while to the point that I learned it, created my own arrangement and played it at quite a few open mics (it’s been nice having a song under 4 minutes to play when time is at a premium).
Miranda Lee Richards – Life Boat
Royal Wood. Kind of a guilty pleasure. A good looking dude who writes piano ballads about his grandparents. But if talent exists it is something he has no shortage of. Saw his at the Park Theatre and loved every moment. Brought one of my best friends (who listens to a lot of industrial/metal among other things) and she really liked his music too, but “wanted to see what he’s like when he gets angry. He should scream more”.
Patrick Watson – Wooden Arms took awhile to grow on me… Close to Paradise was just SO hard to follow! But since seeing it performed live this summer at the Winnipeg Folk Festival (my first WFF since 2001 – long story short I used to run the Campground Enviro volunteer crew and was embittered by the mountains of garbage hippies can create) well P.W. really blew me away and shattered any doubts that he had already reached his sonic pinnacle back in ‘06. And what was that crazy megophone backback he had? And how about that crazy jam at the end? I may actually consider going to the WFF again.
Here’s a very special site just for this album!
Lightning Dust – well I realise I wrote a whole post about this band but I love them so here I go mentioning them again.
Muse – These guys are total rock gods. They have a maddening amount of talent if there is such a thing . Their newest album may not be my favorite of their efforts, but Uprising is still incredible and I love it. Probably listened to it 80-100 times already.
Beast – went on a whim to open stage at the jazz festival to catch these guys based on the description in the program. Was not disappointed. Wow. Rage Against the Machine meets Breakbeat Era remember them?) is how I would describe the sound. Really hope to connect with these guys and do a show with them before they get too famous.
Ofcourse for me this was a year with quite a bit of intense vocal study. Some songs that I studied included The Jewel Song from Faust, Solveig’s Song from Pyr Gynt, La Vie En Rose, and Dream On by Aerosmith. Quite a mixed bag but I love it all and it all had something to teach me.
Concerts I went to: Royal Wood @ The Park Theatre, Lightning Dust @ The Lo Pub, Winnipeg Folk Festival (to see Patrick Watson and Loreena McKinnet with equal fervor), Beast @ Wpg Jazz Festival, Plants and Animals at The Park Theatre.
Well if you haven’t heard anything on this list please do. If you think I missed some monumental sound this past year please leave them in the comments so I can check them out.
May 2010 bring the epic to your ears!
Karen
Goths! On the Bus! (a fun end-of summer project)
Dec 3rd
Jaimz, Damien Ferland and I (Karen) had a crazy fun time making this little film back in September. Edgar was a huge help in recording the theme song for us (and tolerating Jaimz’s wisecracking). At one point Jaimz accused Edgar of “inventing gothic culture while drinking a glass of red wine in a dark room”. Just to make sure its clear, this claim is inaccurate.  Was it funny? Was it totally inappropriate? It is not my place to take sides on the matter… anyways it was a group effort well-realized.
A quick run-down if you weren’t able to make the WNDX screening:  it’s a 3 minute movie starring Jaimz and Damien dressed in over-the-top Marlyn Mansonesque goth costumes (our shrouded gothic pasts supplied all necessary clothing and makeup…) taking the bus to Polo Park mall and then back again. It was inspired by the huge number of “uber-goths” we tend to see waiting for the bus.   Don’t get me wrong, I’m pro-bus and even pro-goths – I just find the combination entertaining.
One funny bit of serendipity that took place: when we went to Shopper’s Drug mart for bus tickets they were just getting out their hallowe’en decor and had a lifelike crow with battery powered glowing eyes for $6. It was instantly decided that the film could not be made without this crow sitting on Damien’s shoulder so we got it and it served us in many hilarious moments. Hopefully Brandon Lee isn’t churning in his grave all that much.
Here’s a kind review by Alex Rogalski who puts a huge effort into helping with one-take super 8 events accross Canada (maybe even beyond – the movement keeps getting bigger and I have no idea how far it reaches now):
“It’s no stretch to say that Jaimz and Karen Asmundson created a super 8 film for the ages with their newest work ‘GOTHS! ON THE BUS!’. People were doubling over at the visuals alone, but when you add their original soundtrack (which I’ve been singing to myself for days), it was clear that with a good idea, a few friends, a couple bus tokens and a super 8 camera, nothing is impossible. I’m keenly awaiting the chance to see this film again, or for the soundtrack to be released ASAP”.
Well Alex, here is the film (complete with our Mansony music!) for your viewing and listening pleasure.  Jaimz  uploaded it to Vimeo last night:
Goths! On The Bus! from Jaimz Asmundson on Vimeo.
if you can’t see it try this link:
Please let us know what you think - we love comments! If you are inspired and want to try your hand at this exceptionally fun filmmaking technique contact the Winnipeg Film Group (www.winnipegfilmgroup.com) or Alex Rogalski (onetakesuper8event (at) yahoo.com) and hopefully you can get set up. The Winnipeg event starts taking signups in last July every year I believe.Â
Winnipeg Art-Rock Explosion!
Nov 2nd
- Winnipeg Art Rock Explosion! Poster
So in case you hadn’t heard about this, we have a particularly exciting show coming up. Before I get all flowery with my descriptions here are the essential details:
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Filbatross is Leigh Filbert who has been writing songs all his life and performing with Winnipeg musicians for over a decade. His writing comes from the inside, reflecting life experiences, good and bad. Leigh will introduce his new dynamic live band tonight! www.reverbnation.com/filbatross
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Absent Sound are powerfully eclectic and engaging musicians, spanning from record skip world dub to heavy electronic post rock with eerie yet festive four part harmonies.  www.myspace.com/absentsound
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Patrick McDowall & the Melodramatic Pop Orchestra create huge, ambient, soundscapes. This will be Patrick’s first performance with his new live band! www.myspace.com/patrickmcdowall
Bookingmania
Oct 5th
So although, sadly, we are unable to tour out east this fall, I have been VERY busy getting things happening for Querkus on the home front.  While there are several shows that are in the finalization stage, there are two that are solid and ready to proclaim to the world:
Here's the beautiful poster art that Jaimz designed. Poster for Standard gig is forthcoming!!
Monday, October 26th @ 10 pm
Shannon’s Irish Pub – 175 Carlton St
Thursday, October 29th @ 10 pm
The Standard – 61 Sherbrook St (Hooligan’s/Eddie’s Garage)
with special guest:Â Cantor Dust (www.myspace.com/cantordust)
If you haven’t seen/heard the new Querkus set up (or did at my brother’s social last hallowe’en… that was the only previous time ever it could have been witness) you really can’t miss it. It’s quite the phenomenon and
guaranteed to enthrall and floor you.  Come to both shows if you can!!
There will be free admission to both shows.
There is also a good chance we will sell the final ~10 copies of the No Direction EP at these shows so if you don’t have it, come down and get it!
At least 2 of my carefully-obtained Ontario gigs have been moved to March when we will really, really tour. Maybe for a week, 2 weeks, 3… hard to say. Depends how many shows I can book. It’s all in the planning stages of course, however there is a good chance that we may also be taking our Phantom of the Opera live original score on the road. I’ll keep you posted.  If you have any suggestions as the where we should play in Ontario ot Quebec… or are some kind of angel who is interseted in actually helping to facilitate the booking or promotion of an event… please in touch with us through twitter @querkus or myspace.com/querkus or any other way you see fit.  Anyways that’s it for now! It’s late and time for bed.  Pom-Chi is already sleeping…
Lovely, lovely Lightning Dust
Sep 17th
One of my motivations for starting this blog was just so I would have a space to share random things with a small part of the unknown internet universe… random things inluding ’stuff I like’. I like Lightning Dust – a stark and spacely little music project out of Vancouver. It’s core members are also members of an apparently more famous group called Black Mountain… which I must admit I didn’t hear about until I looked into finding out a bit more about Lightning Dust.Â
It’s funny how you remember about the first time you heard music… I was driving in the Robertson neighbourhood checking up on the Tree Inventory when this intreguing music came on the radio (not sure what station it was, I flip around a lot). Keyboards, space sounds, and this soft yet kind of crazy hyper-vibratoed female voice… and  instant approval from me! Then I forgot about it as life’s next event presented itself to me although I can’t remember what it was (probably helping someone ID ash trees).
Forgot all about it until the last month or so when I tried, with some limit success, to book huge numbers of Querkus shows. I was checking out the Lo Pub’s schedule, noticed Lightning Dust and the lovely little song came back to me.   Plunked in some coordinated into trust ol’ myspace and… “yes, it was that good! I need to go to this show”.  So I sent them a friend request filled with compliments and added the date to my calender. Didn’t work out for Querkus opening up for them (that duty was filled in nicely by the charming Rob Vilar), but I was still quite interested in going as a spectator (on a work night… I was up until 1 and it did really hurt the next day but was so worth it). And I was not disappointed, nor was the bewitched and attentive crowd that gathered around the stage and remained silent for the entire show.   Lightning Dust were just as eerie and whimsical as they are on their recordings, one of which you can check out here:
 Castles and Caves, by Lightning Dust   Â
I bought the record from keyboard guy Joshua Wells who was working the merch table and nervously gave him a Querkus demo disc after dropping it on the ground. He remembered me from myspace! Good old myspace, connecting musicians… well that sure was nice, I was happy enough after the amazing concert so that was almost too much! He was already into our music and was happy to take a disc to listen to in the van.  Maybe even as happy as I was to steal home with my beautiful new vinyl to listen to before I went to bed even though it was way to late.
It’s good late-night music though… or morning… any time of day that you can introspective and not have to rush around too much. You’ll want to sit and listen and absorb it’s fine qualities.
I recommend that you obtain this music and listen to it! It’s timeless and I know I’ll be getting it out for years like I do with the Poppy Family.
Phantom, by Susan Kay
Aug 22nd
So as part of my preparedness for writing and performing the new soundtrack for Phantom of the Opera (the 1929 silent version starring Lon Chaney), I reread one of my very favorite books : Phantom by Susan Kay. I’ve loved this book since I was 15, which was a very telling time to read it. I can’t imaging there aren’t any 15 year olds that have ever been who cannot at least partially relate to Erik’s story… to be misunderstood and despised while craving love above all things. Maybe I was a particularly weird pariah of a teen but I have a feeling that these are common themes among most.
Anyways, I’m going to assume you know the essential Phantom of the Opera synopsis – the brilliant recluse who wears a mask to conceal his deformed face and lives in a house on a subterranean lake in the 5th cellar of the Paris Opera house who falls in love with a gifted young singer named Christine whom he trains to greatness and later kidnaps and asks her to marry him while threatening to kill her lover Raoul. Â It all seems kind of cheesy when you look at it summed up like that, doesn’t it?
Anyways, that Phantom story is only about 1/8 of Kay’s book which follows Erik’s (the Phantom’s) life from birth to death – how he studied music, architecture and ventriloquism… his teen years as a freak show exhibit known as “the living corpse”, his apprenticeship to a master stonemason in Rome, his years in Persia… its is really quite the epic story.  She takes this already intriguing character and gives him so many new dimensions… though the entire story follows the epilogue of the original Leroux novel quite carefully.
Anyways – if you are looking to get lost in the life of a great Byronic hero look no further than this wonderful little novel.  You can’t help but fall in love with this guy… and you will find it very hard to put this book down even for a second. So long as you can get a copy as it is sadly out of print… I wanted a second copy so I put in a request at Aqua books and they were able to get me one in ~a month for ~$5.
Getting the band ready in our new space
Aug 14th
Edgar, Tim and Peter in a small corner of the huge jam space… an auto-detailing shop complete with the ever-'inspirational' caddy girl. Keith is hiding behind the big amp.
So about last April or so we came to the realization that jamming with a five piece band in Edgar’s 12′x12′ studio was impossible, and jamming in my living room into the late evening was not the best thing where the other residents on my street are concerned. So for the last 3 months or so we’ve been making use of this enormous car-detailing garage.  Edgar’s other band (The Fucking Fantasic) practice there and are graciously allowing us to do the same. It’s outside the perimeter so it’s a bit of a hike but its worth it.  If we ever get our wish of playing with a full orchestra they will actually be able to jam with us in there.  A garage-band with an orchestra! Has that been done?
Edgar and Peter working on a drum pattern
Not sure if I have introduced the band properly yet… well certainly not in this blog which is a very new thing that I’ve been doing. Our talented backing band consists of:
Keith Dyck: Guitar
Tim Connell: Bass
Peter Beaureiss: Drums
We’ve been having a lot of fun playing with these guys and hope you enjoy what they bring to our sound. They certainly do a super job of filling it out and adding to its grand epic quality that we are continuously enamored by.  I don’t think going back to the sequencer is ever going to be an option. So with all this practicing going on there has to be a show approaching… and yes there is:
Thursday, August 20th at 8pm
Gas Station Theatre Outdoor Patio.
It’s free, they have a farmer’s market, and hey its the inaugural public performance of this lineup of Querkus so don’t you dare miss it! No excuses for you if you’re in Winnipeg!
Our photo session
Aug 9th
Karen and Edgar with grand old lone oak and full moon
So with outdoor location chosen, we arranged for ourselves, Rebecca S and the talented make-up artist Sarah Gurevich to meet last Tuesday night to take as many pictures as possible. I scurried home after work, ate a cup of broccoli soup that had been brewing in my slow cooker (as I knew I would have no time to prepare anything), and then get gussied up for pictures. Sarah came by at 5 and got me to wet my hair so it could be made to go into its natural waves exaggerated with aid of a diffuser hair-dryer (amazing how that works… maybe it is something I should get). Rebecca arrived and we discussed the possibility of having time to take some indoor photos at my house – she thought it was a great idea and set about to rearranging my living room furnature with help from Jaimz. An hour later I was totally done up with false eyelashes and everything. It was hard to open my eyes for a bit but I got accustomed to them. Urban forestry work rarely if ever demands that I wear any sort of make-up so I had forgotten about the feeling of such things.
In typical Edgar fashion he had many errands packed into a small amount of time and was running a little late. Got him on the phone and told him to bring his guitar as a prop for some indoor shots.  Rebecca started doing test shots inside and took a bunch of head-shots of me in my favorite special Vera Wang mermaid dress I spoiled myself with a few years ago. From what I saw these photos make me look much better than reality does. That Rebecca is one talented lady! And that Sarah does excellent work… both with cosmetics and as a grip with a bounce!
We did a couple different interior photo setups with Edgar and I and had a couple wardrobe changes to go with them. Around 7:30 we threw on jeans and packed up to drive to and attempt to access the tree site. Got there around 8:15 and checked it out. We did not imagine the creek. It was quite prominent and rather impassable… but Edgar was prepared. He had brought along the 2 wooden benches that he had made for his outdoor wedding ~a year ago plus some boards to hold them together with. It all got bound together with a power drill/screws, then raised on end and lowered with a rope into the creek. Didn’t quite make it across but close enough. With access confirmed, we hung out in the car for about an hour waiting for the moon rise and the right sky colour.
Around 9:30 we changed and the pictures began – sunset to twilight to night in the span of an hour. We braved the enthusiastic mosquitos and mud and did our best to look relaxed and sophisticated out there.
This photo is one of the last ones that was taken. So happy she was able to get the moon and the tree together and I love how the prairie grass sneaks in (Rebecca had to crouch down to eliminate hwy 59 from the frame).  I really like this one and am excited to see the rest!
Preview of our photo shoot location
Aug 7th
an ancient God growing near the Red River floodway off of 44 near Garven Rd
So you may or may not have been aware that Edgar and I have been in desperate need of new band photos. The last time we had professional photos done was… I just realized it was in fact in 2002. Though it was ‘04 but now realize I was mistaken. Yikes.  That was 7 years ago meaning that in theory out bodies have been completely rebuilt since then making us different people in a sence. Things have certainly changed in any number of ways… anyways its about time!!Â
While in discussion with our chosen photographer Rebecca Sandulak (and what a gifted eye she has!!), Edgar thought up this idealized lanscape that he thought the photos should be set in comprised of a lone oak tree in an open field under the twilight blue sky withe the full moon rising. There was a very lovely full moon in July with this clear brilliantly indigo-turquoise sky that inspired this thought. Rebecca and I liked the idea, and so Saturday of the long weekend Edgar, his wife and I set out into rural Manitoba to find a location where such a photo could be made to exist. A bit of a goose-chase it was… we’d keep seeing potential trees in the distance and had to find routes to get close enough to be able to ID them.  The idea that I had rather secure in my mind long before this quest that my Toyoto Echo is not  an off-road vehicle was well-confirmed. At one point we had to stop to find the closes wand-wash in order to dislodge enough mud from my wheel-wells in order to allow it to drive properly. Oh my poor car. It seems to be fine now. That was out in Rosser, and sadly all the trees we chased down over there were cottonwoods. Not that there is anything wrong with cottonwoods.
The next place we tried was the Bird’s Hill Park area on a tip from one of my coworkers. We actually had hardly made it near the park when the scene in the attached photo unfolded before us.  Edgar asked me with hope what tree that was, and I was thrown off for a minute because it all seemed so perfect… but yes it was indeed a particularly splendid Bur Oak, Quercus macrocarpa, against a field of clover.
We turned around my car and parked on the shoulder to check out the site. Soon discovered that the tree was actually on the other side of a creek and we’d have to cross it or find a way around… I’ll write about that part soon.