Uphill – Both Ways
Jeff Tanguay and the Breeze putting down the rhythm section parts in the studio.
Up Hill … Both Ways is my 4th solo release and something like my 12th career release, dating back to The Town Cryers’ first vinyl release in 1987. Once again, “Up Hill” was a collaborative effort with my backing band, the Campistas (Jeff Tanguay, Breeze Smith, Tony Dunn and Glenn Torresan). Prominent up-and-coming Canadian singer-songwriters such as Anders Drerup, Amanda Rheaume and Tara Holloway also dropped some tracks. The album was recorded at Fat Dog Productions in Ottawa, Ontario and it was co-produced by myself and Chad Nesrallah.
Now, I can’t say that the thrill is gone from recording fresh material, but I can say that the daunting tasks surrounding a new release, such as coordinating musicians for the studio, tendering and approving artwork, dealing with retailers and distributors, etc. has put a certain element of cautious excitement into the whole process.
I recall when then Town Cryers’ drummer Ian Cook and I borrowed my brother-in-law’s pick-up truck to go to Courtice, Ontario to receive our very first record (The Town Cryers – All’s Well 1987). We could hardly contain ourselves and ripped open the first box of vinyl we could get our hands on at the manufacturer’s place. It was true. We were legit. On vinyl. A REAL band.
Oddly enough, I have returned to the vinyl format for this release (available on CD and vinyl, and each vinyl record jacket contains a full CD). So maybe this makes me more legit… but more likely just poorer up front until some returns come in. The perils of owning your own label.
Nonetheless, like every other album I have put out, the idea was to release new music and tour like crazy to get people to hear the new stuff, buy some CDs and pay off the investment, so I can do it all over again in another couple of years. This time is no different. Radio interviews were scheduled, Album Launch Parties were planned and a US Tour was booked, from here to Nashville and many points in between.
Fiscal restraints and other commitments kept me from taking a full band down into the US. In fact, it is virtually impossible to bring a full band on the road for any distance without losing money. So the best option was to go solo and play smaller clubs. I was lucky enough to find a friend and fellow musician, Gilles Arsenault, who was willing to come along for the ride, play the role of roadie and jump up on stage once in a while and play bongos. Life on the road would’ve been mighty lonely and I’m sure I would’ve been lost many more times than we were… which was surprisingly not that often, considering we weren’t packing a GPS!
Photo courtesy Rotondo Imagery
