My weekend began on Friday morning. Unfortunately, it started on Megabus, that can boast a cheap price and a tight space to sit in. I think I was beginning to hate myself by the time I arrived in Montreal.
It was a weekend of pre-production with the Fundamentals. It consisted of 3 rehearsals and some drinking. More cranberry juice than I’ve had in a while. They have about 13 songs on their plate that they’re considering right now.
Mostly they’re agreeable, but there were a few tense moments.

Here’s a snap someone managed to take just as Reg was charging at me after I had suggested we start the song in a different key. You should of seen him when he got really ugly!
On Saturday night The Fundamentals put on a great set at Le Petit Campus. They shared the stage with the charming Green Cup and the ska vs. ska battle featuring Danny Rebel & The KGB vs. The Beatdown. I saw some tears, lots of sweat and for some strange reason, a whole of bunch of half naked men. Apparently, when the gloves come off so do the shirts.
It was also a time to catch up with some friends. There were so many, even Ryan Stephan Chopik (The Harmonauts) came in from Toronto to see the blood bath – and hang out with friends, of course.

Played some free-ish improvisation with some wonderful players (The Slaughterhouse 5), Paul Swoger-Ruston (guitar), Cheryl Ockrant (cello), Rick Walters (double bass) and Dave Gould (percussion). I was doing some thing on guitar and a reel to reel tape machine. We were joined by Charlie Roby (guitar/ mandolin) who opened the evening along with Chi Chi Godin (storyteller) and Cheryl.
The event was held at Somewhere There, a wonderful little space in Toronto’s west end.
Here are some clips of our first foray together at Slaughterhouse 754 (the recording space). We set up to do some semi-spontaneous improvisation. With little in the way of planning we used the session to try and figure things out. The live performance took on a different shape. We’re hoping to do another recording soon to see where it will lead.

Paul/ Dave/ Rick/ Cheryl/ Mitch by MightyGomes

I’ve spent the last few weeks completing my EP and setting it up online, which seemed to be almost as much work as the recording itself. I finished five tracks that were in various states of production. Four of the five were part of a group of songs that I began to work on a few years ago. Although the other tracks (of the ten) are still waiting to be done these (the EP) seemed to fit together combining some ideas that I’ve been playing with for quite some time. On the EP I tried to use some instruments and textures that may not often be heard in Ska music. I layered synths, samples, a drum loop and even a typewriter to tickle the ear. There is a willing pop sensibility that may not sit well with the most discerning Ska traditionalist, but I hope that they can hear the honesty and enthusiasm that I tried to imbue the songs with. Can I use the word imbue here?
Anyway, he’s a track from the EP which can be purchased on Bandcamp, itunes…etc…
It’s a song that was inspired by my trips across one of the ugliest intersections in Toronto, Victoria Park and Danforth. A concrete wasteland that can boast 2 Tim Horton Express locations. It was at one of these that carried a rack of magazines with the latest celebrities and often featured Ms. Paris Hilton. I’ve never been quite sure what it is that she does, but she’s seems to do it none the less. Or at least she did. I wrote the song a few years back and there’s always that danger of dating the material by using such a pop culture reference. I like to live on the edge. Ha.