Primrods - Reunion (2011)

Something that we're never asked - and really wish we were - is: do you have a recording of the Primrods reunion from a couple of years ago? Well, of course we do! We also have (somehow - maybe don't ask, okay?) a one-of-a-kind poster from that night at the #1 Legion - which was in honour of the 40th birthday of Jenny Falconer, bassist Ben Falconer's wife. Well, that's what we were told: we really think it was held to honour all the good work Gene Poole has done in spreading the word of the Primrods.

This show was what we like to think of as the classic Primrods lineup: P1, P2, P3 and P5. It sounded like the guys put a lot of effort into this - they were tight, and played an hour-long set that included all the hits. Including our all-time favourite, "Santa Lucia":



We think you can hear Gene singing along in that clip. He's the off-key one, obvs.

For those who were lucky enough to witness this, you can relive the moment. For those who didn't: nyah-nyah.

Primrods - Eurovision 97 (1997)

This is the final Primrods 7", recorded at Sundae sound prior to them getting signed/recorded/dismembered by Geffen. We're pretty sure that by this time P8 had ascended to the drummer's throne.

We really like the updated "Aye Aye Eaters" on here - kind of a sign that the band had completed their transformation and were ready to be consumed by the Corporate Music Machine.

Primrods/Tristan Psionic - The Allied Nations' Victory is Now Certain (1996)

So, while we're making up for lapses in our Primrods posts, we had better include this split with Hamilton's Tristan Psionic (and also a Melodiya/Sonic Unyon joint venture). The one thing we're not sure of is who drummed on this - if this was before P1 was upgraded (?) to P8.

Maybe it doesn't matter. Maybe they're interchangeable?

Primrods - Unreleased (1998)

One of the things we're asked on a fairly regular basis is: do you have the Primrods' unreleased album? To which the answer is always, of course! Here's a link to the download!

But for some reason, we've never posted it here. Sure, other folks have already posted it, but that's never stopped us before. Plus... Primrods!

We're not sure what more there is to tell about this thing that you don't already know. The Primrods got signed by Geffen, went to Vancouver and recorded an album with GGGarth, got the album pretty much ready... and then Geffen got reorganized, leaving this album in limbo. The Primrods split pretty soon after that, from what we remember - but to be fair, by that time they were a very different band than the one that recorded the Electrosity cassette. A really good band, but a very different band - the angular elements of those first tapes were rounded off a bit by the shoegazer influences of Garrett McClure.

We really like this CD. We wonder what would have happened to the Primrods if this hadn't died on the shelf at Geffen. Maybe "Barbet Lad" would have become an AOR hit!

Anyways, for all those who have ever asked, I wonder if the CCPS can hook me up with the Primrods' unreleased CD? We say: of course! Here's a link to the download!

El Caminos - Live (Pre-Kamil)

Sometimes, the CCPS archivists get a bit confused and forget about things we've received. This hasn't happened for a while, but our auditors discovered this over the weekend, and demanded that we post it, post-haste.

This was among the tapes that Daaren Boreham gave us last year. He assures us that this was the original line-up of the El Caminos, without Kamil Krulis/Bobby Torpedo. Which means (we think) that this was Pete Roe, the Nuder and... who else? It sounds like there's two guitars on here, not the one of the latter day El Caminos. Also... this is from back when they were a straight-up garage rock band, right down to a cover of one of our favourite songs ever, the Haunted's "1-2-5."

The sound quality's not great, but it's certainly worth a listen. And who knows, maybe Boreham's been having us on, and this is really just a tape of a Gaye Rage practice.

Even the Unfair - Even the Unfair (1986)

We got another box of stuff from Greg Kushner that we're trying to sort through, but we thought we'd at least get this out into the open. We hadn't heard of this band until Greg brought them to our attention. He says:

EVEN THE UNFAIR was a band fronted by bassist Shannon Sweeney – one of the sweetest and friendliest people I ever met during my time at CJSW. She and her drummer (I think her name was Maureen, but I’m not sure) worked with a variety of guitarists (including my brudder Jeff briefly).

This is fairly straight-ahead rock musics, not as playful as, say, the Golden Calgarians, but certainly in the same musical direction.

Get even!

Bowness Back Yard Blues Band - Live 1985 (1985)

Local beer guru Mike Tessier got ahold of us about a month ago, and offered us a few tapes he'd found laying around. Among them was this dusty little nugget, a live recording of a band he played bass in nearly 30 years ago. Rounding out the lineup were Todd Devini on vocals, Dave Lewis on drums and future Arktik Power/Yr Scapegoat guitarist Pete Linckens. It's scrappy, fun stuff with very little to do with any of the following: Bowness, back yards, and Blues.

Go figure.