OTTAWA BLUESFEST

Ottawa Bluesfest is ranked by Billboard Magazine as one of the top 10 most successful outdoor music festivals in the world!

From July 4th to 14th, the nation's capital will play host to an array of top acts including Rush, blues legend B.B. King, The Black Keys, Alice in Chains, Weezer and The Tragically Hip.

Cold beverages pair well with great live music from multiple stages.

For full details check out their site

Bluesfest 2013 is guaranteed to be hotter than July...

FORGOTTEN MUSIC THURSDAY-LOU REED

METAL MACHINE MUSIC

James Joyce created the ultimate black hole of English prose with "Finnegan's Wake".

Lou was kind enough to favor us with the aural equivalent. Released in 1975, this double LP of looped guitar feedback clocked in at 64 minutes (2 minutes would have been enough). If you need to clear a room, this is your soundtrack. Pretty bold move from Mr. Reed, though.

Forgotten music/noise...

Here's side 1, for your listening pleasure. Dare you to listen all the way through. Enter at your own risk!

ROY FORBES

ALMOST OVERNIGHT

It has been roughly fifteen years since a good friend of mine said "Listen to this" and proceeded to play "Waitin' For you Mama". In just over three minutes, I was floored. Floating over precise, crisp acoustic guitar (and tapping foot) was one of the most unique, soulful voices that I had ever heard.

We both were well into "a few drinks", so the timing of this surprise track couldn't have been better.

"Who was that?" was all that I managed.

Roy Forbes

Almost Overnight contains a treasure trove of songs from his early career (plus a cover), captured live in the studio. Acoustic guitar fanatics will take note of the impeccable playing. Rich wordplay, excellent melodies and his sure touch with a tune are all an integral part of his distinctive song writing voice.

"Right After My Heart" "Thistles and "Kid Full of Dreams" are standouts, though don't let that stop you from enjoying the rest.

Stunning originality is tough to come by in these times, yet that's exactly what the prospective listener finds in this music. Why he isn't much more well known continues to mystify, though if you play this for friends, they'll repeatedly thank you for it.

Find out more here

Here's Roy playing a tune called "You Can't Catch Me" which he originally recorded on his debut LP (Kid Full of Dreams) in 1975 under his nickname, BIM.

RIP ANDY JOHNS

Producer/engineer Andy Johns, who worked on such classic albums as Led Zeppelin IV and the Stones' Exile On Main Street, has passed away.

Very sad news for his family, friends and music fans across the globe. Johns was an incredibly gifted individual.

Before his nineteenth birthday, he was working as Eddie Kramer's second engineer on recordings by Jimi Hendrix and
was a key figure in the sessions for countless classic records. Here is a sampler of his impressive credits (taken from Wikipedia)

Albums produced

Ahead Rings Out - Blodwyn Pig (1969)
As Safe As Yesterday Is - Humble Pie (1969)
Town and Country - Humble Pie (1969)
Highway - Free (1970)
Free Live! - Free (1971)
Heartbreaker - Free (1972)
Bobby Whitlock - Bobby Whitlock (1972)
Why Dontcha - West, Bruce and Laing (1972)
Marquee Moon - Television (1977)
It's a Circus World - Axis (1978)
1234 - Ron Wood (1981)
Hughes/Thrall - Hughes/Thrall (1982)
Stone Fury - Burns Like a Star (1983)
Idéal - Trust (1983)
Night Songs - Cinderella (1986)
Perfect Timing - McAuley Schenker Group (1987)
Loud and Clear - Autograph (1987)
Long Cold Winter - Cinderella (1988)
Four Winds - Tangier (1989)
Sahara - House of Lords (1990)
Dirty Weapons - Killer Dwarfs (1990)
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge - Van Halen (1991)
Under the Influenc - Wildside (1992)
The Extremist - Joe Satriani (1992)
Powers of Ten (second release, two tracks) - Shawn Lane (1993)
Time Machine - Joe Satriani (1993)
Good Guys Don't Always Wear White - Bon Jovi (soundtrack for The Cowboy Way) (1994)
Waking the Dead - L.A. Guns (2002)
22nd Century Lifestyle - pre)Thing (2004)
Rips the Covers Off - L.A. Guns (2004)
Stone in the Sand - Euphoraphonic (2005)
Tales from the Strip - L.A. Guns (2005)
The Undercover Sessions - Ill Niño (2006)
Radio Romeo - Radio Romeo (2007)
Chickenfoot - Chickenfoot (2009) [7]
Bingo! - Steve Miller Band (2010)
Up Close - Eric Johnson (2010)
Double Four Time - The Swayback (2012)
The Andy Johns Demo's - Sabyrtooth (2012)
Hollywood Forever - L.A. Guns (2012)

Albums engineered

Disposable - The Deviants (1968)
Spooky Two - Spooky Tooth (1969)
The Clouds Scrapbook - Clouds (1969)
Up Above our Heads - Clouds (1969)
Blind Faith - Blind Faith (1969)
Led Zeppelin II - Led Zeppelin (1969)
Led Zeppelin III - Led Zeppelin (1970)
Highway - Free (1970)
Sky - Sky (1970)
Led Zeppelin IV - Led Zeppelin (1971)
Sticky Fingers - Rolling Stones (1971)
Brain Capers - Mott the Hoople (1971)
Sailor's Delight - Sky (1971)
Exile on Main St. - Rolling Stones (1972)
Goats Head Soup - Rolling Stones (1973)
Houses of the Holy - Led Zeppelin (1973)
It's Only Rock 'n' Roll - The Rolling Stones (1974)
Physical Graffiti - Led Zeppelin (1975)
Shadows and Light - Joni Mitchell (1980)
Coda - Led Zeppelin (1982)
Trouble At Home (Silver Condor) - Joe Cerisano (1983)
Raw - Ra (2006)
IV - Godsmack (2006)
Radio Romeo - Radio Romeo (2007)
Crossroads - Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton - Eric Clapton
Ladies and Gentleman The Rolling Stones Movie - The Rolling Stones
Double Four Time - The Swayback (2012)
Switchblade Glory - Switchblade Glory (2011)