One Fine Morning - by Lighthouse

So glad I got to see them live... unfortunately, I heard most of the show with only one ear ('cause I had a headset on 'cause I ran a spotlight for the show!  I know - cool, eh?  :P     )

Lighthouse was formed in Toronto, On.  They started when Skip Prokop (voc's & drums) met Paul Hoffert (keys & vibraphone) in New York when Skip was playing his last show as a member of The Paupers & Paul was "working on his off-Broadway musical 'Get Thee to Canterbury'".  Guitarist Ralph Cole was recruited 'immediately', after having been convinced to quit his band Thyme, & "as weeks went by, the concept* began to take shape. They assembled a group drawn from friends, studio musicians, and Toronto Symphony Orchestra members"; they recorded their first 6 song demo & took it to MGM Records in NYCity.  They were signed, & "made their live debut at Toronto's Rock Place on May 14, 1969" (to which, as an interesting fact: it was Duke Ellington who introduced them!).  However, during the show, Vinnie Fusco (a manager) "cheerily popped in to announce that he had just signed the band to a hot deal with RCA records… he brokered a backroom deal between the two companies (RCA & MGM)".  & the rest, as they say - & I often say - is history (if/when I post another song by them, I'll continue the story!).  They've released over half a dozen studio albums & have toured the world & continue to do so.  This song is from "One Fine Morning" released in 1971.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvVN_KRriTM


* - this 'concept' that I mentioned was Skip's vision of a "rock orchestra comprised of three quartets - jazz horns, classical strings, and a rock rhythm section"

Out of My Head - by Mobile

I saw this song on MTV years ago, & as we didn't have satellite or cable at our house, I didn't ever see it again (except maybe partially & briefly once, but for the sake of the story, that didn't happen  ;) -. I knew what it was but I never found it when I searched all those years ago... but alas, I have prevailed!
Mobile is from Montréal, Qu. They started as Moonraker in 1997, & “After some initial success”, they found themselves moving to Toronto & signing on with Interscope Records (owned by Universal Music Group).  After a name change, they released their debut album on April 18th, 2006, called “Tomorrow Starts Today”. Two songs from that album - “Montréal Calling” & “New York Minute” - have both found a couple of spots each – both in games (“NHL 07” & “FIFA 07”) & movies/TV shows. They were nominated in the 2007 Juno’s for Rock Album of the Year; & won New Group of the Year. Their sophomore album followed: “Tales From the City” was released Oct. 7th, 2008; some of the inspiration for this album were drawn from Christian Bais’ (guitar) mother being diagnosed with breast cancer. Unfortunately, the Canadian band has since disbanded, announcing on Facebook in March 2011 that they were breaking up – they were working on their third album during the past 2 years, but it will not be released. This song is from “Tomorrow Starts Today”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOwfNN7iQlY

& for that matter, if you want to read up about the song & video, here's what Wiki. says about it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out_of_My_Head_(Mobile_song)

Back to Innocence - by Stephanie Smith

I have seriously had this song stuck in my head for the past couple of days now.  But as usual, I'm quite alright with that.
Stephanie Smith is from Tulsa, OK, but moved to Pennsylvania at 6 months due to her parents splitting up. It wasn’t until she was 14 years old that she met her father, & “that was a train wreck. Through that low point that [she] realized music was something that really brought a lot of joy and [she] had a gift”. She went to Greenville College in IL (graduated 2006); & as some fun trivia, Stephanie met Toby McKeehan (aka tobyMac; owner of Gotee Records) while in college at the Agape Music Festival; after taking Toby’s own advice to not take the first offer deal to her, she declined his offer to be signed to Gotee when he called just a month later about a development deal. Yet, two years later, she was signed with Gotee working on her debut album, “Not Afraid”. It was released [digitally] May 27th, 2008. Some of her singles charted, & “Superstar” even got to #3 on the New & Active at CHR Radio. June 1st of the same year also saw the release of her book “Crossroads: The Teenage Girl’s Guide to Emotional Wounds”. She has since released two more EP’s: a self-titled one, released Nov. 17th, 2009; & “Celebrate the Day EP”, a Christmas EP released in 2010. This song is from her self-titled EP.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77PMkoatkxw

NYC Gangsters - by Manic Drive

I'm seeing them on Saturday, too!  Quite excited for that.

Manic Drive is from Toronto, On.  They (beginning with brothers Michael - guitars, bg voc.; & Shawn Cavallo - lead voc, keys & guitar) began as One Cross, & they independently released all their albums, beginning with "World Going Crazy" in 1997.  3 more releases followed in '99, '00, & '02; & at the GMA Covenant Awards in 2002, they were nominated for Best Rock Album of the Year for "Welcome to the Real World".  They were signed in 2004 to Whiplash Records, & released their label debut "Reason for Motion" on July 20th, 2005.  Their LP "Reset & Rewind" followed in 2007, & won them the Rock Album Of The Year; & the Video Of the Year for "Eleven Regrets" at the Covenant Awards.  "Blue" is their latest album, released Aug. 18th, 2009; it is 8 songs re-released from "Reset & Rewind" plus 4 new songs (resulted from a new distribution deal).  They're currently working on a new album, "Epic" (& they announced on their Facebook today [June 23rd]: "Mixing the final stages of the new album!").  This song is from "Reset & Rewind".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dggD-YdMWw

& for kicks, here's "Walls" (from "Blue")

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Buj2dQcEbSM

Can't Shut Up - by Anthem Lights

I be seein' them this Saturday…  :)

Anthem Lights is based out of Nashville, TN.  They started in Los Angeles in the fall of 2007 "when singer/songwriter Alan Powell joined forces with then aspiring solo artist Chad Graham".  Caleb Grimm & Kyle Kupecky came shortly after, & after a number of months, they signed with Reunion Records (Michael W. Smith, Kerrie Roberts, Tenth Avenue North, **…)(a subsidiary of the Provident Label Group).  The name 'Anthem Lights' was originally a solo project for Graham, & after the three others joined, they became 'Yellow Cavalier', under which they recored a self titled EP in 2009.  They've since changed to 'Anthem Lights' (clearly!…) & have released a self-titled EP & self-titled LP - released Feb. 1st, & May 10th, 2011, respectively.  This song is from both the EP & LP.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnsliQMi4PU

White Owl - by Josh Garrels

Awesome stuff - you should download his latest album (it's FREE!).

Josh Garrels is from Pontiac, MI, but now resides in Portland, OR.  He self-recorded, -produced, & -distributed 3 albums* before starting up his own record label, Small Voice Recordings.  ...& somewhere along the lines, he married Michelle Ramsdale, "whose art has accompanied his aural musings" since "Over Oceans"... .  His 4th release was "Jacaranda", in 2008, which was recorded in "an old, rural mansion - a friend's donated respite on an Indiana river in the woods"; the single "Don't Wait for Me" from said album also appeared on CBS' TV show "The Ghost Whisperer".  "Lost Animals" followed in 2009, which was a collection of singles, "Jacaranda" B-sides, soundtrack work & collaborations.  His latest now, however, is called "Love & War & the Seas Between", released June 15th, 2011.  This song is indeed from "Love & War…".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMaXzRZw3Ok (<-- & this video was put up only yesterday - the illustration & animation by Daniel Landarian)

* - the 3 albums were "Stone Tree" - 2002; "Underquiet" - 2003; & "Over Oceans" - 2006.

As mentioned, "Love & War & the Sea Between" is available to download for FREE - I highly recommend you do that!

http://joshgarrels.bandcamp.com/album/love-war-the-sea-in-between

Mamma Mia - by ABBA

I was a live sound (& light for 3 performances) engineer for Mamma Mia at a local theatre (my mother also sang & did a great job, I might add...  ;).  I figured it'd be appropriate to have this up after the weekend of the last set of performances.
ABBA is from Stockholm, Sweden.  Björn Ulvaeus (b. 1945) & Benny Andersson (b. 1946) met in June 1966; both were members of well-known bands at that time, when they started to write songs together.  1970 saw the release of their album "Lycka", with Anni-Frid 'Frida' Lyngstad & Agnetha Fältskog backing them up on a couple of songs - the four of them joined together to create Abba.  Björn & Agnetha were married, in July 1971; Benny & Frida got married later, in Oct. 1978.  In 1972, after attempting to make a good start as a group, they released "People Need Love", & got more attention.  From there, the rest, as they say, is history.  Hits followed, & they became one of the most recognized pop bands of the 70's.  Unfortunately, later on in their career, all 4 of them have divorced.  Fortunately, they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2010, & have been inducted into others, as well.  This song is from their self-titled album, released April 21st (in Sweden), 1975.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unfzfe8f9NI

& of course, you can learn more about the play & movie here & there on the internet...