http://www.canadaka.net/blog/WDHIII/index_feed-ATOM_limit-5.html 2012-05-23T02:51:33-07:00 http://www.canadaka.net/blog/WDHIII/say_goodnight_to_the_bad_guys_b-2815.html 2008-12-05T10:32:14-08:00 2008-12-05T10:32:14-08:00

It was born out of three short films.....The Cart Boy {1995}, One Last Shot {1998} , and Trailer Park Boys {1999} and when Mike Clattenburgh originally tried to sell the series to Lifestyle Network he was met with sarcastic laughs and the proverbial door in the face.

Never one to back down, he tried Lifestyles competitors, Showcase, and after a LOT of convincing, coniving and cajolling they agreed to air it for one season and see where it went from there.

They had NO IDEA.....

It soon developed a cult following.... a low budget "mocku"mentary phenomenon from the right coast that quickly became Showcases all time highest rated Canadian developed program.

The series follows the mis-adventures of Rickey, Julian and Bubbles, three ex-con "Trailer Park Boys" from the fictional Sunnyvale Park near Halifax N.S. who spend most of their time avoiding the law and the realities of life.

The show itself is an acquired taste..... due to strong language and content its certainly not for the faint of heart and I admit the first time I surfed across it I stayed for about a minute, hoping to catch a glimpse of its appeal.

I didnt.

But a few months later I decided to give it a another try..... and soon found myself drawn into the lives of these three miscrients; I'm not sure if its the dark humor or its "cops style" format but I guess i can now call myself a true TPB fan.

Like many my favorite character is Bubbles, Rickey and Julians best friend and the apparent "conscience" of the group. MIKE SMITH plays this character to the Nth degree; his "coke bottle" glasses, jutting chin and simple ways SCREAM "downs syndrome" but often he ends up as the moral center of the trio. Few people know that Mr. Smith actually has a degree in English from...

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http://www.canadaka.net/blog/WDHIII/tunesday_will_return_next_month_b-2063.html 2007-08-18T19:32:00-07:00 2007-08-18T19:32:00-07:00

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http://www.canadaka.net/blog/WDHIII/one_from_the_where_is_he_now_catagory_b-1990.html 2007-07-17T07:53:00-07:00 2007-07-17T07:53:00-07:00

Born in Montreal on May 31, 1962, he traveled frequently as a child, living in the Bahamas with his father, but primarily following his mother through Mexico, Spain, and Florida, among other places. It didnt matter where he lived tho - his first love was always with him; MUSIC. At 13, he sang for Tom Jones and recorded with Paul Anka in Las Vegas... at 14 he started to write his own music/lyrics and dreamed of becoming a singer/songwriter and recording artist. His early efforts to sign with Canadian record companies were fruitless; he escaped to New York and met Billy Joel and worked in Long Island, New York to complete a demo of his first songs but unable to land a contract he returned to Canada, eventually signing with Aquarius Records.

In 1983 he released his MONSTER debut album, recorded in Manchester England in the spring of 1982 with producers Jon Astley and Phil Chapman; Eric Clapton lent his guitar stylings to the album. FIRST OFFENSE screamed to the top of the charts with this weeks featured tune, one which is now his signature song...whats even more surprising is it was a last minute addition to the disc. Its also contained two other semi hits,"She Got The Radio" and "It Ain't Enough" that helped keep it his album at the top of the Canadian Charts for almost 6 months!

He followed that up two years later with BOY IN THE BOX which produced not only the title song and "Lamp at Midnite" it also contained his second smash hit "Never Surrender" - instant notariaty led to, of all things, an offer for the lead in a movie...


[align=center]...which he turned down...[/align]


BACK TO THE FUTURE turned out to be a BLOCKBUSTER starring ANOTHER great Canadian Micheal J. Fox. Ironically it wasnt the ONLY offer he...

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http://www.canadaka.net/blog/WDHIII/a_stampede_tunesday_b-1969.html 2007-07-10T07:51:00-07:00 2007-07-10T07:51:00-07:00

The public started to take notice of this Jewel from the Great White North but it took the music industry a little longer... 7 years went by before she landed an audition with Mercury Records and after seeing a live performance by Clark, the label's president put her name on the bottom line... luckily he also hired a prolific writer and 4 short months later her debut album hit the stores. Backed by the MEGA HIT "Better Things to Do" and subsequent singles "When Boy Meets Girl" and "If I Were You" it certified Gold in no time and earned her a summer tour with one of her Idols - George Strait. She was also nominated Country Music Association's Horizon Award, as well as the Academy of Country Music Awards' Best New Female Vocalist.

Her follow up, 1996s JUST THE SAME sold even better than her first effort; the singles "Poor, Poor Pitiful Me" and and this weeks featured tune pushed it Platinum, reaching number 10 South of the 49th and number ONE in Canada! She subsequently won a TON of Canadian Country Music Awards, including Album of the Year and Single of the Year; she was also named the Top New Female Country Artist of 1995 by Billboard magazine.

HOW I FEEL hit the stores...

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http://www.canadaka.net/blog/WDHIII/a_sunny_tunesday_redux_b-1946.html 2007-07-03T08:40:00-07:00 2007-07-03T08:40:00-07:00

The year was 1969 and Toronto musician Skip Prokop was tired of layin down other artists tracks....The Paupers, Janis Joplin, Al Kooper..... he even played with the GREAT Carlos Santana at Woodstock.....

But after a chance meeting in NY with "sessions man" Paul Hoffert they began to form a vision of what "new rock" should be, spending the next 6 months writing behind closed doors. Needing a little "out of the rock box" thinking they pulled Ralph Cole into the fold. Cole was a classically trained musician with little experience with rock and roll; he fit in perfectly.

With the doors flung wide open they added the rest of the "players"...on the HORNS were Russ Little, Arnie Chycoski, Freddy Stone, Howard Shore, Dale Hillary and Keith Jollimor...on the STRINGS were Dick and Paul Armin and Don Dinovo...add in singer Pinky Dauvin and FULL ORCHASTRA sound was born. Just imagine....ROCK AND ROLL with cellos, violas, an array of horns and a full percussion section!

Spied by RCA Canada during an outdoor concert in Brantford they were QUICKLY signed to their first record deal. A half year of hard work in Toronto's Eastern Sound Studio resulted in the release of a self-titled album; not huge commercial "wax" it was met with praise by critics following the limited success of such tracks as "Mountain Man" and the cover of the Byrds' "Eight Miles High".

"SUITE FEELINGS" released a short time later; a cover of the Beatles "A DAY IN THE LIFE" was their first foray into Canadas Top Ten.

Internal management problems saw them switch to GRT Records and commercial success began catching up with the critics praise when "ONE FINE MORNING" hit the air. The second single off THE CHANT, "HATS...

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