Myles and the Fuzz have hit the road today with the Sleepless Nights, bound for Ontario and the Pitter Patter festival.
The festival founded by Keith Hamiliton [booker at the Boat in Toronto, a dj, leader of his band Hamilton Trading Co. - probably lots of other stuff I don't know about] has a pretty great vision that is hard to not get behind:
The Pitter Patter Music Festival is based on a simple set of principals:
Fair compensation to the artists
Easy access for the patrons
The need to discover and cultivate new Canadian talent
The desire to expand the radius of support for new music outside of Toronto
By sticking with the above principals and the not-for-profit ideals on which the festival was founded Pitter Patter hopes to continue expanding and ultimately envisions itself as a national festival, setting the standard for how Canada supports the arts.
See that point about easy access for the patrons? Well if you have heard of any of the bands playing but maybe are tight for cash, don’t worry. The festival is now an entirely pay-what-you-can affair for the patrons!
Check out the Pitter Patter site for: A Brief History of the Pitter Patter Music Festival and the complete schedule
For Fuzz fans, this tour will also be the first chance to grab a preview copy of their new album “You Can’t Heal a Sick Riff” which was produced by Mike O’Neill. The album will be officially released this fall.
http://www.myspace.com/mylesdeckandthefuzz
http://www.myspace.com/thesleeplessnights
Facebook Event page for the guys’ tour
Complete Tour Dates:
22 May House Show Moncton
23 May Raw Sugar Ottawa
25 May Black Shire Pub London
27 May Red Dog Peterborough
28 May Marcello’s Toronto
29 May The Boat Toronto
31 May Trepid House Waterloo
1 Jun The Ship Hamilton
2 Jun The Jupiter Room Montreal
4 Jun The Capital Fredericton
5 Jun The Seahorse Halifax
 A range of emotions upon realizing I have been in a basement for 5 years now! Sometime next week I am going to post a long threatened list of things not to do in running a business. Consider it a gift for anyone else that wants to run a business one day. For the moment I need to give thanks though.
And there are probably too many people to thank – so if I forget you – please accept my apologie now. In 5 years I made a ton of mistakes, but I also had just as much if not more help from too many people to count – here’s hoping I did not miss you you:
First off – the bands. If no bands used the space there would be no space. Simple as that. You have tolerated a lot over the years and I can not share how much it means to see people that used the space the first year I opened continue to make use of the space [frequently or not, doesn't matter]. It is always great to see new faces that have no idea I have been here for this long either wonder how they never knew [well I didn't advertise so...we could start there - that's the one mistake to be shared today]. I have made many friends with musicians from said bands and it is great to be able to walk through Halifax and see familiar faces everywhere I go. Get Wrecked, Bloodbath, Rockstorm, Journalist Wolf, No Flyers Please will get specific mention simply for playing a fundraiser for the space one year. Thank’s to Get Wrecked for organizing – still blows my mind.
Thanks also to all the artists who have used the space for art shows over the years. Each show shocked me at both the talent in this city and the interest/crowds we were able to get out every time. Tip of the hat to Stoo Metz and the whole UAG Collective for their role in handling the majority of shows here in the past year or so.
To all bands and musicians that have passed through the space: You have made me happier than I have ever been, being able to work for myself, surrounded by music. I owe all of you the deepest graitiude and thanks for making everything else I have done or been part of since opening the Rock Garden even possible. Thank you all so so much.
And a hat’s off to the owners of all the other spaces in town: Mike & Matt at Canvasland, Mingus at C.O.D. and Rob & Terry at Soundmarket. We must be all “special”.
Shawn Cunningham, Nicole Smith and the rest of the staff at CEED made this all possible early on. If you have ever considered opening a business you owe it to yourself to go speak with someone at CEED. They are passionate about helping people achieve the dream of opening a business and they make that passion contagious. I would have nothing if not for CEED and their assistance to date.
Before there was an actual jam space I had to get the space. It has been an interesting experience having a church as your landlord but I owe many thanks to the Lawens with whom I initially dealt with in negotiating the lease for the opportunity as well as the reminder of the St. Antonios Church council for their support. Particularly I must thank Ramzi El-Tawil for dealing with me over the past two years in a manner that fair and supportive doesn’t even begin to describe.
Then came month’s of renovations. Fun times. My future father-in-law was a life saver. Showed me how to frame a wall. Don’t know what the plan would have been if you hadn’t been around James [mind you that was also terrifying as I had never spent time alone with him and well, it worked out all fine in the end but whoa nerves....]. I should also thank James and the rest of Johanna’s family for understanding my all too frequent abseneces from – well pretty much every occassion with a few exceptions. Their undertsnading and support has meant a great deal.
Building the space was a great weird experience. Strangers started showing up eventually to help. People put in long hours and never used the space. Randoms showed up helped for an hour and were never seen again. I drank a LOT of Schooner. Jeremy Stewart another life saver. Put more time in than anyone, asked for nothing, took even less. Chris McNutt I still owe a debt to. Liam, Andrew and anyone else that ever came by to help thank you for making it happen – because it wouldn’t have otherwise.
Getting gear was the next hurdle and over the years the staff at Musicstop/Long & McQuade have helped clear a few more from time to time. I have to say all the guys who have passed through rentals over the years have been a huge help on adaily basis to the operation of the space and probably have earned fav status for it [maybe tied with Dave and Tim for their patiance in understanding my issues with drummers!!]. Kevin and Amanda and the rest of the finance department – too good to me.
As manager, Mr. Parker has also been too kind – addressing problems for me in any way that would benefit me and dealing with it on his end however was required. I owe you all a good party here some night.
My bankers are amazing people. Inova Credit Union [referred there by CEED!]. Business owners would do themselves a benefit to speak with staff there and explor etheir business needs and see if they can be of assistance. CIBC wouldn’t give me $500 in overdraft 6months to a year into business. Went to Inova, they took care of me in fine style. Gerry Latta probably saved the space on more than one occasion. Then probably got tired of doing so and passed me off! Wayne Thorpe has been amazing since then. The rest of the staff I deal with Eva, Angie and Nick – all great people, super patient with me and always pleasant. I can’t see me ever banking elsewhere.
There are so many music people that have given me their time over the years I am definitely scared of missing someone here – so I will cheat a bit: anyone who has ever worked at Music Nova Scotia – thank you. I hope you always see the value in what you do in helping musicians make music. Waye Mason, Heather Frantsi – two people that have been very kind to me. Young upstarts like Josh Hogan – hate ‘em. [How does he do it!?]. Matt Charlton, Andrew Watt, Andrew Gillis, SWC! vs. SWAC, Chr!s Sm!th, Crowley, Adam+Chelle – so many great people I have come to know because of this space. I KNOW I am missing people here so I am sorry but I must continue [thankfully I can edit this later! ].
A slight detour but tied to the Rock Garden too: The Rock Garden has given me many other fortunate opportunities. I have served on the Halifax Pop Explosion board. Started a record label with my wife. Thanks to all the bands who have been part of that: Myles Deck and the Fuzz, Glory Glory Man United, Dreamsploitation and Bloodsport. I was able to be part of the opening an an amazing space called the Hub. Tracy, Jo and Sera gave me more credit than I deserved but I thank them all the same for the opportunity to meet and work with them – it was experience I am proud to have shared with you.
From that I have met a whole new assortment of people that excite me in their own efforts to do their own thing. This includes Chris Weisenburger, now my lawyer, who quit a firm position to start his own practice out of the Hub. A wonderful person. Another wonderful person tied to the Hub via Jo is her partner Ezra. Like the new stairs at the space? Thank him. But he did plenty more to help beyond that – and does it in a manner where he makes it seem like it is no big deal at all. It so is. Thank you all.
Last year saw the space take on two partners: Joy Suttle and Ryan Cooper. The changes I want to make to the space would be impossible without them. Ryan = lifesaver. I thank them both for seeing the value in my vision for the space.
While no one will [hopefully] ever have to match the hours I have been underground in this basement – I have been fortunate to have a group of guys I can call on at times – like my wedding – when I cannot afford to shut down but obviously cannot be here. Gavin MacLean, Fabian Bennett, Issac Hansen and Adrian Bruhm are likely the reason I have maintained some semblance of sanity. It would have been impossible to do this without you.
I think that pretty much leaves my family. There are two people on my side that I owe the most thanks to: my sister Velma and brother-in-law George. Really don’t like to think what my entire life would have turned out like had the two of you not been there – let alone the Rock Garden. Your support, encouragement and financial help when needed has gone above and beyond. I cannot express how lucky I was to end up with both of you in my life.
I’d thank my lil’bro but he’s in Ontario and well didn’t really do much. Guess he’ll just have to move here and help out somehow in the next 5 years….  Thankfully I know he is there for me anytime I do need him and cherish him for it.
So that’s pretty much it I’d say. Oh wait……………
Johanna Gerrits. My wife. My Joi. She’s suffered dearly for loving me. That’s no joke. I subscribe to Inc. magazine and they started a column from the perspective of an entrepreneur’s wife. I initially considered removing it – Joi reads the mag too -as I didn’t need her to realize what she had become part of – like she didn’t already know. Instead I found myself seeing even more so how hard it must be on her to have to deal with the stress, uncertainty, long hours of work – and ths equally long hours alone without your so called partner. She could leave me today and tomorrow if I became a millionaire [or three years later] she’d never have to worry again about money. Someday Joi I promise you’ll see it was all worth it – no matter what – xo
You are the very definition of a best friend and that will never change.
I’m living a life my high school self dreamed of. I hope you can appreciate what that means to someone – and especially a music lover to be surrounded by music every day – and know how truly grateful I am for the role YOU ALL played in making it possible.
Love & thanks,
Rob
From Here To There Wrestling presents:
* Sensational Main Event*
Myles Deck and the Fuzz
http://www.myspace.com/mylesdeckandthefuzz
vs.
Cuban Assassins
http://www.myspace.com/cubanassassins
the Nuclear
http://www.myspace.com/thenuclear
vs.
the Dead Pinkertons
http://www.myspace.com/deadpinkertons
Bell Time 10PM
Facebook Event page
——————————————————————————
This Friday is the official release of the Fuzz’s new 7″ split with the Cuban Assassins!!! This will be a limited pressing hot red vinyl piece of magic you should get your hands on!!! Have a listen:
01 – Myles Deck and the Fuzz – Lights Out Electric Co
02 – Myles Deck and the Fuzz – The Healing Power
01 – Cuban Assassins – Money
02 – Cuban Assassins – Dead Dead Dead
You’ll be able to catch the Fuzz and Assassins in Halifax and Moncton this week:
- Thursday Nov 26 THE PARAMOUNT LOUNGE Moncton, New Brunswick
- Friday Nov 27 GUS’ PUB – Split 7″ release! w/The Nuclear + Dead Pinkertons Halifax, Nova Scotia
Nov 11 TROIS MINOT Montreal, Quebec
Nov 12 THE BOAT w/High Mother, Chang-a-lang and ‘It It Toronto, Ontario
Nov 13 OSSIA w/Sons of Thor Peterborough, Ontario
Nov 14 THE PHOG LOUNGE w/High Mother Windsor, Ontario
Nov 15 MOON OVER MARIN w/High Mother London, Ontario
Nov 18 THE LEGENDARY RED ROOSTER Burlington, Ontario
Nov 20 THE MANSION Kingston, Ontario
Nov 21 SCANNER Quebec, Quebec
If you are curious about checking out the band, feel free to download their releases to date beforehand to help you decide:
01 – Myles Deck and The Fuzz – Beware! The Fuzz
02 – Myles Deck and The Fuzz – California Man
03 – Myles Deck and The Fuzz – I Love My Baby
04 – Myles Deck and The Fuzz – Thrill Seeker
05 – Myles Deck and The Fuzz – Filthy Addiction
06 – Myles Deck and The Fuzz – Master of the House
07 – Myles Deck and The Fuzz – Watch Your Job
08 – Myles Deck and The Fuzz – Ain’t Worth Tryin’
09 – Myles Deck and The Fuzz – Halifax is Burning
10 – Myles Deck and The Fuzz – It’s a Long Walk
 Police Cops cover art 01- Myles Deck & the Fuzz – Police Cops
02- Myles Deck & the Fuzz – Ayatollah
03- Myles Deck & the Fuzz – Boom Boom
EP as a zip
New 7″ Split with the Cuban Assassins
The weekend after they return from tour they are officially release their new 7″ split with the Cuban Assassins!!! This will be a limited pressing hot red vinyl piece of magic you should get your hands on!!! Have a listen:
01 – Myles Deck and the Fuzz – Lights Out Electric Co
02 – Myles Deck and the Fuzz – The Healing Power
01 – Cuban Assassins – Money
02 – Cuban Assassins – Dead Dead Dead
You’ll be able to catch the Fuzz and Assassins at the end of November in Halifax and Moncton:
Nov 26 THE PARAMOUNT LOUNGE w/Cuban Assassins Moncton, New Brunswick
Nov 27 GUS’ PUB – Split 7″ release! w/Cuban Assassins Halifax, Nova Scotia
And don’t they look excited!
Fortunately for these guys the “now what” part isn’t going to be hard to figure out.
First off – this weekend, Halloween night:
 Live bands meet live burlesque on Saturday Oct.31st @ The Seahorse Tavern. Bang Bang Burlesque has put together individual dances for original music from The Broken Ohms, Gloryhound , Big Game Hunt and Myles Deck and the Fuzz. The stage will also be joined by Halifax’s own BLOODBATH. This night will be filled with Sexy , Dirty and Sweaty Rock n Roll with an efficient amount of gore and blood to fill all your ghoulish fantasies. Come out and be apart of this Halloween extravaganza!!!!!
Here’s the Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=ho … 96&index=1
Nova Scotia Music Week – www.musicnovascotia.ca/nsmw
In a little over a week they will be performing two sets [at least, will see about some late night opportunities] at Music Nova Scotia’s Music Week (in Yarmouth this year).
Nov 6 Th’ YARC – Warped Tour BOTB Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
This show is a performance before Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman. He will be selecting one of the bands to perform on dates for the 2010 tour. Set time will be determined by draw at the show. Also performing are Three Sheet, The Stanfields, Ricochet and last call Chernobyl. This show is all ages.
Nov 7 Then Saturday night they will be performing a 19+ showcase at the Red Knight [stage 2]. Their set is 10:15-10:45
As part of this set the guys will also be part of a fashion project conceived by the Argyle Fine Art gallery: Project Bandstand
Ontario Tour + 7″ Split with Cuban Assassins
They then have a couple days off before heading out to Ontario and back for their “Fuzz Goes Commando Tour”. Check out that post for MP3s for all their releases to date even if you can’t catch a show because the tour will also be in celebration of their new 7″ split with the Cuban Assassins which you can hear too.
New LP
But the guys have not been resting in anticipation of these dates. They have been gigging, playing after parties and most importantly: recording a new LP you’ll be able to get your hands on in early 2010.
Those sessions have been going great, sounding better and the band is excited about the end product. I will give the credit to the wonderful Mike O’Neil who has been producing these sessions [Mike just won a Gemini for his music work on TV, congrats].
So while the band is busy recording and performing I am working on a master plan for their 2010 conquests. 2010 will see their first journey beyond Ontario and allow the western provinces a taste of one of our rock and roll secrets.
A new LP, maybe some Warped Tour dates….
And I will be using them on this blog as guinea pigs in a series of posts for developing digital strategies for bands. There are so many options, so little time and so much confusion – what the hell is a band to do? Honestly, not a clue. Well some clues. Half an idea. We’ll figure it out.
I might love these guys
The Fuzz were the first band my wife and I released on our label. It is great to see them still giving it their all and winning folks over with every show. I am very excited to becoming more involved with them and seeing how far they can go. Hopefully you’ll stick around for the trip too.
P.S. In honor of all that is happening may I unveil the very first official Myles Deck and the Fuzz avatar [probably a good thing you can't make out the Fuzz logo there....]
P.S.S – First person that can name which album cover that is …hmmm…..paying homage too – gets a free copy of the 7″ split when they arrive.
Go celebrate Black Xmas then go to this TONIGHT!
Dog Day
with
the Stolen Minks
and
Bloodsport
10PM, $10
December 04, 2008
 Dreamsploitation may sound like some kind of therapists’ convention, or in musical terms may conjure up a lush electronic orchestra. It’s neither though — in fact it’s the work of one man from Nova Scotia, who when he’s not going by the Dreamspoitation moniker, is called Chuck Blazevic.
The sound is very lush though, created by many many tiny samples from recordings and acoustic sources, all manipulated and, as Mr. Blazevic himself puts it: “…transposed and re-contextualized into an ultra-melodic tapestry of soft-psychedelia, b-movie orchestral back drops, dusty drums, and loud quiet sounds.”
To hear more, tune in to The Signal (10 p.m.) Thursday night as Laurie features the music…
EDIT: Brand new review that also ends – well if someone said this about me, I’d be pretty damn happy:
Dreamsploitation is not the new DJ Shadow or Amon Tobin, it’s the third option; the new kid on the block that will amaze you and keep you wondering what will be next to come out of his absinthe-fuelled sampler
From – The Silent Ballet
.
In October the fine folks behind Textura.org reviewed Dreamploitation’s Soft Focus Sound of Today, ending on this note:
At present, Dreamsploitation may be as obscure a name as the plundered materials constituting Soft Focus Sound of Today but, if there’s any justice in the world, that won’t last long.
Well the album was good enough to garner a mention on their year end best of list.
Many thanks to Textura for the support
Textura’s 2008 TOP 10s AND 20s
All year long, we waited in vain for some incredible genre-advancing release on the order of The Knife’s Silent Shout and Burial’s Unture to appear. Though that didn’t quite happen (a few came close), a careful review of the year’s releases revealed that an inordinate number of exceptional releases did appear, in fact so many that a number of well-deserving titles weren’t able to elbow their way into the top fifty. Without further ado, then, here are our picks for the top 20 full-lengths, followed by 30 Honourable Mentions, 20 Compilations and Mixes, 20 EPs / Singles / 12-inch Discs, additional highlights, and thank yous.
30 HONOURABLE MENTIONS
21. Celer: The Everything And The Nothing / Discourse Of The Withered (Infraction)
22. Goldfrapp: Seventh Tree (Mute)
23. Benga: Diary Of An Afro Warrior (Tempa)
24. Susanna: Flower Of Evil (Rune Grammofon)
25. 2tall: The Softer Diagram (Content)
26. Masaoka: For Birds, Planes, And Cello; While I Was Walking, I Heard A Sound (Solitary B)
27. Aloof Proof: Piano Text (Infraction)
28. Kiln: Thermals (Infraction)
29. Dreamsploitation: Soft Focus Sound Of Today (From Here To There)
30. Peter Broderick: Docile (Kning Disk)
31. Autistici: Volume Objects (12k)
32. Mico Nonet: The Marmalade Balloon (Mico Nonet)
33. Yair Etziony: Flawed (Spekk)
34. Stephan Mathieu: Radioland (Die Schachtel)
35. Library Tapes: A Summer Beneath The Trees (Make Mine Music)
36. The Retail Sectors: Starlight Silent Night (Symbolic Interaction)
37. Sawako: Bitter Sweet (12k)
38. Motorcitysoul: Technique (Simple Records)
39. Rae Davis: Positive Thinking (Exponential)
40. Hatchback: Color Of The Sun (Backspin)
41. Windy & Carl: Songs For The Broken Hearted (kranky)
42. Slow Dancing Society: Priest Lake Circa ‘88 (Hidden Shoal)
43. Lisa Nordström: 7 States Of Passion (Kning Disk)
44. Ezekiel Honig: Surfaces of a Broken Marching Band (Anticipate)
45. Sleepingdog: Polar Life (Gizeh)
46. Harold Budd-Clive Wright: A Song For Lost Blossoms (Darla)
47. Stray Ghost: Losthilde (Highpoint Lowlife)
48. Sans Serif: Tones For Lamonte (Hypnos)
49. Spectral Lore-Underjordiska: Split (Stellar Auditorium)
50. Derek Carr: Digital Space Race (Psychonavigation)
Short interview with Myles in the Coast today for the show covering where the album title came from.
And check out the related links below and download the new EP there [+reviews] if you are so inclined
Myles Deck and the Fuzz online: Their Website | Myspace | Facebook
Download their debut full length “Beware! The Fuzz” here
HEROHILL REVIEW
herohill: “It’s obvious the band has found their stride”
herohill gave the 7″ a great review ending on this note we agree the guys deserve:
With more and more people embracing that grit of garage rock, Myles Deck and the Fuzz should be getting more attention and hopefully that will start soon.
Visit herohill for their song by song take on Police Cops.
EDIT [late Friday afternoon]: Herohill just compiled a list of 10 bands from the Maritimes they think you need to hear – Myles and the Fuzz are one of the 10. East Coast Rocks:: Ten Artists to Watch gives you the complete list.
THE MUSIC
You can download the tracks individually below [all MP3s] or as a zip folder with front and back covers included as JPEGs.
1 Police Cops
2 Ayatollah
3 Boom! Boom!
UPCOMING SHOWS
Nov 3rd The Capital – Fredericton, New Brunswick
Nov 14th Cafe Chaos – Montreal, Quebec
Nov 15th Le Scanner – Quebec City, Quebec
Nov 26th Reflections – Halifax, Nova Scotia
Nov 29th Hell’s Kitchen – 7″ release – Halifax, Nova Scotia
At risk of breaking some rule of band PR I am taking a quote off a message board – a fan’s review of the Fuzz’s live show at Gobblefest in Sydney, Cape Breton [I knew & liked the guys and was open to working with them, heard the music, was down with that, saw them live and it was a done deal]:
After this it was time for Myles Deck and the Fuzz. This was what I was waiting for. Old-school garage punk played by the nicest guys in the world. I had only seen them once, over a year ago at Rocking4$ in Halifax. They were awesome then and I could only imagine they’d be better now. The did not disappoint. By the end of their set, they had won everyone over. Everyone in the bar was on their feet and dancing along, due to the band being fucking amazing. The cool thing was how all the people who were there to see a particular band were all into Myles and the crew. I can pretty much say without a doubt that this band were the best band I’ve ever seen visit this island. Charismatic and tight, the[y] won the night. If anyone missed them, they should be ashamed of themselves. Once I get some cash, I’m getting a record and a tshirt. You guys should do the same. – From a “Half-assed Partial Gobblefest Review“.
Myles Deck and the Fuzz online: Their Website | Myspace | Facebook
Download their debut full length “Beware! The Fuzz” here
If you are not heading off to Evolve you should consider checking out Dreamsploitation (new CD available as well) as he performs with Glory Glory Man United for their EP release of Friends of the Seen (recorded with Jon Epworth).
Not only have folks taken a liking to both albums but those that have ventured out to see either act have been pleasantly surprised at the talent in GGMU and displayed by Chuck Blazevic|Dreamsploitation.
Here is a chance to both at once! Wow!
Also performing The Upbeat.
$6 @ the door
$10 gets you admission and a copy of the EP.
http://www.myspace.com/ggmu
http://www.dreamsploitation.com
http://www.myspace.com/theupbeatband
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