FFWD Weekly
Copyright © 1999. All Rights Reserved

Music by Aubrey McInnis Street Sounds We all know that some people in the music industry are more honest than others and luckily our scene seems to be growing in the number of supportive do-gooders. You can add Jon Chambers and Tom Atkinson to that list. They’re a couple of local fellahs who found a way to help out the local music scene in an environment that they love... a basement recording studio called Rat’s Nest. Rat’s Nest Recording Society is a non-profit organization that Jon and Tom founded a few years ago. Despite the fact that they donated their personal equipment for studio use, they’re not gleaning any money from the studio for their own sake. They are recording as many interested artists as possible to foster higher artistic integrity, creativity and development in the city. With 10 years of recording experience under his belt – mostly acquired through training at Sundae Sound – Jon has already recorded everything from rock to dance, and hopes to attract jazz musicians and a variety of other types to the studio. Tom, a drummer for a couple of bands around town, has learned professional recording techniques from Jon and knows the frustration of working with people who are too far removed from the artist’s standpoint and closer to the profit standpoint. Call ’em crazy, but Jon and Tom are operating on an outrageously low (like, bargain carpet salesperson low) budget for their recording facilities. However, being a registered non-profit organization (composed of a board of directors and contributing musicians) entitles the Rat’s Nest Recording Society to certain perks, such as eligibility for government funding. To supplement that, they are holding their first fund-raising shindig, aptly titled The Black Death, at The Night Gallery on Friday, April 23 with performances by Mico, Movie, Straight and the Shinolas. With the money raised from the event, Jon and Tom hope to upgrade the studio equipment, and ultimately relocate Rat’s Nest to a larger location with ’round the clock accessibility. A compilation CD of Rat’s Nest studio projects is also on the horizon. "I aspire to go in the direction of a co-operative organization," explains Tom, citing Calgary’s campus and community radio as an ideal organizational structure he’d like Rat’s Nest to emulate. "Even as far as CJSW (being) a society of people and volunteer run organization – it would be nice to be anywhere near that scale, but we have to start somewhere." Membership privileges are based on one’s contribution to the society. All those who are interested can find Tom playing the skins for the Shinolas at The Night Gallery on Friday night or can otherwise contact him at 228-0576 or ratnest@home.com.

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