PREVIEW
MIKE STACK CD Release
Saturday, November 3
Quincy’s
TARIQ CD Release
Saturday, November 3
Liberty Lounge
Tale of two songwriters
Tariq and Mike Stack both need wheels
Is fate's hand paralyzed, or is it waving to the crowd? It seems more than coincidence that two of Calgary's adopted prodigal sons sidle out of the shadows cast by their glory days and release CDs that will rightfully inspire awe in their respective audiences, both on the same eve.
The first, Mike Stack, has wrapped his soul around Calgary after his birth in France and residencies in Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia (courtesy of his Air Force dad). The second, Tariq, drifted out from the East, freezing in time his impressions of Alberta in "Chevrolet Way," a song that made radios smile about four years back. Both guys have achieved alchemical reactions with the right pairings of producers and songs, and both should, with their new albums, earn a space in the hearts of radio listeners.
With a 14-year-old-dog, a highway lust and a handful of songs that penetrate your soul like a vicar's gaze, local hero Mike Stack could pick up and carry what's important to him in his gorgeously broken-in pickup truck. And that's not an accident for the songwriter who is always welcomed on stage by several of this town's musician's musicians. After winning a radio contest with his first band, The Burners, in the mid-80s, then forming The Grift just to experience the bliss and disappointment of living on Juno dreams, Stack has found the solo route to be the one in which you don't have to put up with a view of the lead dog's ass. Although he might occasionally feel lonely in his solo endeavours, Stack need never be musically alone. Calgary's musical elite has already paid homage to Stack on his new release, the autobiographically titled I Need Wheels, featuring contributions from producer Kit Johnson (Big Sugar, Alannah Myles, Murray McLachlan) and local sweethearts Jenny Allen, Steve Pineo, Ross Watson, Tim Leacock, Jane Hawley and even the legendary Billy Cowsill and David Wilkie. Many of these musicians will join him onstage during his CD release party.
Although Stack's mom bought him a harmonica for his 18th birthday, it wasn't until he was in his 20s, when he got a job with Camp Chief Hector in the Rockies, that his musical grail materialized. While the young musician was torn between a career in outdoor education or music, music played the winning hand, being as integral to the camp as the Rocky Mountain backdrop. Stack remembers entering a room in which no fewer than six dozen guitars were lined up against the wall. With his first paycheck, he bought one for himself, and found most of the staff to be enthusiastic tutors.
"I worked as a prep cook three days a week. The rest of the time, I sat in my room, played the guitar, and drank whisky."
Now, 20 years later, after taking many of the God-damns away from his new songs during pre-production, Stack's sound is kissed by both the Rocky Mountains and a roots flavour at times reminiscent of The Band. No wonder, seeing as the man has those upthrusts in his soul and is as comfortable eating up miles in his pickup as he is dreaming of highway markers in his bed. The title track, like many of the diverse songs, is autobiographical, providing a thumbnail sketch of Stack's soul.
"I needed to record this record. I needed to hear these songs be decorated the way I wanted them to be, by all these beautiful players. It's probably going to be the resume that will get me the gigs. It's a portfolio. I want to record so I can play live, not play live so I can record."
Calgary musician Tariq has the highway in his soul as well, although it manifests itself in different ways – in road trips to California, in a feeling that at some time he'll be moving on from Calgary, and in a new pop album, While You're Down There, that will give him an excuse to play live again.
"I like the idea of driving and feeling like I'm going somewhere. Anything about being in any one place for too long feels wrong."
During the five years since his radio success with "Chevrolet Way," Tariq was dropped from his label and shifted his focus from performing to writing. He is unemotional when discussing the label's decision to drop him.
"Surprisingly, if anyone offered me another major record deal, I would certainly consider it.... There are things about being on a label that are great, there are things that are difficult.... But it's business, and you try to make the best of it.... Even getting dropped, you accept it, and there's nothing you can do about it, so I'm not going to sit around feeling negative, or hold anybody responsible."
After hearing the smoothly seductive sounds of While You're Down There, one might expect that a few labels might prick up their ears. The album has a commercial sound – and in this case, commercial is not a dirty word. While Tariq concedes that some possibilities disappeared with being dropped, at least one door swung open wide, leading to this album's sound. Instead of searching New York or L.A. for a producer, the musician turned homewards to Russ Broom, who sweetens Jann Arden's sound with a thousand licks on guitar.
"Sometimes the answer's right in front of you. Russ is damn good at what he does. I worked with people who are awesome writers and producers in their own right, and Russ certainly ranks up there."
And while Tariq's dark eyes are fixed firmly on the future and the open road it will bring, he has no objection to people calling out for his past hit.
"It's not a problem because we play it. At this point, I figure I can capitalize on that amount of success that came out of that record. I've got to play that card, and furthermore, I enjoy playing the song with a band now as well." |
