We've been asked to do the Alberta Sessions gig at the Epcor Centre again. We gladly accepted, but it's going to have a special twist. Tom Bagley, a.k.a. Jackson Phibes, of Forbidden Dimension will be fronting things. If you don't know Forbidden Dimension, they're a ghoulish garage-rock-cum-punk-metal band that Dr. Phibes has been fronting for the last 20 years or so.
A few years back, Tom was joking about how he should get on the folk festival circuit so he could play those primo, much celebrated gigs we get to do. Bob half-jokingly retorted that if Tom wrote a set of murder ballads the AMGC would back him up. In Forbidden Dimension, he writes songs about aliens and monsters laying waste to humanity so he's already in the ballpark, though he plays left field. It has taken us a long while to get around to it, so we've given ourselves a deadline. March 20, 2010, it is. See the specifics in the Gigs section of this page.
Maybe it's not a great photo, but you'll dig the accompanying story.
That was our touring van from our recent trek across the UK and Ireland. That shattered windshield and dent roof was courtesy of a suicidal swan. Yeah, that's right; a swan. Your reaction is no different from any other person we tell the tale to. Usually there is a pause followed by, "A what?" We tell them it's exactly like it sounds. Then there's usually a question like, "How does that happen? That's bizarre!"
Well, then, let us tell you.
We're driving between Galway and Dublin on route to Belfast for a particularly important gig. Pete is driving, I (Bob) am navigating, and we're discussing our favourite Flight of the Conchords episodes.
"What kind of bird is that? It's huge!" I exclaim as I see this white bird that dwarfs all the others flying above the motorway (highway). The motorway is straight and I have time to hone in on this feathered giant that seems to be flying like it's stunned. We get closer to its position. I still can't identify it. I'm thinking it's an albatross because it's so huge, but why would it be so far inland?
Then the thing drops towards the van. The massive bird is going to hit us. I have this memory flash of my brother telling me about how he hit an eagle on the highway in America and the bird bounced off the windshield without damaging it. In a couple of seconds, it hits the windshield directly in front of Pete. The glass shatters, but doesn't burst. From sighting to collision, it transpired in, maybe, 30 seconds.
Judd and Vlad, who are sleeping the back, wake up.
There is a collective, "What the hell?!!!!" We are so stunned, we don't stop. Pete remains calm and steers the van straight and steady, though he can barely see. Besides, we're quickly approaching a turn-off to a town where we stopped the previous day. Given how hard it hit the van, there isn't much hope the bird survived. That's what we assume, anyway. It looked like swan. There are plenty of them in Ireland. It is now an ex-swan. Look for the blood and feathers in the photo.
Then we were left to ask, "Why?" Was it Zeus and did we smite him as he was about to assault some unlucky maiden? That interpretaion suits the name of the band. Was it an omen sent to punish us for being blasphemers? Was it a swan heartbroken because its mate died or abandoned it? Swans mate for life. Speaking of mating, did the swan, in a state of horny delirium, mistake our white van for another swan, either virile or fecund? Did it go straight for Pete because he fed cheese to a swan the previous day? Never feed cheese to a swan. This might happen. Did the locals launch it from the overpass to drum up business for the windscreen repair company? It was awfully convenient. Our friends in Belfast also told us about the Irish myth of the Children of Lir who were turned into swans for 900 years. We don't know how to interpret that one. Anyway, the story has plenty of layers. You tell us what it means. We would like to know. Shit happens. Sometimes weird shit happens.
We still had to make the show in Belfast. We did, thanks to the aforementioned mobile windscreen repair company near the town of Moate. (Notice the birds gathered on the telephone wires as the repairmen replaced the windshield.)
Part of our concert set at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival is airing Thursday, August 27 at 7:30 pm on CBC Radio 2. For those listening over the web, check the time zones nearest to you here. If you, miss it on the radio, it will be archived on this here web site link. Just look, you'll find it.
Blah, blah, blah. Batman jazz. Guitar for the few.
The Edmonton Folk Fest was a blast. Hopefully, the feeling comes across on the radio. Word on the street has it that somebody posted some footage from the workshop (jam session) we did with Hot Tuna and Daby Toure on Youtube. We haven't looked yet, but that session was another career high point.
Ten Thousand Nominated for Outstanding Blues Recording at the Western Canadian Music Awards
Thanks.
Another Video, Another Concept
We're getting the hang of this music video thing, hence a new clip for "Go Back Home".
Remember the days of the silent movie? Neither do we. But we wanted to recreate the "vibe", man. What if the Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir performed music for a silent movie? Might it be an obscure, public domain horror movie that has been re-edited and re-contextualized? Yes! Yes, it would! Pipe organ be damned!
The not-so-classic Italian werewolf flick Lycanthropus (a.k.a. Werewolf in a Girl's Dormitory) is given new life as a modern music video. Rather than exploit monsters and treat them as freaks, "Go Back Home" advances the zombie movie genre beyond the brain-eating, head-exploding, clichés and puts a sensitive, human face on the plight of the newly undead. Perhaps, the average zombie is an everyman just trying to make a buck and find true love.
Have a look. See what we gotta say. Watch it again. There's more layers than brick wall. In fact, its meaning could be an impenetrable, brick wall. You decide.
If you like the "Go Back Home" video, you might want to check out Lycanthropus (a.k.a. Werewolf in a Girl's Dormitory. Since it's public domain you can watch it for free on the web right here: http://www.archive.org/details/Werewolf_In_A_Girls_Dormitory. Maybe it ought to be a classic. It has a very cool look to it.
Video, a Big Sell-Out
With much aplomb and excitement, we present the video "Empire State Express"! Enjoy. No animals were harmed.
Yes, Ten Thousand is now available in the said European countries. This means you - Germans, Dutch, and French humans - can walk right into a CD shop and buy it rather than order it by mail. Do it today! Tres bien! Tres bien!
Photo of the Month Submissions
Sick of the same damn pictures on this web site? Got a picture of us that isn't incriminating? Send it to us. We'll post it and give you credit. You can feel good about making the site just a bit more entertaining for other visitors. Some fans have already posted Agnostic MGC photos at www.flikr.com. If you think we ought to post your flikr pic here, let us know. If you e-mail us a photo please make it as web ready as possible, that is, at least, under 50 kb and 450 by 330 pixels. If you're really keen, write a paragraph or two to go with the image.
Same goes for Blog of the Month. Dig?
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