Marie McPhee - Beautiful Country/Lonely Woman (1981)

Well, this is the last Aurora single in our collection, and it's a total left turn from the previous records. This is - no splitting hairs - a country record. Which isn't bad, it's just weird. But maybe it gives a sense as to what was to come with Doug Wong Music - as we've seen (and are going to see more of!), there's a huge variety of stuff that came out on that label.

Oh, and all we could find about Marie McPhee was this clipping from 1966, 15 years before today's single came out:

Get it here!

Mantra - Stop the Fire/Nightmares (1980)

Here's one of the releases on Aurora Records that's NOT by Terry Kushner. And it's a pretty great thing - the article below tells things pretty well - this is big, prog-y rock. It's super dramatic - we really wish there was video of this band somewhere, especially considering the fact that their lineup includes dedicated sound and lighting people.

Succumb to the excess here.

Terry Kushner - One Step (1979), Finally Rockin' (1979), Easy Way Out (1979), Say It Like You Mean It (1980), You Sure Fooled Me (1980)

Okay, continuing on our random 7" trajectory, here are FIVE singles from Aurora Records and Terry Kushner. We presume that Aurora was the precursor to the Doug Wong Music label. It almost seems like the label was created to launch the career or Kushner - there are only nine 7" releases on the label (that we're aware of), tipping the scale in her favour. Oh, there's also a Terry Kushner LP on Aurora. So, uh, yeah.

These singles wouldn't have been far out of place on late 70's/early 80's FM radio. They're slick, pop-rock anchored by Kushner's solid, clear voice. Our favourite track out of this mix is probably "Easy Way Out," which shows up on two of these discs.

Get 'em here!

Kids - Too Many Days/Your Eyes (1982), I Needed You/Everybody's Girl (1982)

Well, we're going to take a bit of a turn with the 45's now, getting out of the garage rock into... well, what we like to call "skinny tie rock." We've covered the Kids previously, with their LP and their other single... We're happy to provide singles 2 and 3 for your listening enjoyment, as well as this clipping from the Herald:

Get the Kids here!

Checkmates - The Checkmates (1969)

You know, we feel like it's been a while since we let you down. So, commence disappointment! We couldn't really source much about The Checkmates - we're cribbing the band's membership from the back cover of their 1975 LP on Westmount Records, which proclaims, "(f)or years now THE CHECKMATES have been, and I'm sure will continue to be an important part of the entertainment scene in the Calgary area." The band doesn't play garage rock like the others we recently featured - their take on rock brings in a lot more country and skiffle. BUT there's a cover of the Chuck Berry classic "Memphis, Tennessee" (misattributed and titled as Lonnie Mack's "Memphis")., so we're pretty okay with this.

Get dancing here!

Chandells - One Track Mind/Tired Of Waiting (1978)

Well, here's a great slice of garage rock that kind of took us for a loop. We assumed this was a 60's release, but Discogs throws us a date of 1978. And this is a band that doesn't show up in our new Bible, Garage Band Rockers. Thankfully the Herald has the scoop with a clipping from 1978. The Chandells started in 1962 and - as the article below tells it - had a reasonable run. Our favourite part of the story is where they lose Terry David Mulligan as their manager after he promotes them on the air (memo to selves: track TDM's connection to the 60's Calgary rock scene):

This single was recorded after the band played a series of reunion shows in the late 70's - and is quite excellent. But then, we're massive fans of the Kinks - and the Chandells' cover of "Tired Of Waiting" is spot on.

Get it here!

Happy Feeling - Happy Feeling (1968), Hey, Little Man (1969), Good Neighbour Day (1970), Still Hill (1970), Lord Come (1970)

Honestly, what better thing for a sunny Sunday than some sunny pop/garage rock? Happy Feeling were the foil to the snarl and hiss of the 49th Parallel, their name very much suiting their upbeat, uptemp songs. There's still a garage element to their songs, but tempered by their poppy tendencies. Which on a day like today are more than welcome.

We can't say enough good things about Roy Wilcox's Garage Band Rockers - his book traces the path of the Happy Feeling, recording their first, self-titled single in Mexico with Norman Petty (famous for his work with Buddy Holly and the Crickets), touring across Canada, and ultimately collapsing into a smaller band simply called Feeling. 

Get the Happy Feeling here!

Edit: we've added in two more Happy Feeling singles, the very good "Hey, Little Man" and the kind of weird "Lord Come" (we much prefer the B-side, "Sacroiliac Bop").

Gainsborough Gallery - Little Red Book/Little By Little (1968), If You Knew/Sonny (1968), Hello LA, Bye-Bye Birmingham/Life Is A Song (1969),

 

So, let's keep going with the garage rock, and add another favourite here at the CCPS: Bacharach & David compositions! Starting as the Sketpics, the Gainsborough Gallery not only copped their name from the local art institution but also (according to Roy Wilcox's Garage Band Rockers) coerced the gallery into also taking their mail.

We've only got one single by the garage rockers in the CCPS collection, but it's a good'er. Their cover of "Little Red Book" is top notch, as is the b-side - these were recorded in Las Vegas at the start of the band's career. A career which had a lot of ups and downs, with the band never quite achieving the heights of peers like the Happy Feeling... who we'll hear from tomorrow. But that's tomorrow. Today, let's dance!

Get it here!

Update! We got out hands on a copy of Gainsborough Gallery's 1969 single "Hello LA, Bye-Bye Birmingham" b/w "Life Is A Song," and we've added it to the download! AND another update - we've also added in a suuuuper noisy copy of "If You Knew" b/w "Sonny." If you're looking for pristine versions, we juts noticed that Norvajak Music has put out a compilation of all the Gainsborough Gallery's studio recordings - it comes with a pretty swell little booklet, as well.

49th Parallel - Labourer/You Do Things (1967), Blue Bonnie Blue/Missouri (1968), Laborer/You Do Things (1968), Twilight Woman/Close the Barn Door (1969)

We were trying to figure out where to start with the giant pile of 45s we've amassed at the CCPS offices... and what better place to start than with some top notch garage rock? If we're turning further into the past, why not dig into some bona fide Nuggets with the 49th Parallel?

We HOPE you're aware of the 49th Parallel - if not, we suggest this excellent summary from the Revolution Rock CJAM radio show/blog, or downloading a copy of Roy Wilcox's amazingly thorough Garage Band Rockers history of 60's and 70's Alberta rock. Originally called the Shades of Blond, the band changed their name to their northern-evoking moniker and put out a slew of absolute classics of CanCon garage rock. Guitarist Danny Lowe carried on after the band in a bunch of others including Painter, Hammersmith, Prototype, and 451° - and also being the inventor of Q Sound.

Close the Barn Door!

Beast Flower Coiffeuse - Even The ToyBox Holds Gossamered Transgressions (2021)

 

Oh god what have we done. We've brought one of the most dreadful tapes we've ever experienced into the CCPS collection. This tape is so terrible, we've left it tucked in the envelope in which it was mailed to us... mostly because the CCPS Office Dog (yes, Gene succumbed and got a pandemic puppy) has shown a significant interest in the odd-smelling, furry stuff glued to the box of this double cassette.

Beast Flower Coiffeuse appears to be a new project from Bog Bodies' Ivo Musa, taking his weirdo art project in an extreme direction. The two tapes are a disturbing batch of sound collage, packaged with equally disturbing artwork and adorned with extremely disturbing... fake hair? We hope it's fake. Eww.

Anyways, if you haven't been put off by our description of this, you can get it from the Beast Flower Coiffeuse bandcamp.

Coo(hi)kie - Come Pretty Pump Sleep (2021)

We got super-excited when we found out that Kerry Maguire's Glow Code label was putting out another tape - and we got all the more excited when we found out that Coo(hi)kie (or CoOkie?) is the new project of Nicole Brunel. We really enjoyed her stuff with Puberty, Friendo, and Topless Mongos - so we weren't ready for this great mix of synthpop and experimental electronica. It's hard not to compare this to Kerry Maguire's Wish Lash, but we're smart enough to recognize that's probably because we're lazy about comparisons. The standout for us on this is the closing track, "Chart - The Andalopes," a great slice of electronica dream pop - it's maybe a reach, but it has a 4AD/This Mortal Coil feel to it that we quite, quite like.

Get Coo(hi)kie via the Glow Code bandcamp. 

Drug Sauna - 2% Saunic (2021)

Well! What started as a pretty funny idea - a pretty funny AND well-executed idea, that is - has really grown legs. We think Drug Sauna grew out of the weirdo weekend that is Vantopia, with two attending weirdos coming up with the concept of playing stoner rock IN a van. With a whole lotta smoke. It sounds hilarious, and having experienced a back alley Drug Sauna show during Sled Island a couple of years ago, we can confirm that it is hilarious.

Following up on their 12" picture disc from last year, the guys have hooked up with a new, US-based label for an expanded cassette release. Which, suckers that we are, we had to grab. Padding out the three tracks from the original 12" are an extra doomy version of "Razamanaz" and an untitled track with backwards vocals. We're not sure what they're saying, but we had a strange urge to order a bunch of shirts from Twinbat Sticker Co. after listening to this.

Get the tape (or the picture disc, if you're so inclined) from the Drug Sauna store.