Welcome steph

[Agnes]

Welcome to the board, steph :) Enjoy your stay!

[DaveM]

Ah....new people! Somebody get the good dishes out!

[steph]

Hello and blessings to all. Thanks so much Agnes and Dave for the welcome. I've never been a member of anything on the net so the idea of a forum is fairly foreign. Long and short of this is that you may have to have some patience with me while I get the feel of this thing.
I've been a Janice Ian fan for about as long as I can remember but have never gone much past the passive "give me some more of that great music" phase of 'fandom'. Since discovering this site (and I use discovery in the same way that Christopher Columbus is described as a discoverer) I think I've moved into the "wow, there's a person behind the great music" phase of 'fandom'. The person aspect is refreshing as I am pretty fed up with the manufactured images being constantly fed to the music market nowaday (and there I go being judgemental and political).
Anyway I'm looking forward to where ever this new found (dusted off, polished and set out for the company) 'fandom' takes me. I do wish that it would take me to the UK to see her in concert right now but I suppose I'll just have to cross my fingers that she makes it north to Canada soon. The closest concert (Michigan) recently was sold out before I could get tickets (tear drops in my glass of wine). Now if Dan Fogelberg would just get over this whole cancer thing (wholly uncalled for and insensitive sarcasm) and team up with Ms.Ian for a cross Canada tour with a stop in Stratford I'd be really happy. We've got some great folks in the area including Cedric Smith, John Till, and until he up and died on us Ken Kalmusky. Ms. Ian may know some of these folks but I only got to be an appreciative listener. I do know Kenny's son though - David Kalmusky is working in Nashville doing studio guitar work and producing ( a chip off the old man's block). Anyway, enough rambling. I hope this has been at least a satisfactory reading for you.
Steph

[hoops]

welcome to us we're a good sort of people make yourself comfy
hoops

[david uk]

welcome Steph, I think that makes you our third board member in Ontario:)

[Dee]

Welcome to the message board, Steph. Stratford is a lovely town. I live in Ottawa, and was through your hometown years ago while playing tourst in Southern Ontario.

[steph]

Thanks again for the welcome and Dee... you are absolutely right,,, Stratford is lovely, and the theatre is exceptional. I see some great plays, both from the masters and from more contemporary writers and some great music comes here too. Blue Rodeo is here every year, Gordon Lightfoot played just this past winter (his voice is almost too soft for live shows now), a music festival which showcases some amazing classical artists and a pop music weekend which last year featured the bare naked ladies (really fun band and really 'into' the audience).
I was up in Ottawa this past summer. Took in the photograph galley next to the 'house' and was blown away by the exibit there - I'll have to check the name. Of course Ottawa is an amazing place too. the architecture alone is worth the trip. I got surrounded on 'the hill' by what appeared to be about 30 racoons. Now I like the little critters but in that quantity I was beginning to get nervous. And boy did those critters not like the 'hill' cats! There's one for you - where else in the world would a federal government have a budget to take care of a bunch of stray cats? Nice place to live Dee. I look forward to going back there, possibly in the Autumn this time.
As I have taken up official status of the third board member from Ontario I suppose I'll have to put in a push for official status at the "town waiting for Janis". I can just picture her in any number of venues here - from the small and intimate Tango coffee house to the grand Avon or Festival Theatre stages. Even the city hall auditorium is a terrific little venue. Man I wish I knew the first thing about concert promotion - I'd book her myself.
Steph

[Chet]

steph

Welcome to the board.

Janis lives in Nashville so she may have crossed paths with David Kalmusky.

[steph]

Thanks for the welcome Chet, Dee, David and Hoops. And Chet... Janis may have crossed paths with David K. as he works a fair bit in Nashville but more likely she would know His father Kenny and John Till. They toured with "The Band", Ian and Sylvia Tyson, Janis Joplin and any number of other big acts during the 60's and 70's. But I'm name dropping here. My connection is only vicarious and my interest is only that of someone who thinks it is a smaller world than it probably is. I haven't seen David Kalmusky in a coupld of months (ran into him in the supermarket). He was nursing a badly injured hand (fell after a performance with Jason Mcoy) and busted his hand up but good. He was going to be undergoing a series of operations and therapy - not a great thing for a guitarist. I'll have to look him up soon. The other end of all these names is my own realization of the celebrity that lives in my town. It is something I have never given much thought to. I mean, it is not unusual to go to the Dominion House bar and listen to a local band who have linked up with a really good player who has tasted that elusive bit of fame. I go to an annual coffee house (The Black Swan Coffee House revival) fundraiser for a local charity and enjoy some folks who at one point or another have really made their mark on the music scene, at least here in Canada. Now I get to enjoy a whole new generation of them, young artists like Dana Manning (who I saw at Lilith Fair and who plays alot locally) and Liam Titcomb (who I saw a the coffee house while he had two songs on the top 10 pop charts- and by the way he blows me away especially when I consider that he is only 17, and counting headlights and rose of Jerico are pretty decent songs for the pop market). Already the time I've spent trying to find something to say on the board has paid off. Now all I have to do is see Janis Ian in concert and get the chance to drool in her presence as I am certain my mouth would stop functioning. I've never seen James Taylor live either but saw a DVD of his " Live at the Beacon Theatre" concert.... man... the audience was dead other than some very polite swaying and clapping. The concert was a bit too much like Raffi for adults (baby boomers). Still love his stuff.... but never, ever want to hear fire and rain again. I could take a pass on 17 by Janis Ian too (probably the wrong place to say that huh?). I can't help but think that artists must get sick of playing "the song" when they put so much into their other material. I'd prefer to hear Janis play "god and the FBI" or "ride me like a wave". Ok, time to shut up here or I risk offending someone---- or creating enough of an anti-Candian sentiment that the softwood lumber dispute with the US gets brought up and then I'll be in real trouble with my words LOL.
Steph

[steph]

Damn... forgot the biggest name to drop! Loreena McKennitt is in the Stratford area too. Amazing talent..... but she's very short!
Steph

[DaveM]

Gosh....a Loreena/Janis duet would be cool. Guitar and harp, with ethereal lyrics telling sweet tales of pagan angst.....

It could work....

[Dee]

I was up in Ottawa this past summer. Took in the photograph galley next to the 'house' and was blown away by the exibit there - I'll have to check the name.
That would be the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography (http://www.where.ca/ottawa/guide_listing~listing_id~239.htm), Steph.



As I have taken up official status of the third board member from Ontario I suppose I'll have to put in a push for official status at the "town waiting for Janis".
Actually, Moe75 and I both live here in Ottawa, where (you should know) we've been unsuccessful so far at enticing Janis to come play.

In fact, she doesn't seem to add Canada to her tours much. Last time she came I believe was two years ago in May of 2004. I know, 'cause I was there. First time seeing her perform, and it was an event, let me tell you! And of course she won't be touring at all next year since she's taking 2007 off to write her much anticipated autobiography. :)

[steph]

We'd have to get Ms. Mckennitt a stool to stand on so she would be seen on stage or to at least reach the microphone but the two voices of angels together I could get into. How about a story song that is in two parts: a story of unrequited love from a previous century (say during the inquisition) and a current day affair of the heart (carried on over a cell phone) - like the movie "If these walls could talk" only in a minor key. I've even fot a title! How about "been there, done that" LOL. All joking aside it could be a great pairing.
Great idea Dave.

[Marcia Drummergal]

We'd have to get Ms. Mckennitt a stool to stand on so she would be seen on stage or to at least reach the microphone but the two voices of angels together I could get into. How about a story song that is in two parts: a story of unrequited love from a previous century (say during the inquisition) and a current day affair of the heart (carried on over a cell phone) - like the movie "If these walls could talk" only in a minor key. I've even fot a title! How about "been there, done that" LOL. All joking aside it could be a great pairing.
Great idea Dave.

Welcome Steph! You haven't seen Janis live yet, as you've said. Seems to me that you believe Janis might be tall. Hmm She'd love that. ;) I am not familiar with Ms. McKennitt so I don't know which of the 2 would be taller. It matters not in the least to me mind you. On and off stage, Janis is quite larger than life!

As for your comment about "At 17", Janis says she NEVER gets tired of singing it. It has much meaning to her as it meant much to her mother when she first sang it for her in their kitchen, I believe. Her mother said,
"....but that's MY song." Janis knew she had "done her job" as a songwriter!
Sorry for paraphrasing.

Marcia :)

[steph]

Dee. Thanks for the link. I think sometimes that my brain must be mush as the simplest things like names just seem to dissapear in it. How could I forget the name seeing as it is in the capital and it's Canadian (which of course means "great" in damn near any language.
As for not being able to entice Janice to play in Ottawa (or Canada for that matter) maybe we just need to be creative. She got married in Toronto right? Well we could just send her a lette stating that for her marriage to remain valid she must become a Canadian citizen forcing her of course to take the easy route and uproot her life and move to Canada immediately for love sake LOL. Ok, so it's not a great plan. I'm beginning to think that I should seriously look into the actual ins and outs of booking her though.
Marcia. I guess I just figured that anyone taller than a footstool would be taller than Ms. McKennit - I really shouldn't make fun of her for being short, it's so insensitive - but it's funny - such a big voice for such a little person. check her out sometime. She's not to everyone's liking but I do like her stuff. As for the "17" thing. I'm glad that Janice still enjoys performing it. Many artists do get sick of their own popular works but to stop playing them doesn't work out. A number of years back David Bowie stated that he would no longer be playing his old material live for this very reason. He must have "forgotten" that he said that because he continued to do just that. Blue Rodeo simply lets the audience sing the numbers they don't want to sing - pretty funny to watch.
Steph

[Eva]

Hi Steph, welcome to the message board. I am Eva from the Netherlands. Sometimes I am the Pirate Queen. Others are even crazier then I am. Like Randy from PA. But we are pretty harmless and some of us are even funny at times. I am usually very serious. ;)

Eva

[steph]

Hey Eva
When I was a kid I thought that the Netherlands were where Peter Pan lived. I was in the Netherland Antillies once (Aruba, Bonaire) but have never been to your sunken part of the world. My father-in-law is from Amstelveen. Perhaps you know him LOL. As you can see I am not very serious... usually! Thanks for the welcome. aardig om u te ontmoeten (forgive my poor translation)
Steph

[Eva]

I am afraid your father-in-law and I don't know eachother. Sorry! Ah, Aruba, Bonaire... Very different from the sunken part that is The Netherlands. The weather, for instace' is usually not very good here. I live some metres under sealevel. I forgot if it was 7 or 13...

Eva

[steph]

Eva,
Bonaire is the best! I could just catch some of the local dialect (popamento), great beer (heineken, amstel) and coco lichie (probably spelled wrong) a great conservation area with a little beach that is stuck in between two rock faces. Ok I've gotta ask: If you go into the mountains you get pressure changes that make your ears pop... do you get the same going from sea level to below sea level?
Steph