Amy Volume's BIRTHDAY WISH - Year 4!
Help me celebrate my birthday by giving a gift to a child receiving in patient treatment at CHEO (Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario). All proceeds go directly to CHEO’s Child Life department who provide kids with wonderful and much needed distractions in many forms: books, toys, craft kits and other forms of entertainment.
I’m turning 36 on April 25th (woah!) - help me celebrate by buying a gift for a kid receiving in patient treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, aka CHEO! All money raised goes to CHEO’s Child Life fund and you can learn more about the fund by CLICKING HERE.
Launched in 2019, we’ve raised $5,000.00 and I”m hoping to add another $2,500.00 in 2022. This is a mighty ambitious goal but, as long as I have a birthday, I’ll keep trying to provide entertainment and levity to those who deserve it most: kids in hospital.
This cause is very important to me. I am a CHEO kid. I spend a lot of my childhood in hospital, diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at eighteen months (1988) it was Sick Kids in Toronto until CHEO built their own Rheumatology Clinic (which I believe is the Infectious Diseases clinic in today’s terms).
As you can imagine, I missed a lot of school - never did make it on to any teams (sporting, social or otherwise) - in fact, I missed my own highschool graduation due to joint fusion surgery.
When you’re little and in need of a smile, CHEO’s Child Life department delivers. Please consider giving a gift to a child to help me celebrate my birthday. This fundraising effort is ongoing, year round. If you cannot donate at this time, there is no pressure! There are no deadlines! I just ‘get loud’ about it every April because that’s when I celebrate my birthday.
Help me celebrate by making a financial donation OR by buying a gift from my Wish List (will be delivered to my work address and brought to CHEO by me):
The photo above this text is of me delivering gifts & money to CHEO. This was my first year buggin’ you for donations. If you consider the average gift costing $25, to date, we have collectively given over 200 gifts to kids (aged 0-18) receiving in patient treatment at CHEO.
30 Years of Road Apples with The Tragically Hip
The Tragically Hip’s Johnny Fay and Paul Langlois on 30 Years of Road Apples.
The Hip's sophomore album Road Apples is being celebrated with a 30th Anniversary Deluxe Reissue which includes the original album remastered, Hoof-Hearted (outtakes, demos and alt. versions) and Saskadelphia (Nov. 5) + Live at the Roxy and More (Nov. 12).
In this interview, Johnny Fay (drums) and Paul Langlois (guitar) of the Hip share how it feels for them to be individually revisiting that period in time (1990-1991), whether or not it's uncomfortable sharing such personal mementos for album reissues such as this, the decision to tour one last time with Gord, future plans and more. This interview was a powerful experience for me and I sincerely thank the Hip and Universal Music Canada for the privilege.
From Universal Music Canada:
Created to mark the 30th anniversary of the band’s second studio album which became their first record to hit #1, the Road Apples 30th Anniversary Deluxe editions were carefully crafted with input from each living member of the band. The outcome is a deep dive behind the scenes of what made this album one of the most beloved in The Tragically Hip’s vast catalogue. With all tracks completely remastered in 2021 by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound in Nashville, for the first time, fans will hear music from the band with all the grit, vibrancy, and passion of their original recordings, second only to being in the recording studio with them.
The physical box set editions, (CD and Vinyl), of the release will contain special Dolby Atmos, 7.1, 5.1 and binaural mixes by Richard Chycki of Road Apples and 5 cuts from Saskadelphia, ensuring fans have a one-of-a-kind listening experience. Fans and collectors will also appreciate the brand-new artwork for each of the packages within the physical box sets.
The expansive deluxe editions the release are jam packed with rare and more previously unreleased and never heard before pieces of music chronicling The Tragically Hip’s Road Apples era, including:
Road Apples, the original album re-mastered in 2021 by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound in Nashville.
Saskadelphia, as released earlier this year.
Live At The Roxy Los Angeles, May 3rd 1991, originally recorded for a Westwood One radio show, often bootlegged and sought after by fans for many years. It has been re-mastered and expanded and includes the rare “Killer Whale Tank '' version of New Orleans Is Sinking. This legendary Roxy show is now a double vinyl album.This album is available exclusively in physical product.
Hoof-Hearted, an album of previously unreleased demos, outtakes,and alternate versions. Fans new and old will appreciate the intimate and rare items from the band’s personal collection, as well as fan collections that are part of the physical deluxe box set editions. Included in a 36-page booklet are essays from Bruce Dickinson (who initially signed them to MCA Records in the U.S.), and from producer/engineer Mark Vreeken, both of whom played pivotal roles in The Tragically Hip’s career; reproductions of original handwritten lyrics from Gord Downie’s personal notebooks, never seen photos from Kingsway Studio recording sessions and the Road Apples era and a touching tribute to late producer Don Smith along with further commentary from the band.
Recorded in 1990 in New Orleans at Daniel Langlois’ The Kingsway Studio in an old mansion that looms over the French Quarter Neighbourhood by a group of young men from Kingston, Ontario, singer Gord Downie, guitarists Rob Baker and Paul Langlois, bassist Gord Sinclair, and drummer Johnny Fay, Road Apples, was first released in 1991. Guided by producer Don Smith and engineer Bruce Barris, the band created an album that yielded an avalanche of gritty rock ‘n’ roll with a relentless quality to it, like a stream of blues that struggles to be contained. Road Apples contains some of their best-known songs including, 'Little Bones’, ‘Fiddler’s Green’, ‘Long Time Running’ and ‘Three Pistols.’ Road Apples is now approaching double diamond certified status in Canada.
About The Tragically Hip
Critically-acclaimed for more than three decades, The Tragically Hip has been at the heart of the Canadian musical zeitgeist, evoking a strong emotional connection between their music and their fans that remains unrivalled. A five-piece group of friends including Rob Baker (guitar), Gord Downie (vocals, guitar), Johnny Fay (drums), Paul Langlois (guitar) and Gord Sinclair (bass), who grew up in Kingston, Ontario, The Tragically Hip have achieved both mass popularity with more than 10 million albums in Canada and over 1.5 million sold in the U.S, as well as peer recognition through 15 Juno Awards – picking up their last two for Group of the Year and Rock Album of the Year for Man Machine Poem.
Their studio catalogue includes their self-titled debut album The Tragically Hip (1987), Up To Here (1989), Road Apples (1991), Fully Completely (1992), Day For Night (1994), Trouble At The Henhouse (1996), Phantom Power (1998), Music @ Work (2000), In Violet Light (2002), In Between Evolution (2004), World Container (2006), We Are The Same (2009), Now For Plan A (2012), Man Machine Poem (2016) and Saskadelphia (2021).
A National Celebration was the final show of The Tragically Hip’s Man Machine Poem Tour recorded on August 20th, 2016 at the K-Rock Centre in their hometown of Kingston, Ontario, and is their last performance as a five-piece band.
Through their career the band became a cultural touchstone in Canada, who despite their accolades and numerous recognitions, will always be proudest of the humanitarian work they have done over the years through numerous charitable organizations and causes.
Follow The Tragically Hip:
My 35th Birthday Wish for CHEO Kids!
My 35th birthday is April 25th and I’m hoping you’ll give a gift to a child in treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario aka CHEO to help me celebrate. We’ve been doing this since 2018 and my goal for 2021 is to hit $5,000. Will you help?
Please give a gift to a child in treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario this April.
If you’re in my family or friend circle and you’d typically treat ME for my birthday, the best gift I could receive that really lets me know that you’re thinking of me comes in the form of a financial donation to CHEO’s Child Life department.
All proceeds go to providing a child (ages 0-18) in hospital with a new toy, game, book, art supply kit and other forms of entertainment (escape) while undergoing treatment.
In previous years, you’ve been able to swing by the radio station or a tour, a chat and a photo (sometimes even a hug or a hi-5). Unfortunately, in person donations are postponed until we can all safely gather again.
Here are some photos from my Birthday Wish:
To be totally transparent, this fundraiser is ongoing. I started it in 2018 and promote it every year during my birth month (April). I want to make it as financially accessible as possible for those who wish to give a gift to a child who could use the distraction. In my personal experience as a CHEO Kid (which runs deep; from 1988 to 2003), many children who spend a large amount of time as ‘in patients’ (receiving treatment that requires them to essentially live in a hospital room) don’t have a lot of options in terms of NEW gifts, books, toys that are JUST for them. Many come from socioeconomically challenged or disadvantaged homes and YOUR generosity makes a massive, life changing impact.
As I age, the urgency to let children with rare diseases or crummy circumstances know that there is hope for a brighter future rises. If I was a millionaire and able to donate in a massive way, I’d probably still be asking you to contribute to the Child Life Department because awareness and acceptance is part of the giving process.
I have spoken about my disease in detail before but if you have any questions that aren’t answered in these posts below, please feel free to reach out.
Here’s a recent video I created to explain Autoimmune Diseases in an easy to understand way:
Matt Mays on Strange Times, 'Dog City' and the State of Rock n Roll
My conversation with Matt Mays on CHEZ106 ahead of his live album, ‘From Burnside With Love’, release next Friday, February 12th. A livestreamed concert event to follow on Saturday, February 13th. Get your tickets at MattMays.com/tour.
Matt Mays and his band are keeping fans very entertained during these strange times with the release of their live 'From Burnside With Love' album out Friday, February 12th. The semi-unplugged set was recorded from his hometown of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. It's release is followed by a livestreamed concert event, happening Saturday, February 13th.
You can grab tickets to the show, a perfect Valentine's date night thing if you ask me, online here.
Matt released his 8th studio album 'Dog City' last September with a whopping 484 dogs on the cover, although over 700 photos were submitted. Written from the perspective of a rescue dog, it delivers his (and his bands') signature folk-rock vibes with wonderful moments of Marc Bolan (T. Rex), Elliott Smith and the Velvet Underground. Check out that Stooges cover, too!
View this post on Instagram
Here's my full conversation with Matt about pandemic life, the need to perform and the future of live shows. I mean, we talked for near 13 minutes, so we covered a log of ground but I won't type it all out here when you could just click the play button (below).
‘From Burnside With Love' is out next Friday and the livestream concert event follows on Saturday.
After the premiere, you have until Monday, Feb. 15 at 10 p.m. EST to watch the video. Tickets cost only $20.00 all in (or at least that's what option I chose to purchase). The other option costs from $70.00 to $90.00 CAD and includes your ticket PLUS an autographed copy of 'From Burnside With Love' on vinyl (3 LP set)..