Sev’s Cellar
Mike Severin is a renaissance man and a raconteur. He’s one of the hidden gems of the Sault music scene with a lot of experience to share that he gained from traversing the province and continent chasing the dream of music. His Rolodex is deep and he shares those connections on his weekly program. Like his old band Old Hat, he is a man of many hats as well – recording engineer, technician, multi-instrumentalist musician, vocalists, Buddhist, animal lover and champion of the Sault music scene. We take you on a journey of discovery and successes that start and end in our hometown The Soo, Peace2All.
Episodes
Thursday Mar 14, 2024
Arthur Bergmann (Episode 48)
Thursday Mar 14, 2024
Thursday Mar 14, 2024
Arthur Frank Bergmann CM (born February 8, 1953, in Vancouver, British Columbia)[1] is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter who was one of the key figures in Canadian punk rock in the late 1970s.[2] Bergmann was made a member of the Order of Canada in 2021.[3]Punk bands[edit]
Art Bergmann began his musical career with an Abbotsford band called the Mount Lehman Grease Band. After Mount Lehman folded, he founded his own band called the Notorious Smorg Brothers, which he stocked with a myriad of different support artists.
Bergmann was later the lead singer and songwriter for Vancouver punk stalwarts Young Canadians (formerly The K-Tels).[4] Although the Young Canadians only recorded two independent EPs and a single before breaking up, their song "Hawaii" (co-written with Ross Carpenter) is one of the classic Canadian punk anthems. Although long out of print, the EPs, along with some unreleased live material, were reissued in 1995 as the album No Escape.Solo career[edit]
In the 1980s, Bergmann played with Vancouver independent bands Los Popularos and Poisoned before the latter band signed to Duke Street Records in 1988.[2] Due to confusion with the popular American band Poison which had marred the band's most recent tour, however, the label decided to bill the band's releases as solo albums by Bergmann.[2]
He released his debut solo album, the John Cale-produced Crawl with Me, that year. He garnered a Juno Award nomination for Most Promising Male Vocalist at the Juno Awards of 1989, and James O'Mara and Kate Ryan were nominated for Best Music Video for Bergmann's "Our Little Secret".[5]
1990's Sexual Roulette, produced by Chris Wardman, became Bergmann's mainstream breakthrough, spawning the rock radio hit "Bound for Vegas" and garnering him a deal with Polygram Records.[6]
He followed up with a self-titled album on Polygram in 1991, again garnering significant radio airplay for the singles "Faithlessly Yours", "If She Could Sing" and "Message From Paul". In 1994 he collaborated with One Free Fall on a cover of Neil Young's "Prisoners of Rock and Roll" for the tribute album Borrowed Tunes,[7] leading to a new deal with Sony Records for 1995's What Fresh Hell Is This?. That album won the Juno Award for Best Alternative Rock Album at the Juno Awards of 1996,[8] but the album was not a strong performer on the charts and he was then dropped from the label. Bergmann quit the music business for a period following his release by Sony, performing sporadically between 1995 and 1998.[4]
The 1998 Design Flaw, produced by Peter J. Moore and released on the independent label Other People's Music, was a reworking of tracks from his first three albums, plus a cover of Gram Parsons' "Sin City". The songs featured Bergmann on acoustic guitar, with backing by Chris Spedding on electric. Bergmann then released Vultura Freeway, a compilation of unreleased demo recordings from the early 1980s, in 2000, with liner notes from Pointed Sticks front man Nick Jones.
Following Vultura Freeway, however, Bergmann withdrew from the music business for several years, due to health difficulties with degenerative arthritis.[9]
In 2009 Bergmann's bassist Ray Fulber compiled the CD Lost Art Bergmann, which featured early demo versions of most of the songs that appeared on the 1988 John Cale produced album. These demo recordings served as a tonic to many fans as they have a more guitar driven sound than the keyboard heavy Cale produced sessions.
On 26 August 2014, Bergmann released Songs for the Underclass on the independent label (weewerk).[10]
On 13 May 2016, Bergmann released The Apostate, his first full-length album of new material since 1995, on weewerk Records.[11]
On 12 May 2017, Bergmann released Remember Her Name, a remastered edition of his self-titled 1991 album.[12]
On 30 December 2020, Bergmann was made a Member of the Order of Canada, for his "indelible contributions to the Canadian punk music scene, and for his thought-provoking discourse on social, gender and racial inequalities."[13]
On 21 May 2021, Bergmann released Late Stage Empire Dementia on (weewerk) Recordings. On 29 September 2023, he followed up with ShadowWalk: Legacy of Love.Film appearances[edit]
Art Bergmann has appeared in two Bruce McDonald films, Highway 61 as Otto and Hard Core Logo as himself, and as a musician in Conjurer of Monikers. Additionally, he was featured in Bloodied but Unbowed, a film featured at the 2010 Vancouver Documentary Film Festival.Discography[edit]
Crawl with Me (1988) Sexual Roulette (1990) Art Bergmann (1991) What Fresh Hell Is This? (1995) Design Flaw (1998) Vultura Freeway (2000) Lost Art Bergmann (2009) Songs for the Underclass (2014) The Apostate (2016) Remember Her Name (2017) Late Stage Empire Dementia (2021) ShadowWalk: Legacy of Love (2023)
Thursday Mar 07, 2024
John Borra Part 2 (Episode 47)
Thursday Mar 07, 2024
Thursday Mar 07, 2024
It’s fair to say that John Borra has seen and done it all within the Toronto alternative music scene, from witnessing the first stirrings of punk as a kid in the late 1970s, to joining his first bands at the dawn of the alt-rock movement in the 1980s, and forging a solo career during the roots music renaissance that followed.
His new album, Cassettes In Common, pays tribute to virtually all of those eras by presenting Borra’s new interpretations of 10 songs by fellow singer/songwriters who helped build the scene, such as Ron Sexsmith, Kyp Harness, Bob Snider, Sam Larkin and Frank Nevada. Assisting Borra in the studio was another group of Toronto underground legends including Michael Timmins of Cowboy Junkies, Blue Rodeo keyboardist Mike Boguski, original Blue Rodeo drummer Cleave Anderson, Doughboys/Rusty guitarist Scott McCullough, fiddler extraordinaire Miranda Mulholland, Handsome Ned guitarist Steve Koch, and Borra’s longtime friends and collaborators Sam Ferrara and Johnny MacLeod.
“These are songs by people I know or have known, which gives it an extra specialness for me,” Borra says. “Some of them have never had a commercial release and some others are pretty obscure—or at least not in the popular consciousness. I think all of the songs and artists here are top notch and deserve recognition. It’s also how we keep songs alive. By doing them. It’s part of the folk tradition.”
Moreoever, the first focus track from Cassettes In Common pays tribute to Vancouver legend ArtBergmann. “Sleep,” from Bergmann’s acclaimed 1990 album Sexual Roulette is, like much ofBergmann’s work, a pull-no-punches observation of a dysfunctional relationship, which Borra treats with heartbreaking empathy. “Sleep” sets a high bar for the rest of the album, but the personal connection Borra has with all of these songs is its greatest strength. “I suppose the song with deepest personal connection is ‘October Night’ by Frank Nevada,” he says. “In 1991, Frank and I went to Europe to try our hands at playing music on the streets and hopefully have a fun summer in a far off land. We’d heard that Europeans had a greater respect for street musicians and you could make decent money playing music for the public at large. This turned out to be true and we had a wonderful adventure that lasted six months for me and turned into four years for Frank. At some point we acquired a benefactor/patron of the arts who bought us each a little cassette recorder. After I got home there was a period where we would send each other audio letters we’d record on our little cassette players. Frank sent me a recording of this song he’d written after I’d left and I’ve always loved it. It addresses our time together, the seasons changing, and expresses a loneliness of being on his own with an uncertain future ahead. Or at least that’s my take on it. He’s never recorded it and I’m glad that I wasfinally able to.”
As well, Borra is paying tribute to his own past in a way by simultaneously giving his first solorelease, the 1997 self-titled John Borra cassette, its first CD/digital reissue. Featuring his longtime live staples, “Last Sexy City On Earth,” “Who’s Pickin’ On You” and “In The Afternoon,” it’s a collection that still holds up as prime example of Canadian alt-country.
Both new releases follow Borra’s last solo album, 2020’s Blue Wine, which Exclaim! called, “A fine collection of songs from an artist meriting more attention,” and UK blogger The Rocking Magpie described as, “equal parts poetic Honky Tonk and revved up Punkish barn burners.”
Blending those two sounds has been Borra’s mission for the past several decades, and now with Cassettes In Common, he’s pulled back the curtain in a sense on what’s helped him achieve thatseamless balance.
“I’m inspired by every one of the artists on this record,” he says. “That’s why I’ve wanted to do a record like this for a long time now. When I first started playing in bands, my heroes were the likes of Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Patti Smith, and MC5. All of those artists put out music they believed in and stuck to their guns despite a lack of commercial success at the time. I’ve always tried to use that approach as my barometer and it’s served me well over the years. I have very few regrets from a lifetime of doing this and I see no reason to change at this point.”
Thursday Feb 29, 2024
John Borra Part 1 (Episode 46)
Thursday Feb 29, 2024
Thursday Feb 29, 2024
It’s fair to say that John Borra has seen and done it all within the Toronto alternative music scene, from witnessing the first stirrings of punk as a kid in the late 1970s, to joining his first bands at the dawn of the alt-rock movement in the 1980s, and forging a solo career during the roots music renaissance that followed.
His new album, Cassettes In Common, pays tribute to virtually all of those eras by presenting Borra’s new interpretations of 10 songs by fellow singer/songwriters who helped build the scene, such as Ron Sexsmith, Kyp Harness, Bob Snider, Sam Larkin and Frank Nevada. Assisting Borra in the studio was another group of Toronto underground legends including Michael Timmins of Cowboy Junkies, Blue Rodeo keyboardist Mike Boguski, original Blue Rodeo drummer Cleave Anderson, Doughboys/Rusty guitarist Scott McCullough, fiddler extraordinaire Miranda Mulholland, Handsome Ned guitarist Steve Koch, and Borra’s longtime friends and collaborators Sam Ferrara and Johnny MacLeod.
“These are songs by people I know or have known, which gives it an extra specialness for me,” Borra says. “Some of them have never had a commercial release and some others are pretty obscure—or at least not in the popular consciousness. I think all of the songs and artists here are top notch and deserve recognition. It’s also how we keep songs alive. By doing them. It’s part of the folk tradition.”
Moreoever, the first focus track from Cassettes In Common pays tribute to Vancouver legend ArtBergmann. “Sleep,” from Bergmann’s acclaimed 1990 album Sexual Roulette is, like much ofBergmann’s work, a pull-no-punches observation of a dysfunctional relationship, which Borra treats with heartbreaking empathy. “Sleep” sets a high bar for the rest of the album, but the personal connection Borra has with all of these songs is its greatest strength. “I suppose the song with deepest personal connection is ‘October Night’ by Frank Nevada,” he says. “In 1991, Frank and I went to Europe to try our hands at playing music on the streets and hopefully have a fun summer in a far off land. We’d heard that Europeans had a greater respect for street musicians and you could make decent money playing music for the public at large. This turned out to be true and we had a wonderful adventure that lasted six months for me and turned into four years for Frank. At some point we acquired a benefactor/patron of the arts who bought us each a little cassette recorder. After I got home there was a period where we would send each other audio letters we’d record on our little cassette players. Frank sent me a recording of this song he’d written after I’d left and I’ve always loved it. It addresses our time together, the seasons changing, and expresses a loneliness of being on his own with an uncertain future ahead. Or at least that’s my take on it. He’s never recorded it and I’m glad that I wasfinally able to.”
As well, Borra is paying tribute to his own past in a way by simultaneously giving his first solorelease, the 1997 self-titled John Borra cassette, its first CD/digital reissue. Featuring his longtime live staples, “Last Sexy City On Earth,” “Who’s Pickin’ On You” and “In The Afternoon,” it’s a collection that still holds up as prime example of Canadian alt-country.
Both new releases follow Borra’s last solo album, 2020’s Blue Wine, which Exclaim! called, “A fine collection of songs from an artist meriting more attention,” and UK blogger The Rocking Magpie described as, “equal parts poetic Honky Tonk and revved up Punkish barn burners.”
Blending those two sounds has been Borra’s mission for the past several decades, and now with Cassettes In Common, he’s pulled back the curtain in a sense on what’s helped him achieve thatseamless balance.
“I’m inspired by every one of the artists on this record,” he says. “That’s why I’ve wanted to do arecord like this for a long time now. When I first started playing in bands, my heroes were the likes of Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Patti Smith, and MC5. All of those artists put out music they believed in and stuck to their guns despite a lack of commercial success at the time. I’ve always tried to use that approach as my barometer and it’s served me well over the years. I have very few regrets from a lifetime of doing this and I see no reason to change at this point.”
Friday Feb 23, 2024
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
Thursday Feb 08, 2024
Rusty McCarthy and Maja Bannerman Part 2 (Episode 43)
Thursday Feb 08, 2024
Thursday Feb 08, 2024
Rusty McCarthy and Maja Bannerman are ‘Junk & Juice’ – part kitchen party, part cabaret. Expect a little silliness, a little pathos and a musical merry-go-round of songs and spoken word delivered with delight and attitude. The show includes original work in addition to switching up popular songs. The shows are performance driven and blend a variety of musical styles with spoken word, creative movement and a dash of audience participation.
Maja Bannerman is a Canadian writer, singer and performing artist living in the Niagara region. She first broke out as one of the artists who changed the cultural artistic landscape of Queen Street West in Toronto during the 1980s. Since then, she has toured across Canada presenting her music, spoken word and plays both in solo performances and with other artists.
She has been called “slightly eccentric, conversant in multi-media art forms and daring in presentation.” Her performances have been characterized as “seductive and witty,” “moving,” “evocative,” and “haunting.” Lillian Allen called Maja “the Mother of spoken word in Canada.”
Rusty McCarthy is a singer, songwriter, producer, engineer, and one of the finest blues and jazz guitarists on the scene today. With a career spanning several decades he has shared the stage with some of the finest performers in the world. As a free-lance guitarist Rusty has jammed and played with pop’s Alannah Myles, Tom Cochrane, and the Bare Naked Ladies. He’s played blues with Jeff Healey, Jerome Godboo, The Blues Brothers, Steve Strongman, and has played jazz with Bill Frisell, Holly Cole, and Molly Johnson and he’s played folk gigs with Colleen Peterson and Katherine Wheatley.
His musical projects have him travelling the world, often as band leader and guitarist with Mary Margaret O’Hara. Notable shows were in London, New York and L.A. sharing the stage with music icons Sting, Lou Reed, Marianne Faithful, Steve Earle, and Elvis Costello. TV Appearances include N.B.C.’s Night Music’, BBC ‘Top of the Pops,” and Much Music.
Maja: majabannerman.ca/
Rusty: www.facebook.com/rusty.mccarthy.3
Thursday Feb 01, 2024
Rusty McCarthy and Maja Bannerman Part 1 (Episode 42)
Thursday Feb 01, 2024
Thursday Feb 01, 2024
Rusty McCarthy and Maja Bannerman are ‘Junk & Juice’ – part kitchen party, part cabaret. Expect a little silliness, a little pathos and a musical merry-go-round of songs and spoken word delivered with delight and attitude. The show includes original work in addition to switching up popular songs. The shows are performance driven and blend a variety of musical styles with spoken word, creative movement and a dash of audience participation.
Maja Bannerman is a Canadian writer, singer and performing artist living in the Niagara region. She first broke out as one of the artists who changed the cultural artistic landscape of Queen Street West in Toronto during the 1980s. Since then, she has toured across Canada presenting her music, spoken word and plays both in solo performances and with other artists.
She has been called “slightly eccentric, conversant in multi-media art forms and daring in presentation.” Her performances have been characterized as “seductive and witty,” “moving,” “evocative,” and “haunting.” Lillian Allen called Maja “the Mother of spoken word in Canada.”
Rusty McCarthy is a singer, songwriter, producer, engineer, and one of the finest blues and jazz guitarists on the scene today. With a career spanning several decades he has shared the stage with some of the finest performers in the world. As a free-lance guitarist Rusty has jammed and played with pop’s Alannah Myles, Tom Cochrane, and the Bare Naked Ladies. He’s played blues with Jeff Healey, Jerome Godboo, The Blues Brothers, Steve Strongman, and has played jazz with Bill Frisell, Holly Cole, and Molly Johnson and he’s played folk gigs with Colleen Peterson and Katherine Wheatley.
His musical projects have him travelling the world, often as band leader and guitarist with Mary Margaret O’Hara. Notable shows were in London, New York and L.A. sharing the stage with music icons Sting, Lou Reed, Marianne Faithful, Steve Earle, and Elvis Costello. TV Appearances include N.B.C.’s Night Music’, BBC ‘Top of the Pops,” and Much Music.
Maja: majabannerman.ca/
Rusty: www.facebook.com/rusty.mccarthy.3
Friday Jan 26, 2024
Kurt Swinghammer Part 2 (Episode 41)
Friday Jan 26, 2024
Friday Jan 26, 2024
Kurt Swinghammer is a Canadian singer-songwriter and visual artist based in Toronto.
He has released 13 full-length albums of original songs and as a session musician appears on over 100 CDs. He has also composed extensively for film and TV. As a visual artist he is represented in the permanent collection of the Canada Council Art Bank. He has worked in the commercial realm as illustrator, graphic designer, wardrobe designer, set designer, and art director on music videos.
Swinghammer currently exhibits his paintings at INabstracto in Toronto and the True North Gallery in Waterdown, Ontario. In 2016 True North Records released “Sexsmith Swinghammer Songs” by Lori Cullen, which features 12 songs co-written with lyricist Ron Sexsmith. In 2017 he independently released the self-produced album titled “Another Another” and created animated videos for each of the twelve tracks.
Visit: kurtswinghammer.bigcartel.com
Thursday Jan 18, 2024
Kurt Swinghammer Part 1 (Episode 40)
Thursday Jan 18, 2024
Thursday Jan 18, 2024
Kurt Swinghammer is a Canadian singer-songwriter and visual artist based in Toronto.
He has released 13 full-length albums of original songs and as a session musician appears on over 100 CDs. He has also composed extensively for film and TV. As a visual artist he is represented in the permanent collection of the Canada Council Art Bank. He has worked in the commercial realm as illustrator, graphic designer, wardrobe designer, set designer, and art director on music videos.
Swinghammer currently exhibits his paintings at INabstracto in Toronto and the True North Gallery in Waterdown, Ontario. In 2016 True North Records released “Sexsmith Swinghammer Songs” by Lori Cullen, which features 12 songs co-written with lyricist Ron Sexsmith. In 2017 he independently released the self-produced album titled “Another Another” and created animated videos for each of the twelve tracks.
Visit: kurtswinghammer.bigcartel.com
Thursday Jan 11, 2024