Blogspot Update - December/Christmas 2024

Hello everyone! I hope all's well and you're all enjoying your Holiday season thus far. Canadian Cult Classics HQ has been quiet as of late. Due to a rigorous on-call snow job, my time for bios has been severely limited. I'm still posting daily videos on the Youtube channel. Here's my Canadian Christmas Rarities playlist for your enjoyment. I'm working on interviews for a couple bios in the background and updates for Tony Kingston and The Magic Cycle are in the works. Stay tuned in the new year for new bios. I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season! 

Yorkville's Forgotten Poet - The Origins Of Hyde

The story of Hyde and his 1969 singer-songwriter masterwork is one of Canadian music's ongoing mysteries. For decades, the identity of this powerful poet has gone unknown to those outside of a select few. Friends and family kept his real name hidden while people who saw him perform in his pre-alias days in Yorkville seemingly forgot him altogether.

During the mid-to-late 1960s, Toronto was a highly competitive music city in multiple genres. So Hyde's fate is one experienced by many who stepped on Toronto’s smaller stages during that period. The sheer abundance of clubs and coffeehouses in the city meant that artists who couldn’t distinguish themselves against the tidal wave of similarly passionate individuals and bands would be forgotten.

Hyde’s self-titled album stands as a testament to the talent of Yorkville’s songwriters. With the exception of one Bob Dylan cover, the Hyde album is a varied batch of original songs that hints at his influences while displaying his unique talent for lyrics. Another point in its favor is the connection to Toronto psychsters Rockadrome, who provided musical backing throughout.

To collectors, the above attributes paired with an unfortunate rarity (for a Quality Records release) further drive the want and cost of this album into the stratosphere. It stands as a brick wall of rarity, ever elusive, especially in good condition. Though large, the hunt for a copy of his album pales in comparison to the hunger for information on the man behind the music. Today, the story of Hyde will finally be told.

Hyde was the eventual alias and secret project of Toronto-based singer-songwriter Brian Victor Alexander. Brian was born on March 7th, 1946, to Alice and Victor Alexander. He was raised in the west end of the city, quickly developing a love for baseball and hockey. Brian was extremely athletic, and he received the constant approval of his doting father. He attended Harwood Public School in Toronto’s west end before attending York Memorial High School.

Brian didn’t come from a musical home, but the dawning musical revolution of the mid-1960s would take residence in his mind at an early age, as it did for so many others. He developed a love of music, specifically R&B, around the age of ten. His knowledge of music grew fast, and it wasn’t long before he was the D.J. at neighborhood weekend dances.

Brian began playing guitar and harmonica around the age of fifteen. He spent countless hours enjoying the records of some of his favorite blues and R&B artists and constantly begged his parents for a guitar. They relented, and Brian began a lifelong relationship with his instrument. An “A” student and all-around intelligent boy, Brian learned fast and showed himself to have quite the way with words. He started with R&B music, but hearing Bob Dylan’s debut album in 1962 blew him away; he was an instant, lifelong fan, even considering naming his daughter Dylan. Bob was his sole inspiration thereafter to pursue folk music, learn to sing, and soon, learn how to write songs of his own. He fashioned himself after the American folk troubadour in many respects, but his songwriting grew to be wholly unique.

Newfound folk fascination aside, Brian still enjoyed listening to and dancing along to hits of the day. He was a regular teen in many regards; fascinated with pop culture, dramatic about the trivial, and, of course, enamored with the opposite sex. Sixteen-year-old Brian, at one particular dance taking place at Fairbanks dancehall (in the Fairbanks Park just south of Eglinton Avenue), met his first love. The two instantly hit it off and, with time, began dating. She was smitten by Brian’s creative side and the fact that he was then starting his musical journey. Brian was smitten by her kindness and intellect, ultimately trusting her as the sole critic of his original music and poetry.

Brian’s deep dive into folk music began in the early 1960s, first as an observer, then as a performer. He was awestruck by the amazing talent springing up in Yorkville, Toronto’s musical mecca. He began attending concerts regularly at the Riverboat coffeehouse and various other folk-oriented venues on the avenue.

A formative musical experience for Brian was seeing Bob Dylan perform at Massey Hall during late 1965, where the singer-songwriter was doing a pair of shows. This double night event took place during Bob Dylan’s highly contentious “electric” period, backed by local Toronto R&B act Levon & The Hawks (formerly Ronnie Hawkins' backing band). As with many shows along their tour, Bob Dylan was arguing with hostile fans over their dislike of his new sound. This event emboldened Brian as an artist. Paired with Brian's constant intake of top-tier folk talent in Yorkville, the Bob Dylan event inspired Brian to stand by his music, stand up for his art, and, most importantly, develop the courage to sing. He set his sights on Yorkville and, in time, became a regular performer.

During December of 1965, Brian approached the owner of the famous Mynah Bird coffeehouse, Colin Kerr, to see if he could perform there. Colin hired Brian right away, after an extremely brief audition, and booked him for the first weekend of January (7th-9th) 1966, alongside R&B band Bobby Lee & The Sceptres. The Mynah Bird had two levels and two stages; bands played on the first level, while solo acts played on the second level. “He sat on a stool on the second-floor stage, belting out his songs to an audience drinking coffee and juice drinks; dry ice filled the air while go-go girls danced in the window," says Diane. "We were young, dressed as beatniks and experiencing a new age of music and culture.”

Brian became a regular performer at the Mynah Bird coffeehouse through 1966, playing most weekends. He befriended some of the performers and patrons along the way, forming friendships and partnerships, many of which lasted over the years. A lifelong bond Brian made during this period was with bassist and singer Neil Merryweather, who was playing in Yorkville with his band Just Us (also known as The Ookpiks and The Sikusi's). Brian was known for his distinct, Dylan-esque tone and introspective original songs. He soon began performing regularly on Monday nights at the famed Riverboat coffeehouse, first as a sign-up, then as a featured performer. 

1966 was an important year for Brian's development, both musically and in his personal life. In addition to his musical trappings, he got married, and the couple had a child. This prompted Brian to get a day job in addition to his frequent live performances as a means of making ends meet. Despite their best efforts, the couple ended up separating in mid-1968. Brian moved to an apartment on Carlton Street, where he continued to work and eventually began dating again. 

Brian went through a bit of a slump, as many men/women in his situation would. He lost his wife and child and was living alone. Brian continued to perform, albeit sporadically. He soon threw himself into writing new songs and reworking old ones. By November of 1968, Brian had roughly ten songs written, including one cover. This was a dedication to his wife and child; the aptly titled “I Threw It All Away” by Bob Dylan.

With the dawn of 1969, Brian found renewed purpose in his music through a new alias: Hyde. He had a goal: to record his own songs. He continued to gig through the winter and early spring under his new Hyde alias. In June of 1969, a few months after his twenty-third birthday, Brian came to the attention of famed Toronto music mogul Art Snider. He had caught one of Brian’s shows at the Riverboat via a word-of-mouth recommendation and was so impressed that he invited him to his office the following day. Art at this time had helmed the creation of multiple record labels, with the sole goal of achieving success while promoting Canadian talent. After learning of Brian’s desire to record an album, paired with hearing a summation of his multiple original songs, Art booked him into Sound Canada Recording Studios, backed by his house group, Rockadrome.

Rockadrome was a local group of musicians assembled in the summer of 1968 by guitarists Mike Clancy (also piano and occasional drums) and Ron Dove. The pair was musically associated for most of the 1960s and played with Ronnie Hawkins’ "Hawks" before forming their own group called "The Outlaws” during 1965. The addition of drummer Rick Vallieres and bassist Paul LaChapelle was the birth of Rockadrome. Rick drummed on a 45 session for Ron Dove in 1967 while Paul was relatively new to the fold but gelled well with the guys. Rockadrome was a band for three years, releasing their own extremely rare album on Art Snider’s “Sound Canada” label in February of 1969 and an EP in 1971 (featuring Ron Dove's 1967 recordings). Art Snider kept the band busy later that year, employing them as session musicians on a couple of equally rare albums. Of course they backed Hyde, but they also backed The Allan Sisters on their debut studio album for Sound Canada.

Art Snider had faith in Brian’s songs from the start. He gave producers Ernie Lyons and Larry Malone free rein to follow the project in whatever direction it may lead. This resulted in what many consider one of Toronto’s best singer-songwriter pieces. Brian’s amazing original songs with their sparse arrangements weave a delicate, urgent musical web; this is in part thanks to the consummate musicianship of Rockadrome. Each song in this ten-song cycle creates a unique mood spun by Brian’s music and words. The only outlier is a cover of the aptly titled Bob Dylan song “I Threw It All Away.”

Thanks to his clout in the local music industry, Art Snider managed to get Brian’s album (released under the Hyde alias) a couple of spins on CHUM Radio after its release in August 1969. Through this radio promotion, Brian landed a gig promoting his new album at a secret new Toronto club known as Global Village. It was an after-hours hangout for “in the know” local musicians, many of whom had just finished sets at various Yorkville or Yonge Street clubs. The club was known as The Global Village Theatre to some, and during the 1970s, it would put on plays, including Spring Thaw (featuring Norm Amadio and Salome Bey). Primarily, though, Global Village was a secret hangout and jam spot for some of Toronto’s best and brightest talent. Early frequenters included Bruce Cockburn, Neil Young (on his brief returns to the city), and McKenna Mendelson Mainline. The venue was an important link between the incubated culture of Yorkville, which was slowly coming to an end, and the soon-to-reign Queen St. West scene of the late 1970s.

Art Snider hired Rockadrome to rehearse with Brian and back him up during his Global Village set (possibly the only live performance he did with a band). The performance went extremely well, receiving a standing ovation, with Brian and the band playing the album song by song. Brian began mingling with the crowd, where he met local guitarist Danny McBride (younger brother of Bob McBride).

Danny McBride was an in-demand young guitarist in Toronto during the latter half of the 1960s. As an active member of Toronto’s music scene from his early teens onward, Danny formed or joined multiple bands with other members who’d reach major success in the years that followed. His first teenage band was The Edgar Allen Poes with Gary Weeks and Dave Beckett (later of Gary & Dave fame), followed by an R&B outfit of his brother’s known as The Shades; he then reformed another R&B band of his brothers known as The Diplomats (previously featuring Johnny Brower singing). This was followed by a brief stint in Abernathy Shagnaster Wash and Wear Band with drummer Gil Moore (later of Triumph fame), before teaming up with Don Walsh in the pre-Downchild Blues Band “Leather.” This was short-lived, and by 1969, Danny was looking for other outlets.

To Danny, other outlets meant more challenging, unique material, so naturally he was drawn to Brian's music. Danny's favorite band thus far was Bob McBride & The Breath. This was a Jimi Hendrix cover band his brother started, on the cusp of Jimi's meteoric rise to fame. As one of the group's guitarists, Danny had to learn some of Hendrix's challenging riffs and solos. He yearned for more of that and, in the wake of "The Breath," got more involved with Eastern scales and psychedelic music. This brief foray into eastern exploration is heard in Danny's lead guitar on "Revelation (I Fell In Love)". This was a song Danny recorded with Jay Telfer in April of 1969 for Jay's unreleased "Perch" album; Danny was only eighteen.

Brian and Danny agreed to meet up a few days after Brian's Global Village show. They hung out, got high, talked music, and jammed for hours. This, of course, caused the pair to develop a quick friendship, bonding over shared musical interests and general outlook on life. Brian and Danny began work on a follow-up to Brian’s debut studio album. They both contributed songs, with Danny taking lead guitar duties and Brian on acoustic. Danny would spend time at Brian's apartment frequently while the duo worked on the new songs. Somewhere during the writing process, however, there was a falling out between the two musicians, and the concept was scrapped before anything could be recorded.

After the demise of his new writing partnership, Brian was offered a job by Tommy Hunter to write for The Allan Sisters on his program, “The Tommy Hunter Show.” It seems Art Snider really liked Brian’s writing style and passed his name on to others. The music on Tommy’s show was definitively characterized by a “Country & Western” flavor, and this turned Brian off to the opportunity. Although he was encouraged by friends and family, he ultimately declined Tommy’s offer.

With the Tommy Hunter offer no longer on the horizon, Brian’s music career waned. This caused him to move out west to Calgary in the early 1970s. After settling in Calgary, Brian quickly found a job in manufacturing, making good money and finding himself a decent apartment. He decided to hang up his guitar for many years after the move, but he did eventually pick it up again. 

After nearly a decade away, Brian returned to Toronto at the dawn of the 1980s. Perhaps this was homesickness, but nobody is really sure what prompted the move. He quickly found himself a job and an apartment, though being back in Toronto didn’t inspire him to get back into music right away.

After over a decade working in various fields, Brian retired and moved to Wasaga Beach in the late 1990s. He kept in touch with family, as well as musical friends from over the years, such as Neil Merryweather. Slowly, he rediscovered his love of music and playing instruments after he settled in his new home. Throughout his later years, Brian built a recording studio in his home. He would write and play music (he had many guitars, a keyboard, speakers, etc.), jamming with other musical friends he made from around the area, as well as visiting friends from Toronto. 

As with the fate of many of Canada’s mid-to-late 20^th century performers, larger success (if any) eluded Brian [Hyde]. The Canadian music industry was infantile when compared to its contemporaries abroad, offering little in the way of beneficial options for artists prior to the mid-1970s. Brian Alexander’s music fills a particular niche: that of a talented singer-songwriter, penning introspective lyrics and sparse, moody arrangements (usually in a folk-tinged psych-rock style). In the intervening decades, audiences for artists like this have cropped up across the globe, appreciating the musicianship and fawning over the rarity of many of these artists’ works. In Canadian terms, Brian is in a sparsely populated class of psych-folkie songwriters that have achieved some level of cult success. His contemporaries include Stefan Gnys, Winston George, Gordon Lowe, and Phillip Lewin, among others.

                                               THANKS TO THE FAMILY OF BRIAN [HYDE] FOR THEIR PHOTO/HISTORICAL CONTRIBUTIONS 

Tongue Tied - The Story Of Tony Kingston

Anthony Mossop is known by three different names: Tony Kingston, Tony Mossop, and Tony Tribe. Each of these aliases represents a different facet of his identity, as well as a different notch on his musical toolbelt. Despite the variations in names, they all point to the same individual. Anthony Mossop was a renowned singer and performer who saw success under each of these aliases in multiple countries and genres of music. This is the story of his promising career and how it was cut short. 

                                                 *FOR REFERRENTIAL EASE, ANTHONY WILL BE REFERRED TO AS TONY/TONY KINGSTON* 

Tony Kingston [Anthony Mossop] was born in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 9th, 1943. Tony began singing around the age of eight and had his first public performance at Kingston's Ward Theatre when he was nine.

 

During 1956, while Tony was thirteen, the Mossop family moved to the United Kingdom. Tony continued to sing regularly in church and at home while pursuing a higher education. He also eventually found work at the High Commission of Jamaica in London, England.

 

In mid-1965, Tony joined a gospel outfit known as The Soul Seekers from Calvary Apostolic Church in Camberwell, London. Tony's charisma and good looks saw a stark rise in the female viewership of the group. During 1965 and early 1966, the group recorded a pair of soul/gospel singles with Tony singing lead vocals. During August of 1966, a rift formed in The Soul Seekers, which caused Tony to leave the group and go solo.

 

The remainder of 1966 saw Tony performing in churches and clubs across London under his new stage name, "Tony Kingston." He had a new manager in Don Broughton, and he eventually attracted the attention of Decca Records, who signed him to a two-side deal. He recorded his debut solo release (featuring an original song by him) during the early weeks of 1967. "Mama Come On Home/Agony And Ecstasy" was released on April 21st of that year and unfortunately flopped, but eventually became popular on the Northern Soul circuit. 

 

During August/September of 1967, Tony signed a second two-side deal, this time with PYE Records. "Master Hand/Look Into My Eyes" was distributed on October 6th as a PROMO only thing to radio stations. This frustrated Tony, his management, and of course his fans. Tony's manager Don Broughton was quoted as saying, "How can a record sell when it is not offered to the public? Tony's fans live in the rural areas and among the immigrant community, but the record has not been sent to these districts (I also tried to buy the disc at six major West End record shops, but not one had received a copy from the distributing company). The fans are clamoring for the record, but they cannot obtain it if the recording company does not send it to their dealers."

 

1968 saw Tony head in a different direction. After a minor operation, Tony had plans to record another single and an album. He was also paired with an experienced English backing group for live bookings. This new group was known as "Kingston Bypass," named after a major highway running into South London. In the past year he made numerous television and radio appearances, and this would continue. 

 

In late-April 1969, using the stage name Tony Tribe, Kingston released a reggae version of Neil Diamond's "Red Red Wine," a song that had previously been a hit for Jimmy James and the Vagabonds. Tony's version was produced by Dandy Livingstone and backed by the Rudies' (whose track "Blues" appears on the B-side). Tony's version charted at #46 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the then-fledgling Trojan Records' first UK chart hit, in spite of them managing to misspell his stage name as "Tony Tripe." A little known fact is that Tony Kingston's version of "Red, Red Wine" was a direct influence on the 1983 smash hit version by UB40.

 

After the success of "Red, Red Wine," Tony was invited to perform his hit record on the UK's Top Of The Pops music television show. It's rumored that he dressed as a skinhead wearing braces and cherry red Docs for the taped performance, but no photos or video have turned up since.

 

Before releasing his sophomore single under the name Tony Tribe, he was invited to perform at the Caribbean Music Festival. This was the first major Reggae event to be held in Britain and would open the door to a decades' long love affair with the genre. Tony shared the stage at Wembley Arena with Johnny Nash, Desmond Dekker, Max Romeo, the Rudies, Derrick Morgan, Jackie Edwards, Jimmy Cliff, Jimmy James, the Skatalites, the Mohawks, Root and Jenny Jackson, and Black Velvet. He was later filmed as part of Horace Ové's legendary 1971 documentary Reggae, but it's unknown if Tony made it into the film. Tony Kingston's final single under the Tony Tribe name came in August of 1969. His cover of "Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got". The single failed to chart, and Tony left the UK for Canada. 

Tony Kingston settled in Toronto, Canada, during 1970. After a short period of acclimation, Tony began writing songs and performing on the local bar/club circuit at venues like The Friars Tavern and Broom & Stone. By the end of the year he managed to put together a steady band, which allowed him to play more "upscale" gigs such as lounges, hotels, and restaurants. This caught the attention of the CBC. The CBC knew of his previous career abroad as Tony Mossop/Tony Tribe/Tony Kingston and wanted to capitalize on him moving to Toronto. They offered him radio and television spots on various CBC programs, but first they sent him into Toronto's CBC Studio 4 with the Dave Woods Orchestra to record some of his new original songs during April of 1971. 

The result of these sessions with the CBC was a four-song EP of light, orchestrated Soul/R&B tunes featuring three originals by Tony ("Now You're Gone," "Tongue Tied," and "People Started Talking") and one Bonnie Dobson cover ("You're My Woman"). Unfortunately, Tony's CBC sessions were not commercially released and were only ever available through the CBC's "Light Music [LM] Series" and its subscribing radio stations. This makes the few remaining copies still in circulation very rare today. materialized. 

The CBC opportunities Tony received early on in his Canadian stay allowed him to ingratiate himself with some of Toronto's top talent. This included singers such as Juliette, Jodie Drake, Karen Oxley, and Mike McConnell, among others. This also included band leaders such as Dave Woods, Russ Little, Guido Basso, Rick Wilkins, Jimmy Dale, and more. This opened the door to touring opportunities for Tony across Canada. 

By 1971, Tony had a new musical direction and a new band, comprised of visiting Latin American musicians and local backing singers. The musicians consisted of Manuel Oliveira (bass), Tony Raposo (guitar), Fernando Tarares (piano/organ), and Fansto DaCosta (drums/percussion), while the identities of The Flying Chains singers are currently unknown. While performing in Toronto, the new group caught the attention of talent scouts from Canadian budget label Paragon/Marathon Records. In the interim, Tony was contacted by Paragon/Marathon Records founder Jack Boswell. An album deal was inked, and the group was whisked away to Art Snider's Sound Canada Studios. Though it seems simple enough, Jack Boswell was notorious for approaching artists directly with questionable contracts, recording and releasing albums/singles with questionable equipment, and doing little to no pre- or post-release promotion. See my Birchmount Records Story for another example of Canadian budget label shenanigans. 

Upon its release in mid-1971, "Tongue Tied" received no promotion and unfortunately sank like a stone outside of pockets of Tony Kingston fans locally and nationally. Musically, the album features a great spread of blues/psych, funk, soul/R&B, and gospel. The album features covers of then-current hits ("Proud Mary," "Summertime," "The Letter," "One Night With You," and "Teeny Weeny Bit") as well as three Tony Kingston originals ("Tongue Tied," "Lookin' Down The Aisle," and "Now You're Gone") and a pair of tracks from Tony Kingston band members ("Sleepin' In The Shadow Of My Dream" and "Lonely Blues"). 

The failure of Tony Kingston's debut album might have felt like a serious blow at the time, but Tony's luck was about to change. During late-summer-1971 Yorkville Records president Bill Gilliland caught one of Tony's weekend gigs at Friar's Tavern. Bill loved Tony's gospel-meets-R&B style, and Tony was signed to a multi-single deal with Yorkville, which included eventual US distribution through Kama Sutra Records.

A series of recordings took place with producer Roger Cooke during the summer/fall of 1971. The sessions produced six songs: "I Am A Preacher," "What We Need (Is A Great Big Melting Pot)," "Faith, Hope And Charity," "Come Softly To Me," "Shedding Tears," and "Satan's Choice." The location of the recordings (studio) is currently unknown, and the identity of the producer is currently disputed. It is possible that Tony Kingston returned to London to record with Roger Cook of the legendary writing team "Cook-Greenaway," but this has not been confirmed. This would make sense due to the inclusion of multiple Cook-Greenaway compositions among the recorded tracks (as well as a few other Yorkville recording artists' then-recent releases). 

Tony Kingston's debut Canadian single, "I Am A Preacher/What We Need (Is A Great Big Melting Pot)," was released during December 1971. Both sides were written by the aforementioned Cook-Greenaway writing duo. The single started off modestly, entering the national RPM singles chart at #98 before topping out at #65 by February 1972. "I Am A Preacher" had a significantly better outing on Toronto's CHUM charts, reaching #15 the same month. The song fared even better in Vancouver, where it climbed to #2. The song also made the Top 30 in Hamilton (Ontario). The U.S. release of "I Am A Preacher" in March 1972 managed to reach the Top 30 in Rochester (New York), among other places, but faltered overall. 

Interestingly, the U.S. version of "I Am A Preacher" had two versions: a dual-sided promo and a version with "Satan's Choice" as the B-side. This is an original song written by Toronto writers (and Yorkville affiliates) Mickey Erbe and Richard [Gael] Gilliland for the Tony Kingston sessions. It is currently unknown if the Canadian Yorkville release has any versions with "Satan's Choice" as the B-side. 

With the success of "I Am A Preacher," radio and magazine ads began popping up promoting Tony's sophomore release, "Faith, Hope & Charity." This was another Cook-Greenaway production. Released in June 1972, there were two versions of the single: a dual-sided promo and a version with "What We Need (Is A Great Big Melting Pot)" on the B-side. Expectations were high for Tony's sophomore single release, but unfortunately, it stalled out on the charts, with only minor success in small pockets. 

One final single of Tony's came out on Yorkville Records during 1972. This was "Come Softly To Me/Shedding Tears," in October. Currently there is no available chart history on this single, so check back soon for an update if I find any more info. 

                                                                                            

                                                                     

Groovy Things - History Of The Magic Cycle

    The Magic Cycle (also known as Cycle) is just one of many forgotten pre-"Can-Con" success stories that have been languishing in obscurity over the past few decades. With a revolving line-up of young talent, The Magic Cycle managed to carve out a niche for themselves in Toronto's (and Canada's) highly active music scene of the late 1960s and early 1970s. They caught the RPM magazine wave early and rode it throughout their whole career. This attention helped put their mostly original material in the country's national musical conversation of the time, helping to sell their name and music to young fans across Canada. Below is the long-awaited story of Toronto Pop/Psych-Rock legends The Magic Cycle. 

    The roots of The Magic Cycle start in October 1964 with the creation of The Canadian Dell-Tones. The "Canadian" in Canadian Dell-Tones was simply due to avoiding confusion with Quality Records recording artist "The Del-Tones," a short-lived Rock & Roll group who released "Rockin' Blues/Moonlight Party" in 1959 before changing their name to The Beau Marks and becoming very popular in Canada. 

    The Canadian Dell-Tones consisted of three Toronto musicians: Albert Santalucia (rhythm guitar/lead vocals), Stan Theriault (lead guitar/backing vocals), and Paul Clinch (drums/backing vocals). From the beginning, Paul's father, Brendan Clinch, managed the band. They performed popular R&B covers at teen clubs, high schools, and venues across Toronto's various boroughs. From the outset, the band were flush with cash. Paul's parents were quite wealthy, and with his father Brendan taking exceptional interest in the band (as manager), they were given new matching white stage suits, as well as top-of-the-line drums, guitars, and amplifiers to aid their performances. The Delltones quickly attracted the attention of legendary booker Ron Scribner. 

    At this time, Ron was transitioning his "Ron Scribner Agency" to a joint venture with Tom Wilson and Fred White called Bigland Agency. Originally, the Bigland name was minted by Stan Klees as his production/publishing company (also a weekly rank/review column in RPM Magazine [c. 1964] called "The Bigland Sound"), but Stan encouraged them to join forces with him under the Bigland name, merging production, booking, and publishing. 

    In addition to the sizeable roster of established groups that Ron Scribner brought into the aforementioned merger (Robbie Lane, Ronnie Hawkins, Pat Hervey, Little Caesar & The Consuls, Shirley Matthews, Ritchie Knight & The Mid-Knights, David Clayton Thomas, Sandy Selsie, The Guess Who, etc.), the Bigland Agency also began signing a large swathe of newer Ontario groups, and The Canadian Dell-Tones were at the top of their list. 

    The Canadian Dell-Tones were signed to The Bigland Agency in June of 1965. Photoshoots were done, a fan club was made (ran by Pat Stevenson), and Ron Scribner began setting the band up with higher profile, better paying gigs, extending outside the GTA (Greater Toronto Area). Though Bigland producer Stan Klees was encouraging the band to record around this time, it's currently unknown if any recordings were made under the Canadian Dell-Tones name. 

    During mid-1966, Ron Scribner resumed bookings for his "Ron Scribner Agency" as opposed to the previous year's merger with The Bigland Agency. Though this decision was met with ire from his Bigland associates, as well as from other agencies in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), Ron felt he could do a better job working alone and of course receive higher compensation for his services. 

 

    With this change in booking management, The Canadian Dell-Tones found themselves in higher demand by the agency and with a new assortment of gig opportunities: colleges/universities, variety attractions, radio/television bookings, and Ron was working towards getting his acts gig opportunities in the United States. Though the latter didn't end up working out for the Dell-Tones, the former three options proved to be lucrative and within reach. Throughout the remainder of 1966, the Canadian Dell-Tones began playing regularly on the college/university circuit, the nightclub scene, and various fundraisers and private events. 

 

    The Canadian Dell-Tones' latter-1966 period is also notable due to the growing inclusion of original material in the bands' live sets. Each member began writing songs, and a lot more time was being dedicated behind the scenes towards honing these. This brought them to the attention of Bigland creator Stan Klees, who previously ran Tamarac Records solo and had begun jointly running Red Leaf Records with Art Snider, Duff Roman, and David Pears. Red Leaf was 100% dedicated to Canadian talent and prioritized bands who wrote catchy original material. 

 

    It is worth mentioning at this point in the timeline that Dell-Tones drummer Paul Clinch was a multi-instrumentalist (drums, guitar, keyboard) and singer. However, Paul didn't sing live and only played drums during the early Dell-Tones period. The band began experimenting privately with a quartet line-up of The Dell-Tones before the end of 1966, which featured Paul's brother Kevin Clinch on drums. This allowed Paul to "spread his wings" so to speak, freeing him up to practice his singing and songwriting. 

 

    After a January/early February run of shows in 1967 (which included a date at Toronto's legendary Gogue Inn [Jan 20th] as well as a pair of Winter Carnival concerts at the University of Toronto [Feb 2nd-3rd]), The Canadian Dell-Tones were no more. Through the intervention of Stan Klees, the band was convinced to rebrand as The Magic Cycle, consider signing with Red Leaf Records, and convert their repertoire into mostly original content written by the band or their Canadian contemporaries. 

 

    The band's manager (and Paul's father), Brendan Clinch, was against the deal and was suspected of the band working with Stan Klees. Aiding his feelings in the initial deliberation was band member Al Santalucia, who was also suspicious of Stan Klees. Suspicion aside, the band ultimately decided to partner with Mr. Klees and Red Leaf Records during February of 1967. 

   The remainder of February was dedicated to recording an album, according to RPM Magazine. Though this album never saw release, the sessions yielded four songs that did get released. Stan and the band hurriedly put out the band's debut single on March 15th, "Let's Run Away/Halfway To Heaven." The A-side is a cover by Les Emmerson of Ottawa's Staccatos (later to become Five Man Electric Band), and the B-side is a band original by Al Santalucia and Lynda Layne. 

 

    For a debut release, "Let's Run Away" managed to perform fairly well. The song entered the RPM 100 Top Singles chart at #99 on April 29th, peaked at #55 on June 3rd, and left the charts on June 24th after a #80 rating. Nine weeks on the charts was definitely no small feat for a debut single, especially during the highly competitive year that 1967 would end up being on the charts not just in Canada but across the world.  

    Stan Klees and The Magic Cycle were happy with the success of the debut. It afforded the band quite a few live opportunities over the spring and summer. One notable event was their outdoor gig at Musselman's Lake (north of Toronto). They were there for a private picnic, but when word got out that The Magic Cycle were performing, the neighborhood turned into a traffic jam with around 3000 attendants crashing the event. 

 

    In the midst of all the fanfare, The Magic Cycle released their second single, "Give Me The Right/It Was You," on July 15th, 1967. This time around, there were no covers; both sides were band originals. The A-side was written by Stan Theriault and Lynda Layne, and the B-side was written by Al Santalucia. This single received a print ad in RPM alongside label mates The British Modbeats, with their final release before disbanding called "Try To Understand.". 

 

    Nearing the close of August (and summer) 1967, The Magic Cycle were invited to play a massive showcase at the C.N.E. (Canadian National Exhibition) in Toronto. It was called "Teen-Age Fair '67." This was an event done in Vancouver during August of 1965 and 1966, respectively. The success both times encouraged organizers to bring it to Toronto's C.N.E. The roster was nothing short of a marvel. On the Canadian content, you had: The Staccatos, The Magic Cycle, A Passing Fancy, The Sunshine, Rock Show Of The Yeomen, The Last Words, The Big Town Boys, Three To One, Lords of London, and more! On the American side, you had: Harper's Bizarre, Bobby Hebb, Yellow Balloon, The Grass Roots, The Electric Prunes, The Turtles, and more! It was truly an astounding assemblage of talent. From all accounts, the event was a success and helped bolster the popularity of The Magic Cycle and other performers. 

    Regarding Magic Cycle line-ups, the trio of Al Santalucia (rhythm guitar/vocals), Stan Theriault (lead guitar/vocals), and Paul Clinch (drums/vocals) was the only variation. This was until September of 1967, when Al Santalucia left the band. Frustrated with the lack of meaningful success and wanting to focus more on his family, Al had no choice but to leave. 

 

    With this announcement, The Magic Cycle were left as a duo. They quickly enlisted the help of keyboard/organ player Pete Young (from Yorkville band Who In [The Blazes]) and guitarist/singer Ken Johnstone. Behind the scenes, the new quartet had been rehearsing and even recorded a single, which they began shopping around for new labels. This was because around this time, Red Leaf Records officially closed its doors, leaving The Magic Cycle without a record label. 

 

    After a pair of out-of-town shows at the end of October (Aurora Arena [27th] & Monctowne [28th]), The Magic Cycle were contacted by Ben McPeek regarding signing them to a record deal. Though primarily known as a bandleader, pianist, and jingle man, Ben McPeek had been making waves since the summer of 1967 with his new label, GIANT Records. Previous releases included Craddock Kids/Young Canadian Singers with their centennial album "Canada," Toronto Garage Rock bands The Ragged Edges, and The Boodly Hoo with their singles "Good Times" and "Mornington Crescent," respectively. 

    

    The Magic Cycle signed on with Ben McPeek, and their third single was ready for release. Ben quickly set about sending staff of the CBC to watch the band perform live, as he was trying to get them a spot on CBC's "Let's Go" program. The CBC scouts liked the band and invited them to tape an episode of the music show on November 24th (to be aired on Wednesday, December 13th). According to CBC staffers, it was one of the best episodes in the "Let's Go" series thus far. The episode was also the public's first opportunity to hear Magic Cycle's new single. 

 

    January 1968 saw both the re-airing of Magic Cycle's CBC "Let's Go" episode and the official release of their third single, "Doctor Lollipop/Where Were You When I Needed You." These songs featured a more Psych/Garage sound and new members Pete Young (keyboards/organ) and Ken Johnstone (guitar/vocals). They also represented Paul Clinch's first original on record ("Doctor Lollipop") as well as his first producer credit. Sessions were recorded at Art Snider's new Sound Canada Studios. "Doctor Lollipop" entered the RPM singles chart on February 24th, 1968 (#93), before peaking on March 16th (#68) and ultimately dropping off the RPM Hot 100 Singles chart by the end of the month. 

    Ben McPeek's GIANT label silently went defunct in the early summer of 1968; this was due to Ben's focus shifting onto his next label project, alongside Jack Richardson, Allan Macmillan, and Peter Clayton. The label was launched in March 1968 and was called Nimbus (later Nimbus 9). This left The Magic Cycle again without a record deal. Paul Clinch was frustrated with their situation, past and present. So he decided to start his own record label called YCP Records (Young Canada Productions). He hired Bill Armstrong for A&R and sought the guidance of Stan Klees regarding business decisions. 

 

    YCP Records was launched in July of 1968. An ambitious project, YCP featured Paul and a number of other studio-hungry musicians, writers, and singers: Stan Theriault, Ken Johnstone, Terry Christenson, and Jimmy Dybold. The Magic Cycle provided musical backing for all productions. The debut release for the label was supposed to be a Magic Cycle single called "Say What You Gotta Say," but it is currently unknown if this was ever released. As a matter of fact, though Ken Johnstone, The Magic Cycle, Jimmy Dybold, Paul Clinch, and Terry Christenson all received ads in RPM magazine, it appears no YCP product was ever released.

    During September/October of 1968, Ken Johnstone left The Magic Cycle and was replaced by fellow YCP alumnus Terry Christenson. Terry was gaining some clout at the time for doing walk-on performances with CBC-TV. He was pursuing a solo career and decided to do double duty with The Magic Cycle. Brendan Clinch offered to manage him and Jimmy Dybold after the YCP Records fallout, so he decided to make him a main attraction of The Magic Cycle stage show due to his currently growing star power. 

 

    Around the end of 1968, The Magic Cycle got their first bass player in the band's history, Joey Rome [Joe Dinardo]. Very little valuable bio info is available about Joey other than he joined Abraham's Children in 1975. 

 

    Though Terry Christenson was never a full-time member of The Magic Cycle, he performed regularly with the band, and his presence with them was solidified on record in May of 1969. Coca-Cola came to Toronto with an idea to promote their product using the help of up-and-coming Canadian talent. They called it "The Canadian Invasion." The contracted bands featured: Nucleus, The Guess Who, Five Man Electric Band, The Magic Cycle, and Mandala. Each band wrote two original Coke-themed jingles for the album, with the exception of The Five Man Electric Band, who wrote three. Though uncredited, Terry sang backup vocals on The Magic Cycle sessions. 

 

    Upon the release of The Canadian Invasion Coca-Cola album, the featured bands' all saw an increase in their fanbases due to the constant radio exposure of the jingles. Shortly after this, Terry Christenson hired Mel Shaw as his manager, left The Magic Cycle, and began building his new band "Christopher Robin" with his brothers Ken and Peter. This band would eventually morph into Christenson. 

 

    After the departure of Terry Christenson, the band was contacted by Stan Klees, who wanted to sign the band to a recording contract. The Magic Cycle was asked to record a pair of tracks. They were called "Groovy Things" and "It's a Sunny Day." The former was written by new member Joey Rome [Joe Dinardo], and the latter was written by Paul Clinch. Before the recording of the single could take place, however, The Magic Cycle went through a lineup change. Peter Young left the band and was replaced by organist Peter Goodale. 

    A single was planned, and recording time was booked in the evenings at Art Snider's Sound Canada Studios. This is where they met up-and-coming producer/engineer Greg Hambleton. "I was hired by Stan Klees in the summer of 1969 to record a band he had recently signed called The Magic Cycle," says Greg. "I was impressed by their talent, and I made them a major part of my future studio band shortly after these initial recordings." At the time, Stan Klees had not yet revived Tamarac Records, so they eventually shopped the single around and garnered interest from GRT for release through their Fingerprint Records imprint. 

Greg Hambleton hired The Magic Cycle during July of 1969 to record the instrumentation for a handful of albums. The four albums in question were "shadow" albums for the new Quality Records budget label Birchmount Records. "Shadow" albums are releases that labels put out to pad their lineups in the initial or valley stages of their release cycles. Greg was tasked with choosing the musicians, the "artist" name, and the material for each project. The only rule was that 50% of the material had to be well-known "current" covers, Canadian or otherwise. Greg padded the other 50% of each project with his original songs, as well as those by his brother Fergus Hambleton and friend Jay Telfer.

The Magic Cycle was a fantastic studio resource for Greg Hambleton, both during his freelance days and when he eventually launched Tuesday Records, as well as Axe Records. "I hired the band for many uncredited sessions with other artists over the years," says Greg. "The series of events that brought me The Magic Cycle also brought me Gary & Dave." At the time, Gary Weeks and Dave Becket were students at Western University in London, Ontario, and were in charge of booking Medway Hall and various pub nights for the student union there. "They booked The Magic Cycle for a show at the university," says Greg. "Gary got up on stage with the band and was a sensation. This left an impression on the band's manager, and at one session with Magic Cycle, he took me aside, gave me Gary's number, and told me to contact him."

August of 1969 saw the release of the "Groovy Things/It's A Sunny Day" single, through Stan Klees' Fingerprint label. This was the last release under the Magic Cycle name, as they would soon change their name. Excitement for the single was high and although the single didn't manage to chart on the RPM Hot 100 initially, it was a regional sleeper hit around Ontario, providing the band with consistent out-of-town gigs for the remainder of 1969. The single "Groovy Things" eventually managed to make it onto the RPM charts, where it had considerable success.

The band changed their name to The Cycle (or simply "Cycle") around this time. They also added a new member to their live lineup, Paul's brother Kevin Clinch (stage name Kevin Barry) on drums. Paul Clinch wanted to become more involved in the singing and songwriting side of the band. He also wanted to play more guitar, so the lineup was now Stan Theriault (lead guitar/vocals), Kevin Barry (drums), Joey Rome (bass/vocals), Paul Clinch (rhythm guitar/vocals), and Peter Goodale (keyboard/organ/vocals). 

During brief returns to Toronto over the remainder of 1969, Greg Hambleton continued to hire The Cycle for studio sessions at Sound Canada. At one particular session, while demoing a collection of songs from his publishing catalogue, Greg brought Gary Weeks in to sing. "One of the demos was for a more rock version of Jay Telfer's "Ten Pound Note" (complete with Stan Theriault's fuzz guitar riffs)," says Greg. "From that demo version with Gary's vocals, Steel River learned the song and began recording their version with me." 

The aforementioned session also yielded the first recordings for Gary & Dave. These were a pair of Greg Hambleton originals titled "Tender Woman" and "I'm A Rider." Upon Dave Becket's arrival to the recording session, he and Gary began working on lyrics/vocals for the aforementioned songs, with music recorded by The Cycle. The "Tender Woman/I'm A Rider" single saw release the following year in 1970 through Quality Records but did not achieve any chart success. 

1970 was a year of reinvention and rebirth for The Cycle. The main focus was on recording new, original music. After the success of "Groovy Things," expectations were high. The band forged a solidified partnership with Stan Klees, and he revived Tamarac Records as a central hub for all future releases by the band, as well as solo recordings by its members. This was due to the reminiscent talks Stan and Paul Clinch had about the YCP Records era of the band and that whole "self-sufficient" style of music making. 

The band was reinvigorated by the new plan and accommodations. They set up base in Sound Canada Studios during the spring/summer of 1970, with Stan Klees producing and Greg Hambleton engineering. They played the occasional college/university gig, but the focus was on the studio. During this fruitful period, the band recorded over forty songs, many of which went unreleased. Paul Clinch adopted the "Paul Craig" alias, both with the band and in attempts at a solo career. 

The first release from this new period came as a Paul Craig solo single. "Welcome To My Daydream/Coat Of Colors" was released in late-July 1970, receiving heavy promotion from RPM Magazine and apparently shipping with a bottle of cologne. The single reached #46 on the Canadian singles chart and received heavy play from MOR stations. The B-side "Coat of Colors" received heavy play on underground stations. Both sides were written by Paul Clinch. 

The Paul Craig single was quickly followed by The Cycle's debut release under their new name, "Walkin' Along/Open Your Eyes," in the first week of September 1970. Both sides were again written by Paul Clinch. The band held a release party at the Cambridge Motor Hotel in Toronto, where they were in the second week of their two-week residency. The "Walkin' Along" single received decent promotion in RPM Magazine, though not as much as its predecessor. This was due to the band preparing their debut album for release. 

October 1st, 1970 was the official release date for "The Cycle," a self-titled debut album (originally titled "Saturday Afternoon Rummage Sale") of all original material, written by Paul Clinch and Joey Rome. RPM Magazine promoted the release date and the previous single, which contained album songs on both sides. Many fans of the band in the present day are familiar with this album and none of the previous singles. This is due to the song "God." Most songs on this album are really solid, but God is the true standout. The song is a seven-minute psych-rock blast, written by Paul Clinch, featuring an unexpected drum solo and hellish guitar solo. The lyrics are a warning against worshipping false idols and losing yourself to charismatic figures. Given the time of release, the lyrical themes of this song are especially poignant.

Though the album was a high musical watermark for the band, it was commercially unsuccessful. World-renowned music critic Ritchie Yorke published a rave review of the album in multiple magazines (and allowed for its inclusion in the liner notes), but this did little to boost sales. The band played a college tour as well as multiple Yorkville venues throughout the end of 1970 and early 1971, but it was of little positive consequence. 

The Cycle returned to Sound Canada Studios in April of 1971 to record some new songs, this time with Paul Clinch producing instead of Stan Klees. The main song to come from these sessions was Paul's "Wait For The 

Miracle." This was rush released the following month, with a neutered version of "God" as the B-side (sans guitar and drum solos). "Wait For The Miracle" managed to reach #48 on the RPM Singles chart in July of 1971, receiving airplay across the country and in pockets of the United States. This prompted a deal with Buddah Records, which distributed the single in the United States, Germany, and Japan. 

All the fanfare surrounding "Wait For The Miracle" caused a follow-up single to be prepared. "Gimme Some Time/Sitting Where The Flowers Grow" was released in October of 1971 but failed to find much chart success. The lead track, "Gimme Some Time," was also issued as a dual-sided promo in the United States. These songs were more of a collaborative process, with "Gimme Some Time" co-written by Paul Clinch and engineer Greg Hambleton and "Sitting Where The Flowers Grow" co-written by Paul Clinch and Peter Goodale.   

November 15th, 1971, saw the release of Fergus Hambleton's debut solo album, "All The Right Noises." This was recorded during the summer of 1971 at Sound Canada, with Greg Hambleton behind the board and members of The Cycle providing some of the musical backing. Granted, this wasn't a full-band affair, as Capitol Records paired Fergus with more "professional," stripped-down string and horn accompaniment for the recording of his debut. Stan Theriault and Paul Clinch were the only Cycle members invited to the sessions, playing bass and drums, respectively. Fergus was the main musician on the sessions, writing every song and playing piano, guitar, saxophone, and bass.  

This particular session highlighted a shift in attitude for Paul Clinch. He became more involved with general session work from here on out, and as the 1970s wore on, this would continue to increase. Paul always had an attitude of help and camaraderie when it came to Canadian music and his contemporaries.                    

                      

By 1972, Cycle lead guitarist Stan Theriault was growing restless. The constant touring and the ebb and flow of expectations with each release were wearing on him. He had high hopes for the band and felt shortchanged at every opportunity. Stan was a founding member and had been with the band for almost eight years, seeing every release and every lineup change. He was an integral part of the band's sound, responsible for nearly all lead guitar parts (including the famous guitar solo on "God") and some vocals. But he still decided to leave to pursue a career outside of the band. 

This abrupt decision left The Cycle in a tight spot, without their main guitarist. Paul was good but he never expected to replace Stan. The Cycle briefly halted all upcoming live gigs, as well as a summer tour. They then rush released a previously recorded Paul Clinch solo single to help ease the burden and buy them some time. "Don't Take The Sun Out Of My Life/One Woman Man" (both sides written and produced by Paul Clinch) was released on February 8th, 1972, and briefly troubled the bottom of the RPM Hot 100 before dropping off completely. 

Thankfully, by the time "Don't Take The Sun Out Of My Life" was released in February, The Cycle found Stan Theriault's replacement and had begun an intense rehearsal schedule to prepare for their grueling live schedule. 

Who was the replacement, you may ask? None other than former Lords Of London keyboardist and Male Bagg/Spuff guitarist Sebastian Agnello. The band chose well, because "Seb" was a seasoned session player, much like the members of Cycle. Seb was the guitarist in Art Snider's Sound Canada Studios' house band. Here, Seb recorded (mostly uncredited) on album/single sessions for Art Snider's Periwinkle Records, as well as Artie Kohn's Vintage Records (where he released his debut solo album "Head Roach"), from 1971 to 1975. 

Sebastian Agnello fit in well with The Cycle. He brought youthful abandon and an aggressive guitar style to the band. By the end of February, The Cycle was back on stage and was preparing to return to the studio. March of 1972 was a busy recording month for the band. They spent time at Sound Canada Studios with Greg Hambleton recording a pair of singles (all four songs written by Paul Clinch) and also spent time at various Toronto studios recording instrumentation for Gary & Dave's debut album. 

Sebastian Agnello's debut recordings with The Cycle came out in May of 1972. First, The Cycle released their fourth single, "Coming Back Again/Hey There, Look At Me," which features some great lead guitar work by Seb on the B-side. Second, the sophomore single by Gary & Dave, "Here It Comes Again/My Special Place," was released, which features great acoustic guitar work by Seb, again on the B-side. 

The summer of 1972 was a turbulent period for The Cycle. They planned a western Canadian tour to help grow their audience prior to the release of their fifth single, "All I Really Need Is You/Looking At Each Other," but faced oppositional audiences and radio promoters, which hampered their success. The main focus was on a series of Vancouver dates, promoting their most recent single, but the results were less than ideal. 

"All I Really Need Is You/Looking At Each Other" saw release during August of 1972. The single managed to chart well in eastern and western Canada but didn't do as well on the CHUM charts in Toronto or on the RPM national charts. Talks of a U.S. release for "All I Really Need Is You" began between management and Buddah Records. There were also discussions regarding the release of a second Cycle album. The latter quandary prompted the decision to cobble together everything released from 1971 through to the present day, as well as any future releases, for this new album (originally entitled "Coming Back Again"). 

For The Cycle, the remainder of 1972 was a bit of a mixed bag. They were devoted to playing shows and promoting their name, hoping for that one BIG national hit, or international attention. Morale boosters like capacity shows were once the norm for the band but had since become much rarer. The elusive, meaningful chart success they sought was getting further from their grasp as the years wore on. Studio sessions in the latter months of 1972 had more tensions than those previous, and both Paul Clinch and Sebastian Agnello were being pulled away for session work more often than not. 

If You Try And Imagine - The Story Of Carol Lipson

    Throughout the 20th century, Canada has seen no shortage of fantastic singer-songwriters. It's vast, beautiful landscape and deep history of folk and country music have lent themselves heavily to young songwriters over the decades. A handful have become nationally or internationally recognized and respected, but many have been obscured by the passage of time. Obscurity's a cruel fate to befall any artist, especially for those with a story to tell. Today's spotlighted artist is Toronto singer-songwriter Carol Lipson. Her lone commercial release, "Carol," is a wholly original outing put together in her late teens. Though not a commercial success upon release, "Carol" represents a high watermark of quality on the Audat label as well as a great example of original female folk/psych in general. Here is her story:

    Carol Debra Lipszyc was born in Toronto on August 28th, 1955. Both her parents were adolescent Holocaust survivors of Poland and Belarus who settled in Toronto during 1952. During her youth, Carol attended McMurrich Public School. She didn't come from a musical family but found her love of singing early on, listening to various show tunes. It wasn't long before she was singing in youth choirs, both in English and Hebrew. Carol also began studying piano around the age of eight.

    The Lipszyc family moved to a house on Bathurst St. around the fall of 1965. Carol then attended Dufferin Heights Junior High. While studying at the school, she began singing solo in front of a group. Between the ages of ten and thirteen, she sang acapella at luncheon celebrations (bar-mitzvahs).

Carol's professional singing start came at the ripe young age of thirteen, when she made her debut on CBC Radio. The show in question was the Bruce Marsh hosted "What's New," which she performed on for a few weeks. This netted her a guest role at fifteen on another CBC Radio show, "9:15 Alarm Clock." This show (produced by Eithne Black) featured Alan Thicke, Brent Titcomb, Maribeth Solomon, Mickey Erbe, Brian Russell, and Brenda Gordon [Russell], among others. "They produced it in the old CBC building on Jarvis," says Carol. I became a regular and would sometimes skip class to do the show." She also appeared a number of times as a guest vocalist alongside Juliette and Alex Trebek, who co-hosted a CBC radio show at the Colonnade Theatre; the show was called “The Afternoon Show.”    

    "9:15 Alarm Clock" was an important learning experience for Carol as the youngest amongst the cast. She found mentorship amongst the cast as well, which really helped for comfortability as a singer and musician. "On the show, I looked up to Maribeth Solomon in particular," says Carol. "She was about seven years older than me; she wrote songs and played piano and flute." The Alarm Clock show also represented a shift in Carol's musical approach, moving from show tunes toward pop music. 

    Throughout the early 1970's, Carol continued to develop as a singer but also began devoting more time to the piano and songwriting. By early 1973, Carol’s talents were undeniable. She caught the attention of Audat Records. An old friend and gigmate of hers, Vern Kennedy had co-founded the label with Bob Stone and was acting as the A&R man. He insisted that she should record an album of her original songs. With little convincing, Carol was on her way to Halifax with Vern to record at famed Audio Atlantic Studios. This was the place where many “Boot Records” were recorded, as well as most music on the Audat label.

    Audat was an Oshawa-based Country & Folk label with a focus on the Maritimes. This was an extension of label owner Bob Stone's previous label concepts, Stone and Now Records. Though the main focus was on country, folk, and fiddle music, Audat did manage to release quite a few compelling rock/psych/funk projects during its day, mostly Maritimes acts, with many of these releases fetching three-figure sums today due to their rarity and quality: bands like Borealis, Gord Tracey & The Constellations, Brothers & One, The Neighbors Kids, Wes Mackey & The Brotherhood, etc. 

    Carol was set up with top studio players by Audat Records, including Eric Robertson on keyboards. Vern Kennedy handled the arrangements for all of her songs, and Al Feeney handled the mix. The album represents a very talented young lady with a lot to say. All songs were written by the then seventeen-year-old Carol Lipson. The songs convey a (mostly) sunny, orchestrated, acoustic-pop vibe, with vocals comparable to Joni Mitchell or Beverly Copeland. One of the gems of the album is “Ballad Of The Old Man.” The song is lyrically and musically a standout, creating a longing, nostalgic mood and painting a bittersweet story of growing old alone.

    Excitement around the release of Carol’s debut was growing. There was genuine faith in the songs and their ability to reach a larger audience. In an attempt at cross-pollination, Audat had label mates Johnny Cowell and The Oak Island Treasury Department record a pair of her songs. Johnny covered "Pickin Plums" on his 1973 album "Hot Brass," and Oak Island covered "Bring It Down" on their 1973 self-titled album. 

    But unfortunately, it was not to be. Other than pockets in Halifax and Toronto, the album really didn’t perform well due to a lack of meaningful promotion. This left Carol in a tough spot. But one thing she was known for and would become more known for in her later years was perseverance.

    After Carol's debut album failed to find any meaningful success, she'd continue on as a songwriter and performer. She appeared on countless television and radio shows (with hosts like June Callwood, Martin Short, and Peter Gzowski); she did stints in Toronto piano bars; sang and played with many local and visiting jazz luminaries (including the late Paul Grosney, which opened her mind and ears to a deeper level of music study); and generally just tried her hand at breaking into the business in whichever manner she saw fit. Her time playing in piano bars and with jazz musicians was integral to her growth as a musician and songwriter. It highlighted for her the importance of melody line, especially in relation to starker arrangements. “You were compelled to sing well-constructed songs where possible,” says Carol.You were compelled to sing well-constructed songs where possible, says Carol. 

    Her twenties were a time of risk-taking and evolving disillusionment with the music industry. She drifted along, taking whatever music-related work she could while focusing on her craft as a songwriter. Her songwriting continued to improve, and this compelled her to re-enter the recording studio, most often with Jack Lenz as producer, cutting a number of demos throughout the 1980’s. She adopted the stage name Carol Palmer and released her debut singleDown On The Street Corner/In Slow Motion" during 1983 through Rich Dodson's (of Stampeder's fame) Marigold Records label. Apart from a short stint on the Adult Contemporary Billboard Pop charts with "(Down On The) Street Corner" (a song she penned with the late Danny Deardorff), none of the songs managed to gain any traction. Carol, undeterred, continued on in the music industry until her mid-thirties, upon which time she re-entered university to train to teach ESL.

    Carol embarked upon a journey to re-educate herself, acquiring Masters and Doctoral degrees in Education at OISE, University of Toronto, while teaching diverse student populations and often integrating music as a teacher. A literacy/ESl Reader, “People Express” (published by Oxford University Press in the late 1990's), included her self-penned chants and songs as a teaching strategy to help new immigrants with little education.

    Her children’s CD, If You Try and Imagine, orchestrated and engineered by Donald Quan, was conceived of during her teaching certification training in St. Catharines; she believed in the power of integrating curriculum with songs and chants to address multiple intelligences.

    Eventually armed with her doctorate in education, Carol found a tenure-track position at an upstate SUNY College where she taught English teacher education and creative writing until retirement. During that fruitful and fulfilling period, she published across genres, including a book of lyrical poetry, Singing Me Home (Inanna 2010); a book of short stories on children in the Holocaust, The Saviour Shoes and Other Stories (Inanna, 2014); an anthology of poems on the heart, The Heart is Improvisational (Guernica, 2017); and a chapbook, In the Absence of Sons (Kelsay Books, 2020), as well as arts-based educational articles in international journals.

    Carol represents a woman of true courage and tenacity. She's a person who believed in her art and her ability as a songwriter. Whenever Carol was beaten down by the industry, she got back up and fought harder. After her journey of re-education in the 1990's, she attacked the arts world with a new purpose: teaching others, especially children. She’s a multi-talented, warm-hearted person who deserves further recognition for her works. I especially think her 1973 album deserved further inspection. It represents a very talented young lady on the cusp of her creative breakthrough, whose voice is equally at home with the likes of Joni Mitchell and Beverly Copeland. 

                             THANKS TO CAROL LIPSON FOR HER HELP WITH THIS AND ALLOWING ME TO SHARE HER MUSIC ON YOUTUBE