Scenics News

the scenics -toronto proto-punk band

Scenics News

Thurs July 29

from PUNK HAIKU 11- August 1977- The Scenics meet Toronto Super Promoters "The Garys", and are booked to play with the Talking Heads.

I told him I had something, a tape for Gary and Gary. He said they weren’t here, but he could get it to them. I said OK, and placed our cassette into his grinning hands.

It meant so much to us, and the transaction was so simple and over so quickly. I felt like I should have said no, I’d wait and give it to them myself, but I couldn’t grab it back, (that’s too rude, I’m too Canadian) and besides, then I’d seem untrustworthy, awkward, demanding...

I said thanks and left. That was our life there."

Thurs July 22

Mike Wood at MusicEmissions.com is a fan of Sunshine World-

Along with Simply Saucer, The Scenics are one of the greatest punk bands of the old school era, though if you live outside Canada you probably never heard of them (unless you happen to have seen the 1979 documentary "The Last Pogo)... "Sunshine World"... showcases the band's ability to slide easily among punk, post-punk and no-wave, a document of a band that held its own with the likes of Buzzcocks, Sex Pistols and Pere Ubu.

Gems abound here, from the Lou Reed meets Weezer squawk of "Do The Wait" to "Great Pile of Leaves" no-fi power pop. "I'm hurt" has a classic Fall-esque choppy confidence, while "Gotta Come Back Here" is droning sludge, ala Feedtimeor Drunks With Guns. There are also two covers; The Kinks' "Where Have All The Good Times Gone" is rather pedestrian, but The Scenics whittle down Tommy James' "Mony Mony" to an abstract drone, brittle, scarred and barely recognizable.

The best track is "Wild Trout," which mixes a little Eastern, a little Outsider dementia, into post-rock irrational brilliance. As good as anything from the period, which says a lot. It all ends on a weird note, the ten minute plus "Scenic Caves," a weird blend of acid rock, ambient interludes, and fuzzy freakout.

... "Sunshine World: studio recordings 1977-78" sounds fresh and daring today as it did back then, when few were listening. The Scenics may not hit the big time this second go-round, but this peek into their past shows that they belong there."

Thanks, Mike!

Tuesday July 20

Ken's song O Boy featured on Kid Vinil's podcast outa Sao Paolo, Brazil- it's a half hour of stuff you may not have heard before...

Sun July 18

Ken Badger (back to the camera above) recently travelled from his home a couple of hours north of Toronto down to the big smoke. He hooked up with Mark Perkell (drums) and Mike Young (bass) for an intense session working two of Ken's songs into shape. In shape for what you ask?

In December of 2008 The Scenics (that would be Ken, Mark, and Mike along with Andy, who lives "way out west" in British of Columbia) headed into Toronto's swank #9 studio to lay down some tracks. It was the third time they had gotten together in 08 (their first gigs in 26 years in April, NXNE and more gigs in June, and the Last Pogo 30th anniversary concert in late Nov), and they figgered the punk was primed.

13 songs were laid down in multi-track glory (all live from the floor everybody playing together w live vox, natch, the Scenics not being some assembly line operation but a live sweatin' band!!!).

photos by Mark Tearle

With the Scenics upcoming release, their recorded-in-1978 live split disc with Simply Saucer (renowned Hamilton/Toronto proto-protopunks) rounding into shape, the Scenics eyes and ears are beginning to shift towards preparing some of that current studio stuff for 2011 release. As always these recordings feature Ken Badger and Andy Meyers originals as well as the usual choice sprinkling of covers (Dusty Springfield and Big Star anyone?)

These pics are of the current day Scenics hard at work, (not on their new recordings, but at the Toronto gig of the October 2009 Scenics mini-tour). For news on the October 2010 release of the Scenics/Simply Saucer live disc, keep posted, or keep your ears trained on a Twilight Zone 1950's style Red transistor radio picking up broadcasts from another dimension.

Fri July 16

this just in from David Mansdorf at losingtoday.com (check it out- lotsa good writing about good music, audio tracks, er-cetera!)

"Sunshine World, a collection of their studio recordings from 1977-1978, is a surprisingly tight and well produced group of songs that fans of proto-punk should investigate. For my tastes, the best songs are the more straight ahead rockers, although if you like Pere Ubu you'll want to spin "O Boy" and "So Fine". "Do The Wait" is one of the great unheard singles of the era (think Mink Deville covering "Sweet Jane") and "Wild Trout" isn't too far off from what Television was doing in their early years."

Wed July 14

Break out the Stilletos, the Sunshine World CD is reviewed in the latest Urban Male Magazine:

Here's what well-respected rocker and rockscribe Keith Carman had to say:

"One of Canada's unsung heroes of first-gen punk, The Scenics reacted to slinky art-rock made popular by New York acts such as Television, The Velvet Underground, and other Warhol-esque colleagues. However, with their sublime understanding of pushing boundaries without sacrificing grooves, their low-fidelity creations are excercises in tight, post-garage accomplishments.

Celebrated on this first ever compilation of their studio works, Sunshine World provides another case in point as to why The Scenics deserve merit for being as innovative as they were- (and now are, given their reunion)- impressive"

Tues July 6

Punk Haiku 10 is up- we're in double figures, and in this installment the Scenics go public, July 1977, and visit the local alternative radio station to talk about the state of this new punk rock thang. Also- protopunk video and audio from 1977...

it’s not about chords on paper, it’s not about playing genres of music, it’s about opening your ears and diving into what is actually unfolding. Like the way Duke and Mingus would sing parts to their horn players so they just existed in the air and in the breath. The Scenics would learn songs with out ever talking about what the chords where. So there would be room to come up with bass parts that grinded against the chords. We wouldn’t detune our strings to create dissonances. We’d just bend bass strings and find those dissonances, and ride them to that place where your ears start to vibrate funny and you feel it in your skull."

from Punk Haiku 10

Tuesday June 29

COMING OCTOBER 2010 ON DREAM TOWER RECORDS!!!

RETRO FUTURE: THE SCENICS AND SIMPLY SAUCER LIVE 1978 AND BEYOND!!!

Features TORONTO'S 2 LEGENDARY PROTO PUNK EXPLORERS CAPTURED LIVE AT THE ONLY SHOW THEY PLAYED TOGETHER- SEPT 25-26 1978, THE HORSESHOE TAVERN, TORONTO.

INCLUDES SEVERAL PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED SONGS BY BOTH SIMPLY SAUCER AND THE SCENICS!

More DETAILS TO FOLLOW!

Tuesday June 22 2010

Ace NYC music mag THE BIG TAKEOVER is celebrating it's 30th anniversary. Think about that for a sec... How many other music mags can you think of that have been around for 30 years? All I can come up with are Rolling Stone and Downbeat. As you probably know, The Big Takeover has no trouble hanging with that crowd. The anniversary issue is, as always, 184 pages (hey, big guy) jammed full of Jack Rabid and his crew writing on the famous and insane, then known and the unknowing, from scenes all around the globe. Tons of live and CD/vinyl reviews, and in-depth interviews with bands as diverse as Spoon, an unpublished Ramones interview from '92, Canada's Subhumans, The Nerves, Big Star, and the Hollies (Graham Nash). Whew. (I really appreciate the getting-the-facts-straight aspect of these interviews, considering the "what just happened?" times we live in.) At news stands now, or at bigtakeover.com

The Big Takeover had this to say about The Scenics' Punk Haiku:

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A well written blog memoir they've dubbed "Punk Haiku"...bi-weekly excerpts with photos and illustrations, along with more 1976-82 recordings ("Punk Haiku Audio") to accompany. These too merit inspection- free or by donation- including unreleased tunes and two terse versions of Television's "Little Johnny Jewel" from '76 and half-time in '80"

Tuesday June 15 2010

The Dead Boys were in the Stooges/Rolling Stones lineage- garage with a touch of glitter. Their stage shows edged towards mayhem and chaos. Their front man, Stiv Bators, was a high stepping sneerer, a punk puck taken to sticking his head inside the bass drum while Johnny Blitz pounded it. He looked like he didn't have an ounce of nutrition on his bones, and he definitely didn't give a fuck what you thought. The Dead Boys, (originally from Cleveland, descendants of pre-punk legends "Rocket From the Tombs", which also fed Pere Ubu) were the most 'no future' of the first wave of North American punk. Guitarist Cheetah Chrome (probably THE best ever rock sobriquet) had orange hair and a stunned expression like he had been kicked in the balls, and was right pissed about it.

from Punk Haiku 9, which is over here, and also features a coupla never before heard tracks from 1977 by the classic Scenics trio lineup of Ken Badger, Andy Meyers, and Brad Cooper.

(l-r Brad, Andy and Ken, 1977, pic by Brian Molyneaux)

Sunday June 13

The Belgian online muzikmag Dark Entries has just posted a review of the Scenics Sunshine World CD.

I think some things got lost in the googletranslation, but they did give us 8 out of 10 stars (thanks, didier!)

and it did include the quote

punk gets his mustard in history without leading to rumination."

Now, we at Scenics Basement-underneath-the-toy-store official hideaway have been consulting our english/google/flem dictionaries, but we haven't been able to say it any clearer than that, so we are going to let it stand, and merely add a hearty 'here here!" You can read the google version here here.

June 7

Last night at the Treehouse Cafe on Saltspring Island in BC the songwriting workshop that Andy Meyers has been leading took the stage.

Marc, Paul and Megan played a buncha new songs. It was a sweet and smooth evening (I'm not saying all the songs were soft singer-songwriter stuff, some were, some weren't, i'm just saying everything was smooth, relaxed and played for full imact and presence.)

We did two sets singing and playing together, and then Andy did a set to wrap things up, including acoustic versions of Scenics tunes I Killed Marx, and Growing Pains and Big Star's In the Street and Take Care.

Thanks to all who came out and listened and to Mark LeCorre and his boffo staff for running such a together establishement.

May 31

pics from the Scenics most recent show in Hamilton October 09:

May 24

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUUU

Tonight, "Live from Salt Spring Island it's Saturday Night!" err, no, actually it's Bobfest, Bob Dylan's birthday celebration, playing to a large and appreciative crowd at the gorgeous Treehouse Cafe. Saltspring performer David Jacquest set it up w his Rolling Stoned band performing, as well stringbands, one-mans, (like Richard Cross) & 'Trish and' (Gord).

Roots rockers Lane 31, and the Skinny Dippers played sets. Raffi (?!!) played a great Don't Think Twice, and the Scenics' Andy Ramesh Meyers played a couple of his favourites- Visions of Johanna and It's All Over Now Baby Blue.

Thanks, Bob, for the incredible amount of uber-hi quality stuff you've pumped out, to keep us feeling (and thinking) good. Thanks also to Mark LeCorre at the Treehouse for doing sound and recording the evening.

May 18

I can remember standing in Records on Wheels and seeing Horses, Talking Heads 77, Marquee Moon and the first Blondie and Ramones LPS layed out amongst the Bob Seeger, ELO and Eagles and marveling, feeling like this was way more than I ever expected there would be. There was no guarantee that any of this stuff was going to get heard- it so flew in the face of everything that rock had become- it’s rhythms were jagged, it’s guitars and vocals thin and squelchy. Rock had become totally safe and was responding incredulously to this music. Now I can look back and see these bands were building on what the Velvets and Stooges and Dolls had kept from the Kinks and Stones and Electric Dylan, and Bowie and Roxy and Bolan were doing it big time in England (Always more style than in the good old USA, and Canada full of bearded rustics and really good folk singers,) but from 72 to 78 bands playing this sort of music had to keep the faith and do it because that was the only way thru that they knew."

From PUNK HAIKU 8, which also features never before heard pre-recording versions of SUNSHINE WORLD tunes I'm Hurt and Scenic Caves. (PUNK HAIKU is a blog about the proto-punk years and the Scenics.)

May 10

walked into my local newstand and, as I often do, bought a copy of the UK's UNCUT magazine. This time, however, the accompanying proto-punk CD includes Do The Wait by the Scenics, from the Sunshine World CD. (it's a great cd- Dolls, MC5, Groovies, Heartbreakers, Stooges, SImply Saucer, Monks, Death, etc etc etc!)

May 2

Have belatedly found out that our Sunshine World CD snuck into the "top 100 CDs of 2009" chart from Montreal's CKUT radio. #93. A big Merci! and best of luck to Les Habs!

April 30

The Scenics 2 CDs, Sunshine World, and How Does it Feel to be Loved: The Scenics play the Velvet Underground, are now available in the UK through Shellshock Distribution.

Any UKites (?) who like what they heard of the Scenics on the UNCUT magazine CD can order copies thru:

online, and you can indeed walk right through the door of any UK record/cd purveyor and request some Scenics forthwith thru the aforementioned Shellshock. Cheers!

(You can also do that at your local store in the USA thru Carrot Top and Revolver Distributers, and in Canada thru Scratch and Sonic Unyon Distributers.)

April 27

ROCK ROCK ROCK ROCK ROCK N ROLL HI SCHOOL....

Here's a letter that radio station CHUM sent to Gary Topp, Toronto promoter extraordinaire of punk and beyond, while Gary was in High School in 1964. Gary had written CHUM asking them to play the Rolling Stones, fer cryin out loud! (Gary says "I wrote it during geometry class. I remember doing it vividly".)

The powers that be wrote back to say they couldn't play the Stones because they "didn't like to bathe"?!?!?!

A fascinating window into an early rock era- thanks for keeping it, Gary, and thanks for sharing it!

What's it got to do with the Scenics story? To find out, head on over to Punk Haiku 7

April 19

We recieved one of the more entertaining reviews of our oeuvre (french for egg, kinda, doncha know) from Mr Chris Stigliano, whose Black to Comm fanzine has morphed into Blogg to Comm.

The Scenics-SUNSHINE WORLD, HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE LOVED CDs (Dream Tower, Canada)

With a title like SUNSHINE WORLD I would've expected some hefty peacenlove vibes more akin to the mellow out early-seventies mindset, but this tinkler ain't exactly alternative pus the kind we know and love 2010 (or 2000, 1990, 1980...) style! Naw, the Scenics, benefiting from their seventies origins, are way beyond the whole hippie shuck 'n jive presenting us with a platter that not only comes off late-seventies original (in the face of pale imitation punk and water-weak "high energy" musings), but knows how to put up a killer racket with just three members! This ain't no power trio scrangling a la fellow countrymen Triumph, since the Scenics knew how to put up a holler that really does make me reminisce about all of those records I wanted so bad back in '77 only fortunately they were gonna be cutout by year's end anyway so why spend a lotta bucks when you can end up savin'!.

Mighty original stuff for the time too. Well, not totally original but at least the Scenics knew enough to "swipe" from the very best. Most of the time they do remind me of Simply Saucer Mark II with their smartpop punkiness that seemed to go against the grain of the more UK-defiled, while on "O Boy" I even flashed back to John's Children mainly because singer/guitarist Ken Badger sounds like he's vocalizing a rewrite of "Strange Affair"! Let's just say that if you're expecting punk rock rewrites with all of the fury yet none of the spark this might disappoint a bit. As if I have to second-guess everything that goes through all your collective beanies this late in the game.

The Scenics' other offering entitled HOW DOES IT FEEL Cee-Dee really had me thinking "throw for a loop" time. I mean can ya believe it, another Velvet Underground tribute album in a world already saturated with Velvets tributes from all of those wanky acts we've been feasting off the corpse once that became safe! And really, how many faint praises passing as tributes from reams of bright 'n bushy amerindie types have we been subject to these past thirty years. Sheesh, it's like one can't even walk into a bar or pass some buskers onna street w/o some perky Mary Tyler Moore 2010 type saying "Here's a song by a group called the Velvet Underground" before launching into one of the lamest versions of "Sweet Jane" imaginable! But hey, the Scenics are different if only because their entire oeuvre is based on a seventies fanboy base 'stead of the eighties/nineties/oh-ohs watered-down variety and this disque does the proverbial cooking because of it!

Appearing on this release are nothing but hotcha covers of a whole buncha VU familiars done live or in the rehearsal outhouse with that low-fidelity 99-cent cassette feeling that adds to the knotty-pine-ness of it all. It even can boast of a ten-minute closer of "Sister Ray" that seems more of a rewrite of that venerable number the same way the Pink Fairies re-did it as "Uncle Harry's Last Freak Out" or Eno and Phil Manzanara's "Miss Shapiro" for that matter. And as far these "tributes" go HOW DOES IT FEEL succeeds if only because these songs were recorded at a time when being a fan and follower of the VU was kinda like being the member of an advanced race that knew all the true meanings of life and energy, along with the myopic self-absorption that goes along with it. REM should've been tied up and made to listen to this until they cried for mama's boobies!"

April 17

Thanks to the wonders of social networking, I spent the other morning having a brief flurry of correspondence with uber-ace Talking Heads/Tom Tom Club drummer (and producer) Chris Frantz, in between bouts of dealing with a ground water issue that was threatening my septic system. This is the modern world.

As a music-obsessed youth in the late 70s, few things matched the thrill of the lights coming up on The Heads plugging in on stage. You knew it was going to be amazing, and it always was.

I posted Punk Haiku 5 (which includes the story of the first time Ken and I saw Talking Heads in January 77) on Chris's Facebook page, and he posted his memories of that event, from the other side of the drum stool:

These two gigs in Toronto were our first shows outside the New York City area. It was so exciting for us to get such a warm reception. Then we got snowed in by a blizzard and spent a couple of days hanging our with A.A. Bronson and Jorge Zontal until the roads and the Peace Bridge were opened. Good times!

(note: Bronson and Zontal were founding members of the activist art collective GENERAL IDEA)

To read what it was like seeing the Talking Heads for the first time, (when they were still a trio, no less), you can go to PUNK HAIKU

April 11

Scenics Ken Badger, Mark Perkell, and Mike Young convened at Ken's palatial country retreat (his home near Owen Sound, Ontario) to have some fun, work on some tunes old and new- fat was chewed, harmonies sang, guitars throttled. Andy, meanwhile, stayed home in B.C. having a lovely weekend with extended family.

Scenics' bassist Mike Young's other gig is as guitar-slinger/songwriter for Toronto Alt-Country rockers Ride'em Cowboy. They have just released their first CD, Grace, and enjoyed a very successful CD release show at the Cadillac Lounge in ole T.O. You can get info and hear their stuff if you mosey over yonder.

April 6

Here are the details about the UNCUT magazine CD- who's on it, what they play et-cet-era.

Feast your eyes- the ears will have to follow. That is, unless you are in the UK, where the mag has already hit the stands.

mmmm, musical mayhem.....

April 1.

Hope all are well and getting a chance to connect with some family and friends this long weekend. You know, feel that good stuff.

Scenics co-founder, Songwriter, Singer, guitar-wrangler Ken Badger is gonna sit down with the crew from the new film that Colin Brunton (director of the Last Pogo) is putting together. (working title- "The Last Pogo Jumps Again: A Biased and Incomplete History of Toronto Punk Rock Circa Sept. 24 1976 To Dec 1 1978.) (I dunno. I think it needs a longer title, don't you?)

Ken, (seen above) was the guy who pointed to the far shore when he and Andy pushed their tiny boat into the mighty ocean of sound. He knew where he wanted to go, even if he didn't know where the journey would end up taking them, or exactly what it would sound like when they got there. Looking forward to hearing what he has to say to them film-folk.

Andy, (seen below), meanwhile was the guy who knew there was something thrilling to be done musically, but didn't know what it was. Upon leaving high school, he posted an ad in a Toronto music store, and received one reply. From Ken.

Mar 31

the May 2010 UNCUT mag has hit the newstands in blighty. (that's UK for you non, er, blights.) If you're a rockenroll fan, you probably know what a cool mag it is, and how consistently good their cover CDs are. We here in Scenics land are stoked coz Andy's song Do the Wait from the Sunshine World Cd is sharing earspace on this month's disc w the Flaming Groovies, Stooges, MC5, Heartbreakers, NY Dolls, the Sonic Rendevouz Band, and fellow Ontari-ari-ari-o protopunkers Simply Saucer.

Do the Wait was recorded in the summer of 77, and features Andy on guitar and vocals, Ken on bass and vocals, and fellow Scenic Bradley Cooper on drums.

Mag will be on sale in North America more like the middle of May.

Mar 28

The latest Maximum Rock n Roll Magazine features a 6 page transcription of Greg Dick's interview w Last Pogo DVD director Colin Brunton about, well, the Last Pogo DVD , and Toronto punk circa '78. The following illustration accompanies the interview, and features various Toronto Punk Handbills, mostly from the Horseshoe Tavern, 1978.

It contains posters for:

one of the best shows I ever saw- the Contortions (original 'No New York" lineup, no less) with Teenage Jesus and the Jerks and Toronto favs The Government.

a couple of the best shows i missed- John Cale at the New Yorker (heard a tape) and Suicide at the 'Shoe (heard the stories.)

also the world premiere of the Last Pogo Film, 1979 w the Buzzcocks, Viletones, and Gang of Four. THAT was a good 'un.

the Troggs, Viletones and Scenics show is where we played the version of "Real Good Time" that is on this.

Mar 17

And now such sad news. Alex Chilton, singer, songwriter, guitar-playing iconoclast, has died at 59.

Big Star's music has always been incredibly important to the Scenics. RIP.

Here's a video of pictures of Alex set to the Scenics playing his heartbreaking ballad Take Care.

Mar 15

WOW!!! Incredible news!!! Editor Allan Jones has chosen Do the Wait from the Scenics' Sunshine World CD to be on the free cover CD of the May, 2010, UNCUT Magazine. That will hit the news stands around April 1 (could be 2-3 weeks later if you are not in the UK.) That's the issue after this one:

And will feature a cover interview with Iggy Pop and James Williamson on the new "Raw POWER" re-issue.

The CD has a 'proto-punk' theme, and also features our friends in the Hamilton, Ontario band Simply Saucer, with their song Return of the Cyborgs Pt 2.

Uncut is a British Music Magazine (circulation 75,000), one of the best, I think, and features monthly a lovingly curated CD. Some of my favorite CDs I have purchased in the last few years have been UNCUT discs.

March 9

"Seeing the Ramones take the stage was stunning, it was as if they were going to shoot themselves out of a cannon. You’d seen the pictures, you’d heard the record, but now these four boys were offering up a scientific proof by performing their unimaginable recasting of the rock form in person. There was no man behind the curtain to ignore.

The audience was right on edge, really excited, - lots of noise, shouting, applause, even a few “1-2-3-4”s- their amps belched loudly as they plugged in, Deedee thumping his bass like a caveman testing out a new club, Johnny building up a wall of feedback as Joey stood stock-still centre stage, brushing his hair back from his sunglasses. He loomed forward- “Good evening, we’re the Ramones, you’re a loudmouth baby you better shut it up”, Deedee barked "1234" and they were here. " Punk Haiku 4 here

March 2

And here's a review that our friends at Moltencore passed along. Not exactly a new piece of press, it comes from 1979! It's a review from the fine Toronto rock mag Shades Magazine, of our Bomb records LP "Underneath the Door". It's penned by a "captain sensible". No, not from the Damned- James Booth of CBC radio 3 admits to showing a lack of originality in grabbing the last minute sobriquet- by the next issue he had more sensibly become 'James Sensible'. Who ever he was, to Paraphase Sally Fields: "He likes us, he really likes us.

Feb 27

Working feverishly (103? f) behind the scenes on some stuff we can't talk about yet. that and just general tightening up of this site, and our music store, dreamtowerrecords.com. Have you noticed that for a band site, there is not a lot of actual music up? We have.

If you want to hear the Sunshine World CD, the easiest place to go is here. But you gotta click on the song titles to interrupt their regular stream and hear the Scenics.

And if you would like to see videos of the Scenics- live and studio stuff? Here you go.

Feb 23

"Bands were releasing eps, 45s with 3-5 songs on it, which suggested a connection with 60s British pop and mod music. Conciseness in songwriting and arrangement and deportment favored again, not the bloated rock stars taking up a huge amount of space, and again, unlike the standard household rock star, danger being part of the mix again. “Gimme danger”- Iggy Pop and the Velvet Underground and New York Dolls recognized not as dead end oddities, but known by the unscattered diaspora who had heard those albums and knew that they weren’t crazy..."

Punk Haiku 3 continued here.

Feb 17

Just got a copy of my favorite review of the Last Pogo DVD, by the Montreal Cartoonist Rick Trembles, originally appearing in the Montreal Mirror:

Feb 10 2010

Punk Haiku has begun!!! a bi-weekly blog that combines:

-excerpts from Andy Meyers' fly-on-the-wall memoir of the do-it-yrself first wave of punk 1976-82

-audio tracks hand-picked from the Scenics' archive of over 300 hours of music recorded on-the-spot, just hit-the-tape-deck, back in those pre-digi days!!!

get caught up with the story and the sounds right here.

Jan 25 2010

Scenics CDs:

How Does it Feel to be Loved: The Scenics play the Velvet Underground

and

Sunshine World: Studio recordings 1977/78

available at CD Baby.

and at the Scenics online store.

Also- if you walk into any CD store in North America, they should be able to order you a copy. distributed by Scratch and Sonic Unyon in Canada, and thru Super D in the U S of A.

Jan 18 2010

Scenics' drummer Mark Perkell, (l), with Screamin' Sam Ferrera, Toronto artist and Viletone and Ugly bass-playin' legend, at the Gladstone release party for Liz Worth's book, Treat Me Like Dirt. Photograph by Michael Dent.

Jan 14 2010

Our friends at the Last Pogo post a couple of links for donating to the aid relief in Haiti. Helping out is definitely the punk thing to do. The story coming from Port au Prince is heartbreaking- aid has begun to arrive, but there is so much more needed.

Dec 31 2009

Andy Meyers is mastering Montreal no-wave pop band Denial Tone's 7 song EP- soon to be available on the Dream Tower Records site. As well, he is doing a dub version of one of the songs from Victoria, BC reggae/latin band Buena Buya.

And- hey- it's New Years Eve tonight- "I hope it's a good one, without any fear".

May all beings be at peace.

Dec 25 2009

Happy Christmas/Holidays etc everyone- hope you are with loved ones and feeling some warmth on this cold night.

We Just rec'd some photos Toronto photog Mark Tearle took when we played the El mocambo in October. Here's an eg:

Dec 21 2009

appreciate the spin that Jack Rabid gives us on the latest Rabid in the Kennel broadcast on Breakthru Radio. (if you go there, it's the big takeover show on Dec 21 you are looking for, pt 2 of Sloan. the dec 14 one is part one of Sloan. get it?)

Jack talks with Canadian power-pop masters Sloan, who also play live in the studio. Jack spins the Scenics' "O Boy" around 51 minutes in (cool! Thanks Jack!). Then Jack spins the Viletones' "Possibilities" and says several right-on thangs about the Sunshine World CD, The Last Pogo film, and Toronto proto-punk in general. Sloan are, as always, great, so it's worth a listen, ya'know?

if you haven't seen the new copy of The Big Takeover, as always- a ton of cool stuff, interviews with Sonic Youth, Big Star, Swervedriver, etc, and great reviews of Sunshine World and How Does it Feel to be Loved.

All in all, 170 glorious pages of ace r'n'r reading!!!

Dec 15 2009

The Scenics' online store is operating- Dream Tower Records. Both Scenics CDs are available for sale, and are available as either flac or mp3 downloads for the same low price! also available- copies of the 1981 Karen/See Me Smile 7" 45 rpm vinyl. Coming soon to Dream Tower- Montreal no-wave pop band Denial Tone and proteus-punkers Simply Saucer! Stay tuned for details in January.

Dec 10 2009

Toronto writer Liz Worth's book "Treat Me Like Dirt: an Oral History of Punk in Toronto and Beyond" is back from the printer and will be in stores soon-like!!!

It, well, spills the dirt on first wave punk in Toronto, London, Hamilton, etc, coz Liz talked to everybody!!!

we will keep yuh posted!

A further note from liz..

it will be available for sale in Toronto at a couple of events this weekend.

Tomorrow, Saturday, December 12, it will be for sale at the Toronto Small Press Book Fair at the Gladstone Hotel:

TIME: 10 am-5 pm (presses should be on-site by 9:30 at the latest—doors open at 9 am)

ADDRESS: 1214 Queen Street West, Toronto M6J 1J6

And on Sunday, it will be available at the Toronto Hardcore Record Swap:

Sunday December 13th

Wrongbar 1279 Queen West

11AM - 5PM All Ages General Admission $5

November 29 2009

rave review of Sunshine World CD syndicated across Canada- Toronto Sun, 24 hours Vancouver, Sudbury Star, etc.

The Scenics

Sunshine World: Studio Recordings 1977-78

Proto-punk

****

If a band makes an album and nobody hears it, does it still rock? It sure does. Three decades after the the fact, recently reunited Toronto punks The Scenics have finally issued a sophomore disc — this long-lost batch of wiry Television guitars, black Velvets art-rock, Pere Ubu yelping and the freakiest Tommy James cover you’ve ever heard. Stay tuned for a new CD in 2039 or so. Download: Do the Wait, Mony Mony

for the record, we expect our next cd to be out in 2010, from sessions The Scenics recorded late November 2008.

November 28 2009

The Scenics' online store is up and running at Dream Tower Records. All of The Scenics' available recordings, at way reasonable prices!!!

November 28 2009

The Scenic's feel some love in Jack Rabid's review of Sunshine World in The Big Takeover:

They filtered Lou Reed, and brand new contemporaries Talking Heads, Richard Hell, and Television into a Big Apple amalgam, adding Big Star’s picking power-pop funneled into early XTC’s vigor, via clipped guitars, busy, sharp-edged bass, rhythmic drums, and idiosyncratic, loopy vocals—and made it all sound uniquely theirs with their own slant, which is crucial. There’s even noise rock and free jazz hints. Like The Last Pogo, this spiky-tinged-tension collection is another tireless example of the wired nervous-energy, creative, nascent punk era (look how they subvert Tommy James and Kinks songs!), caught rawer and harder that their rare, lone 1980 Bomp! LP, Underneath the Door. What a pleasure to hear Sunshine—it’s like time travel! (More time travel: The band reunited around Pogo in 2008—leaders Ken Badget and Andy Meyers with two vintage members—and has remained active!)

Meanwhile, as if to bring it all back home to the godfathers of every band named above, the Scenics prove they weren’t/aren’t afraid to honor stylistic debt by compiling an entire album of Velvets covers they blasted on various Toronto stages from 1977-81. While that might sound so-so, unlike many who’ve covered Lou Reed and John Cale’s visionaries, they got the point; similar to Sunshine’s Kinks and James covers, they play decade-old songs as it they’d written them, in their Verlaine/Byrne/Hell-updated panache. How is less essential than Sunshine—but equally fun.

November 21 2009

hmmm, j jack flash, suspicious minds elvis, 3 angels dylan, super bad and capt beefheart, crashing in the same car, tammy wynette, ella and johnny hodges, john cale and nat king cole? musta been ALLOWED SOUND RADIO- and it's happening again tonight 10-12 pm est. Hosted by Andy from the Scenics.

November 18 2009

Here's a good pic for a picture sleeve 45 of Scenics' song I'm Hurt:

You can hear I'm Hurt here, 2nd last song on the page.

November 14 2009

A late night interview that popular Montreal music/cultcha blog Midnight Poutine conducted with Scenics' drummer Mark Perkell (seen below, and for an extra $50 he'll play totally naked) has surfaced- it is indeed a striking glimpse behind the glamourous curtain that is rock n roll.

November 11 2009

All the songs from Sunshine World are streaming on the Scenics' CBC radio 3 page

November 11 2009

Let us Never Forget that war is an abomination.

Nov 10 2009

from CHART ATTACK''s review of SUNSHINE WORLD:

The Scenics' "In The Summer" needs to supplant "Seasons In The Sun" as the finest Canadian summer anthem ever. 4/5

November 8 2009

The Scenics Dream Tower Records store site is almost up- which means we can soon start to bring you a steady stream of Scenics, Proto Punk, Noise Rawk, Ambient/Improvisational, and Roots CDs.

November 6 2009

"Do the Wait" from the Sunshine World CD shines on nationally syndicated radio program ExploreMusic.

It's one of their 5 SONGS YOU GOTTA HEAR TODAY

October 21 2009

Scenics mini tour over- amazing shows in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, London, and Hamilton. Many thanks to all who helped put it together, and all who came out. The Scenics truly sounded better than ever. Here's O Boy from Hamilton, the last night of the tour.

O BOY/ HAMILTON OCT 18 2009

Length: 4:07 minutes (5.66 MB)
Format: MP3 Stereo 44kHz 192Kbps (CBR)

Oct 18 2009

Here's the Scenics in Hamilton before the last show of their mini-tour.

l-r guitar/vocals songwriter Ken Badger. drums/vocals Mark Perkell. guitar/vocals songwriter Andy Meyers.

bass/vocals Mike Young.

Oct 15 2009

Here's what the Montreal Mirror's Punkaraucous Rex column had to say about the Scenics-

this should prove to be a once-in-a-lifetime event. Largely unappreciated when they originally existed between 1976 and 1981, these underground icons merged Pere Ubu’s dementia, Television’s panoramic guitar work, Big Star’s pop prowess and the Ramones’ urgency. Adding further ballast for the night is the bratty punk of Denial Tone.

Denial Tone were indeed a lovely racket- further news about them forthcoming from thescenics.com.

October 13 Official release date for the Sunshine World CD!

you can order it at any CD store in Canada thru Scratch/Sonic Unyon distributing.

It will soon be available for download or mail order thru our Dream Tower Records online store.

“It wasn't so much that The Scenics were ahead of their time in 1977, it's more that almost everybody else didn't even know what time it was. The Scenics were on top of it though, grabbing the freedom promised by punk's first blush, and incorporating their own smarts. The group pulled sophisticated musical tricks that no bands had before considered. New York had Talking Heads, and England was blessed with XTC, but here was their equal in Toronto and they never got the necessary push and support. It's fabulous we finally have the evidence, but it's a drag we haven't been able to enjoy it for the past 30 years.”

Bob Mersereau, author of "The Top 100 Canadian Albums"

A couple of music fiends are grooving on the Scenics in anticipation of the "Sunshine World" mini tour- due to open in Toronto this evening:

Film-maker, punk historian and good time boy Colin Brunton at the Last Pogo.net:

and Steve Mclean- music journalist with a C.V. longer than your arm.

Steve sez:

The Scenics are one of the secrets of Canadian music that shouldn't be secret any longer.

Oct 10, 2009

Do the Wait, from the Sunshine World CD, makes the Toronto Star's Anti-Hit List

Sept 15 2009

ADVANCE PRAISE for SUNSHINE WORLD

“It wasn't so much that The Scenics were ahead of their time in 1977, it's more that almost everybody else didn't even know what time it was. The Scenics were on top of it though, grabbing the freedom promised by punk's first blush, and incorporating their own smarts. The group pulled sophisticated musical tricks that no bands had before considered. New York had Talking Heads, and England was blessed with XTC, but here was their equal in Toronto and they never got the necessary push and support. It's fabulous we finally have the evidence, but it's a drag we haven't been able to enjoy it for the past 30 years.”

Bob Mersereau, author of the "the Top 100 Canadian Albums"

"Brainy crackpot art-pop with an ear for off-kilter melody, a headful of magic and twitchy grooves to burn. It's a sin the Scenics have left such a faint mark on punk-rock history -- Canadian and otherwise -- but now we can start to make things right: the reborn cult starts here."

Ben Rayner, Toronto Star

“The world's premier Velvet Underground interpreters are back with a new sizzling platter of studio songs originally recorded between 1977 and 1978. Needless to say their genetically-infused VU sound is on display as expected, but it's their poppy art rock and trippy jazzbo excursions which'll leave you sonically sated and wondering why most of today's bands are incapable of sounding half as good!”

Jeffrey Morgan, authorized biographer of Alice Cooper and The Stooges

JUNE 18, 2009

Here's some of the Treat Me Like Dirt artwork

LIZ WORTH'S oral history of Toronto, London and Hamilton punk rock TREAT ME LIKE DIRT is finally approaching release. It's a killah read, and advance copies can be advanced through Bongo Beat. congrats, Liz!

JUNE 12, 2009
Another Last Pogo review, from the fanzime RAZORCAKES

“ Of course, Teenage Head and The Viletones are here, which is to be expected, but I was truly taken aback by how much I dug the other bands on here, especially The Scenics. Visually, the film is a sight to behold: classic grainy, ‘70s film at its finest featuring a bunch of weirdoes in a really smoky bar playing strange music. I love it! It really reminds me of a live Stompin’ Tom Connors movie from the same era. Something about the vibe of this film is distinctly Canadian and I like that. I’d like to think that in any city across this country that a riot would break out if you cut Teenage Head off after one song. This is a great little history lesson that I would recommend to anyone.”

MAY 15, 2009
Getting back into finishing the mix of SUNSHINE WORLD the upcoming CD of scenics' studio recordings from 1977 and 78. Really exciting to hear the recordings taking on a new shine. Mastering coming up, and then a September release. (you can here original 70's mixes of some of the tunes HERE, under “Studiio Recordings”, 1977.

APRIL 19, 2009
You can keep up with scenics via Facebook .

The Last Pogo DVD continues to receive killer reviews:

AUSTIN CHRONICLE, TEXAS:

…neatly captured the sneer and swagger of 30-year-old punk without snickering or jabbing you in the ribs. The beauty of The Last Pogo is that it is Everypunk’s story. Skinny ties, nerdy lead singers, angry young men, short songs with sharp chords. The brief interviews reveal bursts of enthusiasm, passionate, ideological beliefs, plus the usual in-fighting between bands.

MONTREAL MIRROR

Finally seeing the light of day this week, three decades after its initial completion in 1979, is this short film by director Colin Brunton. Dec. 1, 1978, Toronto’s famed Horseshoe Tavern. Although a little light on the goods, there are great live performances by all the bands that played on the bill—the Cardboard Brains, the Secrets, the Mods, the Ugly, the Viletones (!) and, for my money, one of Canada’s best punk rock ’n’ roll bands, Teenage Head. Things are indeed a little lean here, but the bonus footage of a cable TV performance by highly underrated Scenics proves quality will always win out over quantity.

METRO, CANADA The Last Pogo, which is like Martin Scorsese’s The Last Waltz, only with fewer stars and higher decibels. The Last Pogo comes off like a great punk song — short (26 minutes) and unsweet. You don’t have to be a punk aficionado to enjoy this documentary, which hits theatres Tuesday. The camera work on Pogo is exceptional, and Brunton and Lee effectively mix interviews with concert footage from the club.

HERE COMES THE FLOOD
(DUTCH FANZINE)

with bonus footage of The Scenics playing their surprisingly new wave sounding stuff with off beat lyrics about wanting to go out, catch a fish and eat it. Not exactly punk, but back then acts like the Talking Heads were branded as a punk band too.

Long live the LAST POGO!!!

MARCH 1, 2009
Magic Teeth Records releases a very cool CD of covers of Rusty WIlloughby songs. Rusty was songwriter for Seattle band Flop , who were too cool to cash in on Grunge wave in the 90's. Rusty has continued to make very original records, and this CD rocks! (it brings to mind a less cerebral elvis costello- funny, intelligent off the cuff lyrics in hot, well-crafted rock/pop songs). CD was mastered by Andy Meyers at his Allowed Sound Studio. info[AT]magicteeth.ca
We are going to be taking some time away from Scenic central- we'll check back in a little later in the spring- enjoy the budding of the buds, buzzing of the bees, and various spring etcs!

FEBRUARY 15, 2009
THE LOST HAVE BEEN FOUND! scenics drummer (circa july 77- Feb 80) Brad Cooper has emerged from the mists of time. As longest serving scenic (after Ken and Andy) we have been hunting for Brad's whereabouts, with no success, until a friend of a friend of Brad's heard about the reconstituted scenics and told Brad's sister, who told Brad, who is-
Living in a small coastal town in Florida with Suzzette Urs, his artist wife.
Well no wonder we couldn't find him. Brad always hated the cold, and we had a gas talking over old times, and letting him know that his music, which seemed to confuse a lotta folk back in the day in Toronto, was being so well received in '08. That's Brad playing on 4 tunes on the back half of the “How Does it Feel to be Loved” CD, and in particular that is Brad driving 10+ minutes of “Sister Ray”. Welcome back to the scenic circle Brad. Now the only person still MIA is scenic's producer Barry Steinberg. Will we find him before we release “Sunshine World” (in Sept 09), the CD of recordings we made with him in 1977? stay tuned....

JANUARY 21, 2009
SCENICS GO TOP 10: ‘How Does it Feel to be Loved: The Scenics play the Velvet Underground’ has made Jeffrey Morgan's “Top 10 CDs of 2008” ballot in NYC's esteemed Village Voice newspaper. What's extra sweet is that Jeffrey was one of our favorite critics when he wrote for Creem magazine back in the day. We also made top 10 of '08 in the Detroit Metro Times' “Media Blackout” column.

You may have noticed that our “Punk Haiku” blog has been interrupted- once we got going with it, we realized we needed to do things a bit differently, and so we are recalibrating for a bigger and better presentation in mid-February.

Punk Haiku is an original memoir which tells the story of the Scenics and the heady musical years of 1976-82.
We will be picking the story up when Andy Meyers met Ken Badger and the Scenics began. If you'd like to read Andy's view of what led to that (starting with his being born on the day of Lennon and McCartney's first gig together (!), go HERE

Happy, healthy New Year to all, and to our long-suffering American friends, may you finally have the President you deserve!

DECEMBER 12, 2008

Look at this! The most fun review The Last Pogo movie to date, written and drawn by Montreal’s Rick Trembles , of many things including the band American Devices.

DECEMBER 5, 2008
Mongrel Zine , a grrrrreat Vancouver Garage rock Zine published by primo punk painter Bob Scott drops issue #4 today. Comes with is a 22 SONG COMP CD, a barrage of garage, featuring many unreleased tracks by some of Canada's best with a wrench and a guitar. Nestling in there very comfortably is “O BOY” by the Scenics , a duophonic audio version of the filmed special feature track on “The Last Pogo” DVD.

Mongrel Zine is both a fun garage rock read and an artfully put together mag. And the CD is hot! $5 will get you a copy HERE
you can read the June 2008 interview that Andy from the Scenics did with Whatwave Dave from London's CHRW HERE (from Mongrel Zine 2)

NOVEMBER 29, 2008
The Scenics play live to a sold out, packed Horseshoe Tavern as part of the 30th anniversary “Last Pogo” Show. Bands also appearing that night - The Ugly, The Mods, Steven Leckie and the Solutions, Mickey DeSadist , and Cardboard Brains .
Colin Brunton was there filming with a five Camera crew, Live sound was great and the room was hopping. It was a tremendous amount of fun, and numerous faces were seen for the first time in numerous years. For an in depth accounting of the night with lots o' poppin pics, go HERE.

NOVEMBER 22-27, 2008
The Scenics have three days of long rehearsals followed by 3 long days of recording at Toronto's #9 Studio. IT WAS A BLAST!!! Rehearsals were long because we were recording a bunch of material that was new to us (“The Farmer” , a new 8 minute psycho-grind of Ken's, “Miami”, a song of Andy's from 1981 that this line up had never done). 13 songs recorded with vocals, written from 1977-2008. 7 of them new to us, only a couple were things we really knew pre-rehearsal. Bernie Cisternas , ace head engineer, and Neale Ramakrishnan in the front office took good care of us, and ensured that the sessions were very creative.
The plan for these recordings? release in late 2009. Still lots of work to do with them.

NOVEMBER 21, 2008
Andy Meyers , flying in to Toronto from B.C., went straight to the Horseshoe Tavern to see the fabulous Fleshtones drench the audience with Super Rock. Ken Fox, bassist with the Fleshtones since the late 80s, was in the Scenics 1980-82. Still a warm, relaxed, open hearted dude with a big bottom (bass, that is)- it was great to see him get the crowd hopping, and a treat to sit and talk and get caught up.

NOVEMBER 2, 2008
The Scenics receive shout out from AIDS wolf, Montreal band setting hearts abeat with their “danceable noise rock”. They are in the midst of a 31 date North American tour (yeah!) and listed The Scenics' CD as #6 on a top ten that included 1960s distorted psych from Mali, “Wozzeck”, Donna Summer live and the U of Minnesota Marching Band . Of the Scenics they said:

“6. The Scenics - Play the Velvet Underground - How Does it Feel To be Loved (Dream Tower Records) Recently released, unearthed tapes of some scrappy Ontario boys belting out VU covers in various Toronto clubs circa ‘79-80. No frills, no skills versions of all your faves by some no-name jammers from hogtown. Lovely. (Alex)” ;

Whole list is pretty entertaining reading: check it out at http://aidswolfs.blogspot.com/

As well, The Last Pogo 30th Anniversary show is heating up with plenty of buzz. Hope we see you there- tickets are going fast!

OCTOBER 14, 2008
LAST POGO DVD RELEASED ON DREAM TOWER RECORDS
26 minute film on Toronto Punk, filmed in 1978. Includes 20 minute special feature- Scenics filmed live in 1978. For more info click HERE.

OCTOBER 14, 2008
SCENICS LAUNCH “PUNK HAIKU” BLOG
a weekly blog serializing Andy Meyers' memoir of 1976-82, the Scenics, and the sounds/sights of those years. Described by Toronto concert promoter Gary Topp as

“The best writing I have read about those years. You really captured the time”,

and by Andy Meyers as

“Like 'Waiting for Godot' with a bar tab”.

Punk Haiku Still to come (will start in November) is the weekly audio blog "the Box", 2 songs a week from the Scenics' library of 300+ hours of tape.

OCTOBER 6, 2008
Reviews have begun to pour in for the LAST POGO DVD. Margaret Moser from the Austin Chronicle said:

“ The beauty of The Last Pogo is that it is Everypunk’s story. Skinny ties, nerdy lead singers, angry young men, short songs with sharp chords. ”

Jack Rabid wrote in The Big Takeover (issue 63):

“ Wow! I’ve been hearing about this 25-minute movie for 29 years, and it’s amazing to view it now! What a window to a time that was rarely documented: the pre-hardcore, original punk era when it was astonishingly fresh, creative, rule-busting, and shot full of newborn energy/excitement. It’s Toronto, December 3, 1978, a three-camera, good-sounding film (not video) of seven bands (one song each) playing at the farewell concert of premier punk club, The Horseshoe Tavern. The stars are Teenage Head and The Viletones, known from collectible singles—but not footage. Lesser known openers prove equally supercharged, fascinating, and varied. The Scenics open like a Canadian Velvet Underground; Cardboard Brains are more The Weirdos vein; The Secrets add a taste of R&B/Skulls/Vibrators/U.K. Subs groove; The Ugly ripsnort through a Dead Boys/Ramones dirty shockwave; and The Mods are Jam clones to a “ t ” (or a suit and skinny tie!), but they’re excellent, fierce, and tight; Nazi Dog’s Viletones make magically menacing three-chord rock, and, in the one song they were allowed before cops stopped the show and punters rioted, Teenage Head cooks a classic rock ‘n’ roll infested chaos. Beyond that, is how vivid this film is, of a scene and underground moment it captures. It’s not just the dancing and pogoing creatively dressed, jazzed, skinny people—no idiot slam dancing and sneers—or the notorious sweaty buzz the crowd gets from seven wired, wiry bands, or the pleasant sight of punk’s front row ringed with women—led by impossibly cute punkette co-host Margarita Passion. It’s that this was an art-meets-music lightning flash the likes of which has never been replicated. Short but absolutely essential history comes alive! ”

The Last Pogo DVD comes out on October 14th, And showcases a sizzling seven song Scenics' set in the special features.
For purchase info, go to thelastpogo.net

SEPTEMBER 8, 2008
Brand new review of our CD “How Does it Feel to be Loved: The Scenics play the Velvet Underground” (from Chicago’s “Roctober” Magazine , issue #45)

“ Hard to believe that this is actually an essential record, but it is. The Scenics were a Canadian Punk band circa 76 and they recorded a lot of their shows. Over their five or so years as a band they covered 10 Velvets songs, and hearing these high intensity, innovative, sincere, lofi recordings is magnificient. There is more room in Velvets songs than you'd imagine. This ends with an epic cacophonous “Sister Ray” , but it's the more subtle transgressions on songs like “I'll be your mirror” and “beginning to see the light” that make this a must have. ”

Player	Title
	what goes on
	sister ray
	i'm set free
	new age
	real good time
	i'll be your mirror
	heard her call my n
	here she comes now
	beginning to see th_0
	beginning to see th
	waiting for my man