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

 

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

 

 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

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. ”

More on CD

SEPTEMBER 1, 2008
The Last Pogo DVD to be released on Dreamtower
Colin Brunton's half hour film on Toronto punk, “The Last Pogo” , (filmed in 1978 and fresh from closing the 2008 NXNE film festival), is being released on DVD on The Scenics’ own Dream Tower Records imprint!

This fun (fab) film features The Scenics playing Ken's “I Wanna Touch” , as well as performances by Toronto Punkstars Teenage Head, The Viletones, The Ugly, The Mods, The Secrets, and Cardboard Brains! (OK- can't let that pass- the Head are, of course, from Hammertown.) It also include interviews with the Head, Viletones, and The Garys (Toronto Promoters Gary Topp and Gary Cormier) , who have been turning on audiences since the early 70’s by bringing in everyone from Pere Ubu to Sun Ra to William Burroughs.

DVD special features include seven songs by the Scenics , filmed live in a (small, sorta shabby) TV studio in 1978!!! They include Ken's “O Boy” and “New Part in Town” , written at 4 am by Andy, running a 103 fever after seeing Iggy live for the first time.

Audio for the Scenics special feature has been mastered by Juno winning producer Joby Baker . Sound for the whole disc has been remixed in dazzling Duophonic Sound by Andy Meyers at Allowed Sound Studio.
This exciting DVD has a release date of Oct 14. It’s already been recieving lots of interest from the press and is distributed by Scratch Records . We’ll let you know where you can pick it up as soon as it is available. More on The Last Pogo DVD

Aug 15/08
“How Does it Feel to be Loved” CD recieving American airplay

“How Does it Feel to be Loved:he Scenics play the Velvet Underground” has been receiving USA campus airplay, charting in the top 30 at WNYU , and making #3 on the WXYC Loud Rock Chart . It’s comforting to know that our version of “Sister Ray” qualifies as drive home music for some.

CD is available in the USA through the distributers Revolver USA and Carrot Top.

JULY 1, 2008
Scenics back from rocking NXNE
The Scenics are all safely back home after the second leg of their 2008 mini tour. Three dates were played- NXNE showcase at Rancho Relaxo, Scenics’ first show in Kitchener in 28 years, and a return to Hamilton.

The band sounded hot and so in the groove- it was amazing to experience the musical connection from years past, already re-established in the April 07 shows, grow even stronger. New guitar parts, three voices singing harmony, and as ever, the rock solid telepathy of Mark Perkell and Mike Young on drums and bass. A few new songs, as well.

The NXNE show was filmed by ace cinematographers Richard Fiander and Colin Brunton . Footage is being edited by Toronto cineste Kire Paputts and will be in the Scenics’ hand soon. All the shows (and two marathon paractice sessions) were recorded,- we are thinking of a “best of june 08” cd available for downloading soon from this website.

Also at NXNE - the video for “Waiting for my Man” , from the “How Does it Feel” CD, closed the NXNE film festival as a double bill gala with the legendary 1978 film on Toronto Punk “The Last Pogo” (it’s first public showing in 30 years!) The theatre was packed with Toronto punks and fans thereof, including Last Pogo Director Colin Brunton, promoter deluxe Gary Topp , 3 Scenics and members of the Viletones, Secrets, Mods, and Cardboard Brains. The ‘Pogo’ recieved a great reception- it’s held up VERY well.

One of the best parts of playing out again is the people you meet- the support and friendship of longtime friends (you know who you are) and new ones (likewise!). For example, in Hamilton we played with a hot new punk and roll trio, the Barettas. And just before the Hamilton show Rob Brent (ex-Demics) came up and re-introduced himself. Rob was a true friend back in the day and it was great to see him again.

MAY 1, 2008
Scenics confirmed for NXNE
The Scenics will be playing NXNE festival in Toronto (at Rancho Relaxo) on June 12, 2008. As well, they will be taking part in both halves of the NXNE film festival finale on June 15.

First on the screen will be legendary quebecois director Chester (Chet) Lebeaux’s video for “Waiting for my Man” , from the “How Does it Feel to Be Loved: The Scenics play the Velvet Underground” CD.

Main feature will be the first public screening in 30 years of “The Last Pogo” , Director Colin Brunton’s thirty minute short on Toronto Punk, circa 1978. The Scenics perform Ken Badger’s “I Wanna Touch” , and the film also includes performances by the Cardboard Brains, the Secrets, the Mods, the Ugly, the Viletones, and Teenage Head.

APRIL 13, 2008
Scenics play first gig in 26 years w/ Carla Bozulich at Horseshoe
Scenics play together, new songs, very successful gigs at Horseshoe Tavern, Club Absinthe in Hamilton and back to T.O. and the Dakota Tavern . What was it like to walk back into the Scenics 26 years later? Read Andy Meyers' post-tour myspace blog posting HERE. (after first rehearsal April 5, Andy posted;

“ The Scenics have had their first rehearsals as a full four piece in 26 years, and they were killer! All systems are go man go for our first shows next week- sunday monday tuesday. new songs, old songs, new versions of old songs, rock solid bass 'n drums, wild guitars, smooth vocals, loud, quiet, you name it, we’re bringing it to the shoe, absinthe , and dakota. ”

but on top of all that, it was FUN- laughing, wise assing, no hassles, no dead weight, intense FOCUS.”

MARCH 10 2008
“How Does it Feel to be Loved” CD charting all across the country on Campus radio (eg 28 nationally, 4 in Halifax , 9 in Hamilton , 3 in Ottawa) . Also recieving rave reviews. (‘top 10 cds of 2008’...best Vu tribute ever’ wrote Jeffrey Morgan Metro times . Jeffrey who was one of our very favorite critics of the 70s, writing in Creem Magaizine .) To see a selection of reviews go HERE.

FEBRUARY 9, 2008
Quebecois film maker Chester Lebeaux has made a brilliant video for “Waiting for my Man” . It has already been accepted by NXNE and, well, we love it. Thanks, Chester , for nailing our song. You can find it at our sites, and on youtube, among other places.

THE SCENICS are excitedly preparing for their first live shows in 26 years- in support of their CD “ How Does it Feel to be Loved: The Scenics play the Velvet Underground”.

Line up will be:

• Ken Badger gtr, vox
• Andy Meyers , gtr,vox
• Mark Perkell , drums, vox
• Mike Young , bass, vox

This is an original 1979-1980 line up of the band and the line up that plays on the stunning tracks from “How Does it Feel...” that are posted on Myspace. Ken, Mark, and Mike have begun to play together, and Andy is flying out from BC to join them April 4. Songs from all periods of The Scenics are being re invented, and The Scenics are thrilled to be bringing in NEW MATERIAL from Ken and Andy , as well as a couple of surprise covers...

APRIL 13, 2008
at the Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto: Scenics supporting Carla Bozulich in an early show. Scenics on at 8:45, Carla to follow at 10.

April 14
at Club Absinthe, Hamilton 233 King St East Scenics on at 10 PM for two sets.

APRIL 15, 2008
at Dakota Tavern, Toronto. 249 Ossington Avenue, Scenics on at 10 PM for two sets.

JANUARY 28, 2008
“How Does it Feel to Be Loved: The Scenics play the Velvet Underground” released on Dream Tower Records , distributed thru Scratch/ Sonic Unyon