WAKE UP TO MUSIC MONDAY Featuring SUNFISH [VIDEO]

Wake Up to Music Monday

Cape Breton Island is known for its rich culture and its deep roots in music, so every Monday I will feature videos showcasing Cape Breton Island's finest musicians from Fiddlers to Songwriters, to the Gaelic Song and the Rock n Roll!  

Sunfish

Sunfish got together in the summer of 1993. Tom Fidgen had returned to Sydney with a handful of songs he had written during the 2 year stay in Halifax, on his way home from Toronto. Once home, he got in touch with Scott Brown, a friend from high school and roommate in Toronto, and suggested that they find a drummer and do some recording. Scott, who played bass, called Mike Morrison, and, with Graeme Porter on acoustic guitar, they started playing.

At the time, local bands playing original music were few and far between. The economy could not afford it. With few expectations, the clubs were only booking established acts or simply hiring a DJ. It was a scene that had become over-populated by cardboard cut-out cover bands and local veterans whose music had little relevance to the just turned 19, “I wanna dance” set. Crowds, in general began to lose interest in live music and cheap drinks was the biggest draw at the clubs.

In an attempt to accommodate a growing interest in non-traditional live music, a club called the Rock Factory opened and, under the direction of Nigel Kearns, dedicated itself to the promotion of local original music. It became a place for aspiring musicians to hang out and play for each other and whoever came in to listen. A camaraderie developed among these younger musicians and over the summer, a number of bands who had met through this experience recorded and released music on cassettes. With their cutting edge acoustic sound and tightly-woven tunes, Sunfish emerged as the most promising of the bunch.

Sunfish was recorded in just over a week at Spectrum Sound in Blackett’s Lake and it quickly became the cassette of choice whenever background music was needed for long, aimless drives in the country. The music is rooted in the folk tradition of the song-writer, but it’s presented in the context of a rock band. The instrumentation ranges from vocals accompanied only by one acoustic guitar to bass, drums, organ and “muddy” electric guitars. Flute, banjo, harmonica, mandolin, and organ coexist with the flailing guitar solos and heavy rhythms without sounding gimmicky. And the songs, which have been the drawing point of the band’s live show since they started, are about something. Repeated listenings don’t wear you out, they draw you in. With this recording, Sunfish had become the first to speak to a whole segment of the population. Though the cassette was intended as a demo, copies were sold at shows and eventually in a few local record stores. Sales were impressive and it cracked the top ten Sam The Record Man Indy chart in Halifax and on assorted campus radio stations.

By the time the cassette was available in stores, Sunfish had two solid sets of original material and a fan base that knew all the words. In November of 1993, Stuart Cameron, who had co-produced the cassette, returned to Cape Breton replacing Graeme Porter on guitar. They started getting gigs off the island, playing in Halifax, appearing on TV, and performing on the radio. Ken MacLeod of the Cape Breton Post boldly proclaimed Sunfish to be “…the future of Cape Breton music”. He got little argument from anyone who had seen them play. After showcasing at the 1994 East Coast Music Awards in St. John’s, Newfoundland, they returned home to win CJCB’s Music Spirit East contest. (http://www.whatsgoinon.ca/sunfish/#.WeSbQ0uGPrc)

Sunfish formed in the summer of `93 in Sydney, Nova Scotia-Cape Breton and produced music in the folk tradition of singer-songwriter within the context of a rock band. They received a MuchMusic Video Award (1995)

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Nigel Kearns Follow Me
Man the memories! I remember when the boys wondered into the Rockfactory looking for a gig. I wouldn't let anyone play unless they had some original material. We talked and listened to a mix tape the boys brought. While chatting I was digging the tunes, I had to stop the convo and ask about the music. "These are great, but I don't recgonise any of them, who are you covering?" I asked, the response was, "oh, these are all ours" BAM hit the calender on the bar and the booking began! Wicked band to this day! I miss Sunfish and will never forget or stop listening to the finest CD ever!

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