I’ve been writing songs since I learned to play guitar 30 years ago. I’ve never pursued it as a career but no mater what I do creatively, music always seems to find a way into it. Making soundtracks is one of my favourite parts of the film making process and most recently, I have been working music into my work with the Winnipeg Puppet Slam.
I don’t know why I do it. What is the purpose? It is beyond me. Maybe there are greater powers at work. Maybe it is all a waste of time. It is not for me to ask why. I just know that it is my job to follow the creative impulse.
One of the last things my grandma told me before she died was “keep singing”. So that is what I’m going to do.
I’ve started a YouTube channel as an archive of all the songs I’ve written that I think are worthy of documentation. As the songs represent different times of my life, the process has become a sort of musical memoir.
My first band: Silicone Wishbone (What a name!) Formed in grade 12, less than a year after learning how to play guitar. I was the bass player. We did mostly covers, Metallica, Ozzy Osborne, Megadeath and…Tom Petty. One of my first original songs, Run Away, was written and performed with these guys. The tune is lost to history. It’s probably for the best. The Bedraggled. Kevin Martens and Myself. Around 1995 we ended up in Edmonton together. Worked up some original songs, got a 4-track recorder and made a little cassette called: Footfalls. Most songs were experimental and honestly not great. But there were a couple of jems. I met Adam Carter in Hamilton, Ontario in 2000. We only spent 2 years together but in that time we really bonded and made some good music. Here we are at the open mic that took place every Wednesday at a local pub called the Pheasent Plucker. We recorded an album called A Light Between Strangers. It still gets played at my house once in awhile.The Whizbang Shufflers. Myself, Luke Enns, Ben Regier and Rick Unger. We got together in Winnipeg in 2003 and have been playing music together off and on ever since. This is from our CD release for our one and only Album: The WhizBang Shufflers Baffle The Bird of Death circa 2009The Whizbang Shufflers as they appear in 2025. Ben Regier, now based in Kansas, is missing here. The other shuffler is David Froese who currently plays snare for us. The Secondhand Pants. A musical oddity created by my brother Marlon and myself. We recorded a bunch of homemade albums and performed at events and festivals from 2004-2014. Me at a friend’s cabin in 2015 at the cusp of my 40th birthday working on my song novel: Queen Hazel and the If Pigeons.
I have been involved in the Winnipeg Puppet Slam since it’s beginning in 2010 and have been it’s curator/producer since 2017.
Puppet Slams are puppet variety shows by and for grownups. The Puppet Slam Network was started in part by Heather Henson (daughter of Jim Henson) who still helps to fund puppets slams through her Green Feather Foundation.
The children’s book I have been working on for 2 years (see previous “Book Project” album) is done and printed! Once a Wizard exists in the real world!
“Wow, this guy sure does a lot of Christmas videos!” It’s true!
Why do I do it? It’s a chance for me to keep up my film-making chops and exercise creativity by working within the limitations of a theme. And it’s fun.
The annual Christmas video for 2016! This one was a bit of a last-minute creation.
Over the past few years I have been experimenting with sculpting puppets using masking tape. I had built Synthmaster Alan’s head awhile ago and I always loved his expression. He looked like a real character.
