Post by Fuggle on Jun 25, 2006 9:25:30 GMT -5
Briefly Bram
Monkland framer Fournier revealed as former purveyor of punk
By BRAM EISENTHAL
The Chronicle
Chronicle, Bram Eisenthal While
not yet back with a vengeance,
Montreal punk band Fair
Warning is still pretty impressive
after an almost 20-year hiatus.
Left to right: Drummer Stephane
Demers, lead guitarist Mark
Dembinski, vocalist Sylvain ‘Sly’
Fournier and bassist Clank.
Was it really a full quarter century ago that Montreal’s punk scene was a hopping, blaring inferno? It wasn’t my bag, ever, but if that was your preferred brand of music, you’ll recall the names of local bands like Genetic Control, SCUM, Unruled and Fair Warning — bands that influenced a generation.
“Fair Warning was Montreal’s answer to My War-era Black Flag — loud and heavy, sometimes sounding like Agnostic Front, before the Speedmetal influences,” wrote someone named Jimmy Las Vegas in his bio on the band on the punkhistorycanada.ca website. “Monday Night Hardcore at the Cargo on St. Denis was something else with these guys — I still have my copy of Primitive Air Raid — I’ll never part with it.”
OK, to most of you, this is gibberish. We’re old-time rockers, so who cares, right? Well, if you’ve had your precious art framed at the Monkland Village’s Conservart, that cozy, professional little business owned by Vanessa Zorbas and Sylvain Fournier, you may do a double take at this point. Fournier, ‘Sly’ to his friends, was the lead singer of Fair Warning and — NEWS FLASH — there’s a comeback of sorts happening for this band and the others mentioned in the opening ’graph. The rather notorious Sid Vicious (also called Sly) may have bitten the bullet, but old-time punk, it seems, isn’t quite dead, after all.
Fair Warning was around from 1983 to1987, releasing the LP You Are the Scene in 1985 and appearing on two compilations, including the acclaimed Primitive Air Raid. But lately, new life has been injected into the five-man entity, comprised of current fortysomethings Fournier, drummer Stephane Demers, bass player Clank (if I revealed his legal name, he’d have to kill me), lead guitarist Mark Dembinski and guitarist John Robusto, who resides in New Hampshire. Thanks to Sonik’s Chicken Shrimp Records, You Are the Scene is about to be re-released, this time on CD.
And the band is rehearsing, regularly and earnestly, with an eye to playing publicly again. I can vouch for that. I was at rehearsal with them last Sunday and I can tell you that they’re good — damn good, although my ears are still ringing. “We haven’t ‘come back’ as much as reformed as a group and gone through an evolution in the process,” said Clank, who uses a bass guitar that’s uniquely of his own design. Clank was the drummer in the band’s previous incarnation, suffered visual impairment, and has assumed his new position with gusto and great humour.
“Lots of the old local bands are also getting back together,” Fournier pointed out. “In our case, we really enjoy getting together and jamming as friends. If something happens, it happens, but we’re doing this for the fun of it.”
Meanwhile, several seas away in Japan, a punk band called Everybody’s Enemy has just released its first album, a 12-inch LP called Enter the Enemy, featuring as its ninth cut a Fair Warning tune, which they have entitled You’re the Scene. The band was spearheaded by David Enemy, formerly David Royer of Montreal, who moved to Tokyo in 1999. I contacted Enemy to ask why he included this particular cut and he was quite complimentary.
“I grew up in Montreal. One day, I picked up a copy of the Primitive Air Raid LP
and You Are the Scene became a favorite of mine. I think the song is as meaningful
now as it was then. It’s what’s inside
that should impress, something we should all live by. Much respect to Fair Warning and I hope I get to see them play again someday.”
Some lyrics to the song: “We have to think and be aware; When things go wrong, we have to care; Down not out, the future is ours; Unite and fight oppressive powers.”
Sage advice for any generation.
Move over, Paul Shaeffer, for
another Canadian star
Seems we just have musical talent oozing from our pores here in the West End, huh? Just got the word from a proud dad, Dr. Gerald Trager, that son Josh Trager, whom I have profiled in this column, will be appearing on David Letterman’s late-night show on Friday, July 21 on CBS.
Côte St. Luc native Josh, an extremely talented drummer despite his own visual impairment, is part of the extremely hot Sam Roberts Band, which recently released its hit CD Chemical City. Trager has also drummed with Jonas on its North American tour and can be heard drumming on the Mahogany Rush Real LIVE double CD.
Way ta go, Josh! Now, no watching Leno that night, everyone, y’hear?
• Bram Eisenthal’s e-mail address is Bramsbriefs@yahoo.ca.
Monkland framer Fournier revealed as former purveyor of punk
By BRAM EISENTHAL
The Chronicle
Chronicle, Bram Eisenthal While
not yet back with a vengeance,
Montreal punk band Fair
Warning is still pretty impressive
after an almost 20-year hiatus.
Left to right: Drummer Stephane
Demers, lead guitarist Mark
Dembinski, vocalist Sylvain ‘Sly’
Fournier and bassist Clank.
Was it really a full quarter century ago that Montreal’s punk scene was a hopping, blaring inferno? It wasn’t my bag, ever, but if that was your preferred brand of music, you’ll recall the names of local bands like Genetic Control, SCUM, Unruled and Fair Warning — bands that influenced a generation.
“Fair Warning was Montreal’s answer to My War-era Black Flag — loud and heavy, sometimes sounding like Agnostic Front, before the Speedmetal influences,” wrote someone named Jimmy Las Vegas in his bio on the band on the punkhistorycanada.ca website. “Monday Night Hardcore at the Cargo on St. Denis was something else with these guys — I still have my copy of Primitive Air Raid — I’ll never part with it.”
OK, to most of you, this is gibberish. We’re old-time rockers, so who cares, right? Well, if you’ve had your precious art framed at the Monkland Village’s Conservart, that cozy, professional little business owned by Vanessa Zorbas and Sylvain Fournier, you may do a double take at this point. Fournier, ‘Sly’ to his friends, was the lead singer of Fair Warning and — NEWS FLASH — there’s a comeback of sorts happening for this band and the others mentioned in the opening ’graph. The rather notorious Sid Vicious (also called Sly) may have bitten the bullet, but old-time punk, it seems, isn’t quite dead, after all.
Fair Warning was around from 1983 to1987, releasing the LP You Are the Scene in 1985 and appearing on two compilations, including the acclaimed Primitive Air Raid. But lately, new life has been injected into the five-man entity, comprised of current fortysomethings Fournier, drummer Stephane Demers, bass player Clank (if I revealed his legal name, he’d have to kill me), lead guitarist Mark Dembinski and guitarist John Robusto, who resides in New Hampshire. Thanks to Sonik’s Chicken Shrimp Records, You Are the Scene is about to be re-released, this time on CD.
And the band is rehearsing, regularly and earnestly, with an eye to playing publicly again. I can vouch for that. I was at rehearsal with them last Sunday and I can tell you that they’re good — damn good, although my ears are still ringing. “We haven’t ‘come back’ as much as reformed as a group and gone through an evolution in the process,” said Clank, who uses a bass guitar that’s uniquely of his own design. Clank was the drummer in the band’s previous incarnation, suffered visual impairment, and has assumed his new position with gusto and great humour.
“Lots of the old local bands are also getting back together,” Fournier pointed out. “In our case, we really enjoy getting together and jamming as friends. If something happens, it happens, but we’re doing this for the fun of it.”
Meanwhile, several seas away in Japan, a punk band called Everybody’s Enemy has just released its first album, a 12-inch LP called Enter the Enemy, featuring as its ninth cut a Fair Warning tune, which they have entitled You’re the Scene. The band was spearheaded by David Enemy, formerly David Royer of Montreal, who moved to Tokyo in 1999. I contacted Enemy to ask why he included this particular cut and he was quite complimentary.
“I grew up in Montreal. One day, I picked up a copy of the Primitive Air Raid LP
and You Are the Scene became a favorite of mine. I think the song is as meaningful
now as it was then. It’s what’s inside
that should impress, something we should all live by. Much respect to Fair Warning and I hope I get to see them play again someday.”
Some lyrics to the song: “We have to think and be aware; When things go wrong, we have to care; Down not out, the future is ours; Unite and fight oppressive powers.”
Sage advice for any generation.
Move over, Paul Shaeffer, for
another Canadian star
Seems we just have musical talent oozing from our pores here in the West End, huh? Just got the word from a proud dad, Dr. Gerald Trager, that son Josh Trager, whom I have profiled in this column, will be appearing on David Letterman’s late-night show on Friday, July 21 on CBS.
Côte St. Luc native Josh, an extremely talented drummer despite his own visual impairment, is part of the extremely hot Sam Roberts Band, which recently released its hit CD Chemical City. Trager has also drummed with Jonas on its North American tour and can be heard drumming on the Mahogany Rush Real LIVE double CD.
Way ta go, Josh! Now, no watching Leno that night, everyone, y’hear?
• Bram Eisenthal’s e-mail address is Bramsbriefs@yahoo.ca.