As a small time artist you have to celebrate the small wins!!!! Out of the blue yesterday, the Alexander Keith Face Book page posted a Soundcloud link to my song which resulted in 100′s of people being exposed to the AK song. Very, very cool.
Alexander Keith's Facebook Page
Posted by Raito in Alexander Keith, Press and tagged as alexander keith, Facebook, Soundcloud
Hi All,
Had the amazing pleasure of getting a pic with Kenny Shields and telling him a story of how we are connected. After performing my newly released single ‘Alexander Keith’ I got to open up the conversation with Kenny saying , “Alexander Keith was recorded on some of the same equipment used to record many of the Streetheart albums!” Wow, Music in Winnipeg, and even Canada for that matter, is such a small circle~ one degree of separation!
It just so happens that when I was growing up, one of my friends Dad, John Hildebrand, was the owner of Century 21 Studios. I remember visiting Century 21 and dreaming of one day being good enough to record music. Flash forward to today, and in the process of recording my album at Len Milne’s Bedside Studio, I have discovered that when Century 21 Studios shut down in 1998 some of the equipment ended up at Beside. Another amazing fact is that when Century 21 shut down the AC-DC road crew apparently drove to Winnipeg to pick up the Neve Consoles… too cool. So as a result, on most of the songs hat I have recorded at Bedside Studios, including Alexander Keith, I have been doing so on some of the same equipment that Kenny Shields & Streetheart used back in the day! SO a big thank you to John Hildebrand of Century 21 Studios and his son Kris for giving me those studio tours. It is very, very cool that the experience is not just a memory, but in fact has had an affect on the recording of my album.
Ron Paley put together a great article here that talks a fair amount about the history of the Eternals and Century 21 here: http://www.mocm.ca/Music/Artist.aspx?ArtistId=94752&RoomId=54
Raito & Kenny Shields of Streetheart
Posted by Raito in Alexander Keith, Studio and tagged as ac-dc, alexander keith, bedside studio, century 21 studios, john hildebrand, kenny shields, raito, streetheart
Len Milne ~ Bedside Studio
Just got back from Len Milne’s Bedside Studio recording the ethereal sounds for ‘Pick Up The Phone‘ and almost can’t describe the craziness. We have used no drummer but YET have a a crazy wicked beat to this song that is hard to describe other than ‘ far out’. To do this wild ear candy we have added the following to this song; pennies on a snare, e-bow slide on Gibson electric guitar, shaker, bass drum modified through an effects panel & tambourine. We’ll be introducing some digital sounds in this song, but the vast majority is 100% au natural creative musical mojo!
Here is a pic of Len Milne, my producer and recording engineer, adding a repetitive secondary guitar part on his ‘Gibson’ 
Can’t wait for you all to hear this one. I promise you it will be worth the wait when the album is released. I’m sure people will hear something new every time they listen to ‘Pick Up The Phone’!
It’s actually a song that I think people will either love or hate… no in between on this one.
Cheers,
Lee
Posted by Raito in Studio and tagged as bedside studio, len milne, pick up the phone, raito
Big news!
I’ll be performing Alexander Keith, and one other song off my upcoming album, live at Winn$tock March 15th (Cowboys Night Club). There are 5 bands battling for the title, of which I’m not one! Just there to entertain and perform for 10 minutes in between the 1st and second set. You can get tickets here: www.winnstock.ca This is a great charity event and a wicked time… Join us if you can!
Also, heading back into the studio today to start editing the rest of the songs on the album! Still a few songs left to record too… I’ll try and get some pics and new video up soon.
Cheers,
Lee
PS. Thanks for all the encouragement re: Alexander Keith! It’s been a ride commercially releasing my first single. Lots to learn about radio promotion, licensing, etc…
Posted by Raito in Gigs, Studio and tagged as alexander keith, bedside studio, winn$tock
Hey All,
I have written a cross genre beer song that I truly hope you will enjoy with your favorite pint of India Pale Ale! I will let ‘YOU’ be the judge on whether it rocks your music palate or not! To the music critics, “Bring it on!”
Click Here To Download The Song For Free If you do like it please buy on iTunes 
It has been way too long since BOB & DOUG MACKENZIE have dominated the musical beer related genre in Canada. (If that means nothing to you–then please just listen to the song, bob your head and ignore my written words. I’m an artist… enjoy the ear buzz and cut me some slack!) If you are remotely interested in HOW the song came to be and my motivation behind writing and recording ‘Alexander Keith’ then please do read on:
It was a hot summer holiday, and my wife…. just kidding sorta! It was the first week of July 2011, and I was enjoying a completely unplugged vacation on my deck drinking beer, jumping in and out of the pool with my daughters, and writing songs much to the annoyance of my neighbors. Magically I stumbled across a chorus, “I’d like a beer. Mmmmm please! Order me an Alexander Keith!” I then proceeded to spend an entire afternoon trying to rhyme different beer names with Alexander Keith and various other lyrics. I even shouted to neighbors asking what beer rhymes with ???? Yes, they know and accept I’m crazy. After failing miserably at the beer rhyming game, the rest of the Alexander Keith lyrics magically just came to me. I could literally see the pub, the waitress, people dancing and my friends as I was singing. There is not much more to it than that. At the time, I immediately knew I would be adding the song to my debut album, but admittedly didn’t know that it quickly would become one of my favorite songs, and be the single I decide to lead in advance of my album with. Life and beer works in mysterious ways!
Setting The Record Straight
YES! Alexander Keith is my my favourite beer. MGD is a close second.
NO! I did not plan to write the song just to try and get a deal with Alexander Keith. Although half way through recording the song in the studio I realized… they just might be interested
If you enjoy the song. Please do buy it on iTunes, Rhapsody, blah, blah and sign up on the email address thing on the right… so I can stay in touch when I release my album late this summer/early fall!
Here is the link to buy on iTunes
Cheers,
Lee
PS. If you love beer and rock and roll please listen responsibly!
Note: This song would not have been possible with out my producer and engineer extraordinaire Len Milne (Bedside Studio), 2nd engineer Mike Pascucci, and musicians; Travis Hauge, Todd Lesage, Darrell Lesage and the very, very patient women in my life!!!
Posted by Raito in Alexander Keith, Single and tagged as alexander keith, alexanderkeith, beer song, raito
Back to Bedside Studio tonight to lay the bass & drum tracks for my upcoming EP (no name as of yet so open to suggestions). A few songs that will be on this recording are in very rough form on YouTube: The River Runs, Three Guitars, & Rock the Water. The rest are new and I can’t wait for you to hear them all with a band backing it all up!
Time to go lay the beat!
Posted by Raito in Studio and tagged as bass, bedside studio, Drums, EP, lay the beat
Well, I’m heading back into Len Milne’s Bedside studio an hour from now, to start recording 4 songs for my pending album, and just finished devouring a quarter pounder and cheese, side salad and water (NOT a tea drinker)!
Got me to think, “What should you eat and drink before you sing?” I fear the answer may be, “Whatever you do Don’t eat McDee’s!”
Love to hear what other folks do.
Posted by Raito in Misc, Studio and tagged as bedside studio, recording, what to eat before singing
So my 5 year old daughter Grace was not only the inspiration for this song, but as well the videographer! She blows my mind every day not only because she is beautiful & amazing, but she can work a Flip video camera. A little shaky here & there mind you, but HEY she’s in kindergarten so cut her some slack
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpuAutxdWa4[/youtube]
Posted by Raito in Primary and tagged as beautiful sky, i made you, raito
Here is a new song I’ve been working on called ‘Rock The Water’.
I hope you quickly have your own connection to the song, but for me it is about the ultimate strength we have in our own mind. Our thoughts are our own & nobody can take that away from us. Oh, and there are a million ways to rock that boat
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gk6jOoce8mE[/youtube]
Posted by Raito in Primary and tagged as raito, rock the boat, rock the water
I hate to admit this, but tonight was my very first Open Mic Night… ever!
Literally, just minutes ago I got back from Bellavista’s Wednesday Open Mic night, where I got a chance to perform Three Guitars, Super Woman & a new song I have been working on called Rock The Water. I have spent so much time this past year writing and thinking about the studio, I almost forgot how much of a rush it is to perform live. Such an amazing diverse group of local performers were present; blues, folk & pop just name a few genre’s… really cool!
When I was asked what my genre is I again stammered my usual answer, “I don’t know what I am!” Honestly, I don’t care what genre I will eventually be labeled with . I just write my music from deep down in that place only I can go.
Anyway! The night was a blast and as it came about on such short notice, sorry I wasn’t able to get an invite out to anyone.
Mucho thanks to Tim Butler for getting me on the docket early enough in the night that I won’t be bagged working tomorrow. Also a big thanks to Rick for pushing me to go & not actually being there
Until next time…
Posted by Raito in Gigs and tagged as bellavista, open mic, tim butler
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