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DISCOGRAPHY - NORM HACKING
Updated June 27, 2004
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Coming soon: The Ache.
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Orange Cats
Make the Very Best Friends
Norm Hacking & Kirk Elliott
3FLAM2003 (2002)
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"An album for kids and cat-lovers of all ages" - and
anyone who enjoys good songwriting with generous doses of humour.
Norm's long-time fans will recognize his orange cat Syd of "Syd
and The Flea" fame on the cover (in a photo by Norm's mom,
Kathy Hacking). This oft-requested song is finally available on
a recording! It became so popular that Norm wrote "Cats Everywhere"
about all Syd's and The Flea's feline fans on the stairways, the
answering maching, eating BBQ in the backyard. When Norm's son
Ben was seven, they recorded the "Side by Side" duet
about living together with Syd and The Flea (a more diminutive
cat) on Main Streeet in Toronto. "When Cats Go Wrong"
is a litany of cat mischief set to tango music - delightful! Listen
here.
Kirk
Elliott, fabulous multi-instrumentalist, adds everything
from fiddle to Japanese koto. Also half of children's performer
team Kirk and Magoo, Kirk takes the lead on his song "What
the Cat Dragged In."
This CD led to a nomination for a 2004 Canadian Independent
Music Award in the "Favourite Children's Artist / Group"
category for Norm and Kirk. For more, see www.cmw.net
(click on Awards at the top, then Indie Awards on drop-down menu).
Winners in 20 categories were announced March 3, 2004.
A portion of all sales go to the non-profit Annex
Cat Rescue in Toronto. The CD release concert was Tuesday
December 3, 2002 at the Tranzac, Toronto - details on Coming
Up page Read David Kidney's CD review at GreenmanReview.com
and see the feature page on this CD at Festival
Distribution (click on "Top Titles"). "Cats
Everywhere" is on CBC DiscDrive Jurgen Gothe's "Hit
List of 2002".
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Click on song title for lyrics
1. Syd and The Flea
3:17
2. Cats Everywhere
2:49
3. This One's the
Dreamer 3:19
4. Side by Side (Harry Woods) 1:55
5. Orange Cats 4:05
6. When Cats Go Wrong
3:54
7. In a Child's Room
2:31
8. Waiting for
Christmas 3:55
9. What the Cat Dragged In
(Kirk Elliott) 5:31
10. The Boy in the Painting
2:46
11. Momma Don't Allow It
(Charles Davenport) 4:12
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Produced by Kirk Elliott & Norm Hacking
Recorded & mixed by Kirk Elliott
Except #7&8:
produced by Norm Hacking & Kevin Bell
recorded at Comfort Sound, Toronto
Musicians
Norm Hacking - vocals, guitar
Kirk Elliott - vocals, guitar, all other instruments, programming
Ben Hacking (age 7) - vocal (#4), voice (#11)
Additional musicians on #8:
Kevin Bell - acoustic guitar, harmony vocal
John Arpin - piano
David Woodhead - acoustic bass
Matt Zimbel - percussion
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Back to Top
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"Blind Love" - cover
art and CD
booklet design by Lisa
Graziotto |
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In contrast to Stubborn Ghost's
long recording period, Norm's part of The Ache was
recorded in just a few intense sessions with producer John Switzer.
Made with assistance of the Ontario Arts Council, this CD had
only a limited pre-release pressing and no commercial copies are
yet available. Watch for news of release in 2004.
Cover art, "Blind Love" by
Lisa Graziotto
Norm put this CD up for
adoption, as reported by Mitch Potter in The Toronto Star
on January 5, 2001.
For a follow-up report, see Cate
Friesen's CBC Radio One Roots Report at: http://radio.cbc.ca/insite/FRIESEN_TORONTO/2001/1/16.html
Global TV's Sean Mallen also filed
a report on First National News on January 17, 2001.
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1. The
Ache 4:07
2. The Silence of My Father 5:05
3. Can't Help But Love 4:47
4. Cara 4:02
5. Last Dance with the Bully-God 4:26
6. That's All I've Got to Say About
That 3:08
7. Casablanca Bound 3:26
8. Baby, You Left Nothing 6:12
9. Let's Rub Each Other 2:20
10. Reason to Love 3:27
11. Tonight in the Garden 4:43
12. Olya Katarina 3:39
13. Funny Boy 2:19 |
Musicians:
John Adames - drums
John Arpin - piano
Kevin Bell - electric, acoustic/high tuned guitars,
vocals
Al Cross - drums
Kirk Elliott - violins, celtic harp, wooden flute
Norm Hacking - lead vocals, guitar
Tom Leighton - accordian, trombone
Dyan Maracle - vocals
Ron Nigrini - vocals
Laura Thomas - percussion, vocals
John Switzer - bass, vocals
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Skysongs... A
Writer's Collection
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Originally issued in 1996 as FORT0794
(Forty Seventh and Second Park Way), which is out of stock. The
CD was reissued in November 2001- remastered with lyrics - on
Three Flamingos Music
label as 3FLAM 2002, with distribution by Festival. This CD of
favourites now ends with "Shine," Norm's traditional
concert-ending anthem for many years. The new Skysongs
was released on November 14, 2001 at the launch of One
Voice, A Tribute to Norm Hacking, Volume 1. See coming
up for launch details and Buy CDs /
Contacts for purchase details.
Norm's first CD is a "best
of" collection from Norm's vinyl to keep them accessible
- folk artists don't have all-time hit collections, he
says. It combines five favourites from Cut Roses
and ten from Stubborn Ghost with four solo tracks
(3, 7, 13, 18) recorded for this project at Comfort Sound studio.
Cover shown for 1996 issue (on the
right) by Julie Biddle. The new cover (left) incorporates a photo
by Shirley Gibson. Lyrics for 3 songs are posted here, all lyrics
are in the booklet.
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1. Old
Things in Love 3:50
2. Stubborn Ghost 4:03
3. Can't Help But Love 2:43
4. John Dale 2:22
5. With Her 3:38
6. Sammy 4:57
7. Love at the Free Times Cafe 4:28
8. Thunder and Lightning 5:41
9. Once Was Enough 2:58
10. Richer for the Time 2:44
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11. Go Down Dancing 3:06
12. Luv-a-Luv (Love a Love) 3:42
13. Cats Everywhere 2:00
14. In a Child's Room 2:34
15. Midnight Road 4:11
16. Waiting for Christmas 3:56
17. Video Love 3:05
18. Spin Around 3:37
19. Shine 3:22 |
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A Day in the
Studio (1993)
indie cassette 48:17
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Photo by Lisa
Graziotto
(not the cassette cover) |
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Some albums take a year and 5 months
to do and some take one day. Norm received a day in a studio for
some freebie consulting work.
I
sat on a stool with my guitar and played a bunch of songs that
I considered would be a work tape. Four hours later it was an
album.
Norm's manager at the time, Scott
Richards, thought that the solo tape was so good it was packaged
and made available to the public. Some fans still consider this
solo performance collector's item their favourite Hacking album.
It shows that his songs, lovely with the type of accompaniment
on his other albums, remain strong and retain the listeners' attention
in solo performance.
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1. Baby, You Left
Nothin' 4:28
2. Love at the Free Times Cafe 4:27
3. Lies Run Out of Time 3:36
4. Home (Is Where the Heart Is) 4:00
5. How Can I hold You 4:22
6. Reason to Love 3:13
7. Maisie 3:17
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8. Cara 3:56
9. Case for the Defense of Love 3:31
10. Lion Heart 2:17
11. This One's the Dreamer 2:42
12. Young Girls 3:38
13. Cats Everywhere 2:12
14. Cambridge Lady 2:08 |
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Stubborn Ghost:
Norm Hacking with
Kevin Bell
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(1988) RDR-800N
Stubborn Ghost project was undertaken
after a long break from any recording, sparking a quote from Joel
Wortzman that "if
eight years is how long it takes to produce a work of the exceptional
quality, then let it be another eight years 'til
the next one..."
Norm comments, The
interesting thing about albums is that the process varies drastically
because of attitude, circumstances - you name it. In the case
of Stubborn Ghost, we spent one year and five months
from first recording session to final product. I've
never maintained an intense focus on one project for that length
of time before. The result was an album where we never settled
for anything less than what we wanted.
The album is dedicated to his son
Ben, then turning seven. click here
for dedication letter and photo.
The wonderful album art (photography
by Keith Beaty and design by Wellington & Wolfe) was nominated
for a Casby award.
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1. Midnight
Road 4:51
2. Once Was Enough 2:56
3. Stubborn Ghost 4:03
4. Thunder & Lightning 5:40
5. Richer for the Time 2:44
6. In a Child's Room 2:33
7. Mother Your Love 4:51
8. Old Things in Love 3:49
9. Waiting for Christmas 3:54
10. Video Love 3:03
11. Shine 3:22
12. Long Time 1:57 |
Musicians:
Norm Hacking - acoustic
guitar
Kevin Bell - electric/acoustic guitars
Kirk Elliott - violin, mandolin, acoustic guitar, accordian,
recorders
John Arpin - piano
Doug McClement - bass
David Woodhead - acoustic bass & electric fretless
Kid Carson - drums
Matt Zimbel - percussion
Chris Whiteley - horn
John Adames - drums
Paul Corby - electric guitar
John Sheard - synthesizer and piano
David Whitten - cello
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vocals: Norm
Hacking, Kevin Bell, Ron Nigrini, Dyan Maracle, Michael Smith,
Caroly Larson, Tim Harrison, Jim Layeux, Jennifer Bell, Shine
Choir (additional voices Joe Zelney, Cathy Greene, Jan Caswell,
Susan Serran, Simon Richards, Mildred Wooton, Paul Corby, Bill
Tymchyshyn)
The reviews certainly confirmed
that Stubborn Ghost was something special:
"Title
track, an account of a meeting between the grizzled, aging writer
and the spirit of his childhood ambitions, is as fine a piece
of songwriting as has ever been committed to vinyl."
Greg Quill, The Toronto Star.
For more reviews click here.
No longer available (vinyl). All
except tracks 7 and 12 are included on Skysongs... A Writer's
Collection (1996), remastered and reissued with lyrics
on November 14, 2001.
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Cut Roses
(1980) INDR 79071
Indoor Records 42:18
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Recorded in Toronto with an impressive
group of musicians, ranging from Ken and Chris Whiteley of The
Original Sloth Band, Kirk Elliott and George Meanwell of Short
Turn and one-time Prairie Oyster drummer John Adames to the entire
reggae group Ernie Smith and his Roots Revival, but the strong
songwriting is never submerged.
Cover photography by Leighton McLeod,
cover concept by Don Agro and Errol Mitris.
Vinyl, no longer available. Tracks
2, 4, 5, 6 and 8 are included on Skysongs... A Writer's
Collection (1996), remastered and reissued with lyrics
on November 14, 2001.
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1. Blind Again 3:37
2. Sammy 4:54
3. Bernard to Broadway 3:57
4. Go Down Dancin' 3:00
5. Luv - A - Luv 5:51
6. With Her 3:35
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7. First Song for
Jewel 3:56
8. John Dale 2:19
9. Dance for Me 2:47
10. Mae S. Brown 1:52
11. If You Want to Love Me 3:25
12. So Good to See You 2:59
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Musicians:
Norm Hacking - acoustic guitar
Paul Corby - electric and acoustic guitar
Michael Smith - acoustic guitar, bass
Mose Scarlett - acoustic guitar
Ernie Smith - electric guitar
Ken Whiteley - slide acoustic guitar, washboard, mandolin
Chris Whiteley - horn, harmonica
Al Kates - pedal steel
Kirk Elliott - violins
Mike Bodzasi - violins
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Jim Chambers - violin
John Arpin - piano
Doug McClement- piano
George Meanwell - cellos
Phil Woodard - bass
John Bullen - bass, Chinese piano
Clive Ross - bass
John Adames - drums
Fred von Engelbrechten - drums
Wadi Daniel - drums and percussion
Terry Nicholson - Chinese gong, congas and percussion
Matt Zimbel - percussion
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vocals: Norm
Hacking, Ernie Smith, Michael Smith, Dede Higgins, Sandra Pim,
Gwen Swick, Ann Madigan, Terry Nicholson, Doug McClement, Andy
Flynn, Paul Corby, Mose Scarlett (vocal and human tuba)
Recorded by Doug McClement of Comfort
Sound, Toronto.
"Hacking captures a slice of life... The lasting impression is
that Norm Hacking is a first class song craftsman."
Richard Christie, The Whig-Standard Magazine.
For more reviews click here.
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Norm Hacking
Live:
The Scarborough
College Concerts
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(1977) TSR-1 43:14
Norm returned to Scarborough College (part of the University
of Toronto) in Toronto to make his first indie recording from
two concerts there. Appearing solo here, his musical influences
(Michael Smith), direction and friendships (Mose Scarlett, Ron
Nigrini, Paul Corby) were already clear.
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Photography by Don Agro.
Vinyl, no longer available.
April Fool's '77:
1. (Introduction by Mose Scarlett)
excerpts from:
Michigan Water Blues (Clarence Williams)/
Don't You Leave Me Here (trad)/
Caldonia (F. Moore)
Just Like Me 5:47
2. The Dutchman (Michael Smith) 5:03
3. Christine 3:49
4. Sure is Bad, When the Booze Don't Help 3:26
5. Maggie (trad, adapted by Tom Rush) 3:28
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Halloween '76:
6. Song for Sixpence 5:12
7. Great Loves of the 20th
Century (Monsters Fall in
Love, Too) 8:04
8. You Have to Look a Little
Harder Now 1:55
9. Two Children 5:30
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Musicians:
All guitar and vocals: Norm Hacking
Recorded by Doug McClement, Natural
Sound and Comfort Sound, Toronto.
"Norm's biggest talent is singing solo in concert. By listening
to his first album, Norm's warm personality is sharply reflected
in his music."
Kiyoshi Funatsu, Coast to Coast Music Magazine.
For more reviews, click here.
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Note: This detailed discography does not include songs on various
compilation recordings or recordings by others. For these, see overview of Norm's
discography page.
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