Ken McLaren
OK,
first off, Ken is on the lookout for a vocalist for a new project he is putting
together.
Samples of the tracks to be worked on can be found for download by clicking
on his picture to your right!
Right, now read on to find out about the Steve
Pierce/Colin Riggs connection, 3am streaking and the lethal Graf Arco Lager!
How I met everyone...
Somewhere in the summer of 1988 I left Canada to
go to the UK to start a band with Steve (Pierce).The original Idea was to have myself
and Steve put this thing together. However, it never got off the ground. The
girl that I was going out with at the time owned a flat in Salisbury,
actually this was Cathy, Steve's ex. Really great girl. At that Time I met up
with Colin (Riggs) who was renting from Cathy. Cathy and I lived in London through the
week and went to Salisbury on the weekend. Anyways I was quite taken with
Colin's writing style and wanted to work further with him so I moved to
Salisbury and stayed with Colin and Sarah for a time. I believe there was some
writing demo recordings done, but nothing serious. One song I remember he
wrote, which was really well written, was called "We'll spend a lifetime
living a lifetime". I believe he wrote it about Sarah, and his trip
to Toronto, and his return home to her. Quite a feeling song. He needs to give
me the rights to record that song!
About me..
I ended up moving back to Canada and started
playing for a number of bands. However, I became a promoter and did a ton of
shows with bands like Helix, Kick Axe, Sven Gali, Pat Travers, and the list
goes on. At that time I dropped playing and went to school to became a software
engineer, which is what my day gig is now. However, luckily for me, I picked
guitar back up about two years ago and have been working on writing and
recording ever since. It has been going extremely well this time around and I
seem to be getting more recognition. I have since signed a guitar endorsement deal with Samick Music
USA (largest guitar manufacturer in the world). I am the
first Canadian Guitarist they have signed.
What is really cool is that my software
engineering has played a major role in my music. I have written some of the
effects used on my CD. The Reverb and Flanger used on the guitar are actually
software effects I wrote. This came about because I could not get the sound I
was looking for from "off the shelf" effects so I spent some
time a learned how they worked and wrote them myself. Anyways this brought me
to even more music software development and I wrote the CD Mixer software, if
all goes well you will be seeing alot of this product on CD's in the future.
The CD Mixer software represents the new generation interactive music CD's.
About CD Mixer
Audio CD's can be written as Mixed mode. What this
means is that it will play on a normal CD Player, and will also function as a
data disc in a CD ROM. When you place a CD Mixer enabled disc in a normal CD
player it functions as any other cd would, however, when you place it in a CD
ROM on a PC it pops up a mixing board and allows you to mix your own music. You
can adjust the volume of any track, guitar, bass, drums, vocals, etc. It will
also allow you to apply effects. It comes with Reverb, Flanger, Chorus, Delay,
Compression, and a Parametric EQ. It's first appearance will be on my CD
Band Name: Lythyum Cow
CD Title: Moo!
Recalling tmes with Colin..
First, Colin is one of the best guys I have ever
worked with. Just a great guy. Sarah.. She is a wonderful, quiet lady that
cooks like no other. You have not lived until you have had Sarah's roast
chicken dinner. At the time I lived with Colin I was, as Cliff would say (one
of Colin's friends), a little over the top. I think I was about twenty in a
foreign country living a dream. So, needless to say, if someone dared me to
walk down the high street in the buff I would have. I remember one
occasion and I can't remember the name of the pub, but Colin started the day
off with me, and Cliff and I finished it. I got started drinking Graf Arco
lager and Colin told me to be careful it was strong. I believe his words were
something like, "Be careful with that mate, you colonial boys don't have
anything like that in Canada". Right, that got me going! I was gonna show
everyone I could handle this "oh so dangerous beer". Afterall it
tasted just like Molson from Canada so I figured I could put away 5 pints of
this without batting an eyelash! Wrong, I ended up paassing out in the pub
washroom, but only after emptying my stomach contents multiple times. Someone
and I'm still not sure who it was, I think it was Cliff, got me home to
Colin's house and I ended up passing out in his washroom. Anyways,
"Colonial Boy" learned a lesson that day.
What I remember about Colin the most is his sense
of responsibility, he was not a very heavy drinker, and was always
responsible. Actually he was always the one who would chase me down the street
at 3:00 in morning when I was looking for another party, or whatever reason I
decided that I was going out for.
Actually there were numerous times in Salisbury
where drinking got me into trouble. In Canada all spirits, like whiskey,
vodka, etc.are 40% Alcohol, in the UK it was different. I looked around for a
pub that sold Jack Daniels for quite a while, I finally found one and
proceeded to buy 35 shots. I shared with the patrons in the bar and I pounded
back what was left one after another, I think 16 or so. I could have handled
that in Canada, but it was a lot stronger in the UK, I didn't realise this and
once again, the bathroom floor became my bedroom! I was by myself at this
time, if Colin was there he probably would have put the brakes on that
session.
I have since "grown up" and stopped
drinking heavily like that. But in those times it was sort of the thing to do,
or so I thought. I was a rock musician and life was a constant party. Nothing
really mattered except playing guitar.
Colin and I played with a bass player named Pete (I think), and Patrick Gell,
who was from Texas. I believe he is back over here as well.
Last word on Colin..
He is a great guy, a very loyal friend and he
doesn't hold grudges, for which I am glad. Even though I haven't spoken to him
in years, nonetheless, I am proud to call him a friend.
About Andrew B.
I don't know Andy as well as Colin or Steve. I
have always admired Andy's song writing abilities and his playing. I first met
Andy I think it was around 1984 while I was on a trip to Salisbury. My Cousin
was friends with Steve and I went to one of their practices. They used to
practice in the Boy scout lodge or whatever its called, near the river.
Anyways, after seeing Andy play that day I altered my style of playing and I
still list Andy as one of my influences to this day. I always knew him as
Andy, not Andrew. When Colin and I were playing together we went over to his
house once and I believe he was just releasing the album that had Crystal Gold
on it. Which by the way is my favourite song by Andy. I was blown away, it was
such a fresh sound. At that time no one was really using keyboards in the way
they were used in that song. If you listen to my stuff, You'll hear the
influence I got from that song. All my keyboard parts are based on the way
Andy used his. Keyboards are used as an instrument to support the guitar. Andy
introduced me to Salisbury's Bishops Tipple, which is one of the best
beers in the world! Oddly enough after I came home to Canada, They started
selling it at my local. Go Figure!
About Alan..
No doubt in my mind, Alan was the right singer for
the band, whoever it was that made the decision to get rid of him made a
mistake. These guys were together for years, grew up together, had family
dinners together, They were a unit, all drawing on similar if not identical
experiences. When you break up a unit that is all on the same page, it is
going to loose something and It did. Although the stuff with Vic was
good, The old Killer stuff and Genghis Khan stuff was better.
About Steve...
Steve was a good guy, I stayed with him in Raynes
Park in London. However, at that time his life seemed to be in a constant
state of panic, well maybe not panic, but confusion. He didn't seem to have
the ability at that time to make any sort of long term plans. This is why I
guess our project together never got off the ground. Good guy nonetheless. He
would always be welcome in my home, as would any of these guys.
Many thanks to Ken for getting in touch and taking the
time to write.
