About Leeroy Stagger
There are songwriters who find a creative niche and never stray from it. Then there are songwriters who choose to continually break down what they are known for and start again from the ground up. Leeroy Stagger is the latter. Capturing a more mature sound than earlier recordings, his 4th studio album, Everything is Real, presents Stagger at a new beginning. “I don’t want to make records that sound like the ones I’ve already made,” he explains from his home in Lethbridge, Alberta, “This time I wanted to make a classic sounding record like the ones I grew up listening to.” Stagger’s hope has been realized with songs like the Springsteen-esque “Petrified World”, the title track’s homage to 70’s New York punk and the nod to Little Feat with the song “Stormy”. Inspired by recordings of the 70s, Stagger wanted to evoke the feeling every kid got when putting a new rock and roll record on their parents’ stereo. The result is an album that straddles the lines between the rock side of Ryan Adams, the gravel-fueled poetry of Lucinda Williams, and the muscle of early Tom Petty. Everything is Real is a gritty, honest collection of songs that aren’t afraid to rock, sway, or break a few hearts. Stagger’s past is rich in success including featured placements on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy and tours taking him to the UK, Europe and across North America. With such accomplishments, it’s strange to think his new album was in danger of never being completed. After steering himself away from a personal storm in 2008, the now-sober Stagger returned to finish writing Everything is Real and enlisted producer John Ellis, with whom he collaborated on his previous album, the critically-acclaimed Depression River. A cache of varied and “purer” songs in hand, Stagger brought in a versatile band including drummer Pat Steward (Bryan Adams, Odds), bassist Tyson Maiko, and guitarist Kevin Kane (The Grapes of Wrath), to translate his vision. They holed up in Ellis’ studio in the small town of Ashcroft, BC and invited a wealth of musical guests: Bobby Furgo (Leonard Cohen Band), Tim Easton (New West Records), Evan Phillips (The Whipsaws), Steve Bays (Hot Hot Heat), Neal Casal (Ryan Adams and the Cardinals), as well as Scottish songster Roddy Hart. The result is Stagger’s most realized album to date. With the classic-sounding “Snowing in Nashville” and wonderfully evocative “Red Bandana”,Everything Is Real is a beautiful documentation of the young troubadour finding his voice and putting himself back on track as one of the most promising new Canadian artists to join the ranks of Blue Rodeo and Kathleen Edwards. With a brand new band, a brand new record and a brand new outlook on life, Stagger is aiming for that mark. Leeroy Stagger is also a member of the folk trio Easton, Stagger, Phillips with acclaimed American songwriters Tim Easton and Evan Phillips.
About Kevin Kane
As a young boy Kevin Kane had an affinity for ’60s era pop. Growing up in Kelowna, BC, he met brothers Chris and Tom Hooper, who shared his love of the Who, the Rolling Stones, and especially the Beatles. They began jamming in the Hooper brothers’ basement, and not long after the Grapes of Wrath were formed, going on to release 4 albums, including the platinum-selling “Now and Again” in 1989 and “These Days” in 1991. The Grapes disbanded, but reformed from 1998 and 2000, releasing one last album, “Field Trip” on the late Song Corp record label. Aside from his work with the Grapes of Wrath, Kevin has released 2 solo acoustic albums, both met with critical acclaim and enthusiasm from Grapes fans and a whole new audience who have discovered Kevin’s quiet, artful song-writing and sparse acoustic arrangements. “Neighborhood Watch” was released in 1996, and more recently, Kevin recorded an album of paired-down covers, called “Timmy Loved Judas Priest” in 2001. (This was named after a scene in the cult indie documentary, “Heavy Metal Parking Lot.”) Kevin has also developed a strong reputation as a producer, working with artists like Zumpano, The Salteens, Star Collector, and Wayne Lavallee. What’s remained consistent is Kevin’s desire to create music with heart and write songs that capture the essence of his life experience, coupled with his intensely beautiful guitar playing. Kevin has completed recording a new solo album to be released in September, 2007. This is Kevin’s first full-band recording since the Grapes days and finds him joined by Nelson Bragg (Quarter After, Mockers, Brian Wilson Band) on drums, Stefan Bienz on upright and longhorn bass, and Christina Zaenker’s layered cellos and vocals. Entitled “How To Build A Lighthouse”, its Kevin’s most varied and dynamic collection of music.