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January 28th, 2013

Bob Hallett and I just left Oz FM to chat up our upcoming concert stop in St. John’s. I remember going there in 1993 with our indy tape and asking the lady at the desk to give it to the folks on air see if they would play it. Much to my surprise, they did! OzFM, NTV, and the Newfoundland Herald, all of which live within the walls of those buildings on Torbay Road, have helped give us a two-decade career. I am very grateful to them all.

This afternoon, I’m heading up to Take the Shot Productions where they put together Republic of Doyle along with a few other shows. I’m going up there to get them to help me assemble some video stuff for the upcoming GBS XX Tour. I’m hoping we’ll be able to incorporate some archival (Jaysus, that word makes me sound ancient) footage of previous performances and videos into the two-set concert we are mounting in March. You can see cool bits of this footage on a DVD in the GBS XX Box Set, by the way.

Just got a sketch of how the GBS XX Summer and Fall should look as well. Very exciting to see big dates proposed for cities like Ottawa, Toronto, Saskatoon, and a few others across the border. We should roll right up till years end. Yeha.

As for me I’ve got a couple of other things on the go. As many of you know, I’ve been toiling to finish a Documentary Film on the making of the Boy on Bridge CD. I filmed just about every recording session in all the likely and unlikely places. Happy to say that the film has finally been edited and the sound mix is complete. The colour correction and titles etc get done this and next week and then we’ll be ready to bring it to the broadcaster and discuss an air date. Not sure when that would be, but I would not be surprised if it were around the 1 year anniversary of the release of the CD in May. Could be earlier, could be later. Keep you posted. Stay tuned for web clips and trailers to come very soon.

Also, I’ve been in discussions with Random House Canada and am happy to report that I’ve signed a deal to write a memoir of sorts. I suspect it will be made up of tales of growing up in a small fishing town, leading to a professional life on stages around half the world. How’s that for a vague description? Truth be told, I’ve submitted about 20,000 words already and have a notion for how its going to go…I think. I’m very grateful to Nita, a wonderful editor who’s responsible for helping me wade through my hundreds of pages and try to make sense of my madness. Very excited about this whole thing, I must say. Again, keep you posted.

I had a great time in Fort MacMurray, Alberta last week. There have been such amazing developments in that town and it is thrilling to watch it turn into a wonderful place to live and work and raise a family. Well done Mayor Melissa. Congrats on your amazing passion and vision for the city that is to come.

I’ve spent more than a little bit of time shoveling and flooding a rink in my neighborhood. I’ve become a little obsessed with it, I confess. Not totally sure why. Is it because I want to skate and play hockey with the kids? Is it because I want to exercise outside more? Is it because I feel like I’m cheating Winter a little by finding great joy in her coldest nights? Is it because I feel oddly empowered by building something pleasurable out of a primal element as harsh as ice?

Or is it because I have found something for the first time in my life? That is, a hobby. I know most people have them, but I can’t say that I ever enjoyed doing something completely detached from my studies, exercise, duties, or work. I’ve never really done something in my spare time, I don’t think. Sorry if this is boring to you, but I can’t help but explain that this is a completely new feeling of satisfaction for me. I have never enjoyed crafts, or gardening, or model shipbuilding or whatever, so I’m surprisingly thrilled to be out with a hose, a bucket and shovel, late at night in -10Celsisus.

Looking forward to a few AD Band and Trio shows coming up in St. John’s, Calgary, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Penticton, and Kelowna. Check out www.alandoyle.ca/tour for all the details.

Thanks for all the Tweets, by the way. I’m @alanthomasdoyle on twitter…

Cheers,
Alan