Slow Motion Walter - kickin' some serious tail...

As you may know, I'm a former road dog, spending most of the 90's on the road throughout Canada and some of the Excited States playing in a ton of journeyman bar bands playing bass and singing lead and harmonies, basically getting paid to see the country.  We opened for many acts like the Headpins, Prism, Doucette, the Queen City Kids, Harlequin, Doug & the Slugs and Blue Oyster Cult.  Over the years, I shared the stage with million dollar talents with huge egos and also with some guys that weren't quite as talented, still great musicians, but damn, they were great guys.  When I decided to stop touring full-time and settle down, I got a regular day job and basically retired from playing in 1999.  Some of the guys I played with I didn't miss at all, but some I sure did and we still keep in contact.  Guys like Vern, Rick-Star, Colin, Stork, the Fish, Chicken, Wayne, Hippie and Steve - you guys still rock out.

Not long after that, I was contacted by one of the best drummers I ever played with (for a total of 11 years) - Shane Dion - who coaxed me out of "retirement" and got me playing weekends again.  After about 3 years of having serious fun on the weekends, I moved here to Regina, and lacking the network of musician friends I had in Saskatoon, "retired" from playing again.  Flash forward about a year and I was contacted by the guys in Slow Motion Walter - their regular bassist Dave, was unavailable for a gig and would I be interested - my response was "ya think?"  I missed playing A LOT so I jumped at it and did a fill-in with them a year and a half ago.  Despite having a wickedly sore wrist at the time, I had a blast.  Then the SMW guys got a hold of me a while ago with another fill-in opportunity, which we just did on Tuesday at a private function - it was a ton of fun and we had a blast.

I've always said that being in a band is like being married - you have to get along first and foremost and then everything else will fall into place.  If you're having fun onstage, it'll translate to the audience and you'll draw them into the fun.  Now, not only is Slow Motion Walter one of the most fun and great sounding party bands I've ever seen / played with, they are a great bunch of guys - making music with these guys was stupidly easy and stupidly fun.

So I have two messages - to all of you out there - if you see that SMW is playing at a venue near you - do yourself a favour and get out there and go see 'em - they sound absolutely killer, you'll have a riot, hear a bunch of tunes that you haven't heard a band do for a while and you'll have a ton of fun while partying it up with one of the best party bands you'll ever see!

And to Paul, Jamie, Bryan and Bruce (and can't forget about soundman extrordinaire Wes!) - thanks for the opportunity to play live again.  Playing live music appeases something in my soul that needs to be appeased and you guys made it fun.  You guys are solid players and solid guys - easily the best bunch I've ever shared a stage with - keep on rockin'.  Keep me in mind if you ever need a fill-in bassist again!