A Mod Invasion on the Roots Rock Rebel show

When you want to listen to music on the radio that stays clear from the commercial crap that spews from the public airways these days, you have to dig deep. In the last few years, I've turned to some of the best free podcasts the web has to offer. Shows like Dave Smith's Soul and Reggae Show out of the UK, Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World out of the USA, Bonjour Mr Phelps direct from France and the UK based The Modcast are all worth a listen.

I certainly don't see myself returning to the days when I walked my dog Jedi, two times a day, without my indispensable iPod. I can live without a lot of things, but not without my iPod. But when it comes to the trusty FM radio, the Roots Rock Rebel show on CKUT 90.3 FM has a lot to offer. Host Aaron Lakoff will have you hooked on a well balanced diet of Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae, Soul and good old fashion Punk Rock. I always admire people who give the local alternative scene a platform and a place to shine without neglecting the classics. I believe we both have that in common.

So it was quite a pleasure for me to be asked to join him on his Wednesday night rumba. I got to spend half an hour spreading the word of Mod and spinning a few 45s. Of course it's hard to span three generations of Modernism in 30 minutes and you are doomed to only scratch the surface but I had a great time.

Like on any live show, you are bound to make a couple of dumb mistakes. First, when I played my 7" reissue of The High Numbers , I forgot that it's actually played at 33rpm. It's a good thing I caught my mistake in the first few seconds or the listeners would have heard a sped up version of Zuit Suit. No harm, no foul. Plus, the way the decks were set up, they weren't close to the microphones. So when I attempted to bring one closer so I could chat between tracks, it broke off the stand. I was left holding the mic the rest of the set. You have to love live radio!

Regardless of the goofy mishaps and the fact that I'm not as comfortable speaking in English as I am in French, I hope to be invited again some time soon. I was very grateful for the opportunity I was given to introduce the blog to the airwaves.

If you want to hear the show, it's available for download here. I was on the March 30th show.

Root Rock Rebel archives

Make sure to tune in live to Roots Rock Rebel on CKUT 90.3 FM every Wednesday night from 10:30 to midnight. You can also stream the show on the web. http://www.ckut.ca/ For the latest news, gossip and info, check out the CKUT's Roots Rock Rebel Facebook group.

A good dose of dirty reggae with The Aggrolites

I’m not exactly sure what “dirty reggae” is but I can definitely say that it’s damn good! The Aggrolites have successfully fused a perfect mixture of ska, soul, rocksteady and roots reggae. The result is what they call “dirty reggae”. All I know is that it works.

Currently promoting their fourth album appropriately titled IV, we were fortunate to have them make a stop in Montreal during the Montreal International Jazz Festival. Even if they are performing almost every night, this doesn’t stop them from being very energetic and in great spirits on stage. They sure know how to get a crowd going! That’s all thanks to singer-guitarist Jesse Wagner. It was quite a different vibe then The Animals show a few days earlier.

When I see an act like The Aggrolites, it gives me hope that there’s a new generation of musicians ready to take the reigns and keep the scene alive. This bunch of young fellows not only have respect for the traditional sound but can also be contemporary and have their feet firmly planted in the 21st century. Plus, I would be foolish not to underline Roger Rivas’s emphatic and dynamic organ playing. He bangs on those ivories like he was trying to put out a fire. He’s an organ-playing maniac!

Want some proof? Check out a video I took of their performance.

The Aggrolites live in Montreal

They were not only a great act on stage but they are a class act offstage also. They took time to take pictures with us and chat a bit.

I also picked up a 45rpm from the vendors table. I didn’t know anything about The Impalers but for 3$, how could I go wrong? I was pleasantly surprised to hear a very infectious traditional sounding ska / rocksteady. My favorite track was the B-side with a tribute to the king of pop himself entitled Return to Jackson. You should check out their MySpace page at:

http://www.myspace.com/theimpalerssf