Sound Academy, Toronto
January 17, 2009
by Live Music Head
"Ladies and Gentlemen...
From the streets of Toronto
Will you please give a warm welcome
To the man who rocks the blues
The king of the strings
The Almost Crazy...
Paul James" ~ Gary Gray
A Cherokee 4x4 carries us through the city snow
as we travel south to the docks of Lake Ontario.
Randy Charlton at the Sound Academy greets
and we both agree, "it's nice to finally meet".
Entering an intimate room, candlelit
Neil Young is overheard singing it.
Brian has a Brahma, but for me a glass of red
"and the last time I saw Paul James
was over ten years ago... in the west end
pushing a No Frills shopping cart", I said.
"but look, there's Mickey dressed in black
with a winter coat and a cowboy hat".
Spotting the super rocker makes me laugh
as we catch up with a little chat.
When I spot Gary Gray making his way
heading toward the stage...
How many years has he tinkled this intro
over the ivory of electric piano?
Making entrance to his birthday bash
Paul James arrives on stage in a flash.
Suddenly for me it's 1986, 7 or 9
back when I heard Mean and Evil a hundred times.
For over three decades the Paul James Band has been
on the Canadian music beat, Juno award recipients.
John Hammond, Spencer Davis, and Lightnin' Hopkins
with Paul they've all played,
at least according to his website resume.
Sadly, bass player Brian Kipping has passed
and drummer Adrian Vecchiola left for a backlog of tax.
But Paul still plays slide guitar with a mic stand,
fronting a rhythm section, a rockin' band.
Removing his jacket and dark shades,
a shimmering mauve shirt is nicely displayed.
With mouth organ snapped into the rack,
a slide glides diamond-studded white
where guitar electric is strapped.
"you see my milk cow
i wonder where she's been
she's got another bull calf
and she won't let me in"
I discarded most of my vinyl way back when,
but I still have autographed Paul James 45s
along with a few lps, stored in a bin.
Even kept a vhs MuchMusic request
made in Vancouver by Terry David Mulligan.
"we don't play no disco
or even watered-down soul
just give me the Paul James Band
and that Good Old Rock and Roll"
Paying the two fifty ATM fee at the Academy,
we order another round to go with the Roland keys.
Candle-lit tables and beer bottles abandoned,
rising from seats, the dance floor has landed.
"with snake-skin shoes and a leopard-skin hat",
Paul James is good pals with that Bob Dylan cat.
The dancers remain to rock the deck
and Gary Gray reminds me of Brian Jones,
with a little Ray Manzarek.
"come with me, i'll show you where it's at
the name of the place is the Joint Out Back".
There's a cameraman filming the show
as Paul James struts Chuck Berry to and fro.
Now done with red wine
I'm on to club soda, straw and green limes.
When direct from the stage, we're told...
The Ugliest Girl in Town played with Bo
Diddley, and Paul at the bar El Mocambo.
"her daddy was wavin' a 12-guage shot gun".
at the teenage wedding, yea that was fun!
Of old school r and b, Paul James knows a lot.
"I might be an old man, but I'm a damn good shot!"
Spinning and twirling acoustic behind his head,
jumping off the stage for a bar stool instead.
Nadine's got an itch, Paul scratches effect
and a pause for a cause ends the first set.
"Lisa!", comes with a sparkling smile and hug,
when suddenly up close it's the Paul James' mug.
"wow, look at you!", I say
It's been a long time.
"how old are you, anyway?"
"74", replies the lie
and it's a Saturday Nite Free Fry!
Gotta Get a Witness opens round two
with blinking blue of flourescent tubes.
Highlighting my memories of The Black Swan
and gear from Albert's Hall carried to white van, c'mon!
For the Stones' Sweet Virginia, the harp does blow
Hey Paul, dont'cha know...
It's Mick Taylor's birthday too
"gotta wipe that shit right off your shoes!"
The joint was rockin', going Round and Round
Yes, reelin' and a-rockin', what a crazy sound.
When at precisely midnight Paul did sing
The next line, with a timely ring...
"at twelve o'clock the doors blew back"
"now how the hell did the band time that?!"
From every live music act he sees,
Brian's mission is to buy a cd.
But up next is my favorite tune...
Sweet Little Angel, that's who!
"asked my baby for a nickle
and she gave me a fifty dollar bill
asked her for a little drink of liquor
and she gave me a whiskey still"
But it's Gene Vincent who's dipping
into the memory of Brian Kipping.
Remembering upright bass spins
and tall tremendous screams.
Be-bop-a-Lula is "the queen of all teens".
The Paul James Band still rocks in '09,
for clearly the crowd is having a great time.
We wait and watch cute adoring fans
after the show, surrounding the band.
When Paul James is ready, equipped with a pen,
he signs two cds for me and my friend.
I say, "rumour has it you'll join full time".
"one never knows", Paul says with a sigh.
You two have been friends a very long time.
"What about Bob?", simply,"he's a nice guy".
Keeping the Dylan mystery alive!
With warm coat, cds and Mardi Gras beads,
we slowly make our way to the 4x4 Cherokee.
In the parking lot, dark and creepy,
the ship on the frozen lake frightens me.
But driving north, Brian and I both agree,
the band rocked Toronto's Sound Academy.
All the best for 2009, we wish to say.
Oh, and by the way Paul James...
Happy birthday!
http://www.pauljamesband.com/
http://www.sound-academy.com/
