Remembering Tony
Bird
August 20, 1963 - December 1, 2018
August 20, 1963 - December 1, 2018
by Live Music Head
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| Tony Bird at In The Groove (record store) Mar 1, 2013 |
We met through the Toronto music scene back in the late 1980's,
the Jailhouse Café,
which used to happen every Saturday night
which used to happen every Saturday night
in the Upper Beaches’ Community Centre 55.
And Fat Albert’s,
And Fat Albert’s,
which used to be held in the basement of
the Bloor Street United Church.
We became fast friends because we could so easily and endlessly
We became fast friends because we could so easily and endlessly
talk about music.
For Tony Bird lived and breathed nothing but music, like me,
but waaaaay more so than me.
And he loved to share it.
Every time I saw Tony,
For Tony Bird lived and breathed nothing but music, like me,
but waaaaay more so than me.
And he loved to share it.
Every time I saw Tony,
he would lay on me a cd burn of some obscure recording he'd found.
Tony had more bootleg recordings than anyone I’d ever known,
and several of them ended up in my own collection.
Tony was a true musicologist.
Tony had more bootleg recordings than anyone I’d ever known,
and several of them ended up in my own collection.
Tony was a true musicologist.
We attended many of the same Ontario music festivals annually,
like Bradstock, Iggstock and Lose Yer Shoes.
And one of the most memorable concerts we saw together was
Zappa Plays Zappa at the Hummingbird Centre in 2006,
with Steve Vai and Terry Bozzio special guesting.
But Tony was also a gifted musician himself.
I was witness to his excellent singing and guitar and sitar playing
with Steve Vai and Terry Bozzio special guesting.
But Tony was also a gifted musician himself.
I was witness to his excellent singing and guitar and sitar playing
on many, many occasions -
at places like The Black Swan Tavern, Club 360, Grossman’s Tavern,
at places like The Black Swan Tavern, Club 360, Grossman’s Tavern,
and The Silver Dollar Room.
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| LMH sees Hokum Blues Express, Silver Dollar Room Toronto Sept 26, 2000 |
In 1999, when Tony founded the old-timey duo
Hokum Blues Express
with the late Rick Gregus,
I was a huge supporter. with the late Rick Gregus,
Because they really did have something going on with that ol’
Good Feelin’ Blues!
Later, the duo expanded to include bass player,
Eric Fefferman,
and drummer, Bruce Brooker.
A studio recording resulted, produced by Alec Fraser.
The song from it that I requested Tony to play for me the most was
I Can’t Be Satisfied,
an old Muddy Waters classic.
“Woman, I’m trouble.
And all worried in mind.
I can’t be satisfied,
and I just can’t keep from cryin’.”
And oh, I just remembered the instant joy I used to feel when
The Munsters and Pink Panther themes
would spontaneously spring forth from all his noodling.
Tony was a gifted musician indeed,
intelligent, well-travelled, well-read,
and very kind.
He was a friend who sent me postcards from his travels,
and a birthday card every year.
We were fellow Leo's, born in the same year, only one day apart.
would spontaneously spring forth from all his noodling.
Tony was a gifted musician indeed,
intelligent, well-travelled, well-read,
and very kind.
He was a friend who sent me postcards from his travels,
and a birthday card every year.
We were fellow Leo's, born in the same year, only one day apart.
Over the years, I spent many a Saturday afternoon with him
searching the racks of vinyl in old record shops,
like Discovery on Queen St E,
shown in the photo below.
This is an activity I rarely do anymore, if ever,
but one that Tony never stopped doing.
(I wish we’d been at Sonic Boom on Spadina Ave a few months ago,
at the same time when the great Elton John was spotted and photographed record shopping too. Jesus!)
searching the racks of vinyl in old record shops,
like Discovery on Queen St E,
shown in the photo below.
This is an activity I rarely do anymore, if ever,
but one that Tony never stopped doing.
(I wish we’d been at Sonic Boom on Spadina Ave a few months ago,
at the same time when the great Elton John was spotted and photographed record shopping too. Jesus!)
Tony never seemed to change.
He was always the same person, doing the same things,
He was always the same person, doing the same things,
the entire time I knew him.
He just saw Pat Matheny
at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts on October 9.
And when I talked to him on the phone only last week,
he not only had just got back from Amsterdam
He just saw Pat Matheny
at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts on October 9.
And when I talked to him on the phone only last week,
he not only had just got back from Amsterdam
(one of his favourite places that he's travelled to many times),
but he had just got back from buying some new records
and was resting in his chair,
listening to them.
Tony needed to rest.
For he’d fallen sick while doing all the things
but he had just got back from buying some new records
and was resting in his chair,
listening to them.
Tony needed to rest.
For he’d fallen sick while doing all the things
he always liked to do.
I cannot believe he even made that last trip to Amsterdam and back.
For earlier this year,
I cannot believe he even made that last trip to Amsterdam and back.
For earlier this year,
Tony was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
And yesterday,
And yesterday,
he died from it.
He was 55.
rip~
Funeral Services for Tony will be held on Tues Dec 11
at Ogden Funeral Home, 4164 Sheppard Ave E, Scarborough
Visitation: 5pm-7pm, Service: 7pm
For more information, or to post your condolences,
visit the funeral website...
https://ogden.funeraltechweb.com/tribute/details/17013/Mr-Antony-Bird/service-information.html#tribute-start
He was 55.
rip~
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LMH w/ Tony Bird, Discovery Records, Toronto Mar 1, 2013
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Funeral Services for Tony will be held on Tues Dec 11
at Ogden Funeral Home, 4164 Sheppard Ave E, Scarborough
Visitation: 5pm-7pm, Service: 7pm
For more information, or to post your condolences,
visit the funeral website...
https://ogden.funeraltechweb.com/tribute/details/17013/Mr-Antony-Bird/service-information.html#tribute-start
