NOUVEL ALBUM : Someone to help me

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 20:08:51 -0400

Venez assister au lancement du tout nouvel album de Randall Spear le 30 août prochain au NinKasi à Québec... Une collection de chansons en collaboration avec The Workers in Songs.

PREMIER EXTRAIT : Someone to help me
Randall Spear
Someone to help me
Recorded with the Workers in Song
Photo : Louis Fortin

1)    Someone to help me (Randall Spear, Stephane Dussault)
2)    Only Love can bring you There ( Feat. Sophie Denis, Steve Fisher : mixed by Stephane Rancourt)
3)    Puzzle ( Randall Spear, Louis Fernandez, Jean-Christoph Boies)
4)    Party girls ( Randall Spear, David Gendron)
* Intro slide: Andre Lavergne
5)    Hold me(Feat: Andre Lavergne) ( Randall Spear, Stephane Dussault)
6)    Where I want to be (Feat. Pat the White : mixed by David Gendron)
7)    Inside and out ( Feat. Pat the White) (Randall Spear/David Gendron)
8)    The 18th floor (Randall Spear/Stephane Rancourt)
9)    Melodie intro/ Melodie’s song (Feat. Melodie Spear)
10) Don’t give up on Love (Feat. Stephane Langelier) (Randall Spear/ David Gendron)
11) Rainy Day Woman (Feat. Stephane Rancourt and Louis Fernandez) ( Bob Dylan)

RANDALL SPEAR : Spectacle gratuit

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 20:00:41 -0400

Le 25 août prochain Randall Spear sera en spectacle au Cercle à Québec pour Vox... et l’entrée est gratuite !! Pour l’occasion il sera accompagné par Sophie Denis aux back vocals, Christian Morrissette au drums et Louis Salomon à la basse.

Au plaisir de vous y retrouver !

Randall Spear

Nomination au Gala Lys Blues 2001

Thu, 7 Apr 2011 20:15:31 -0400

L'ALBUM SLOW PARADE DE RANDALL SPEAR EN NOMINATION AU GALA LYS BLUES 2011 !!

Le comité de sélection 2011 est fier de vous présenter les artistes québécois qui seront soumis aux votes populaires. Cette compétition est en ligne sur Le Net Blues du 14 mars au 3 avril 2011 à minuit. Les lauréats du vote populaire seront dévoilés lors de la soirée Gala qui aura lieu le dimanche 10 avril prochain au Théâtre Plaza.

merci d'allez voter pour Randall : Catégorie album de l'année Blues associé : www.lenetblues.com

Song circle

Sun, 21 Nov 2010 23:14:02 -0500

This is an important band:I. No: Mon cherie..beautiful song...songcircle Sunday Nov.21st Morrin Centre Sunday 2-4pm..there will also be Sophie Denis. Clio, David Etienne, Steph Langelier..why do I do this? because we need new music, and these are people who are creating new music.(period)..long live people who share..

Newsletter: Fall 2010

Sat, 25 Sep 2010 08:36:47 -0400

Hello good people! very busy, but happy busy..just got back from a very cool gig in Vancover at the Libra where life is good and people are healthy...Right now I'm getting ready for the Songwriters Series,(Morrin Centre Quebec city) our first special guest will be Anique Granger, a fantastic folk singer from Saskatchuan.on Sunday Oct 24th.

I'm also in pre-production for the next cd...I'm working on some new songs with Steph Rancourt on drums and Louis Fernandez on bass. Steph Rancourt is the producer and Louis is the arranger and all around great musician..I'm pleased and honored to be working with those guys. The big news is no other than Luke Doucet will be coming down from Toronto to record with us and also be there for the Songwriters Series to be held on Nov. 21st.

Besides that, I guess the best idea is to check Myspace.com/randallspear for the dates of the shows we are playing..it's very cool, we are doing shows all over town to try out the new material..and there are a couple of House Concerts in there....

Take care
Randall

The Songwriters Series

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:56:28 -0400

Live from the Morrin Centre Quebec city: Hosted by Randall Spear

Randall Spear is proud to announce and to host the first Songwriters Series at the historic Morrin Centre in Quebec city. The first will be held Sunday Oct 24th 2010 from 2 to 4pm. The Songwriters Series will showcase an eclectic group of songwriters from all over the country, and promises to inspire and give the opportunity to people to meet and hear professional songwriters in an intimate setting. Hope to see you there!

Randall & Steve Fisher Calgary

Fri, 2 Jul 2010 22:22:32 -0400

Steve Fisher, news letter
Randall Spear at the Auburn Saloon

Last February I happened to meet Randall Spear at a Folk Alliance showcase and hear him play a number of his songs. As someone who tends to tune in more to players and singers than songwriters, it's rare that a song's melody and lyrics stay with me after hearing them just once, but that happened with Randall's 'This is Ours'. After the show we talked about the possibilities of playing in Alberta and I'm happy to say that he has a fine little tour getting underway this week with shows at HMV in the West Edmonton Mall (June 17), Cafe Dabar in Edmonton (June 18), The Hub in Red Deer (June 20) and the Auburn Saloon in Calgary on June 22. I'll be playing with Randall at the Calgary show and will be doing some recording with him at Rob Smith's fine establishment the Rocky Mountain Recording Studio.
Randall's album 'Slow Parade' won the award for best independent folk recording at the 2009 Quebec Music Gala and is now distributed by Universal Music.

seemagazine.com

Thu, 1 Jul 2010 22:35:58 -0400

Getting A Spear In The Ear

Drawing on his late grandfather for inspiration, Randall Spear Keeps it simple

Randall Spear With Mae Anderson West Edmonton Mall mainstage: June 17, 7:30 p.m. Café Dabar: June 18, 8 p.m. Free admission  On the phone with Montreal folk musician Randall Spear, I was a little offset. He wasn’t rude or obnoxious or anything, and in fact, it was the opposite. For some reason I felt like I was calling an old school buddy that I hadn’t heard from in a while. That is what I found perturbing, his ability to have a conversation with me as opposed to ‘doing an interview.’
“Slow Parade was written in my kitchen with a cup of coffee and my kids around,” Spear explains. “I live an ordinary life and write ordinary things. People seem to really relate to it. I believe in the poetry of simple things and my life is pretty simple. I’ve divided into three. I teach English, I take care of my family and then there is music.”
Sure, Spear is inspired by the greats such as Dylan, Cohen, Young, which most folk singers are. But there is one person in particular that pushes Spear to do what he does. And in true Spear form, this person is close to home.
“I’m inspired by my grandfather who was an Irish folksinger,” Spear says. “He was a fiddle and accordion player and used to dance jigs. That is just in me, it’s a part of my upbringing. I think about my song “Rise Above” and it’s a salute to my grandfather in a way. It’s easier to get depressed nowadays, but like my grandfather, I’d rather be inspiring people than adding to hardship.
“Right now I’m really inspired by Hawksley Workman,” he says. “I listen to Meat over and over again. And Luke Doucet as well. I’m trying to listen to more contemporary music all the time. I kind of get into different songwriters and follow them for a while. I’m really a songwriter lover.”
To say he always intended to be a touring musician would be a lie. His love of music, the strength it gives him and other people, was something he thought he would share with only his closest of friends. But like most things in life, as much as you know just proves how little you do.
“I’m 42 and I never expected this to happen at all,” Spear confesses. “This is my first commercial release and it’s a bit of a shock. I’m known as a songwriter helper and I would usually do these home recordings amongst few other things around Quebec. It took a while to find who I was as a musician and performer. I played blues and rock and everything was a little adventure. I thought I knew something about the music business, but I was wrong. In the music world, you need a good sense of humour and the ability to enjoy the ride. I’m really lucky because I have my family’s full support, that is very important to me.”
For a self proclaimed simple man with simple needs, Spears seems wise beyond his years. Even if he is a late bloomer.

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vueweekly.com

Thu, 1 Jul 2010 22:32:12 -0400

Just regular
Randall Spear never thought he'd be a recording artist

After writing and playing music for 30 years, self-proclaimed "regular guy" Randall Spear has reached an important landmark in his career at the age of 42: his first commercial album, Slow Parade, was released in February 2010.

Spear started performing his music 20 years ago, and for those two decades his songs were relegated to independently recorded home demos. His circumstances changed when he met his manager, Jean Ouimet, while collaborating with Edmonton musician Mae Anderson. He gave Ouimet a copy of his demo and he liked it enough to ask Spear to sign onto his label. Spear calls his success with signing to a label and touring at this point in his life a big surprise: "I never thought I'd be doing this now," he says.

His appreciation for music started as a child. His grandfather, an accordion player, instilled in him a love of Irish folk songs, and his radio-DJ brother-in-law introduced him to a wide variety of commercial tunes. Spear says their influence motivated him to learn to play guitar, saxophone and drums, but he prefers to focus on acoustic guitar because of the years he spent studying classical guitar at the Quebec Conservatory.

The soft-spoken musician stresses the importance of staying close to his roots in his songs, saying that finding his identity is imperative as a performer. He says his album is inspired by everyday life. "I always figured I'm a regular guy, I've got a regular job," he says. "I can't really sing about a rock-star life or something like that because I just don't live that kind of life, so I focused a lot on just the daily things."

The daily things include teaching English full-time at a college in Quebec and writing his songs over a cup of coffee while his kids eat breakfast. He says that his focus is split between his family, teaching and music, with little time for anything else.

Though Spear says he views his life as being regular, there is the sense that he doesn't see regular as meaning unremarkable; he seems to find beauty in simplicity.

"I believe there's a lot of poetry in just kind of ordinary things." V
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I’m a folk signer

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:42:37 -0400

I’m a folksinger because since I can remember I’ve been writing songs about everyday things that go on in an ordinary life.
To be living this experience of putting out a professional recording and going out to play my songs and promote « Slow Parade » is more than I have ever dreamed of. And to be honest, to be comfortable in this situation I have to remember who I am and where I come from.
These are the kind of songs I sing at the end of the day, or in the morning with a cup of coffee. They are about making sense of all the things that go on that are mostly out of my control. They help me find my place in this world. Without them I feel lost, I feel incomplete. I hope you enjoy them.
Randall Spear

Critique sur Quebecinfomusique.com

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 19:49:11 -0400

Randall Spear: intimité acoustique fort agréable
Un commentaire de Roger T. Drolet

Je connais Randall Spear depuis un peu plus d'un an. En avril 2009, j'avais en effet le plaisir de lui remettre un prix pour Québec Info Musique lors d'un gala artistique de sa ville d'adoption, Québec. Et pourtant, je n'avais pas encore eu l'occasion de le voir sur scène malgré la sympathie que j'ai ressentie pour l'homme et l'intérêt que j'ai pour sa musique enregistrée. C'est maintenant chose faite puisque j'assistais, ce mardi 15 juin, à une représentation de son spectacle Slow Parade donnée au Théâtre de la Bordée de la Capitale.

Il est très à l'aise sur les planches, ce Québécois dont le grand-père était d'origine irlandaise. Il chante en anglais mais présente son matériel en français. Il affirme ses influences haut et fort: Neil Young, Dylan, Cohen. On retrouve aisément ces géants dans les mélodies de Randall, notamment grâce à des arrangements folk à l'américaine et à des thèmes respirant l'humanisme.

Fort bien entouré par quatre complices qui ont autant de plaisir que lui à jouer, Randall fait le tour de son récent album, "Slow Parade", en toute simplicité, laissant tomber ici et là quelques anecdotes sur son parcours de prof d'anglais, de papa et d'amant de la musique (pas nécessairement dans cet ordre J) qui permettent au public de mieux apprécier la signification de ses textes. Une chanson dédiée à sa conjointe "When You Were Away", une autre composée lorsque l'une de ses filles était bébé "Sweet Marianne" et encore une autre pour son père "Song From An Empty Chair"... et la liste continue ainsi.

S'accompagnant toujours à la guitare acoustique, l'auteur-compositeur-interprète laisse ses amis de scène livrer pleinement leur soul: Sophie Denis à la voix, Manon Turcotte à l'accordéon, Louis Fernandez à la basse et Christian Morissette à la batterie. Les arrangements sont toujours simples et soignés et comme il n'y a ni guitare électrique ni clavier, c'est tantôt l'accordéon, tantôt la basse électrique qui livrent les subtilités harmoniques. Le travail vocal de Sophie est également fort remarquable autant comme choriste que lors des parties solistes; et le chanteur ne manque pas de le souligner à l'auditoire.

Randall a pris du galon ces dernières années et offre maintenant des compositions à plusieurs musiciens réputés mais, comme artiste soliste, il offre également un spectacle fort bien équilibré où la douceur, le rythme et l'émotion alternent et riment avec les petites et grandes réalités de la vie contemporaine. La centaine de spectateurs présents ce soir-là a vivement apprécié. On a bien besoin d'artistes positifs de cette trempe dans notre univers hallucinant et tonitruant pour nous ramener les pieds sur terre... intelligemment.

Mais Randall, à quand un texte dans la langue de Richard Séguin? Tu pourras ainsi continuer à élargir ton public!
Dans un avenir rapproché on pourra voir Randall Spear dans l'Ouest canadien et ici et là, au Québec.

Cette soirée fut la première d'une série de concerts intitulée Heroes, an ultimate unpluggged event, qui amènera aussi à Québec Annette Campagne et Juliel au cours des prochains mois.

Voir l’article

Critique sur Rock Détente Saguenay (96.9)

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:23:49 -0400

En vedette cette semaine; Randall Spear / Slow parade

Après plusieurs années à jouer sur la scène indépendante locale, Randall Spear est fier de présenter son premier album «Slow Parade» sous étiquette de Session 5 et distribué par Universal music.

Randall Spear?. L'artiste d'origine anglophone, qui réside à Québec Professeur d'anglais inspiré notamment par Bob Dylan et Neil Young, l'auteur-compositeur montréalais d'origine «irish» (c'est son grand-papa qui a émigré ici) vient de lancer un premier album, Slow Parade, où on peut apprécier ses dons de mélodiste, sa voix chaleureuse et sa plume qui manie la simplicité volontaire à merveille.
C'est fait pour chanter les refrains tous en gang, pour scander les airs de la tête ou fredonner sans s'en rendre compte en appréciant le cours des jours.
Souvent comparé à Cohen, Reed et Young,Randall Spear étonne dès la première écoute grâce à la qualité des mots, les mélodies
accrocheuses, sa vision poétique et la chaleur de sa voix

Voir l’article

New letter from Steve Fisher

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:21:19 -0400

In the next while I'll be doing some recording and performing with Randall Spear, a fine singer/songwriter that I met at Folk Alliance in Memphis. Randall released an excellent album called 'Slow Parade' that won Quebec's Best Folk Album of the Year award in 2009 and is currently distributed by Universal Music. We'll be spending some time at Rob Smith's studio on a tune for Randall's next album and we'll be playing show together at the Auburn Saloon in Calgary on June 22.

A word from Randall Spear

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 20:12:07 -0400

Hello Good People..
The Slow Parade is heading Out West this summer. I'm very excited to be Alberta bound June 18th and then to beautiful British Columbia to round out the tour. Radio promotion, live performances, showcases, and recording with Steve Fisher are all on the agenda..I'll keep you posted!

Le vidéoclip «Rise Above» à CJNT !

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:56:17 -0400

C’est avec grand plaisir que nous vous annonçons que le vidéoclip de «Rise above» sera inséré dans la série clip canadien anglo ! Et ce, du lundi au samedie 13-14h, du mardi au vendredi 18-20h, lundi 18-19h et samedi 19-20h.

CJNT est disponible dans le Grand Montreal sans le câble (UHF-62), sur Vidéotron analogue (14) et numérique (14). BellTV (Nimiq 2) poste 207 partout au Canada, Rogers en Ontario (127).

Reportage Vox du vidéoclip de «Rise above»

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:40:30 -0400

Visionner le making-of sur le tournage du vidéoclip «Rise Above» de Randall Spear. Entrevue faite par Jasmain Hains de l'émission LezArts diffusée au canal VOX.

Un article dans Cyberpresse

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:51:19 -0400

Ce matin, Marie-Christine Blais de La Presse, faisait paraître une excellente critique sur l’album Slow Parade !

«... ses dons de mélodiste, sa voix chaleureuse et sa plume qui manie la simplicité volontaire à merveille.»

«C'est fait pour chanter les refrains tous en gang, pour scander les airs de la tête ou fredonner sans s'en rendre compte en appréciant le cours des jours.»

Pour lire l’article

Coup de coeur musical

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:05:01 -0500

Cette semaine Radio-Canada - Saguenay - Café, Boulot Dodo (93,7 FM) avec Doris Larouche et Paule Therrien nous présentaient leur coup de coeur musical... l’album Slow Parade de Randall Spear.

Pour écouter l’entrevue

«...» Un coup de coeur musical ! «...»
«...» Une vrai, vrai, vrai découverte «...»
«...» Un timbre de voix très chaleureux «...»
«...» Un album avec lequel je roule depuis 2 semaines «...»

Randall sur Télé-Mag

Fri, 5 Mar 2010 22:04:53 -0500

Ne manquez pas Randall sur Télé-Mag (Canal 10)
Dossier Actualité
- mercredi le 10 mars, de 20h30 à 21h30.

En rediffusion
- jeudi 11 mars à 12h
- vendredi 12 mars, à 17h
Visiter le site web

In concert for St. Patrick’s Day

Thu, 4 Mar 2010 17:49:27 -0500

Next performance: Montreal March 17 - Studio-Théâtre PDA
laplacedesarts.com
514.842.2112

Press release

Pour souligner la St-Patrick
En spectacle : Montréal 17 Mars Studio-Théâtre PDA
laplacedesarts.com
514.842.2112

Communiqué de presse

Une nouvelle critique de l’album!

Mon, 1 Mar 2010 19:22:57 -0500

[...]«Slow Parade» est comme un tableau, à chaque fois qu’on l’écoute on y perçoit quelques choses de nouveau. D’une qualité sonore impéccable, on se laisse facilement bercer par les ballades et les textes de l’auteur.
[...] Slow Parade est un album folk remarquable!

Version complète de l’article ici.

Photos de la 2e journée de tournage

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:41:24 -0500

Nous venons de recevoir les photos de la deuxième journée de tournage du vidéoclip «Rise above». Un grand merci à Larry Rochefort !
Visionnez les photos

Critique dans le Soleil

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:38:52 -0500

Heureuse surprise. Il faut absolument que vous écoutiez le premier album de Randall Spear. Honnêtement, je ne me rappelle pas avoir aussi été agréablement surpris par un CD d’un artiste de Québec. Sa folk acoustique s’inscrit dans une longue tradition d’auteur-compositeur (Dylan, Young...). Mais c’est d’abord son chaleureux timbre de voix, très pur, un peu à la Jim Cuddy (Blue Rodeo), qui séduit l’oreille de Lauditeur. Il faut aussi souligner la qualité des choeurs féminins, qui ajoutent une délicate touche d’émotion. On est aussi particulièrement ravi par l’extraordinaire production, dont le dépouillement restitue l’essence de la musique de Spear. Les compositions ont une forte résonance, malgré leur (apparente) simplicité. Le Québecois d’origine irlandaise varie bien morceaux plus rythmés, avec une twist pop ou bluesée, et les complaintes. Il faut noter l’utilisation judicieuse de l’accordéon dont le spleen touche droit au coeur. Slow Parade est un foutu beau disque. Spear sera en spectacle au Sacrilège le 25 février, à 18h.
Éric Moreault - Le Soleil

Back from the Folk Alliance in Memphis...

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:30:03 -0500

ho brother... I was trying to swim in an ocean of Folk..very cool experience.. from ages 15 to 88! awesom players and some awesome songwriters..spent Saturday afternoon on Bel street..BB Kings Bar ..live music at 3pm! full band.. then a walk down the bang! more live music.. it’s Dysney World for musicians...
Randall Spear

Excellente critique du 98,5 fm

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:21:53 -0500

Une excellente critique de l’album Slow Parade à été diffusée sur le 98,5 fm. Écoutez l’extrait radio via.