Growing up in Scarborough was, how can I put this nicely-painfully stiflingly boring bordering on hell ( not that I’m bitter or anything). At a very early age, music became my salvation. I would endlessly pour over early Elvis Presley records, Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Diamond(yes, I was named after him, and his sixties records are enormously cool no matter what you may think-so there!!), and of course, The Beatles, who became my reason to live for several years (they still are in a way) and who are the reason I became a musician and a songwriter. From there it was an easy leap to the wonderful pre ’72 Rolling Stones, The Who, The Byrds (another obsession) The Beach Boys(Brian Wilson is God!), The Kinks, The Zombies, Buffalo Springfield, to the amazingly real original Rock’n’Roll of Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, The Everly Brothers, Little Richard, Carl Perkins, GeneVincent, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Burnette-to the fantastic folk and folk blues of Mississippi John Hurt and Tim Buckley, among other things. (in case you haven’t noticed, I’m the undisputed king of the run-on sentence)

I started playing guitar when I was about 13, and started writing really terrible songs shortly after that. Fortunately, both my writing and my playing improved, and by the time I was 17 I had my first band together, named lovingly after a scene from the Rutles - L.S.Tea. We released an independent cassette (remember when bands would put out cassettes?) , the long out of print “Now Here’s My Plan…”, which I wrote and produced. It was very well received and favorably reviewed in National Chart Magazine, but tragically the group…accepted a teaching post in Australia. Actually, we broke up.

From there I put together The Toppermost, featuring myself on Lead Guitar and vocals, Chris Cunnane (now know as Starboy and part of Robin Black and the Intergalactic Rock Stars) on Rhythm Guitar and Vocals, Andrew Hurst on Bass, and Chad Allen ( now part of Bitter Grin) on drums. We quickly became one of the most popular, exciting, not to mention the loudest bands in Toronto, specializing in a powerhouse popwerpop super melodic-aggressive sound. We received rave reviews in Eye Magazine, and several tracks were recorded in preparation for an album, but sadly, we couldn’t agree on what color the napkins should be at dinner one evening, and that was it for the band.

Since then I have occupied myself with improving as a writer, musician, performer and all around lovable guy. (I haven’t been too successful on that last one unfortunately.) After almost forming yet another group and having that fall apart on me like so much bad spam, I began to think that perhaps communal music-making wasn’t my forte, and (cue heroic sounding music) bravely decided to go it alone.
So, gathering my thoughts, not to mention a great deal of my uncle, Peter Traynor(founder of Traynor Amplifiers/Yorkville Sound)’s equipment to compliment my own home studio, I recorded my first solo album, “August Sun”, playing all the guitars, bass , keyboards, drums, percussion and layering all the vocals. My good friend Owen Keenan (Circle Of Ill Health, Wilder, Jenkins/Keenan, Noon), who has just released his first solo album called “Song Book”, co-wrote and played lead 6-string electric guitar on two songs, “August Sun” and “Oh You!”, as well as playing lap steel on “Keep Faith”. Other than that it’s all me, he said modestly.

I know what you’re all thinking ( well I don’t really, but wouldn’t it be freaky if I really did?), how can he do it live? Does he strap a bass drum to his back, put some cymbals between his knees, and…oh my god, where is he putting that drumstick??!!@$!??? Well, fear not sweet little Rock’n’Rollers ( and sorry about the image I’ve placed in your mind). To properly reproduce “August Sun” live, I’ve assembled a group consisting of myself on Lead 6 & 12-String Guitars, Laurence Roscoe( leader of his own group, The Roscoe Project-and his own album-“Paradox”) on Rhythm 6 & 12 String Gutiars and Backing Vocals, my brother Mark Traynor on Bass, and Rich Baker (Formerly of the earlier mentioned L.S.Tea and now Arc) on Drums. We’ll hopefully be coming to a venue near you soon, and if we’re not… well, reach out and touch someone, and we’ll be happy to be right over.