Be sure to catch David and an eclectic collection of guest DJs streaming 24/7 on NYTheSpirit.com. Experience music unique to David Marsden and his tenure at CFNY-FM–music that defines not only an era, but a lifetime.
Typically, David presents a live show from 8PM until midnight on Saturday and Sunday nights; but, you just never know when he’ll pop in during the week.
Here is the complete list, thanks to the combined efforts of TheBarron and JerusalemSlim, as I was out of town:
Allan Rayman – Word Of Mouth
Arcade Fire – Signs Of Life
Aztec Cameras – Walk Out To Winter (Extended Version)
B.B. King – Lucille
B.B. King/Etta James – There’s Something On Your Mind
Barclay James Harvest – She Said
Box- Closer Together
Boy George – The Crying Game
Bruce Springsteen – 4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)
Coloufield feat. Sinead O’Connor – Monkey In Winter
Dee Long – Good Night Universe
Deftones – Drive
Della Reese – What A Diff’rence A Day Makes
Della Reese – You Made Me Love You
Derek & The Dominos – Bell Bottom Blues
Doors – The Crystal Ship
Frank Zappa – I Am The Slime
Hidden Cameras – Gay Goth Scene
Humble Pie – 79th And Sunset
Ian Dury – Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
John Foxx – Europe After The Rain
Ladysmith Black Mambazo Feat. Des’Ree – Ain’t No Sunshine
Leonard Cohen – Alexandra Leaving
Lewis Furey – The Sky Is Falling
Luciano Pavarotti/Eric Clapton – Holy Mother
Lyric Dubee – Bridge To Nowhere
Mark Knopfler – Lights Of Taormina
Mike Oldfield – Ambient Guitars
Passenger – Let Her Go (Acoustic)
Pink Floyd – One Slip
Rag ’n’ Bone Man – Human
Rob Stuart – A Beautiful Thing
Roger Waters – 4:33am (Running Shoes)
Sigrid – Everybody Knows
SLAVE to the SQUAREwave – Running
SLAVE to the SQUAREwave – Starrs
SLAVE to the SQUAREwave – Starrs (Ambient Vocal Mix)
Steve Hackett feat. John Wetton – Watcher Of The Skies
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel – Understand
The Members – Radio Dub
Tom Robinson – War Baby (12” Single Version)
Tom Waits – Romeo Is Bleeding
Unheilig – An Deiner Seite
Willie Deville – I Call Your name
Willie Nelson – It Gets Easier
Be sure to catch David and an eclectic collection of guest DJs streaming 24/7 on NYTheSpirit.com. Experience music unique to David Marsden and his tenure at CFNY-FM–music that defines not only an era, but a lifetime.
Typically, David presents a live show from 8PM until midnight on Saturday and Sunday nights; but, you just never know when he’ll pop in during the week.
Here is the complete list (a bit late because I’ve been out of town) thanks to post-10PM assistance from TheBarron:
ABC – When Smokey Sings
Arcade Fire – Everything Now
Art Of Noise feat. Duane Eddy – Peter Gunn Theme (The Twang Mix)
Darkroom – A Test Of Time
David Bowie – Let’s Dance (Trifactor vs. Deeper Substance remix)
Dee Long – Good Night Universe
Depeche Mode – Route 66 (Beatmasters mix)
Depeche Mode – Strangelove (Tim Simenon/Mark Saunders remix)
Empire Of The Sun – We Are The People
Feargal Sharkey – A Good Heart
Frank Zappa – Flakes
Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Welcome To The Pleasuredome (Escape Act Video Mix)
Freddie Mercury – Living On My Own
Glamatron – Porcelain Doll
Godley & Crème – Snack Attack
Goldfrapp/Norman Greenbaum/ZZ Top – Ooh La Grange In The Sky (mash-up)
Gord Downie – Bedtime
Grapes Of Wrath – Picnic
Howard Jones & Nik Kershaw – Like To Get To Know You Well/What Is Love/Wouldn’t It Be Good/The Riddle/I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me/New Song/Wide Boy/Pearl In The Shell (Mash-Up)
Immortelle – Eternal Life
Isaac Hayes – Theme From Shaft
Leonard Cohen – A Thousand Kisses Deep
Munk – Back Down (Cut Copy Jackmaster Remix
Nick Cave/Kylie Minogue – Where The Wild Roses Grow
Pet Shop Boys – Suburbia (The Full Horror)
Peter Schilling – The Different Story (World Of Lust And Crime)
Pink Project – Disco Project
Primal Scream – Loaded
Prince – Purple Rain
Procol Harum – A Salty Dog
Project Pitchfork – Orange Moon
Project Pitchfork – Timekiller (And One Remix)
Rag ’n’ Bone Man – Human
Rammstein – Stripped – (Heavy Mental Mix)
Rob Stuart – A Beautiful Thing
SLAVE To The SQUAREwave – Get Out Of My House (Krynoid Eviction mix)
SLAVE To The SQUAREwave – Get Out Of My House (video edit)
SLAVE to the SQUAREwave – Sacrifice
SLAVE to the SQUAREwave – Starrs (Ambient Vocal Mix)
Sweet – Ballroom Blitz
The The – Armageddon Days (Are Here Again)
Ultravox – Brilliant
Yello – Vicious Games
Be sure to catch David and an eclectic collection of guest DJs streaming 24/7 on NYTheSpirit.com. Experience music unique to David Marsden and his tenure at CFNY-FM–music that defines not only an era, but a lifetime.
Typically, David presents a live show from 8PM until midnight on Saturday and Sunday nights; but, you just never know when he’ll pop in during the week.
Here is the entire list, thanks to post-10PM help from the world famous “voluntary runner up,” JerusalemSlim:
Albert King – Laundromat Blues
Alphaville – Forever Young
Al Stewart – Lord Grenville
Band feat. Bob Dylan – I Shall Be Released (live at The Last Waltz)
Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa – Ain’t No Way
Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa – I’d Rather Go Blind
Brian Eno – Baby’s On Fire
Clarence Carter – Slip Away
Crack The Sky – Nuclear Apathy
Daniel Lanois – The Maker
Dee Long – Good Night Universe
Dido – Worthless
Dr. John/The Band – Such A Night (live at The Last Waltz)
Echo & The Bunnymen – Bring On The Dancing Horses (extended mix)
Elliott Murphy feat. Bruce Springsteen – Everything I Do (I Do It For You)
Elliott Randall – Sour Flower
Elvis Costello – Alison
Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush – Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
Garfield – Private Affair
Gotye – State Of The Art
Grateful Dead – Box Of Rain
Iggy Pop – Gold
Jimi Hendrix Experience – And The Gods Made Love
John Lee Hooker feat Carlos Santana – Chill Out (Things Gonna Change)
Kate Bush – The Dreaming
Leon Russell – A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall
Leon Russell – A Song For You
Lighthouse – 1849
Louis Armstrong – Moon River
Madness – Our House (Stretch mix)
Moms Mabley – Abraham, Martin, And John
Moody Blues – Isn’t Life Strange (full version)
Neil Young/The Band – Four Strong Winds (live at The Last Waltz)
Peter Murphy – All Night Long
Pink Floyd – Pigs (Three Different Ones)
Procol Harum – Grand Hotel
Rashaan Roland Kirk – Ain’t No Sunshine
Rick Wakeman – Anne Boleyn ‘The Day Thou Gavest Lord Hath Ended’
Rob Stuart – A Beautiful Thing
Sinead O’Connor, Roger Waters, The Band, The Hooters – Mother (live in Berlin)
SLAVE to the SQUAREwave – Starrs (Ambient Vocal Mix)
Southside Johnny And The Asbury Jukes – Walk Away Renee
Strange Advance – Worlds Away
Tom Clay – What The World Needs Now Is Love
Be sure to catch David and an eclectic collection of guest DJs streaming 24/7 on NYTheSpirit.com. Experience music unique to David Marsden and his tenure at CFNY-FM–music that defines not only an era, but a lifetime.
Typically, David presents a live show from 8PM until midnight on Saturday and Sunday nights; but, you just never know when he’ll pop in during the week.
Here is the complete list, thanks to (always) cheerful late night assistance from TheBarron:
AC/DC – Big Balls
Arcade Fire – Everything Now
Blancmange – Blind Vision (12″ mix)
Brandon Flowers – I Can Change
Bronski Beat – Smalltown Boy (Akoustic Mix)
Capital Cities – Swimming Pool Summer
China Crisis – Wishful Thinking
Crash Test Dummies – Heart Of Stone
Cult – She Sells Sanctuary (long version)
Cut Copy – Need You Now
Dee Long – Good Night Universe
Dire Straits – Millionaire Blues
Dylans – Planet Love
Echo & The Bunnymen – Silver
Gary Numan – Cars (E Reg mix)
Genesis – Carpet Crawlers
Glamatron – Factor 222
Groundhogs – Split (Pt. 2)
Japan – Transmission
Klaatu – Calling Occupants
Long John Baldry – Mr. Rubin
Lyric Dubee – Bridge To Nowhere
Mighty Lemon Drops – Out Of Hand (extended)
Morrissey – Irish Blood, English Heart
New Order – Blue Mondays (Hardfloor Mix)
New Order – Tutti Frutti
New Pornographers – Use It
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – If You Leave (extended)
Project Pitchfork – Timekiller (And One Remix)
Psychedelic Furs – Heartbreak Beat (extended mix)
Rheostatics – Who Is This Man & Why Is He Laughing
Rob Stuart – A Beautiful Thing
Rocky Horror Picture Show – Sweet Transvestite
Scandroid – Neo-Tokyo (Dance With The Dead remix)
SLAVE To The SQUAREwave – Running
SLAVE To The SQUAREwave – Your Love Keeps Me Dancing
Stranglers – You’ll Always Reap What You Sow
T. Rex – The Slider
Third World – Try Jah Love
Ultravox – White China (Special Mix)
Visage – Fade To Grey
Waterboys – Independence Day
Be sure to catch David and an eclectic collection of guest DJs streaming 24/7 on NYTheSpirit.com. Experience music unique to David Marsden and his tenure at CFNY-FM–music that defines not only an era, but a lifetime.
Typically, David presents a live show from 8PM until midnight on Saturday and Sunday nights; but, you just never know when he’ll pop in during the week.
Here is the complete list, thanks to the combined efforts of JerusalemSlim, TheBarron, and myself–what a team!
69 Eyes – Velvet Touch
Al Green – Take Me To The River
Arcade Fire – Everything Now
Beautiful South – Dream A Little Dream
Beth Hart – Mama This One’s For You
Blancmange – Blind Vision (12″ mix)
Bobby Bazini – Summer Is Gone
David Bowie – Sunday
David Gilmour – A Pocketful of Stones
David Johansen And The Harry Smiths – James Alley Blues
Death Cab For Cutie – A Lack Of Color
Dee Long – Good Night Universe
Dr. John, The Night Tripper – Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya
Elliott Murphy – Anastasia
Etta James – Stormy Weather
Foot In Coldwater – (Make Me Do) Anything You Want
Genesis – Cinema Show
Golden Earring – The Vanilla Queen
Interview – St. Joan Wires
Jake Bugg – Bigger Lover
John Martyn – Sunshine’s Better
Jon & Vangelis – I Hear You Now
King Crimson – In The Court Of The Crimson King
Kinks – Permanent Waves
Kygo feat Angus & Julia Stone – For What It’s Worth
Lee Michaels – Heighty Hi
Leonard Cohen – The Future
Lyric Dubee – They Say
Michael Cretu – Samurai
Moody Blues – Are You Sitting Comfortably?
Nazz – Hello It’s Me
Propellerheads feat. Shirley Bassey – History Repeating
Queen – These Are The Days Of Our Lives
Ray Charles feat. Ruben Studdard and The Harlem Gospel Singers – Imagine
Robbie Robertson – Houdini
Rob Stuart – A Beautiful Thing
Roderick Falconer – Play It Again
Roy Orbison – In Dreams
SLAVE to the SQUAREwave – Running
Snowy White – Burning Love
Steve Hackett – Star of Sirius
Tame Impala – Let It Happen
Temptations – Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone
Toni Childs – The Dead Are Dancing
Van Morrison – T.B. Sheets
War On Drugs – Thinking Of A Place
Be sure to catch David and an eclectic collection of guest DJs streaming 24/7 on NYTheSpirit.com. Experience music unique to David Marsden and his tenure at CFNY-FM–music that defines not only an era, but a lifetime.
Typically, David presents a live show from 8PM until midnight on Saturday and Sunday nights; but, you just never know when he’ll pop in during the week.
Here is the complete list, thanks to always-efficient (and much appreciated) post-10PM assistance from TheBarron:
Aeroplane feat. Benjamin Diamond – Let’s Get Slow
Alice Cooper – Welcome To My Nightmare
Arcade Fire – Creature Comfort
Beck – Up All Night
Big Supreme – Don’t Walk
Bill Nelson – Contemplation
Blackmore’s Night – Rainbow Eyes
Book Of Love – Boy (Peter Rauhofer Club Mix)
Boomtown Rats – Wind Chill Factor (Minus Zero)
Carole Pope – Dream 6
David Bowie – Thursday’s Child
Dee Long – Good Night Universe
Delerium – A Poem For Byzantium
Dream Academy – The Love Parade
Echo & The Bunnymen – Bring On The Dancing Horses (extended mix)
Electric Prunes – I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)
Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Two Tribes (Annihilation)
Glamatron – Porcelain Doll
Iggy Pop – Pumpin’ For Jill
Japan – Adolescent Sex
Jeff Wayne feat. Richard Burton – Horsell Common And The Heat Ray
Kate Bush – Breathing
Killing Joke – Love Like Blood (Extended 12” Mix)
Lou Reed – Sweet Jane
Lyric Dubee – Bridge To Nowhere
Mark Knopfler feat. Van Morrison – The Last Laugh
Max Webster – Diamonds, Diamonds
Munk – Back Down (Cut Copy Jackmaster Remix)
Of Monsters And Men – Empire
Phil Lynott – Yellow Pearl (first version)
Project Pitchfork – Timekiller (And One Remix)
Public Service Broadcast – Gagarin
Raised By Swans – Violet Light
Rammstein – Sehnsucht
Rob Stuart – A Beautiful Thing
Shins – It’s Only Life
SLAVE to the SQUAREwave – Sacrifice
SLAVE to the SQUAREwave – Starrs
SLAVE To The SQUAREwave – When The Lights Go Out
Smash Mouth – Walkin’ On The Sun
Talking heads – Take Me To The River
Tubes – What Do You Want From Life
Ultravox – Dancing With Tears In My Eyes
War – Low Rider
Zee – Confusion
Be sure to catch David and an eclectic collection of guest DJs streaming 24/7 on NYTheSpirit.com. Experience music unique to David Marsden and his tenure at CFNY-FM–music that defines not only an era, but a lifetime.
Typically, David presents a live show from 8PM until midnight on Saturday and Sunday nights; but, you just never know when he’ll pop in during the week.
Here is the complete list, thanks to late night extra effort by an under-the-weather TheBarron:
69 Eyes – Feel Berlin
A-Ha – Crying In The Rain
Arcade Fire – Everything Now
Beth Hart Feat. Joe Bonamassa – Caught Out In The Rain
Blackie & The Rodeo Kings – I’d Have To Be A Stone
Buddy Miles – Them Changes
Colin James – Hearts On Fire
Cure – Lovesong (extended mix)
David Bowie – Station To Station
David Gilmour – Red Sky At Night (Live In Gdansk)
Dee Long – Good Night Universe
Dinah Washington – Mad About The Boy
Electronic Dream Factory – So, What Of Tomorrow (original version)
Elliott Smith – Because
Eric Clapton/Dire Straights – Wonderful Tonight
Eric Clapton/Mark Knopfler – Same Old Blues (live)
Flash & The Pan – Walking In The Rain
Grace Jones – Walking In The Rain
Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes – Wake Up Everybody
Hooverphonic – Wake Up
Jam – The Butterfly Collector
Joe Bonamassa – Bird On A Wire
Johnny Warman/Peter Gabriel – Screaming Jets
Kenny Wayne Shepherd/Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown – Born In Louisiana
Kinks – Lost & Found
Krueger Band – Wooly Bully Blues
Long John Baldry – A Thrill’s A Thrill
Lorraine Segato – Times Like This
Lyric Dubee – Black Ice
Lyric Dubee – Bridge To Nowhere
Marianne Faithfull – Blue Millionaire (12″ extended version)
Mike Bloomfield/Al Kooper/Steve Stills – Albert’s Shuffle
Nazareth – Love Hurts
Neurotic Wreck – The Rain
Pat Metheny Group – The Falcon & The Snowman
Phil Manzanera/Sonia Bernardo – 1960 Caracus
Rob Stuart – A Beautiful Thing
Robbie Robertson – Somewhere Down The Crazy River
Roger Waters – Sunset Strip
Silencers – Painted Moon (Extended 12” Mix)
Sinead O’Connor – Nothing Compares 2 U
SLAVE To The SQUAREwave – Get Out Of My House
SLAVE to the SQUAREwave – Starrs (Ambient Vocal Mix)
Thomas Dolby – Airwaves (7″ version)
Tommy Edwards – All In The game
Velvet Underground – Rock And Roll
Willie Nelson/Leon Russell – Stormy Weather
Be sure to catch David and an eclectic collection of guest DJs streaming 24/7 on NYTheSpirit.com. Experience music unique to David Marsden and his tenure at CFNY-FM–music that defines not only an era, but a lifetime.
Typically, David presents a live show from 8PM until midnight on Saturday and Sunday nights; but, you just never know when he’ll pop in during the week.
Art Of Noise feat. Duane Eddy – Peter Gunn (12″ extended)
Blancmange – Game Above My Head (12” Remix)
Bloodhound Gang – The Bad Touch
Brian Eno/John Cale – Spinning Away
China Crisis – African And White
Cockney Rebel – Sebastian
Conjure One feat. Poe – Center Of The Sun (Solarstones Chilled Out Remix)
Dee Long – Good Night Universe
Fiat Lux – Blue Emotion
Firesign Theatre – The Further Adventures Of Nick Danger
Fleece – Under The Light
Front Line Assembly – Fragmented
Garfield – Private Affair
Genesis – Carpet Crawlers
Gina X Performance – Nice Mover
Godley & Creme – The Flood
Harrison Fjord – Docking With Jesus
Heaven 17 – Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry (extended dance version)
Iggy Pop – Play It Safe
Japan – Life In Tokyo (12″ extended version)
John Cooper Clarke – Beasley Street
Jordan John – George & Sylvester(The Funky Nation)
King Crimson – I Talk To The Wind
Lyric Dubee – 100 To Zero
Lyric Dubee – Bridge To Nowhere
Magazine – Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)
Marillion – Angelina
Moby feat. Patti Labelle – One Of These Mornings
Moody Blues – House Of Four Doors, Pt. 2
New Order – Plastic
OneRepublic & Seeb – Kids (Seeb remix)
Peter Murphy – A Strange Kind Of Love
Prince – Purple Rain
Prodigy – Their Law
Project Pitchfork – Orange Moon
Rob Stuart – A Beautiful Thing
Roger Waters – Watching T.V.
SLAVE To The SQUAREwave – Debauchery
SLAVE To The SQUAREwave – Here Comes My Man
SLAVE To The SQUAREwave – Honest
SLAVE To The SQUAREwave – Running
SLAVE To The SQUAREwave – Sacrifice
SLAVE To The SQUAREwave – Something That I Said
SLAVE To The SQUAREwave – Starrs (Ambient Vocal Mix)
Spoons – Never Gonna Fall (?)
Stranglers – You’ll Always Reap What You Sow
Supreme Beings Of Leisure – Last Girl On Earth
T. Rex – I Love To Boogie
Ultravox – Brilliant
Visage – The Damned Don’t Cry (extended)
War On Drugs – Under The Pressure
Yello – 30’000 Days
About 10 years ago, I was a novice listener of David Marsden’s live broadcast over the internet from a station out of Oshawa, ON Canada. His style and selection of music (mostly alternative 80s and current off-the-beaten-track tunes) had grabbed me from the first show I tuned into (thanks to a recommendation from fellow music blogger RalphD). One night, I distinctly remember being stopped dead in my tracks when a song came up that I had never heard before. I quickly shot off an email to Ralph asking, “WHO is that?” Ralph’s answer came back with an oddly-named group—SLAVE to the SQUAREwave—and a brief history of who, what, when…
The song at the time was “Sinners of Saint Avenue,” and from that moment on, I became a die-hard “Squarehead.” The melody, the lyrics, the singing…up until that point I had firmly believed that there wasn’t a singer out there that even came close to my longtime idol David Bowie. Well, holy cow, was I wrong! Here was Colin Troy McPhail, backed by the incredible musical talent of Rob Stuart, delivering the range, the pitch, the drop-dead gorgeous passion of Bowie, but with his own distinctive and personal flair. Thank goodness for me that RalphD was himself a huge “Squarehead” and happily pointed me in the direction of finding out more about S2TSW.
Since then, I’ve had the pleasure and good fortune to feature SLAVE to the SQUAREwave (Colin and Rob Stuart) several times here on Rave and Roll blog. Rob even interviewed me last March for his “The Mixtape Show” DJ slot on NYTheSpirit.com. This, however, is my first opportunity to interview Colin, the angelic and passionate vocal genius of S2TSW. If you’ve never had the privilege of listening to SLAVE, please give yourself that treat. They release their new album Jigsaw on November 10, 2017. It will be available worldwide on all streaming and music websites with an album release party in the works.
Maybe, just maybe, you’ll fall under their indomitable spell and become a Squarehead, too.
(NOTE: At the end of this interview, Colin and Rob have provided a free download of the ambient remix of “Starrs,” a beautiful and moving track. This particular mix is not available on the album Jigsaw that releases on November 10, 2017).
Missparker: SLAVE to the SQUAREwave’s core musicians are you and Rob Stuart. How did you guys meet up and how long have you been making music together?
Colin: Rob and I met nearly 20 years ago at a rave in Oakville Ontario. He was playing his EDF (Electronic Dream Factory) music, and I was performing a project called Smokin Jehovah. We got talking and discovered that we lived close by to one another. We met up and jammed out some of our own music ideas and began a lifelong friendship through music.
Missparker: As someone who can’t hold a tune in a bucket (me), but is blessed with good ears, I am in awe of your tremendous gift of singing. I’ve mentioned to anyone who’ll listen that you remind me so much of David Bowie in style, range, and expression. Do you consider him an influence? Is there anyone else who has inspired you vocally?
Colin: Of course, Bowie is God (laughs). He is by far the greatest artist that has lived. But musically I’ve been influenced by what I call the Davids—Bowie, Byrne, Gahan, Sylvian, and Lee Roth—all my Davids have been musical influences lyrically, musically, and of course, showmanship.
Missparker: I have to say, after viewing a number of SLAVE videos on YouTube, I feel like I’ve missed out big time on your live performances. You seem to morph into all kinds of different and interesting personas. Are they inner characters that you allow to escape onstage? Do they have names?
Colin: (laughs) HAHA, good question…hmmm…The Characters are mostly influenced by the songs themselves. So performing live, the characters just add to the ability to make the songs visual, as well as lyrical. Live, it’s so much fun—hmmm…I’ve never thought of names—maybe I should (laughs)!
Missparker: I have to say I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my preview of Jigsaw. I’m full of questions, but I’ll try to contain myself and keep it to a bearable number! First, where did the name Jigsaw come from? And the delightfully fun intro “Debauchery”—does it have a particular significance?
Colin: This past year and a half has been a personal nightmare—from losing a job and getting transferred to a different job, which has been frustrating—to having my car stolen—to losing a great relationship (at least I thought was)—to losing my dear sister to cancer this past summer. Jigsaw is about the pieces I’ve lost and trying to put some kind of puzzle back in order.
Debauchery is an ode to musical theatre like Cabaret or Chicago. Just a fun sexy, sassy little number to introduce your ears with.
Missparker: No pun intended, but “The Coldest Night of the Year,” along with “Starrs,” absolutely give me chills. They are gorgeous: instrumentally, lyrically, and stylistically thanks in large part to your poignant delivery. What can you share about the source of the emotion behind the lyrics?
Colin: “The Coldest Night” was written around New Year’s Eve of this past year. I was in a long distance relationship and because of the lack of physical intimacy, I just was overwhelmed with feelings of loneliness. Eventually we ended it a few months later.
“Starrs” is about my dear sister who died of cancer in August. Her middle name was Starr. We knew she was beginning to fade and her time was coming soon. Rob came up with this beautiful track—I was floored by its musicality—probably the toughest song lyrics to write. We finished the song before she passed away. It’s about seeing her again beyond death’s door. I never played it to her. She never got to hear that song. It was too painful for me to have her hear what I wrote—because it was about the inevitable.
Missparker: I’m so sorry for your loss. The pain that you went through is so evident in the music and lyrics. David Marsden has been playing “Starrs” as a teaser of sorts over the past few weeks. I remember thinking, “If the rest of the album is half as good as this, it’s going to be brilliant.” Well…it’s MUCH more than half as good, so “brilliant” is an understatement. Do you have a favorite track, and what makes it that?
Colin: “Here Comes My Man.” It’s a hilarious true story of a grindr hookup gone bad.
Missparker: “Honest” has an earnest rhythm driving it from behind, almost reminiscent of island music. It’s not the first time I’ve heard this influence in S2TSW’s music. Is there a specific source that it comes from?
Colin: I love drop beats. Both Rob and I love ska music. Rob had a much more musical influence on that track. I had the acoustic melodies and rhythm, but he brought in the drop beats. It’s his genius not mine (laughs).
Missparker: My ears perked up at the opening seconds of “Something That I Said.” Did I catch a sample of the sample (twice removed) from Eno and Byrne’s “Mea Culpa?” What’s the story behind this song?
Colin: I think you did. My God, good set of ears, my dear! The song is about offending and being offended by people’s stupidity (laughs). It’s such a simple Talking Heads-like rhythm. Gonna be so much fun to perform live!
Missparker: And speaking of funk, “Something I Said” is one of several funk-laden songs on this (“Fink Fank Fonk,” “White Kids on Funkk,” etc.) that sound like you and Rob had a blast composing. Are there any musicians/bands that you can point to as funk-influential?
Colin: To me FUNK is the best music. It always lifts me up, and great to dance to. I think Nile Rogers is an absolute genius. It’s about James Brown, George Clinton, Prince…I don’t know where to start. Funk is the biggest musical influence of my life.
Missparker: “Ascension” is a powerful song. It hints at a deep hurt and a request for a prayer that is both haunting and scary…almost as if you’re asking for help to avoid doing something you’ll regret. It’s well-known that music is a creative way to tame the demons plaguing one’s inner self. Personally, writing and photography are my avenues of sorting out what I can’t adequately express. David Bowie once said that his music was his way of avoiding madness. Do you find a similar comfort writing and singing lyrics—a catharsis of sorts?
Colin: Oh wow. You hit the nail on the head. It’s about knowing you’re about to do something wrong, but do it anyway—kind of masochistic. If you listen specifically to one lyric it’s very, very masochistic. Music has been and always will be my therapist. I think every writer has demons and the best way to deal with is through writing about it.
Missparker: “Get Out Of My House” is a fun, beat-driven, chair-dancing tune. It’s another teaser that David Marsden has been sticking in our ears over the past few months. I love the whimsical video Rob put together for it. The story goes that you guys created this song from opposite ends of Canada, which is phenomenal. How important a part does technology play in music-making these days, and how has it changed the landscape of creating and producing music over the years?
Colin: Actually, 3 or 4 songs were written while I was in Vancouver with a now ex-partner. Rob and I bounced a whack of musical ideas from Toronto to Vancouver at the time. We share the same software, so I would record and send him the track. He would make his adjustments and inputs and return them to me. Back and forth.
Technology is amazing these days. It allows a lot of freedom, if you use it properly (laughs). It has totally changed music production, both in a good way and a bad way. Good in the sense that it doesn’t have to cost a mortgage to record anymore. Bad in the sense that today’s music sounds thin to me, at times. There is a lack of warmth in today’s sound because of over compression. But, that may be because my ears are getting old!
As a special gift to all listeners, Rob and Colin have provided a free download of the full ambient mix version of “Starrs.” This version is not available on the album that will release on November 10. Press the graphic below to download your copy.
Many thanks to Colin for his candid and heartfelt answers. To learn more about SLAVE to the SQUAREwave and listen to the fabulous music described here, be sure to check out the following sites:
Get Out Of My House (Video edit)–SLAVE to the SQUAREwave
David Marsden/NYTheSpirit.com Interview with Colin and Rob
Big Change (extended mix 2017)–SLAVE to the SQUAREwave
David Marsden streaming live via the Internet. Join the fun and get some interesting (and always entertaining) information at the forum on Marsden Global.
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