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Have you read Geddy Lee’s autobiography yet? Pretty effin’ good, I thought. A fine use of my New Year’s Day. – notwithstanding his own over-use of the word nonplussed. I myself was nonplussed to discover that picture of Tim Wakefield was still at the top of the “News” on this site’s homepage. He died in October. What is this, Shiva? Something must have gone wrong on my last update and gone undetected. If neglect were an art form, I’d be… well, some kind of artist.

photo by Bob Hanham

So you might not know that Dead Bob are off to a flying start and you’re going to be hearing a lot more from us this year, starting with Western Canadian dates in late winter, American appearances in the spring, a second album, which is as good as done and features a little more involvement from Yours Truly, and Europe in the autumn to pick through whatever’s left amid the rubble after the stupid Olympics. Dead Bob has been thrilling on a number of fronts: working closely with John again, working with Byron and Kristy and Colin and getting to know them better as people, learning to play the trombone, sort of, and playing keyboards in a way I’ve never really had occasion to before. All very exciting and fulfilling to me. And, I must admit, after leaning into solo performance and composition over the last couple of years (not hard enough!) it’s fun to be in a good rock band again.

However! Despite turning my considerable energies and gifts primarily over to Dead Bob for the nonce, I have not forgotten myself. My nature bridles at the suggestion. All I will say right now is watch this space (yeah, right) and the Bandcamp page for some electrifying shit on this year’s March 26th drop.

With the same meaningless promise to be more present, I remain…

Your Ford

 

About

Ford Pier has released seven solo albums, two more with his rock band The Vengeance Trio, and another with his string quartet Strength Of Materials. He has written and arranged for symphony orchestra and chamber ensembles, had lyrics published in Geist magazine, lectured at The University Of Applied Sciences Europe in Berlin, composed electronic soundscapes for fashion shows, and recorded or toured with acts as varied as D.O.A., The Rheostatics, and Neko Case. He plays keyboards and trombone in the Dead Bob and lives in Vancouver.

NEWS

October 2, 2023

Yes. John Wright, with whom I’ve made music off and on for about thirty years, made a record which you just might have heard under the nom de rock of Dead Bob. It’s called Life Like and it’s available online, and format copies you can hold and admire and file alphabetically on a shelf will …