We might as well begin here. Albert Street in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. More specifically, we should start on Albert Street in 1990. A stroll through Uptown Waterloo today sure doesn't help paint the picture. A hell of a lot has changed, not all of it for the better. Back then, Waterloo was still a bit of a cow town and Albert Street was the main trail for students trudging back and forth between either the University of Waterloo or WLU to all of the bars, pubs and restaurants. In that sense, I doubt that very little has changed.
These three tracks are taken from a longer, six song EP called "Albert Street Songs", which was recorded in December 1990 at Eric Duerrstein's home near St. Mary's hospital. Eric's tiny, warm, basement studio was already locally-famous for having recorded Paul MacLeod's debut cassette (LOL cassettes!) "Stuart". It was Paul who kindly introduced me to the man. In that moment, I became one of the hundreds of musicians that Paul helped along the way. Helping other musicians along is probably Paul's greatest legacy, you know, aside from the dozens of world class tunes he penned himself.
Anyway, this trio of old songs - "Albert Street", "Toque" and "Time in Waterloo" - really take me back. So many plates of four dollar nachos at the Heuther Hotel. So many late nights at the Duke of Wellington. And, for better or worse, the start of a modest musical adventure for an eighteen year old kid.
Listen to Albert Street on SoundCloud
Track Listing:
