Thoughts on the history of Backlash Projects

Backlash dates, I believe, from 1992. It’s hard to remember after all this time. Recording Tim O’Dacre (Songs From a Squeaky Green Chair) at The Market Hall in the middle of the night to avoid outside noise. Stopping for the snow ploughs going by. Then Dave Tough (Ugly) at The Union Theatre…same scenario, middle of the night, freezing cold. Next, Patrick Walsh (Dog Derby), also at The Union. Ron Mann comes on board to help me record.

Brian Sanderson gets back from India and we set up to record an improvised dialogue at The Peterborough Arts Umbrella with Ron and Kristina Rawlings engineering. Using Steve McNabb’s four-track cassette machine throughout this whole period. The project expands (Basin to Basin) and SOWFI is the result…A great deal more recording with Patrick and Andrew Fogarasi and a host of others, mostly done at the PAU…copies made on cassettes that Brian found in a dumpster…sell ‘em for $3.00 or trade for a blank tape. That takes us up to about 1995. Then it’s Bernie Martin and digital gear and The Gordon Best Theatre and on and on.

I once tried counting all the musicians who’d recorded on Backlash …I got to about 150 and that was about one hundred projects back.. It’s different, I’m sure, for each of us, but for me Backlash is about making recording capability available to musicians for demos and indies, mostly for the cost of tape or CDRs. It’s about archiving a music scene that has stayed vibrant for more than 15 years.

"Could'na Done It Without" Department: McNabb and his 4-track,Ron,Andy Pryde, Jon Piper,Brandy,Marty Hepburn and a host of others who don’t often get Backlash CD credits.

Where Are We?…working on Backlash #193, still at the PAU (our wonderful new digs on Aylmer Street), still in the basement at Lock Street, Brian in Wakefield, Andy in Toronto, Brandy on the road…lotsa gear now, lotsa great technicians still doing it for the love of it.

Ian

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