Blog Posts

MY LAST SHOW WITH THE RUFFLED FEATHERS

7/1/2013

To friends, fans, and casual appreciators,

The Ruffled Feathers will be playing the Biltmore on July 6th, and it is set to be my final show with this fine group of musicians.

Since The Ruffled Feathers first breathed life in 2009, we have always seen the World as an equal to our appetite. We have been an ambitious group, seeking to make art well beyond our meagre means, and often surprising ourselves as well as those who appreciate our music.

Our humble roots, playing bombastic accordion tunes at the now defunct Cafe Montmartre

The reason for my departure is that I am going back to school this Fall. I’ll be starting a Master’s of Cognitive Science at the University of Vienna, which is a long way away from here. This is something I’ve been putting off for the past 4 years, due to my desire to explore the possibilities of music.

This is the photo that got me into grad school

There’s been so much to enjoy and to be proud of, during my tenure as music maker and song writer with The Ruffled Feathers.

Playing a burning piano

Breaking it down at the Biltmore

Repairing our tour van in Calgary

Conducting Tuba

So please, come out to my last show this Saturday, where some well-loved songs will be retired, and we can celebrate new adventures to be had. A heartfelt thank you to all the people who have ever supported us, come to our shows, or fed and housed us while on the road. Thank you to those who have taken the time to tell us our music has made an impact on their lives.

Our trusty and rusty tour tour vehicle on its way to California

This is Charley Wu signing off.

ARMOURY STUDIOS

4/9/2013

Recording at the Armoury was like an adventurous vacation on Risa. Unimagineable pleasures interrupted by moments of extreme performance stress. For example, this is the face Sam makes when he uses a shaker. In the studio, Sam is in a full-on no-bullshit mode. If I didn’t know him better, I’d say he seemed exactly like a vagrant trying to infiltrate another nation.

For more than 12 hours our home became a naturally lit studio with a kitchen and an espresso machine and a rooftop balcony and an upstairs couch lounge with video games. Matty made sure the couches were utilized to their full potential, as he was feeling narsty (but performed well regardless). He’s the most utilitarian puker I’ve ever met, and that is a genuine compliment.

I’m guessing that Charley’s highlight of the day was finding a suitable baton to conduct a tuba player. Did somebody cross off something on their secret to-do list ;)? I could be wrong, I’ve heard that it’s the baton that chooses you.

-Andrew

SOME PHOTOS AND THANKS FROM OUR TOUR

9/25/2012

Much to our surprise, we had a pretty successful first tour this past June. Of course we all put in a lot of work, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the truly generous support of the friends, family, and even friends-of-friends who housed us (and often fed us) along the way. We really can’t thank you enough. I took some quick polaroids along the way so we could remember these nice folks.

- Matty

With our friend Nori in Eugene at her family’s house. Her dad’s name was Sparky, but we kept almost/accidentally calling the dog Sparky.

In Sunnyvale, CA (outside of San Francisco) at the Butelo family’s house. Glenn and my dad have played music together (in this very neighborhood) since the mid ’70s.

In Pacifica, CA at another family friend’s house. Rob played bass with Glenn and my dad, and he’s still at it.

At my family’s house. We had a unorganized promoter bungle our Portland show, so we made the best of it and played a free outdoor show at my family’s house. It ended up being one of the best shows of the tour.

At our friend Snit’s house in Kelowna. He always has wine.

At our friend Snit’s house in Kelowna. He always has wine.

At our friend Sarah’s home in Calgary. Their house was awesome and in the middle of nowhere. It featured a fire pit and a large potato gun. Sarah also recently put us up in Victoria for the Rifflandia festival, so we’re her #1 fan.

In Edmonton with Alan.

Back in Calgary for Sled Island festival. We stayed with friends of friends that we had never met before. They were great. They had a whole basement full of music gear and couches. The blurriness reflects our state of mind at the time.

Back from Rifflandia!

9/24/2012

Victoria, you’re a charmer. We had an amazing time at Rifflandia. We got to see and meet some very talented and inspiring musicians, lost (and found!) Andrew’s trumpet, and played a really fun show. Thank you Sarah and roomies for the tremendous hospitality, and dancing! Victoria, we’ll be back!

RUFFLED PLAYLIST: AUGUST

8/31/2012

Here’s a playlist of what we’ve been listening to this month. I got to catch The Dirty Projects on their Swing Lo Magellen tour at Venue and have been lusting after their new tunes since. I however started listening to Fiona Apple’s “The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do.” two days AFTER her Vancouver show. Oh that hurts.

All songs are available for streaming on Grooveshark.

1. Swing Lo Magellan -Dirty Projectors
2. Unto Caesar - Dirty Projectors
3. Every Single Night - Fiona Apple
4. Hot Knife – Fiona Apple
5. Too Beautiful to Work – The Luyas
6. Le Pyromane – Karkwa
7. Qubile Pas – Karkwa
8. Pariah – Natureboy
9. Jessica – Regina Spektor
10. Give Out – Sharon Van Etten
11. 40 Mark Strasse – The Shins
12. He’s Alright – Kurt Vile
13. The World Is Going Up in Flames – Charles Bradley
14. Lovin’ You, Baby – Charles Bradley
15. Let the Music Play – Barry White
16. Still Searching – Damien Marley
17. Crazy – Patsy Cline

Back in the studio!

8/13/2012

Now wait, didn’t they just put out a record?! This is true. We put out the full length, toured the Northwest, and right after all the hard promotional and booking work was over, got back to what we like doing best: writing songs. Back in March, Joshua Field from the Nimbus School of Recording Arts got in touch with us regarding his final project: to record, mix and produce a 4 track EP. Everyone was on board, and after 3 months of busy rehearsals working out each transition and determining just how many layers of trumpet Andrew is allowed, we’re back in the studio

Ruffled Playlist: July

7/26/2012

While booking our Oracles Tour, I got a chance to dig up a lot of cool music in each of the towns we visited. Trails and Way was a great little discovery out of San Francisco. Also, was anybody else so excited to find out Billy Corgan had a new record out? Lots of summer tunes too below. Have fun.

All songs are available for streaming on Grooveshark.

1. Everybody Loves the Sunshine - Roy Ayers
2. Lovely Day – Bill Withers
3. Eye Know - De La Soul
4. The World Should Go Around Me - Little Jackie
5. Nunca - Trails and Ways
6. Silver Screen - Beat Connection
7. Whole Wide World - Bahamas
8. All Things Change - Billy Corgan
9. Not the Kid - Communist Daughter
10. Daydreaming - Dark Dark Dark
11. Into Giants - Patrick Watson
12. Gravity - The Whitest Boy Alive

- Gina

Tour Blog: Chapter 5 – Something Something Flowers in Your Hair

6/24/2012

In San Francisco, band morale was at its lowest. The air outside felt like Mordor. The air inside smelled like body odour, gasoline and insulation. When we arrived, we unloaded our gear and walked in search of food. “Let’s just walk up Mission,” one of us said after seeing tall buildings on the horizon. We walked, and walked, passed tall concrete buildings with no windows, saw no grass, couldn’t decide where to stop and eat. Fed up with indecisiveness we dragged our feet and fought over which direction to turn or not to turn. Feeling dejected, hungry, thirsty and frustrated, we head back the way we came to soundcheck. People didn’t speak unless spoken to. One of us asked a passerby “is there a park nearby?” No, there wasn’t.

After soundcheck we decided to split up. Little did we know, we were a mere two or three blocks from one of the coolest streets in San Francisco, walking parallel to it for the entirety of the grueling walk. Picture your first visit to Vancouver walking down the ugliest part of Clark St. It was then that I finally saw the city people identified with. The houses were beautiful, yet monotonous in their style. Matty, Charley and Sam explored Mission District while Gina and I took pictures by the Golden Gate bridge.

I really could have slapped a band made, you know, on that first walk. And if Charley tries to recycle that “flowers in your hair” joke one more time… thank goodness for the plethora of handsome gay men walking up and down Castro St.

- Andrew

TOUR BLOG: CHAPTER 4 – THE VALLEY OF SICKNESS AND DEATH

6/22/2012

Eugene looks a lot like Oregon. We found the venue – Sam Bonds Garage – and settled in for half-priced food and a couple free drinks. If you’re reading this and are in any way responsible for giving bands free food and drinks at any time in your life – thank you so very much. We all ate and drank like little kings for about $18.

We played a solid set to a receptive crowd that we later found out was something akin to a high school reunion. Does everybody in Eugene know everybody? A band called Cat Like Reflexes headlined and really put on a great show. The lead singer, Matt, sang a remarkably accurate Shakira cover and seduced me with his hips more than she ever could. They might play a show with us in Vancouver soon, so keep your eyes peeled for them. My favourite part: “When I say Cat Like Reflexes, you say ‘Meow’ or hiss!”

“CAT LIKE REFLEXES!”

After our set, we packed up the van and remarked on how often Charley was sneezing. Ever since we had arrived in Eugene, he had been debilitated with allergic reactions. As if we had spoken her name three times, a woman appeared from the shadows. “You know, they call this place the Valley of Sickness and Death. You know why? The natives wouldn’t come here. They would avoid this place. Maybe it’s the high pollen count attributed to his area, or maybe something else…” She wasn’t nearly as creepy or shamanistic as I described her. She was actually quite friendly and told me that she used to travel with Deerhoof back before they were more popular, as the ex of one of he guitarists. She was cool, but said something about always wanting to leave Eugene herself, just like the story she told me of the native people. Maybe something sinister is holding her captive, or maybe I’ll find myself in a city like Eugene one day wanting to leave but without the courage to take a risk doing something more uncomfortable than business-as-usual.

Next, the band nearly destroys each other’s instruments as low morale strickens the weary travelers in Chapter 5 – Something Something Flowers in Your Hair.

- Andrew

TOUR BLOG: CHAPTER 3 – THE GATEKEEPERS OF FREEDOM AND EAGLES

6/20/2012

In the middle of the night, tired after playing our first gig, we drove from Seattle through Portland to Wilsonville. To us, this place is special because we recorded our album right where we’d spend the night. But when exhausted and unwashed bodies arrive anywhere near a bed, utility overshadows nostalgia and we all passed out.

Back in Vancouver, Sam had printed out and gathered every single paper he owned with some semblance of his life. Tax receipts, cheque receipts from jobs of the past, acceptance letters. Then, to avoid a costly cab ride and from a lack of nightbus service, he walked from Alma St to Cambie St at around 4 in the morning (it took an hour and a half) then caught a cab to Pacific Centre train station. With record of his previous attempt, the US border guards spared no effort in reading each and every piece of paper Sam brought with him, as if he was a gatekeeper to heaven on earth. Contrary to popular American border guard belief, not all Canadians long to live in the land of the free.

Later that morning, stuffed in a sleeping bag, Charley hears the ding-ding of an incoming text. “Oh God,” he mutters to himself as he feels around for it. It was good news. Sam had made it into the United States of America.

In Chapter 4, as Sam buses down to Portland, the band discovers they are about to enter what one ex-girlfriend-of-a-Deerhoof-guitarist calls “The Valley of Sickness and Death.”

- Andrew