ODD SQUAD CD "ON THE BEAT" NOW AVAILABLE!
Featuring music recorded between 1980 and 2006, ON THE BEAT is a unique teaming of the Vancouver Police Dept's documentary filmmakers the Odd Squad, and some of Vancouver's most critically-acclaimed songwriters and musicians. Containing some previously unreleased tracks by these artists, the music features songs that spotlight a world that others might want to look away from and ignore--the hellish lifestyle of the drug addicted residents of the notorious downtown east side in Canada's poorest postal code.
ON THE BEAT - TRACK LISTING (Click on a track to read artist information)
1. Jesus the Bookie - Bocephus King
2. Hastings and Main - The Colorifics
3. Quick Before its Too Late - Paul Hyde
4. Rodeo of Fallen Stars - Swank
5. Waiting for the Drugs to Take Hold - Secret V's
6. The Hidden World - Copyright
7. Put Me Through to Yesterday - The Bughouse Five
8. Hastings Street Christmas - Aaron Chapman
9. Tidal Wave - MacKenzie Jones
10. Flips My World - Rick Grant
11. Learn To Say No - Gary Durban
12. Big Town - Daniel Davies
13. Angels in Prison - Wally High & Willie P. Bennet
14. Odd Way - Valdy
15. Hold on (Change is Coming) - The Universal Gospel Choir
* CD includes the bonus video trailer for "Beyond the Blue Lens" that will play on
your computer as a quicktime multi-media file.
ABOUT ON THE BEAT:
From the voodoo-blues of Bocephus King’s “Jesus the Bookie” to the Secret V’s plaintive "Waiting for the Drugs to Take Hold", the Bughouse Five's lament "Put me Through to Yesterday", to singer songwriter selections from Gary Durban, and Australia's MacKenzie-Jones, and even the sardonic cowpunk of Swank's "Rodeo of Fallen Stars", ON THE BEAT spans performers from a wide variety of styles from rock, jazz, country, punk, even gospel.
Vancouver scenery appears throughout the album. Paul Hyde's previously unreleased track "Quick Before its Too Late" has Powell street for its grim backdrop. Hastings street understandably appears more than once, from the contrast of the jazz sounds of "Hastings and Main" by The Colorifics, to Aaron Chapman's dark carol "Hastings Street Christmas".
Its a unique compilation... Its not often you'd find the angst of Copyright and the folk of Valdy on one CD. ON THE BEAT features a variety of music styles and viewpoints. Outsiders are often inclined to be judgmental as they stereotype residents of these streets, and the varied styles heard ON THE BEAT not only reflect the varied residents of the downtown east side neighbourhood, but also properly reflect the human side of these people and create some empathy for those who are so hopelessly addicted. In turn, those that hear the CD who've never been to these streets might find truth in these songs. Addiction isn't confined to just this neighbourhood.
The motivation to produce the ON THE BEAT compilation arose when Odd Squad received several compositions from musicians who'd been inspired by the Oddsquad film THROUGH A BLUE LENS. The idea was spawned to produce a compilation of this material and songs about the downtown east side and some of its themes. Odd Squadder Chris Graham put out the call to the local music community to submit material for the CD.
It's perhaps no wonder that the call for music solicited such a good response. In the Downtown Eastside alone many of the live music clubs over the years have been located in or near the area, and while the neighbourhood has sometimes beeen singularly known for its downtrodden reputation, its quietly been home to a thriving number of recording studios and rehearsal spaces. With so many musicians who live and work in the neighbourhood, it's perhaps no surprise that many local musicians were just as familiar and concerned with the street problems of the neighbourhood as the Odd Squad.
To many in the music scene, the idea resonated further--its an all too familiar story to many local musicians who've had friends, band members, or even themselves go down the wrong roads of drug addction, with some who never returned.
With the project ON THE BEAT, what seemed an unlikely union at first between Vancouver musicians and Police gave focus with this albums production as a collection of music interpreting some of these subjects and overall to try to make a difference to the cause of warning others about the pitfalls of drug abuse.
The Odd Squad is a non-profit organization made up of skid road police officers and committed community volunteers. Donations are not absorbed by bureacratic overhead, but go directly back into film productions that have been some of the most urgent clarion calls for social change as well as drug and substance abuse education. Proceeds from the sale of ON THE BEAT and all donations will assist the Odd Squad in continuing this important film work.
Please visit the Oddsquad MERCHANDISE page for on-line orders.
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Based on the success already of the "On the Beat" CD, The Odd Squad is looking for musicians and bands of all genres and styles, signed and unsigned artists, who would like to submit music, with song subjects pertaining to the Downtown Eastside, drug addiction, or even the Odd Squad itself for a future "Volume Two" of the ON THE BEAT CD. The songs may also be potentially considered for inclusion in the Oddsquad's films. Interested performers should send a tape or preferably a CD, with lyrics, short bio, and relevant contact information to the Odd Squad c/o Chris Graham courtesy of Oddsquad Productions.