By FATEEMA SAYANI
To ring in 2015, Sound Seekers polled a few music scene notables for their wishes, resolutions and cat selfies. Herewith, the big plans of half a dozen O-town bar owners, guitar slingers, podcasters et al.
My Name Is: Lefty McRighty
I: sing and promote country music. I play a decent lead guitar and I DJ at CKCU.
I resolve to: actually pick up my guitar and play more than once a week.
I wish: not to be blacklisted at certain venues anymore.
My Name Is: Yogi
I: co-own the mighty House of Targ with Mark McHale and Kevin Birger. I also record and produce records at Yogi’s Meatlocker studio and play guitar in Metal Patrol and Blackbread.
Yogi with son Felix
I resolve to: bring Rush to Targ, acquire a Spy Hunter and Joust arcade machine, secure a private island with a secret bay for our submarine, and introduce the world to our delicious handmade pierogies by serving them in international waters!
I wish: for an explosion in the Ottawa music scene that will be felt worldwide. Oh wait, that’s already happening!! Okay, how about bell bottoms for everyone? Ha! This city is bananas and the support keeps growing — never give up.
My Name Is: (stage name) Master Cameron Eric Leon
I: perform as a drag king around Ontario, which basically means I get to shatter people’s ideas of gender and sexuality in the most fun way possible.
I resolve to: better represent drag kinds at the local, national, and international level and to support the LGBTQ+ community on whatever scale I can.
I wish: for a bigger closet so I can use my living room again.
My Name Is: Kevin McGowan
I: co-created TheRevue.ca with Ben Yung and Steve Fouchard, which grew out of my old Ottawa Citizen blog. It was a simple little idea for a local music site, but has grown to be pretty massive. I’m currently the admin guy, but hope to do more writing in 2015.
I resolve to: get out to see some of the bands I’ve been listening to and writing about. I’m as old as the hills and have little kids, so late nights are a real pain in the ass. I also resolve to check out Targ and eat a big plate of pierogies and see if I still have my mad Pac-Man skills.
I wish: that the new owners of Zaphod’s will keep their early gig schedule. It’s pretty much the only way I can see a show, be home by midnight, and still be physically able to make breakfast at 6 a.m.
My Name Is: Lynne Hanson
I: write songs that sound like I’m from way further south of Ottawa. I just released my fourth album River of Sand this past fall. I’ve got tours out west and in Europe this winter and spring, in between surgery and rehabbing the knee I destroyed playing touch football this past summer.
Lynne Hanson
I resolve to: stick to the set list — or at least let my band know which song I’m playing if I do decide to stray off course; remove ALL guitar picks from my pockets before putting jeans in laundry; limit binge Netflix viewing to only three episodes at a time; learn how to dance.
I wish: someone had told me bionic knees had not been invented yet. Had I known, I would have been considerably more careful with the ones I have while running around chasing quarterbacks.
My Name Is: Jason Andersson
I: am the singer-songwriter and guitar player in Cooper MacLaren. I also play mandolin in Ray Harris & the Bastard Sons of Bitches. I busk a lot and I’m also going to play electric guitar in a brand new project that we don’t have a name for yet.
Jason Andersson
I resolve to: keep not making resolutions.
I wish: for continued collaboration and good vibes from those I know (and don’t know) in our community.