James McKenty And The Spades - March/April 2005
Who: James McKenty And The Spades
What: dig this rock
Where: Peterborough, ON
To Contact: Karl Lawson, (705) 876 6340, www.thespades.ca.
James McKenty And The Spades’ album, Burning On Fumes, was co-produced by The Tragically Hip’s Gord Sinclair, who knew McKenty from his native Kingston, ON and took in a show. The trio’s weekly gigs reportedly pull in a regular 100 strong fans, who stay after the show to get autographs and buy a ton of CDs. Recording the Peterborough-based band - McKenty (guitar, piano, vocals), Winchester Street (drums), and Chachi Robichaud (bass) - at The Hip’s studio The Bathouse, in Bath, ON, the 10 tracks have a casual, but rockin’ vibe that gives nods to vintage rock ‘n’ roll like the Animals and Yardbird, and current mainstays Blue Rodeo and Neil Young. There’s even something vaguely reminiscent of Gord Downie in McKenty’s voice. About half the songs are co-pros between Sinclair and McKenty, and the rest by McKenty alone, who also writes all the band’s material. The Spades came together in 1998 after McKenty took an engineering job at Sound On Sound Studios, where his first project was recording the legendary Rompin’ Ronnie Hawkins, who apparently imparted this piece of advice: “It’ll be a long road son, but the big time is always right around the corner.” The band has since opened for The Hip, Blind Boys Of Alabama, Jim Cuddy and April Wine.
