Cayer a Vancouver music pioneer
OBITUARY: Maverick set up his own label, publishing company and booking agency in ’60s and ’70s
Stan Cayer was coming back to music when he died of liver cancer Oct. 16.
He’d been writing songs with his younger friend, Jamie Anstey, that will now come to nothing.
Cayer was scrupulous in his diet, a non-drinker and non-smoker. Cancer pays no attention and struck fast.
He died wealthy, having invested in real estate many years ago, by which time he had left the music business. His notoriety stems from the ’60s and early ’70s.
In 1963, Cayer went to Nashville and recorded three songs with Elvis Presley’s Nashville producer and players. One of those, Why Did I Cry, was a modest hit single that sent him on his way to forming his own recording label, publishing company and booking agency. This was pioneering — only Tom Northcott was doing anything similar — but necessary because Vancouver had no music industry.
Wherein he gained his reputation as a maverick.
He set up SGM productions (Stanley Gordon Melvin) to book and manage a handful of acts and hit upon the idea of recording them and releasing compilation singles to prospective clubs or student councils. These tended to look and sound cheap, but it was a successful strategy.
At least one single, Long Time Comings’ Paper Rose, stood out and Cayer became the band’s manager.
Many years later, as Cayer was preparing to move house, he contacted Anstey, a partner with Larry Hennesy in the reissue label, Regenerator and a Vancouver rock enthusiast and historian. Anstey inherited boxes of old SGM papers and records and became Cayer’s close friend despite an age difference of about 40 years.
Anstey has his own studio, but no plans to record the songs he and Cayer had compiled.
■ Rykka releases Beatitudes Friday, and will be at the Biltmore Nov. 10. The current single Runnin’ Away is a taste of the pop direction in which she’s heading. Certainly, it’s lighter than the rock of Kodiak, but still is a well-crafted song and not voguish tinsel.
■ The Modulous Festival, running to Nov. 9, leans heavily toward the avant garde or modern classical and progressive music. Most essential events are at the Roundhouse.
■ The Paperboys’ show scheduled for Nov. 9 at St. James Hall has been cancelled.
■ Joshua Hyslop has released a new single, Wells. The folkie is on a house tour that takes him to a place in Surrey Nov. 9. A house show has the act playing a concert in people’s homes. The host books the act, clears the space for a concert, invites a few friends or promotes it to the public. Hyslop has been doing this for years.
■ JPNSGRLS are about to release their second LP, Divorce. Preceding it is the single, Trojan Horse. The band is on a West Coast tour, then is off to Europe.
■ Brasstronaut releases its self-titled third LP, Nov. 11.
■ Sweet Home Chicago gathers four local blues acts under Rob Montgomery’s direction. Appearing Saturday at Blue Frog are Murray Porter, Wailin’ Al Walker, Kirsten Hirsh and Amanda Dean.
■ The prolific Kick In The Eye has a new EP, Zombie Attack, originally intended to coincide with Halloween. Like all Kick In The Eye records, the four songs are good natured and diverse.
■ West Of Memphis is at the Venue Saturday. The country-rock act is proud of 21-year-old guitarist Carter Low and thinks highly of him.
CD of the week
The Pack A.D. is getting smoother, but the duo hasn’t lost its edge.
‘Smooth’ might not be the best adjective for the recent Positive Thinking, but it does suggest more contours than were heard on previous records.
Becky Black and Maya Miller started with raw, in-the-face blues, then incorporated the abrasiveness of punk. Positive Thinking couches its anger in pensiveness while the record is their most sophisticated production with more attention given to arrangement, evident in the background vocals, and in the use of reverb, which makes Positive Thinking sound bigger and fuller.
Black has also developed an original phrasing that can be heard on a track such as Anyway. Following The Pack A.D. has been like growing with it.
Gigs
■ Bif Naked appears Wednesday at the Blue Frog, where a second show has been added.
■ Hannah Georgas hits the Commodore Wednesday.
■ True North Troubadors will perform a selection of Peter, Paul and Mary songs and more Thursday at the Blue Frog.
■ Dino DiNicolo will play Falconetti’s Saturday.
■ BORT, The Getmines, Owlface and One Sexy Chokehold will perform at the ANZA Nov. 11.
■ Neil Osborne steps out from 54-40 on Nov. 19 at the Blue Frog.
■ The Pack A.D. will be at the Fortune Sound Club on Nov. 26.
Fundraisers
■ Johnny DeMarco does his bit for the Variety Club with his annual show Saturday at the Maritime Labour Centre.
■ UBC’s Discorder magazine presents six rap/hip hop at the Media Club Nov. 18. Money goes to help the mag.
■ misterBlake appears for his third year at the Living Well With Diabetes Nov. 11 at the Radisson Hotel. He’ll likely make a donation from his misterBlake foundation.