Toronto roots rockers Blue Rodeo honoured with a Canadian postage stamp!

Canada Post's oddly floral forward design of Blue Rodeo's new stamp could double quite nicely as a tissue box. 

Here's the scoop from Canada Post...

This booklet of stamps honours award-winning band Blue Rodeo. Canada Post has a long history of honouring Canadian bands and singer-songwriters for their contributions to the nation’s arts and culture.

Blue Rodeo has sold more than four million albums and won 12 Juno Awards, including induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and played more than 2,500 live shows – including more at Toronto’s venerated Massey Hall (their hometown venue) than any other rock band. Forty years on, Blue Rodeo continues to tour and record. 

One of Canada’s most beloved bands, Blue Rodeo has helped shape and redefine Canadian popular music. When they formed in 1984, the band’s unique blend of country, folk and rock set them apart in a musical landscape dominated by synth-pop and hair metal. Led by the sweet, soaring harmonies and endearing melodies of principal singer-songwriters Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor, Blue Rodeo is known for its rootsy eclecticism and superb musicianship. Hits such as “Try,” “Lost Together,” “5 Days in May” and “Hasn’t Hit Me Yet” have propelled Blue Rodeo albums to multi-platinum status.

Blue Rodeo joins such past honourees as Robert Charlebois (2009), The Tragically Hip (2013), Beau Dommage (2013), and Sarah McLachlan (2024).

About the design

The stamp shows a collage of studio portraits of the seven current members of Blue Rodeo. Pictured from left to right are (front row) Mike Boguski, Jimmy Bowskill, Jim Cuddy, Greg Keelor and (top row) Colin Cripps, Bazil Donovan and Glenn Milchem.

In the background of the stamp is an illustration of a blue guitar; in the foreground, flowers reminiscent of the floral embroidery on the band’s western-style shirts.

The inside of the booklet includes the six stamps and a photo of Blue Rodeo performing in Toronto in August 2024.

The back of the booklet features elements of the guitar and floral art featured on the stamp, along with a short text on the band. 

Blue Rodeo documentary "Lost Together" screens @ Cineplex, February 2 & 3

Lost Together, the new documentary about Blue Rodeo – a rare Toronto band that makes a living playing music – screens at Cineplex theatres across Canada.

Lost Together screens at Toronto's Cineplex Yonge & Dundas and theatres across Canada. Find out where/when right here.

Ian Blurton's Future Now unleash Crimes Of The City on Devil's Night!

The sleeve art for the new Crimes Of The City album from Ian Blurton's Future Now has the look of a 70s Italian giallo film.  

Starring:  

Glenn Milchem as The Drummer 

Anna Ruddick as La Bajista 

Aaron Goldstein as Guy with Guitar 

Ian Blurton as Himself 

and introducing Gregory Macdonald as The Goose 

Produced and Directed by Future Now; Songplay: Ian Blurton; Director of Photography: Kelly Shee; 

Production Designer: Brad Boatright; Visual Effects: Johny Bekavac; Stunt Department: Tom Patterson; 

Prop Department: Wolfgang Gray; Model Rendering: Louis Durand; Sound recording: ProGold (Toronto). 

No animals were harmed in the making of this record. 

Check out the Crimes of the City sleeve art and tracklisting below. Get a copy via Bandcamp right here. Read a review by Scott Adams for the Sentinel Daily site right here. 

Ian Blurton's Future Now will be playing The Garrison with Biblical and Tumble on November 23 – get tickets over here. Watch Ian Blurton's Future Now jamming out at Ottawa's House of Targ below. 

Ian Blurton's Future Now – Crimes Of The City

1. Ends Of August

2. House Of Lords

3. Cast Away The Stones

4. Nocturnal Transmissions

5. In Broken Lines

6. School's In

7. Search For Tomorrow

8. Seventh Sin Of Devotion 

9. Halfway Between Heaven And Hell

10. Assailed By The Sun

Released via Pajama Party Records on October 30, 2024 

Ian Blurton's Future Now on tour

11/22 Hamilton, ON - The Casbah %&

11/23 Toronto, ON - The Garrison %+

11/28 Ottawa, ON - House of Targ %?

11/29 Montreal, ON - Turbohaus #%=

% with Tumble

& with the Golden Shitters

+ with Biblical

? with Double Talker

= with Low Sixes

# with Sick Things

Glenn Milchem shares video for "Fates Conspire" shot by Monica Guddat

Check out the video for "Fates Conspire" the title track off the 2019 album from Blue Rodeo drummer Glenn Milchem. 

Here's the scoop from Glenn...

"A few years ago I made a solo acoustic album called Fates Conspire, recorded by my dear friend John Borra and filmed by my wife, Monica Guddat. The idea was to release a video of the recording of each song but shortly after we finished, Monica’s mom had a devastating stroke and the video project was set aside so Monica could devote her spare time and energy to caring for her mom. Recently, John Borra offered to pick up the reins on some of the video editing and here’s the first result of his generous efforts - the title track, Fates Conspire, which I wrote for our wedding."

Fates Conspire by Glenn Milchem is available via all streaming services. Watch the "Fates Conspire" video below. 

Glenn Milchem's Fates Conspire release @ Communist's Daughter, Sunday

Blue Rodeo drummer Glenn Milchem accompanies himself with acoustic guitar on his Fates Conspire album out June 7th.

Here's the scoop from Glenn...
"These are live off the floor recordings of me alone with my acoustic guitar, with the exception of one song where my wife, Monica Guddat, guests on backing vocals. It was recorded by my dear friend John Borra at John Macleod‘s rehearsal space in downtown Toronto. I’ve made it available on platforms like Spotify and Amazon that don’t properly compensate artists because I realize that for many people those are the only ways they access music, but if you choose to download it on iTunes or another platform that provides fair compensation that would be jolly decent of you.

"This modest little recording is going to be released on most digital platforms this Friday, June 7, 2019. I will be playing a set to celebrate its release at 6 PM on Sunday, June 9 at The Communist’s Daughter opening for The Rattlesnake Duo."            

Thanks. xo g.

Watch Glenn perform "Wrench" in the video shot by Monica Guddat on the first day of recording. Get a digital copy of Fates Conspire right here.  

Ian Blurton's Future Now, Sick Things, Rough Spells @ Dakota Tavern, Saturday

Toronto-based photographer Rick McGinnis discusses shooting the sleeve of Ian Blurton's new single right here. 

Introducing: Ian Blurton's Future Now

Blue Rodeo's Glenn Milchem joins Aaron Goldstein, Anna Ruddick and Ian Blurton in the new heavy rock project Ian Blurton's Future Now.

"Some of you may remember the metal trio without a name I posted about a few months back. Now we’re a quartet and we’re called Ian Blurton’s Future Now. We are a young mom, two dudes with beards and a nerd and we are heavy AF. We will be playing our debut show New Year’s Eve at the Bovine Sex Club with Organ Thieves and Anti Queens." – Glenn Milchem

Erin Costelo previews new Sweet Marie album with "All In Your Head"

Erin Costelo's much anticipated Sweet Marie album is out October 19. Check out "All In Your Head" below.

Here's the scoop...

Award-winning Canadian soul singer Erin Costelo will release her new album, Sweet Marie, via Compass Records on October 19th.

Recorded in 10 days in a timber-frame home on the ocean in Little Harbour, Nova Scotia, Costelo is backed by an ace group of players on this album, including Glenn Milchem on drums (Blue Rodeo), Anna Ruddick on bass (Randy Bachman, Ben Caplan), Leith Fleming-Smith on organ (Matt Mays) and her long-time partner, Clive MacNutt, on guitar.

Taking inspiration from sources as varied as Ryan Adams and Randy Newman, Sweet Marie is a genre-defying album that sounds at once timeless, timely and completely fresh. The album finds Costelo looking at a world and an industry that pushed her to the edge of ending her musical career – and pushing back. Pulsing with a confident and cathartic energy, her incredible voice, drawing comparisons to such icons as Nina Simone and Carole King, soars even as her songs dive deep.

This project is complete with a “making of” documentary directed by Juno-winning songwriter-turned-filmmaker, Amelia Curran. Her 2016 release, Down Below The Status Quo, was nominated for 12 awards in her home on the East Coast of Canada including a win for Solo Recording of the Year and Producer of the Year, making her the first woman to receive the prestigious award.

You can pre-order Erin's forthcoming Sweet Marie album from Compass right here and for the moment, you can stream the album for free over here. Watch Amelia Curran's nicely shot clip for "All In Your Head" below.