You've made it to the end. Thanks for listening. This is Craig and I just wanted to take a minute to thank the people that have been involved wish this project, and talk a bit about the songs, and all that good stuff.
So, this is a little EP for my family and friends. It's in memory of Judy who encouraged us and kept it together. It's been recorded in the fall 2001 here in Ottawa. I guess it's a first release in almost two years. Please feel free to visit www.craigcardiff.com and sign up for our mailing list. We'll send you out information. Mostly just spam. On upcoming shows and CDs and all that good stuff.
While we're on the topic, I'd like to thank all the people that've lent their ears, the fans, and promoters, and media types who have given a push to this whole project along the way. If it hadn't been for them, it wouldn't have gotten this far.
I guess about these songs, it's a collection of mostly new material. Some of it's old, like "Dance Me Outside". That in the most recent bunch of shows have just kind of come together and seemed to all fit. I thought it'd be neat to record them and just present them with acoustic guitar and vocals. Keeping it simple.
The song "Albion Hotel" is, surprise, surprise, about the esteemed Albion Hotel in Guelph, Ontario. Directly across from the church on the hill. The Albion is one of those filthy old bars that every town has that's super great and serves 18 year olds and all that good stuff. Yeah, I don't know. Just a story about a friend who was living there for a bit.
The song "Dance Me Outside" is about a native Canadian woman in Brantford in the 70's who was having some problems and blocking the road, and just talking about how she was treated. It's kind of sad given the recent stuff that's been happening in Saskatchewan with police and native Canadians there. It borrows a title of Bruce McDonald's film, "Dance Me Outside". I managed to use the words "donut guard state car" in a song, so I was pretty excited about that.
Other songs... "Happiest" is a song about when Danielle and I were camping at Peggy's Cove. That's where the first line comes from. Just trying to collect thoughts and journal them into a song. I guess that's the best thing to say about "Happiest".
The song "That Band" is mostly true. A bunch of the lines got written when Paul, and Will, and I were in Cleveland at this folk festival performer thing and we were watching all these amazing players. There was Buddy Guy, and just enormously talented people playing in hotel rooms for festival promoters and just how realizing how big big music is, and how it's a business sometimes, it's a necessary evil I guess.
The song "Jokes" is just about, it's a silly little love song. And kind of meant to make the person you care about laugh and smile.
That's pretty much it. There's a surprise after this message, though. Keep listening. It's a song that, I guess my parents used to play ca**ettes for us kids and one of the ca**ettes they bought featured this song. It's kind of like, as children of the 80s we reclaim it a little bit and re-present it as folk.
I'd like to thank Susan, and Catharine, Liz, and old lady Patootz(?). Charlie Cardiff, and of course Danielley, Jonathan & Will for listening and their patience this past year.
Credit also goes out to Paul McInnes and Paul Matthews for putting up with me so long on all these different tours and projects. The long drives in the beat up old aerostar and falling asleep at the wheel and hanging out in smokey bars, bad soundchecks, and peanut bu*ter and beer, and all that good stuff. Thanks a lot for sticking around.
Lastly to everyone who's ever actually listened to that person in the corner of the bar with a guitar, when they're meant to be background noise, but you actually give them your ear or you bought a CD or a t-shirt from that band you just heard of when they were coming through town, thanks very much.
Thanks a lot for listening. Hope to see you soon.