getting back in the saddle again.......

Today I got on a horse again after more than 10 years away from riding. I have been thinking of horses for such a long time now, how they were a big part of my life for so long.

Eventually however, I ran smak into music and it took me away from horses as my focus. I still rode for years while I chased my career around and even in Abu Dhabi and England while I was living those countries, I did some riding. But I eventually turned away from it altogether after a bad fall and resulting concussion.

There is nothing quite like being on a horse though, it has been in my heart ever since forever. In my highschool annual my final words most likely mentioned horses and I think there was one year where two of my horse pictures were featured in the art section.

My room was filled with horses top to bottom for many years, until rock stars took over half the room. Horses always remained though, and riding will forever be something that is near the top of my list of favorite things to do.

Camino is a Peruvian Paso and he is supposed to be ridden in a very different manner to the way I am used to riding horses.

It is funny, this opportunity just strolled on into my life by happenstance, I wasn't looking. My aunt M, who was funnily enough the first person ever to put me on a horse, has a bad back right now and needs help giving her horse some excercise. I wasn't even expecting to ride today but I couldn't resist. The second after I saw the horse, I asked if I could take a spin, so I took a quick 'how to work the horse' lesson and headed off.

Its a strange feel, different, the motions are counter-intuitive to what I think I am supposed to do, I still have to find my mojo while up there, but wow was that fun! I am so excited and I look forward to learning how to ride this animal the way he is supposed to be ridden.

My daughter was put on a horse for the first time today. She is too fearful still, she did not enjoy it but I do believe that she will get over her fears and learn to love horses as much as I do. I hope so.

When I was a teenager at the barn, there was a young girl named Steph who shared a horse with her Mother. I always admired the two of them, the relationship they had, and I vowed I would ride horses with my daughter one day like that.

Perhaps the time is coming near.



Rach xo.

getting all abba and being blond about it.

Jeanette Okeefe my friend and an inspiration to many!

Mooncoin productions is one of the finest companies to work for, Jonas and Jeanette have impressed and inspired me since the moment I met them. I remember a long time ago, reading an ad that they were holding auditions for Abbacadabra and I thought oh my gosh I could never do a show like that.

Well time passed and the day came along again and I was aware of another ad for someone to cover the gig. I looked at the show and suddenly thought, you know now I think I could do that. I had been subbing in with bands like Dr Strangelove (you may remember that band from the Roxy) so I was learning to sing that kind of music anyway, plus I was starting to do my own solo gig with my first truly fantastic band in the casino's and it was all just starting to get comfortable. I felt I could throw myself into some new shows.

So I went for an audition, got the job and the fit has been perfect. Last Saturday night in fact was another show and I loved it, we were thrown a curve ball. Curve balls, I freak at them a little but I thrive on them alot! Yes, I love the energy!

Normally I play Ana Frida the dark haired girl, but last Saturday night I played the blond role. Jeanette who's part I normally take, is also dark haired so one of us would have to wear a wig. I was only too happy to do it, and while I joked on my Facebook about it being a great expedition to find out if blondes have more fun, the real truth of why I jumped at the chance to play the blond role was that I wouldn't have to do my hair. LOL. True story, I know, I am so lazy.

Being newest to the show, I also got to keep my singing part, save a few minor easy changes, and Jeanette the seasoned pro that she is, switched both songs, places, and parts. Now this would not normally be a big deal because we would be prepared for it but in this instance we found out only really at the last minute so there was no time to prepare. We re-wrote these parts in the hours before starting. Like I said, I LOVE this kind of energy, the newness, the excitement, the uncertainty. It's a buzz, and if the audience catches it, it is infectious.

That night the energy was flowing!

Rachael Chatoor, Ryan Langevin, Jeanette OKeefe, Sam Torrence and a GREAT crowd!

This is an awesome fun interactive show, if you love the music of Abba you will love everything about it. For a recent show I was in click this video clip . To get the full potential you will want to visit the website. Google I Love Abba~

If you work in a company that has a Christmas or holiday event coming up and you think that you would like to see Abbacadabra at it, please request us!

For more info contact Mooncoin productions!

Oh hey, this is my Mom. She used to holler down the stairs at me when I was singing telling me to; SHUT UP YOU SOUND LIKE A DYING CAT.

I love her so much. She drives me nuts but she's a good bean.


BTW, my diary which is this blog, welcomes every mood, I don't really need a break, just an edit button. Having said that, every mark I make is a post left along the road I am travelling. I have far too much fun in life and I take too much from every experience to not want to save the highlights, even if some only highlight the growing pains.

If I appear a little fractured sometimes, it just means that for that moment, it shows. :)

xoRach

is it possible to change your behavior?

I find this so interesting. Notice how almost everyone avoids the stairs at first. Change things up a little and you can see what happens.

I have some things I need to look at, behaviors that I need to examine, thoughts I need to change. I'm going to take a break for a while.

Be good to each other. xoxo

[Standing all the way] October, Breast Cancer awareness month.

Doctor please slow down I don't understand, Lets get back to talking about the weather
It seems to me, you're saying I m not getting better

I hear a voice inside, screaming, crying, asking why?
Praying you are wrong
What about my boy and girl?
Right now, im their whole damn world
What do they do if Im gone?

I intend to fight this
You don't know the future So I'm going to write it!

Finding all good things to say, wearing my pink ribbon every day. I'll be standing all the way.

Doctor please tell me cause I need to know,
what I can do to really face it
I can't believe you're saying, you just cant erase this

Hear a voice inside, pleading, someone turn this tide
Theres so much more to do
Ive never been so mad
Lost, confused, or deeply sad
don't wanna believe my life is through

CH

Hear the voice inside strong detrmined full of pride
There so much left to give
no matter what the time
I'm going to make the most and I will
Show my babies how to live

© Rachael Chatoor 2008

Full recorded version can be found in the music player to the right.

A lot of eyes hit this blog, I am surprised and delighted daily by the messages I get from people. Not everyone comments, but they do read the comments, so I invite you, if you have a story to share, someone to celebrate or remember, share it here.

Please scroll down to find links to Stupid Cancer and Fuck Cancer, they are doing great things. Thank you~

Wasn't that a party?!!!

[Video of the League of Rock bands, founder Terry Moshenberg, and featuring special guest Tal Bachman]
Ok I am still buzzing over last Thursday's League of Rock showcase at the Yale, it was the end of the first 10 week session, and wasn't THAT a party?

Terry Moshenberg flew in from Toronto for the big event, but before he came to the Yale, he and Vancouver LOR chapter head Rob Boshaw went and picked up the instruments from Long and McQuade which were to be given as prizes for members who stood out during the 10 week session. These included a new guitar, a bass, some cymbals, a microphone and some other goodies. I must say it had to have been hard to pick winners because every single member made an impression on all of us for different reasons.

Anyhow, we all showed up that night with family and friends in attendance and it took no time at all to fill all the seats in the house. The excitement was so thick in the room that you could touch the nervous energy as it floated around. Some members were getting ready to go onstage and play in a band to a PACKED house at the Yale for the first time in their lives. The buzz in the room made me feel like it was on fire and it wasn't just the TREE beer that sold out half way through the night. I think I chatted to almost everyone, though it was largely a blur and if I didn't have the video footage as proof I was there I would hardly believe it even happened.

I have made this little sneak peek video to share with you. Since there were two professional videographers there I didn't really focus too hard on taking video and I really only caught a snapshot of the night knowing that someone else had it covered. While I did get a shot of all the bands, I totally forgot to get my own band which now I think is a bit of a shame. I didn't think of shooting Know Mercy, because of course my hands were full of either a guitar or a bass at the time and also I just plum forgot to ask anyone to shoot it for me so it's a little sad that I didn't' manage to get my band mate Stephen playing his guitar in this video. Stephen has been a good pal throughout this whole thing and on Thursday night, he was just a superstar, in fact he was voted MVP for this session! High five rockstar!

Fortunately Stephen will be in the video the League of Rock is producing, but for today there is only ONE piece of footage that I could find of him and it came during the finale. He was in the background of a single shot which I probably would not have included in any video for public consumption, because I am being such a dork in it, lol, but I weighed the pros and cons quite carefully and decided to include the shot despite myself, it was more important to make sure I got my band mate in there. Just ignore me (my sister who is queen of self portraiture and taught me everything I know however, will laugh her head off when she sees it).

See here is what happened. At the end of the night after my band KNOW MERCY played, LOR founder and host of the party Terry Moshenberg asked our special guest Tal Bachman to come up to the stage to close off the night. Oh my god! I nearly fell down. I was up onstage at the time and there was NO WAY I was going to get off of it if Tal was getting up there. It's been no secret to anyone I am a big fan, so you can just imagine how much of a thrill that was. It would be like having the chance to strap on your skates and take shots on Roberto Luongo if you were a big fan of the Canucks.

So anyhow, Stephen from my band gave Tal his guitar and then stepped back to hang out onstage ( which is how I got him in a shot, Stephen is wearing a blue tshirt, you'll see it. ), Terry also picked up a guitar and with no notice or planning whatsoever, we all set out to close the night with a little jam. I just hoped to heck I knew the songs that would be called.
Seeing as I wasn't playing an instrument, I grabbed my camera and took some footage of the finale while I was onstage. First we played a Bad Company song. Great, easy, I knew that one. Then, Kenny McNally from LOR Toronto got up to rock the house with Crossroads and Tal wowed us with some Clapton solos, the crowd was thrilled, the energy high, my smile ridiculous. Once that was finished, we were taking off the guitars and putting them away when the crowd started chanting 'She's so High', over and over again.

Graciously, Tal put his guitar back on and quickly told the band how the song went (that's the way jam's go), and with no rehearsal, we charged ahead. 10 years ago when I first fell in love with that song, I never would have imagined I would one day be up on stage singing it with the artist.
And I tell you THAT because I want to illustrate for you that not only does the League of Rock help non-professional musicians realize their dreams of playing with a band, recording, and performing live onstage, but it ALSO has the power to blow away a regular gig monkey like me, by surprising me and fulfilling one of my own dreams. It was crazy, it was the ultimate reward, and I can't thank Terry enough. This whole experience has exceeded even MY expectations! I can't wait for round two.

So watch the video folks, grab yourself a glimpse of what it is like to be in the League of Rock. If you are a non-pro musician who is busy with your work and family life, but are still aching to get out there and rock, remember this:
You go to five, we go till 11!
The next session is registering right now, you can find more info here at LEAGUE OF ROCK. See you soon!


Rach xo

Rachael and Nicola on Classic Rock 101

Rachael and Nicola talk about the League of Rock on Classic Rock 101's Dean and Hatch show.

http://www.rock101.com/

Fall session registering NOW!
http://www.leagueofrock.com/

You may have heard it on the radio, but you didn't see it, till now!

Rach!

League of ROCK showcase announcement and photo update!

Well this is it!!! We are in the final stretch of Vancouver's first session of the League of Rock!

On OCT 1st at the Yale, you can come see for yourself! Join us as 4 bands, comprised of non-pro musicians who did not know each other 10 weeks ago, perform live onstage at one of the city's most well known music venues.

Some members have never set foot on a stage before joining the LOR, and now, just weeks later they have; workshopped with well known industry professionals, recorded in a well known studio and are gearing up to perform live in front of an audience.





Following are a few shots taken over the last several weeks;

This my friends, is the League of Rock, Vancouver Style!

Nando (drums) rocks, that's all there is to say!

Denis (Drums) is one of the many multi-instrumentalists who has joined the LOR!

Stephen (guitar) took up guitar at age 60, and has impressed everyone including me with his amazing attitude, drive and determination. Not only is this his first shot at going onstage, it is his first band experience in his life. High five Stephen, you rock buddy!


Nicola (guitar and vocals)

By the way, tune into Classic Rock 101 on Wednesday at 3:00 to hear both myself and Nicola, as well as Terry Moshenberg dialing in from Toronto, talking to Dean and Hatch on-air about the League of Rock!

Nicola taking video of (LOR coach) Tal Bachman's fingers so she could remember exactly

what it was he taught her!

Vancouver Chapter head Rob Boshaw displaying a fine looking pizza for the band members ( the pizza is provided so that we have something to wash down with the awesome beer that TREE brewing provides for us at our rehearsals every week), and (LOR coach) Shaun Verreault ripping a solo on the guitar during a regular session workshop!


At the midway workshop at the Yale
Grant (drums )

The Tragically Ripped, the band voted with the best name in the League!






Al (bass), and introducing, the glockenspiel. This is my favorite picture from the LOR! Taken by Sharylin, who is like family to me.





Mark (guitar) blew me away with his guitar playing in studio, and Danno (guitar Lead vox)
is one of the most natural high energy performers I have ever seen~!





Allan (lead vox) another born frontman and Nicola ( acoustic guitar, vox) has the sweetest voice, I can't wait to jam with her on the radio on Wednesday!






LOR coaches at the Yale midway workshop, Shaun Verreault and Shari Ulrich, both of whom inspired the members with their insightful thoughts and helpful positive advice!

Studio Day at Nimbus Recording studio!






In the captains chair for League of rock studio sessions was the incomparable Topher Stott! I can't wait to hear how the recording's turn out!



There is so much more to say, so many more people to talk about, this is a mere snapshot. You have to come participate to get the full value of the experience. Stay tuned as I am sure to continue to share the going's on via video and this blog. I consider myself very lucky to be a part of it, and I am glad to be able to share it with people, and go through the process with them. Rock on Vancouver.




So there you have it folks, we are wrapping up session one, and already we are gearing up for the Fall session. If you want to be a part of this musical community you can, it doesn't matter what your skill level, if you can string 3 chords together to play a song, you can join! Get in contact with Terry now at the LEAGUE of ROCK, space is limited, Toronto is sold out, it's only a matter of time before the Vancouver chapter follows suit!


Shaun by the way will be playing with Wide Mouth Mason right close to the Yale on Oct 1st right after our Showcase, so if you are interested in seeing some of the LOR coaches live in action, click the link for info on where to catch their show!

( After you check out the League of Rock showcase at the Yale of course!)






See you on Thursday at the Yale! Rach xo