Original painting slideshow~ (Ed Henderson's guitar)

Yesterday I delivered this custom painting to Ed Henderson, he plays guitar for the band Chilliwack and he also writes and composes incredible acoustic music, this is a representation of his beloved guitar. Afterwards I went home and made a slideshow of the evolution of the painting and set it to one of his original compositions, here it is, enjoy!





Rach

ooooooooh Barracuda! (with special guest Roger Fisher)

Terry Gibbard, Curtis Michael Leppi, Rod Knowlan, Donna Caruk, Rachael Chatoor, Bob McIntosh

 

 

So out of the blue one day, I got this call from a lady named Donna who said she has a Heart tribute band named Barracuda and I thought....oh cool someone is finally asking me to sing some Ann Wilson! But it turned out she is the one who sings the Ann (and she just nails it by the way) and she was calling to ask me if I wanted to learn Nancy's parts. Nancy's parts?

I  laughed out loud at her...."I don't play guitar!  I mean, I ok yes play guitar but I don't play like "guitar goddess" guitar like Nancy does. I'm all strummy strummy and stuff".

 

She chuckled and said she had seen me play and said she had faith in me and then she started telling me about the project and she basically reminded me that I could do anything I wanted to, I just had to set my mind to it. So I agreed to meet with her and her co-bandmate (and musical director) Rod and after a couple hours of chatting, doing harmonies and me playing  guitar on the one Heart song I knew at the time, we agreed we were going to make it happen. For a few months then, I hung out in the woodshed learning first the material and then how to play it. During that time I received enormous help from Rod Knowlan who made fantastic and unusual charts that actually worked for me and gave me a clear and focused path to walk which would surely lead me to success, if I only applied myself.

 

And apply myself I did because I was so inspired. You see I also bought Nancy's instructional DVD to help me learn a few basics and in watching and studying her work I just came to adore her. There were moments in the video where she would say cute things like: 'well there is this little strange thingy I do here and I don't know the name of this chord exactly but someone you know who plays will probably tell you it if you need to know it and any case it looks and sounds like this..........'! 

I laughed when I heard that for it I related so easily to her, and I loved so much that it felt like Nancy just by virtue of being herself gave me permission to carry on trying 

even though I only know what I know.

 

And so it's not only because of the great project itself but I also have Nancy and her kind essence and amazing work that I wish to hold up and honor. It's motivated me on so many levels to push myself much farther than I have ever pushed myself before and well.... I am always grateful for those growing experiences and the people who inspire me to make them happen. 

I got a message one day that our first show would be in a couple of months at Blue Frog Studios and that we would be doing video for our EPK and............ whoa wowo, first gig eh? I think I said to them: ...."You guys do remember this will be my first time doing this material, I'll have no charts and I'll also be playing two brand new (to me) instruments right?"
And it was like..."Yep"

That's it. I didn't get any coddling or babying or nothing........ I was just expected to be ready. 

So, I picked up my guitar and kept practising and learning.

 

Then the show date was right there on top of us and we started hearing a rumor from  friend and former booking agent for the band Heart, Barry Samuels, that brothers Roger and Michael Fisher (you know Roger Fisher the original guitarist for Heart who co-wrote songs like Barracuda and Love Alive, and Michael Fisher the "Magicman" himself who was the bands manager as well as everything else important and integral to the band)........would be coming to the show.

huh? I was a little stunned, I must admit.

I  decided there was only one thing to do, go out there and rock.

 

So I picked up my guitar and, you know, did what I've been doing.........only this time I played a hole right into my callused finger. Great, another thing for me to worry about, my fingers are falling off  and I definitely need them.......... however, it was nothing a little crazy glue didn't fix  and I actually felt quite fierce walking onstage with my finger glued back together,

 kinda  like a little musical, warrior goddess.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Terry playing guitar(/keys/vox) was in the same boat as me, this was his first gig with the band. No pressure eh? What a blast it was, so glad to be on this side of it!  And centre stage there is Rod Knowlan on the guitar(/keys/mandolin/vox) and he deserves big, heavy kudos as music director for helping me learn all this fantastic music. I'll also take a moment here to thank bandmates Bob (bass) and Curtis(drums) for being a magnificent rhythm section, you guys power the train and your work together was awesome. And Donna....sister you were the one who pushed me and I thank you, it's an absolute pleasure to sing and play with you and the band. 

 

And at the very end of it all we had the pleasure and privilege of having Roger Fisher join us onstage for the last three songs and let me tell ya... it was off the charts. On one hand there were moments I was dangling in slow motion saying to myself focus, pinch yourself, be here this is happening........ and the rest of the time it was just a mad, fantastic, surreal, complete blur whizzing by! It only all comes completely together when I watch the videos  to be honest.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSZa8KqbtYI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td_-EPb-KN8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4Nq1H6TMLU

 

 

 

 

Donna, Roger, Barry, Me

 

Roger Fisher, Me, Michael Fisher

 

 

 

 

Photo credits to Dave McKenzie and Don York and more can be seen on Barracuda's facebook page...HERE......and also thanks to Don Snell for sharing the videos and photos......Don was a drummer for the great Sweeny Todd you can check out more of his videos here on his You Tube channel. http://www.youtube.com/user/MrToonz123?feature=watch

 

And finally I can't possibly leave this post without including this bit of epic breaking news for Heart fans everywhere.....Heart’s leading front-women, Ann and Nancy Wilson, along with the entire original male lineup of the band, will perform together for the first time in 33 years, at the 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.about the original memeber of Heart.

see more HERE

 

Stand by for official videos and EPK coming to you from Farting Puppy Productions.

Rachael Chatoor, acoustic solo covers video from Bistro 72

Below is a bunch of clips from a little iPhone video taken last night at Bistro 72 while I was doing my solo acoustic show. If this looks and sounds like something you would like to hear at your event, party, venue, show or festival please send inquiries to rachaelchatoor at hotmail dot com


All songs are cover songs except for Everything Breaks which is my original song. (see my Reverbnation profile for recorded version, Thanks!)







Enjoy.  Thanks for the visit!
Rachael

Feelings for Sale, now on iTunes!

For Sale

One sister for sale!

One sister for sale!
One crying and spying young sister for sale!
I’m really not kidding,
So who’ll start the bidding?
Do I hear the dollar?
A nickel?
A penny?
Oh, isn’t there, isn’t there, isn’t there any
One kid that will buy this old sister for sale,
This crying and spying young sister for sale?

 

~Shel Silverstein

 

 

I took the lyric idea for my song "Feelings for Sale" from Shel Silverstien's poem "Sister for sale" and instead of a sister, the item up on the auction block were some old "crying and vying dumb feelings" that I  knew I shouldn't keep wrapping myself up in. 
It made some sense to me....for how many artists (I had wondered).... be they poets, potters, painters, songwriters or whatever....put their hard to manage feelings... into their work?
Most, if not all, I would imagine.

That is the magic of Art, that it will often turn something that makes the artist feel a little blue, into something that makes someone else smile.

You never quite know just how many tears or smiles are mixed into any one piece but it is indeed a piece of the artist.




Feelings for sale is now available on iTunes! Click HERE to buy this song.

Thank to Millennia Sound Design for turning my rough draft tune into a complete and final mix!
For more recording information and album credits please see below link to this previous blogpost!
http://rachaelpachel.blogspot.ca/2012/05/new-songs-coming-at-ya.html



 


And if you are looking for a custom guitar painting, one of a kind, by me....visit my Etsy Shop!


Take care of yourselves. Love Rach

Robson Square, the Hitzone and free ice skating!

 Last night Sat Dec 1,  the Hitzone kicked off the 2012 season of wonderful live entertainment that Robson Square provides for it's skating patrons.

What a wonderful festive time of year, what a great night, what a beautiful thing to do for all ages. If you are looking for something special to do this holiday season with your friends or family bring them down, and if you come on a Saturday night  the whole place comes alive with a live band to keep your skates sliding!

 

 

And do watch for Hitzone to be part of the magic again! We will be rocking the arena two more times as of this date.....Jan 5th and Feb 2nd!  You can also catch the Hitzone at a few of the casinos around town.....The weekend of Dec 7-8 we are at Lion's den at the Boulevard Casino, then you can find us at Starlight casino  on Dec 21st, and we'll be ripping up the stage at Lulu's lounge in the River Rock Casino on Dec 28th and 29th! Polish up your dancing shoes friends, it's party season!

Love Rach xo

Standing all the way (pink ribbon)

                                 

It's October, the month where everyone goes boobie crazy.

Even I wrote a song with the words pink ribbon in it.

                                 Below are links to some of my favorite message spreaders.

The F* Cancer embrace Life sterling silver bracelet.

http://www.fcancerembracelife.com/

The Journey On Foundation has some wonderful FCK Cancer merch HERE

Standing all the way was written by Rachael Chatoor in 2008.

Song recorded and produced by  Mick Dalla Vee at Millennia Sound Design.

All instruments Mick Dalla Vee, vocals, Rachael Chatoor.

Thank you Mick, I am able to do so much more in this world because of your help.

Special drum track  was done live and in one take by  Shawn Soucy. Thank you Shawn for your talent and years of friendship, you also helped give me wings.

You can purchase Standing all the way on ITUNES

 or download it free at Reverbnation  

Finally, this video is the rough draft, shared so you can see how far it's come from this to the recorded  version:


Inspired by a Melissa Etheridge interview,  I found myself questioning how I might feel, what I might hear in my mind, were I to be told that I have breast cancer. 
Lyrics:

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



As I wrote this song, I really struggled with the feelings I experienced. I wrote the song for everyone, for survivors and for people who have moved on, yet lived strong and well and full of love, life, and hope, while fighting cancer of any kind.  

There were many moments, I found myself, crying right out loud, as certain words came to me, and 
my whole body would be filled with energy when certian lines just sounded right.

I often considered my father's (Ken Waterman) own brave battle with cancer as I wrote this. 

My Dad's soul moved on to another place, last Sept 2007. He lived a full and happy two years beyond, the "three months" diagnosis that doctors gave him. 

My Dad was the sort of man who was a  postitive energy at all times, he never said a negative word to anyone.  He believed and LIVED, like he was not going to die. 

He continued to work devotedly for the YMCA, he spent his free time coaching youth hockey, and was found to be golfing, whenever he could slip away. He even played a round of golf, just days before entering the hospital, for the final time. 

The doctors who tended him, were openly amazed that he was golfing only days prior, & told him so as they looked over his charts with wide eyes, admiration, and disbelief. 

I witnessed this myself as we sat in the Emergency room, I was so proud of my Dad, on that day especially. 

He was still showing people how to live and how to believe. He still joked with all the doctors and nurses, and made everyone around him, feel good about themselves.

That was his magic, & he refused to stop sharing his positive message. 

The words 'standing all the way' in this song, refers to my Dad's last golf game, and his message that no matter what the size of the bump in the road, you can still spend your time believing, and loving the people around you, right now, today.

Love you Dad, thank you for your help with this. 

And wishes of love, courage, and strength, go out to my sisters in the world who are living with breast cancer, or any kind of cancer.

I truly love you all, for helping me to heal a hurt and connect with a spirit.


And this is what I had to say later as I watched my own video:



This is me, sharing my own personal experience with the energy that most of us understand as, our souls. 

Lets be CLEAR here, I do not have ANY answers, nor do I think there are ANY clear, right or wrongs here. There is rarely ever only one way to think or only one thing to believe. 

So, now that we have that straight, you take your road and I will take mine. And lets agree to let each other believe in our own beliefs.  

I am just....sharing MY experience and feelings.

SO, after reading some emails from You Tubers who were sharing their own stories with me,   I 'saw' the song, for the first time, well not for the "first time" but in a different way. 

And at the end of it, I felt the need to point out, the moments that I felt my fathers energy around me.

For anyone who has lost a loved one, this MAY feel comforting, to KNOW, that our loved ones are still around us.

If you saw this video today, and have your own story to share, please do. 

Better yet, make a short video telling your stories of times you felt your loved ones around you.

Share a little bit of hope.


Hugs and LOVE 

Rachael  xo

Rachael Chatoor, cover songs, live music demo

Demo of some bits of cover songs from my solo gig!


http://rachaelchatoor.com/

rach xo