Projects and Releases

Martyn Jones -The Big Top

Its a great pleasure to finally get this release from the Co-founder of Detroit Rain Music. His grace and quality is un-matched. -I.M

My name is Martyn Iones. I’m a founding member of Detroit Rain Music and a free-range Musician and Producer.  I broke into the Canadian Music Industry in the late seventies as a singing bass player, a valuable commodity at a time when lush vocals and big basslines dominated the airwaves. 

Early on, up north and out west, I was lucky enough to join the circus.  The jumpy dance bands, rock theater bands, legion country bands, punky bar boogie bands and even oddball jazz combos. So, by the time I got to the Big City I had no style prejudice left in me.  Good is good.  Bad is bad.  One low note after another...

Around 1979 I met an ambitious songwriter with some plans for world domination.  His name was Myles Hunter, and we formed a band, Refugee which spanned 12 years, releasing four albums on four major US labels involving a whole lot of touring and recording along the way. 

Working with top producers and engineers in high end studios in big cities was a bit over my head in the beginning, but I eventually caught on to how it works.  It was an analog tape world at the time but digital automation and CDs were just starting to show up.

The songs you can hear on my album, THE BIG TOP were written in one spasm of roughly six months in the mid-nineties, not long after Refugee ended.  I had not written any of my own before then, so I quickly borrowed a telecaster and a drum machine and began catching songs on a four-track cassette recorder as they were falling out of my head.

So, I wound up with a dozen or so original songs, passed them around a little in the industry, even getting a modest FACTOR grant to re-record a couple of them.  Then something came up and they got shelved.   Until COVID.

By 2020 I had been lucky enough to play on around eighty different albums, cassettes and CDs of hugely varied style, mostly on bass, with maybe half of those involving touring.  Seemed about time I put some of my songs out there.

Recreating the energy of the younger MARTYN JONES was a bigger task than I had facility to attempt in my covid cell.  So, with the exception of two songs, these are all forensic remixes of the original TASCAM 4track analog cassette tapes from 1996, which I then digitized, cleaned up and fleshed out.  

Ian McCulloch, my Detroit Rain Music partner helped me with his mastering skill and general guidance. 

And I thank the reader for your interest in independent music.

1) The Big Top: 2:47

Certain rhythms trigger visuals for me.  This song makes me see windshield wipers.  It appears to be about the circus but I think it's about the decisions you make.  Or don't make, of course.  Rob Kennedy, the guitarist who was in Refugee with me played the bubbly guitar. I wouldn’t have thought of that. 

Bubble Guitar: Rob Kennedy

Originally recorded on 4track analog tape at Butler Sound Lab, Toronto ON

Digitally remixed at Beaver Sound, Kelowna BC

Produced and arranged by Martyn Jones

Music and lyrics by Martyn Jones (SOCAN)

2) Girl: 3:33

This song germinated from that scratchy guitar riff and then the bassline tied it together.  Unusually for me, the words came later.  It's kind of an homage to all the strong women I've loved. I had left some room in the arrangement for a solo, thinking a muted trumpet or something moody, but my friend Gord Wazek ripped me some lead guitar and that was the right thing all along.

Lead Guitar and Electric piano: Gord Wazek

Originally recorded on 4track analog tape at Butler Sound Lab, Toronto ON

Digitally remixed at Beaver Sound, Kelowna BC

Produced and arranged by Martyn Jones

Music and lyrics by Martyn Jones (SOCAN)

3) Give Back My Heart: 2:52

This song is from the same time period but several versions later.  Many will have experienced that moment in life when they realized the need to let go of a thread for their own sake.

All voices and instruments: Martyn Jones

Recorded and mixed digitally at Banks Sound, Duncan BC 

Produced and arranged by: Martyn Jones

Music and lyrics by Martyn Jones (SOCAN)

4)  Like To Be You:  2:53

I've always loved a good bitter song.  John Lennon led the way on this. You get mad, you get it to rhyme and then you commit to it.  Whether you're right or wrong, fair or not, it's how you felt.  

Background vocals: Beverley McKeen

Recorded digitally at Banks Sound Duncan BC 

Originally mixed at Woodshop Recording, Cowichan BC

Extra sounds and remix by Martyn Jones at Beaver Sound, Kelowna BC

Produced and arranged by Martyn Jones

Music and lyrics by Martyn Jones (SOCAN)

5) Banging On Your Door: 2:47

I don’t remember how this song started but I had programmed this drum pattern and I just kept turning up the speed dial to see how fast I could play guitar that day.  Lyrically, I was thinking about someone we all knew who was in a funk after a bad time.  It was hell getting all those instruments and vocals onto four tracks, but I learned a lot that night.

All vocals and instruments by Martyn Jones

Originally recorded on 4track analog tape at Butler Sound Lab, Toronto ON

Remixed digitally at Beaver Sound, Kelowna BC

Produced and arranged by Martyn Jones

Music and lyrics by Martyn Jones (SOCAN)

6) Moving Up: 3:13

There's the Straights and there's the Funkies.  And the record business of the 1980s was where the two sides met and tried to do “business”.  Many of the industry characters I met in there were right out of Spinal Tap and if they weren't selling vinyl, they’d be selling shoes or cars.  But when you had one who believed, really believed in your music, mountains could move quickly.  Or you might find yourselves neglected in a file cabinet for months while your new single flounders at radio.  Them’s the breaks they talk about.  This song got me a small FACTOR grant at the time so I called drummer Brian Doerner from Refugee to come into Metalworks to play it like we’d lived it or something.

Drums: Brian Doerner

Tracked on 2-inch 24track analog tape at Metalworks, Mississauga ON 

Digitally remixed at Beaver Sound, Kelowna BC

Produced and arranged by Martyn Jones

Music and lyrics by Martyn Jones (SOCAN)

7) You In Love Too Much: 2:34

This song need never have been written much less recorded and released.  It makes no point, it illuminates no larger truth, it whines, it snivels and generally offers no perspective other than waaah.  But I really dig the way it moves, so here it is.  

All instruments and voices: Martyn Jones

Originally recorded on 4track analog tape at Butler Sound Lab, Toronto ON

Digitally remixed at Beaver Sound, Kelowna BC

Produced and arranged by Martyn Jones

Music and lyrics by Martyn Jones (SOCAN)

All Songs Copyright © Martyn Jones, Ian McCulloch 2022 SOCAN/ASCAP 

All Songs Produced ℗ Martyn Jones and Ian McCulloch for Detroit Rain Music  SOCAN/ASCAP

© Martyn Jones -The Big Top SOCAN/ASCAP

Mastered by Ian McCulloch for Detroit Rain Music

Many thanks to SB, LJ, DR, LL and all who support my efforts.

© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2022
All Rights of the Producer(s) and Owner(s) of the works reproduced reserved

Unauthorized Copying, Hiring, Renting, Public Performance and Broadcasting of this Record Prohibited

"Martyn Jones Music" on Face Book

Terrance Thompson:

The Conqueraahs/Yellow Cab Music

Although Terrance Thompson's musical career started in the late 90's and his many identities as a rapper and artist are long: "Battle Cat", "Catalous", "Cat" and now "Catalog" it's the bare bones explanation of his musical evolution as an artist. Starting early on with his razor sharp rapping skills with the infamous Brass Tacks, to rocking out with live bands that created "Steak and Cake", "Miss Koka Nights", and Detroit Rain Music's infectious joints from "The Conqueraahs". This new record "Yellow Cab Music" defines his distinct sound from the old to the new using a tight band and cutting lyrics it hits all the marks.

Yellow Cab Music is a novella of 4 songs that inspires and combines the fusion of Hip-Hop, Jazz, Pop, Soul and RnB. Each song shares a gritty inner city soundscape with uplifting, positive lyrics produced by Terrance Thompson and Ian McCulloch. 

All the songs where initially recorded in the same "live" way but in different studio environments. They came together in the end as a cohesive body of work representing Terrance's outlook at life, music and art at this time.

1) Yellow Cab: 3:27

Yellow Cab was written and composed by Terrance and Ian, then recorded with some great musicians in the studio. It was produced with a "live off the floor" touch capturing the roots and essence of this project.

Drums: Brad Park

Rhodes: Brad Park

Bass: Matthew Monsueir

Lyrics: Terrance Thompson

Guitars: Ian McCulloch

Recorded at Number 9 Studio live off the floor. 

Produced and arranged by Ian McCulloch and Terrance Thompson. (SOCAN)

Words and Music Written/Composed by Terrance Thompson and Ian McCulloch.

Recorded and Mixed by Ian McCulloch and Terrance Thompson (Detroit Rain Music).

2) People Talking: 2:55

This song idea was initially created at a regular Monday night jam session were Terrance Thompson and "Dave G" as he is called, always connect and bounce ideas off each other to see what feels good. People Walking got the green light immediately and was recorded a couple months later at Studio 306 and finished at Detroit Rain Music like the others.

Drums/Percussion: Dave Goncalves Gouveia

Bass:  Dan Maletich

Guitar:  Dan Maletich

Lead Vocal: Terrance Thompson

Produced and arranged by Ian McCulloch and Terrance Thompson. (SOCAN)

Words and Music Written/Composed by Terrance Thompson and Ian McCulloch.

Recorded and Mixed by Ian McCulloch and Terrance Thompson (Detroit Rain Music).

3) High Life: 3:12

HighLife is a song displaying the lessons Terrance Thompson has learned through out his extensive musical journey trying to balance his music life and a "regular life". The song was written and recorded in Studio 306 at a stage in life where Terrance wanted express his frustrations with the environment around him but also to remind himself that it's really your choice in what defines your happiness. The chorus, sung beautifully by Patricia McPherson, explains that it's not the high life Terrance is looking for because he has lived that. It's the time to seek and stand behind the truths he knows and thats all. 

Drums: Brad Park

Bass:  Martyn Jones

Guitars: Martyn Jones, Ian McCulloch

Keyboards: Romin Ricco

Lead Vocal: Terrance Thompson

Backup Vocal: Patricia McPherson

Produced and arranged by Ian McCulloch and Terrance Thompson. (SOCAN)

Words and Music Written/Composed by Terrance Thompson and Ian McCulloch.

Recorded and Mixed by Ian McCulloch and Terrance Thompson (Detroit Rain Music).

4) Where It Begins: 2:35

This song was recorded at the old Winfield Studios on Shutter St. located in the former Now Magazine Building. Terrance Thompson had the idea to turn a letter he wrote to his deceased father into a song. As emotional as that is in the songwriting, it was a positive in coming to terms with family and the generational gap hence why T.T. wanted a deep jazz influenced track to communicate his message.

Drums:  Brad Park

Bass:   Martyn Jones and Dan "Dano" Maletich

Guitar:   Dan "Dano" Maletich

French Horn:  Kathleen Chang

Keyboards:  Romin Ricco

Lead Vocal:   Terrance Thompson

Back Vocal:  Patricia McPhereson

Produced and arranged by Ian McCulloch and Terrance Thompson. (SOCAN)

Words and Music Written/Composed by Ian McCulloch and Terrance Thompson.

Recorded and Mixed by Ian McCulloch and Terrance Thompson (Detroit Rain Music).

Terrance Thompson

All Songs Copyright © Terrance Thompson, Ian McCulloch 2020 SOCAN/ASCAP

All Songs Produced ℗ Ian McCulloch 2020 for Detroit Rain Music and detroitrainmusic.com SOCAN

© Terrance Thompson Yellow Cab Music SOCAN/ASCAP

All Rights of the Producer(s) and Owner(s) of the works reproduced reserved

Unauthorized Copying, Hiring, Renting, Public Performance and Broadcasting of this Record Prohibited

www.terrencethompson.com

www.detroitrainmusic.com

Contact us at: info@detroitrainmusic.com

terrancethompson.com

yotube.com/TerranceThompsonMusic

cdbabay.com/TerranceThompson

catscanrecords13@gmail.com

youtube.com/detroitrainmusic

Shawn Santalucia -Retrospect

Shawn's songs are unique and timeless. Each song is like an arrow from a different bow. Sometimes fast and furious or slow and besotted. Maybe mid tempo or introspective or straight on like a jack hammer. He uses his voice and guitar in that unique and special way. These are the authors of our times giving both the perspective and emotion from their own experience. Creating and archiving the stories of our lives over time, preserving them for humanity.

He crossed this country many times creating through song the stories of our lives, preserving them for humanity and the foreseeable future like any good FOLK SINGER would do. While he continues to write and perform, the future looks bright in that it holds more music to come from this brilliant Canadian song writer.

Old friends and die hard fans! 22 years has finally helped persuade us to put this project together. Its become an album although never intending to be one. Those limited early releases on cassette & CD in the 90's are rare to come by (even online). Getting these original performances finally released in a digital world was the mission and we hope to hit the mark with this.

This retrospective of 24 songs represents Shawn Santalucia over two decades ago, before the world of "undo" and computer based recording. Shawn continues to write and perform across the country. Check him out at

 Shawn James Santalucia/Facebook

and

 detroitrainmusic.com for more info and updates.

Shawn Santalucia -Retrospect

I Could Be Blind (with Jeff Lang) 4:23
(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN/ASCAP
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch
Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

  Man 2:40

` (Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN

© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch
Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

Life's a Bitch -Remastered 3:02
(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch
Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

AWOL -Remastered 1:53
(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch
Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

Peace and Confusion -Remastered 2:48

(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

This Time -Remastered 2:54
(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch
Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

Relative Song -Remastered 2:45
(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch
Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

Even So 2:46
(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch
Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

Oh the Time -Remastered 4:58
(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch
Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

Too Dumb to Notice 2:24
(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch
Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

Proxy Song 3:57
(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch
Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

Love and Hate -Remastered 1:39
(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch
Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch 

Shambles Theme Song (with Jeff Lang) 3:07
(Shawn Santalucia, Jeff Lang, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch 

Par For The Course 2:26
(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch
Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

Pourin' Spirit 5:08
(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch
Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

Absence -Remastered 4:06
(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch
Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

John Stan's Shoes 2:46
(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch
Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

Boardwalk To The Sun -Remastered 2:45

(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

High In Hollywood 3:39
(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch
Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

The Looney Song -Remastered 4:05

(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

When I Was A Child -Remastered 5:17

(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

Dying To Live -Remastered 3:40
(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch
Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

Queen Of Restless Sleep 3:31
(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch
Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

Bring The Boys Back Home 3:33
(Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch) SOCAN
© ℗ Detroit Rain Music 2020
Produced, engineered and mixed by Ian McCulloch
Words and Lyrics Shawn Santalucia
Music composed and arranged by Shawn Santalucia and Ian McCulloch

All Songs Copyright © Shawn Santalucia, Ian McCulloch 1996-2020 SOCAN/ASCAP 

All Songs Produced ℗ Ian McCulloch 1996-2020 SOCAN/ASCAP

© Shawn Santalucia Retrospect SOCAN/ASCAP

All Rights of the Producer(s) and Owner(s) of the works reproduced reserved

Unauthorized Copying, Hiring, Renting, Public Performance and Broadcasting of this Record Prohibited