A.J. Newsletter

Question: How many clowns does it take to get to Newfoundland and if one or two should happen to fall when there, do they make a sound? O.K. O.K. I'm allowed a couple of inside jokes. After all, I have to travel with this circus (Thank God!).

All kidding aside folks, it's been a helluva year thus far. Our new live CD “ON/Q” is flyin' high and we've been working it from B.C. to the Rock and everywhere in between. Hats off to all you “Quin's Kids” who have joined us in the numerous celebrations this year, celebrating thirty years of Harlequin and the one and only live CD, which was released on June 2nd. A fruitful labour of love, which I'm proud to a part of and a MUST to add to your collection. Hats off to Darren for the majority of the 'labour' portion.

Please see other areas of our website to add ON/Q to your collection, along with a new assortment of t-shirts,hats,hoodies etc. featuring an all new logo! Sorry, a little shameless merchandise plug took over for a second.

The shows have rocked, some of the summer highlights; definitely with Kenny Sheilds of Streetheart and the Pumps at Kenora's Harbourfest, Edmonton's Indy, and last weeks Maritime swing. Lots more to come this summer so keep posted to the website. Thanks once again Kenny and the boys, the Pumps/Ophan, April Wine, Ray Sawyer, Casey and the rest of Dr. Hook, Nazareth, Helix, and all of you friends of Quin, that keep comin' out. Let's keep summer rockin'... as they say on the Rock.. Lord Jesus them Harlequin boys was....rockin'. Keep in touch!

A. J.

P.S. The answer to the first two questions was five and yes! I'll talk to ya’ll again after Labour Day Long. Get well Ab.

Newsletter June 09

THEY’RE HERE!!!
Yes ladies and gentlemen, step right up a get your own copy of the new Harlequin release Live “ON/Q”. Fraught with mishap and misadventure, yet fun as hell to put together, we delivered as promised. We’ve been told by everyone that’s heard it so far that “This is the way the tunes should have been originally recorded!” Soooooooo at our most humble request, please support the starving musicians in Harlequin, by purchasing your copy from your local CD Shoppe or a hard copy or downloadable one from our website.
The sessions were recorded across Canada over the last year and a half. Where? We don’t know, but can make up a few names for you if you like. Just assume it was your home town at the last show you attended. Listen for yourself screaming uncontrollably in the background and tell your friends you were there. The CD is jam packed full of all our favourite tunz, from day one to current sessions:
WAKING THE JESTER
I DID IT FOR LOVE
SWEET THINGS IN LIFE
YOU ARE THE LIGHT
RISE
SURVIVE
HOW LONG
HELL OR HIGH WATER
SHE’S MY GIRL
SHINE ON
INBOUND TRAIN
THINKING OF YOU
SUPERSTITIOUS FEELING
INNOCENCE

We decided to re-release Superstitious Feeling as our single to radio. Why? Why not? Some of us felt that it didn’t get all the attention it deserved out of the gates on original release. The song ends with a ripped off version of Zeppelin’s Heartbreaker. So if you don’t buy the CD the least you can do is call your local radio station and get them to spin Superstitious Feeling.

On our website there is contest to see if you can name the band members and how often they appear on the front and back covers. We have had tonnes of guesses and no one’s got it yet. The first 10 people to guess get a free autographed CD.

Thanks from all the boize……

Darren Moore
Harlequin

George's Ramblings

George’s Ramblings

I’m a bit of a procrastinator at times … I was asked to write a newsletter and had it in the back of my mind, stewing, waiting for the creative juices to infuse my brain with little pearls of wisdom to impart to our fans and friends. I usually wait for a clear sign … you know… to point me in a direction … before I set a course. A starting point is what I require.
I’ve been hearing the expression for years …it’s the catch phrase of non believers … an expression my parents, teachers and other cliché-wielding folks have been using for centuries. “When pigs fly”. Well imagine my surprise this morning when the newspaper headline stated in big bold letters that it has finally happened! I still recall the lunar landing and it was a similar feeling I got then … yep there it was …Swine flu!
There are a few things to tell you. Firstly, our new CD will be in stores June 2nd! It’s called “On Q”. A play on our nickname “Quin”. It’s would have been out earlier but … as you up to date fans will recall … we had a burglary that involved a hard drive that had all our live recordings on it. Thankfully, Darren, our resident computer genius, was able to remove the files from a piece of gear the tunes had been processed through and extracted the raw material and patiently re-mixed and reprocessed all the data. The only problem is we can’t tell you where most of the songs were recorded as everything got scrambled in the retrieval process. We did them over quite a period of time and have only our own memories of the performances in question to go by. So remember, if you’d like o support us head down to your local CD vendor and request a copy!
As you will see by the CD liner notes, I am very pleased to have re-recorded these tunes because I feel the true “live” Harlequin sound has been finally captured. I only wish it were a DVD so you could see the fun we had doing this album. I think if you listen closely … you’ll hear our enjoyment! In fact the CD features not only a live collection of our greatest hits, but we have also captured each of the boys singing a new Harlequin tune too! We always have such a great time together, we’re thinking of putting out a live DVD of what goes on …after the show … it would be played on the Comedy Network, I’m sure. Do they play X-rated material?
Our first opportunity to get “On Q” to you will be at My Bar in the Canad-Inns on Regent Ave. May 30th in our hometown Winnipeg. Admission is free but you can get advance tickets by calling the Canad-Inns… apparently these won’t guarantee you admittance. Go figure!!
Well I think another pig just flu over the house and left a little something … actually it’s a raccoon and as hard as it is to believe … they do their business on my roof with … ahem …regularity. I’m going to the Goodwill to get me an Elmer Fudd hat and a used BB gun to deal with this situation! When it happened the first time, I phoned the roofing company and asked them to fire the party responsible for the offensive deposit. The fellow asked me how “fresh” the “package” was then reminded me they hadn’t been there for weeks. I mumbled an apology and hung up! The other day I noticed one of the little buggers sitting on my garage, doing his thing while looking through my kitchen window. He was watching “Dancing with the Stars” on the TV with my wife. Hell … I never get to do that!!
Hey … as long as we’re on the topic of excrement … did you all do your taxes yet? The “word” got tossed around quite a bit last week in my house. I hope they have a plan for that money to help our economy grow …if not … I have some extra fertilizer I’m not using!!
Well that’s it for me … til pig’s fly!
George