HI Lonesome by Eugene Ripper

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MARIPOSA FOLK FESTIVAL PROGRAM NOTES 1995

"He unfurls a flag of anarchic flash chording that gags at the heart and pulls your socks up over your ears with a bit of luck he'll be whooping up a storm in total defiance and the beer will be flowing like, er beer´´

Matt Johnson, THE THE

Biography

For all appearances sake, Eugene Ripper -was created in 1979 in the city of Toronto. Ripper, then 16 was about to join his first band, Stark Naked and Fleshtones - a surf 'n destroyabilly satirical suburban garage band (landing somewhere between Dick Dale, The Stooges and Eddie Cochran). In those early day's of the new wave or rock, the drill was simple - you had to have a punk rock name. Up until then, he was resigned to the fact that he was to be known as Vic Sectomy. Very punk rock -- not exactly memorable.

But fate had other - Here's how it happened:

One afternoon, back in the day, in the halls of a suburban high school in Toronto he accidentally stepped on a tassel of denim trailing from the blue jeans of school chum and lead singer Stark Naked Mr. Naked looked up and remarked. "You Jean Ripper "

Eugene Ripper indeed! An alter ego was born and a life in rock and roll to form.

The late 70's and early 80's were exciting raw cut yer teeth kinda years for Ripper as je

played guitar, wrote songs and ultimately led the semi infamous Stark Naked and the Fleshtones through the last wave of the first hierarchy of the Toronto new wave/punk music scene. After hundreds of live shows and five years pounding up against a music

industry that could not find a way to exploit these fun loving punksters, Ripper struck out on his own in 1985 to blaze a path through the Canadian scene as alternative folk artist.

Punk rocker...now folk singer? Well...yes.

Ripper performed countless shows as a solo acoustic act - often in the unlikely position of opening for punk, hardcore and edgy modern rock bands. It another strange but true sight: At first glance what appeared to be a cliche folkie on stage alone with an acoustic guitar who, with a flick of pick, proceeded to attack his axe with a manic energy that usually resulted in him shredding the strings in a flurry of sonic anarchy - bloody fingers and all.

It was during this time Ripper first conceived and began producing the Fast Folk Underground Concert series. Born out of the necessity to create a venue for himself and fellow travelers in the emerging neo folk scene - a scene would not exist unless those who conceived it actually created it.

A series of singles, videos and self produced debut EP gained Ripper a score of CFNY (102.1 The Edge) Casby Award nomination as best indie artist (1987, 1988) and Q 107 Toronto Music Award nominations as best folk musician. (1987, 1988). Couple of other worthy notes. He brought his explosive live show to the main stage of the second EdgeFest at Molson

Park in Barrie Ontario (1988) and his wily songwriting skills to the Mariposa Folk Festival that same year.

In the early 90's, Ripper relocated to Vancouver and concentrate on creative development and paying the rent. He was active in the club and concert scene as a solo artist (releasing his first full length album Fast Folk Underground) and with his roots rock act Deadhead Cool (releasing a self titled EP).

He continued to gain a reputation as an iconoclastic producer/promoter of underground music via his monthly concert series at the world famous Railway club. He also created a footnote on the international scene with the release of his solo album in Germany in 1993. Ripper returned to

The Mariposa Festival in 1992. His talents to deliver a top shelf live act where engaged once again at "The Great Canadian Party" at Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver where he shared the main stage with the likes of The Tragically Hip, Bare Naked Ladies and Violent Femmes.

Then came a move to New York City (1994-96). While in the big pickle, Ripper wrote and recorded most of his second album (Faster Than You Think) with musical friends including drummer Billy

Ficca (Television). While living in NYC he was an active member of the East Village Anti Folk Scene -the scene that launched the likes of Beck and continued to perform and produce Fast Folk Underground Events. One highlight being the 1995 Mariposa Folk Festival in Toronto ? an

event that saw Ripper produce a memorable Fast Folk Underground show that featured the cream of New York Anti Folk Scene and even whacked out Canadian multimedia rocker prankster Nuardwar the Human Serviette.

In 1996, Ripper returned to Vancouver to study multimedia production at the Vancouver Film School. During this period of digital discovery, he continued to develop his songwriting portfolio and continued to produce Fast Folk Underground events at the world famous Railway Club. Throughout this educational binge he put the final touches on the Faster than You Think Project which he finally released late in 1997.

Early in 1998, the nomadic Ripper followed his day job and moved to Halifax Nova Scotia to learn the Maritime way. In Halifax, Ripper hit a stride as a creative artist producing some the some of the most varied material of his career and began to dabble in the trend of convergence as his day job as a multimedia/internet designer was starting to fold into his musical endeavours with the launch of http://www.eugeneripper.com

Here's the skinny on the Halifax Years...

1998 - released digitally remastered mp3 version (with accompanying video he directed and edited) of the classic Stark Naked and Fleshtone almost hit " I was a Teenage Stockbroker" (available only at www.eugeneripper.com)

1998 - released a digitally remastered mp3 version (with accompanying video he produced, directed and edited ) and his own signature cut "Comes and Goes" (available only at http://www.eugeneripper.com)

1999 - Ripper formed Kid Twist, a three-piece hard rocking garageland power trio along with Haligonian's Tim Stewart and Marty Coles. The group recorded a debut album

1999 - Ripper is invited to be the primary lyricist for New York based 9 piece Latin Swing act " The Last of the International Playboys," and penning tracks "Fast Cars" "Havana Bananas" "Loneliest Man in the World" "Rocket to the Moon" for the bands upcoming second album.

1999 - releases mp3 single Folk Song 2000/Apollo Meltdown. Co produced with ex Superfrienz Charles Austin. (available only at http://www.eugeneripper.com )

2000 - Kid Twist releases "El Musico". Ripper produces, directed and edited the video "I feel All right" to promote the album. Included in the video were clips from the Film "In Between" - a winner of the 1999 Local Heroes International Flim Fest Award. Two tracks from El Musico were also featuring on the film

Ok, back to Vancouver in early 2000 to woodshed, pay the rent and continue his creative path.

In the spring, he reached back into vault's to release two digitally remastered (in Mp3 format) Stark Naked and Fleshtone tracks. " I Wanna Marry Your Mother" and "I Broke Her Heart. She Broke My Arm"

In the Fall of 2000 - Ripper, hunkers down for two weeks to create his 4th album with Vincent Jones producing.

2000/2001 - Celebrating the 15th Anniversary of the Fast Folk Underground Concert Series

A Brief history of the Fast Folk Underground

Throughout his recording and performing career, Ripper has been active on local club and concert scenes in Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax and New York as an iconoclastic producer of underground music at his Fast Folk Underground events. For 15 years, Ripper and a horde of fellow travelers havesketched a strange but true reconciliation of gritty urban post-modern styles and yee ol' hootenanny kinda delivery system. It's a potent brew including likes of, The Lowest of the Low, hHead, Taste of Joy, The Washington Squares, John Bottomely, Herald Nix, Lach, Don Ross, Dave Bidini, Nardwuar the Human Serviette, Mr Wrong, The ids,.Chris Houston, Agnelli & Rave, Bobby Wiseman, I Braineater, Bob Kemmis Mark Browning, Neusiland, Al Tuck, Lonnie James,The Delvins Paul Bellini, Matthew Good and much more

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