Tolan Mcneil

You may not have heard of Tolan McNeil, but you have most likely heard him... or seen him play... or borne witness to his handiwork in one way or another. You see, for the last 10 to 15 years, or so, Tolan has been making his mark playing with (and recording) some of Canada's best bands. You might have recently checked him out as Carolyn Mark's right hand man, but he's also spent plenty of time playing with such luminaries as Neko Case, Frog Eyes, Gus, Pigment Vehicle, Leeroy Stagger, Dave Lang and literally countless others.

He's been a hired guitar-slinger for a long long time now, but the stars have finally aligned in such a manner that he was actually able to record his very own album.

There Will Always Be A Salesman, is Tolan McNeil all over. Really. Aside from some drums played by his ex-roommate (as in, Carolyn Mark & Her Roommates), Garth Johnson, the whole deal is Mr. McNeil. The vocals... the guitars... the drums and bass... as well as the recording (done at his own Lucky Mouse Studios) all come out of his drafty basement in Victoria B.C.

As a songwriter, he stands on par with Gordon Lightfoot on an ether binge. His wild guitar pickin' has been likened to riding a shopping cart down a steep gravelly hill and making it to the bottom in one piece. Live, he's as Country as a nitro-powered threshing machine, and as Rock as, well... a rock... a rock that's been thrown through a cop shop window. Put them together and you get a high octane concoction known in these parts as "Truck Rock". You can add it to the list of things that make Baby Jesus cry.

This album will be a perennial favourite with all those who go to work drunk... people who like to blow stuff up... guys who give their hammers names... and ladies who own muscle cars... in short, everyone.