Up to Summer /06
Keeping this Anchor-a-float has been a real chore and quite alot of stick handeling for someone like me that has the worse hockey skills on the planet, thats another story. ha ha ha many members and lots of Wed. night jam nights at Wyders later...... the Anchor still is on deck and a-float.
I think that now in the summer of /06 Anchor has reached a major turnning point. We will take on a new venture with Bigtown Entertainment Agency from Sudbury Ontario. Since last Labour Day weekend when we started working with Scott Heatherington on Keys the band has taken on a sound that is as progressive as it is nostalgic. I go from day to day looking for ways to better this project. My son Dan Perreault blows me away every time we get toghether to jam. He picks up a guitar and is just as fluent on it as he is on his bass.
Chris Romain and his family has to be thanked for all thier tremendous efforts in the past year. Playing with you was awesome, We will never forget you buddy.
Now we have recruted Mr. Michael Von Dekker on lead guitar and lead vocals. He comes to us from The Motor City Detroit Mich. Highly influenced by Angus Young, Ian Gillian of Deep Purple and has the R&R guitar style of Keith Richards. His guitar experience chocks up to a quarter century of Axe experience. Michael is a working out amazing on guitar and his ACDC style voice is exactly what Anchor needed to take us over the edge and add the finishing touches to our classic rock appeal. In the near future we expect to work on an original or two that Anchor will colaberate with Michael on.
/05 Anchor has appeared in various forms around the North Bay area for the past 5 years. The current version has been together since September 2004. The new members of Anchor have kept the name, and the original drummer, but the direction of the new band is now quite different. No longer just a cover band, Anchor now has a full repertoire of original music. It is largely influenced by classic rock as they have carved out a unique sound in the vein of Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and Cream, with a blues element in the music, as well as an almost Celtic feel on original track recorded on demo called Strongbrad.
This is a departure from current music trends, playing long extended guitar solos, drum solos, and with less emphasis other styles.
Fronted by 24 year-old Calgary born guitarist / singer / songwriter Lee Baillie, and 24 year-old bassist K.C. Boulton from Calabogie Ontario, Anchor has been gaining a following all over Northern Ontario for their unique style of hard rock. North Bay Native Stephano Leroux is the power drummer of the trio, who draws on extensive touring experience and playing a massive drum kit in the style crossing of John Bonham and Ginger Baker.
This band is very versatile, and often incorporates an acoustic set in some shows. Anchor has been incorporating the Sitar into the music similar to The Tea Party’s late /90’s album “Edges of Twilight”, but with more emphasis on the specific music of the Sitar and Tablas, rather than using different East Indian instruments for effect.
With their long energetic performances and strong musicianship, Anchor is one of the most exciting and entertaining unsigned acts to surface in North Bay.
As the continuing saga of ANCHOR unfolds in front of us, I stand back and look at what amazing journey it has been. I now as of Aug /05 found the new member for our line up. The first recreate was a easy one and he knew the direction and feel of the position right away. My son Dan jumped right in to the bass spot as soon as he heard that Lee Bailey and K.C. Boulton were leaving. I was hosting a Jam Session afternoon in North bay's Parkette when I needed a bass player to sit in. A quick responding Curtis buddy brought his bass and amp in to sit in with Jacob from Three Legged Cat. Curtis's dad Dan, asked if a friend from London Ont. could sit in on keyboards. Well this was the start of a great thing, as this is how I met Scott Heatherington. We been jamin' since!! Finding a perminate guitarist was a bit more of a chore. A few weeks of going to Wylder's jam night, many beers and late nights later produces a Rick Depatier. This guy is as crazy as he is good, sings, plays lead and rhythm and acoustic guitar. More to come...
Now in the fall of /05 and winter /06 Anchor has ventured into a few new areas. With M.C.T.V. offering us a great opportunity to get involved with the Steph's Fishin' Line project. Anchor has composed a great rockin theme. The song will resemble the likes of the blues rockin Colin James style and the horn arrangements in the likes of Downchild. Recently under-going another personal change our guitar slot has been filled by Chris Romain from Mattaw Ont. His style and feel is perfect for Anchor's music direction and creativity types. We plan now to develop a very sellable /80 tribute. More to come...
Here we are in July, summer of /07 with a new line-up of front men. Jim Golden from Mid-Life-Crisis, a Tilden Lake resident was approaced and accepted to share the lead vocals with me, he playes rythm guitar and seconds on bass. My long time friend, Marcel Amyotte, a Temiskaming Que native, on lead guitar, adding just the right classic rock edge once again. My son Dan Perreault from Sturgeon Falls came back on board doing bass and seconds on rythm guitar. Anchor rocks North Bay once again!!! My buddy Jeff Serran at The D.I.A. has asked us to be involved in the first Herriage Days performances. This is going to be a great oppertunity for us to get out there and show North Bay what were are made of. More to come....
Summer / Fall /07
We the new ANCHOR have been rehersing a great show of classic rock material for this. It will include awsome covers from ZZ Top's Tush to Tom Petty's Runnin' Down A Dream. We have worked on a few great re-makes of Chris Isaak's Wicked Game re-done by HIM, also a great rendition of Niel Dimonds Solitary Man that was re-done by HIM (His Infernal Majesty). We will get in to a rockin' version of the Aerosmith's / Beatles re-make of Come Together. The set will also include C.C.R's Travelin' Band, Could Have Been A Lady by April Wine, Are You Gonna Go My Way by Lenny Kravitz and Keep Your Hands To Yourself by The Gorgeia Satalites. This rockin' set will end off with a smash, doing a great version of Rockin' In The Free World by Niel Young that includes a Drum and Percussion solo by Stephano J. Leroux. I thnk there will be many venues and opertunites come out of this for us and for this act to expand in the near future. More to come....
Winter Spring /08
Our quest to find a perminent lead guitarist has ended . Low and be hold I bring tidings of great joy. in Mid Dec. /07 I ran in to an old friend of mine that is a great guitarist at Sobie's Market. From deep in the depths of the /80's emerges an old friend of mine and band-mate from "Miss Lead". Shortly after that, the one Danny Unger and I attended a Showcase of Musicians, at the Evolution that John "Gunner" Grolman instagated, in hopes of finding a back up band. Not sure where that is at. Son Dan and I were looking at each other with amamzment as we jammed with Danny and we knew that chemestry was right. Now into the spring of /08 we have agreat line-up of material to offer. I'm amazed that this guy could do Frankienstine by Edgar Winter and YYZ by Rush as well as many other great covers Too Much!!!! Last weeks rehersal was mind blowing as we ripped through Razamanaz by Nazareth and "Slide" by The Goo Goo Dolls with ease. Right on Danny Unger, fantastic work brother!!!!!! More to come....
