New Song “The Cuba Libre Song” is out now!

It’s been a LONG time since we released new music! We are happy to announce our first single in years: The Cuba Libre Song. Which features a number of different people, including Paul Pasanen (our drummer) on lead vox, Deena Theodora on lead vox,  Alexis Baro on Trumpet and Bobby Shaw on Sax, for more details, see below.

Stream here -> https://li.sten.to/kg4kp0he

Youtube:

Spotify: 

Words and music by Paul Pasanen
Music by Michael WynnRolston Miller and Igor Vrabac
Featuring: Paul Pasanen – vox, Deena Theodora – vox, Alexis Baro – Trumpet
Saxes by Bobby Shaw
Recorded, mixed and Produced by Igor Vrabac at Akashic Rekords
Drums recorded by Jeff Wolpert at Desert Fish Studio
Mastered by Peter J Moore at The E Room
Artwork by Michael Wynn

Released on Akashic Rekords

Distributed by The SRG-ILS Group and Universal Music Group

Farmers & Artists 20 Years Later

We almost forgot this, but it has been 20 years since we released our album “Farmers & Artists”, which for us was a labour of love.  Happy that we were able to play some of these songs in March this year (2020) at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto.   

Have a listen on your preferred Streaming Service: 

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/vickyvonvicky/farmers–artists

Hopefully we’ll have some shows lined up when things open up again.

Love,

VvV

Everything: A Song Spotlight

This is the only song written and sung by Chris Wynn on Farmers & Artists but it is quite the song, and takes simplicity to a new level.  Many bands have trouble writing good songs, especially with 3 chords or more, this song in my opinion (mike here btw) is one of the best 2 chord songs I’ve ever heard. 

It also has one of my favourite lines on the whole album: “It hit me like I had hit my stride”.

Enjoy!

You can also find it on your favourite stream service here:

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/vickyvonvicky/farmers–artists

Top Ten Reasons to see us March 3rd at the Horseshoe Tavern

1. No cover, its free
2. Early set time = Early bedtime
– working the day after? no problem, we’re on early so you can be in bed at your regular time,
3. My brother Chris who now lives in Montreal and played with us 20 years ago will be in town so…
4. Opposed to other shows at the ‘shoe there WILL be lots of elbow room
5. #4 also means, there will be no line ups to…
– get a drink
– enter the venue
– go to the washroom
– for coat check
– find a decent spot to watch from
6. This may be the only show we ever get to do again (ok if you miss it we do have other shows already booked)
7. Its a shorter set, so if you don’t like it, it will be over before you know it
8. Raptors and Leafs have a late start so you won’t miss them
9. Music is good for the soul plus going out on a Tuesday is empowering
10. Its our first show back!!!

Horseshoe Tavern – March 3rd, 2020

First Show of 2020!

Vicky von Vicky live at the Horseshoe Tavern
Tuesday March 3, 2020

The last show we ever played was almost 20 years ago at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto.  At the time we were promoting our new album Farmers & Artists and just a day before made an appearance on CityTV’s Breakfast Television.  So it is only fitting that we announce our first reunion show will be at the Horseshoe on Tuesday, March 3rd!

We’ll be playing Dave Bookman’s Nu Music Nite, which is also fitting – no cover charge.   Unfortunately Dave, as we all know, passed away last year.

When we first started out, I would occasionally drop by 102.1 the Edge to chat with Dave and his pal John Osborne (Johnny O) about the local music scene, current music, upcoming shows and sometimes I would give him our newest tape or CD.  He was the first to play us on the radio, they played our song Novena Sarafina on the Thursday Indie show. 

Since his passing we have been supporters of the charity MusiCounts in his name, please donate here.  We encourage you to donate if you can to this worthwhile cause. 

Hope to see you out on March 3rd!

xxxooo

VvV

 

Horseshoe Address:

370 Queen St W,
Toronto, ON M5V 2A2

Location on Google Maps

 

Liberty the Song

This is the last of our singles from Farmers & Artists.  Not much to say, it has a very laid back pop feel.  The chorus is 6 bars of 4/4, which is very cyclical.  

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/vickyvonvicky/liberty

Paul tells me he has cried on more than one occasion listening to this song, so if you do get a cry out of it let us know!!  And don’t worry we will be highlighting more songs, essentially the ‘deep cuts’ haha, in the coming months.

Other than that,  Enjoy!

XXX

VvV

 

Mama Says Lighthouse by Vicky von Vicky

Mama Says Lighthouse

Our third single from Farmers & Artists is the quirky prog-rock song Mama Says Lighthouse.  It’s essentially 2 songs in one. The first half of the song centres around a groovy hypnotic guitar riff, which, along with the vocals, slowly builds the tension in the song.

Stream it here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/vickyvonvicky/mama-says-lighthouse

The second half of the song, starting around the 3:50 mark, is based on the Lighthouse song “One Fine Morning”, the chords aren’t exactly the same, but the rhythm and feel are very close. Somehow we turned this into an epic jam.

Rolston tells us that at the time we recorded and played this song some 20-odd years ago his neighbour was the ex-wife of one of the Lighthouse band members (we’re not sure who exactly though!).  

Enjoy!

A New Decade

Hi all, just wanted to say that we are excited here in Vicky von Vicky land, the 2010’s may have just ended but for us this is a new beginning with the start of the 2020’s.  As mentioned before, this year is the 20th anniversary of our album Farmers & Artists. With shows, new music and other stuff on the way, 2020 will be a great celebratory year for us.

Please enjoy the video below of our #baselineboys (Rol & Paul) walking through fog. Just leave it on repeat all day long, you will never tire of it, we promise. 

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6PEWj3FqYs/

 

We will be re-releasing some more of our catalogue, including some previous singles in 2020, and perhaps some new music, so please stay tuned.

Wishing all of you a very happy and safe 2020 – year and decade.

Love,

VvV

xoxo

Mangirl: A Song History

Mangirl on Spotify or Youtube 

Hi All,

I’ve heard from many friends that this is their favourite VVV song. 

BTW – although the lyrics are a bit vague, and it sounds like this is a song about people that are trans, it really isn’t about that and was never meant to come out that way. 

I can’t really tell you what the song’s about exactly but I can tell you what inspired it, and for me it’s “parenthood”, and more specifically “fatherhood”, especially the moment when you become a parent for the first time.  It’s an indescribable feeling and I know that there are many that will never experience it, and I am not saying that everyone should become a parent, it’s not for everyone. But for me it was something I didn’t anticipate in my youth and was pleasantly surprised by it.  And this song was inspired by that experience.

The song was written before my wife became pregnant back in 1999 with our first child, I can’t really remember how the song came about, but the chorus was definitely there before the other parts.  

For the first verse, I pictured the song being the last song a band plays at a show, thus the slow tempo and the “Just before we say goodbye” line. 
“Let’s give it another try”, like we were not going over well with the audience.

There are some statements about relationships, etc.  Such as: “You know you’re never gonna leave me”. Not sure about this, this wasn’t personal just maybe an insecure statement about relationships in general.

The rest is just non-sensical:”Stepping out, and stepping in” – (what the eff is that?), “Looking up and sinking down”, just opposites again, I just liked the way these things sounded.

There is a bit of confusion from the narrator (Me) throughout the lyrics, I like things that are confusing, they make sense to me, (haha).

“Stepping out into the Light, I get hit with the Night”, kind of the absolute peace I felt after leaving the hospital the night my daughter was born.  I honestly remember stepping outside and saying to myself: “Oh yeah it’s nighttime!”.  

The last verse is essentially a tribute about the immediate transition of becoming a parent and witnessing the birth of your baby.  It’s a moment for me where I thought to myself, nothing before this moment really matters and everything else after does.

Knowing whether the baby was a girl or boy was really the last thought in my head.  When the doctor said “It’s a girl”,  I remember being in a daze and saying:”oh yeah I forgot about that!”.  I was so in LOVE with my wife at that moment, at what i had just witnessed.  She was awesome and went through something that just seemed super human.  I don’t think men are capable of taking this sort of pain.

I remember leaving the hospital that night after the birth and feeling so happy, it is indescribable, and I feel absolutely blessed to have gone through it with such a great outcome.

Thanks,

Mike