Greg MacPherson

Somehow 25 years have passed since Balanced on a Pin was released, December 1999. I did my first real tour across Canada the next month, solo by train from Winnipeg to Nova Scotia. I booked that tour mostly by mail, cold calling venues and sending cassette tape demos in little envelopes with a hand written note asking for an opening gig. I had an email address but we all used landline phones and Canada Post back then. 25 years does seem like a long time when you put it that way.

We recorded that album in Winnipeg’s legendary Private Ear studios on Dagmar Street. The owners, Neal and Lloyd, held that place together with late night repairs and years of hustling. Two inch tape, huge live room with hardwood floors, big warm control room, old video games, Lloyd’s old telecaster, I loved that place. Lloyd recorded it, Paul James mixed it, Barry Mirochnick flew home from BC to produce it, and my band around that time had Rod Hussey on bass, Christine Fellows on guitar, and Jason Tait on drums. I gave people haircuts between takes, people’s marriages began, other people’s marriages ended, the 90s were drawing to a close and we managed to document what that sounded like from downtown Winnipeg.

To commemorate that occasion I am organizing an anniversary show, December 20th at Public Domain in Winnipeg. It turns out my Night Flares album is turning 20 in a couple months as well so we’ll be playing Balanced on a Pin in one set and then Night Flares in a second set. Hope to see you.